Otters in Redwall

In the fictional universe of the Redwall novel series by Brian Jacques, the many anthropomorphic characters include numerous otters. Several of these otters fit into the roles of either Skipper of Otters or Redwall Champion:

kippers

Skipper is the title given to the leader of the otter tribes in Mossflower Woods, as well as leaders of holts.

Notable Otters

Each otter is described, followed in parentheses by the novel(s) in which he/she appears.

Cheek

A young orphaned otter who disliked water. He was found by Matthias and company during their quest to save the children of Redwall from Slagar the Cruel. Despite showing "cheek" towards his elders, he greatly admired, and was later adopted by, Basil Stag Hare.

("Mattimeo")

Finnbarr Galedeep

Missing an eye and an ear, and covered in scars and tattoos, Finnbarr was the captain of the vessel "Pearl Queen". However, it was stolen from him by a group of searats who also killed his wife and two sons. Years later, a group of Redwallers and Guosim aided him in retrieving his vessel. As thanks, Finnbarr captained the ship in a voyage to the country of Southsward. Proving himself an able seaman, Finnbarr became good friends with Joseph the Bellmaker.

Upon arriving in Southsward, Finnbarr joined the battle with Urgan Nagru the fox. In the end, Finnbarr entered battle with Foxwolf himself, killing him at the cost of his own life. As he lay dying, he asked Joseph to point him toward the sea, and his last living thought was of himself sailing off in the "Pearl Queen".

Finnbarr's chosen weapons were a pair of curved swords that he wore on his back. He held them in his grasp as he died, and they were later presented to Rufe Brush and Durry Quill for their bravery. In honor of their slain comrades, they named the blades: one Finnbarr after its original owner, and one Fatch after a brave shrew who gave his life to save Rufe. Finbarr's battle cry was "Galedeeeep!"

("The Bellmaker")

Thrugg

An otter who lives at Redwall with his twin sister Thrugann, Thrugg is highly dependable. A good friend of all Redwallers, he was encouraging of Samkim squirrel, the young one who took up the Sword of Martin. After Samkim departed on a journey that would take him to Salamandastron, Thrugg was at Redwall when it was struck by the epidemic of Dryditch Fever.

Seeking both to escape the disease and help his friends, Thrugg set off to find the Flowers of Icetor in the Northern Mountains. His only companion was a young dormouse named Dumble, who followed Thrugg out of the Abbey and whom the otter didn't have the heart to turn away, after the infant claimed to be terrified of dying of the fever. Thrugg empathised, as one of the reasons he had left, in addition to helping his friends, was because he was afraid of the illness. The two traveled a great distance, meeting and making friends with the young falcon Rocangus.

Upon arriving at the Northern Mountains, Thrugg met with the holder of the Icetor Flowers, the Wild King MacPhearsome. After the king saw Thrugg's determination (and how Dumble was prepared to fight), he agreed to carry some flowers to Redwall. Thrugg returned in company with Rocangus and several other falcons, all of them having had several adventures along the way.

As a gift for his valiant efforts, Thrugg was given a carved bowl and spoon which came with the promise that it would be filled with hotroot soup whenever he wanted. The brave otter later helped keep the Abbess out of Redwall while they prepared a Nameday feast. Thrugg was also one of those who met the returning Samkim and the arriving Mara, the adopted daughter of Badger Lord Urthstripe the Strong.

("Salamandastron")

Kroova Wavedog

Orphaned and grown up on his own, Kroova Wavedog was a good friend to the young Badger Lord Sagaxus. When Sagaxus left Salamandastron to get away from his parents, Lord Hightor and Lady Merola, he and his friend Bescarum, or Scarum for short, took to the seas with Kroova. Their vessel was a ketch that Kroova had stolen from three searats. He named it the "Stopdog", and when asked why, he said that was the last thing he heard the rats crying out: "Stop, dog!"

Kroova and the others journeyed northward, eventually making plans to go to Redwall Abbey. Along the way, they had many adventures, including many incidents when both otter and badger had to scold the gluttonous-even for a hare-Scarum. Their luck eventually ran out when they were found by a crew of Freebooters, and in the ensuing battle, the "Stopdog" was set ablaze and destroyed. Fortunately for the three, they were rescued by Trisscar Swordmaid and her otter friend Shogg.

Teaming up with their two saviors, Kroova and his companions continued their journey towards Redwall, meeting Guosim shrews along the way and recruiting them to the cause of battling the pursuing Freebooters and their passengers from Riftgard. During this course of events, Kroova became good friends with Shogg. Kroova was among those left behind to guard Redwall when Sagaxus, Shogg, and several others went out to search for Brockhall. He bid goodbye to Shogg, promising that they would share a pot of shrimp-and-hotroot soup-a favorite otter dish-when he got back.

Kroova was destined to be disappointed, as Shogg died in battle against three massive adders. Determined to fulfil the goals of his fallen friend, he traveled with Triss, Sagax, Scarum, and a veritable army of volunteers to Riftgard. While there, he saved a female sea otter named Sleeve from death at the hands of a slavemaster. The two became close, and even adopted an orphaned mousebabe, who Kroova named Freedom. He stayed on at Riftgard while his friends returned home, and due to his experience of the outside world was looked to by all for guidance.

("Triss")

hogg

Born north of Mossflower, Shogg was a slave in the kingdom of Riftgard along with his friends Trisscar Swordmaid and Welfo the hedgehog. The three plotted together to escape slavery, find help, and come back and free the other slaves. After their initial escape plan was discovered, they escaped and stole a vessel belonging to the Pure Ferret rulers of Riftgard. They landed on the beautiful Peace Island, and left Welfo with the native hedgehogs to live in peace.

