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.

Nobody is quite sure why Dalek in the Shadows has a personal vendetta against Patrow, Daviten, and the other traveling dragons like them. Rumor has it that Patrow or one of his kinfolk might have helped wipe out Dalek's weyr, but it's been so long that even Dalek can't remember how it all began. All he knows is that he won't rest until Daviten and all those like him have been reduced to ashes on the wind. Though permanently flightless as a result of an old injury, he's still remarkably effective in his attempts to exterminate anyone who stands in his way.