From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Shadowen are a fictional organization and species from the 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 Shadowen seek out others to join their ranks. The Shadowen resemble the Demons in the Word and Void series in that they are mortals who have intentionally corrupted themselves with evil magic, and in that they can shed their bodies.

See Rimmer Dall for more info.

Hirehone, a blacksmith working for the Free-born, was at one point possessed by a Shadowen, thus allowing it access to the Free-born's secrets. This Shadowen later possessed Teel, a Dwarf who had penetrated the Free-born headquarters. Despite the Shadowen's best efforts, the Free-born escaped and it was destroyed by Morgan Leah.

The artificial creatures of Morrowindl, named Demons after those trapped in the Forbidding, are in fact different varieties of Shadowen. Like their counterparts, they feed upon magic drawn from the earth. There were several species, these are some that are specifically mentioned:

• Wisteron
• Drakuls
• Revenants

All the Morrowindl Demons were destroyed by the eruption of Killeshan.

The Wisteron was one of the most feared Demons on Morrowindl, living in the In Ju swamp. It set webs and traps out to catch its victims. Monstrous in size, Wren Elessedil, her friend Garth, and the Splinterscat Stresa narrowly avoided being caught by it. Unfortunately, when the Ruhk Staff had to be brought off of Morrowindl, Wren's cousin, Gavilan, stole the staff and fled into the In Ju. There he was caught and disemboweled by the Wisteron, and the Staff fell to the many bones below its hammock of webs. The small group attempting to leave the island had to retrieve the Staff, but as they neared their goal, the volcano Killeshan rumbled heavily and woke the Wisteron. The creature immediately attacked the group, and as hard as they fought, they could not beat the creature. It was so powerful a demon, that the Elfstones that Wren held could not destroy it. The Wisteron rendered all of the group but Wren and her loyal Tree Squeak, Faun, helpless. After Faun attacked the Wisteron, Wren concentrated the power of the Elfstones on the mud beneath the Demon. The mud started to grow thinner, and the Wisteron fell beneath it to be buried, where it would then die. However, it still took its toll, having poisoned Garth with its Shadowen venom. The Wisteron had the appearance of a cross between a gigantic spider and a monkey. It had a tail, long neck, and four legs that appeared to have totally free movement.

Two Shadowen, one disguised as a boy and the other as a War Shrike, were tasked by Rimmer Dall with destroying Wren Elessedil. Gaining Wren's trust, they eventually betrayed her and captured her. The two were later destroyed by a team effort of Wren, the Wing Rider Tiger Ty and his Roc, Spirit.

The most feared of the Shadowen sent against the Scions of Shannara, they were modeled after the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each rode a lizard-like mount. They were sent to battle Walker Boh, and he managed to defeat them by turning their powers on each other. They were as follows:

• Famine —Skeletal being whose touch strickens victims with hunger and want.
• Pestilence —Being resembling human shaped cloud of insects, strikes enemies with disease.
• War —Armored creature equipped with every known form of medieval weapon.
• Death —Creature resembling the Grim Reaper, armed with a scythe. Only destroyed with aid of Cogline, who then perished.

A massive, magically created black tower and living organism that serves as headquarters and food source to the Shadowen. Southwatch stands near the Rainbow Lake, and is used by the Shadowen to siphon off the earth magic they feed on in large quantities. Southwatch also serves to hold prisoners, as in the case of Coll Ohmsford. Like the rest of the Shadowen creations, it was destroyed when Par Ohmsford released the trapped earth magic.