Tael Riverine is a character in the High Druid of Shannara and Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogies. He was a Straken Lord and the self-proclaimed King of the Demons in the Forbidding.
Biography[]
Tael Riverine held both Grianne Ohmsford and Khyber Elessedil captive at different times. He fell in love with Grianne and wanted her to bear his child, but she managed to escape him and the Forbidding, returning to the Four Lands and to her rightful place as Ard Rhys of the Druids.
A century later, Khyber was captured by the Straken Lord. He kept her imprisoned for weeks in a shock collar and was determined to not let her get away, so he challenged her to a duel. The weakened Khyber was given a drink to increase her stamina, but its effects were timed to end mid-battle and once they wore off the Straken Lord killed her easily.
Tael Riverine then marched his army out of the Forbidding in search of Grianne, who had returned after living as a spirit of the air for a hundred years. The Straken Lord had become obsessed with finding her and making her the mother of his children. The Demons broke out near Arishaig and a four-day long battle was fought with the Federation, which the Demons won easily. They then proceeded to march north to Arborlon, intending to destroy the Ellcrys.
An epic struggle took place at the mouth of the Valley of Rhenn. There Tael Riverine met Grianne, who had returned from Stridegate in the form of the Ilse Witch. The witch killed Tael Riverine and made herself Queen of the Forbidding. Shortly afterwards the Ellcrys was restored by Arlingfant Elessedil, sending all the Demons, including their new Queen, back to the Forbidding.