Monarch Dragons feed on large waterfowl, supplementing with a diet of eggs and fish as needed. Driven by the arrival of cold weather and the need to follow their prey, Monarchs are themselves migratory, leaving the forests in early fall and heading to the warmer climates of deserts and jungles. These migrations are a sight to see, as along the way smaller groups join with one another to form a single large group that can blot out the sunlight as they fly over. Until they reach their destination, they only land for short periods of time to rest. Monarchs spread out across the land at the end of their journey, breaking up once more into their small family groups until the time comes to return to the forest.

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.

Blackleaf's jungle home is one of the least-visited spots on the Crimson Island, and for a good reason. The place is covered with a carpet of fish bones and withering leaves. Over in one corner is his sleeping spot, a small pile of some sort of rotting fruit covered with semi-fresh leaves. The whole place smells like decay and dust.

The main reason for his odd home is his obsession with dead leaves. It's a strange obsession, but he has it. Most of his life is spent rolling around in his leaf piles while chewing on a fresh fish or two. He spends almost all of his life there among the dead leaves.

Although he is exceedingly weird, Blackleaf is pretty friendly, and his similarities to Vinescales give them a strong bond. On the days when he will wash in the river and leave his marshy home to interact with the other dragons, he usually can get a few people to talk to him. The only problem is that he isn't very smart. Even Flasheye's 'detectives' knew he was too dull to be accepted.