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.

Neon has a strange gift, although gift isn't the word that many others would use to describe it. As she goes about her day drifting through the trees, she claims that the plants, wildlife, and even rocks are able to communicate with her using telepathy. She's made 'friends' with a number of them, and formally refers to herself as an "ambassador for those without a voice". Using her excellent grasp of language and communication, Neon has taken to working on a written form of their languages in hopes that others will learn to understand them too. Scrolls upon scrolls spill out of her den as she attempts to account for the subtle differences in spelling and diction that occur when conversing with different objects. Her love of inanimate objects and forest life often presents a conflict: her friends are often considered food to others of her kind, and she prefers their company much more than that of dragons. Mother dragons advise their hatchlings to never venture too close to her den.