Water Walkers are small dragons that are frequently found around bogs and ponds. While they are flightless, they retain the flight sacs and hollow bones of their airborne cousins. These traits, coupled with their extraordinarily long, webbed toes, allow them to stand on top of calm waters, using their small sails to propel them wherever they please. They spend the majority of their lives on the water, retreating to the tops of lily pads when the waters become too rough to float atop.

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.

Elmer Ark is a timid, shy dragon with a bit of a geeky streak. He quotes Star Trek and other things like that. Elmer is picked on by Ebon Bass, Song Amethyst, and Flyleaf Treble a LOT! The poor guy never catches any breaks. He is in love with Louise Reed, but often thinks that she's too good for him. Elmer is also hated by Shade Ark, who sees him as unworthy for Louise's hand. However, he married Louise and has three sons with her, Nick Ark, Nutty Ark, and Zero Kirryu, who was bitten by a vampire when he was an egg. Both he and his wife have to watch Zero all the time, beacause Zero hates himself for becoming a vampire. Elmer acts a lot older than he is, more like he's his sons' grandfather than their father.