Dragons are creatures with nearly unlimited life spans. They can survive for long periods of time, and no one has found a dragon that has died of old age. Adolescence 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. Once they hit adolescence, hatchlings change quickly, maturing to their full forms in only 2 years.

Dragons don't communicate with each other verbally, but they will growl to scare off predators and frighten prey. Young dragons will emit an extremely high-pitched squeal when they are frightened. To communicate, they use telepathy with each other and to speak to other creatures.

When water dragons mature, they lose their legs and the ability to survive on land, entering the water permanently. They are adept swimmers and eat whatever fish are in the lake they live in. They tend to inhabit the same lake for their entire lives, although a few live in the ocean and swim all over the world.

Water is a precious resource, and the Ruda Clan is fortunate enough to control territory that contains a large lake with a river that runs to a bay on the sea. In that lake lives Gyatso the Forlorn, named so for the gloomy expression he is most often seen with. He is not a fighter, but instead is very wise and well-versed in myths and legends of dragon lore. All the dragons in the clan come to him for advice and the hatchlings are interested in the stories Gyatso has to tell. Other than sharing wisdom and tales, Gyatso also acts as an ambassador to other clans, his primary role to negotiate and avoid clan wars. Once a month, on the full moon when the sea's call is at its strongest, Gyatso leaves his lake by way of the river and heads for the sea, where he meets other Water dragons, some in clans, others not, to share wisdom and news.