Shannara artifacts
Encyclopedia
Many magical artifacts appear in Terry Brooks
's epic fantasy
Shannara
series.
in the novel
The Wishsong of Shannara
by Terry Brooks
. This book is from the "Old World", before the Four Lands were shattered by war. Its story was told to Brin Ohmsford
by the Druid
Allanon
. Allanon also told Brin that she was the only one who could destroy it.
The Ildatch was first used by the rebel Druid Brona
to increase his knowledge of Old World magic. Brona was subverted by the book's dark magic and thus became the Warlock Lord. After the Warlock Lord's defeat at the hands of Shea Ohmsford
, Allanon looked for the Ildatch but could not find it. Believing it destroyed when the Skull Kingdom fell, the Ildatch was left to be discovered by a band of Men. These men believed they could control the power of the Ildatch and began to learn its secrets. Like the Warlock Lord, they were unable to resist the book's dark magic and thus became the Mord Wraiths
. After they succumbed to the book's subversion, they took it deep into the Eastland and hid it within the Maelmord.
When Brin came to destroy the Ildatch, she, too, was subverted by it and was transformed. Her brother, Jair Ohmsford
, then found her in a tower in the middle of the Maelmord. There, after a confrontation between subverted sister and determined brother, Brin was able to destroy it with her wishsong
.
The Ildatch (or rather, a page from it) appears in both the graphic novel Dark Wraith of Shannara and the short story Indomitable. Jair Ohmsford is tasked with destroying the single page that the siblings apparently failed to destroy a few years earlier. One page of the Ildatch, however, survived as described in the short story "Indomitable", published as a part of the Legends II compilation, leading to Cogline, Kimber Boh and Jair Ohmsford setting out to destroy the one page that had not been destroyed before.
. Wil's Elven blood is very thin (he is one-eighth Elvish), and his use of Elfstones caused his children to be born with a magical ability, the Wishsong.
by the Druid
Allanon
, for guidance and protection whenever all else failed. They were meant as a last resort, for when the magic activated, beings of magical power could sense their use and location. Shea used them several times, though he lost them temporarily twice: once to a patrol of Gnomes and the thief Panamon Creel, and next to the Northland while he fled Skull Mountain, but he recovered them again both times. The Elfstones were later given to Wil Ohmsford
, who used them to aid the Chosen Amberle
in the search for The Bloodfire. He succeeded, but the effect of his thin Elven blood resulted in part of the magic being transferred to his descendants. After several generations, almost all the Elven blood was bred out of the Ohmsfords, making it impossible to use the Elfstones. The current generation decided to return the stones to those who could use them, and they passed to the parents of Wren Elessedil
. When Wren was to be left with the Ohmsfords, she was given the Elfstones, but they were disguised to look like painted rocks. She later discovered their nature while battling a Shadowen
, and used the stones in the war against the evil magic. The stones were later taken on an expedition to the land of Parkasia, where they remained for years until their recovery by Ahren Elessedil. They later passed to his niece, Khyber Elessedil and used in the quest to find the missing Grianne Ohmsford
.
When used as a weapon, the stones create a blue flame, whose form and strength is controlled by the wielder, and can instantly destroy all but the largest magical creatures and spells. Like most forms of magic, they exert a great toll on the wielder and when using them, the wielder must always be on guard against their destructive powers. Furthermore, against non magical foes (like soldiers or airships), they are nothing but a distracting light show with no tangible damage inflicted, as Ahren Elessedil discovered when attempting to use them versus a flock of quite normal Shrikes. One way that this may be circumvented is if the wielder uses the stones to attack a large group of magic and normal foes at once, the sheer strength of the elfstones may destroy the normal opponents as well. Also, if shielding spells are placed on something, like the Druid Warship Galaphile, the stones can be used against the guarding magic, as well as the protected artifact.
Alone it undid a massive force (including several Skull Bearers) sent to capture it in The First King of Shannara, killing them all, while unfortunately inflicting terrible damage its user Tay Trefenwyd when all their evil magic was transferred to him. He had to commit suicide to prevent himself from transforming into something terrible shortly afterwards.
Bremen recovered the elfstone and gave it to Allanon as a means to seal (and unseal) the Druid's Keep. At some point, Allanon hid it in the Hall of Kings. Uhl Belk later stole it to use against his son. Belk's use of the stone also transferred his son's magic into him, slowly turning him to stone.
After its recovery by Walker Boh, Morgan Leah, Quickening, Horner Dees and Pe Ell in The Druid of Shannara, the Black Elfstone was the means by which Paranor was returned to the Four Lands by Walker Boh. When the magic of the Druid Well that had sealed away the keep was absorbed into Walker, he was chosen to be the next Druid.
