It was previously believed that purple dragons were exclusively female, but this is not the case. Recent environmental shifts have revealed the existence of both genders of this breed. Female behavior is well known; they are primarily herbivores but will eat meat during mating season. On the other hand, very little is known about the behavior and habits of male purple dragons.

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.

Draenthyst is the storyteller of the cave and never seems to run out of tales to tell. Not only are the hatchlings fascinated by her, but so are the adults. She is in charge of watching over the hatchlings when their parents are out hunting, and the young ones love her so much that they actually get excited when their parents are leaving. She also goes with adolescant dragons when they leave the cave to find mates and homes of their own, to ease the transition and fill them with determination and courage. She has never had children of her own and does not seem to want to; she considers herself the "cave mother" of all who reside in the cave.