Allanon's Quest is the first short story in the Paladins of Shannara trilogy. It details events that take place shortly before the events in The Sword of Shannara from the perspective of the Druid Allanon, and reveals some details of Shea Ohmsford's biological parents.
Plot Summary[]
The Warlock Lord has returned, and his Skull Bearers and followers have been systematically killing off Jerle Shannara's descendants to prevent the possibility that one of them might wield the Sword of Shannara against him once more.
So many members of the House of Shannara have been killed that Allanon thinks they are all dead. He travels to Arborlon to speak to Eventine Elessedil, the newly crowned King of the Elves, for help to see if he might know of any more descendants of Jerle who might still be alive.
Eventine directs Allanon to Eldra Derrivanian, the former historian and genealogist for the Elessedils who was sent away in disgrace by the previous king, Eventine's dying father. Derrivanian's son was killed under unexplained circumstances while serving in the Home Guard, and he had begun neglecting and even openly sabotaging his own work in protest of the king's perceived negligence in solving his son's murder. Eventine tells Allanon that the old historian had gone into hiding but was seen by members of the Home Guard in the village of Archer Trace.
Allanon travels to Archer Trace and finds Eldra living in a house on the outer edge of the village. Although initially resistant and fearful, the old man eventually opens up to Allanon's questioning and reveals that the last living descendant of the House of Shannara is a man named Weir living out on a farm on Rabbit Ridge, north of Emberen and close to the southwest reaches of the Northland's Kierlak Desert.
Allanon arrives at Weir's farm only to be ambushed by a large contingent of men, one of whom throws a dagger into his chest. Despite the severe injury he manages to kill most of his attackers, including a man whom he used as a shield when a group of archers shot arrows his way, before the remainder flee. A Skull Bearer then appears and taunts Allanon, revealing that the man he had used as a human shield was Weir himself.
Allanon retreats to the home of an unnamed Elven couple who are his friends in order to recover from his wounds. He is healed in just four days, assisted by his magic and his friends' care. Once well, he returns to interrogate Eldra Derrivanian, who had sent him into a trap.
When Allanon returns to Archer Trace, Eldra is relieved to see him. The old man confesses that he had been ordered by the Skull Bearer to set Allanon up, and that the monster had threatened to kill Collice, Eldra's wife, if Eldra refused to misdirect Allanon and lead him into the trap.
Eldra also revealed that the Warlock Lord not only wanted all the heirs of Shannara dead, but that he wanted the last heir dead by Allanon's hand in revenge for being exiled from Paranor by Bremen, Allanon's adoptive father and the last Druid before Allanon. Eldra also points out that despite Weir being dead, he would not have been suitable to wield the Sword of Shannara as he had given in to evil and had willingly chosen to serve the Warlock Lord.
However, Eldra tells Allanon not to lose hope: He had kept a secret from the Skull Bearer, and had not revealed that there was one more Shannara heir still alive. The boy's name was Aren Shea, the son of a Shannara heir and a woman from the Borderlands. Collice and Aren Shea's mother were good friends, and when Aren's parents sensed their lives were in danger from the Warlock Lord's followers, they gave their baby boy to Eldra and Collice, telling them to protect the child and to fake his death if they were indeed killed.
Allanon protests, recognizing the boy's name and insisting that according to his own research, Aren Shea was dead. However, Eldra says that he and Collice had held a fake funeral for the child. They had actually given Aren to an uncle, his mother's brother, and that Aren had been given his uncle's surname and was now living in Shady Vale as Shea Ohmsford. He was now almost fully grown.
Finally, Eldra reveals that he has sent Collice away for her own safety, and that he has drunk a potion to kill himself in order to keep his information out of the Warlock Lord's possession and ensure that Collice would be safe. He passes away as Allanon watches, helpless.
Allanon leaves Archer Trace and heads to Shady Vale to find Shea Ohmsford.
Characters[]
- Allanon
- Eventine Elessedil
- Eldra Derrivanian
- Skull Bearer
- Weir