Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

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.

Dartraine is an artist whose medium is precious metals and jewels. Like any dragon, he adores and hoards fine quality items; unlike most dragons, he crafts most of the unique pieces in his hoard himself. With his intensely hot breath, he has developed the ability to blow metals into delicate structures much like a master glassblower makes items from glass.

Dartraine prefers to depict creatures of nature, and has made exquisite use of gems for highlights of his creations: here the eyes of a hatchling just breaking out of an egg, there flies caught in a spider's web, even setting some as hanging fruit on a tree with delicate leaves.

Any one of his designs would be priceless in the kingdoms below his mountain home; fortunately his hoard remains safe from intrusion because those creatures cannot scale the sheer cliff face to his lair. However, he happily trades his artwork with visiting dragons, especially when it saves him the effort of hunting for food or raw materials.