Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

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.

Unlike most balloon dragons, Xbalonin doesn't like to float around. This dragon prefers to be tied down at all times, always stuttering and talking aloud to himself about the one time a cousin of his got carried away by the wind, never to be heard or seen from again. While the other dragons try to convince him that his ability to float is a great gift, he disagrees. He wishes he could float among the other balloon dragons and hunt for food but he will never risk floating away. Never.