#sawney rath

[redwalltournaments]

For this round whoever gets the least amount of votes will be eliminated. The other two will continue to the semi-finals.

[incorrectredwallquotes]

Tagg: I can’t do taxes! My father only taught me three things: gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss.

Nimbalo: Didn’t he also teach you how to kill people?

Tagg: What do you think girlboss means, Nimbalo?!

[mossflower-trails]

The Best Lessons Are Taught With Blood

An unfinished Taggerung piece exploring the time Tagg spent with the Juska Clan and his relationships with them. In this scene, Tagg and Sawney discuss an opportunity for him to prove his mettle.

Rating: T

Words: 1186

Fourteen seasons on, and the Taggerung had yet to take a life.

Of course he had killed before, if all the clams and fish hauled back to their shoreline camp was proof of such proficiency. But it wasn't - not in the eyes of a Juska, at least. Though it proved one's self reliance, it did nothing to prove one's power. Hunting food would never be enough to prevent his adoptive father's growing pressure.

It appeared more frequently between them in the past few weeks. It would linger on the edges of silent lulls in the evening, those times when he and Sawney were sat around their own small fire apart from the rest of the clan, when Grissoul had nodded off still upright with her chin tucked into her scarves, leaving them alone. It would settle in thick discomfort, when the laughter and chatter between father and son trickled away, and when its wake had left prickly self-consciousness skittering across Tagg's neck. Sawney would stretch and sigh and pick food from his fangs, then, as though starting a casual new conversation, the topic would rear its ugly head. It always started with the same signs, and usually, Tagg could dodge out of its way. He would parry a distraction into his father's mind, then the cursed thing would fall to the wayside as some other priority took its place.

On this night, however, while the moon hung low and half-lidded in the night sky, Sawney again stretched and sighed and picked food from his fangs.

"Vallug's seen two Juska'tar fishers in the northern tidepools again today, did I tell y'already?" the stoat said.

"Oh? Don't believe y'have," Tagg replied. He too took the opportunity to stretch and sigh, only to lay back and stare at the moon instead of his father's gaze.

"Aye, awful impolite of 'em, I'd say! Sure got me thinking, should teach 'em some manners about being neighborly, don'tcha think?"

"Juska'tar aren't anything to fret over. We show up with somethin' sharp, pull a scary face, and they'll tuck their tail between their legs. Worked wonders last time."

"Gaw, sure did! Barely had to lift a paw! That's the problem, though. Since we only done that, the sneaky bastards are back at it again. It's 'cos they think we'll keep lettin' 'em off easy. See, they're testin' what they can get away with." Sawney leaned forward from where he sat on a driftwood log and roused the fire's embers with a stick. "Can't let beasts think we're all bark an' no bite, else they start gettin' uppity. D'ye get my meaning, Tagg?"

Tagg wrinkled his snout up towards the moon. His knife found itself twirling mindlessly between fidgety claws. Grissoul remained sound asleep a short distance away, though Tagg sometimes wondered if she was silently eavesdropping.

"Yea, yea, I get what you're saying, da. So we'll send 'em back bloodied and bruised for it this time. We can nick their nets too, they owe us payment for whatever fish they snatched, huh?" The otter feigned amusement. When he turned to look at Sawney though, his father's crinkled eyes peered discerningly through him.

"Heh, a fine idea for certain…but I think we should teach them a lesson that'll really stick," the stoat goaded. "An' don't I always say, the best lessons are taught with blood?"

Tagg's chuckle faded awkwardly as Sawney's brown eyes glinted in the firelight. Taking up the stick again, he fussed with the embers once more.

"Now, c'mere to me, I've an idea that'll lift yer spirits," he snickered. "Tomorrow, hide and wait for our trespassers at the pools afore sun-up…then, when they go out onto the rocks, nab one an' take 'em for a dip in the sea! Juska'tar rats can't swim worth shite, they'll drown fast an' easy. And all the while, their buddy gets to watch helplessly from the shore!" At this, Sawney barked out a rough laugh. "That'll teach 'em, guaranteed! Heheh! Oh, oh, bring the corpse back to me afterwards, I'll show y'how to chop the head and stick it on a pike. Real nice decor to spruce the place up, eh? Call it future poaching deterrent!"