. It was found by the end of the novel by Kirisin Belloruus and his sister Simralin. They narrowly escaped an ambush by a demon who had been disguised as the Elf Culph shortly after recovering the Loden. In The Gypsy Morph
, Kirisin used the Loden to relocate the city of Arborlon into an area of protection created by Hawk in his final act of magic as the Gypsy Morph. It is currently unknown whether or not Arborlon was moved again prior to The Sword of Shannara
, at which point it was situated in the Westland.
During their later efforts to recover the magics of the Old World, the Elven
people rediscovered enough magic to wield the Loden. It had remained hidden away and kept secret until the Elves decided to migrate from the Westland to the island of Morrowindl. The Loden was also used in Morrowindl to ward off the horde of Shadowen
monsters. It was then used to carry Arborlon back to the Four Lands
, and after it released the city, its magic was expended, and it became a common rock.
, the Stiehl can kill anything and cut through any substance. It was forged in the time of the Old World, and has terrible magic infused within its blade. After years of dormancy, it was found by the young Pe Ell
, who used its power to become an assassin for hire (The Druid of Shannara
). He carried it until his death. It was not determined if Pe Ell died at the hands of the Koden, a giant bear mutated by Uhl Belk
, the Stone King, or because of some after effect of Quickening's magic. The weapon was recovered from his body by Walker Boh
, who locked it deep inside the Druid's Keep
. It was later brought out by a treacherous Druid, who gave it to the assassin Aphasia Wye. He was later captured by the Tanequil
tree, and it is unknown what happened to the Stiehl thereafter.
. After repeated arguments between Rone and the Druid Allanon
, Allanon decided to grant the Highlander's wish, which was to stand as his equal in protecting Brin
. He had Rone dip the blade of the Sword into the waters of the Hadeshorn, changing its color to a deep black and infusing it with the magic of death. He then infused his own magic, that of life, into the blade, creating a weapon that could cut through magic. However, the Sword drew power from its user, who would became more dependent on it with every use. After the Ildatch was destroyed, the Sword was passed down in the family, its magic becoming dormant. It was reactivated when Morgan Leah used it against a shadowen beast which had attacked him and the Ohmsford brothers (Par and Coll). It was temporarily shattered when Morgan Leah used it to escape from "the Pit", a Shadowen
cesspit. It was restored later by the King of the Silver River
's elemental daughter, Quickening
, and was used in the final battle with the Shadowen. The Sword's magic lay dormant for another 150 years until Walker Boh
came in search of Quentin Leah, the new heir to the Sword. He carried it to the land of Parkasia, and later back to the Four Lands, there to be handed down to the next son of Leah.
universe with a long history. During the Second War of the Races
, the sword was forged by Urprox Screl at the behest of Bremen
. Rumored to be the finest smith in all the Southland
, Screl put that to the test during the forging, and with aid from an Old World formula provided by the outcast Cogline and the magic of the Druid Bremen
he managed to forge it. The Eilt Druin medallion was fused into the hilt, and the truth of Druids
past was infused within the weapon. The sword's power confronts any who touch it with the absolute truth about themselves; this power has been derided as weak because "it does nothing but compel truth-telling". This power destroys the Warlock Lord since he is only alive because of the depth of his belief that he is immortal. This is however not possible, the Sword forcing him to see and acknowledge this truth thus killing him.
. Bremen gave it to the Elven King Jerle Shannara
, who used it in the Second War of the Races against the Warlock Lord
. He was unable to wield the talisman properly and could not garner the Sword's full power. As a result, the Warlock Lord was defeated but not killed, only forced to flee. The Sword was placed in a block of Tre-Stone and taken to Paranor
for safekeeping. It was later stolen by the Warlock Lord's minions but recovered once more by Shea Ohmsford
, who finally managed to defeat the Warlock Lord for good. Shea then gave it to the city of Tyrsis where it was kept in a vault for the next 300 years. After again disappearing, it was recovered by Par Ohmsford
whose brother Coll used it to free Par from the power of the Shadowen. Par came to use it in battle with the Shadowen
. The Sword was used next by Bek Ohmsford, who carried it during his journey to Parkasia.
. The Elit Druin was worn first by Galaphile, founder of the order, and last by Athabasca, High Druid in the early stages of the Second War of the Races. After Athabasca was killed, Bremen
returned and recovered it, and it was set into the hilt of the Sword of Shannara at its forging. It was the Elit Druin that allowed the Druid shades, gathering at the Hadeshorn, to transfer the truth they had found in life to the Sword, giving it its awesome power. The words Elit Druin are Elven and have two meanings: either "Through Knowledge, Power" or "Through Truth, Power".
