Deltora Quest is a series of children's books, written by Australian author Emily Rodda. The series consists of eight books, and is followed by two further series - Deltora Quest 2 (titled Deltora Shadowlands in some countries) and Deltora Quest 3 (titled Dragons of Deltora in some countries), also by Emily Rodda. The illustrations for all the books in most countries are done by Marc McBride. Emily Rodda is an author of childrens books. ... Deltora Quest 2 (Deltora Shadowlands in some countries) is the sequel series to Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda. ... Dragons of Deltora or Deltora Quest 3 is the third and last series of books about the land of Deltora by Emily Rodda. ...

It follows the adventures of three companions as they journey to find the rightful heir to the throne of Deltora, who has been in hiding since the land was taken over 16 years ago by the Shadow Lord.

In the Deltora Quest 2 series, the main characters set out to find a magic pipe and free the hostages captured by the Shadow Lord. Deltora Quest 2 (Deltora Shadowlands in some countries) is the sequel series to Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda. ...

In the Deltora Quest 3 series, the main characters attempt to destroy four evil artifacts with the help of Deltora's last dragons. Dragons of Deltora or Deltora Quest 3 is the third and last series of books about the land of Deltora by Emily Rodda. ...

Major Characters

Lief

Leif is the main character of the series. Leif was born to parents King Endon and Queen Sharn though he believed them to be Jarrad and Anna of the forge. As a child Leif roamed the streets of Del, sharpening his wits and gaining him the skills needed for his future quests. Though he did not know it, he was constantly protected by Barda and he prided himself on his many 'lucky' escapes. On his sixteenth birthday it is revealed to him that he must accompany Barda on a quest to find the lost gems of Deltora. At the end of the first series Leif discovers he is the heir to the belt of Deltora and becomes the king. He goes on to save Deltora from the dangers of the Shadow Lord and eventually marries Jasmine.

Leif cares much for his country and in doing so is a good king. He is an able swordsman and with the aid of the belt of Deltora has often solved incredibly hard riddles. He uses his wits in battle letting him defeat even the more experienced opponent. However sometimes Leif possesses a lack of foresight and often loses his temper. He is stubborn which leads to him making some poor choices.

Barda

Before the Shadow Lord took control of Deltora Barda was a guard at the palace in Del. His mother was a great gossiper and late one night overheard a plot for the Shadow Lord to take control of Deltora. Scared she told the new to King Endon, who believed she was mistaken and had merely been dreaming. However several hours later she had been murdered for what she knew. Fearing for his own life Barda left the palace in a dump truck, shortly before the Shadow Lord invaded Deltora. Through the darkness of the night, Barda stumbled into the forge and fell asleep.

When he awoke the Shadow Lord had commenced his attack upon the city. Only half-awake and scarred by the invasion Barda stumbled upon what he thought to be Jarred and Anna hurrying the King and Queen away. In actually fact what he saw was the plan the four friends had hatched in order to keep the heir of Deltora safe. Endon was surprised to see a palace guard lurching toward him and knocked him unconscious. While asleep Barda rambled aloud his fears and Endon and Sharn realised that he was a friend. They enlisted his aid in searching for the lost gems of Deltora.

For the next sixteen years Barda disguised himself as a beggar so as to discover information vital to the Quest. He also became the body guard of Endon and Sharn's child Lief though he did not know it. Upon Leif's sixteenth birthday Barda revealed himself to Lief and the quest for the gems of Deltora began. When Lief first set out on the quest, he realised Barda wanted to go by himself. Though originally wishing to go alone on the quest, Lief's usefulness quickly became apparent and Barda followed him loyally.

Barda's skill in swordsmanship is second to none. His courage and wits have seen his companions and himself through several tight places. He holds a genuine affection for Lief and to a lesser degree Jasmine and his loyalty to his king makes him a good friend.

After the Four Sisters were defeated, Barda married Lindal of Broome and with her had six children, all taller than their parents.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a wild girl, who has grown up in the Forests of Silence, where Lief and Barda meet her shortly after leaving Del. Her parents (Jarred and Anna) were captured by grey guards when she was young, and so she has been raised by the forest. She can understand the language of the trees and of many animals, but has trouble understanding some social customs. Jasmine is usually seen with her blackbird, Kree, and a mouse-like creature she calls Filli. She is about the same age as Lief. Jasmine is later believed to be the Heir, but Lief discovers that Doom, her formerly amnesiac father, is not Endon as he'd thought at first, but Jarred. At the end of the Dragons of Deltora series, Jasmine marries Lief and becomes Queen of Deltora. In the Deltora Quest series of childrens books, The Grey Guards are the infantry of the evil Shadow Lord. ...

