King of the Silver River
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| King of the Silver River Shannara character |
|
|---|---|
| Race | Faerie |
| Gender | Male |
| Hair colour | Unknown |
| Eye colour | Unknown |
| Loyalty | Ohmsfords |
| First appearance | First King of Shannara |
| Birth | In the age of Faerie |
| Death | Unknown |
The King of the Silver River is a fictional character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.
[edit] Biography
The King of the Silver River is the oldest surviving living being in the Four Lands. He was one of the first creatures created by the Word, the force that all things came from. He was made caretaker of the gardens that he protects, the last remnants of the Old World that survive in the new. He was one of the few beings to survive the Great Wars, and set about seeding the new world with that contained in his gardens. As time went on, the people of the lands gave him the name of the country he claimed, calling him the King of the Silver River.
As a result of his concern for the land, the King of the Silver River often interacts with the defenders of the Four Lands. He came to the Druid Bremen when he was passing through the Silver River country, and let him rest for a night while he stood watch. He saved Shea Ohmsford and his brother Flick Ohmsford from a Skull Bearer. He saved Wil Ohmsford from a pack of Demon Wolves. He later took the Elfstones from Jair Ohmsford to return them to Shady Vale, and in exchange gave Jair a vision crystal, Silver Dust, the ability to one time only use the wishsong in reality, and the protection of Garet Jax. He also sent Jair on a quest to Heaven's Well, source of the Silver River, to purify it of the poison of the Mord Wraiths, and to save his sister Brin from the Ildatch.
In the next chapter of history, the King of the Silver River faded from history for the most part, becoming a legend to almost all. However, he secretly worked diligently to fight against the Shadowen. During this time, he discovered the presence of his long-lost brother, who drew his power from stone. Uhl Belk, the Stone King, as he was called, threatened to turn the land to stone. To stop him, the King created the elemental Quickening as his daughter, and sent her to gather the assistance of Walker Boh, Morgan Leah, and Pe Ell to restore Eldwist, Belk's domain, to its true state. In the process, Quickening died, and the King felt a deep loss. It did not prevent him from acting to protect the Ohmsford brothers, Par and Coll, from Rimmer Dall. However, as the King of the Silver River struggled with the Shadowen, Par's wishsong was released, and the King lost his hold on Par.
130 years later, the King of the Silver River came to Bek Ohmsford, giving him a magical phoenix stone and revealing to him hints of the truth about his lost sister Grianne. 20 years after that, the King of the Silver River saved Pen Ohmsford and the reliable Tagwen from treacherous Druids, and set Pen the task of finding the legendary Tanequil tree, to obtain a darkwand talisman and save his aunt Grianne. He later came again to Bek, informing him of Pen's status and also telling him of the need for his help in defeating a demon called the Moric.
The King of the Silver River has the ability to change his form, usually appearing either as a boy or an old man. However, he has also appeared in the forms of Grianne Ohmsford and the Morgawr. His only accessory of any sort is a lantern from the old world of Men, which is actually a symbol of his magic: the Light of the Word.
