The sotiel are humanoid only so far as they are four-limbed bipeds. They are extremely short compared to humans, possessing very slim bodies and thin, overlong limbs. From head to toe, sotiel are covered with carapace-like plates of a red or brown-red color, with similarly-colored skin visible around the mouth, joints, and other places of frequent movement. Their hands have two fingers and an opposable thumb, and they walk on digitigrade, bird-like feet with three clawed toes. Though they stand erect when walking, sotiel drop into crouches when standing still. When running, sotiel move on all fours.

Their faces are flat, with small mouths and no nose or external ears, and their rounded heads are supported on long necks. Their eyes are narrow and almond-shaped, blue irises over darker blue sclera, with pupils that slit vertically like a cat's. They are hollow-boned, lightweight, and extremely fragile little creatures.

Sotiel possess wiry tails, about equal in length to the individual's height, which are prehensile but limited in grasping ability by the spade-shaped blade at the tip. Thin spikes run from the forehead, over the head, down the neck and back, and all the way to the end of the tail. The spikes are longest at the top of the head, between the shoulder blades, and for the last quarter or so of the tail, reaching lengths between four and seven inches. Elsewhere the spikes are merely an inch or so long. These spikes are actually a form of antennae, receiving not only scent but also telepathy. They are extremely sensitive and full of nerve-bundles, so thankfully they're much more resilient than they look.

Along with their telepathy, the sotiel are a race that relies strongly on scent, and each individual has its own unique, identifying pheromone. To the human nose, these scents are extremely faint, and may not even be noticed. Most often, the scent is compared to a spice or herb or some kind.

Sotiel are natural telepaths, able to communicate with any intelligent being via telepathy. They have no ability whatsoever to make vocal sounds.

Sotiel can use their psionic abilities to affect other creatures. They are not capable of mind-control, but a standard sotiel method of self-defense is to strike an opponent's mind with a powerful mental blow. Depending on the sotiel's personal strength, such a blow could merely daze the target for a few moments, or could be powerful enough to render them incapable of thought or action for several minutes.

Like some insects and lizards, sotiel can stick to and climb just about any surface, even upside-down. This is possible due to microscopic hooks on the hands and feet, and the extremely minimal weight of the sotiel's body.

Sotiel come in three physical sexes: male, female, and neuter. Their reproductive rate is rather high, with between five and ten young born at a time, but about two-thirds of a clutch of offspring will be neuters and thus incapable of reproducing themselves.