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.

Budgetary has a school living in her head. It's hard to explain, and usually attempts to do so make her seem crazy. Things seemed ordinary during its construction, but upon completion, the school gained a mind of its own. To free it, a band of mages moved its personality into a living subject, in this case, a gemshard still in her egg. Now the school is a part of her. At least, that's what one of the glowing dragons with the pointed hats said to her in a dream, anyway. Maybe she really is crazy. Sometimes Budgetary is happy with the school's presence, and other times, she wishes she could be alone. On one hand, everything taught in that school was retained as part of its body of knowledge, so Budgetary seems very learned in a myriad of subjects. On the other hand, the school is fussy and indecisive, and it likes to talk about the talented students, staff, and faculty it hosted during its years as a building, which she's heard a thousand times already.