Black Dragons are warriors. They are strong and capable in battles of force, but also ample magic users, capable of devastating opponents with their spells. Their bright eyes give them excellent night vision, which is why they generally hunt during the night.

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.

Rachel has an uncanny ability to cut to the chase, to see to the heart of breaking news within the dragon and human communities. She has fashioned a podium out of a dead tree stump and every evening speaks to whichever dragons have assembled. She says her mission is to increase the amount of useful information in the world, and she does this deftly, starting each day's show with a monologue about that day's events.

When she's not out speaking to the others, Rachel likes to spend her time off with her partner, Susan, a white dragon she met many years ago. Susan helps keep her grounded (and makes an awesome shepherd's pie, sometimes made from real shepherds). Rachel also says, "There are three things I do to stay sane: I exercise, I sleep—I'm a good sleeper—and I fish."