First King of Shannara Character List

The list for order of appearance has only the characters that had an physical part in the story, not the people that were mentioned only in passing (such as Mirianna Ohmsford - Par and Coll's mother); these will be indicated by italics in the alphabetically-ordered list.

Order of Appearance | Alphabetical Order

Bremen
Formerly a Druid of Paranor, he was cast away because of his studies in magic. He discovered that Brona was still alive after a trip to the Northland and tried to warn Athabasca about it, but no one paid any attention to him. Believing the Warlock Lord would come and destroy the Druids, he left quickly with a small band of followers, traveled to the Hadeshorn, where he learned of four visions, and went back to Paranor to see if the first vision, concerning the fall of Paranor, was true, and also to secure the Eilt Druin, the talisman needed to create a weapon powerful enough to defeat Brona. The first vision had indeed come to pass, and he was able to secure the Eilt Druin before three Skull Bearers had a chance to destroy him. From there, he, Mareth, and Kinson went to Storlock, then to Hearthstone, where the former Druid Cogline resided, to learn of a formula that would make a metal stronger than iron. Formula in hand, the trio then proceeded to a Southland city called Dechtera, where they persuaded Urprox Screl to create this ultimate weapon. After this, Bremen separated from Mareth and Kinson to go to the Hadeshorn, where the shades of Druids long gone gave the sword the magic needed to destroy the Warlock Lord: truth. Uncertain of what he had learned, he went to the Elven city of Arborlon to find the man who would wield the sword, passing by the ruined city of Varfleet along the way, where he met and eventually befriended the boy Allanon. Days later, he finally arrived at the city and went at once to the king, Jerle Shannara, who he realized was to be the wielder of the sword, and told him the truth about its magic. When the Warlock Lord's army marched upon the Valley of Rhenn, he fought in the battle along with Allanon, using their magic, and was also there to see Jerle Shannara fail in truly destroying the Warlock Lord, although Jerle had succeeded in not making him a threat to the Four Lands for at least several hundred years. Years later, after the Warlock Lord was gone, Bremen went with Allanon, whom he had been training to be his successor, to the Hadeshorn for one last time, where the shade of Galaphile picked him up and carried his body into the depths of the lake to become a shade as well.
Kinson Ravenlock
A Borderman and a friend of Bremen, he had been traveling with the Druid for the past few years while Bremen was discovering the truth about the Warlock Lord. He accompanied him to Paranor, the Hadeshorn, Storlock, Hearthstone, and Dechtera, helping him carry out his tasks, until after the sword was made, at which point Bremen left for the Hadeshorn alone and Kinson and Mareth departed for the Dwarves to tell them what had happened to the aid the Elves were supposed to have provided them with. After a confrontation with a Skull Bearer saying he was Mareth's father, the two proceeded to carry their message to the Dwarves and brought the army to where the war of the Warlock Lord was raging. He fought in the war, along with Mareth, and when it was over and Jerle had used the sword on Brona, the two, after staying for a while in Tyrsis so that Kinson could recover from his wounds, went to a small wooded island in the Mermidon and founded the city of Kern.
Caerid Lock
The Captain of the Druid Guard and a friend of Bremen's; when Bremen asked for him to leave Paranor to save his life, he refused, saying that his duty was here. When Paranor was invaded, he and his Guard repelled the enemy for a short time, eventually failing in the end. Most of his men were decimated and he lived long enough only to tell Bremen, when he came back later, how Paranor had fallen: three Druids had betrayed the Keep from the inside.
Risca
A Druid Dwarf who specialized in martial arts, he was one of the Druids to take heed of Bremen's warning and left with him before the fall of Paranor. After going with Bremen to the Hadeshorn, he departed for the Eastland to warn them that the Warlock Lord would probably invade there first. During the Eastland war, he helped Raybur devise battle plans and helped carry them out as well, his magic aiding him in the process. Once Brona's army left the Eastland after the Dwarves went in hiding and Mareth and Kinson came to tell them that the Elves needed their help badly, it was Risca who listened to them and persuaded the rest to come to the Elves' aid, even though the Elves had been unable to come to the Dwarves' aid when they had needed it. Risca fought at the Rhenn as well and died at the end, having suffered too many wounds.