Since the original was placed into the Sword of Shannara, upon founding the Third Druid Council, Ard Rhys Grianne Ohmsford made it her business to create a new medallion, which she carried as a sign of her high office; she carried it into her final battle with Shadea and her allies. It is unknown what happened to the new medallion after Grianne dispersed the council and gave herself over to the Tanequil.
in Ilse Witch
. The King of the Silver River told Bek to throw it to the ground when he was in danger, however, it would shatter on impact, thus it could only be used once. On the journey to Parkasia, Bek gave the Phoenix Stone to Ahren Elessedil because at the time Ahren had no magic of his own to rely on. Walker Boh
warned Bek that he should not have done this and to try to get the stone back as soon as possible. However, Bek forgot about it and soon he and Ahren were separated. But in the end Ahren used the Phoenix Stone to save himself and the seer Ryer Ord Star
from the maniacal computer entity Antrax. After Ahren used the Phoenix Stone a cloud of mist surrounded himself and Ryer, making them invisible and intangible as the stone ceased to exist. Instead of escaping, Ahren and Ryer chose to look for Walker Boh and save him and as a result, Walker was able to destroy Antrax.
, and after the Loden became an ordinary stone, its magic expended, she broke the staff over her knee (The Elf Queen of Shannara
).
. He always had it with him, and with it rivalled Allanon
in magical force. It could burst flames from its tip, and also allowed the Dagda Mor to see what his minions, the Changeling and the Reaper, were seeing. Because the Dagda Mor had the Staff of Power, he could sense whenever Wil Ohmsford
used the Blue Elfstones. The Staff of Power was destroyed at the final battle of the Demon Wars by Allanon. Using the Staff as a conduit, Allanon unleashed Druid fire in it that worked its way to the Dagda Mor, killing the demon. Allanon then broke the Staff of Power in half.
Also, in "The Elves of Cintra", the staff held by a knight of the word was referred to as a staff of power, though because it was not unique, may have just been a term to describe the nature of the weapon, as more than just a symbol of office.
had to give up two of his fingers and the person he loved most, Cinnaminson, who had to become an aeriad. It was used by Pen to rescue his aunt Grianne, from the Forbidding.
The Darkwand responds to Pen's needs and helped him on his quest into the Forbidding, leading him his way and keeping a fascinated dragon at bay. He was later able to use it to find an escaped demon in the Four lands and ultimately transport that demon back to the Forbidding. The staff was transported at the same time and appears to have become lifeless.
for use by the Shadowen. It is believed to have been woven from pure darkness although little is known of its history. Its original use was to allow a shadowen to get close to a target without detection by giving the victim the impression that the wearer was a friend.
The negative aspect of its use is to corrupt the wearer so that they are unable to remove the cloak and they will become a Shadowen.
Coll Ohmsford
used the Mirrorshroud to escape Southwatch after his imprisonment and it is believed that it was later destroyed by the Sword of Shannara, although this was not confirmed. During the period he wore the cloak he was described as "enslaved" and had been allowed to wear it by Rimmer Dall with the intention that Coll would kill Par Ohmsford
. (The Heritage of Shannara series).
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...
's epic fantasy
High fantasy
High fantasy or epic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is set in invented or parallel worlds. High fantasy was brought to fruition through the work of authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose major fantasy works were published in the 1950s...
Shannara
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.
The Druid Histories
The Ildatch is a book of black magicMagic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
in the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
The Wishsong of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara, an epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks, is the third and final novel in the Original Shannara Trilogy, with the other two being The Sword of Shannara and The Elfstones of Shannara. The story revolves around Jair and Brin Ohmsford, the children of the main characters from...
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...
. This book is from the "Old World", before the Four Lands were shattered by war. Its story was told to Brin Ohmsford
Brin Ohmsford
Brin Ohmsford is a fictional character from The Wishsong of Shannara, an epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks.- Biography :She is the daughter of Wil Ohmsford, making her actually 1/16 Elf, and because of his use of the Elfstones gained magic she named the wishsong. She is described as looking like...
by the Druid
Shannara Druids
The Druids are an order of historians, philosophers, magic-users, teachers and researchers in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.-Druid magic:-Paranor:...
Allanon
Allanon
Allanon is a fictional character from the epic fantasy Original Shannara Trilogy and the trilogy's prequel, First King of Shannara; all four are by Terry Brooks. Described as Brooks' "most enigmatic character", Allanon is very secretive and appears only when needed...
. Allanon also told Brin that she was the only one who could destroy it.
The Ildatch was first used by the rebel Druid Brona
Warlock Lord
The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
to increase his knowledge of Old World magic. Brona was subverted by the book's dark magic and thus became the Warlock Lord. After the Warlock Lord's defeat at the hands 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.-...
