Mossflower

Mossflower covers / extra information

A

AMBER, LADY.  Squirrelqueen in Mossflower.   She was an excellent archer.   She was close friends with Skipper, and together they were a great help to the Corum.  She lost an ear in a battle with Bane’s forces. (MF)

ARGULOR. Very old, male golden eagle.  He was short-sighted and arthritic with age.  He retired to Mossflower from the western mountains.  He particularly hated Tsarmina, and killed and ate many Kotir soldiers.   He always longed to taste pine marten but was killed by Bane before he had the chance. (MF)

ARROWTAIL.  A friend of Martin's in his youth in the far north.  (MF)

ASHLEG. Disfigured male pine marten.  He had a wooden leg.  He served under Verdauga and Tsarmina, and wore a long red cloak trimmed with woodpigeon feathers.  When he realized how mad and dangerous Tsarmina was becoming, he traded his red cloak for a plain brown one and deserted Kotir.  He headed south and was never heard from in Mossflower again. (MF)

B

BADTAIL. Thin fox in Bane’s mercenary band. Killed by an otter javelin. (MF)

BANE. Male fox.  He carried a curved sword.   He was the leader of a mercenary band of about sixty vermin  from the north.   He fought both with and against Verdauga in their younger days.  He was briefly an ally of Tsarmina.  He simultaneously killed and was killed by Argulor. (MF)

BANKSNOUT. Male shrew.  He was an oar slave on the Bloodwake, rescued by Martin and his friends.  He then returned to Log-a-Log Big Club’s village, where he had children waiting for him. (MF)

BARKLAD. Male squirrel under Amber’s command. (MF)

BARKSTRIPE.  Male badger.  Husband of Bella, son-in-law of Boar, father of Sunflash.  He met and married Bella in his homeland in the far south-east of Mossflower, then moved with her to Brockhall.  Boar soon left for Salamandastron, and Barkstripe ruled in his stead.  He was more of a farmer than a warrior, however, and he was killed in the first battle against Verdauga. (MF, OR)

BAT MOUNTPIT.  Bat kingdom inside one of the western mountains near the large waterfall. The tribe of bats live in caverns filled with tunnels, streams and waterfalls.  The only exit is through the top opening, which was at one time blocked by an owl’s nest.  Martin and his friends drove off the owl, and a door was built over the opening with wreckage from the Waterwing.  The bats who live there farm on cave ledges and fish the subterranean lakes.  (MF, OR)

BEECH. Male squirrel in Amber's tribe who witnessed Gonff’s capture by Kotir soldiers. (MF)

BELLA OF BROCKHALL. Brown-eyed female badger.  Daughter of Boar, granddaughter of Brocktree, mother of Sunflash, widow of Barkstripe.  Her mother died when she was young.  In her youth she traveled far and wide, and stayed at Loamhedge for awhile, where she befriended Abbess Germaine.  She later met and married Barkstripe in the far south-east and then returned to Brockhall.  She was the leader of the Corim and was the first badger mother of Redwall.  (MF, OR, LL)

BEN STICKLE.  Male hedgehog.  Husband of Goody, father of Posy, Spike, Ferdy and Coggs.  Adoptive father of Gonff.  He smoked a pipe. (MF)

BENTBRUSH.  Male fox.  Friend of Whegg.   He was a mercenary under Bane's command and later a Kotir soldier.  He was killed by squirrel arrows. (MF)

BESOMTAIL. (See Fortunata.)

BIG CLUB, LOG-A-LOG.  (See Log-a-Log Big Club.)

