Feisty and energetic, Whiptail Dragons pride themselves on their speed and agility. It is not unusual to see several whiptails racing each other. Though fragile, they can easily evade attacks with their superior speed, and often use their long tails as a weapon, giving rise to their name.

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.

Riptide is the typical whiptail dragon, always flitting about and taking sheer delight from pure speed. He is also cheerful and befriends nearly all the other dragons, sometimes taking it upon himself to deliver messages from one to another. He is a particular friend of Sadie; the peaceful healing white dragon enjoys his company more than others. She alone keeps Riptide from becoming lonely (as they both are without a mate or offspring).