, Allanon looked for the Ildatch but could not find it. Believing it destroyed when the Skull Kingdom fell, the Ildatch was left to be discovered by a band of Men. These men believed they could control the power of the Ildatch and began to learn its secrets. Like the Warlock Lord, they were unable to resist the book's dark magic and thus became the Mord Wraiths
Mord Wraiths
The Mord Wraiths are a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They were human sorcerors in service to the Warlock Lord who recovered and were subverted by the Ildatch....
. After they succumbed to the book's subversion, they took it deep into the Eastland and hid it within the Maelmord.
When Brin came to destroy the Ildatch, she, too, was subverted by it and was transformed. Her brother, Jair Ohmsford
Jair Ohmsford
Jair Ohmsford is a major character in three novels of the Shannara series by Terry Brooks: The Wishsong of Shannara, a full-length epic fantasy novel, Indomitable, a short story that appeared in Legends II, and Dark Wraith of Shannara, a graphic novel....
, then found her in a tower in the middle of the Maelmord. There, after a confrontation between subverted sister and determined brother, Brin was able to destroy it with her wishsong
Wishsong
The Wishsong is a form of magic that exists in Terry Brook's fictional world of Shannara. The Wishsong is wielded by many members of the Ohmsford family . The Wishsong is a magical side effect of Wil Ohmsford's prolonged use of the Elfstones with predominantly human blood...
.
The Ildatch (or rather, a page from it) appears in both the graphic novel Dark Wraith of Shannara and the short story Indomitable. Jair Ohmsford is tasked with destroying the single page that the siblings apparently failed to destroy a few years earlier. One page of the Ildatch, however, survived as described in the short story "Indomitable", published as a part of the Legends II compilation, leading to Cogline, Kimber Boh and Jair Ohmsford setting out to destroy the one page that had not been destroyed before.
Elfstones
Elfstones are powerful magical artifacts, usually found in groups of three, to symbolize the user's body, mind, and spirit. There were many of them during the time of Faerie. Most of the Elfstones were lost after the Faerie creatures were gone. Each color of Elfstone had a property that made it unique. The magic of the stones will only work for a person of Elven descent. However, if the user is not a full-blooded Elf, there can be side effects, as shown with Wil OhmsfordWil 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....
. Wil's Elven blood is very thin (he is one-eighth Elvish), and his use of Elfstones caused his children to be born with a magical ability, the Wishsong.
The Blue Elfstones
The Blue Elfstones, or seeking stones, were given to Shea OhmsfordShea 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.-...
by the Druid
Shannara Druids
The Druids are an order of historians, philosophers, magic-users, teachers and researchers in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.-Druid magic:-Paranor:...
Allanon
Allanon
Allanon is a fictional character from the epic fantasy Original Shannara Trilogy and the trilogy's prequel, First King of Shannara; all four are by Terry Brooks. Described as Brooks' "most enigmatic character", Allanon is very secretive and appears only when needed...
, for guidance and protection whenever all else failed. They were meant as a last resort, for when the magic activated, beings of magical power could sense their use and location. Shea used them several times, though he lost them temporarily twice: once to a patrol of Gnomes and the thief Panamon Creel, and next to the Northland while he fled Skull Mountain, but he recovered them again both times. The Elfstones were later given to 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....
, who used them to aid the Chosen Amberle
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....
in the search for The Bloodfire. He succeeded, but the effect of his thin Elven blood resulted in part of the magic being transferred to his descendants. After several generations, almost all the Elven blood was bred out of the Ohmsfords, making it impossible to use the Elfstones. The current generation decided to return the stones to those who could use them, and they passed to the parents of Wren Elessedil
Wren Elessedil
Wren Elessedil is a fictional character from The Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks....
. When Wren was to be left with the Ohmsfords, she was given the Elfstones, but they were disguised to look like painted rocks. She later discovered their nature while battling a Shadowen
Shadowen (Shannara)
The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They are beings, originally Elves but later others as well, who have uncovered the lost magic and been subverted by it. Serving as the magic-hunting police force for the Federation, the...
, and used the stones in the war against the evil magic. The stones were later taken on an expedition to the land of Parkasia, where they remained for years until their recovery by Ahren Elessedil. They later passed to his niece, Khyber Elessedil and used in the quest to find the missing Grianne Ohmsford
Grianne Ohmsford
Grianne Ohmsford was abducted from her burning home when she was a young child by a powerful and evil warlock called the Morgawr, who knew that the power of the Wishsong held by the Ohmsford family had the potential to destroy him. He brainwashed Grianne into believing that it was the Druids,...
