The Fate of Druss

[Sytkan]

ok so i found an anomaly about druss. At the end of white wolf, Ustarte shows Weldi the funeral pyre of druss, and then Skilgannon coming in and asking Ulric for the hair and bone, then shows skilgannon riding off with Snaga on his back. At the end of legend, when Druss really dies (the end of white wolf was merely a vision of this future), Skilgannons coming was not mentioned at all, and after the moment when druss finally died, nor was the axe. So what went on there, why wasnt Skillgannon mentioned at the end of Legend? Is this merely a mistake, or is there something I have missed?

[Count Belisarius]

You have to remember that Legend was Mr. Gemmell's first (published) book. Published in 1984, Legend was around at a time when many of Mr. Gemmell's readers (including me) were still in short pants. Since then, the popularity of his work has skyrocketed, and the Drenai Saga has become (IMO) the most beloved of his various series. When he wrote Legend, there is no way that he could have anticipated just how popular this series of books would become. Similarly, there is no way that Mr. Gemmell twenty-plus years ago could have anticipated every nuance of a multi-novel integrated story line.

Thus, you have not missed anything, though I certainly would not characterize this discrepancy as a "mistake" per se. Legend, when read in a vacuum, does not mention the possibility of Druss's return. Skilgannon's request of Ulric for a fragment of Druss's bone and hair, along with Snaga, is merely a literary device Mr. Gemmell contrived in an effort to get more "mileage" out of Druss, his best-loved character. The author wanted to write another book involving Druss, so he invented an excuse to do so.

So, I am willing to live and let live. I, for one, want more Drenai books (Druss-themed or otherwise), and I am willing to put up with minor inconsistencies to that end.

[Sytkan]

thx for clearing that up for me, and i think the books wid druss are the best too

[Chase_2200]

I was under the impression that druss died in legend then was brought bk then died again in white wolf then he was brought bk again in Swords of night and day. I mean the poor guy doesnt have much of a peacefull after life does he. lol

[sanityassassin]

peace is not something druss would enjoy he was always restless when he wasn't fighting in battles so I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming back for one last battle again(and again)

[Iona]

You can't bring Druss back from the dead often enough for me - but I believe he was always alive in White Wolf, when he first meets Skilgannon.

[bendoran]

legend doesnt mention very much about druss's death. the scene with skilgannon could of happened at anytime. Gemmell obviously hadnt envisaged skilgannon or those thinks way back then

Plus doesnt druss possess someone or some such? its a long time since i read them. i remember in white wolf it was before legend, then in swords night and day it was as if they had rebuilt his body but couldnt find his soul. then at some point he returns to inhabit the body of his recreated self temporarily.

[Iona]

Yes bendoran - Your memory serves you well - both Druss and Skilgannon are cloned in Swords of Night and Day and they bring back Skilgannon's soul, but cannot find Druss who is on the 'other side' protecting the soul that was banished from Skilgannon's new body to make way for him.

But he does inhabit his clone's body for a short while (to fight of course) so he does 'possess' his clone, but being Druss and honourable to a fault he will not stay there and gives back the body when he is no longer needed.

[Shadowmick]

Ty
Oh I was thinking this to .. some how introduce a new hero in the world .. but what I have is a feeling that Gemmel had a book in the works to tie it all together.

What do we do now .. was there a ghost writer or does the world of Druss die with out even a movie ??

[Shadowmick]

Remember Druss did say he had one last thing to do in the void .. to escort the dead gf of the cloned of Druss out of the void.

But this doesn't say Druss leaves the Void .. his word was strong about not again possesing the young clone of Druss .. so even if his friend does have his body once again cloned the sheman who will seek him in the Void would of need a real good reason to once again unit Druss to his beloved mountains.

There are so many questions .. I am so glad my dad gave me these books from an amazing author.

[HelikaonSICKHeAD]

white wolf was before legend and the battle of dros delnoch, so after this skillgannon went to ulric then died and the dude from swords of night and day recoverd skillgannons bones and also the lockets in which was druss' remains.

[HogunFan]

First remember that White Wolf was written nearly 20 years after Legend.

Now, in the Drenai saga White Wolf occurs 10 year before Legend. Druss is mentioned to be almost half a century old, 50, and he dies at the age of 60 in Legend.

So the simple answer is that Gemmll didn't write it in Legend because he didn't know what he would be writing in the future. However we could say that the Funeral Pyre scene in Legend is seen from the view of Rek and the defenders. So Skilgannon could, theoretically, have come before or after the defenders arrived in the Nadir camp.

The Druss in The Swords of Night & Day is technically Harad, a reborn/clone of Druss created by Landis Kan from the shard of bone and hair that Skilgannon requested from Ulric. Obviously he is a lot like Druss, uncomfortable in easy conversation as a youth, he even finds peace at the spot where Druss fell in the ruins on Dros Delnoch. Druss refused to take the body of the reborn because it would have meant killing Harad, but he does take control of his body at vital times to help fight. He also doesn't leave to Void for 'paradise' instead staying to help weaker souls pass through.


And to answer Shadowmick, Gemmell didn't have any ghost writers, and I wouldn't hold your breath on a movie, while it would be great, Gemmell didn't want to give up the rights to the characters because who kows what Hollywood would have done to them.