Sunstone Dragons are named after the orb on their tails, which resembles the gem of the same name. Their social structure resembles a lion pride, with one dominant male and several females banded together with their young. They prefer arid climates where they can blend in and dig for minerals and gemstones that they not only collect, but eat. The more gems they consume, the larger their tail stone grows. They are an aggressive breed; it is not uncommon to see two males battling for mates and territory.

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.

Imperia is noble (if quick to anger) and proud, not one to be insulted. She prefers rubies and red sapphires to other gems, although other red-orange gems are also favored. As a matter of fact, she is most easily placated when angry by receiving a gift of one of these gems. (Actually, Dragonheart keeps a stock of rubies and red sapphires hidden just for this purpose.) Imperia's temper is easily triggered, but no matter what, her heart is in the right place and she will never, ever leave a friend behind. She is what Dragonheart has termed 'insanely loyal'—if it came to the choice to die with a friend or live and let the friend die alone, she would choose to die with her friend.