.
When used as a weapon, the stones create a blue flame, whose form and strength is controlled by the wielder, and can instantly destroy all but the largest magical creatures and spells. Like most forms of magic, they exert a great toll on the wielder and when using them, the wielder must always be on guard against their destructive powers. Furthermore, against non magical foes (like soldiers or airships), they are nothing but a distracting light show with no tangible damage inflicted, as Ahren Elessedil discovered when attempting to use them versus a flock of quite normal Shrikes. One way that this may be circumvented is if the wielder uses the stones to attack a large group of magic and normal foes at once, the sheer strength of the elfstones may destroy the normal opponents as well. Also, if shielding spells are placed on something, like the Druid Warship Galaphile, the stones can be used against the guarding magic, as well as the protected artifact.
The Black Elfstone
The Black Elfstone is a large black gem combining all the elements of three normal Elfstones into one talisman. The Black Elfstone is a powerful magic that nothing can stand against. It has the power to negate other magics, the price to pay being that the magics negated transfers to the holder of the Stone.Alone it undid a massive force (including several Skull Bearers) sent to capture it in The First King of Shannara, killing them all, while unfortunately inflicting terrible damage its user Tay Trefenwyd when all their evil magic was transferred to him. He had to commit suicide to prevent himself from transforming into something terrible shortly afterwards.
Bremen recovered the elfstone and gave it to Allanon as a means to seal (and unseal) the Druid's Keep. At some point, Allanon hid it in the Hall of Kings. Uhl Belk later stole it to use against his son. Belk's use of the stone also transferred his son's magic into him, slowly turning him to stone.
After its recovery by Walker Boh, Morgan Leah, Quickening, Horner Dees and Pe Ell in The Druid of Shannara, the Black Elfstone was the means by which Paranor was returned to the Four Lands by Walker Boh. When the magic of the Druid Well that had sealed away the keep was absorbed into Walker, he was chosen to be the next Druid.
The Loden
The Loden was the object of a search undertaken by a group of elves protected by a Knight of the Word in The Elves of CintraThe Elves of Cintra
The Elves of Cintra is the second novel in Terry Brooks's epic fantasy trilogy The Genesis of Shannara. The series bridges the events of Brooks' Word & Void series with his acclaimed novel The Sword of Shannara and the subsequent trilogy. It takes place in an apocalyptic world around the year 2100...
. It was found by the end of the novel by Kirisin Belloruus and his sister Simralin. They narrowly escaped an ambush by a demon who had been disguised as the Elf Culph shortly after recovering the Loden. In The Gypsy Morph
The Gypsy Morph
The Gypsy Morph is the third novel in Terry Brooks' fantasy trilogy entitled The Genesis of Shannara, which bridges the events of Brooks' Word & Void series with his Shannara series. It takes place in an apocalyptic world around the year 2100 and immediately follows the novel The Elves of Cintra...
, Kirisin used the Loden to relocate the city of Arborlon into an area of protection created by Hawk in his final act of magic as the Gypsy Morph. It is currently unknown whether or not Arborlon was moved again prior to 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...
, at which point it was situated in the Westland.
During their later efforts to recover the magics of the Old World, the Elven
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...
people rediscovered enough magic to wield the Loden. It had remained hidden away and kept secret until the Elves decided to migrate from the Westland to the island of Morrowindl. The Loden was also used in Morrowindl to ward off the horde of Shadowen
Shadowen (Shannara)
The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They are beings, originally Elves but later others as well, who have uncovered the lost magic and been subverted by it. Serving as the magic-hunting police force for the Federation, the...
monsters. It was then used to carry Arborlon back to the Four Lands
The Four Lands
The Four Lands is the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set. The Genesis of Shannara trilogy reveals the Four Lands to be located in the modern Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada. Much of the landscape has been changed from a future holocaust, but some...
, and after it released the city, its magic was expended, and it became a common rock.
The Stiehl
One of the oldest and most feared weapons in the Four LandsThe Four Lands
The Four Lands is the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set. The Genesis of Shannara trilogy reveals the Four Lands to be located in the modern Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada. Much of the landscape has been changed from a future holocaust, but some...
, the Stiehl can kill anything and cut through any substance. It was forged in the time of the Old World, and has terrible magic infused within its blade. After years of dormancy, it was found by the young Pe Ell
Pe Ell (Shannara)
Pe Ell is a character from The Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks.-Biography:Pe Ell is an assassin, the number one mercernary/assassin in service to Rimmer Dall. He originally lived with a drunkard claiming to be his uncle who beat him as a boy, and despised him...
, who used its power to become an assassin for hire (The Druid of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara is the second book of the tetralogy The Heritage of Shannara written by Terry Brooks. It was first published in 1991.-Plot summary:...
