Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

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.

Hoedor is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he gets by.  He is oblivious to much of what goes on around him, which makes him vulnerable to bigger and scarier dragons. He doesn't have any way to defend himself, and he moves so slowly that a quick escape is out of the question. However, what he lacks in smarts and self defense he makes up for with his genuine kindness and happiness. These qualities have gained him many loyal friends that have sworn to protect him in the event of a threat. Hoedor is filled with a gas, which is the reason why he floats around.  When the gas is under pressure, like when he laughs, his voice gets very high-pitched much like when one inhales Helium.  It's a funny sound that makes his laugh extremely contagious.  Whenever Hoedor laughs, everyone around him starts to laugh, and that is why his friends love him—it's impossible not to be happy around Hoedor!