BILLUM.  Male mole. Foremole’s deputy. (MF)

BIRCH. Large male squirrel under Amber’s command. (MF)

BLACKTOOTH.  Male ferret soldier in Kotir. Killed by Splitnose. (MF)

BLOODWAKE.  Large, black searat vessel with a fish skull figurehead, double oarbanks and twin square-rigged sails.   It was captained by Ripfang.  After Boar's Battle it was taken over by woodlanders and renamed Wuddshipp.  It was later purposely sunk in the River Moss to create a dam to flood Kotir. (See also Wuddshipp.) (MF)

BLUESTRIPE THE WILD.  Ancient badger lord of Salamandastron, mummified and entombed in the Mountain's secret chamber.  Ruled sometime before Lord Stonepaw.  (MF, BT)

BOAR’S BATTLE. Battle at Salamandastron in which Boar the Fighter and Ripfang died. (MF)

BOAR THE FIGHTER. Father of Bella, son of Brocktree, grandfather of Sunflash. Has a beard and silver fur. Forged Martin a new sword at Salamandastron. Excellent swordfighter. Killed in battle with Ripfang’s searats. (MF, OR)

BREEZE. Female hare of Salamandastron. Daughter of Lupin and Buffheart. Sister of Starbuck.  (MF, OR)

BROCKHALL. Ancestral home of Mossflower badgers. In a giant oak tree. (MF)

BROCKTREE.  Son of Stonepaw, father of Boar, grandfather of Bella, great-grandfather of Sunflash.  Badger Lord of Salamandastron and founder of the Long Patrol.  His weapon of choice is a broadsword.  His father left to rule Salamandastron when Brocktree was young, just as Brocktree did when Boar was young.  He and Boar shared leadership of the Mountain for several years before his death.  He was entombed in a secret chamber in Salamandastron.  (BT; Mentioned in MF, OR, SN)

BROGG. Male weasel soldier in Kotir.  He replaced Cludd as Captain of the Guard.  He was brave and loyal to Tsarmina.  He was killed by a ballista boulder in the final battle of Kotir. [Note:  The character was introduced as a ferret but after that was always referred to as a weasel.] (MF)

BRUSH. Large male squirrel under Amber’s command. (MF)

BUFFHEART.  Huge male hare of Salamandastron. Husband of Lupin, father of Breeze and Starbuck. (MF)

BULA. Female otter under Skipper’s command. (MF)

C

CAMP WILLOW.  The headquarters of otters in Mossflower, Camp Willow is located in a series of sandy caves underneath a large willow tree along the River Moss. (MF)

CAYVEAR, LORD.  Very large male bat.  As the ruler of Bat Mountpit, his title is "High Chief of the dark places." (MF)

CETERULER THE WISE.  Also called Ceteruler the Just.  An ancient badger lord of Salamandastron, mummified and entombed within the Mountain's secret chamber.  Ruled sometime before Lord Stonepaw.  (MF, OR, BT)

CHIBB.  Male robin. Spy for the Corim with an affinity for candied chestnuts. He clears his throat often. (MF)

CHINWART. Male rat.  He was a mercenary under Bane's command and later a Kotir soldier. (MF)

CLUDD. Male weasel. Captain of the Guard of Kotir. Killed by Skipper. (MF)

COGGS STICKLE. Young male hedgehog. Son of Ben and Goody. Brother of Ferdy, Posy and Spike. He idolized Martin and Gonff.  He and Ferdy were once captured by Tsarmina and imprisoned in the Kotir dungeons, but they were soon rescued by the Corim. (MF)

COLUMBINE.  Female fieldmouse.  Wife of Gonff, mother of Gonff II/Gonflet.  Close friend and ward of Abbess Germaine.  She was originally from Loamhedge, came north to Mossflower with the others, and settled in the old St. Ninian's Church with Gonff. (MF, LL)

CORIM. Council of Resistance in Mossflower. Headquarters at Brockhall. A group of woodlanders opposing Tsarmina’s rule. (MF)

D

DAMPWATCH. Toad living near Bat Mountpit. (MF)

DARKFUR. Bat in Bat Mountpit. (MF)

DEATHCOIL. Grass snake who pretends to be an adder to frighten travellers along the Great South Stream in the western mountains. Companion of Whipscale. (MF)

DINNY, OLD. Young Dinny’s grandfather. Childhood friend of Boar the Fighter. (MF)

