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.

Dutchess True Heart is a true lady. Despite her rotund appearance, Dutchess True Heart is the 23rd daughter to a lesser Lord. Despite this, and her father's protests in regards to her joining the clan, Dutchess True Heart is very sweet and humble. Girlish like any other female, Dutchess True Heart adores looking her best, and buying new things. Her living quarters in the clan are filled with tapestries, and bits of jewelery and fabric draping across the walls. She herself tends to wear a lot of dragon jewelery, and drapes herself with as much fabric as she is able to lift off the ground.