Carina Dragons, though a rare sight, are quite brilliant to behold. Typically gentle, they abhor violence and have developed a rather unique method of camouflage to avoid it: their wings and bodies blend into the night sky while the cobalt flames that adorn their bodies burn brightly, making them appear to be shooting stars when they fly. Their fire also wards off predators and shields them from unwanted brawls. However, despite this enmity toward bloodshed, Carinae can become dangerous when faced with peril, especially if their young are in jeopardy. Legends speak of young Carina Dragons consuming entire constellations, which then become emblazoned on their wings.

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.

Generations have witnessed Tomonowos, a shooting star, zipping through the Valkemarian sky once every four years, in such a predictable pattern that people know which night to expect Tomonowos to appear. Only a handful of individuals know that this "Tomonowos" is a carina dragon named Willamette, and those individuals know that not only does she shoot through the sky gracefully, she also crashes less gracefully on landing. Colliding with the ground looks very painful, but Willamette, who may be the tubbiest carina anyone in the region of Hrash has ever seen, insists that her bulk and the snow cushion her landing. She is careful to stay out of reach from strangers, to maintain the mystery. Engaging in skydiving is also apparently a little-known family tradition of hers, and she plans to continue doing it.