Feisty and energetic, Whiptail Dragons pride themselves on their speed and agility. It is not unusual to see several whiptails racing each other. Though fragile, they can easily evade attacks with their superior speed, and often use their long tails as a weapon, giving rise to their name.

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.

Avassa is a very independent dragon. She ended up spending a lot of time on her own as child, due to her mother's concern with an un-aging hatchling. Avassa did not resent the hatchling, but she did feel unloved. She spent much of her time flying through the sky and joining in with flocks of birds. The constant noise and large numbers made her feel safe. She would spend most of her days with them, only coming down when she needed to eat or drink. Winter became a very sad time for her because it was when all the birds went south. She promised that one day she would go with them, and she did. Once she came of age, she told her mother she was leaving and did just that. Now she migrates with the birds, following them from her cold home in the north to the beautiful tropics where they spend the winter. She always makes sure to see her mother, but she considers the birds to be her real family. She often shies away from other dragons, being more comfortable around her avian friends.