Athabasca
The High Druid of Paranor and holder of the Eilt Druin, he refused to listen to Bremen's warnings that Paranor would fall and was also a follower of Paranor's non-involvement in the Races policy. Paranor, of course, did fall; as the Keep was being taken over, Brona singled out Athabasca and ordered him to bow, but when he did not, the Warlock Lord burned the High Druid's eyes and tore his heart out while he still lived.
Kahle Rese
Paranor's librarian, a Druid Scribe, and a good friend of Bremen's, he, like Caerid Lock, refused Bremen's offer to leave the Keep before its fall. Bremen thus gave him a pouch of magic dust and told him to use it on the walls that guarded the Druid Histories for when the Skull Bearers came, which he did faithfully. Shortly after using the magic to protect the Histories, a Skull Bearer came and drove a spear through his heart.
Tay Trefenwyd
A Druid Elf who was a student of the elements, he was another of the Druids to take heed of Bremen's warning and left with him before the fall of Paranor. After going with Bremen to the Hadeshorn, he departed for the Westland to persuade the Elves to send their army to the Eastland to aid the Dwarves and also to search for a mysterious talisman known as the Black Elfstone. Shortly after he received permission from the king, Courtann Ballindarroch, to search for the Elfstone, nearly the entire royal family was wiped out by a band of Gnomes and a Skull Bearer, during which Tay could only save two small grandchildren. Knowing then that the Elves would be unable to act regarding what to do with the Elven army and also knowing that there was nothing he could do about it, he left for the Breakline with Jerle Shannara and ten other people (for a total of twelve) and stumbled upon the ancient fortress of the Chew Magna, where the Elfstone was located. He had to subvert himself in order to enter the garden in which the Black Elfstone was hidden, which proved to be fatal later, as while he and the rest of the company were fleeing the collapsing fortress, they ran into dozens of Gnomes and two Skull Bearers. Tay, weakened by his foray into the garden, could not call upon his own magic to destroy the enemy, and was therefore forced into using the Black Elfstone, which Bremen had explicitly told him not to do. The Black Elfstone successfully destroyed the Gnomes and the Skull Bearers; however, their evil magic was carried into him, the holder, and thus he had to end his own life to prevent himself from becoming fully subverted.
Mareth
An empath who had supposedly studied first at Storlock and then at Paranor and who also possessed innate magic, she left with Bremen before the fall of Paranor, not only because she had believed that the Warlock Lord would eventually destroy the Druids there, but also because she sought his help in controlling her magic. She, along with Kinson, accompanied Bremen to the Hadeshorn, back to Paranor, then to Storlock, Hearthstone, and Dechtera, until after the sword was made, at which point Bremen left for the Hadeshorn alone and Kinson and Mareth departed for the Dwarves to tell them what had happened to the aid the Elves were supposed to send. Before Bremen's departure, however, he had had Kinson carve out a long wooden staff, which he infused with magic and gave to Mareth, telling her to order her thoughts with the staff in mind so that the magic could be controlled with it. She and Kinson, while on their way to the Eastland, ran into a Skull Bearer claiming to be Mareth's father. She was almost taken in by him, but Kinson saved her just in time, letting her realize the mistake she had come so close to making, at which point she used her magic to destroy the Skull Bearer completely. After that, they arrived in the Eastland and brought the Dwarven army to where the war of the Warlock Lord was raging. She fought in the war, using her magic, along with Kinson, and when it was over and Jerle had used the sword on Brona, Mareth cast her staff away, swearing to never use her magic again. She and Kinson stayed for a while in Tyrsis so that Kinson could recover from his wounds, then moved to a small wooded island in the Mermidon and founded the city of Kern.
Galaphile
Once the first High Druid and founder of the first Druid Council, he became a shade to which Bremen came and asked him for help. Upon Bremen's first visit, the shade of Galaphile showed him four visions: one, Paranor having fallen, but somewhere in the midst of it all, the Eilt Druin glinting brightly in the darkness; two, a chain of mountains shaped like a V in the Westland where the Black Elfstone was located; three, a male Elf holding a sword with the Eilt Druin embedded in it, facing off against the Warlock Lord; and four, Bremen and a young boy standing by the Hadeshorn. All of these visions came to pass. Upon Bremen's second visit, while Mareth and Kinson were at Storlock, Galaphile refused to visit him at all. Upon Bremen's third visit, this time with the sword forged by Urprox Screl, Galaphile and all the other shades of Druids long gone touched the sword and gave it the magic of truth. Upon Bremen's fourth and final visit, the shade of Galaphile picked Bremen up from the edge of the Hadeshorn and carried him down into its waters.
