Turpentine Dragons are named for the oil that covers their scales. This oil resembles turpentine in odor and is mildly toxic; it will not kill but it burns to the touch and will cause illness in anyone who ingests it. Turpentine Dragons roam in large packs, often stealing food from larger dragons, though they are able to hunt for themselves if necessary. Many other breeds consider Turpentine Dragons to be pests, so they primarily breed among themselves.

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.

Terpintail is seen as a waste of space to most of the other dragons in his pack. This is due to his smell and eyes which has one looking up and the other down. This is not a birth defect, but a result of an incident that happened while he was still in his egg, causing him to be abandoned by his mother. Lucky for Terpin, his master found him out in the desert where he was abandoned. The other dragons shunned him of course, but Terpin didn't mind, his master still loved him. Today, people still ask his master why she took him in, and she will respond "Well just look at him, he is adorable," and in truth, he was.