Hellhorse Dragons are foul-tempered, spirited creatures with tempestuous and violent dispositions. Torrents of scorching flames erupt from their bodies and can easily set their surroundings ablaze. Highly aggressive and territorial toward other dragon species, Hellhorses will tolerate others as long as they believe the association to be beneficial. Such alliances are tenuous in nature and frequently short-lived, as the slightest disagreement can easily escalate into a full-out brawl.

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.

Whirrshyppmee lairs overlooking a valley with several human villages. He considers the villagers "his" and demands that they make obeisance to him. They do so out of terror, for his rages are fierce and deadly. The only village to try opposing him directly is now an overgrown swath of forest atop ashes.

Once per year, each village much provide one of their people to Whirrshyppmee for his pleasure. He tries to keep them as servants, but when they anger him with the least mistake, they are inevitably killed and eaten. Only two have survived over a year in his service; these saved their villages from the annual sacrifices while they lived. One was an old bard who managed to talk and sing his way out of any misunderstandings for two years. The other was a girl from an abusive home who kept Whirrshyppmee as satisfied as possible and was very good at avoiding direct wrath. She served him for five years, until she fell in love with another sacrifice and died trying to protect her lover.