The Federation (Shannara)
Encyclopedia
The Federation is a fictional organization from the Shannara
series by Terry Brooks
.
's defeat of the Warlock Lord
, the cities of the deep Southland
realized how close they had come to annihilation. Banding together out of fear, they formed an alliance which quickly grew into a unified government whose goal was to unite the Southland and the race of Man under one government: the Federation. While many of the cities of the Southland accepted the offer to join, there were some, particularly Callahorn, who chose to decline the offer. This led to tension between the Federation and Callahorn, especially when the Federation started to advance towards Callahorn's borders.
The Federation did not respond to threats to the other races unless it directly concerned them as well. For example, when King Eventine Elessedil
of the Elves asked the Federation for aid in the war against the Demons, the Federation chose not to get involved unless the Demons directly attacked Federation territory. The Federation also had no role in the battle against the Mord Wraiths
. The Federation's skilled metal workers, did, of course, partake in the manufacture of weapons during which the government maintained it isolationist policies.
forced labor campaign. The Federation had also taken over the Westland, finding the Elves
gone. However, the Westland remained virtually unoccupied, becoming home to the Rover colonies. With many of the Gnomes agreeing to cooperate with the Federation, only the Trolls
were left free, which the Federation did out of convenience. The Federation also outlawed magic, and used Seekers to enforce this law. Unbeknownst to the Federation, their Seekers were in fact the Shadowen
, a group of magic wielding fiends who stood as successors to the Skull Bearers
and Mord Wraiths
. Manipulating them was Rimmer Dall
, First Seeker and most powerful of the Shadowen.
Despite the Federation's iron grip, there were those who resisted. Among these were the resistance groups of Dwarves and the Free-born led by Padishar Creel. Also, though to a lesser extent, the Federation was tormented by Morgan Leah, who pulled numerous jests upon Federation officials in retribution to the conquering of his home. It was only when the scions of Shannara
began their quest that the Federation took action, declaring open war on the Free-born. The Federation and their Shadowen allies also unleashed their forces upon the Elves when they returned to the Four Lands. However, the Federation army was defeated in battle by the combined forces of the Elves, Free-born, and Trolls (who joined the fight against the Federation). When it was regrouping and preparing to attack again, the Shadowen were destroyed by the combined power of the scions of Shannara. This turned the war against the Federation, and it soon had no choice but to abandon all the territory outside its original Southland borders.
and the Morgawr
. The Elves and Dwarfs, remembering the horrors the Federation had caused in the past, joined the Free-born to keep the Federation from their lands. For a long period of time the war was at a stalemate, with much of the fighting taking place on the Prekkendorran Heights. Then, a Federation engineer developed a dangerous new weapon: the Fire Launcher. Manipulated by a shapeshifting Demon known as the Moric, Dunsidan unleashed the weapon upon the Free-born. But the prototype Fire Launcher was destroyed in an Elven raid. Eventually the Moric assumed Dunsidan's body and took a new Fire Launcher towards Arborlon
(the Elven capital) on board a Federation flagship with the intention of destroying the Ellcrys
. The Moric was stopped, however, and in doing so Dunsidan's body was destroyed. This event, coupled with a crushing defeat handed by the Free-born on the Prekkendorran front, forced the Federation to quickly choose a less aggressive Minister and sue for peace. The resulting peace saw harsh restrictions put on the Federation, including the destruction of the Fire Launcher and its plans.
Shannara
Shannara is an epic fantasy series of novels written by Terry Brooks, beginning with The Sword of Shannara in 1977 and continuing through Bearers of the Black Staff which was released on August 24, 2010, as well as a prequel, First King of Shannara...
series by Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks
Terence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
.
Original Shannara Trilogy
In the aftermath of the Third War of the Races and Shea OhmsfordShea Ohmsford
Shea Ohmsford is a fictional character and the protagonist of Terry Brooks' epic fantasy novel The Sword of Shannara. In the universe, he is the last known person with the blood of Jerle Shannara, making him the only one who can wield the powerful Sword of Shannara to vanquish the Warlock Lord.-...
's defeat of the Warlock Lord
Warlock Lord
The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
, the cities of the deep Southland
Southland (Shannara)
The Southland is a region in the Four Lands, the fictional world where Terry Brooks' Shannara series is set.-Overview:The Southland is inhabited mostly by men. It was largely divided with the largest country being the Borderland of Callahorn until the Federation took over the Southland after the...
realized how close they had come to annihilation. Banding together out of fear, they formed an alliance which quickly grew into a unified government whose goal was to unite the Southland and the race of Man under one government: the Federation. While many of the cities of the Southland accepted the offer to join, there were some, particularly Callahorn, who chose to decline the offer. This led to tension between the Federation and Callahorn, especially when the Federation started to advance towards Callahorn's borders.
The Federation did not respond to threats to the other races unless it directly concerned them as well. For example, when King Eventine Elessedil
Eventine Elessedil
Eventine Elessedil is a character from The Sword of Shannara and The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks.- The Sword of Shannara :...
of the Elves asked the Federation for aid in the war against the Demons, the Federation chose not to get involved unless the Demons directly attacked Federation territory. The Federation also had no role in the battle against the Mord Wraiths
Mord Wraiths
The Mord Wraiths are a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They were human sorcerors in service to the Warlock Lord who recovered and were subverted by the Ildatch....
