Swallowtail Dragons are graceful and quick flyers, much like their namesake bird. They are capable of precise aerial acrobatics, and can reach very high altitudes. Because of this, humans observing these dragons are often astonished at how large they are when confronted up close. A Swallowtail’s diet consists of insects and small mammals plentiful in temperate forests. These dragons are also made remarkable by their paper-thin wing membranes, which allow light to pass through, creating an astonishing effect on starry nights.

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.

Seasoned Swallowtail is the adopted son of Big-Head Runner and Ginny Shine, the founders of Shine Performance Services. They are from Orthnay, though no one in the clan lives there now. Seasoned Swallowtail is crafty and curious, and he's very good at evading danger. When someone with unsavory purposes wants to find him or his family members, they're nowhere to be found. His parents had led the clan and business for a century, but upon their sudden deaths, he was forced to take over. The rulers of Orthnay had made it known that they were displeased with Big-Head Runner and Ginny for not displaying sufficient enthusiasm about Orthnaya leadership, and when they didn't change their minds, they died of shame. The investigators who reported finding poison in the bodies later rescinded their report and also died of shame. Having inherited the business overnight, Seasoned Swallowtail's first decision as leader was to move Shine Performance Services and the whole family out of Orthnay.