Drenai

The Drenai are a fictional people from the stories of David Gemmell. They inhabit the Drenai Empire, a long-standing nation resembling slightly that of the Roman Empire.

Their main enemies include the Nadir—a Mongol-like nation of warring tribes—the Ventrian and Vagrian Empires, and the Sathuli - a reclusive, religious tribe of warriors who dwell in the Delnoch Steepes.

The Drenai gained their freedom from the Vagrian Empire thanks to the efforts of the legendary heroes Karnak and Egel, the first Earl of Bronze - this part of the Drenai history is told in the book Waylander.

The Drenai face many threats over their history, but finally succumb to the rule of the Nadir after Tenaka Khan unites the warring tribes of the north to invade the Empire. These events are suggested to have occurred between The King Beyond the Gate and Quest for Lost Heroes.

Another factor in the downfall of the Drenai is the evil Emperor Ceska, who joins forces with warrior-priests of Chaos and utilises an ancient technology allowing him to combine humans with beasts, creating a Joining - a fearsome creature which only wishes to maim, kill and feed.

Eventually the Drenai gain their freedom in the events leading up to "Winter Warriors". It is also noted that under King Skanda's rule they conquer Ventria. Whether Skanda's son holds it after his death is unknown.

Enemies
Nadir
The Nadir are a fictional people from the stories of David Gemmell appearing consistently throughout his works within the "Drenai" universe. They are based on Mongol and have a similar culture and physical description.

The Nadir were founded by a Chiatze nobleman named Oshikai Demon-Bane who led his people from their homeland to the wastelands known as the Nadir steppes. It was at this point that Oshikai gave them a new name "Nadir" meaning "cross roads of death."

After Oshikai's death the Nadir splintered into dozens of separate tribes and were oppressed by the Gothir for centuries. The main hope of the Nadir during this period was that one day a "uniter" would rally all the tribes together and crush all their enemies.

The path leading to the time of the uniter was set in motion during the events of "Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf". In which the Wolfshead tribe, then prophesized to be the origin of the line of the uniter, successfully survived a Gothir attempt to annihilate them.

In the book "The Legend of Deathwalker" Druss assists a band of five Nadir tribes led by a young "Wolfshead" named Okai in the defense of Oshikai's tomb against an army of Gothir soldiers. After the successful defense Okai takes the name Ulric and becomes the uniter prophesised for centuries, this is unknown to Druss.

Over the next two decades Ulric conquers the Gothir and a number of other northern nations. He eventually turns his attention to the lands of the Drenai. During the events of "Legend", Druss helps to defend the fortress of Dros Delnoch against Ulric and his 500,000 strong army. Though Druss dies during the defence, the Drenai, with the help of 3000 Sathuli, hold the fortress and prevent the Nadir entry into Drenai lands. The battle ends when Ulric is forced to return home to put down a rebellion by his nephew. Ulric leaves behind his standard (this emphasizes that he will return). However, during his invasion of the Ventrian Empire he collapses and dies of a "heart spasm."

His son Jongir Kahn leads a second invasion of Drenai lands which is also repelled. As a term of the peace treaty Jongir's daughter weds the Earl of Bronze's youngest son. The child Tenaka Kahn was born through this marriage. Years later during the events of "The King Beyond the Gate" Tenaka won the throne and led a Nadir army to save the Drenai rebels against the mad Emperor Ceska. Tenaka returned to the Drenai lands years later and successfully conquered the Drenai Empire, fulfilling Ulric's promise. Tenaka was the true uniter and conquered all the southern nations. He finally died when he was poisoned by his eldest son Jungir.

Jungir became Kahn and had his brothers killed. With a Gothir slave woman he had twins, though he died before they were born at Bel-azar. He was killed by a Gothir boy who was possessed by the spirit of Tenaka Kahn.

After the death of Jungir Kahn one of his sons was taken by the shaman Asta Kahn to be the new Kahn of the Nadir. The other twin was smuggled away and led the Drenai to freedom against his brother in the War of the Twins. The final fate of the Nadir Empire is not known.

Vagria

Vagria is shown to situated south west of the Drenai on the official Drenai world map shown in David Demmell's Drenai novel “White wolf”. The Vagrian empire is stated to have had at least three wars with the Drenai, the first being in Gemmell's novel “Waylander” in which the general Kaem led an unsuccessful invasion of drenai lands which is repulsed and the Drenai, led by the first Earl of Bronze, invade them in turn. The second conflict takes place thirty years before the first Nadir war, this is mentioned in Gemmell's first drenai novel "Legend" by "Druss the legend". The third conflict is mentioned in the book "Winter warriors" were it is stated that Skanda, the king of the Drenai, led a successful invasion of Vagria.

Ventria

Ventria is bordered by Naashan in the northwest, Cadia in the west, the Ventrian Sea to the east, and the Soutren Sea. Its major cities include Caphis, Capalis, and Usa. Ventria was likely the largest country in the Drenai universe until the rise of the Nadir empire, which formed after the events of The King Beyond the Gate. Excluding the Chiatze and Kiatze nations, Ventria was probably the most cultured of the Drenai universe's countries, boasting a university in every city.

Ventria features in many novels in the Drenai series. In Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf, Ventria launches an unsuccessful attack on the Drenai. Ventria was eventually conquered by the Drenai king Skanda before the events of Winter Warriors, though it is not known whether his son held the country after Skanda's death. In The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend, a large portion of the story takes place in Ventria as the Ventrians fight to repel invading forces.

The epilogue in Legend states that Ulric Kahn collapses and dies in Ventria during the Nadir invasion of Ventira (mirroring the way Genghis Khan collapsed and died during his last campaign). Ventria is also the main country featured in the book Winter Warriors.

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