Holiday dragons are a very mysterious breed. They are only seen during winter, and even then it is hard to catch a glimpse of one. They are responsible for the general cheer that spreads during the holidays. In essence, they are the “Spirits of Winter.”

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.

Anssi is a bit more outgoing than others of his kind. In winter, he may show himself to a kind-hearted human, then run away just fast enough that the human can barely catch another glimpse of him. When the chase is up, he disappears, leaving the human panting at rest. If the human continues in the same direction, they will find some sort of gift, such as a tree laden with meats and breads, a chest full of coins, or even just a roost of turkeys. Anssi not only has the ability to create these gifts, but can also turn into a white stag, bear, or hawk. No one has ever seen his kind after the first flowers bud or before the first hard frost; it is assumed that they travel to another plane of existence or hide underground. Since he is a wholly magical being, he need only feed upon snow and seems to draw his sustenance from joy.