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In the Original Trilogy, Allanon always says that he is the last Druid. In the end, before he dies, he seals Paranor to block entry to the evil creatures seeking to use artifacts contained there to do more harm.

But again, before dying, Allanon transfers some of his powers to

Brin Ohmsford (a promise and an oath that her offspring will restore the order)

and

Rone Leah (the power of Hadeshorn enchanting the Sword Of Leah).

Why did he not train his descendants himself, As Bremen taught him? Did he believe that magic will end? Or were there no suitable candidates?

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  • Allanon's been busy.

Allanon didn't have much time in the original trilogy to do anything. He was either trying to restore his vitality with Druid sleep, or using up that essence saving the world. There was no time for a lengthy apprenticeship.

  • No good candidates.

Every one of the Ohmsfords he had to drag kicking and screaming into the world saving biz. None of them would have been willing to set aside their entire life to take up his mantle. Only later generations, long after he died, would do so.

  • Lots of the plots are the Druids fault.

Warlock Lord, fallen druid. Ildatch, Druid relic. Setting up the Druid order again, without taking this into account, is a disaster waiting to happen. Allanon can't risk that, and though he needs to pass his guardian role on, he fails to find any way to do so before his sacrifice is needed.

There is another anyway. Cogline, the eccentric old man seen with Kimber Boh in Wishsong, is in the next series revealed as a Druid in exile. Allanon knows if his plans fail he can fall back on Cogline, and in fact does so repeatedly, his shade compelling Cogline to assemble the heroes of the next series and heavily assisting the one intended to be the next Druid.

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  • It was my impression reading the "Wishsong" that it was intended to be the last book in the series, or, at least, to impress the readers that it was such. There were hints of possible world changes in favor of science, and that Druids were extinct because there was no need for them, at least for the nearest future.
    – TimSparrow
    Commented Jun 21, 2017 at 10:50
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    @TimSparrow - those are both true, and they are carried forward into the rest of the series. That said, it's certainly possible Brooks wrote Wishsong like it would be the last book, at the time. Sequel Hooks like Allanon charging Brin's legacy don't always get picked up.
    – Radhil
    Commented Jun 21, 2017 at 11:17

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