Shimmer-scale Dragons are a very beautiful breed with small—but highly reflective—scales that shimmer and shine as the dragon moves through water. They don’t have fins or webbed feet, but their long, eel-like bodies allow them to swim quite fast. They were once rumored to carry large pearls in their claws—causing many to seek them out in search of this fabulous treasure. In reality, the “pearl” is of greater value to the dragon, for the fabled treasure is actually an egg carried by a migrating female.

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.

Numerous rivers run through the valley in waves rushing or calmly billowing past the hills. Of these there is one, which runs all the way from the far cradle of morning. The sandy floors glimmer with specks of gold and the waters flow clear as crystal, for the river is blessed by a dragon warmly spirited like eternal sunlight. A quick-witted and sprightly sentinel that arrived under stormy clouds.

Once, a dark downpour had struck the valley, and many hearts were clouded. Before the witch of the valley, a dragon egg akin to a golden pearl appeared in the river. The shimmering dragon that emerged from the egg flittered joyfully in the waters, and so the bitter rain that had struck the land was dispelled. Since then, the bright dragon rarely stray far from the River of Morning. Oftentimes a fragrant scent may waft on the breath of wind from thence, for teatime and a battle of riddles is a shared love of the witch and the dragon Eitherna Eriling.