Ember Dragons have a great affinity for hot environments. While they themselves are not hot to the touch, their tendency to lurk amongst smoldering ashes has caused many to believe they are fire-starters. Their dully glowing markings serve many purposes: acting as a means of identification between individuals, as an important part of mating displays, and as a way of showing aggression. The long, low build of the breed makes them ungainly in flight, and the thick fleshy membranes of their wings hinder them further. As such, it is rare to see an Ember Dragon take to the air. Ember Dragons are also not particularly sociable; females tend to be defensive, whereas males are more aggressive. Once they have settled with a particular group of dragons, Ember Dragons are incredibly loyal and will defend their pack by any means possible.

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.

Iztaliel is different from other Ember dragons by the fact she has small vestigial wings. Her forefathers were wingless Silver dragons, which also accounts for the purplish fuzz that grows at the very end of her tail, and their traits have been passed on to her. She is the mate of Zariel, another Ember dragon of Lor.

Iztaliel was young when she was lost. Her family was fleeing from their land because their ancestry was "ruining bloodlines" and were to be put to death when her mother laid her egg. It began raining that night, and Izta's family decided it would be best to leave the egg as far back in a cave as they could so her light wouldn't be doused. When morning came, the family was discovered and they fled. Their assailants never checked the cave. Somehow the little egg hatched, and she basically raised herself to adulthood by feeding on the small animals attracted to her warmth on cool nights. She was one day discovered by a Zariel, and after a long courtship, they became mates.