DINNY, YOUNG.  Male mole.  Grandson of Old Dinny, grandfather of Togget.  He went questing to Salamandastron with Martin, Gonff and Log-a-Log.  He later became the first Foremole of Redwall. (MF)

DITCHPAW. Male ferret. Kotir soldier. (MF)

DOGFUR.  Ferret.  Kotir soldier.   (MF)

DUCKWEED. Young male otter under Skipper’s command. (MF)

E

EMILY. Shrew from Log-a-Log’s villiage. Father was an oar slave on the Bloodwake. (MF)

F

"FELLDOH THE WRESTLER." Martin told Gonff this was a childhood friend of his, but was doubtlessly referring to the Felldoh he met at Marshank in the far north. (MW, MF)

FERDY STICKLE. Young hedgehog. Son of Ben and Goody. Brother of Coggs, Posy and Spike. Idolizes Martin and Gonff. Once captured by Tsarmina. (MF)

FFRING. Male hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Trubbs and Wother. Lost his tail in Boar’s Battle.  He later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there. (MF)

FOREMOLE. Title given to the leader of the moles.  The first mole to hold that title in Redwall was Dinny, although the term predates the Abbey.

FOREMOLE.  Male mole.  Leader of the moles in Mossflower.  Friend of Old Dinny.  (MF)

FORTUNATA. Vixen healer. Uses the alias of Besomtail, a wandering healer.  She was born and bred in Mossflower.  She helped Tsarmina poison Verdauga and served under the wildcat queen until she was killed by ten squirrel arrows. (MF)

FOULWHISKER.  Male weasel. Kotir soldier. Killed for insulting Tsarmina. (MF)

FUR AND FOOT FIGHTERS.  Mossflower border patrol founded by Ffring, Wother, Trubbs, Willow, Harebell and Honeydew after the fall of Kotir.  (MF)

G

GERMAINE, ABBESS. Elderly female mouse.   Formerly of Loamhedge. Along with Martin, she is the co-founder of Redwall, as well as its first Abbess.  She was a longtime friend of Bella, and a mother figure for Columbine.  She drew on parchment for enjoyment and journal-keeping purposes.  In old age, she used a sawed-off spiral seashell in her ear to help her hear.  She was buried beneath Redwall Abbey in a tomb marked by a statue of herself with a book in her lap. (MF, LL)

GINGERVERE GREENEYES. Male wildcat. Son of Verdauga, nephew of Ungatt Trunn, brother of Tsarmina, husband of Sandingomm, ancestor of Julian.  He held the title of Squire before Verdauga’s death. He was imprisoned by Tsarmina, who publicly blamed him for Verdauga’s poisoning, and later freed by the Mask and the Corim.  He fled eastward into Mossflower, where he wed Sandingomm and settled on the farm near the quarry. (MF)

GLOOMER, THE.  Huge, greyish black male water rat.   He had no speech, little hearing, and was blind and crazy.  He was capturned by Verdauga and kept in an underground lake beneath Kotir.  He wore a studded iron collar.  He was killed by Stormfin in combat in the River Moss. (MF)

GONFF THE MOUSETHIEF. Plump, jovial male mouse. Wore a green jerkin and a broad belt. Best friend and traveling companion to Martin.  Husband of Columbine, father of Gonflet/Gonff II, great-grandfather of Bryony, ancestor of Dandin.  He admires otters and likes to call people "matey."   His parents were killed by Kotir soldiers so he was raised by the Stickles. He played a reed flute and was forever composing ballads and songs for every occasion.   He called himself the Prince of Mousethieves, a title which he deserved.  He met Martin while imprisoned in Kotir, and went questing to Salamandastron with Martin, Dinny and Log-a-Log.  He later lived at St. Ninian's with his family.  (MF, LL)  

GONFF II, a.k.a. GONFLET.  Plump male mouse.  Son of Gonff and Columbine, father of at least one son.  He was born the day the main gate of Redwall was raised.  He lives at St. Ninian’s and takes after his father with his sense of humor and playful thievery.  (MF, LL)

