Dorsal Dragons are so named because they have large fins along their backs that can be raised and lowered at will. They use these fins to regulate body temperature; they raise them to cool off when they become overheated. The bright colors on the fins double as a means of attracting mates.

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.

Jorana, her name stemming from her dorsal fins which have both the color and the glossy finish of a purple enamel orchid, is the first dragon to whom Siratha the Blazing Crest never allowed entry into the Ash'del Clan. The furious female, notoriously independent and resourceful since her abandonment and near-death while still within her egg's shell, has since founded her own small clan, the Gol'garon.