Black Dragons are warriors. They are strong and capable in battles of force, but also ample magic users, capable of devastating opponents with their spells. Their bright eyes give them excellent night vision, which is why they generally hunt during the night.

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.

"Unlucky" is too gentle a word for the strange, harsh life Kafkaesk has led. She is constantly stumbling into unfortunate and inexplicable circumstances: one morning she woke up to discover a royal draconic summons under her talons, accusing her of stealing an artifact she'd never heard of; on another dark day, her father, in a fury directed elsewhere, threw a faun's skull so hard into her flank that it lodged there and festered for weeks. She still bears a scar there in the shape of the young deer's skeletal face. The only dragon who has provided her any solace has been perfectly predictable, noble, and normal, ready to protect her from every ill fortune that comes knocking.