When Water Dragons mature, they lose the ability to survive on land, entering the water permanently. They are adept swimmers and eat whatever fish are in the lake they live in. They tend to inhabit the same lake for their entire lives, although a few live in the ocean and swim all over the world.

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.

Lapiz Lazulii is a dragon of mirth and playfulness. She delights in playing silly tricks on her Weyr-mates, and if one gets too close to the shores of her lake, she simply cannot resist a friendly splash of clear lake water. Often is the time when her human has been knocked head over heels with a geyser of cold lake water to lie giggling in the fine sands of the lake's edges. Lapiz has made a safe haven for the Water Folk of the area, and spends many an hour playing with the river otters and ducks of the region. Lapiz was the one who organized the bucket brigade when Fire Opal Carnelian accidentally burned the corner of the forest, calming Fire Opal Carnelian down enough to go to the Weyr for aid, while she organized the otters to gather gourds to carry water to the fire.