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.

Tinsels have a certain reputation for being astoundingly powerful or incredibly stuck-up, if not both at once. Ibken didn't want to be normal, exactly, for she wasn't ashamed of her shiny gold scales or prestigious heritage. She just wanted a true friend. If her initial criteria included appearances not clashing as well as compatible personalities, any consideration of looks went right out the window when she met Kerne. When Kerne Goldgleam proved initially suspicious of Ibken's motives, Ibken spent the next few months trying to prove by example that the common conception of tinsels was more myth than reality. Her attempts worked, and better than she had expected. In Kerne, she not only found the kindness and friendship she'd hoped for, but also the love she hadn't.