Landing in Mossflower country, Shogg and Triss fled from the pursuing Pure Ferrets and Freebooters. Along the way, they met future Badger Lord Sagaxus and his friends Kroova Wavedog and Bescarum. Fleeing together, the group ended up at Redwall Abbey. As time went on, Shogg became good friends with Kroova, and his friendship with Triss deepened. He later accompanied her to Brockhall, where he slew the adder Harsaccs. He was ultimately poisoned to death by Harsaccs' brother Zassalis, and was laid to rest at Redwall.

("Triss")

Churk

Neice of the Skipper of Otters, Churk is has a brilliant young mind. She spends most of her time studying, and helps Criklus figure out the code of the Riftgard alphabet. She eventually succeeds Malbon as healer of Redwall.

("Triss")

Bragoon

Bragoon is an otter who lived at Redwall Abbey. Bragoon and his squirrel pal, Saro, caused lots of mischief in their youth. Then they left the Abbey and became warriors known throughout the land.

("Loamhedge")

Tiria Wildlough

Tiria was born and grew up in Redwall Abbey, the tall daughter of Banjon Wildlough. An able-bodied fighter, she dreamed of becoming a Skipper of Otters, something that was forbidden to her by Mossflower Otter Law. However, she soon found herself thrust into a very different role after the arrival of first an injured osprey, and then an injured goose in Mossflower. Taking them back to Redwall, Tiria learned of their plight, driven from the formerly otter-ruled Green Isle by the wildcat warlord Riggu Felis.

Tiria discovered that she was the descendant of Green Isle's last High Queen, Rhulain Wildlough, through her brother Coriam, who had ended up at Redwall after his sister's death. After receiving several dreams from Martin the Warrior, she set off with Pandion Piketalon, heading towards the coast with Green Isle as her final destination. Along the way, she met and befriended the Guosim shrew tribe, who helped her find proper ocean transportation in the form of Cuthbert Blanedale Frunk, a hare from Salamandastron.

Sailing south, Tiria came to the mountain, and met Badger Lord Mandoral Highpeak. The two became good friends, and Mandoral told Tiria the story of Rhulain's last voyage. He then aided her in an attempt to recover Rhulain's golden coronet from the bottom of the sea, not aware of the fact that the royal regalia had been in the possession of Coriam. After their failure, Mandoral presented her with Rhulain's last commissioned set of regalia, which included a breastplate created by the albino Badger Lord Urthwyte the Mighty.

Tiria was then given a group of Mandoral's Long Patrol to aid her in the liberation of Green Isle. Whilst there, she was met by the formerly injured goose Brantalis, who presented her with the coronet of Rhulain, which had been recovered by searching Redwallers. Tiria then met and assumed command of her subjects on Green Isle, and accompanied them to battle against Riggu Felis. She then slew the wildcat following his murder of the noble Pandion Piketalon.

Tiria later traveled with her people to the beautiful Holt Summerdell in Green Isle's northern territory. Along the way, they were forced to contend with remnants of Felis' command led by his rebellious son Pitru. The feral cats were slain, but at the cost of the life of Cuthbert Frunk, who not only killed Pitru, but also the monster Slothunog.

Tiria took over as Queen of Green Isle, and corresponded regularly with her Redwall friends. She supervised many new projects on Green Isle, including the formation of the Green Clan Regiment, which the otters had created after seeing the efficiency of the organized Long Patrol.

Tiria's main weapon was a sling, of which she had two: one called Wuppit, which she had carried for many years at Redwall, and the other made for her out of sharkskin by Mandoral Highpeak. Her regalia consisted of a golden coronet with a large emerald inset, a silver breastplate with a gold star on it made of special metals, and a cloak and kilt made by the wardrobers of Salamandastron.

("High Rhulain")

Grath Longfletch

Grath Longfletch was a member of the holt Lutra in Pearls of Lutra. She was the sole survivor of an attack on her holt under order of Ublaz the Mighty. She was found and returned to health by a bankvole couple and set off to exact vengeance on Ublaz. She procures a boat by killing a group of deserter vermin from one of Ublaz's ships. She sails southward and meets the Gousim who help her to repair her boat. She eventually meets Martin the Warrior (Son of Mattimeo) and his friends to fight Ublaz the Mighty. Afterwards she goes back and lives with Inbar Trueflight at ruddering.("The Pearls of Lutra")

Bark Crew

The Bark Crew was a group of otters and hares established by Stiffener Medick and Brogalaw. They wore hooded cloaks and reed masks, and they intercepted Wildcat Warlord Ungatt Trunn's scouts and foraging parties in an attempt to starve the usurper out of the mountain. Over time, the rats of Trunn's Blue Hordes came to fear the infamous Bark Crew.

Trunn became wise to the actions of the Bark Crew and laid a trap for them upon the clifftops near Salamandastron. The Bark Crew was caught in a pincer movement, and crew members Torleep and Willip were slain in the battle, along with all but ten other members. When all hope seemed lost, Lord Brocktree arrived with reinforcements and the vermin were driven off. After Ungatt Trunn was killed and his hordes driven out of Salamandastron, there was no longer a need for the Bark Crew and it was disbanded.

Known members of the Bark Crew include: Stiffener Medick, Brogalaw, Torleep, Sailears, Konul, Durvy, Willip, Fergun, Trobee, Urvo, and Radd.

Voices

*Thrugg was voiced by Paul Braithwaite in the full-cast audiobook.
*Kroova was voiced by Marc Jacques in the full-cast audiobook.
*Shogg was voiced by Greg Longridge in the full-cast audiobook.
*Tiria was voiced by Keddy Sutton in the full-cast audiobook.