Dorsal Dragons are so named because they have large fins along their backs that can be raised and lowered at will. They use these fins to regulate body temperature; they raise them to cool off when they become overheated. The bright colors on the fins double as a means of attracting mates.

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.

Inkcrest was born with a disorder that made his saliva, ink. He was unaffected by it, as if it was just normal saliva. He took advantage of this by using his tail to take a dab of his ink saliva and draw with his tail and become an artist, like many others in his clan. Quickly he discovered he had an extreme talent for art. The art elder of his village gave him harsh lessons. This lead Inkcrest to flee from the village to travel the world and do art as he wanted it and what he wanted to draw and paint. He's a very calm dragon and could otherwise be called normal. Through his journey to find the most beautiful scene to paint, he eventually found it. What he had found was an extremely beautiful ridgewing dragoness named Crytalpeak. The two both had strong feelings for each other and eventually mated.