Triss (book)





Summary
At Riftgard, an isle in the far north, the ferret king Agarnu and his cruel offspring, Princess Kurda and Prince Bladd hold sway over a Ratguard army and enslaved creatures. One of the slaves, Trisscar escapes with her friends Shogg and Welfo, southward to Mossflower. In the attempt, her friend Drufo is killed. Meanwhile, Kurda hires a pirate ship, the Seascab, captained by Plugg Firetail, to take her to Mossflower, where she must find the royal artifacts of Riftgard in order to seal her queenship. Riftun accompanies her and Bladd.

In Redwall Abbey, rebellious Dibbuns Ruggum and Bikkle (members of Dibbuns Against Bedtime), run away into Mossflower Woods. They discover Brockhall, the ancestral home of badgers, but are chased by the serpents. Fortunately, they are rescued by the Skipper of otters and Log-a-Log Groo. They bring with them a golden pawring with strange markings.

Sagaxus, heir to Salamandastron, and his friend Bescarum (who go by Sagax and Scarum respectively), leave the mountain for adventure with Kroova Wavedog, in his ketch the Stopdog. Scarum's father, Colonel Whippscut of the Long Patrol, searches for them for Lord Hightor, the Badger Lord. Sagax finds a bow on the ketch (the property of its previous owners) with similar markings to the pawring. They disregard it and decide to journey to Redwall. On their way, they wind up in possesion of a dagger with the same pattern.

Triss and her friends, in their ship, see the same markings. Triss is able to interpret them as an R, H, O, and R, standing for "Royal House of Riftgard". They become dehydrated, but are rescued by the hedgehogs of Peace Island. Welfo remains with her newfound love, Urtica. Triss and Shogg continue south. They cross paths with the Seascab in the middle of a lightning storm that kills Riftun. The contraband vessel escapes.

The Redwall denizens try to explore Brockhall, but it is inhabited by three serpents, wearing a crown with the Riftgard pattern. The adders, Zassaliss, Harssacss, and Sesstra, were the children of Berussca, who killed Sarengo (Agarnu's father), dying in the process. They remained bound by Sarengo's mace and chain. Ovus, a tawny owl, brings Bluddbeak, an ancient red kite from far away to defeat the adders. The birds made an attempt, but both died in the process. Mokug, a golden hamster who had been Sarengo's slave, was rescued and brought with him longer documents in Riftgard script. Martin the Warrior visits Skipper in his dreams, giving the Redwallers the hint they need to decode the message, but it is a riddle that's difficult to interpret.

Sagax, Scarum, and Kroova are captured by the crew of the Seascab, and the Stopdog is destroyed. Triss and Shogg met up with them, and they are able to escape. They set up a hidden stake that injures Plugg, and his tail fells off. He reattaches it with pine resin.

Kurda and her vermin cross paths with the Redwallers, who fend them off. Triss, Shogg, Sagax, Scarum, and Kroova, enter Redwall. Triss sees the sword of Martin and is immediately drawn to it. She wields it as the Redwallers continue to battle the Ratguard army. Bladd is scalded, and Plugg is killed by the snakes. Kurda concentrates her efforts on destroying them.

Shogg helps solve the riddle, which leads the Redwallers to Brockhall. The Ratguards are there at the same time-as are the snakes. Shogg, Sagax, and Triss kill Sesstra, Harssacss, and Zassaliss. Shogg is poisoned, and dies by Triss's side. Scarum (who was supposed to remain at Redwall, but ran off) is captured by Kurda's troops, but rescued by the combined army. Triss and Kurda face off, but Kurda falls on her sword and dies.

Triss, Kroova, Sagax, Scarum, Groo, Skipper, Mokug, and some others, sail to Riftguard and free the slaves. Agarnu drowns. Kroova stays on Riftguard with Sleeve and a mousebabe they name Freedom, and the others return to Redwall.

Characters in Triss