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.

Melamena is a young Turpentine Dragon. When she was a newborn hatchling, she couldn't fly as well as other dragons her age, and she was therefore always alone with all of the other earthbound dragons. One day, after she learned to fly with her parents, suddenly they were swept away in the strong seasonal monsoons, leaving her to fend for herself. Scared and alone, she followed a dragon trainer back to the abandoned cave. She was the only hatchling there, and it was getting dark. She hid behind a pile of Stone and Mint eggs until morning. The next morning, Izar the Royal Blue dragon was exploring the caves and found her, hiding behind the eggs and whimpering. He named her Melamena and took her back to the clan's cave, where she lives today. She currently doesn't have one specified mate.