Aurelian

Aurelians are average-sized, bipedal creatures covered in small feathers. They originated from within the cold forests and vast snowfields on the planet of Etvia. They have always been known to be one of the most peaceful races in Kalsias, and even in the space age still value their traditions and practice them. Being the most in-tune with nature of all other space-faring Kalsian races, they have incredibly heightened senses.

History
Like most other Kalsian races, Aurelians didn't gain the technology for space travel until the Ascension. Before then, the Aurelian population was struggling to survive. They had adapted to their world well, but only a short time before the Ascension, there was a disaster that occurred on Etvia which rendered most of the planet's southern hemisphere completely uninhabitable. Having about a quarter of the global Aurelian population wiped out overnight was a devastating blow to the species, which only sparsely populated the planet to begin with.

The Ascension was what saved them. Since gaining the technology to fly out into the cosmos, the species has flourished and ended up becoming one of Kalsias's most common races. It was never figured out what exactly caused the Etvian disaster, and the effected area has since remained closed off.

Culture
The Aurelians have always been a peaceful race, who place high value on the preservation of nature and respect for all living things. As such, most Aurelians make a huge effort of keeping the natural beauty of the planets they colonize intact. So much so, in fact, that it's very difficult to tell if said planets are even inhabited at all when viewed from space. There's almost no light pollution, and only about one or two major cities per planet. Large portions of the colonized planets are left almost completely untouched, leaving a lot of room for wildlife of all sorts to roam around through the thick forests and gigantic mountains.

Occasionally, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Aurelian temples and shrines can be found. They're generally made of stone or wood and are often surrounded by nature. Some of the older Aurelian temples that happen to be located in forests are even overgrown. The temples are inhabited by Aurelian monks who take care of the surrounding environment, and the shrines are used to pray or make offerings. Despite not following any one god, traditional Aurelians regard the planets themselves as living beings which must be treated with care and respected.

Physiology
Despite being herbivorous, Aurelians have a few sharp front teeth and flat back teeth. These were used primarily to bite through the hard shells that many fruits on Etvia were contained in, as well as for self-defense purposes. As such, Aurelians also have a fairly strong jaw.

Aurelians are creatures designed almost specifically for the cold. They do not possess sweat glands and will instead start panting when they need to cool down. The feathers that cover their bodies are designed to keep them warm in below freezing temperatures, and as such they can overheat very easily. Any environments with an average temperature of above 294 degrees Kelvin can be incredibly dangerous and possibly fatal for any Aurelian that isn't equipped with a cooling suit.

Aurelians are similar in size to humans, their average heights being between 5 and 7 feet tall.