Shimmer-scale Dragons are a very beautiful breed with small—but highly reflective—scales that shimmer and shine as the dragon moves through water. They don’t have fins or webbed feet, but their long, eel-like bodies allow them to swim quite fast. They were once rumored to carry large pearls in their claws—causing many to seek them out in search of this fabulous treasure. In reality, the “pearl” is of greater value to the dragon, for the fabled treasure is actually an egg carried by a migrating female.

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.

Unlike most shimmerscales, Hepatizon is not a big swimmer. This is largely due to laziness. Hepatizon likes water, but he doesn't like to exert himself overmuch. He prefers to lounge on the beach, allowing the waves to splash and roll over his quiescent form. Although kept as a breeding animal, Hepatizon is leery of females—relationships and childrearing are work, after all—and coaxing him to breed can be a challenge. When and if he sires eggs, he is a lackadaisical parent. His offspring end up being raised by other dragons at the Breedery or traded away.