Brona
Also known as the Warlock Lord, he was once a Druid who studied at Paranor. However, he insisted on studying magic, which was frowned upon; rather than stop, he left with a band of his followers and the Ildatch and subverted himself in the use of the magic. In the First War of the Races, of which he was the perpetrator, he commanded an army of Men to go against the other races. In the Second War of the Races, he commanded an army of Trolls, Gnomes, and Skull Bearers, seeking once more to conquer all of the Four Lands. There was only one thing that could destroy him, and that was the truth about himself: in the face of it, he could not survive. However, this did not come to pass in the Second War, because Jerle Shannara, the Elf who carried the Sword of Shannara into battle against the Warlock Lord, did not have enough faith in the magic of the sword and instead used it as a physical weapon, which destroyed Brona's physical body, but nothing more: his spirit lived on, although it would take hundreds of years for it to prepare a new body with which to wreak havoc upon the Four Lands again.
Jerle Shannara
Formerly the Captain of the Home Guard, he became a military advisor to the Ballindarrochs and was also Tay Trefenwyd's best friend. After the elimination of the royal family, Jerle, who some thought should be king, left with Tay and ten others for the Breakline to search for the Black Elfstone. They stumbled upon the ancient fortress of the Chew Magna, where the Elfstone was located, and Jerle had to watch as Tay subverted himself in order to secure it. Later, as the fortress was collapsing and they were fleeing, they ran into dozens of Gnomes and two Skull Bearers. Tay gave his life up to save the others, and Jerle and the surviving members of the company returned safely to Arborlon. When back, Jerle hid the Black Elfstone somewhere within the castle, while Preia tried to get him to admit his feelings for her, which she succeeded at. They married and he became King of the Elves, while she became the queen. He was an integral part in the battle for the Rhenn, having laid out most of the plans of attack and giving his Elven soldiers morale. When Bremen came to him and gave him the Sword of Shannara, along with the magic it contained, he wielded it later against the Warlock Lord - unsuccessfully, it turned out, as while he had been able to first use the magic on himself, which was required, he lost faith while using it on Brona, and thus, instead of trusting in the magic to destroy him, relied on his own brute strength. This succeeded in only destroying his physical body, although that was enough to eliminate him as a threat for several hundred years. Once the war was over, he and Preia continued to rule Arborlon until his death; the Sword of Shannara was carried by him until then as well, and from there was given to his son, who had it set in a block of Tre-Stone and placed in Paranor. Jerle was the Elf for which the legendary house of Shannara was named.
Kira
Tay's sister and the woman Jerle had been in love with, though it had never worked out.
Preia Starle
An Elven Tracker who had always loved Jerle (while Tay had always loved her) who went with Tay, Jerle, and nine others to the Breakline in order to secure the Black Elfstone. They stumbled upon the ancient fortress of the Chew Magna, where the Elfstone was located; Tay was able to retrieve it, although that trigged a collapse of the fortress and they had to flee. Upon fleeing, however, they ran into dozens of Gnomes and two Skull Bearers. Tay gave up his life to save the others, and Preia and the surviving members of the company returned safely to Arborlon. Preia confronted Jerle and asked him whether or not he really cared for her, and when he admitted he did, she persuaded him to become King of the Elves in order to send aid to the Dwarves and to prevent regency rule. He took her on as Queen. She fought with him in the battle of the Rhenn and was with him until he confronted the Warlock Lord, at which point she was too weak to go on and had to stay behind. While he continued his search for the battle his destiny decreed, a Skull Bearer set upon her and would have killed her if Jerle hadn't succeeded in destroying Brona's physical form in time. Once the war was over, he and Preia continued to rule Arborlon until Jerle's death; they had two children of their own, along with the two grandchildren of the Ballindarrochs Tay had been able to save during the massacre of the royal family.
Courtann Ballindarroch
King of the Elves, he gave permission to Tay Trefenwyd to mount a search for the Black Elfstone and also assured him that he would consider sending aid to the Dwarves. However, the night of his and Tay's meeting, a Gnome party and a Skull Bearer invaded the palace and killed almost every member of the Ballindarroch family, thus sending the Elves into a state of chaos and preventing any action concerning the Elven army.