Those keen eyes searched Tagg for a reaction. The otter gave his very best dark sneer.

"Heheh…aye, sounds like a good plan, that'll show 'em!" Even vague agreement felt strange and stilted as it left Tagg's tongue. Sawney on the other hand sighed with audible relief.

"G'wan, g'wan, that's the spirit! I'm glad to hear yer onboard!" His grin was wide and his eyes bright. "So, then it's settled, that's what we'll do."

Tagg didn't respond. He only listened to the distant crash of waves with knots in his guts over what he had just agreed to. The two fell silent again, each mulling their respective thoughts. Their small fire finally smoldered and snuffed itself without Sawney's insistent prodding. It was getting late after all. Even Juska still up chatting or cleaning blades around the main fire had started to tuck in for the night.

After a while, Sawney stood, grumbling a curse at his popping joints. He tugged his cloak tighter around his shoulders and ambled towards his tent.

"I know I been a nag lately, Tagg, but ye'll see," the stoat said quietly as he passed. "Once ye make yer first real kill tomorrow, nobeast will dare think low of ye. Trust me! No need to look so glum." He leaned to tweak his son's ears affectionately, and Tagg swatted him away in mock annoyance.

"Buzzy old fly," the otter laughed. This time the sound came effortlessly.

"Pah! Old, he says. This old fly can still bite ye to hell, watch it," Sawney huffed lazily. "Get some rest so ye can get the jump on them poachers bright 'n early."

"Yea, yea."

"G'night, Tagg."

"G'night, da."

Sawney disappeared into his tent, leaving Tagg alone with the moon and his thoughts.

Bristling anxiety began to find its home inside the otter's chest. He could understand that behind Sawney's recent pressure, there was surely only a father trying to encourage his son. The stoat wanted to see Tagg fit in, and of course Tagg wanted that too. Wandering Juskan eyes and hidden sneers were always stray reminders that he didn't.

Above that, he wanted to make his father proud. The stoat was the only family he knew, one who had done so much for him. Tagg couldn't remember his early days as a pup, but Grissoul had once told him the story of how his father took him in. He had quickly gathered that it was scandalous for the Juska chief. That inspired gratitude within him, but just beneath laid a growing layer of guilt for the debt. To pay it, surely one murderous task shouldn't be too heavy a burden. And maybe once Tagg crested that hill, he would look back and realize it wasn't so scary.

Those reassurances did little to dash away his worries, though. Throughout the night, they instead swelled with the sound of waves crashing over his dreams.

[captainmirefleck]

Vote for your favorite Redwall villain! Not who you think would win in a fight, but who you think is most effective as a villain or who you enjoy the most!

[prowl-autism-extraordinaire]

tagg was supposed to be brutal and merciless and god’s perfect killer. but he wasnt. and when he went to redwall and they recognized who he used to be, in the shape of his face and the birthmark on his hand and the way he spoke- they took his name and they took his knife and they took his tattoos and even his birthmark.

“his real name, his true name, his only name is deyna” his mother says.

skipper gives his knife to the otter fixer.

the otter fixer takes his tattoos and his birthmark.

none of them ask him. none of them know anything about him except that he was one of them for a day- his first day alive- and they think that they have the right.

why didn’t he rage. why did he smile and thank them when he woke up. tagg grew up in a way designed to make him hard and violent and angry. and he is. but that isnt all he is. and the redwallers ignore who he is for who he would have been.

how does he smile when he sees them? how does he stay with them? tagg ran when sawney asked too much of him. why does he stay at redwall?

tagg was violent. he fought gruven and fletch. the juska were all terrified of him. that couldnt all have been from the reputation of taggerung- they watched him grow up. they knew he hadnt killed or tortured before. why were they afraid of him. why werent the redwallers

i cant stop thinking about tagg waking up in the otter fixers hut. his knife is gone. he is unrecognizable to himself. and nobody uses his name. how does he stand it. why doesnt he go with skipper back to redwall and take nimbalo and just leave

[lostmidnightwriter]

Nimballo's father:*exists*

Me:

[lordgrimwing]

Five Favorite Character Poll tag game

Rules: Make a poll with five of your all time favourite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favourite.

