Avians

The winged “bird-men” who inhabit the great mountain ranges of Inner Austrolaria are one of the most mysterious peoples in the known world. They are small, slight of build, and avian in their physiology, with feathered bodies, large, parrot-like beaks, and enormous wings. Males have bright, colorful plumage, often in striking shades of red, blue, or green. Females have more subdued colors, usually brown or gray. Unique among humanoids, avians are capable of unassisted flight. They are supreme aerial acrobats and have been observed flying at very high speeds over extreme distances.
History
Few avians make the journey from the highlands to live amongst other peoples, and as such little is known of their history. Their legends claim that they originally dwelt in heaven before being cast down to earth by the gods, while this is generally assumed to be pure mythology, it may hide a kernel of truth. Many scholars believe that the Avians are indigenous to the lowland jungles of Southern Austrolaria, but were driven into the mountains when lizardmen first moved into the region millennia ago. Whatever their origins, the avians have spent many centuries harrying the frontiers of the lizardmen kingdoms, raiding for plunder and supplies. While there are no records of them ever staging any sort of large scale coordinated invasion, they have been a nuisance to lizard civilization for since its earliest beginnings. The emperors of old mounted several expeditions to conquer or exterminate them, none of which found very much success.
Culture
The avians are a nomadic tribal people, living in small migratory flocks which travel great distances across the continent with the changing of the seasons. The Avians have no tradition of kingship or centralized rule. Instead, each flock is led by an ad hoc collection of shamans, elders, and other respected members of the community. The avians are generally reclusive isolationists. Their contact with the outside world is limited to raiding expeditions into lizard territory and the occasional avian outcast who journeys abroad. They are far less warlike than other tribal nomadic people such as the orcs of Eridas, and largely just want to be left alone. When avians do go on the warpath however, they can be exceptionally deadly. Avian warriors favor the bow and javelin in battle, weapons whose deadliness is multiplied by their ability to fly at high speeds. Avians practice a modified version of the lizard rites, mixed with ancestor worship and other pagan practices. They consider Matsu to be the pantheon’s high god rather than Ramos. They revere him as a god of the wind, sky, and storms without his usual nautical associations, and call him by his lizard name, Oduwaz.