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.

Helium is an awkward sort of dragon, at once incapable of enjoying solitude and uncomfortable with social interaction. This leaves Helium very stiff and uptight much of the time, with brisk stammer emerging in situations with a crowd greater than three. Though eligible for membership on his cave's council due to his seniority, Helium is content with public invisibility. He feels a rather strange sense of duty to both his one-time mate, Frills and Lace, along with their wild son, and to Rissi, the only other dragon of his species in the cave. This has a tendency to sadden Frills and Lace, and annoy Rissi out of her mind. Which only serves to confuse and alienate Helium more. Oh, dear.