Bleeding Moon Dragons are mostly nocturnal creatures. When outside in the sun, the small red spatters on their back grow and spread, making the dragons appear to “bleed.” It is said that the darker the shade of red, the more aggressive the dragon. Their tail barbs contain a powerful neuro-toxin which they use to subdue their prey. They are solitary creatures except when mating, preferring to dwell in the caves in mountains or other high places. Their large wingspan makes them fast flyers as well as fast runners, but they prefer to glide instead. Males are very competitive and will try almost everything to impress females, who will choose their mates based on speed and performance. Juveniles tend to form bachelor groups once fledged.

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.

One-and-twenty Blackbirds is a connoisseur, though his preferences when it comes to foods are not necessarily recommended for the wider public. Being a neurotoxic bleeding moon, he is very resistant to many poisons, so he enjoys the occasional belladonna berries. His favourite thing of all, however, is meat pies made of songbirds (the bones give a perfect crunch!) by his mate pies2, the sinii krai. When she kneads the dough, bits of her poisonous skin come off into it, giving a special tingly buzz that One-and-twenty Blackbirds simply cannot get enough of. He is very protective of his mate, especially after an unpleasant incident involving a singing mutamore.