Thanks for the tag @thescrapwitch!

Tagging @zannolin, @runawaymun, @thecoolblackwaves, @thesummerestsolstice, and @curufin if you want to do it!

[moonybadger]

Trying to make a compilation of “good” vermin characters in Redwall, since I feel like the books get a little generalized in the idea that they’re always “all vermin are bad, all woodlanders are good” all the time. It is MOST of the time, but not as often as people say! Let me know if I forgot any, there’s a few of the later books that my memory is a little foggy on and I haven’t read Doomwyte or The Rouge Crew yet so I might have missed some characters from there.

Redwall - Squire Julian and Captain Snow (Captain Snow needs to be convinced, but still that’s better then most antagonists)

Mossflower - Gingivere and Sandingomm, old unnamed rat living alone on the beach (he was killed by seagulls and found by Martin and co), arguably Ashleg too, since he scarpered before the final fight and dreamed of living someplace peaceful. I think there’s also an argument for Verdauga, since even though he’s a conqueror he’s shown in a more positive light then Tsarmania, and Argular who seems like a neutral party at best but not actively malicious.

Martin the Warrior - maybe Wulpp? He gets spared by Brome

The Bellmaker - the LEGENDARY and beloved Blaggut

Outcast of Redwall - Bluefen obviously, but I guess we can include Veil in this (even though I really hate how his character was handled) Arguably the flock of crows attacking Swartt’s army as well, since they were doing it in revenge for their leader’s mother being killed.

Pearls of Lutra - Romsca, another legendary example. Graylunk as well; when he fled to Redwall he became good friends with Fermald the squirrel and trusted the pearls to her when he realized he was dying. I would also put forth an argument for Barranca (Romsca’s captain), since he seemed more interested in overthrowing Ublaz Mad Eyes to avenge his brother and because Ublaz was a dangerous, untrustworthy ruler rather then for a selfish desire for power.

The Long Patrol - I would say the two doofy foot soldiers Lousewort and Sneezewort, since they spend the whole book in over their head, don’t really hurt anyone, and then skedaddle before the final fight. 

Marlfox - the water rat soldiers of the Marlfoxes seem eager to throw their weapons into the lake and give up their lives as soldiers. It’s implied that though some of them relished the power they had in the army, most of them were there against their will.

Lord Brocktree - Groddil is a little ambiguous, but the book absolutely supports his vengeance for his family and bodily injuries when he pushes Ungatt Trunn out to sea.

 Taggerung - Sawney Rath is a REALLY fascinating character, who is a good if ruthless leader who genuinely cares for Tagg as a baby. He’s definitely a villain, with him ordering the death of Rillflag and Tagg’s kidnapping, but he has enough moments of genuine love for the kid that he becomes very engaging. The biggest injustice this book did was killing him off so soon, when they could have REALLY explored the depths of his and Tagg’s weird fucked up relationship.

Triss - Plugg Firetail and the crew of the Seascab. Again, not really GOOD per say, but Plugg was unusual in that he and his crew actively cared about each other and his crewmates were devastated when he was killed.

Loamhedge - Flinky and Crinktail are vermin mates who actually love each other! Flinky also ends up leading his group to a good location where they settle down permanently are implied to never resort to their previous bad ways again.

Rakkety Tam - We don’t know much about Askor, but he definitely is a far cry from the monster that is his brother. He comes off more as proud in the one scene we have of him, but not actively cruel. Same with their father, Dramz.

