Caligene Dragons have long been considered omens of death—reinforced by the skeletal markings on their bodies. They exert a malignant force on the world around them, causing other living things to slowly waste away in their presence. Caligenes favor the seasons of summer and autumn, disappearing entirely from the forests they inhabit during winter and spring. These malevolent dragons are physically weak, though this is countered by their natural stealthiness and alarming speed—enabling them to close in on large targets quickly and silently to create ambushes from which prey cannot escape.

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.

Having lived in Nworset all his life, Phyax is used to the laws against dracocide. That doesn't mean he doesn't use his innate powers of entropy, simply that he uses them in unusual ways. He works in Viral Corona's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using his ability to cause weakness on pathogens in the hopes that he can create a weakened strain suitable for use as a vaccine. When he first started he worked on the front lines, enervating infections as they coursed through patients—and sometimes still does this for high-profile cases—but the caligene reputation for picking off weakened individuals caused fear and in many communities his efforts caused more harm than good. For some he is still a source of nightmares, as many of the vaccines he develops must be injected in order to work. When no diseases require his research, he works as an acupuncturist.