Sunstone Dragons are named after the orb on their tails, which resembles the gem of the same name. Their social structure resembles a lion pride, with one dominant male and several females banded together with their young. They prefer arid climates where they can blend in and dig for minerals and gemstones that they not only collect, but eat. The more gems they consume, the larger their tail stone grows. They are an aggressive breed; it is not uncommon to see two males battling for mates and territory.

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.

Joseph Franz Hapsburg is the patriarch of a proud, albeit inbred, Sunstone family. He believes in keeping the bloodline purely Hapsburg, and, excluding himself and his mate, has made sure that his children have kept to this policy. In his eyes, this keeps the Hapsburgs pure and free from any messy, unworthy dragons. However, Joseph Franz's obsession with purity has made him ostracized by the other dragons of the cave, and has caused his family to become isolated from the community he believes the Hapsburgs should rule.