Editing Shannara (section)

== Characters ==
*'''Allanon''',  described as Brooks' "most enigmatic character",<ref name="MacRae99">MacRae, 99.</ref> is very secretive and the last remaining Druid of the original order. Trained by Bremen, he lived an unexpectedly long life, being the Druid that summons the Ohmsford family during the original trilogy (Sword, Elfstones, and Wishsong). He is never completely honest, telling many white lies or half-truths, and provides others with information only if it is dangerous, crucial, or required.<ref name="MacRae73">MacRae, 73.</ref> Allanon often called on the aid of the Ohmsford family in the novels, as they are descendants of [[Jerle Shannara]] and therefore the only ones who can use the Sword of Shannara. He called upon [[Shea Ohmsford]] in ''[[The Sword of Shannara]]'', [[Wil Ohmsford]] in ''[[The Elfstones of Shannara]]'' and Brin and Jair Ohmsford in ''[[The Wishsong of Shannara]]''.
*'''Galaphile''' was the Elf who was responsible in the creation of the Druids. Meeting at Paranor, it was he that believed that the Druids shouldn't belong to any one race, so they became separated from the people.
*'''The Druids''' are an order of historians, philosophers, magic-users, teachers and researchers. The greatest minds that remained in the Four Lands were first assembled by Galaphile at the fortress of Paranor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html|title=Terry Brooks's official website|last=Speakman|first=Shawn|year=2008|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080423001005/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html|archive-date=2008-04-23|url-status=dead|access-date=2008-05-02}}</ref> Druid Magic, like most of the magic that originates in the Four Lands, is elemental. It draws from the earth, air, fire and water in various forms. Its power is enhanced or weakened by the strength of the user. Some users would find more success with talismans like the Sword or the Elfstones than others. Sometimes the magic of a talisman or an external source links with the magic innate in a user, causing various results. Unlike science, magic is uncertain, and the results of its application are not always predictable.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/askterry/2008.html|title=July 2008 Ask Terry Questions & Answers|last=Brooks|first=Terry|year=2008|publisher=terrybrooks.net|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914012033/http://www.terrybrooks.net/askterry/2008.html|archive-date=2012-09-14|url-status=dead|access-date=2008-08-30}}</ref><!-- even the archive is dead -->
*'''The Warlock Lord''' was formerly a Druid named Brona, who was removed from the walls of Paranor for studying and practicing forbidden magic found in an ancient sentient tome called the Ildatch. He and his followers then inhabited the Skull Kingdom deep in the Northland.
*'''King of the Silver River''' - a Faerie creature who appears throughout the series.<ref name="epic">{{cite web|url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |title=Terry Brooks's official website |access-date=2008-05-02 |last=Speakman |first=Shawn |year=2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080423001005/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |archive-date=2008-04-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
*'''Skull Bearers''' were Druids once upon a time, but they were subverted by the Ildatch along with the druid Brona, who would later become the Warlock Lord. They "sacrificed their humanity"<ref name=MacRae74>{{cite book| last = MacRae| first = Cathi Dunn| title = Presenting Young Adult Fantasy Fiction| publisher = Twayne Publishers| year = 1998| location = New York| isbn = 0-8057-8220-6| page = [https://archive.org/details/presentingyounga00macr/page/74 74]| url = https://archive.org/details/presentingyounga00macr/page/74}}</ref> to become "winged black destroyers";<ref name=MacRae74/> but in doing this, they tied themselves to their master, the Warlock Lord, and became his "dread minion[s]".<ref name=swordsummary>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/sword.html |title=Summary of ''The Sword of Shannara'' |access-date=2008-09-21 |last=Brooks |first=Terry |author-link=Terry Brooks |year=1977 |publisher=terrybrooks.net |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080627222146/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/sword.html |archive-date=2008-06-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Reviewers and critics had mixed opinions on the Skull Bearers. Praise for them came from [[Frank Herbert]], the author of ''[[Dune (novel)|Dune]]'', who liked all of the "monsters" in ''The Sword of Shannara''. He said that "[Terry] Brooks creates distillations of horror that hark back to childhood's shadows, when the most important thing about a fearful creature was that you didn't know its exact shape and intent. You only knew that it wanted ''you''. The black-winged skull bearer, for instance, is more than a euphemism for death."<ref name=herbert>{{Cite journal| last=Herbert|first=Frank|author-link=Frank Herbert|title=Some Author, Some Tolkien|journal=The New York Times Book Review|issue=April 10, 1977|pages =15|year=1977}}</ref> [[Tom Shippey]] wasn't so positive, as he thought that the Skull Bearers were very familiar to those who had read ''The Lord of the Rings'': he found that the Skull Bearers were "[[Analogue (literature)|analogues]]" for the [[Nazgûl]].<ref name=Shippey>{{cite book| last = Shippey| first = Tom| title = J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century| publisher = HarperCollins| year = 2001| location = London| pages = 319–320| orig-year = 2000}}</ref>
*'''Demons''' is a common name for many different creatures<ref name="epic"/> in novels by [[Terry Brooks]]. They are creatures that were trapped inside the Forbidding after the creation of the Ellcrys. 
