Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

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.

Shadihex was the seventh gold dragon born to the flight, and it prophesied at her birth that she would be blessed with great luck in all her endeavors. Fortunately for her, this was true; unfortunately for everyone else, her "endeavors" rarely turn out well for anyone other than herself. Not exactly evil but nowhere near good, Shadihex's ethics are at best questionable and her interests lie only in her and her own. Her choice in mate, the vicious Zhragth, reflects this and she seems to be raising her ever-expanding brood to follow her temperament.