Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

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.

Achtzehn looks up to his older brother Vierundzwanzig in a dramatic and almost obsessive way. His sibling snubs him in return. He takes his anger out on his little brother, Vierzehn, to compensate for the neglect he feels from Vierundzwanzig. Underwing, his mate, puts up with his aggressiveness and claims that underneath his nasty, bitter exterior is a sweet and fatherly dragon begging to come out. What she doesn't know is that this is not true at all. He's a jerk. A pathetic jerk who just wants his big brother to say his golden scales are impressive, even if they are duller than his.