Royal Crimson Dragons are so named due to their massive size and confident, regal bearing. Most of the time they are laid back, ignoring non-prey creatures smaller than themselves, although they will occasionally take fresh kills from other dragons as a reminder of their place in the social order. Although there are few other dragons large enough to pose a threat to Royal Crimsons, they have little tolerance for potential rivals and will fiercely defend their territory from such intruders.

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.

Xarri'a probably has the worst luck of any dragon in her clan. Despite her many talents she rarely succeeds at anything she does for one reason or another. A tournament might be cancelled due to a temperamental Grey; on the day of a big audition she oversleeps and misses it entirely; a story she had worked so hard on could be reduced to ashes by an elder dragon with a cough. Time and time again Xarri'a has tried to do well in the things she loves, and time and time again she fails either because of her own mistakes or because of some outside force she cannot control. Yet rarely does she let this stop her. Instead she meets these challenges head on and makes the best of them, using them as reasons to try harder.

But sometimes the words she uses to comfort herself each time, "you'll do better next time," seem like nothing more than a petty excuse. Sometimes it feels as though there have been too many next times. And sometimes it feels like that's all there ever will be.