#braalian

Sorry if the lighting makes my writing a little difficult to read. So for clarity:

Claws come in brown, black, white, gray, off-white/cream. Shiny if healthy.

Claws are almost talon-like. Typically blunted yet pointy. (Think kind of like broad dog claws.)

"Tendon" scaling on fingers & thumb, genetics determine if trail for thumb connects to shield scale or fades off like arm scales.

"Shield" scale on backs of hands. How much space it takes up depends on genetics.

Scales typically match skin tone & blend in.

And some further details I couldn't fit into the limited space:

Claws are typically all one color on an individual, but-- with about as much frequency as equivalent to human redheads-- there are those individuals who can have claws of multiple colors. (Whether this is regarded as pretty or not is dependent on cultural beauty standards.)

Claw color also tends to match feather-fluff/"hair" color to a certain extent-- in that someone with dark feather-fluff will likely have dark claws and someone with light feather-fluff will likely have light claws-- but individuals with 'mismatched' claws and feather-fluff are common enough that it's unlikely to draw much attention (think roughly equivalent with seeing someone blond in the US).

While in most individuals the scaling on hands and feet will match and blend in with their overall skin tone, there are instances-- whether due to a fluke of genetics (think like freckling, melanism, leucism, etc.) or health conditions-- that result in some scales either being much darker or lighter than the overall skin tone of the individual. Very rarely is all scaling on an individual a shade that contrasts from the overall skin tone.

Scaling is typically restricted to hands/arms and feet/legs (how far along the limbs the scaling goes depends on genetics, but it's rare for it to reach beyond the elbows or knees), but in some individuals there may be scaling following the spine.

And for something a little more character-specific:

Rokk's claws are a dark, almost chocolate, brown and he prefers to keep them rounded off.

The text for clarity:

"Hair" is all kiwi-like feathers, including eyebrows.

(Babies are more likely to have heads of 'dandelion fluff'.)

The four mini-heads, from left-to-right are labelled:

Calm

Freaked

Angry

Shame/contrite/embarrassed (this one also has an arrow pointing to it saying 'slicked down')

Braalians emote with their feathers. Anger will make them fluff up, but not as much as fear.

Other details not included because of space:

Braalian babies are more likely to have 'dandelion fluff' due to having baby feathers! (Think like penguins and the like.)

How old braalians are when they shed the baby fluff and grow out their adult feathers varies due to genetics, but it's usually no later than 8 and no earlier than 4. (There are rare instances of the baby fluff persisting to age 10, but it's shockingly rare.)

How close the baby fluff of a braalian is in color to their adult feathers depends on genetics. Baby fluff being super pale while the adult feathers are really dark (or vice versa) isn't uncommon, so claw color is usually taken as the main indicator of how dark or light the adult feathers will be.

Because braalians emote with their feathers, there are all sorts of cultural specifics of 'politeness' around said emoting.

Some braalian cultures prize keeping feather-emoting as contained as possible (especially with things like anger, irritation, contempt, etc.) and so would have the concept of 'impolite bristling'.

Other braalian cultures may view someone who keeps their feather-emoting 'too' constrained as untrustworthy and someone who tries to manipulate others.

How emotive an individual is with their feathers depends on that specific individual, their cultural background, and the circumstances they're in and how they respond to said circumstances.

There are health conditions that induce scalp paralysis, which is often regarded as a tragedy in most braalian cultures. Partial scalp paralysis is regarded as less of a problem than whole scalp paralysis.

Some individuals (depending on genetics) can fluff parts of their scalp independently of other parts (think the equivalent of someone who can raise a single eyebrow at will or wiggle their ears). Depending on their level of control, they may be able to create an effect that makes it look like they have a mohawk.

Braalians don't shed feathers as frequently as humans shed hair. If they get too stressed though, they'll start dropping feathers more frequently.

Some braalians have curly feathers. Depending on how curly they are (and if the individual is around others who are entirely unfamiliar with curly feathers), the individual's feather-emoting may seem muddled or hard to read.

How long braalian feathers can get depends on genetics; roughly chin-length is average, but it is possible to have feathers that naturally grow to a much shorter or much longer length (and there are likely record-holders for both). How long an individual keeps their feathers trimmed to is a matter of personal preference and culture.

And for character-specifics:

Rokk is the sort of person who tries to keep his feather-emoting locked down tight and at as polite a tilt as he can manage. He doesn't always succeed, but he maintains just the right balance of controlled enough without being overly controlled to generally be read as even-keel, self-assured, and confident in what he's doing. (In reality, he's extremely hesitant about being willing to be read by people he's not close to, and he's very well-practiced in being mindful of the image he's projecting.)

So here you go-- Braalian skull be upon ye.

It's rough as hell, but it gets things across.