Perhaps among the most venerated of dragon breeds is the Zyumorph, a breed whose selfless heroism and strong moral compass are nearly unparalleled by other dragons. Zyumorphs have an innate urge to fend off wrongdoing, and as such, are often sought after in times of peril. Although they are independently quite capable fighters, it is said that their true might is not unlocked until all six Zyumorphs are brought together in times of great duress.

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.

Holdfast Weyr is known as The Coil by former Braid dragons, Seawrack Tangle by former Xenotangle Weyr residents, and Holdfast Weyr by everyone else. Even though nobody can agree on what to call the place, it manages to be a close-knit community of dragons united by special living requirements. In a family where sinomorph summoning privileges are assigned by birth order, fourth-oldest blue zyumorph Kiarno is the backup for the contingency plan for the spare for the only one likely to ever summon. Hampered by a general uncertainty over what he wanted to do with his life, Kiarno wandered over to the Coil in search of inspiration. He still has no grand plans for the future beyond a vague idea of leaving to wander the world some year, so he currently fills his time by helping out with everyone else's projects.