Ridgewing Dragons live just below the snow level on the upper slopes of mountains. They are a friendly, playful breed and enjoy dancing in wind currents near their homes or plummeting down into valleys from great heights. Their wings, by far their most striking feature, grow in fin-like ridges along their backs. While their bodies lack markings to blend better with their surroundings, a ridgewing’s wings have bright markings in the colors of the flowers that grow in their mountain habitat. Occasionally different-colored individuals can be found, but they are rare because their striking coloring offers little protection.

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.

Topentay was raised as a hatchling by Flight, a human girl who had long ago decided to live in the wild Mountains of Elgar and care for dragons, who had not been seen since the Murdering of Dragons. Topentay was born to Fei and Ephah Nuria, two Ridgewing dragons who had been raised by the only other human being in the mountains, Flight's friend and fellow dragon guardian, Ember Nuria, who had given the egg to Flight after Fei and Ephah had given their consent. As a hatchling, Topentay would often sit on the ridge of the entrance into the cave that served as Flight's home and dragon nursery. Flight almost always accompanied him during these times, and the two would spend their time gazing out across the Lake of Elgar, taking turns pointing out the figures made of clouds in the light blue sky. While Topentay never spent much time with his brothers, Apatite and Torlik, he is proud to call them his brothers, and the three get along reasonably.