The Shadowlord

The Shadowlord is the tyrant ruler of Deltora, who ousted the rightful rulers 16 years ago. He had been planning to take over for several centuries, and it is revealed in 'The Forests of Silence' that the ruler's Chief Advisors have long been It's creations. It is known to keep slaves in the Shadowlands which border Deltora, of whom only one has ever escaped alive (Doom). The Shadowlord is known to control many fearsome creatures, including the Grey Guards and at least seven Ak-Baba. It has never openly appeared, it has only appeared as a shadowy form staring down from a window. However, it appears to have the ability to shapeshift, for he twice appeared in the form of a storm cloud.

King Endon

Endon was king when the Shadowlord took over. Although by the normal rules of succession, he would be King if he is still alive, it is said in the Forests of Silence that his people don't trust him, and the Belt will not shine for him. Therefore, his son is the rightful king even if Endon is still alive. King Endon is married to Queen Sharn. When Lief and his companions return to Del and drive away the Shadow Lord, it is revealed that Endon and Jarred switched places to hide Endon and his family. Sadly, Endon dies before he can see his son rule wisely over the people.

Jarred the Blacksmith/Doom

Jarred was a noble of Deltora and childhood friend of Endon, who left in disgrace and disgust when he learned that the noble world he lived in was a fake. He moved to the blacksmith outside of the castle, and took up the trade, eventually taking over when the existing blacksmith (Crian) grew old. Jarred is Jasmine's father. Jarred is married to Anna, Crian's daughter. It is later revealed that on the day the Shadow Lord took over, Jarred came up with a plan to hide Endon and his family by switching places with them. Jarred and Anna, along with their unborn daughter Jasmine, fled at first towards Tora, but because of Grey Guards turned east towards the Forests of Silence. They lived there for many years until Grey Guards captured them. Jarred and Anna were taken to the Shadowlands, where Anna died. Jarred, because of his strength from years as a blacksmith, was sent to fight in the Shadow Arena. He fought a Vraal, and in the process escaped the Arena but lost his memory. He somehow fled the Shadowlands, with the Vraal and Grey Guards in pursuit. He fought them again, but was gravely injured. Making his way to Kinrest, he met an old hermit called Doom of the Hills. Doom nursed Jarred back to health, but was later killed by the remaining Grey Guards. Jarred, strong once more, killed them all, buried Doom, and took his name for himself. He became head of the Deltora Resistance, and years later met Lief, Barda, and Jasmine in their quest. After several unpleasant encounters, they joined forces against the Shadow Lord. During a battle with a Grade 3 Ol (Dain), Doom was struck in the head and regained his memory. He recognized Jasmine, and because of a piece of paper he had given Jasmine years ago, Lief thought he was Endon. He was then revealed to be Jarred, and joined the new royal court as one of Lief's advisors.

Minor Characters

Manus

Manus is a Ralad from the city of Raladin. Lief and co. first encounter him on the way to the Lake of Tears, when he is being escorted by a troop of Grey Guards. They free him, and escape the Guards only to fall into the hands of Jin and Jod, two of Thaegan's children. Manus helps them escape, and reveals that he was their prisoner for several years. He also reveals that the Ralads cannot speak because of a curse placed upon them by Thaegan. Manus then takes them to Raladin, where they meet the Ralads. Despite the warnings and despair of the people, Manus accompanies Lief and co. to the Lake. There, Soldeen wishes to exchange the ruby of the Belt of Deltora for Manus, but then does so because of the topaz clearing his mind. After Thaegan is destroyed, the Ralads regain their voices, beginning with Manus. He later joined Lief and co. as the representative of the Ralad tribe in the ceremony to find the heir of Deltora.

Ethena

Nanion

Nanion was the ruler of D'OR before Theagan turned D'OR into a swamp and Nanion into a beast called Soldeen

Tom

Tom is a shopkeeper, brother of Ava and Laughing Jack. He is a man of business rather than honour, and will sell to anyone, regardless of allegiance. He aids Leif Jasmine, and Barda numerous times.

Tira

A descendent of the Plains tribe.Her people were driven from Hira into a new city called Noradz.The reasons for the move was the sudden rat infestation & a plan revealed in sister of the south.She was born under the tyranny of the Ra-Kacharz.She later helps Lief & his companions escape from prison & was taken to the shadowlands.

Queen Bee

An old, roundish woman, who raises bees to make her Queen Bee Honey, which has certain healing properties. She also grows apples to make her Queen Bee Cider, which makes a person energetic and aggressive. After Leif and his party fled the City of the Rats, they stole apples from her orchard; Queen Bee was ready to have her bees sting them to death, but when she realized that they had destroyed the City of the Rats (and by extention were working against the Shadow Lord), she let them go and promised to pretend she had never seen them.

