Undine Dragons are named for the water spirits with which they share territory. They have close relationships with these spirits, and are able to communicate with them. In exchange for protection and respect of their mutual freshwater homes, laid eggs are often protected by a blessing. This blessing stays with the dragon into adulthood, and with it they gain potent magical abilities. Sometimes when an Undine Dragon becomes very upset, the ground at their feet may frost over or begin to steam. They have also been observed to manipulate water directly, rerouting raindrops or creating puddles from groundwater. Undine Dragons always live near forest pools, streams, or waterfalls. Both genders take equal part in the raising of young and are very good parents—though they may not remain mated after the offspring are grown.

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.

Zarethas spent the first part of his life in a close-knit Undine community with his parents and his older brother, Ayelthas. He was the only golden Undine in the group at the time, and the other hatchlings treated him as an outsider, as did the adults. Ayelthas always did his best to make his brother feel better, whether by protecting him from older hatchlings who wanted to see if his color rubbed off or by including him in games. His parents were more or less oblivious and wondered why their younger son spent so much time on his own talking to the old spirits in the stream rather than the hatchlings his age. The spirits told him he was not alone, and others like him lived in a distant land. He begged his brother to take him to the place the spirits spoke of, as Zarethas was too young to travel on his own. Ayelthas, with a heavy heart, eventually agreed. Together they found Kytaria, the golden Undine of whom the spirits had spoken, and she and her mate promised to take Zarethas in.