Heartseeker Dragons are very social creatures that emanate a sweet chocolatey scent. Their captivating perfume easily attracts adult dragons that don’t yet have a mate. Heartseekers use their keen sense of smell to detect solitary dragons and potential mates in the area. By rubbing their fins against objects such as trees and rocks, they leave a scent trail for the other dragons to follow to meet each other. Although these dragons are seen year-round, the scent of a Heartseeker becomes particularly potent during the middle of winter. During this time, a single Heartseeker may play matchmaker to dozens of dragons, but he will also choose a special mate of his own.

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.

Hartmere hatched on the islands known as the South Sisters, and living among the human islanders he played his role as matchmaker. There being no other dragons on the isles, he was quite lonely. Just before he fledged, however, he saw a young thunder who was driven from the islands and fled out to sea. A few weeks later, he secreted himself away and swam out across the water the way she had flown. He struggled across the sea for weeks, driven by his need to find her.

Eventually, Itsani found Hartmere near-drowned and carried him back to his raft. After reviving, Hartmere told his story and was enthralled to hear the tsunami had met the thunder. Her name turned out to be Ionizatia, and she lived in the magical hurricane under the shadow of which Itsani dwelt. She one day appeared to meet Hartmere, and his romanticism captured her heart. She demanded her adoptive clan let him in, but they refused. She chose to remain outside their storm until they gave in, and they eventually relented.