Blacktip Dragons are a small, shore-dwelling breed that tend to nest on sheer ocean side cliffs. They live in groups under a dominant female, who prevents her subordinates from breeding. During the mating season, a group of Blacktips can be very noisy and smelly indeed; males produce a distinctive musky odor and loud, low-pitched honking noises in an attempt to woo the alpha female.

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.

Salt Flyer is the eldest male in the Blacktip Cove group, and as such he has special privileges granted to him that no other male has. For example, after Alpha Saltiness has eaten he eats, being the second-ranked dragon. But this will last only as long as he remains Saltiness's mate, although until a male challenges him, he is guaranteed this rank in the group. Salt Flyer is waiting in dread for that day, when a younger male brings him down, because he knows he is too bad at fighting to defend his high rank. Hopefully Saltiness will intervene, but he sadly guesses that she won't.