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.

During the dark days of the first Datamonster attack, Prodigal Prancer—then a hatchling so young as to not even have a name—vanished, along with Prodigal Son, Six Blade Knife, and a single translucent egg. Snatched from the relative safety of the caves, the four dragons fought hard to return home. Prancer's tail is oddly scarred, and her dorsal frills show signs of wear, but she moves with predatory grace and wears her scars as badges of honor.

Though Prancer was male in the days of the Datamonster strike and for some time after, some form of magic has transformed her into a female; this seems to have resolved some deep conflict for her, and Prodigal Son moved in to her section of the caves immediately. The younger dragons know her as a great storyteller and dancer, and she bears no ill will to even the most unusual dragons.