Turpentine Dragons are named for the oil that covers their scales. This oil resembles turpentine in odor and is mildly toxic; it will not kill but it burns to the touch and will cause illness in anyone who ingests it. Turpentine Dragons roam in large packs, often stealing food from larger dragons, though they are able to hunt for themselves if necessary. Many other breeds consider Turpentine Dragons to be pests, so they primarily breed among themselves.

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.

Axe ducks in and out of the shadowy, less patrolled parts of Clan Venata's territory near constantly. He is smaller than most of his peers, but due to the toxic oil on his skin even the young upstarts that tumble out of the nursery from time to time don't tend to try and give him any trouble.

Like nearly all Clan Venata dragons he is a hot-tempered, brash fellow, and he dines shoulder to shoulder with the law-keeper's sons. He is tolerated for his skill at trapping, a talent that makes him popular among his clan's hunters, though less so among their warriors and battle-priests.