Black Dragons are warriors. They are strong and capable in battles of force, but also ample magic users, capable of devastating opponents with their spells. Their bright eyes give them excellent night vision, which is why they generally hunt during the night.

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.

Noctalia's scales are interlaid with shards of black crystal that gleam in the right light, and can betray her if she is careless. Noctalia revels in this risk. She is a taker of chances and a flirter with fate. The other dragons of her drove, with whom she has few close associations, call her the Gambler, and few would be surprised if she failed to come home one morning, having finally run out of luck. Noctalia's luck is truly legendary within her drove, and she never misses a chance to flaunt it, engaging in games of chance with any dragon or human alike who crosses her path. These encounters do not always end well, and though she claims not to court death, the number of times Albus has found her with near-mortal injuries suggests otherwise.