Spirit Ward Dragons are a special breed that ward off evil spirits—at least, that’s what the legends say. During nighttime festivals, people love to see these dragons, because they believe that the dragons guard against evil spirits. The dragons are dark-colored, but glow with a flame-colored internal light that has an intensity that they control.

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.

Archeus Younger is regularly urged by her father to join the Spirit Guards, an organization that protects the cave against supernatural and physical threats. However, the young dragoness has no interest in making such a commitment to the group. She values her independence and lives the life of a wild dragon, often disregarding cave rules while doing so. Although her father considers her behavior a disgraceful threat to his family's status, she doesn't really give a flying rat's rear end.