Biology

I didn't really delve too deep into the issue of Rito biology.  For the most part, they look similar to the Hylians.  Given the cartoonish look of The Wind Waker, I don't think Ritos have actual beaks in place of their noses.  The way I see it, they have rather human noses, but they are typically beak-like in shape.  From the game, we see a lot of white hair, except for Medli, who has brown hair.  We mostly see red eyes, but the Rito Chieftain has yellow.  Their skin color appears to be a light brown or olive complexion.  They have the ability to turn their arms into wings, and I like to think adult Ritos have the ability to completely turn into kargarocs (as inspired by Dark Link's Eloze; an excellent fanfic you can find at North Castle, one of TDC's affliates).

 

Leadership

In the game, we see a Chieftain, which sounds more or less like a king, considering that his son is called "Prince" Komali.  But I, for one, would like to see more variety with the leadership roles in Hyrule.  As such, I think the Rito Chieftain would actually be discussed and elected by a council of elders, and this Chieftain rules until he either retires, dies, or severly screws up in his role as leader.

 

Military

I like to think of the Ritos as a peace-loving people, and as such do not have a large army.  If they were to become involved in a war, I would think that they would serve as aerial scouts for their allies, or do some other work that involved intelligence gathering.  Being creatures of the air, they would arm themselves lightly, most likely with small daggers, but I can also see them using magic to fight if they have to.

 

Religion

The Ritos may or may not believe in the Hylians' creator goddesses, but they do worship their spirit guardian, the dragon Valoo.  While I don't think a scale from Valoo is necessary for the transformation process, I do think that one of his scales is still considered a good luck charm, and as such, a Rito coming of age will visit Valoo to receive a scale.  Other important cermonies undoubtedly have Ritos praying for fair winds.

 

Racial Values

As I said above, I think the Ritos prefer peace.  Like any other race, they value family; although, perhaps not quite as much importance is placed on it as in the Gerudo culture.  For the most part, I see the Ritos as scholars, gathering vast amounts of information to put into libraries, where they let the other races come visit whenever they want.

 

Schooling

Young Rito students start off their educational career learning history, language skills, and basic magics.  As they grow older, they start to learn the basics of a variety of skills to see what they're interested in.  Once they get to the university level, they will train solely for their chosen career.  However, Ritos believe in learning all throughout life, so even when they are officially done with school they will read whenever they can.

 

Trade

Minor items that Ritos trade with other races include blankets and pottery, but the major services they offer include acting as messengers or as forture tellers.

 

Literature/Language

Ritos have their own language, which they rarely teach to anyone else.  Meanwhile, Ritos are expected to speak and read the Hylian tongue well enough to effectively communicate with the Hylians.  Their literature is mostly Rito folk tales or magical tomes, but other books dealing with the arts and sciences are not uncommon.

 

Symbolism

We don't see too many symbols associated with the Ritos.  Komali does have Din's Pearl, but Medli's clothing has Nayru's symbol on it, so I imagine that they are more or less borrowed from the Hylians.  If the Ritos do have some sort of symbol, it would most likely be wings to represent flight.  Or perhaps some alteration of Farore's symbol, as Farore seems to be associated with the wind (remember Farore's Wind from Ocarina of Time?)

 

Music

I imagine the Rito's music would have a light and airy sound to it, nothing too sad, except for funeral songs.  The instruments they most often use would probably be harps, lutes, and flutes.

 

Food

I think the Ritos are omnivores.  They eat small birds, fishes, and lizards, but they also eat grains, such as wheat and corn.

 

Odds are, there might be another large gap of time between this article and the next one, but until then, let me know which race you want to hear my thoughts on next.