). He carried it until his death. It was not determined if Pe Ell died at the hands of the Koden, a giant bear mutated by Uhl Belk
Uhl Belk
Uhl Belk is a fictional character in Terry Brooks' novel The Druid of Shannara....
, the Stone King, or because of some after effect of Quickening's magic. The weapon was recovered from his body by Walker Boh
Walker Boh
Walker Boh is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Heritage of Shannara and The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series....
, who locked it deep inside the Druid's Keep
Paranor
Paranor is a fictional location in Terry Brooks' epic fantasy Shannara series. It is the home of the Druids, but it has fallen to enemies of the Druids several times since its initial construction...
. It was later brought out by a treacherous Druid, who gave it to the assassin Aphasia Wye. He was later captured by the Tanequil
Tanequil
Tanequil is a fantasy novel in the High Druid of Shannara trilogy of the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. First published in 2004, the book takes place immediately after the events of Jarka Ruus and is followed by the novel Straken....
tree, and it is unknown what happened to the Stiehl thereafter.
The Sword of Leah
The Sword of Leah is an ancient weapon carried by the family line it is named for. It first appeared in the books as being carried by Menion Leah, who used it during the search for the Sword of Shannara. Even then it was referred to as an ancestral heirloom. It did not actually qualify as a magic sword until the quest for the Ildatch, during which it was carried by Rone LeahRone Leah
Rone Leah is a character from The Wishsong of Shannara by Terry Brooks. He is the great-grandson of Menion Leah.-Biography:Rone is, like his ancestor, a close friend of the Ohmsford family, particularly Brin Ohmsford and her brother Jair Ohmsford...
. After repeated arguments between Rone and the Druid Allanon
Allanon
Allanon is a fictional character from the epic fantasy Original Shannara Trilogy and the trilogy's prequel, First King of Shannara; all four are by Terry Brooks. Described as Brooks' "most enigmatic character", Allanon is very secretive and appears only when needed...
, Allanon decided to grant the Highlander's wish, which was to stand as his equal in protecting Brin
Brin Ohmsford
Brin Ohmsford is a fictional character from The Wishsong of Shannara, an epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks.- Biography :She is the daughter of Wil Ohmsford, making her actually 1/16 Elf, and because of his use of the Elfstones gained magic she named the wishsong. She is described as looking like...
. He had Rone dip the blade of the Sword into the waters of the Hadeshorn, changing its color to a deep black and infusing it with the magic of death. He then infused his own magic, that of life, into the blade, creating a weapon that could cut through magic. However, the Sword drew power from its user, who would became more dependent on it with every use. After the Ildatch was destroyed, the Sword was passed down in the family, its magic becoming dormant. It was reactivated when Morgan Leah used it against a shadowen beast which had attacked him and the Ohmsford brothers (Par and Coll). It was temporarily shattered when Morgan Leah used it to escape from "the Pit", a Shadowen
Shadowen (Shannara)
The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They are beings, originally Elves but later others as well, who have uncovered the lost magic and been subverted by it. Serving as the magic-hunting police force for the Federation, the...
cesspit. It was restored later by the King of the Silver River
King of the Silver River
The King of the Silver River is a fictional character from the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. He has appeared in many of the novels in the series as a recurring character.- Biography :...
's elemental daughter, Quickening
Quickening (Shannara)
Quickening is a character from The Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks. She is the daughter of the King of the Silver River.-Biography:Quickening was created from the heart of the Gardens of Life, home of the King of the Silver River. She was an elemental, formed of nature and magic into human shape...
, and was used in the final battle with the Shadowen. The Sword's magic lay dormant for another 150 years until Walker Boh
Walker Boh
Walker Boh is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Heritage of Shannara and The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series....
came in search of Quentin Leah, the new heir to the Sword. He carried it to the land of Parkasia, and later back to the Four Lands, there to be handed down to the next son of Leah.
The Sword of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a well-known weapon in the ShannaraShannara
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...
universe with a long history. During the Second War of the Races
Second War of the Races
The Second War of the Races was a fictional war in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. This war is chronicled in the prequel to the Original Shannara Trilogy, First King of Shannara. The war caused the forging of the only weapon able to harm the Warlock Lord, The Sword of...
, the sword was forged by Urprox Screl at the behest of Bremen
Bremen (Shannara)
Bremen is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series of epic fantasy novels. He appears in the First King of Shannara, the prequel to The Sword of Shannara....
. Rumored to be the finest smith in all 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...
