Sword of Martin



Before sailing away after Vilu Daskar, Luke the Warrior gave his sword to his son Martin. When Martin was captured by Badrang the Tyrant, the latter posessed the sword for a short period until Martin reclaimed it and went south into Mossflower Woods. The sword was then broken by Tsarmina Greeneyes. Martin carried the broken hilt around his neck during his quest for Salamandastron. There, it was reforged by Boar the Fighter using star metal to become a magnificent weapon that included a red pommel stone and blood channels. Martin wielded the sword to fend off Tsarmina, making Mossflower safe and free.

When Martin's father gave him the sword he told him many things. One of these was that, in the event that Martin should have no child to pass the sword onto, he should hide it away where only a brave, true beast could find it. In compliance with this Martin requested that the sword be hung from the weathervane of Redwall Abbey at his death. He also left a coded poem divulging the swords whereabouts behind his tapestry in Great Hall. Whether or not it was actually hung on the weathervane at that time is unclear, as Simeon the mouse was guided to it underground seasons later. Simeon left it with Dandin, as the younger mouse accompanied Mariel Gullwhacker to the isle of Terramort.

After that quest, Rufe Brush took the sword up to the weathervane, where it stayed until a bolt of lightning brought it down right next to Samkim and Arula. It was stolen by Dingeye and Thura, and later came into the possession of Dethbrush. After dueling with Dethbrush, Samkim temporarily lost the sword to the Deepcoiler. Mara retrieved the sword and returned it to Samkim, who in turn returned it to Redwall. Wild King MacPhearsome then restored it to its place on the weathervane.

It was then taken by King Bloodfeather of the Sparra tribe. His successor, King Bull Sparra, lost it to the adder Asmodeus. Asmodeus possessed the sword at the Quarry until Matthias, another mouse from Redwall, retrieved it and killed the adder. Abbot Mortimer named the sword "Ratdeath", after Matthias defeated Cluny the Scourge. From that point the sword was displayed near the Tapestry of Martin

Later wielders of the sword included the Abbey warriors.