Gemshard Dragons are small, gregarious, expressive easterns, living in large clans high in the jungle canopy. Their bodies are covered in tiny, gem-like scales that shimmer in direct light, and each dragon has a unique pattern of markings on the forked spade of its tail. Though Gemshard Easterns cannot fly, they often leap from springy branches high into the sky on sunny days and perform acrobatic spins and twirls to entertain themselves. When the weather turns foul, they pile up together on sturdy tree limbs and interlock the forks of their tails with others to keep warm and dry.

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.

Widgie lives in a tiny abandoned town, sort of. She has yet to convince the other gemshards to come live with her, and not being able to explain her sudden attraction to this town doesn't help. Since she believes herself to be a fragile, easy target is afraid of sleeping without her group for protection, she returns to the forest in the evening. Not much is left of this town: there are only two or three buildings left, and a cart path that once went through it now bypasses it, leaving road markers and signs. Humans are occasionally seen in the area, mining metals. Ever since Widgie found the site and wanted to make it her new home, she thought about befriending them and forming some sort of alliance between gemshard and human, but without other dragons to accompany her, she won't even approach one. Her group back at home believe this unexplainable desire to move to this nothing-town is a feeling that will pass soon, and they won't entertain it beyond listening to her talk about it.