Callahorn
Encyclopedia
Callahorn is a fictitious autonomous country in most of the Shannara
series of books by Terry Brooks
. It first appeared in the opening novel, The Sword of Shannara
.
. The country contains several major cities: Tyrsis, the capital, largest city in the Southland
and home of the Border Legion; Varfleet; and Kern, an island city with citizens made up of a "melting pot" of races.
during the events of The Sword of Shannara
, but its entire population was evacuated to Tyrsis before the attack. Kern was rebuilt by the time of The Elfstones of Shannara
.
. It is home to the legendary Border Legion, the army protecting Southland from frequent Gnome raids, and the People's Park in front of the palace of kings of Callahorn. The Sword of Shannara was placed in the Park after Shea Ohmsford
used it.
Much of The Sword of Shannara
is set in and around Tyrsis. During the time of The Heritage of Shannara Tyrsis is occupied by the federation and the Sword of Shannara is kept under Peoples Park. The Federation
took control of Tyrsis at the same time when Callahorn became a "protectorate". During the time of The Heritage of Shannara, Par Ohmsford
and his brother Coll took the Sword of Shannara from the Park with the aid of Padishar Creel and Damson Rhee. In The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
, Tyrsis and Callahorn are free from the Federation and protected by the Free-born, but are fighting to keep it with the aid of the Elves
on the Prekkendorran Heights.
Much comparison can be made between Tyrsis and the city of Minas Tirith
in The Lord of the Rings
in terms of use in the plot and description.
and his armies had to go through to get to the Southland
. Kern was razed, though not before its citizens were evacuated, and Tyrsis was next on the list. They managed to hold out for quite a time, but they were betrayed by gatekeepers loyal to the Warlock Lord who jammed the gears of the crossbar into the "open" position, severely weakening the gates. Tyrsis was saved only by the convenient timing of Shea Ohmsford
, who finally got to and destroyed the Warlock Lord.
, played a major role; another part of the Border Legion, the "Old Guard", had a minor role. Under the leadership of Stee Jans, these units were instrumental in helping the Elven army to slow the Demons
down before Wil Ohmsford
and Amberle Elessedil
can make it back to the dying Ellcrys
.
and protected by the Free-born. By this time, the Borderlands are no longer considered part of the Southland, but a separate land all its own. A very long war between the Free-born and the Federation has ensued from this with the Elves
jumping in on the Free-born's side; both armies have also constructed semi-permanent fortifications on the Prekkendorran Heights with battles breaking out periodically.
uncages a crystal-powered fire-launching weapon prototype against the Free-born and their Elven allies.
finally broke through the fortifications and into Callahorn. On the Prekkendoran Plains, Pied Sanderling, Captain of the Elven Home Guard, managed to rally the remaining troops of the Elven army to repel the advancing Federation forces; he then proceeded to break through a Federation siege to take refuge in a besieged Free-born fortress. Sanderling also lead a raid on the Federation base to destroy the Dechtera, the airship that bears a "super"-weapon prototype.
Shannara
Shannara is an epic fantasy series of novels written by Terry Brooks, beginning with The Sword of Shannara in 1977 and continuing through Bearers of the Black Staff which was released on August 24, 2010, as well as a prequel, First King of Shannara...
series of books by Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks
Terence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
. It first appeared in the opening novel, The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
.
Location
Callahorn is located north of the Rainbow Lake and between the Irrybis Mountains and the Mountains of Runne. It is known as the 'Borderland' because of its position between the countries of the Northland and the FederationThe Federation (Shannara)
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.-Original Shannara Trilogy:In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea Ohmsford's defeat of the Warlock Lord, the cities of the deep Southland realized how close they had come to annihilation...
. The country contains several major cities: Tyrsis, the capital, largest city in the Southland
Southland (Shannara)
The Southland is a region in the Four Lands, the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set.-Overview:The Southland is inhabited mostly by men. It was largely divided with the largest country being the Borderland of Callahorn until the Federation took over the Southland after the...
and home of the Border Legion; Varfleet; and Kern, an island city with citizens made up of a "melting pot" of races.
Kern
Kern is an island city on Mermidon River northwest of Tyrsis. It was constructed so that it would be protected naturally by river and plateau. It was a widely diverse commercial center and perhaps the only place in Southland where people all the major races resided. Kern was burned by the armies of the Warlock LordWarlock Lord
The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
during the events of The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
, but its entire population was evacuated to Tyrsis before the attack. Kern was rebuilt by the time of The Elfstones of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara is an epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. It is the first sequel to The Sword of Shannara and the second book in The Original Shannara Trilogy...
.
Tyrsis
The border city of Tyrsis is the largest city in the Southland and the capital of Callahorn for the original three booksOriginal Shannara Trilogy
The Original Shannara Trilogy consists of the first three Shannara novels by Terry Brooks...
. It is home to the legendary Border Legion, the army protecting Southland from frequent Gnome raids, and the People's Park in front of the palace of kings of Callahorn. The Sword of Shannara was placed in the Park after Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford is a fictional character and the protagonist of Terry Brooks' epic fantasy novel The Sword of Shannara. In the universe, he is the last known person with the blood of Jerle Shannara, making him the only one who can wield the powerful Sword of Shannara to vanquish the Warlock Lord.-...
used it.
