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.

Scarlett is enormously popular. She can't understand it, but really it's just because she thinks she is no-one special, and likes to tell fairy stories to anyone who will listen. She'd have liked to train as a teacher, but that isn't easy for a dragon.

She has beautiful fins, with magnificently lacy edges, but she uses them strictly for fanning herself and others. She can't be bothered with mating rituals—she believes in serendipity, and says that when the right dragon comes along, he will find her, and she will know. Meanwhile, when she isn't reading to other dragons, she is learning to play the sackbut. This is the only downside that the other dragons see in her. She really isn't very good at it.