GOODY (GOODWIFE) STICKLE. Hedgehog. Wife of Ben, mother of Posy, Spike, Ferdy and Coggs. Adoptive mother of Gonff. Resident of Mossflower. (MF)

GREAT SOUTH STREAM.  River that flows through the western mountains.  (MF, SN)

GRUBWHACKER.  Male black water beetle.  He was sort of a pet of Log-a-Log Big Club when not with his mate and family. (MF)

H

HAREBELL. Female hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Willow and Honeydew. She later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there. (MF)

HONEYDEW. Female hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Willow and Harebell.  She later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there. (MF)

I and J

[No entries]

K

KOTIR. Old red sandstone fortress near the River Moss in Mossflower. Was abandoned when Verdauga took it over. Tsarmina ruled it after Verdauga’s death. A subterranean lake lies below it. Damaged by woodlander’s fire arrows. Destroyed when the woodlanders dammed the River Moss and flooded it, creating a temporary lake. (MF)

L

LOAMHEDGE.  Abbey to the south of Mossflower.   The community was nearly as large as Redwall.  It was abandoned due to a plague brought by vermin, and many years later was destroyed in an earthquake.  Its first Abbess was Sylvaticus, and its last was Abbess Germaine.  Survivors of the plague traveled north to Mossflower, where they helped Martin the Warrior free Mossflower from Tsarmina, and founded Redwall Abbey.  (MF, MT, LH)

LOG-A-LOG BIG CLUB.  Male shrew.   He was leader of a tribe of shrews on the banks of the River Moss north of Salamandastron until the village was invaded by searats and he and many others became oar slaves.  He escaped near Salamandastron and worked his way inland to the Great South Stream, where he lived alone in a cave in the riverbank and ran a ferry.  He had a pet beetle named Grubwhacker.  He later joined Martin, Dinny and Gonff on their quest for Salamandastron and was reunited with his tribe.  (MF)

LONGTAILS. "The Painted Ones." Tribe of savages living in a pine forest near the ruins of Loamhedge. Fear fire. Kill all intruders. (MF)

LUKE THE WARRIOR.  Father of Martin the Warrior.  Lived in a colony in caves in the far north.  Went off to fight searats and never returned.  (MW, MF, LL)

LUPIN. Salamandastron hare. Wife of Buffheart, mother of Starbuck and Breeze. Found the fallen star from which Boar reforged Martin’s sword. (MF)

M

MARSHGREEN.  Large, slimy, wartless male toad with large eyes.  He was the leader of the toads near Bat Mountpit. (MF)

MARTIN THE WARRIOR. The central figure of the Redwall series.   Male mouse. Son of Luke the Warrior and Sayna, grandson of Windred. His mother was killed by Vilu Daskar's searats when he was still an infant.  After Luke’s death, he travelled south to Mossflower and was imprisoned by Verdauga. He escaped with Gonff, then went questing with Gonff, Dinny and Log-a-Log to Salamandastron. He returned to Mossflower and liberated it by killing Tsarmina. He was severely wounded in the battle but survived. He then hung up his sword and led a life of peace, becoming Redwall Abbey’s co-founder with Abbess Germaine.  He was buried in a tomb beneath the Abbey. His ghost sometimes appears in dreams and visions to offer advice to troubled Redwallers. (MW, MF, LL)

MASK, THE.  Male otter. His real name was Riverwyte.  Brother of Bargud and Warthorn (Skipper), brother-in-law of Garraway, uncle of Folgrim and Tungro.   He was a fierce warrior until his tail was cut off by vermin.  Then he retired to woodland life and took the name "The Mask."  He lived alone in a large, hollow log in Mossflower.  He had odd, pale eyes.  A master disguise artist, he pretended to be an old fox named Patchcoat to infiltrate Kotir to rescue Gingervere, Ferdy and Coggs.  Unfortunately he was killed by Tsarmina’s arrow in the escape.  He was buried at Camp Willow. (MF, LL)

MOLEDEEP. Subterranean mole meeting place in Mossflower Woods. (MF)

MOSSFLOWER. By Brian Jacques. 1988. Covers the events from Martin the Warrior's arrival in Mossflower, through the defeat of Tsarmina, up to the founding of Redwall Abbey. The epilouge from this novel became the basis for The Outcast of Redwall.

