Draila

### Summary

The Draila is a system that was created in the Home Herd by Sgorr and Drail. They are a group of stags, formerly Corps Members, who were promoted by Sgorr. They serve as a bodyguard to Drail, and a sort of secret police in the herd. It is led by Sgorr.

### Creation

Two seasons prior to the events of the book, Sgorr came up with the notion of the Draila, playing on Drail's fears of being ousted. Through a network of invented titles and privileges, Drail gathered together a close and royal group of males from within the ranks of the Corps. It acted both as a bodyguard to Drail and a kind of secret police, spying on the corps and the hinds and reporting any signs of discontent. It had been called the Draila and was both resented and feared. Sgorr personally masterminded its creation, choosing and grooming young stags himself, cleverly spying out the most discontented members of the Corps and promoting them rapidly.

### Behaviour

Brechin feels the greatest threat posed by the Draila is within the herd itself; Draila stags are becoming increasingly aggressive. Rut encounters have become more ferocious, and Sgorr had begun to train the young stags to sharpen their antlers on rocks and stones and cut and jab with the points, and to aim for the most vulnerable parts of the body. It meant last autumn there were far more injuries than normal, and one stag had even been killed.

Drail's consuming desire for control meant that the Draila forced the females to live much closer to the stags. The herd has become much less mobile and for three seasons now have used the same Home Oak.

With Anlach abolished, during the mating season, the Draila gang up with each other to win and hold mates.

Ten stags form Drail's inner bodyguard at the Home Oak

### Progression

The Draila won support from other Lords by offering help against their own enemies. Drail’s methods began to spread like a virus and his writ now ran as far north as the Great Mountain and even to the edges of the High Land.

Drail announces that he has consulted with Sgorr and the Draila, and has decided to abolish Anlach, believing it to be dangerous and a waste of strength to the herd, and there should not be such regular challenges to the Lordship. He adds that the members of the Draila have voted that he lead them 3 more summers at least. Brechin and the corps members are shocked. The Draila proceed to kill the Outriders.  Afterwards, a group of Draila reassure the hinds to keep them from panicking, lying about a minor rebellion in the herd that was put down. The hinds who ask difficult questions are separated and escorted to the Home Oak with their fawns.

About 4 months later, the Draila compromise a third of the herd and become more officious with their duties. They patrol everywhere, and anyone who is displeased with them is punished. The Draila ban the Lore and Herne, and create schools for the fawns. The fawns gather in the morning, and the Draila teach them the need for discipline, respect for the Draila, and tell them stories of the strength, prowess, and power of Lord Drail, "Protector of Herla". Every story is sure to include some stirring reference to Sgorr. The fawns are taught to show absolute loyalty to the Draila, even above their parents, whom they are encouraged to spy on for the good of the herd, and report suspect conversations to Sgorr's agents.  Mistrust due to the fawns spying on hinds and bucks spreads through the herd like a poison. Soon no deer trusted one another, and hinds were so frightened of saying anything in front of their children, even the young calves began to run riot .

It is forbidden to speak of the Outriders in the herd

##### Drailing

A new group was formed for the older male prickets called The Drailing. If a hind dares to scold or discipline a pricket, she faces the threat of being reported for criticizing the Drailing.

Every day, they march up and down the meadow in neat lines singing:

"Deer are we, we cannot fail,

Born to serve the herd and Drail,

Fearing neither cold nor thaw,

we follow in the slots of Sgorr.

Bowing to the Draila's call,

Deer that never trip or fall,

Discipline will set us free,

We swear eternal loyalty."

### Size

At the time of Brechin's death, there are at least 45 Draila.  When Rannoch is 4 months old, the Draila's numbers grow considerably and now compromise nearly a third of the herd.

## References

1. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 15
2. ↑ Page 17
3. ↑ Page 17
4. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 80
5. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 91
6. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 16
7. ↑ Page 32
8. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 81
9. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 82
10. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 82
11. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 82
12. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 82
13. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 26 and 27
14. ↑ Fire Bringer, page 81