, Screl put that to the test during the forging, and with aid from an Old World formula provided by the outcast Cogline and the magic of the Druid Bremen
Bremen (Shannara)
Bremen is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series of epic fantasy novels. He appears in the First King of Shannara, the prequel to The Sword of Shannara....
he managed to forge it. The Eilt Druin medallion was fused into the hilt, and the truth of Druids
Shannara Druids
The Druids are an order of historians, philosophers, magic-users, teachers and researchers in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.-Druid magic:-Paranor:...
past was infused within the weapon. The sword's power confronts any who touch it with the absolute truth about themselves; this power has been derided as weak because "it does nothing but compel truth-telling". This power destroys the Warlock Lord since he is only alive because of the depth of his belief that he is immortal. This is however not possible, the Sword forcing him to see and acknowledge this truth thus killing him.
Role in the series
It was first carried by the Druid BremenBremen (Shannara)
Bremen is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series of epic fantasy novels. He appears in the First King of Shannara, the prequel to The Sword of Shannara....
. Bremen gave it to the Elven King Jerle Shannara
Jerle Shannara
Jerle Shannara is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series of epic fantasy novels. Only mentioned as a long-deceased person in the Original Shannara Trilogy, he is one of the main characters of the prequel novel First King of Shannara.- Biography :Jerle begins the story as captain...
, who used it in the Second War of the Races against the Warlock Lord
Warlock Lord
The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
. He was unable to wield the talisman properly and could not garner the Sword's full power. As a result, the Warlock Lord was defeated but not killed, only forced to flee. The Sword was placed in a block of Tre-Stone and taken to Paranor
Paranor
Paranor is a fictional location in Terry Brooks' epic fantasy Shannara series. It is the home of the Druids, but it has fallen to enemies of the Druids several times since its initial construction...
for safekeeping. It was later stolen by the Warlock Lord's minions but recovered once more by 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 managed to defeat the Warlock Lord for good. Shea then gave it to the city of Tyrsis where it was kept in a vault for the next 300 years. After again disappearing, it was recovered by Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford is a fictional character....
whose brother Coll used it to free Par from the power of the Shadowen. Par came to use it in battle with the Shadowen
Shadowen (Shannara)
The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They are beings, originally Elves but later others as well, who have uncovered the lost magic and been subverted by it. Serving as the magic-hunting police force for the Federation, the...
. The Sword was used next by Bek Ohmsford, who carried it during his journey to Parkasia.
Conditions of Use
The Sword of Shannara is an artifact that was originally given to the elven line of Shannara. Unlike the Elfstones, which require a strong elven bloodline , it depends upon the specific ancestry of Shannara due to its unique power which also requires the user to fully believe in their right to wield the blade. Allanon points this out to Shea when he explains that because the Sword was given to Jerle Shannara instead of the people it was bound to his line because of the legend. In addition to this, the nature of the sword makes it possible to undermine the user's ability to wield it properly unless properly trained in the weapon. As a protection against this, it is actually important not to be told of the sword's power until after coming into possession of it. This is because the sword will revel the absoulte truth about a person wielding it and if the person can accept these revelations and wield the sword any person who comes into contact with the blade will also be forced to see the absolute truth about themselves.The Elit Druin
The Elit Druin is a medallion cast in the Druid insignia, that of a fist holding forth a burning torch. It is the symbol of office for the High Druid, or Ard Rhys, of ParanorParanor
Paranor is a fictional location in Terry Brooks' epic fantasy Shannara series. It is the home of the Druids, but it has fallen to enemies of the Druids several times since its initial construction...
. The Elit Druin was worn first by Galaphile, founder of the order, and last by Athabasca, High Druid in the early stages of the Second War of the Races. After Athabasca was killed, Bremen
Bremen (Shannara)
Bremen is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series of epic fantasy novels. He appears in the First King of Shannara, the prequel to The Sword of Shannara....
returned and recovered it, and it was set into the hilt of the Sword of Shannara at its forging. It was the Elit Druin that allowed the Druid shades, gathering at the Hadeshorn, to transfer the truth they had found in life to the Sword, giving it its awesome power. The words Elit Druin are Elven and have two meanings: either "Through Knowledge, Power" or "Through Truth, Power".
Since the original was placed into the Sword of Shannara, upon founding the Third Druid Council, Ard Rhys Grianne Ohmsford made it her business to create a new medallion, which she carried as a sign of her high office; she carried it into her final battle with Shadea and her allies. It is unknown what happened to the new medallion after Grianne dispersed the council and gave herself over to the Tanequil.
The Phoenix Stone
The Phoenix Stone is a magical stone that was given to Bek Ohmsford by the King of the Silver RiverKing of the Silver River
The King of the Silver River is a fictional character from the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. He has appeared in many of the novels in the series as a recurring character.- Biography :...
in Ilse Witch
Ilse Witch
Ilse Witch is the first book in Terry Brooks' The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara fantasy trilogy. It was first published in 2000.-Plot summary:...
