Nocturne Dragons are a strange breed. Whenever light strikes their bodies, they are frozen in whatever position they were in. This leaves them vulnerable and they rely on camouflage to keep themselves safe. They are often mistaken for statues when in this frozen state, but Nocturne dragons do not actually turn into stone. Rather, they merely idle until the sun goes down. At night, these dragons come to life, proving themselves to be powerful fliers, although little else is known about their true behavior.

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.

One of the safest routes to cross the border between Alba and Northymbra is the Valley of Stone, a deep gorge in the mountainous region lined with the eerie statues of dragons seemingly frozen in time. Even stranger, the statues never seem to stay in the same place: every journey they have changed positions.

Nihtcwen is one of the Nocturnes mistaken for these statues, and the undisputed ruler of them all. As beautiful as she is harsh, every night just before sunset she will arrange her subordinates in a line among the valley's edges as a guard of honour and a monument to her own pride, standing watch over the valley until sunset releases them from their frozen state.