Copper Dragons are masters of stealth, slipping silently and swiftly through the forests and jungles where they live. Often hunting in groups, their prey rarely know they are being stalked until the dragon’s at their throat. In the air they are agile and skilled. Copper Dragons prize family groups, spending large amounts of time teaching their young skills. So great is their love of life and family that they will sometimes adopt orphaned dragons of other breeds to raise.

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.

Nurm is the official cook and sole kitchen manager for his community, not that hard a job since many dragons eat food raw, though most of them enjoy something specially prepared. He especially likes cooking for hatchlings. Because he knows a lot about what foods go with what and how ingredients can be prepared, he finds himself frequently explaining or justifying his methods to others, adults and kids alike. Some methods are conventional, such as salting garlic if one wants to turn the cloves into paste. Others are less so and more experimental. For example, while Nurm was preparing a familiar dish for some of the kiddies, one parent insisted he include the ends of a bread loaf when he normally wouldn't. He then chose to add brown beans, another change to the recipe. Though satisfied with Nurm's work, the diners were curious about the fried beans on the side. He explained that the bread loaf ends needed an accompaniment, and brown beans served that purpose: the ends justify the beans.