Much of The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
is set in and around Tyrsis. During the time of The Heritage of Shannara Tyrsis is occupied by the federation and the Sword of Shannara is kept under Peoples Park. The Federation
The Federation (Shannara)
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.-Original Shannara Trilogy:In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea Ohmsford's defeat of the Warlock Lord, the cities of the deep Southland realized how close they had come to annihilation...
took control of Tyrsis at the same time when Callahorn became a "protectorate". During the time of The Heritage of Shannara, Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford is a fictional character....
and his brother Coll took the Sword of Shannara from the Park with the aid of Padishar Creel and Damson Rhee. In The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara is a trilogy by Terry Brooks set 130 years after the Heritage of Shannara. Similar to its predecessor, this is one cohesive story following the happenings of Bek Rowe, Walker Boh, and Grianne Ohmsford, among other characters.-Characters:*Ahren Elessedil*Antrax*Ard...
, Tyrsis and Callahorn are free from the Federation and protected by the Free-born, but are fighting to keep it with the aid of the Elves
Elves (Shannara)
Elves are one of the races in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. They are the only race of the faerie creatures still in the World, though they now have become mortal. Though Elves usually refers to the Westland Elves, Elves can be split into two: the "Land Elves" and the...
on the Prekkendorran Heights.
Much comparison can be made between Tyrsis and the city of Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
in The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
in terms of use in the plot and description.
Varfleet
Varfleet is a city in the northern part of the Southland. It was one of the few places in the Southland that the Federation did not keep under strict control.The First King of Shannara
Callahorn was referred to numerous times in this book, but nothing takes place directly in the country.The Sword of Shannara
Callahorn, in particular Tyrisis, played a major role in this novel. Callahorn was the first thing the Warlock LordWarlock Lord
The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
and his armies had to go through to get to the Southland
Southland (Shannara)
The Southland is a region in the Four Lands, the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set.-Overview:The Southland is inhabited mostly by men. It was largely divided with the largest country being the Borderland of Callahorn until the Federation took over the Southland after the...
. Kern was razed, though not before its citizens were evacuated, and Tyrsis was next on the list. They managed to hold out for quite a time, but they were betrayed by gatekeepers loyal to the Warlock Lord who jammed the gears of the crossbar into the "open" position, severely weakening the gates. Tyrsis was saved only by the convenient timing of Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford is a fictional character and the protagonist of Terry Brooks' epic fantasy novel The Sword of Shannara. In the universe, he is the last known person with the blood of Jerle Shannara, making him the only one who can wield the powerful Sword of Shannara to vanquish the Warlock Lord.-...
, who finally got to and destroyed the Warlock Lord.
The Elfstones of Shannara
Callahorn did not play any role in this novel, but units of the Border Legion (Callahorn's army) did. The Free Corps, a sort of French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
, played a major role; another part of the Border Legion, the "Old Guard", had a minor role. Under the leadership of Stee Jans, these units were instrumental in helping the Elven army to slow the Demons
Demons (Shannara)
Demons is a common name for many different creatures in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. The 'true' demons were sealed long ago within an alternate universe, named the Forbidding; this prison is 'maintained' by the Ellcrys, a sacred Elven tree; if she dies, the Forbidding...
down before Wil Ohmsford
Wil Ohmsford
Wil Ohmsford is a fictional character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks, appearing in two novels: The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. He is the grandson of Shea Ohmsford and the grand-nephew of Flick Ohmsford....
and Amberle Elessedil
Amberle Elessedil
Amberle Elessedil is a fictional character from the epic fantasy novel The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks. She was meant to be the "strong female lead" that was lacking in The Sword of Shannara....
can make it back to the dying Ellcrys
Ellcrys
The Ellcrys is a fictional sapient tree with silver bark and crimson leaves that was "created by the bonding of earth and life". She appears in two novels of the Shannara series. She is the magical linchpin of the barrier that keeps the Demons that once overran the Four Lands trapped in an...
.
The Wishsong of Shannara
Callahorn was not mentioned in this novel, as the events within the story were set mainly in the Eastland.The Heritage of Shannara
The Federation invaded and took control of Callahorn after a series of weak kings; so during all of the books in this series, Callahorn ceased to exist as a separate entity.The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
By the time of this series, Callahorn has managed to break free of the FederationThe Federation (Shannara)
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.-Original Shannara Trilogy:In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea Ohmsford's defeat of the Warlock Lord, the cities of the deep Southland realized how close they had come to annihilation...
and protected by the Free-born. By this time, the Borderlands are no longer considered part of the Southland, but a separate land all its own. A very long war between the Free-born and the Federation has ensued from this with the Elves
Elves (Shannara)
Elves are one of the races in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. They are the only race of the faerie creatures still in the World, though they now have become mortal. Though Elves usually refers to the Westland Elves, Elves can be split into two: the "Land Elves" and the...
jumping in on the Free-born's side; both armies have also constructed semi-permanent fortifications on the Prekkendorran Heights with battles breaking out periodically.
Tanequil
Callahorn plays a central role during in one of the two separate plots in this novel after the FederationThe Federation (Shannara)
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.-Original Shannara Trilogy:In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea Ohmsford's defeat of the Warlock Lord, the cities of the deep Southland realized how close they had come to annihilation...
uncages a crystal-powered fire-launching weapon prototype against the Free-born and their Elven allies.
Straken
Callahorn also has a considerable role in this novel, as the FederationThe Federation (Shannara)
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.-Original Shannara Trilogy:In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea Ohmsford's defeat of the Warlock Lord, the cities of the deep Southland realized how close they had come to annihilation...
finally broke through the fortifications and into Callahorn. On the Prekkendoran Plains, Pied Sanderling, Captain of the Elven Home Guard, managed to rally the remaining troops of the Elven army to repel the advancing Federation forces; he then proceeded to break through a Federation siege to take refuge in a besieged Free-born fortress. Sanderling also lead a raid on the Federation base to destroy the Dechtera, the airship that bears a "super"-weapon prototype.