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.

Arda, unlike Zahava, is more social, tending to a large garden she owns outdoors most of the time and giving the fruit of her labors to dragons and humans who ask. The food from this garden is more delicious than any human of the village can grow, and the flowers bloom magnificently. However, despite her generosity, she will not tolerate theft and attacks thieves with a surprising ferocity, once even eating a human who stole and gorged himself with one of her pumpkins. This gives her a varied reputation, some telling stories of warning to the children while others advise those who are lost or poor to ask Arda for some of her food to survive on. Her flowers go only to those who need them for a special occasion, though she does give them as special gifts to those who have done her some kindness.