This breed of dragon was thought to exist only in legend. Although their name varies between cultures, they are often referred to as “Guardians of Nature.” They are able to channel the forces of fire, ice and lightning, which allows them to wield tremendous power. Seen very rarely, it is thought that they only become active when something is threatening the territory they have chosen to guard. In order to protect their chosen home, these dragons are incredibly adaptable; they have been seen everywhere from remote mountain ranges, to ancient forests, to the darkest depths of the ocean.

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.

The Spikes Clan Nursery was supposed to be sacrosanct. But when some rogue magic resulted in the sudden death of a hatchling before anyone could react, all of the clan's Cassare dragons had suddenly found themselves on babysitting duty. As the eldest and most powerful of the trio of Guardians, Umbarth sees this as a personal insult to his duty as a protector. He will travel through fire, ice and lightning to find out who has done this, both to bring them to justice and as revenge for humiliating him.