She is Steven's mother.

Glock

Glock is a savage member of the Jalis tribe. The party first meets him in the arena, where he mocks Jasmine's petite size; however, he has no chance to fight her. In later books he seems more a boastful annoyance than anything else, and he takes every chance to tease Jasmine.

In The Cavern of the Fear, the party fights the monster known as the Fear (best described as half clam and half millipus). Glock had boasted that he would slay the monster single-handedly, and in the end he does, sustaining a mortal wound in the process. Dying, he tells Jasmine that his teasing was in jest; he admires her courage and tenacity, and considers her a warrior "with the spirit of a Jalis." He asks her to take the talisman from his neck, as his gift to her.

To honor the fallen hero, the Plumes buried him alongside their former Pipers. The Plumes remain unaware that Glock's people were responsible for the murder of several Plumes generations ago, but it would seem that Glock's sacrifice to save their village makes up for the acts of his ancestors.

Neridah

The battler of Lief in The Rithmere Games in the Shifting sands. Neridah also appears in The Valley of the Lost. She dies by the mists by the curse of the diamond which she stole. They find her with Doom. In the Rithmere games, Neridah is known as Neridah The Swift.

Dain

Dain was originally encountered as a nervous servant to Doom, and a member of the Resistance. He was cultured, polite, respectful, and often afraid, yet noble in battle and showing evidence of a great spirit. He saved Leif, Barda, and Jasmine from shape-changing Ols, before they knew what an Ol was, and helped them escape from Doom when Doom held them prisoner for his own reasons. However, Dain was kidnapped by pirates. When the trio later encountered the same pirates, Dain had just freed himself with the help of a polypan, and he came with them to Tora, the magical city.

Dain had hoped to meet his parents in Tora, but the city was deserted. He seemed to be all but destroyed by the news, but once they left the city he seemed to feel more hopeful.

In the final book, Leif assembles representatives of all seven tribes to pledge loyalty to the Heir and thus hope that the Belt will lead them to the Heir. It seems clear that Dain is the heir (his name is even made of the same letters as the first King, Adin), but just then he gets kidnapped. Leif picks up his fallen dagger and carries it with him. Knowing that they must get the Belt to the true Heir, the team makes plans to get into the city. However, their plans are all anticipated and easily overcome, and most of the group are captured.

Turns out Dain is the spy. Not the Heir, but a Grade 3 Ol, capable of assuming even inanimate shapes, and sent to spy on the Resistance and eventually on the trio. The fack that he had killed other Ols is not surprising; they were less talented varieties and the Shadow Lord's creations don't have anything resembling a conscience. Ols think only of furthering their own usefulness to the Shadow Lord.

In the end, it is the Belt of Deltora itself that destroys Dain. Dain's betrayal is one of the larger shocks in the tale, despite the previous depiction of Grade 3 Ols (gun on the mantle). Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (Анто́н Па́влович Че́хов) (born January 29, 1860 (Jan. ...

Prin

A young female Kin. Kin are large round creatures that when sleeping resemble rocks; children sometimes have stuffed animal versions (Leif's was named Monty). Prin is rather childish when Lief first meets her, she becomes quite brave as she helps Lief, Barda, and Jasmine retrieve the emerald for the Belt of Deltora and later helps them on their journey to the Isle of the Dead (by which time she has grown considerably).

Gla-Thon

An old member of the Dread Gnomes tribe. She frequently helps Lief and friends from the background and constantly sends letter written in a code.

Steven/Nevets

Steven is a pedlar (wandering merchant) whom Lief, Barda, and Jasmine encounter on their journey. He is cheerful and pleasant, and sings almost constantly. He supplies Queen Bee products to the Resistance - not surprising, once it is mentioned that his mother is Queen Bee herself.

Leif at first worries about Steven traveling alone, but he is told that Steven is safe traveling without companions, as he always has his brother (Nevets) with him. Nevets is not seen until the last book (although at times he is heard singing with Steven).

When Steven, or someone close to him, is threatened, yellow smoke billows from his body and Nevets appears: a great giant with a golden mane, capable of destroying large groups of enemies without difficulty. Nevets is somewhat overprotective, turning on anyone in the vicinity, friend or foe (he thus fits the profile of a berserker). Often he is triggered by danger in a circumstance where his appearance would cause more harm than good, and Steven wrestles to keep him from coming out, even begging him out loud ("If you attack now, the guards will kill him - please wait!"). At these times Steven convulses, and his eyes flash back and forth between brown and golden, but most of the time he can stop Nevets from coming out or at least delay him enough to allow friends to get to safety. Berserkers (or Berserks) were Norse warriors who had sworn allegiance to the sky god Odin and worked themselves into a frenzy before a battle. ...

