The Talkani are a bipedal, humanoid species that dwell in almost every climate in Talkas. There are 7 subspecies based on the environment of their birth, but for now, I'm focusing on the basics. They'll have individual posts explaining their culture, mannerisms, specific features, etc. at later dates.
As a species, they can grow anywhere from 6 to 8 feet in height, and weigh anywhere from 400 to 1500 pounds. Their anatomy is mostly humanoid, with a few differences seen throughout the subspecies. All Talkani have dark skin ranging from tan to very dark browns. While there can be fair skinned Talkani, their chances of survival are very slim, as their skin tone is more often than not a sign of illness and almost guaranteed death. They have catlike facial features, namely their noses, fangs, and eye shapes. While they are bipedal, they have digitigrade pawlike feet with thick soles to aid them in travelling in their respective terrain. It should also be noted that most Talkani can shift from a bipedal to quadrupedal stride at any given moment. They are able to maintain balance with the help of their tails, which can range anywhere from 3 to 7 feet, depending on height. Generally, all have 4 digits and opposable thumbs. There are exceptions to that rule, but I'll get to them in another post.
Generally speaking, males are bigger and stronger than females. For what females lack in size and strength, they make for in aggression and numbers. Their breeding patterns are heavily dependent on what subspecies/tribe/city/etc that they're a part of, as are gender roles and such. *For example: Soheki tribes are normally lead by the oldest or strongest female, whereas Hoenn tribes are lead by males of a certain bloodline. There are more that I could list but I'm getting tired*
While most groups have a patron god, all Talkani worship a pantheon of various gods. The strictness of said beliefs, again, vary across the subspecies.
A brief overview of the subspecies
Sahkti - Desert Talkani. They live in a central city or in villages around said city, and are ruled by a royal family. They are one of the most civilized breeds of Talkani, as well as one of the richest/most influential. Most Sahkti are very arrogant and condescending towards the other breeds, Tuinar excluded, and take pride in their ability to dwell in one of the harsher climates.
Sohek - Jungle Talkani. They live in tribes throughout the jungle, and are lead by the oldest female in the tribe. They are fiercely loyal to their fellow tribesmen, and some sister tribes. The Sohek are known for their constant tribe wars and feral behaviour, which in turn makes them feared/distrusted by the civilized Talkani *i.e. Sahkti and Tuinar*
Tuinar - Forest Talkani. They live in a large city that spands across the forest. While there is a King, a council makes up the laws and enforces them. The Tuinar generally keep to themselves, only communicating with the Sahkti and, albeit rarely, the Ikahn. They tend to be distrusted by most of the tribal Talkani, and severely despised by the Sohek.
Cefir - Plains Talkani. They live in tribes across the Plains, but unlike the Sohek, their tribes are connected through their chiefs and generally don't go to war against each other. With this being said, they aren't trusting of outsiders or halfbreeds. Most Cefir are fairly aggressive and intimidating in stature, being of the largest breeds.
Hoenn - Island Talkani. Because the Islands aren't very large, all Hoenn come from a single tribe lead by the oldest *or strongest depending on the situation* males of 3 families. They are easily the most welcoming to outsiders, as remaining closed off would result in mass inbreeding. They do, however, harbor a deep grudge against the Cefir for reasons lost in generations.
Dahn - Mountain/Valley Talkani. They are a breed of nomads, with the largest known groups ranging from 5 to 7 adults with their cubs. Most wanderers hail from the Mountains, and are generally seen as nonthreatening. Most who leave the Mountains end up in the Forest or the Islands, resulting in those areas having the highest population of half-breeds.
Ikahn - Arctic/Snow/Tundra Talkani. By far the most mysterious and generally feared of the breeds, as very few are seen by outsiders. They are the second largest breed, and they are rumored to have a stronger connection with the Gods and the Other realms, thus believed to have power unknown to the other breeds. Like the Hoenn, they are a single tribe lead by the oldest male, and are ambivalent to outsiders. Half-breeds of this breed are Very rare.
This all I can think of for now. Any additional info will probably be posted separately.