Land Elves

Land Elves were the main type of Elves in the Shannara universe.

The Land Elves changed the location of Arborlon and their homeland a number of times.

In the Old World they had hidden themselves away from the Humans and lived in the Cintra. During the Great Wars, an Elf called Kirisin Belloruus was given the task of transporting the Elves and Arborlon to a new location by using the Loden and the Ruhk Staff. This location would eventually be known as The Valley and Arborlon and the Elves would remain there for five hundred years.

Arborlon was later transported to the Westland.

One hundred years before the Heritage of Shannara series, the Elves held a council and decided to leave the Westland. The Federation was encroaching on their territory more and more, and blaming the magic and saying it was the fault of the Elves. As the Eastland, Southland and Northland were already taken, they had the Sky Elves scout out alternate locations for them. They eventually decided on Morrowindl.

With the failing of Morrowindl and the arrival of Wren Ohmsford the decision was made to move Arborlon and the Elves back to the Westland. There they would remain, as the Ruhk Staff could no longer be used.

Their capital city was Arborlon and they remained faithful to the King of the Elves after Wing Riders broke away.

In the early years of Wren Elessedil‘s reign, a contract was drawn up for the Wing Riders to serve them as scouts and messengers along the coast of the Blue Divide. They were provided with goods and coin in exchange.

The Dark Legacy of Shannara series

Had a well trained army but it was dwarfed by the Federation army. Their only real alliance was with the Dwarves. They disdained the help of the Druids.

The Elven histories were stored deep in the underground levels of the palace in Arborlon. Boxes of other writings by prominent families had been donated over the years. They were intended to supplement, embellish or correct the official records.¹Wards of Faerie – p 1 By the time of the Great Wars, Elven magic had been lost for centuries. They only retained things like the ability to hide and not be found, healing skills and the mean to care for the land and the things that live and grow on her. All types of Elfstones had also been lost, and had passed into legend.

The Dark Legacy of Shannara series

The only magic of real consequence the Elves had was the Blue Elfstones. They studied the use of magic and a few possessed talismans handed down over the centuries.