Yellow-Crowned Dragons are found in the hottest, driest regions of the desert. Although they thrive in these conditions, they do very poorly in cold or humid climates. These dragons are very fast fliers and skilled hunters, and usually feed on small, quick desert antelope. Yellow-Crowned Dragons are diurnal, and spend the night in underground burrows they dig or steal from other creatures. They are often seen out sunning themselves in the early morning sun, waiting for the heat of the day to set in.

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.

Yellow-Gemmed is a Waterhandler serving the Ryge family, one of Crule's noble families. They are only noble in the sense that they are privileged and have gold; most of them are not nice, and everyone would be better off if the family didn't exist. Of course, Yellow-Gemmed keeps that opinion to herself because she would face harsh punishment for criticizing them. Even without complaining, she and her colleagues are berated daily. Several Ryge family members wish to take the throne from the ruler, Noodle, for some reason. Waterhandlers, historically, harvested cactus, tended to the well, and transported water and vessels, but their job now also involves bringing water and medical supplies to their surviving masters after a failed usurpation attempt. There are a few instances where the Ryges again tried to unseat the ruler, and Yellow-Gemmed was nearby but didn't make it to them in time, so they died from their injuries. Terribly unfortunate.