Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

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.

Jathden has good reason to be wary. Her parents were killed by human hunters and her first weyr was lost through the betrayal of her own kind, and this was only the start of her misfortune. Jathden has gained much knowledge about the world over the years, with harsh experience as a teacher. She doesn't associate with the unusual or striking, for they gather too much attention, nor does she mingle with the outcast or downtrodden, for they are often resentful and seeking to better themselves by whatever means necessary. Instead, Jathden searches out dragons who are average and content to remain that way.