Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

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.

Smurgol is a carefree and fun-loving dragon. He likes to spend his time floating about outside the cave, grazing at the tops of the trees. He often takes the hatchlings for rides and lets them use his body as a trampoline. The other adult dragons view him as an oddity, so he doesn't interact with them as much. He loves to adventure and sometimes disappears from his cave home for weeks at a time, floating upon high altitude winds to the far parts of the globe. He has learned much about the world and acts as a teacher to the hatchlings, educating them with fun facts as they play.