Speckle-Throated Dragons are an active, playful breed. They are easily excited and rarely remain still, spending much of their time in the air. Living in groups of up to sixty dragons, they nest in open plains and at the bases of mountains. Their speckled throats are their most distinctive feature, as well as the loud, echoing call they produce to communicate with one another. Female Speckle-Throats are slightly smaller than males and lack a head crest. However, they are swifter and more agile and prefer to hunt in small groups in order to take down prey.

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.

Polly was the first of her kind to grow up in her part of the cave, and she soon started mothering the younger dragons of her kind, calling to them to keep them away from danger or lead them to the feeding grounds. Her call sounds very much like a low, clucking "pollypollypollypollypolly", which is how she got her name. Due to malnutrition during childhood, her legs are stunted and too weak to carry her, but she manages very well by just flying everywhere.