Turpentine Dragons are named for the oil that covers their scales. This oil resembles turpentine in odor and is mildly toxic; it will not kill but it burns to the touch and will cause illness in anyone who ingests it. Turpentine Dragons roam in large packs, often stealing food from larger dragons, though they are able to hunt for themselves if necessary. Many other breeds consider Turpentine Dragons to be pests, so they primarily breed among themselves.

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.

The oil that Sunbeams the Turpentine Dragon produces smells wonderfully pine-like, which means she can serve as a natural air freshener. However, the oil is also poisonous (except to the turpentine dragon) and very sticky, like sap. This means that Sunbeams has to lick herself to stimulate the oil glands and clean the old oil off, which can be a long and boring process--not to mention she has to do this every few days, or the oil will harden and make it difficult for her to move.