. The King of the Silver River told Bek to throw it to the ground when he was in danger, however, it would shatter on impact, thus it could only be used once. On the journey to Parkasia, Bek gave the Phoenix Stone to Ahren Elessedil because at the time Ahren had no magic of his own to rely on. Walker Boh
Walker Boh
Walker Boh is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' Heritage of Shannara and The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series....
warned Bek that he should not have done this and to try to get the stone back as soon as possible. However, Bek forgot about it and soon he and Ahren were separated. But in the end Ahren used the Phoenix Stone to save himself and the seer Ryer Ord Star
Ryer Ord Star
Ryer Ord Star is a fictional character from Shannara, a series of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.Ryer Ord Star is a seer who was apprenticed to the Addershag...
from the maniacal computer entity Antrax. After Ahren used the Phoenix Stone a cloud of mist surrounded himself and Ryer, making them invisible and intangible as the stone ceased to exist. Instead of escaping, Ahren and Ryer chose to look for Walker Boh and save him and as a result, Walker was able to destroy Antrax.
The Ruhk Staff
The Ruhk Staff is a talisman that consists of a wooden staff with the Loden Elfstone fixed to its tip. It was used to carry the city of Arborlon to Morrowindl, and was passed down through the Elessedil family. The last to carry it was Wren ElessedilWren Elessedil
Wren Elessedil is a fictional character from The Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks....
, and after the Loden became an ordinary stone, its magic expended, she broke the staff over her knee (The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara is the third book of the tetralogy The Heritage of Shannara written by Terry Brooks. It was first published in 1992.- Plot summary :...
).
The Staff of Power
The Staff of Power was wielded by the Demon, the Dagda Mor, in The Elfstones of ShannaraThe 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...
. He always had it with him, and with it rivalled Allanon
Allanon
Allanon is a fictional character from the epic fantasy Original Shannara Trilogy and the trilogy's prequel, First King of Shannara; all four are by Terry Brooks. Described as Brooks' "most enigmatic character", Allanon is very secretive and appears only when needed...
in magical force. It could burst flames from its tip, and also allowed the Dagda Mor to see what his minions, the Changeling and the Reaper, were seeing. Because the Dagda Mor had the Staff of Power, he could sense whenever 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....
used the Blue Elfstones. The Staff of Power was destroyed at the final battle of the Demon Wars by Allanon. Using the Staff as a conduit, Allanon unleashed Druid fire in it that worked its way to the Dagda Mor, killing the demon. Allanon then broke the Staff of Power in half.
Also, in "The Elves of Cintra", the staff held by a knight of the word was referred to as a staff of power, though because it was not unique, may have just been a term to describe the nature of the weapon, as more than just a symbol of office.
The Darkwand
The Darkwand was created from the magical tree called the Tanequil. To make the wand, Pen OhmsfordPen Ohmsford
Penderrin Ohmsford, or Pen for short, is a character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.The son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, Pen grew up around airships and was thus a superb pilot. However, unlike his father, Pen seemed to have no magic of his own, and his parents' distrust of the...
had to give up two of his fingers and the person he loved most, Cinnaminson, who had to become an aeriad. It was used by Pen to rescue his aunt Grianne, from the Forbidding.
The Darkwand responds to Pen's needs and helped him on his quest into the Forbidding, leading him his way and keeping a fascinated dragon at bay. He was later able to use it to find an escaped demon in the Four lands and ultimately transport that demon back to the Forbidding. The staff was transported at the same time and appears to have become lifeless.
The Mirrorshroud
The Mirrorshroud was made by Rimmer DallRimmer Dall
Rimmer Dall is a fictional character from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks....
for use by the Shadowen. It is believed to have been woven from pure darkness although little is known of its history. Its original use was to allow a shadowen to get close to a target without detection by giving the victim the impression that the wearer was a friend.
The negative aspect of its use is to corrupt the wearer so that they are unable to remove the cloak and they will become a Shadowen.
Coll Ohmsford
Coll Ohmsford
Col Ohmsford is a fictional character from the Heritage of Shannara series by author Terry Brooks. He is the younger brother of Par Ohmsford....
used the Mirrorshroud to escape Southwatch after his imprisonment and it is believed that it was later destroyed by the Sword of Shannara, although this was not confirmed. During the period he wore the cloak he was described as "enslaved" and had been allowed to wear it by Rimmer Dall with the intention that Coll would kill Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford
Par Ohmsford is a fictional character....
. (The Heritage of Shannara series).