Shimmer-scale Dragons are a very beautiful breed with small—but highly reflective—scales that shimmer and shine as the dragon moves through water. They don’t have fins or webbed feet, but their long, eel-like bodies allow them to swim quite fast. They were once rumored to carry large pearls in their claws—causing many to seek them out in search of this fabulous treasure. In reality, the “pearl” is of greater value to the dragon, for the fabled treasure is actually an egg carried by a migrating female.

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.

Gukin has little fear of getting hurt too badly, having magic to heal himself (and others if needed, of course). He sometimes winds up out of the water around unsuspecting beach-goers, flopping around like a huge, long flounder. The flopping and squeaking is a sorry sight. The humans worry and often try to push the struggling dragon back into the water, while unbeknownst to them, he's enjoying it all. Gukin can breathe fine through his nose and use his magic should anything serious happen. In the end, he gets up, thanks them for the fun, and hands them some gold for their troubles, then slithers into the ocean with ease. The lady whites find him endearing for one reason or another.