Sandwaste Dragons are sparsely distributed across very hot, sandy, dry deserts. They grow to large sizes, but very slowly, and they are well adapted to the harshness of the desert, being capable of surviving for long periods with very little water and food. They are constantly on the hunt for prey large enough to sate them, catching it mostly by ambush or, rarely, running it down. However, Sandwaste dragons are opportunistic and will not shun carrion, insects, and even plants when desperate. They are solitary and nomadic and build no lasting bonds with one another, though there is little animosity among Sandwaste dragons when they encounter each other.

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.

Gyoku is a simple dragon. He likes two things the most in the world, these things being a good meat dinner, and a good back scratch. Though his nomadic lifestyle means that he rarely sleeps in the same place for more than a week, Gyoku has taken up the habit of carrying around his favorite back scratcher wherever he goes. Whenever he finds a better back scratcher, Gyoku discards his current one and carries around the new one from then on. Over the years he's used rib bones, tumbleweeds, and the occasional chunk of old dry wood. He likes to think that someday he'll find a back scratcher that he will never need to replace. He's certainly got plenty of wandering time and space to find it.