Retten Kipp
An Elven Tracker who accompanied Tay in the search of the Black Elfstone, he was caught by Gnome Hunters in an attempt to be used as bait. However, Tay realized that he was being used as a trap, and knowing that there was no way he could free Kipp, used his elemental magic on Retten and gently took away his life.
Vree Erreden
A locat (a person who found lost items and missing people), he accompanied Tay in the search of the Black Elfstone. Upon his return to Arborlon, he revealed to Jerle that he had seen one of Galaphile's visions while intruding on Tay's mind and that in the vision, Jerle was facing off against the Warlock Lord. After Jerle became King, he was appointed First Minister of the Elves.
Obann
One of the ten Elven Hunters who accompanied Tay in the search for the Black Elfstone. He stayed behind in the Breakline to take care of the horses while the rest of the company proceeded into the mountains to search for the hiding place of the Elfstone.
Rusk
One of the ten Elven Hunters who accompanied Tay in the search for the Black Elfstone. He was the only Elven Hunter that actually went into the Chew Magna who survived.
Shifter
Cogline's male moor cat and brother of Smoke.
Cogline
A once-Druid who studied the old sciences and an acquaintance of Bremen, he provided the Druid with the formula for a metal stronger than iron, which was needed to create the Sword of Shannara. He lived in Hearthstone with his two moor cats, Shifter and Smoke, and was older than Bremen.
Smoke
Cogline's female moor cat and sister of Shifter.
Geften
A Dwarf Tracker who contributed to the battle against the Warlock Lord's army and led the Dwarves out of the Pass of Noose.
Raybur
The warrior king of the Dwarves and a friend of Risca, he led the armies against the Warlock Lord and also brought the Dwarves to the Westland to help the Elves. Though Risca died at the conclusion of the war, Raybur did not, and continued to rule the Eastland for many years to come.
Wyrik
Raybur's oldest son and a contributor to the Dwarven battle plans, he was killed by a stray arrow.
Fleer
Raybur's second oldest son and also a contributor to the Dwarven battle plans.
Alyten Ballindarroch
The foolish new king of the Elves and the only surviving son of Courtann Ballindarroch, due to him being away on a hunting trip during the massacre. Brona's minions killed him while he was on a brash mission to find the killers of his father.
Urprox Screl
A former smith residing in the city of Dechtera, he took up the hobby of woodcarving and returned to his furnace for just a single night to create the sword that Bremen so desperately needed, using the formula from Cogline, Bremen's magic, and the Eilt Druin. After forging the sword, he closed the furnace for good and moved somewhere north of the Rainbow Lake, changing his last name to Creel.
Mina Screl
Urprox's wife.
King of the Silver River
A being living since the time of Faerie, he approached Bremen and gave him a night of peaceful rest, promising nothing would come to threaten. He also told Bremen the reason behind the Elves' lack of aid, which was that the Ballindarrochs had all been slaughtered.
Allanon
A 12-year-old survivor from the attack on Varfleet by the Warlock Lord found by Bremen as he traveled to Arborlon. At first, Allanon did nothing but follow behind the other man silently, taking whatever food was offered, but eventually he came closer to him and told him his name. The two went to Arborlon together. There, Bremen instructed him in the use of magic, realizing that this was possibly the successor he had been looking for, and together aided in the battle against the Warlock Lord. They saved each other's lives several times. Years after the battle, Allanon went with Bremen to the Hadeshorn and watched as the shade of Galaphile lifted Bremen away and brought him down into the waters of the lake and realized silently that he would be the last Druid left.
Ashes
A wiry white-speckled gray pony that Preia rode.
Kier Joplin
The commander of the Elven cavalry.
Rustin Apt
An Elf who had joint command over the foot soldiers with Cormorant Etrurian, he was found dead at the mouth of the pass in the Rhenn after the final battle with Brona's army.
Cormorant Etrurian
An Elf who had joint command over the foot soldiers with Rustin Apt, he had to have his arm removed after the final battle with Brona's army.
Prekkian
Captain of the Black Guard.
Trewithen
Captain of the Home Guard.
Arn Banda
The one-eyed commander of the Elven archers, he was found dead on the heights after the final battle with Brona's army.
Risk
Jerle Shannara's charger, a white-faced bay that he rode into the final battle.

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Shannara is © Terry Brooks
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