*'''The Dagda Mor''' is the [[antagonist]] of ''[[The Elfstones of Shannara]]''.<ref name="epic"/> He is the most powerful Demon locked inside the Forbidding. As such,<ref name=elf>{{cite web |url=http://www.alitheia.org/shannarafiles/Elfstones_List.php|title=''The Elfstones of Shannara'' Character List|access-date=2008-04-08 |last= Gong |first=Minnie  |year=2007 |publisher=The Shannara Files }}</ref> most of the others obey him out of fear, with a few notable exceptions, such as the Reaper. He channels his magic through his Staff of Power.<ref name=elf/>
*'''Shea Ohmsford''' is the [[protagonist]] of the ''Sword of Shannara''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |title=The Wondrous Worlds of Terry Brooks: Novels |access-date=2008-09-18 |last=Speakman |first=Shawn |year=2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080731013521/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |archive-date=2008-07-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has the blood of [[Jerle Shannara]], making him the only one who can wield the powerful Sword of Shannara to vanquish the Warlock Lord.<ref>MacRae (1998), p. 58</ref> A major theme of ''The Sword of Shannara'' revolves around Shea. Part of his quest, in addition to killing the Warlock Lord,  includes finding a belief in himself, so that he will have confidence to go on.<ref name=MacRae76>MacRae (1998), p. 76</ref> This is a search that every subsequent Brooks protagonist must undergo.<ref name=MacRae76/> Scholar [[Tom Shippey]] believed that Shea was too familiar to those who had read ''The Lord of the Rings'': he found that Shea and Flick were "[[Analogue (literature)|analogues]]" for the [[hobbits]] of [[J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s stories.<ref name=Shippey /> [[Terry Brooks]] stated in his autobiography that "[his] protagonists [Shea and Flick] are cut from the same bolt of cloth as Bilbo and Frodo Baggins."<ref name="Sometimes-190">Brooks (2003), p. 190</ref>
*'''Garet Jax''' is known as the "Weapons Master"<ref name=charlist>{{cite web|url=http://www.alitheia.org/shannarafiles/Wishsong_ABC.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20081007131509/http://www.alitheia.org/shannarafiles/Wishsong_ABC.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-10-07 |title=''The Wishsong of Shannara'' Character List |access-date=2008-06-24 |last=Gong |first=Minnie |year=2007 |publisher=The Shannara Files }}</ref> Garet first appears when he rescues Jair Ohmsford from a band of nine [[Shannara creatures#Gnomes|Gnome]] Hunters, defeating eight of them single-handedly—he killed six, knocked out their leader, and one fled. The ninth, Slanter, doesn't even attempt to fight, saying that he was only working with them because he had to, and he has heard stories about the fighting prowess of Garet. Terry Brooks expressed his desire in the beginning of ''Dark Wraith'' to further explore the relationship between Jair and Garet Jax.<ref>Brooks, Terry (2008) ''Dark Wraith of Shannara''</ref>
*'''Cogline''' is the "grandfather" of Kimber Boh. Cogline found Kimber after Gnomes killed Kimber's parents when she was an infant. It is later found out that Cogline was a former failed Druid, with knowledge of alchemical arts. Was referred to as Walker Boh's guardian and teacher before Walker Boh became a Druid. Cogline aids Brin in her leg of the journey to find and destroy the Ildatch, the ancient Book of Power that holds the forbidden knowledge of the Druids. It is referred to as the book that led the Druid Brona to becoming the Warlock Lord.
*'''Wil Ohmsford''' is the  grandson of Shea Ohmsford. One who would forsake his birthright he sought to become a healer, studying amongst the Stors at Storlock. He unwillingly became the protector of the Chosen Amberle, after being sought out by Allanon, on the quest to restore the Ellcrys and reseal the crumbling wall of the Forbidding. 
*'''Eventine Elessedil''' is possibly the greatest Elven King, maybe with the exception of Jerle Shannara. He is the backbone that the Elves need to withstand the attacks of the Warlock Lord in The Sword of Shannara and the Demon hordes in The Elfstones of Shannara.