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.

Branwyen found Emryss Merlin washed up on the shore, having no memory of his past. She took him under her wing, raising him as her own. She called him Emryss, a name from her old clan, though he later added the name Merlin after a hawk that used to follow him everywhere. Many think Emryss Merlin is arrogant, but really he is just silent and impassive, preferring to sit back and watch instead of actually doing. But he learns a lot from watching, especially from Rihannadon, though he is secretly quite shy and would never actually admit it.