Pyralspite dragons are small, swift dragons that can breathe an intensely hot flame. They get their name from their resemblance to and affinity for garnets of the pyralspite family—they hoard such gems, preferring garnets that match their variant, and can tell the type of garnet from how it tastes. The red-violet variant is referred to as Almandine. Almandine Pyralspites are more aggressive than others of the same breed, and are very witty and love to mock or insult their opponents. They inhabit mountainous areas.

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 self-proclaimed Amazing Criswell is a psychic, except he doesn't really know anything about magic. He wouldn't recognize mana if someone upturned a tub of it on him, and he's certainly not known for making accurate predictions. Among his claims are that aliens will arrive and turn metal rubbery, that there will be an "outburst of cannibalism" in a midwestern city on the continent, and that the end of Valkemare will involve black rainbows and occur near the turn of the millennium. The Amazing Criswell wears a sequined robe over his magenta-violet body so he's extra brightly colored, and he has a voice that booms in the minds of listeners. Nobody takes him seriously, but he knows a few old famous dragons and is an entertaining presence at get-togethers.