High Rhulian - while it’s definitely a stretch to call Lady Kaltag sympathetic (since she’s the queen of an island of slaves and all) her grief over the death of her son feels very real and visceral, as does her fall into madness over it; Especially when contrasted to the hare Cuthburt’s similar reaction to the death of his own daughter. And Jeefra is just so pathetic and his death is so brutal that it’s hard not to feel a little sorry for him.

The Sable Quean - Gliv and Lugg also aren’t really good people, but they fall into a similar category as Flinky and Crinktail, in that they’re mated vermin who actually love each other.

And just for fun, here’s some “bad” (or morally ambiguous) woodlander characters:

Mattimeo - Skan the shrew and his friends (abandoned the Guoism shrews to try and help Slagar, but he just made them slaves)

Mariel of Redwall - Pakatugg is pretty self interested for most of the book and pretty mean to Mariel, until his final stand with the Salamandastron hares at the end.

Salamandastron - Arguably Wild King MacPhearsome, just because it’s presented as a possibility that he’d kill Thugg and Dumble when they first hear about him

Martin the Warrior - FULL OF ‘EM TBH; we got the Pygmy Shrews (they keep slaves of their own and only free Martin and his friends because they saved the leader’s annoying son), the pack of murderous squirrels that make a game out of attacking people, the family of stuffy rabbits who try to scare travelers because they’re snobs, and the hedgehog who poisons people eating his cherries. And of course Druwp the bankvole slave who sells out the other slaves in exchange for food and luxuries. 

The Long Patrol - interestingly I would argue that The Long Patrol itself is shown in a pretty morally ambiguous light in this book; Cregga’s battlelust is feared even by her hares and her mad charge after the Rabscallions is disapproved of by many of her officers. The price they all pay for the battle is very high, with the death of several major characters and Cregga being blinded. Russa even tells Tammo on her deathbed that it’s alright if he doesn’t join the Long Patrol, because he isn’t battle hardened and harsh like them. Tammo is an interesting contrast to the Long Patrol hares, because he’s easily one of the most sensitive warrior main characters in the series and there’s an indication that both he and Russano change Salamandastron to be less warlike and more peaceful when they return there. 

Marlfox - Fenno the shrew, who kills Log-a-log, and the Gray One, a sly water vole who takes over Burble’s tribe and plans to steal the green stick from Song.

The Legend of Luke - Folgrim ate people

Lord Brocktree - while they are ultimately a force for good, I like how morally ambiguous Jukka was and how she and Fleetscut clashed over their ideals so often. Also Bucko is practically an antagonist until Dotti wins their competition.

Taggerung - Even though we never see him in person (alive), Nimbalo’s father is actively abusive, to the point where he’s driven both his wife and son away. Nimbalo does end up avenging him anyway though

Rakkety Tam - The Squirrel King and Queen are really not shown in a good light at alllll

Eulalia! - Orkwil Prink is a little shit hedgehog who gets banished from the Abbey for a season for stealing constantly. I remember finding him pretty unlikable, but in hindsight he does feel like a redo of Veil’s character if Veil actually learned any lessons (like Veil who was the son of a warlord, Orkwil was the son of thieves who abandoned him as a child)

[subtleshenanigans]

I rank Redwall Villains’ Ends

Note: this is all my own opinion!! Totally cool if you don’t agree :3

Also, this isn’t criticism! Redwall is my favourite series and I love all the books.

((Some of these have secondary villains included as well))

(Spoilers below cut)

Redwall

Cluny The Scourge: 9/10 classic, terrifying. What killed him? Did the run of the bell hit his spine? The metal hanging bit hit his head? Plus this dude got tricked big time.

Asmodeous: 10/10 Matthias went feral on this dude and beheaded him. Case in point.

Mossflower

Tsarmina: 10/10 she’s so terrified she backs into a deep lake and drowns, just like her nightmares. And they did have a pretty cool fight first.

