Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

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.

Couriers who have to travel to Serious Sass's earthen cottage draw straws to determine who the unfortunate visitor is that week. It's not because he's a vicious or vengeful beast, but worse: he loves to lecture them, on his superior knowledge, on what's wrong with the world today, and definitely on his seniority to them. The messengers are there to pick up his research on gemology to send to publishers and other scholars around Galsreim, but they can never convince Serious Sass that that's what they're only there for and that they want to make as quick a trip as possible. The presence of another human (or dragon, especially one smaller than he is), is an invitation for him to talk their heads off.