Caligene Dragons have long been considered omens of death—reinforced by the skeletal markings on their bodies. They exert a malignant force on the world around them, causing other living things to slowly waste away in their presence. Caligenes favor the seasons of summer and autumn, disappearing entirely from the forests they inhabit during winter and spring. These malevolent dragons are physically weak, though this is countered by their natural stealthiness and alarming speed—enabling them to close in on large targets quickly and silently to create ambushes from which prey cannot escape.

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.

Lumin lives in a community where using one's words (or thoughts) is favored over violence. She enjoys singing and is a member of a chorale. Most members aren't interested in competitions, so the quality of the group can be described as "meh", "okay", and "a bit better than mediocre". The baritones' voices crack, the soprano is shy and sings too quietly, the only professionally trained singer misses most sessions, and so on. Lumin can sing in tune, but her voice "sounds like death", according to the conductor. Not long ago, some new members to this so-so society argued for actually taking their hobby seriously. The chorale should improve and go out and perform, they said. Many dragons disagreed, and the debate between the two sides soon went downhill. Arguments turned into trash talk, which devolved into awful wordplay flung at one another. The practice room shook from the shouting. Lumin, skittish by nature, was among the first dragons to flee from the pun-fight at the "okay" chorale.