Copper Dragons are masters of stealth, slipping silently and swiftly through the forests and jungles where they live. Often hunting in groups, their prey rarely know they are being stalked until the dragon’s at their throat. In the air they are agile and skilled. Copper Dragons prize family groups, spending large amounts of time teaching their young skills. So great is their love of life and family that they will sometimes adopt orphaned dragons of other breeds to raise.

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.

Ruvolo is notably good at two things: digging with her arms and making wind with her wings. She has a pair of arms and a pair of wings, which are the same limbs but called different words depending on their function. She was nicknamed Digger as a child and Gusty as a somewhat older child, until she developed more interests and skills later. A few old acquaintances and family members still use those nicknames for her. Ruvolo enjoys learning, and she doesn't get upset when more knowledgeable dragons (and other creatures) tell her she's wrong and give her the right answers, since she regards her wrongness as a learning moment. If someone is wrong and too close-minded to recognize it, however, Ruvolo has little tolerance for such an individual. These sorts are always adults. Children, on the other hand, also are often wrong, but they have elastic minds that are open to new ideas. This is why Ruvolo likes working with kids. Also, they are easier to entertain with wind-making and digging.