Dorsal Dragons are so named because they have large fins along their backs that can be raised and lowered at will. They use these fins to regulate body temperature; they raise them to cool off when they become overheated. The bright colors on the fins double as a means of attracting mates.

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.

Fingal O'Staffa was born in Fingal's Cave on the remote island of Staffa located in the Hebrides region off the west coast of Scotland. The water rushing through the cave seems to have given him a love of the sea. Fingal is the offspring of two Dorsal Dragons, Fin-Jim and Fin-Pim. As a Double Dorsal, he is double-finned. It would not be wise to breed two such double-finned Double Dorsal Dragons as the resultant double recessive trait may cause an excessive amount of wrinkles and folds in the fins. While attractive, the fins can become sore and infected from a lack of air to the inner folds of the dorsal. It is possible for a double-finned Double Dorsal to pass on the single recessive trait to its offspring only if it breeds with another single-finned Dorsal Dragon.