Steven and Nevets grew up on the plains (the territory of the opal); in The Sister of the South, the Topaz Dragon comments that the territory of the plains breeds strange beings.

Fardeep

The Guardian's true name. He is from the mere tribe and used to own the Champion Inn until the Shadow Lord took it over.

Zeean

A wise old Toran who assists Lief in a few occasion.

Marilen

Leif's relative and a descendant of Adin, making her the next in line to the throne. In the second series, Shadowlands, Marilen was brought into the palace at Del so that Leif could leave the Belt with her as he traveled beyond the borders of Deltora. Thus, if he were captured or killed, the Belt would shine for Marilen, and she would be the new ruler; furthermore, the Shadow Lord would not get his hands on the Belt. However, as Leif kept this a secret even from Jasmine, Jasmine assumed that Marilen was Leif's bride-to-be, a belief that led to many hard feelings before she learned the truth. Fortunately, her affections lie not with Leif, but with Ranesh.

Villians/Monsters

Prandine

Endon's Chief advisor, who turns out to be a Grade 3 Ol. After the Belt is stolen, Prandine traps Endon, Jarred, and Sharn in the highest tower, ready to kill them with a poisoned knife. However, he underestimates the resourcefulness of the "painted doll" Sharn, who tips him out of the window; he falls to his death.

Ak-Baba

Ak-Baba are giant birds that live for a thousand years. It was the Ak-Baba who hunted the dragons of Deltora near extinction until Doran the Dragonlover (known as Dragonfriend to the dragons) persuaded them to sleep until a king of Deltora wearing the Belt of Deltora came to rouse them. The shadowlord is in control of at least seven Ak-Baba which took the seven gems to the seven areas of deltora. In 'the sister of the south, the dragons face off the Ak-Baba in that battle four of them die and the rest flee to the Shadow lands.

Grey Guards

Grey Guards are part of the Shadow Lord's attacking force. Their main and most fatal weapon are 'blisters', which are filled with Gellick's poison (see main article Gellick), explode on impact, and cause a quick but torturous death. Grey Guards possess an incredible amount of durability, speed and accuracy. They can stay up nearly all night and not get tired.

In the final book of the Shadowlands it is revealed that the Grey Guards are grown in factories (similar to the scenes of cloning in movies such as The Sixth Day). Because of the flaws in this process, a Grey Guard has a life span of 7 years, near the end of which they start losing their ability to function and to think. Well before this, the Shadow Lord recalls them to the Shadowlands, and when their usefulness is gone they are simply piled on a rubbish heap and left to slowly die and decompose (some of the decomposing appears to take place before death). Cloning is the process of creating an identical copy of an original. ... The 6th Day is a 2000 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Rapaport. ...

The various pods have names, such as "Carn pod," and an identical pod is grown in time to replace the aging pod, so that to the populace it seems that Carn pod goes to the Shadowlands, and then Carn pod returns invigorated, good for another seven years. Somehow Jasmine knows about the the general idea of pods (that they don't know mothers or fathers because they "are grown in pods in groups of ten") when Leif and Barda first meet her; it is questionable how she knows, given that the general populace does not seem to know. Her father did go to the Shadowlands and may have learned this information, but never returned to her to share it. The Grey Guards do not actually know that they are grown in factories and replaced regularly, so they could not have talked about it while Jasmine listened in. It is possible, if not likely, that Kree heard this from other birds; aside from that, there is no ready explanation.

Gorl

Gorl's appearance is in the first book the Forests of Silence. He is the guardian of the lillies of life and the topaz in the hilt of his sword.(which he is actually preventing from blooming) by tending vines that have grown to block out the sun. There is a story about him in the 'Tenna birdsong tales' where he and his two brothers were Jalis knights looking for the lillies of life when they found it Gorl slew his two brothers only for the last of the magical nectar to flow out. When he engages combat, he can use telepathic or magical powers to bend people to his will or mesmerize them. The only way to break out of his bind is to distract him with, say, a conversation about his companions. The only way to kill him is to crush him flat (as Jasmine did with a tree branch since Barda failed to decapitate him (since Gorl is a coruppted spirit).

Soldeen

A demonic fish-like monster. Guards the ruby. He was possessed by Thaegan but was let free by the topaz. When Thaegan is killed by Kree he returns to his human form and resumes control over his city.

