Almerald Dragons are an unusual species. They have gem-like protrusions along their spine that brighten and darken depending on their mood. In addition, their body temperature grows warmer during periods of excitement, and cooler during darker moods such as anger or depression; as such, it is fairly easy to read an Almerald’s emotions. Their mood can change quickly at times, going from calm to angry in a matter of seconds. If their anger becomes bad enough they can become a frightening opponent. Adults are not normally high in energy, so they hunt infrequently and prefer to lazily consume large quantities of fruits and nuts.

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.

Matreya is volatile but harmless. Any slight could send her on a passionate rant, and she gets very emotional about meeting friends and family, even though she sees many of them every day or week. Soon after quieting down from the latest bit of excitement, she's faintly glowing and cool-headed as if nothing occurred. "Oh, you know how I am," Matreya likes to say. Other people's reactions to her behavior run the gamut from amusement to deep vexation.