Dorsal Dragons are so named because they have large fins along their backs that can be raised and lowered at will. They use these fins to regulate body temperature; they raise them to cool off when they become overheated. The bright colors on the fins double as a means of attracting mates.

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.

Dalfgan developed his love for building things at an early age from the human blacksmith that raised him. His favorite pasttime has always been taking apart things in attempt to figure out how they work, although he can never figure out how to put them back together. However he has lately become absorbed with something called a "leap year," that states an extra day is added to the calendar every year. His longing to discover the secrets of the leap year led him to build a device from spare parts he calls an "astrolabe" that is designed to capture the extra days. Dalfgan swears it works, but no one pays attention to the crazy Dorsal over in the corner playing with gears while others are out hunting. Luckily he is too busy with his work to notice that he is being ostracized.