Black Dragons are warriors. They are strong and capable in battles of force, but also ample magic users, capable of devastating opponents with their spells. Their bright eyes give them excellent night vision, which is why they generally hunt during the night.

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.

Ataen found his mate not through love of her, but through his love of her mother. Kalina is beloved by all around the cave, and it was Ataen's admiration of her that led him to meet Kari. Instantly overwhelmed by meeting his hero's daughter, Ataen decided to play it cool and feign a mild interest in Kalina, but nothing more. Unknown to Ataen however, Kari had an intense dislike of her mother, and it was the fact that Ataen did not worship her that so attracted her to him. As their relationship developed, Ataen found that Kari would make excuses not to see her parents, and finally confided in her mate the dislike of her parents, to Ataen's shock and horror. After much deliberation, Ataen decided to stay with Kari, knowing that it would allow him access to his idol, even if he had to do it behind his mate's back. Ataen frequently tries to reconcile the two family members, hoping his wife will one day learn the perfection of her mother.