Royal Crimson Dragons are so named due to their massive size and confident, regal bearing. Most of the time they are laid back, ignoring non-prey creatures smaller than themselves, although they will occasionally take fresh kills from other dragons as a reminder of their place in the social order. Although there are few other dragons large enough to pose a threat to Royal Crimsons, they have little tolerance for potential rivals and will fiercely defend their territory from such intruders.

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.

Drummerette is the leader of a music band of dragons that perform in choreographed flight. She keeps the time for them with swishes of her tail—a very challenging feat in flight, given how much dragons rely on their tails for steering. Drummerette manages to compensate for the tail movements with adjustments in her head position and wing beats. Her band performs new routines thrice a year, by invitation at twenty-seven locations across the country and at many places in between as practice sessions.