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.

Turpish Delight has the most terrible sense of direction and could get lost walking in a straight line. So, when his pack decided to head east to another part of their territory, he found himself on the edge of the Voiceless Desert—not the northern edge, where the sand gives way to grassland, but the southern edge, where streams coming down the Drowned Mountains go to evaporate or be absorbed by the sands. There, he was adopted by a mistra. At first he would have none of it, but eventually he realised she had infinite patience for directing him around her territory. He eventually convinced her that he was an adult by offering to be a father figure to the creatures she adopts. As well as directing him on how to get from here to there, Hit and Mistra has been helping him become more accepting of non-turpentines, despite his kind's isolationist tendencies. He has come to terms with this new way of life and will always follow her lead.