. The Federation's skilled metal workers, did, of course, partake in the manufacture of weapons during which the government maintained it isolationist policies.
Heritage of Shannara
300 years later, the story was very different; the Federation had succeeded in annexing Callahorn and the other cities that turned down the offer to join it. Seeking to punish the Dwarves for supporting the Borderlands, the Federation conquered them and then subjected them to a genocidalGenocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
forced labor campaign. The Federation had also taken over the Westland, finding the Elves
Elves (Shannara)
Elves are one of the races in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. They are the only race of the faerie creatures still in the World, though they now have become mortal. Though Elves usually refers to the Westland Elves, Elves can be split into two: the "Land Elves" and the...
gone. However, the Westland remained virtually unoccupied, becoming home to the Rover colonies. With many of the Gnomes agreeing to cooperate with the Federation, only the Trolls
Trolls in Shannara
In the Shannara novels by Terry Brooks, there are several characters who fall into the Troll species. The main categories under this are Rock Trolls and Mwellrets.-Amantar:...
were left free, which the Federation did out of convenience. The Federation also outlawed magic, and used Seekers to enforce this law. Unbeknownst to the Federation, their Seekers were in fact the Shadowen
Shadowen (Shannara)
The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They are beings, originally Elves but later others as well, who have uncovered the lost magic and been subverted by it. Serving as the magic-hunting police force for the Federation, the...
, a group of magic wielding fiends who stood as successors to the Skull Bearers
Skull Bearers
Skull Bearers may refer to:*Skull Bearers , fictional creatures in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels*Kapalika means "Bearer of the Skull bowl" in Hindu culture...
and Mord Wraiths
Mord Wraiths
The Mord Wraiths are a fictional organization from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. They were human sorcerors in service to the Warlock Lord who recovered and were subverted by the Ildatch....
. Manipulating them was Rimmer Dall
Rimmer Dall
Rimmer Dall is a fictional character from the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks....
, First Seeker and most powerful of the Shadowen.
Despite the Federation's iron grip, there were those who resisted. Among these were the resistance groups of Dwarves and the Free-born led by Padishar Creel. Also, though to a lesser extent, the Federation was tormented by Morgan Leah, who pulled numerous jests upon Federation officials in retribution to the conquering of his home. It was only when the scions of Shannara
Shannara family tree
This is a genealogy for the main characters from Terry Brooks Shannara series of fantasy novels....
began their quest that the Federation took action, declaring open war on the Free-born. The Federation and their Shadowen allies also unleashed their forces upon the Elves when they returned to the Four Lands. However, the Federation army was defeated in battle by the combined forces of the Elves, Free-born, and Trolls (who joined the fight against the Federation). When it was regrouping and preparing to attack again, the Shadowen were destroyed by the combined power of the scions of Shannara. This turned the war against the Federation, and it soon had no choice but to abandon all the territory outside its original Southland borders.
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and High Druid of Shannara
130 years later, the Federation attacked the Border country of Callahorn (now under the protection of the Free-born alliance) in an attempt to regain what it viewed as a lost protectorate. Leading them was Sen Dunsidan, the First Minister and ally to both the Ilse WitchIlse Witch
Ilse Witch is the first book in Terry Brooks' The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara fantasy trilogy. It was first published in 2000.-Plot summary:...
and the Morgawr
Morgawr
* For the fictional character see Morgawr * For the Cornish sea monster, see Morgawr Morgawr is the third book in the The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara fantasy trilogy by Terry Brooks. It was first published in 2002....
. The Elves and Dwarfs, remembering the horrors the Federation had caused in the past, joined the Free-born to keep the Federation from their lands. For a long period of time the war was at a stalemate, with much of the fighting taking place on the Prekkendorran Heights. Then, a Federation engineer developed a dangerous new weapon: the Fire Launcher. Manipulated by a shapeshifting Demon known as the Moric, Dunsidan unleashed the weapon upon the Free-born. But the prototype Fire Launcher was destroyed in an Elven raid. Eventually the Moric assumed Dunsidan's body and took a new Fire Launcher towards Arborlon
Arborlon
Arborlon is the capital city of the Elves in the fictional Shannara series of novels by Terry Brooks. In the Original Shannara Trilogy, the first 3 books, Arborlon is located in the Westland of The Four Lands. In The Elfstones of Shannara, the defense of Arborlon is one of the central plot lines...
(the Elven capital) on board a Federation flagship with the intention of destroying the Ellcrys
Ellcrys
The Ellcrys is a fictional sapient tree with silver bark and crimson leaves that was "created by the bonding of earth and life". She appears in two novels of the Shannara series. She is the magical linchpin of the barrier that keeps the Demons that once overran the Four Lands trapped in an...
. The Moric was stopped, however, and in doing so Dunsidan's body was destroyed. This event, coupled with a crushing defeat handed by the Free-born on the Prekkendorran front, forced the Federation to quickly choose a less aggressive Minister and sue for peace. The resulting peace saw harsh restrictions put on the Federation, including the destruction of the Fire Launcher and its plans.