Sword of Shannara
From The World of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a mythical magical sword forged by the Druid Bremen and the smith Urprox Screl during the time of the Second War of the Races in order to defeat the Warlock Lord. It was imbued with druidic magic during the forging by the living Druid Bremen. Then after it's forging, it was imbued with magic by the shades of all the dead Druids that have gone before. It was used first by Jerle Shannara and then by his descendant Shea Ohmsford to battle the Warlock Lord. Later it was used by Par Ohmsford, then by Bek Ohmsford.
| Sword of Shananra | |
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 Sword of Shannara in Tre-Stone |
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Creation
In the time of the Second War of the Races the Druid Bremen was given a vision by the shade Galaphile at the Hadeshorn of a sword bearing the Eilt Druin, being wielded against the rebel Druid Brona. He thus set out on a quest to have such a weapon forged, even then unknowing of what it's power would actually be.
Bremen sought out the Eilt Druin from the fallen Druids at Paranor. Escaping a trap laid by Brona, with the help of Mareth and Kinson Ravenlock. Next he journeyed to Darklin Reach to seek the council of Cogline a once-druid, who possessed great knowledge of the sciences from the Old World. From him he got a formula for creating a sword harder than iron, yet lighter. From there they journeyed to the Southland to Dechtera to find a master smith to forge the actual sword. There they found Urprox Screl, the finest smith in the Southland. Using Druid magic and the skills of Urprox, the sword was forged with the Eilt Druin within the blade near the crossbar of the sword.
Finally Bremen took the sword back to the Hadeshorn for further council from Galaphile. There all the Druids that have pasted came forward and touched the sword at the Eilt Druin, imparting what part of them they could to the sword.
Power of the Sword
What the Druids imparted to the sword was what last bit of themselves that they had, and that was truth. The power of the sword lies in revealing the truth, everything about a persons life. This power is two way, as the wielder of the sword must use it one themselves before they may use it on another. Thus when the wielder of the sword uses it, they will come face to face with everything that is dark and ugly about themselves. The same will happen to the opponent of the wielder of the sword.
Use of the Sword
First King of Shannara
The Sword of Shannara was first used by the Elven King Jerle Shannara. Bremen gave Jerle the sword, that at the time has no name, for him to use in combating the Warlock Lord. Bremen let him know as the Battle for the Rhenn progressed that the sword was now in his lineage, and it was given the name Sword of Shannara. After several long days fighting in the Valley of Rhenn, with the Northland army having suffered serious losses, but the Elves near the breaking point and getting flanked, Jerle orders a surprise night attack. His hope is to get to the center of the enemy encampment and bring the fight to the Warlock Lord. The Elves night attack is more successful than hoped for and breaks the back of the Northland army. Brona escapes with fewer than a thousand of his troops. The next day the final battle ensues. Jerle brought the fight to the Warlock Lord. The Warlock Lord was able to disrupt the Elven Kings emotional balance, and though his physical body was destroyed he was not destroyed so that he might come back in the future.
The Sword of Shannara was carried by the king until his death. On his death his son carried the sword for a while, and then had the sword set in a block of Tre-Stone and placed in the Druid Keep Paranor.[1]
References
- ^ Brooks, Terry (1996). First King of Shannara pp. 482
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