Holiday dragons are a very mysterious breed. They are only seen during winter, and even then it is hard to catch a glimpse of one. They are responsible for the general cheer that spreads during the holidays. In essence, they are the “Spirits of Winter.”

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.

Rudolph, often simply called Dolph by the dragon keeper Lorraine, is a quiet and small dragon who often feels more like prey than a predator.  While virtually all the dragons in Lorraine's caves are "cave born," meaning that they are half-wild and were rescued as  eggs and hatchlings from poachers, Rudolph comes from an exalted and mysterious lineage in the south--his kind is well known for being deliberately bred with particular mates, the once-a-century offspring valued as precious gifts between princes and queens.

     Rudolph does not come from a lineage of royal gifts, but from the unsanctioned breeding of his kind and a 'mutt' dragon.  Even dragons who have a known lineage look down on Rudolph as a disgrace.  His only comfort is in knowing how much Lorraine herself, human that she is, values and cares for him.