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.

Walter Water-Walker knows deep down that his name should have been "Average Joe," since he lives such an ordinary life. He goes out fishing everyday in order to feed his family and vend his extra wares. His favorite hobby is mounting fish, and for fun he puts magic into them so that they say funny things when they detect movement. He is disappointed that he has never found any gold in the stream where he works, as this means he has no hoard to pass on. His wonderful offspring (who is just like him) is the joy of his life. Although he has no material goods to give Winston Water-Walker, he has taught the young male everything he knows. His son has made him very proud, but like all good things, this happiness comes at a price. Winston's mother is a selfish dragoness who is constantly flirting with the other males in the nest. He wants to break things off with her but is unsure how this will affect his relationship with Winston, and so suffers her presence in his home daily.