Mattimeo

Slagar the cruel: 5/10 we got robbed. Little funny he fell back into the hole he escaped from. Possible he was still alive, broken at the bottom, suffocating as they threw stones down. Just felt lackluster to me.

General Ironbeak: 3/10 points docked mostly because it was off screen. Would have loved more description of Stryk tearing him apart.

Mariel of Redwall

Gabool the Wild: 6/10 unlike Slagar, he didn’t fall into the hole, but his own trap killed him. Plus death by scorpion is kinda cool.

Graypatch: 7/10 he got what he deserved and the description of him floating downriver was cool.

Martin The Warrior

Badrang: 7/10 Martin killed him so fair.

Salamandastron

Ferahgo the Assassin: 8/10 pretty neat battle. He heckin’ dead.

Klitch: 6/10 this one solely gets points for the hilarity of his stupidity, and the terrifying description of him subcoming to poison.

Outcast of Redwall

Swartt Sixclaw: 4/10 I’m trying to remember if he was already dead once he got yeeted off the mountain.

The Bellmaker

Urgan Nagru: 7/10 killed by his aesthetic. Chump, but funny, and he took out Finbarr.

Silvamord: 3/10 lowkey barely memorial. Like, idiot, there’s otters. Swimming ain’t gonna save you.

Pearls of Lutra

Emperor Ublaz Madeyes: 8/10 idiot forgot his DEADLY PET SNAKE. But put up a good fight against Martin 2, so. Interesting death.

The Long Patrol

Damug Warfang: 5/10 for Cregga executing him, and he manages to blind her.

The Legend of Luke

Vilu Daskar: 10/10 one of my fav deaths. The terror. The horror. The inevitability as death looms closer, and Luke’s speech.

Martin’s trauma: 8/10 he gets some closure and can have a measure of peace, finally.

Lord Brocktree

Ungatt Trunn: 10/10 my fav death. He doesn’t even die on screen. Gets snapped like a twig, and he’s still alive, just paralyzed until Groddil finds him. And the Fox gets justice; the whole Ungatt drifting out to see while his prophecy is being chanted . . .just. Fantastic. Well done.

Marlfox

Mokkan: 8/10 good for her, throwing the chain and not only hittin her target, but making him relive his nightmare.

His siblings: 6/10 there’s some good ones and some sucky ones.

Taggerung

Sawney Rath: 3/10 CHUMP

Gruven Zann: 6/10 dude needed serious help and has no brain cells, but it was kinda funny how quick he got betrayed. Plus, bonus point for being beheaded.

Triss

Kurda: 6/10 on one hand, she’s a coward and it’s irony she fell on her own weapon. On the other, lackluster.

Plugg Firetail: 7/10 snack.

Loamhedge

Raga Bol: 6/10 *squeaky toy noise*

Karanjul: 6/10 into the abyss for you!

Rakkety Tam

Gulo the Savage: 8/10 beheadings get bonus points, plus Tam yeeted this dude while injured. This dude who’s like five times his weight.

High Rhulain

Riggu Felis: 9/10 repercussion bringing back to the beginning of the book, all in all well done.

Eulalia!

Vizka Longtooth: 2/10 lackluster, both his death and him in general.

Gruntan Kurdley: 8/10 funniest example of someone getting killed by greed. Swan freaking killed him. (Honestly the brown rats finding peace is what redeemed this for me.)

Doomwyte

Korvus Skurr: 7/10 Zaran got justice for her family, so points.

Trugga Buster: 8/10 got what he deserved.

The Sabe Quean

Zwilt the Shade: 10/10 the delicious twist of a grieving wife running him through.

Vilaya: 3/10 like. Idiot.

The Rogue Crew

Razzid Wearat: 8/10 good twist, he doesn’t die getting run through but by gramps cracking his skull. Was neat.

[why-bless-your-heart]

Unrelated to anything, I was thinking about The Taggerung by Brian Jacques (as one does), and how Sawney Rath (who is very superstitious and works closely with his seer) suffered from stomach problems, and how that never really seemed to be explained from a narrative standpoint, and then I remembered suddenly that demonic activity is often accompanied by stomach complaints.

