Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

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.

Quenyar is the quintessential loner. Bullied by faster-flying dragons at a young age, she is always defensive and starts fights easily. As her breed is slow-moving, she always feels unable to escape and prefers to be off on her own. Sometimes she will tolerate the presence of Xa, and he looks out for her. Precious Persistant, one of the clan's Mint Dragons is determined to break through Quenyar's off-putting demeanor, but she has a long, hard road ahead of her.