Russano the Wise

Russano the Wise was a male badger, the husband of Lady Rosalaun and the father of Melanius and Snowstripe.

As an orphaned infant, he was discovered by the hares of the Long Patrol in Mossflower Woods. The squirrel Russa Nodrey lost her life defending the baby badger from the vermin that killed his guardian, an old unnamed badger who was presumably Russano's grandmother, or nanny. The infant was named Russano in honor of Russa and her sacrifice (Russa Nodrey).

When the hares brought the little badger to Redwall Abbey, he was guarded and cared for by the blind Cregga Rose Eyes, Badger Mother of Redwall. As he grew up, he acted as Cregga's eyes and she taught and trained him. When he reached young adulthood, he left Redwall to succeed Cregga as Badger Lord of Salamandastron.

Russano was one of the few Badger Lords to have a family while ruling the mountain. He loved young creatures and disliked fighting, and was one of the few Badger Lords in Salamandastron history to not be afflicted with the Bloodwrath. He was kind, wise and laid-back, and his primary weapon was the polished hardwood stick that had once belonged to Russa Nodrey. The stick was possibly given to him by one of his rescuers such as Tammo. As a humble badger he tended to dress simply, often in a plain brown cloak and tabard with a wide woven belt. He also enjoyed writing and learning badger lore, as he was the one who compiled the story of Lord Brocktree and read it to all the hares in the mountain.

In his later years as ruler of the mountain, he traveled to Redwall just in time to rescue the Abbey from the attack of the fox Ruggan Bor. Rather than killing the leader and his horde, he stripped them of their weapons and forced them to crawl on their bellies southward until sunset. While this was a testament to his mercy and dislike for battle, he coupled it with a warning that should they ever come within a season's journey of Redwall, they would not find him as understanding.

It is assumed that either his son or daughter became the next ruler of Salamandastron after his death.