Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

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.

Liaans is a very joyful dragon. She loves nothing more than to float next to a tree and eat the fruit hanging from it. Many dragons in her cave call her lazy, and although she can be slow, physically and sometimes mentally, she is still loyal and honest, and will always complete whatever task she is given, no matter how long it takes. She has not found a mate, and other dragons in her cave say, behind her back, that few dragons would want to mate with another of her "simplicity." She is quite content, however, with her role in the cave as hatchling-sitter.