Water Walkers are small dragons that are frequently found around bogs and ponds. While they are flightless, they retain the flight sacs and hollow bones of their airborne cousins. These traits, coupled with their extraordinarily long, webbed toes, allow them to stand on top of calm waters, using their small sails to propel them wherever they please. They spend the majority of their lives on the water, retreating to the tops of lily pads when the waters become too rough to float atop.

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.

By sheer accident, Hyotan happened to befriend the family whose land contains the lake she lives in. Years back, Hyotan helped the eldest daughter of the house retrieve a doll that had been dropped into the water. The daughter, who had apparently heard a few too many fairy tales, originally expected Hyotan to ask her for a kiss and then transform into a handsome prince. When Hyotan did no such thing and simply returned the doll, the daughter ended up spending awhile at the lake talking about her various frustrations in life, mostly centered around her younger siblings. She claimed Hyotan was a very good listener, and over the years would continue to visit Hyotan to talk and harvest lotus seeds with her. Eventually the daughter married: now her husband will visit Hyotan himself, often thanking her for contributing to his wife's open communication and skill at making delicious lotus seed cakes. Hyotan doesn't think she did much, but happily appreciates the cakes the couple brings her.