[incorrectredwallquotes]

Sawney: What did I tell you about lying?

Tagg: To do it more often?

Sawney: Exactly

[mathmusicred]

Stupid Deaths (a study of Major Redwall Villains)

Granted, I haven’t read some of these books in a long time, so I used the Redwall wiki quite a bit. Some books were arbitrarily allowed more than one villain.

(Redwall) Cluny the Scourge—killed by a bell

(Mossflower)  Tsarmina Greeneyes—drowned herself running from a half dead mouse;   Ripfang—let a badger hug him

(Mattimeo) Slagar the Cruel—fell down a well

(Mariel of Redwall) Gabool the Wild—killed by pet scorpion

(Salamandasteon) Ferahgo the Assassin—let a badger hug him, thrown off a mountain

(Martin the Warrior) Badrang the Tyrant—killed by a slave (also, shout out to how he nearly died when his swordplay was outmatched by a squirrel with a stick)

(The Bellmaker) Urgan Nagru—killed by the teeth of a skull he wore as a helmet 

(Outcast of Redwall) Swartt Sixclaw—thrown off a mountain by a badger

(Pearls of Lutra) Ublaz Mad Eyes—killed by pet snake

(The Long Patrol) Damug Warfang—fell off a ridge while letting a badger hug him

(Marlfox) Silth—poisoned by own child while trying to poison said child;  Lantur—pushed off a cliff, eaten by a fish;  Mokkan—thrown off a boat, eaten by a fish;   Ziral—a squirrel stole her ax;   Gelltor—challenged a squirrel, but the squirrel had a rock;   Predak—accidentally jumped off a wall;   Vannan—an otter threw a pointy stick;  Ascrod—shot by a blind archer;

(The Legend of Luke) Vilu Daskar—literally tied his mortal enemy to the wheel of his ship. In a storm. By a bunch of big rocks.

(Lord Brocktree) Ungatt Trunn—let a badger hug him, pushed out to sea by an angry fox

(Taggerung) Sawney Rath—an angry lady had a rock

(Triss) King Agarnu—his slaves threw him in the ocean, throne and all;   Princess Kurda—fell on her favorite sword;   Prince Bladd—hit by a falling pot of oatmeal

(Loamhedge) Raga Bol—tried to fight an angry badger (got picked up by the badger, so maybe variation of letting a badger hug him)

(Rakkety Tam) Gulo the Savage—a squirrel had a sharp shield

(High Rhulain) Riggu Felis—he chucked a fancy rock at a bird, and an otter lass chucked it back

(Eulalia) Vizka Longtooth—let a badger hug him

(Doomwyte) Korvus Skurr (a bird)—flew straight into an angry lady who had a sharp pointy thing

(The Sable Quean) Zwilt the Shade—killed by a hostage;   Vilaya—fell on her own poisoned knife (also jumped on by an angry badger, so it may be a variation of letting a badger hug her)

(The Rogue Crew) Razzid Wearat—stabbed by a hedgehog and whacked with a stick

 Alternate titles:

Case Study shows that Angry Badgers Relieve Stress by Hugging Enemies

Three Reasons to Avoid Badgers on Mountains

[captainmirefleck]

Vote for your favorite Redwall villain! Not who you think would win in a fight, but who you think is most effective as a villain or who you enjoy the most!

[prowl-autism-extraordinaire]

sawney rath calls tagg 'son' as a way to assert power, not out of any kind of familial fondness or paternal feelings. he calls tagg son to remind the juska that he is the one who trained the taggerung, he is the one who the taggerung looks to. hes not taggs father and tagg doesn't consider him a parental figure. its explicitly stated. family isnt taggs motivation, or sawney's approval- predicated on tagg's compliance- would have mattered more.

edit: familial love/approval also doesnt matter to tagg or he wouldve cared more about sawneys approval