Waterhorse Dragons received their name due to their horse-like physique and endearing behavior. They are capable of surviving out of water, and when on land their skin secretes a gelatinous goo to retain moisture. However, their large paddle feet are better suited for swimming, and waterhorse dragons tend to move very awkwardly when on land. Waterhorses are very friendly dragons and enjoy playing with humans.

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.

An ancient umbrixeno living in a hollowed-out islet in the middle of a lake set up a simple deal with the nearby humans—if they brought him some new information, he would answer any question they asked as accurately as he could. As the centuries wore on, he developed a degenerative neurological condition which caused him to tremble, so he hired a young waterhorse to help with the tasks he was no longer capable of. While working for him, UxIEX developed a great fondness for his library and began methodically enchanting the collection to resist water damage and patching leaks in the cave system with seals of slime. The umbrixeno had no children of his own, so when he passed away, he willed his home and collection to her. The local culture has a taboo against speaking the names of the dead, so within a generation the humans forgot they ever prayed to a name other than UxIEX at the lake shrine.