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.

Atairum is one of the saddest dragons of his region. He has no family to link back to, and as such, he has learned all he knows by watching other dragons and their clutches. He learned how to hunt, how to take care of himself, and how to trade with other creatures. However, there is one aspect he is desperate to find out the mechanics of. Once, while waiting for a group to leave its cave, he saw a dragon and one of its hatchlings pull themselves together and hold each other tightly via their wings and claws, as well as rub their snouts on each other. During this, the hatchling seemed to be very content, almost giddy. He feels this grab must have some power, but none of the other dragons want to spend any time with him, much less explain this magical grab. He tried with a few nearby humans, but they seemed to receive pain more than pleasure, so he believes this motion must be something among dragons only. One day, he hopes to unlock the secrets of this bizarre grasping technique.