Thaegan/Thaegan's Children

Thaegan is a sorceress who hates all things good & beautiful. She uses her magic for malice & turning things ugly. She ate Kree's parents when he was young. Her favourite food are black birds. Her only weak spot is the pinky which she uses to cast spells. She has 13 children who have a uncanny rhyme.

Hot, Tot, Jin, Jod. Fie, Fly, Zan, Zod. Pik,Snik, Lun, Lod. And the dreaded Ichabod.

Ra-Kacharz

Are the ruling class in Noradz. They are dressed from head-to-toe in red and carry whips. Their name is a derivitive of "rat catchers" and work for the Shadow Lord. Noradzeer.

Reeah

This is an evil snake monster. It lives in the City of the Rats, feeding on the rats that live there. It wears a crown set with an opal!

Sand Beasts

Mindless bug-like servants of the hive. They have many egg sacs hanging from their chests that look rather similar to giant grapes. Appear in the Shifting Sands.

Hive

A 'pyramid' made of bones, knives, coins, and everything else the sand creature have found. In the Shifting Sands Lief is able to confuse it using smoke and steal both the Lapis Lazuli and Jasmine's favorite knife.

Fallow

Ancient traitorous Chief advisor. See Prandine for more details.

Vraal

Vraal are ferocious beasts bred only for battle. They are the ultimate human-killer, cannot feel pain, pity, but only a savage thirst for blood and meat. Their massive claws are a lethal weapon not to be underestimated. Most Vraals are found in the Shadowlands. Vraal are very intelligent in battle-wise combat.they have gayishly long tails.,,,

Gellick

An enormous toad. Gellick supplies the Dread gnomes with poison for their arrows. Gellick's poisonous slime was also the main ingredient for the creation of the Grey Guard's fearsome weapons the blisters.

Ols

Ols are the Shadow Lord's shapeshifters. They are inherently self-centered, seeking only their own promotion, achieved by pleasing the Shadow Lord. At the core of every Ol is the Shadow Lord's mark, and in whatever shape the Ol takes, that mark is always somewhere on the body. Most Ols attempt to cover the mark with clothing or camouflage it with tattoos. Grade 1 Ols and Grade 2 Ols can be killed by stabbing them through the heart, which is located on the right-hand side; given the evidence so far, Grade 3 Ols might not be able to be killed in this manner. Shapeshifting, transformation or transmogrification refers to a change in the form or shape of a person. ...

Ols come is three types:

• Grade 1 Ols:
  • Can mimic any living creature - from the description, size does not matter, but all the Ols shown have been humanoid, or animals at least as large as a duck
  • Can hold their shape for three days. After this there is a break in concentration, a spasm known as "The Tremor," which is an unmistakable sign of an Ol
  • Are very cold to the touch, and can cause freeze burns during attacks
  • Cannot eat or drink
  • Must travel in pairs, although the pairs do not need to look alike and may even be different species (e.g. a farmer and his pig, or presumably a dog and a flea)
• Grade 2 Ols:
  • Are similar to Grade 1 Ols, but capable of mimicking the acts of eating and drinking, and producing body heat
• Grade 3 Ols:
  • Can shapeshift into even nonliving things, e.g. a dagger
  • Can hold their shape indefinitely
  • Are indistinguishable from the real person, except by personality (for a convincing performance, the Ol would have to have time to study the one being mimicked)

Nak, Finne, and Milne

Three weak fools who raided a seaside city. In Maze of the Beast they capture Dain. Later in Valley of the Lost Lief Barda and Jasmine save Dain and burn their ship. Later Dain betrays the group when they realize he is an Ol. Sixth book in the Series Deltora Quest. ... Seventh Book in the Series Deltora Quest. ...

Glus

A giant slug with 8 eyes and 28 teeth. It is also known as The Beast or Deathspinner. It is attracted by movement, and captures its prey by spitting a glue-like substance. It is the guardian of the Amethyst. It is one of many seabeasts that went to hunt on land (including Kobb) and thus escaped the clash of fire and water that joined Deltora (back then the Land of the Dragons) and the Shadowlands (back then Pirra)

Guardian

The Guardian of the diamond. He send Lief and co. through a series of tasks to discover his name. Only one person had complete it before Lief, Doom had completed it and because the answer was Endon he assumed it was the king and left. Guardian has four demon attached to his back named after four sins. When the riddle is solved the monsters devour him but Lief decides to save him. When he is saved he undergoes a transformation and reveals his real name is Fardeep. He is a useful aid in Return to Del. The Eighth and last book of the original Series of Deltora Quest. ...

Books in the series

External links

• Deltora Quest website