Nhiostrife Wyverns are one of the few known breeds of wyvern with more than one set of wings. Because of their four wings, Nhiostrifes are very nimble in the air and control their movements with ease. When it’s mating season, males put on a very beautiful and unique air dance in an attempt to charm a female. The amount of stripes on their wings vary, with more stripes being more attractive, although most have only two to four. Their general attitude is very passive and curious—they only fight if they or their families are in danger.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Shaenan is the prized offspring of a prestigious line, his mother being an extremely rare variety whose colors have been magically altered. His egg was a gift from a generous dragontender who usually stuck to the shadows, but felt the need to both make Hawktalon smile and give Shaenan a good home. But though he is loved he resents the girl who "stole him away," as he puts it, and likes Hawktalon even less for "locking him up." In truth he is not chained; he can come and go as often as he pleases (and many who call the clan their home do) but no matter how many times Hawktalon has told this to him he refuses to listen. She privately thinks that he is afraid that with so many of his brothers and sisters being distributed as gifts to various dragontenders throughout Galsriem his mother will have forgotten him. And indeed at night, he can be seen perched at the edge of clan territory, wings open as if to fly, and his telepathic voice whispering faintly, "Do you still love me..."