Pyralspite dragons are small, swift dragons that can breathe an intensely hot flame. They get their name from their resemblance to and affinity for garnets of the pyralspite family—they hoard such gems, preferring garnets that match their variant, and can tell the type of garnet from how it tastes. The red-violet variant is referred to as Almandine. Almandine Pyralspites are more aggressive than others of the same breed, and are very witty and love to mock or insult their opponents. They inhabit mountainous areas.

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.

Aldress the Unwilling is always the subject of lore and legend, especially in the regions around the Czalayan Mountains, where she makes her home. She doesn't particularly enjoy this notoriety, because the legends about her massive stash of precious garnets are a very potent and powerful magnet for unwanted visitors. It is not uncommon to see humans searching for her stash around the mountains she lives in. When they do end up finding it, which takes a while as it's very well hidden, Aldress physically rips them to pieces or burns them to a crisp at the entrance. She hates being bothered at any time by anyone. This happens to even accidental visitors, like the occasional Magelight Pygmy or Mint Dragon.