Heartseeker Dragons are very social creatures that emanate a sweet chocolatey scent. Their captivating perfume easily attracts adult dragons that don’t yet have a mate. Heartseekers use their keen sense of smell to detect solitary dragons and potential mates in the area. By rubbing their fins against objects such as trees and rocks, they leave a scent trail for the other dragons to follow to meet each other. Although these dragons are seen year-round, the scent of a Heartseeker becomes particularly potent during the middle of winter. During this time, a single Heartseeker may play matchmaker to dozens of dragons, but he will also choose a special mate of his own.

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.

Ripil Altiuiri is the somewhat shy, younger heartseeker dragon of the forest. He is less well-known than his older brother, Aussir Ripil Apzig Xurwkar, and much harder to catch a glimpse of. Ripil Altiuiri's childhood was filled with teasing over the sweet, chocolaty scent his scales gave off, and it bothered Ripil Altiuiri enough that he tried to remove the scent by tearing at his scales. As a result, he has deep scars on his sides and muzzle, and his wings have small cuts in them. Ripil Altiuiri regrets what he did, but there is no way for him to change the past. Instead of being as bold and outrageous as his brother, Ripil Altiuiri hides out in the shadows, sometimes using elaborate means to disguise his scent and presence. When the time is just right, he lays trails that are more subtle than those laid by his brother, but they are just as effective. Ripil has lost count of the dragon couples he helped to bring together, not to mention his own mate for life.