Skystrider Dragons are known for almost never leaving the air as they have no other means of defense if attacked. The main exception to this rule is when they nest in the branches of ancient trees to sleep. This airborne tendency can make raising and keeping Skystrider Dragons an extra challenge. Males have a row of poisonous spines along their backs while females have a venomous bite. Skystrider Dragons mostly prey on birds and flying insects, leading their presence to be welcomed by farmers who often leave out treats hoping to lure a group nearby.

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.

Midsole was named for a part of a shoe because he's among the many children of one Kelli the Soarer, and he totally believes that Ma stopped caring about punchy names a long time ago. He dislikes how difficult it is to survive and would like to find work instead, but it has been difficult to apply for a job in many places because people learn his name and don't take him seriously. They tell Midsole it's also because he doesn't have any skills except flying constantly, he has no home and cannot be contacted, and his snide and devil-may-care demeanor makes him difficult to work with, but he believes he's turned down primarily because of his name.