Grave Dragons are not named for their connections to death or burial, but for the grave expression on their faces. This strange expression is used as a defense mechanism that causes fits of panic and terror in potential predators. Since they only eat ash and charcoal, they do not hunt. Grave Dragons are powerful fire-breathers and have been known to burn down forests and villages alike to make meals. It is believed that the markings on each Grave Dragon’s wings are the faces of those who have lost their lives in fires started by that dragon.

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.

Other than the burning and the ash-eating, Starer is quite nice and mellow. He really only tries to set condemned buildings on fire, and when he wants more food, he brings his magic friend to construct walls and "pack" the air around selected parts of a forest so when he begins a blaze within the selection, it doesn't spread. He's careful because he knows most other creatures don't take kindly to giant fires and choking smoke killing swathes of them. In fact, every member of his family was eventually found and killed because their careless destruction was deemed highly dangerous. In the fall and winter, Starer is more active and sociable, and every two weeks, he joins a group of humans playing cards and other games in the downstairs area of the Cinna Bar. When he gets really into a game, he behaves with completely unprompted and unnecessary antagonism towards everyone, but in a way they find funny. He explains that the patterns on his wings represent everyone who's lost a game to him.