Nilia Pygmies reside mostly in mountainous regions, tending to live in large flocks. They are a curious, hyperactive breed; their curiosity often gets them into dangerous situations. Despite this, they are wary around other dragons and animals outside their breed. They are naturally shy and seek their own kind for companionship. Once the trust of a Nilia dragon is earned, they are highly loyal critters, sometimes to the point of being annoying.

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.

Pygmy dragons are the smallest category of dragons, being on the same scale as domesticated animals. They are often found around concentrated populations of dragons, relying on their larger brethren to ward away potential predators and leave scraps. As such, the majority of a pygmy’s diet is scavenged. Due to their tiny size, pygmies do not breed with larger varieties of dragons.

Iavha was the first nilia to arrive at the Royal Menagerie. The summers tend to get a trifle warm for her, but she doesn't have nearly the trouble with heat that her crimson flare pygmy mate has with cold. Though a reliable, easy-going dragon, Iavha was cool to her mate for a time after their first egg was laid. Never having heard of a dusk pygmy, she believed that Bawoti had been using appearance-altering magic on their egg.