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.

A member of a mysterious, secretive race of dragon, and at the same time of an old, revered dragon family, Thuwed d'Silva is a proud, aristocratic dragon, at least in her own estimation. She spends long hours poring over family trees, studying stories and legends dealing with her breed and family, proving her great worth to herself and leaving herself more and more dissatisfied with the reality of her existence. A dragon of great worth in a cave whose other residents are beneath her notice. Of course, none of the other dragons of the cave take any note of her attitude.