Black Marrows are named for their dark colored hides which are encased in a distinct exoskeleton. Their skull and the top edges of their spine push out from under the skin as they age. As such, their young need excessive amounts of calcium for this armor to develop. The older a Black Marrow dragon is, the more skeletal their appearance. They often use their skeletal looks to lure in foolish scavengers or terrify predators. These vicious dragons love nothing more than to crack open bones with their stony beaks and eat the marrow inside. Voracious scavengers, Black Marrows will swarm and devour corpses both old and fresh, sometimes even dragging larger finds to the water to allow them to “ripen.” Despite their dreadful demeanour and often horrid stench, Black Marrows are devoted mates and parents.

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.

Speaking Softly is a rather fierce, independent dragon that refuses to rely on anyone but herself. She's cold and calculating, and declines friendship with the other dragons of the Tribe, as well as a mate. Being that she is the first (and so far only) Black Marrow of the Tribe, Speaking Softly feels almost like she does not belong amongst the others. Though she puts out a confident vibe, Speaking Softly is ashamed of who she is. She is the ugliest existing breed of dragon in the Tribe, and she hates the dragon she has become. Though Goldin Heart cares for her, she pushes him away, too, for the hate she feels for herself is too strong to allow anyone else in.