N

[No entries]

O

OAKAPPLE.  Squirrel under Lady Amber's command.   (MF)

OLAV SKYFURROW.  Male wildgoose who gave directions to Salamandastron to Sable Brock after she healed him. (MF)

P

PATCHCOAT. (See Mask, The.)

PEAR.  Female squirrel under Amber’s command. (MF)

POSY STICKLE. Young female hedgehog. Daughter of Ben and Goody. Sister of Ferdy, Coggs and Spike. (MF)

Q

[No entries]

R

RAKER. Male ferret.  A Captain in Kotir. (MF)

RATFLANK.  Male stoat.  He was promoted to the rank of Captain at Kotir after Brogg succeeded Club as Captain of the Guard.  He frequently insulted Tsarmina in tenuous anonymity until she found out and had Brogg kill him. (MF)

RIPFANG. Male searat. Captain of the Bloodwake.   He has one long left fang and is half again as large as a normal searat.  His weapons are a sickle sword and a whiplash.  He fought, sunk and enslaved other searats in the waters around Salamandastron.  He was not superstitious and was the only searat captain who didn't fear the legend of Salamandastron.  He was a nemesis to Boar the Fighter for many seasons, until the hostility came to a head in Boar's Battle, when the badger lord crushed him to death. [Note:   According to redwall.org, this is not the same character as the rat by this name in Lord Brocktree.]  (MF)

ROCKHANGER. Male bat in Bat Mountpit. (MF)

ROOT. Large male otter under Skipper’s command. (MF)

S

SABLE BROCK, LADY. Female badger.  Ancestor of Boar and Bella.  She once helped the injured Olav Skyfurrow, and wrote down directions to Salamandastron. (MF)

SAINT NINIAN'S CHURCH.  Ancient building to the south of Redwall Abbey, on the east side of the road.  It was built before Luke's generation by Ninian's wife.  By the time of the fall of Kotir it was an abandoned, overgrown ruin.  It was fixed up and became the home of Gonff and Columbine and six generations of their descendants.

SANDINGOMM. Reddish wildcat. Wife of Gingervere. (MF)

SCRATCH.  Male weasel. Captain in Kotir.   He was fairly observant, but not alert enough to avoid being killed by a swan defending its eggs. (MF)

SCRATT.  A soldier in Kotir.  He was introduced as a ferret but later consistently called a weasel.  (MF)

SCREAMHOLE. Torture pit of the toads near Bat Mountpit. Home of Snakefish. (MF)

SHARPTAIL. Shrew from Log-a-Log Big Club’s villiage. Former oar slave on the Bloodwake. Has a wife, children and grandchildren. (MF)

SKIPPER. Brother of the Mask. Leader of otters in Mossflower. Headquarters at Camp Willow. (MF)

SLINKBACK. Weasel. Kotir soldier. (MF)

SNAKEFISH. Giant eel in the Screamhole. Set free by Martin, Dinny, Gonff and Log-a-Log. Loves to eat toads. (MF)

SOILFLYER.  Male mole.  Champion digging mole of Mossflower. (MF)

SPEARLADY GORSE. One of Boar’s predecessors as Badger Lord of Salamandastron. (MF, OR)

SPIKE STICKLE. Hedgehog. Son of Ben and Goody. Brother of Coggs, Ferdy and Posy. (MF)

SPLITNOSE. Male stoat.  Soldier in Kotir.   He was sucked down in a mudpit in a stream. (MF)

SPRING. Young female otter under Skipper’s command. Injured by a Kotir soldier’s arrow. (MF)

SPRINGPAW. Squirrel under Amber’s command. (MF)

SQUINT. Male stoat.  Soldier in Kotir.  He was killed by Tsarmina, who was delusional at the time and thought he was Gingervere. (MF)

