Ember Dragons have a great affinity for hot environments. While they themselves are not hot to the touch, their tendency to lurk amongst smoldering ashes has caused many to believe they are fire-starters. Their dully glowing markings serve many purposes: acting as a means of identification between individuals, as an important part of mating displays, and as a way of showing aggression. The long, low build of the breed makes them ungainly in flight, and the thick fleshy membranes of their wings hinder them further. As such, it is rare to see an Ember Dragon take to the air. Ember Dragons are also not particularly sociable; females tend to be defensive, whereas males are more aggressive. Once they have settled with a particular group of dragons, Ember Dragons are incredibly loyal and will defend their pack by any means possible.

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.

Imperial Topaz was raised in the Mountains of Elgar, living in a cave on the border of the Lake of Elgar and growing up under the care of a human girl named Flight. Like the other dragons titled "of the Gems", Imperial Topaz discovered his title as a maturing hatchling, when he found a gemstone shining with a rich light of golden brown with dark red and orange overtones; the gemstone he's named after. Taking the small, precious stone back to Flight's cave, Imperial Topaz showed his new prized possession to his human guardian as well as his litter mate, a two headed dragon named Ekylrio of the Southwest. As an adult, Imperial Topaz has left the Mountains of Elgar and now lives in a cave deep within Codlata, a volcano east of the mountains. When Flight and Ekylrio visit his cave, Imperial Topaz loves to show off his home, which glows with a warm fire and a strange light as the light of the Magma nearby reflex off of the many gemstones that the Ember dragon has treasured.