Dorsal Dragons are so named because they have large fins along their backs that can be raised and lowered at will. They use these fins to regulate body temperature; they raise them to cool off when they become overheated. The bright colors on the fins double as a means of attracting mates.

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.

Few dragons feel comfortable around this being. She seems to emanate a thick veil of uncertainty, hostility, and treachery. In fact, most dragons do seek to avoid this particular creature, whoever she may be, as they do not believe she is one of them. "No dragon could be this way, so dark and malevolent," they often say when they talk of her. And although Purple Malevolence has never done anything bad, everyone still shuns her, which is fine for her, as she does not seek company. Some say that she is a demon, others say that she is a witch, but nobody really knows who this dragon is.