STARBUCK. Male hare of Salamandastron. Son of Lupin and Buffheart. Older brother of Breeze. (MF, OR)

STORMFIN. Giant pike captured by Skipper and the Mask. Killed Gloomer. (MF)

STREAMER. Young male otter under Skipper’s command. (MF)

SUNFLASH THE MACE. Male Badger with a golden-colored headstripe. Son of Bella and Barkstripe, grandson of Boar, great-grandson of Old Lord Brocktree.  He was born less than a year before Verdauga arrived in Mossflower.  He snuck out of Brockhall one night to avenge his father's death but was far too young to face Kotir.  He disappeared and was presumed dead, yet showed up at Salamandastron many seasons later to succeed Boar as Lord of the Mountain.  (MF, OR)

T

THICKTAIL. Captain in Kotir. Killed by Argulor.   The character was introduced as a weasel but later referred to as a stoat.   (MF)

THRUGG THE STRONG. Childhood friend of Martin the Warrior in the far north. (MF)

TIMBALLISTO (a.k.a. TIMBAL, "T.B.")  Male mouse.  Childhood friend of Martin the Warrior. About three seasons older than Martin.  He was left in charge of the tribe after Luke's death. He was known for building ballistas. He was an oar slave on the Bloodwake, then rescued by Martin and his friends.  He died the winter after he helped overthrow Kotir. (MF, LL, MW)

TRUBBS. Male hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Wother and Ffring.  He later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there. (MF)

TSARMINA GREENEYES.  Female wildcat. Granddaughter of Highland King Mortspear, daughter of Verdauga, niece of Ungatt Trunn, sister of Gingervere.  She was skilled with a bow and arrow.  She poisoned her father and took over leadership of Kotir as the Queen of a Thousand Eyes.   Her other titles included "Queen of Mossflower, slayer of enemies, Lady of the Thousand Eyes, conqueror of all creatures, ruler of Kotir, and Tsarmina the Magnificent."  She was terrified of water, and drowned during combat with Martin the Warrior. (MF)

U

URTHCLAW.  Young male mole.  A champion digger.  Friend of the Stickles. (MF)

URTHRUN THE GRIPPER. One of Boar’s predecessors as Badger Lord of Salamandastron. (MF)

V

VERDAUGA GREENEYES.  Male wildcat. Son of Highland King Mortspear, younger brother of Ungatt Trunn, father of Tsarmina and Gingervere.   He was from the north, and in his prime was considered the mightiest warlord in all the land--with many scars to prove it.  He fought both with and against Bane in his youth.  He later moved southward into Mossflower and took over the fortress Kotir.  He ruled Mossflower as a tyrant for many seasons.  His titles included "Lord of Mossflower, Master of the Thousand Eyes, Slayer of Enemies, and Ruler of Kotir."  He lived to old age, suffered from a prolonged illness, and was eventually poisoned by Tsarmina and Fortunata. (MF)

W

WARTHORN.  (See Skipper.)

WATERWING. Log-a-Log Big Club’s boat.   It was destroyed in the waterfall by Bat Mountpit. It's wreckage was used to build the door over the top opening of Bat Mountpit. (MF)

WHEGG. Skinny rat in Kotir. Friend of Bentbrush.   A mercenary under Bane's command, then a Kotir soldier.  One of the survivors of the flood who were banished from Mossflower. (MF)

WHIPSCALE.  Newt who harasses travellers along the Great South Stream in the western mountains.  Companion of Deathcoil.  (MF)

WILLOW. Female hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Harebell and Honeydew. She later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there.  (MF)

WINGFOLD. Bat in Bat Mountpit. (MF)

WOTHER. Male hare of Salamandastron. Close friend of Trubbs and Ffring.  He later settled in Mossflower and became a founding member of the "Fur and Foot Fighters" border patrol there. (MF)

WUDDSHIPP. Sunk in the River Moss to create a dam to flood Kotir. Formerly named the Bloodwake. (See also Bloodwake.) (MF)

X,Y & Z

[No entries]