Guardian Dragons have large shields on the end of their tails. Although the shields appear to be heavy, they are light, yet nearly unbreakable. Guardian Dragons use their tail-shields, as well as their wings, to deflect attacks and protect others. Often, they will guard the eggs and hatchlings of a nest while others are away. They are generally peaceful, and will not retaliate unless necessary. They have no need to forage or hunt, as they are fed by those they protect.

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.

Tabard leaves the majority of the egg-guarding up to Escutcheon, but he is never far away from the cave. He is indefatigueable in his defense of his scrollmates, patrolling the surrounding lands to ensure that there are no threats to the pack or the territory that they call home.

He seems unusually fond of Pipkin and Bitty Jade, perhaps because they help in their own small way to ensure the safety of the pack. He spends a great deal of time with them, listening gravely to their reports on the movements of small animals and birds in the lands bordering the cave, and he never, ever laughs at their dedicated—albeit small—contributions to the welfare of their brethren.

He is not "friendly" in the strictest sense of the word, in that he spends little or no time conversing about nonessential things. But he loves his pack with a fierceness that is beautiful to see, and he will never falter in his devotion to them.