Turpentine Dragons are named for the oil that covers their scales. This oil resembles turpentine in odor and is mildly toxic; it will not kill but it burns to the touch and will cause illness in anyone who ingests it. Turpentine Dragons roam in large packs, often stealing food from larger dragons, though they are able to hunt for themselves if necessary. Many other breeds consider Turpentine Dragons to be pests, so they primarily breed among themselves.

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.

As punishment to those who opposed him, Corio'lanus started a cruel tradition; the Hunger Games. Young hatchlings were forced to fight each other to the death, their images magically projected for all to see. Katiniss's sister was chosen to be a contestant, but knowing she had a better chance of survival than her sister and unwilling to watch her die brutally at the claws of another tribute, Katiniss took her place. She was always strong, having learned to fend for herself and her family at an early age, but her feelings for another got in the way. When he was captured by Corio'lanus, she rose up to fight for the rebels, but anger and love clouded her mind and kept her from seeing the real enemy: the very dragon who was leading the rebels. In the end the rebels won, but they voted to have one last Hunger Games with the children of Corio'lanus's followers. She still wonders whether they made the right choice or if they were just as cruel as the dragon they disposed, the one called Snow.