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.

Rapalje the Balloon dragon is crazy about Celtic folk music. He will travel far and wide to visit towns of the Celtic countries. At night he will sneak up to the windows, eavesdropping, listening to the music played by the people within. When he gets home he will repeat the music, performing for his fellow dragons. Being a Balloon dragon, he has excellent lung capacity, and quite a nice voice, too. Unfortunately his sense of rhythm isn't that great, nor can he copy the charm of an authentic Scottish or Irish accent, but nevertheless his performances are quite entertaining. Rapalje is somewhat puffed up and arrogant, which may be due to his artistic success, but luckily his audience is enthusiastic about his concerts regardless of his character, thanks to his lively performances.