Shadow Walkers are a strange breed that possess the ability to slip between the planes of reality, becoming immaterial. This allows them to hide in the shadows, either hunting from the concealment of near invisibility or evading enemies. Though they become corporeal to mate or to eat, they spend most of the rest of their lives walking in the shadows. Shadow Walkers are wary creatures, though on dark autumn evenings when the leaves fall to swirl in the chill, rain damp air, they may be seen drifting out from the shadows.

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.

When Airy Flyer had reached maturity, she knew she was different from other dragons. She could hide in the shadows while other dragons in the caves could not. Though others of her kind were fine with this difference, and some enjoyed jumping out and startling other dragons, Airy feared being labeled an outcast. Her fears caused her to flee into the deeper, darker reaches of the cave.

One day, as she stepped out of the shadows, a golden dragon named Aurum Nobilis ran right into her. She was scared at first, thinking the rare dragon would attack her, but he simply scolded her for crossing the path of such a noble dragon. Amused, she teased him as to why such a 'noble dragon' would be lurking in such an out of the way cavern. He revealed that he was an outcast. Touched, Airy decided she would keep him company. Her presence and teasing soon humbled the proud Gold. Eventually, to the surprise of their human master, the pair started a family together.