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The Four Lands is the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set. It is bounded by the Blue Divide on the west and the Tiderace on the east. During the Age of Man, these bodies of water were known as the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean respectively, implying that the Four Lands comprises some portion, if not all, of a future North America.

Each of the four main regions of the Four Lands, named after the compass point it faces, is home to a specific Race or Races, though people of all Races can be found throughout the Four Lands. The Druids were responsible for dividing the Four Lands between the Races as a way of putting an end to constant battles for possession of and dominion over all the lands.

Eastland

The Eastland is the home of Dwarves and Gnomes. Dwarves and Gnomes are bitter enemies, constantly fighting over territory. The Eastland is also home to Heaven's Well, the source of the Silver River, and the Maelmord, the magical jungle that protected a tower where the Ildatch was located.

Northland

The Northland is the home of the Trolls and many Gnome tribes. The Northland features much rocky terrain and mountains, along with swamplands and deserts. At one time, the most important area in the Northland was the Skull Kingdom, at the heart of which was Skull Mountain, the base of operations for the Warlock Lord. After his defeat at the hands of Shea Ohmsford, the Skull Kingdom fell into ruin and decay.

Southland

The Southland is inhabited mostly by the Race of Man. It reaches as far as the Lower Anar and the Wolfsktaag Mountains in the east, and the Irrybis Mountains in the west. In the deep Southland, the Tiderace bounds the land on its eastern edge. The southern border is unknown.

The Borderlands of Callahorn, which comprised the northernmost end of the Southland, was governed separately from the rest of the Southland until the Federation took over the entire region some time after the passing of the Third Druid Order. The largest city in Callahorn is Tyrsis; other Borderland cities include Kern, Leah, and Varfleet.

However, these cities pale in comparison to the sprawling, industrialized cities of the deep Southland that form the core of the Federation. Such cities include the Federation capital of Arishaig, Dechtera, Pia, Sterne, Wayford, and Zolomach.

The Southland is also home to the village of Shady Vale, where the hero Shea Ohmsford and generations of his descendants were raised.

Westland

The Westland is home to the Elves. The Elves are mostly concentrated in the northern regions of the Westland, where their capital of Arborlon is situated. The town of Grimpen Ward, a haven for those who wish to flee their old lives with no questions asked, lies in the southern portion of the Westland, in the Wilderun.

In the southernmost parts of the Westland lies Wing Hove, the home of the Wing Riders and other Sky Elves, a group which has remained separate from the Elves of Arborlon for centuries.

Also found in the Westland are Rovers, a traditionally nomadic people who traveled from one temporary location to another in the Westland for centuries. In later times, they began establishing a few permanent communities in the Westland, such as Bakrabru on the shores of Myrian Lake.

Druids' Realm

In the center of the Four Lands, under no particular ownership of any race, lies the Dragon's Teeth, a mountain range where the Valley of Shale and dread lake of the Hadeshorn are situated. nearby is the Hall of Kings, a dangerous place filled with terrors and old magic.

North of the Dragon's Teeth is Paranor, the Druids' Keep, which is surrounded by dense forests. As self-appointed caretakers of the Four Lands and arbitrators between the Races, the location of Paranor is both symbolic and strategic.

Beyond the Four Lands

Terry Brooks repeatedly expanded the world of Shannara as he continued to write more novels. Some of these expansions involved widening the readers' knowledge of certain regions of the Four Lands, particularly the Southland and the Northland. However, others involved the introduction of places beyond the Four Lands, both on the other side of the Tiderace as well as in or beyond the Blue Divide. Such places include:

  • Eurodia — A continent on the other side of the Tiderace.
  • Morrowindl — A large island in the Blue Divide.
  • Nambia — A land south of the continent of Eurodia.
  • Nambizi — Islands off the coast of Nambia.
  • Parkasia — A land mass on the other side of the Blue Divide.
  • Skaarsland — An island near the continent of Eurodia.
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