Shimmer-scale Dragons are a very beautiful breed with small—but highly reflective—scales that shimmer and shine as the dragon moves through water. They don’t have fins or webbed feet, but their long, eel-like bodies allow them to swim quite fast. They were once rumored to carry large pearls in their claws—causing many to seek them out in search of this fabulous treasure. In reality, the “pearl” is of greater value to the dragon, for the fabled treasure is actually an egg carried by a migrating female.

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.

Kotaeru is a talented lapidary, and she is responsible for handling all the gem cutting and engraving commissions that go through the Sylvain family. While most of her clients are from other clans, Kotaeru occasionally receives requests from her elder siblings when they are seeking help wooing a potential mate or preparing to make a good impression with dragons from allied families. Although she likes to keep busy juggling several commissions at any given time, Kotaeru boasts that she has never engraved or cut a gem the same way twice; every jewel that has left her workshop is a unique piece of art.