Ember Dragons have a great affinity for hot environments. While they themselves are not hot to the touch, their tendency to lurk amongst smoldering ashes has caused many to believe they are fire-starters. Their dully glowing markings serve many purposes: acting as a means of identification between individuals, as an important part of mating displays, and as a way of showing aggression. The long, low build of the breed makes them ungainly in flight, and the thick fleshy membranes of their wings hinder them further. As such, it is rare to see an Ember Dragon take to the air. Ember Dragons are also not particularly sociable; females tend to be defensive, whereas males are more aggressive. Once they have settled with a particular group of dragons, Ember Dragons are incredibly loyal and will defend their pack by any means possible.

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.

Smaug is your typical, textbook dragon; he has a relatively short temper, he likes to hoard gold, he will take what he wants, and when he feels insulted, you can expect to find yourself turned into a finely charred bit of meat. As a result of his personality, he gets on well with Ira and Kamala. Pandora, not so much. Despite his fiery temperament, he has a soft spot for his mate, Pele. The two can be seen setting fire to small trees and shrubs, then flinging the coals into the air to create a shower of sparks, on dark nights and evenings. Smaug was named for the dragon in JRR Tolkein's The Hobbit.