Salamandastron

Lore & Background

Salamandastron is the mountain fortress of the Badger Lord Urthstripe the Strong, who defends it against Ferahgo the Assassin and his horde. The fortress is also home to Mara, Urthstripe's young adopted daughter, and her hare friend Pikkle Ffolger. During the siege, Ferahgo sends a fox named Farran the Poisoner to infiltrate the mountain and poison the food and water supplies, causing the deaths of two hares. Urthstripe corners Farran in the lower tunnels and kills him by force-feeding him his own deadly substances. Later, Urthstripe pours boiling water into a tunnel Ferahgo's horde is digging, burning Ferahgo and killing thirty of his soldiers. The mountain also holds a closed-off kitchen outlet that the horde attempts to use as an entry point.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the granite peaks as Mara the badgermaid stood before the heavy oak doors of Salamandastron. Lightning flashed through the storm clouds above, illuminating the ancient stonework. Inside, the Badger Lord Urthstripe the Strong prepared for battle against Ferahgo the Assassin and his Corpsemakers. The fortress stood as a promise: no matter how dark the night became, there was always a place where light could be kindled again against the coming storm. But Mara, tired of the strict ways of Salamandastron, decided to leave with her friend Pikkle, only to be tricked by Klitch, Ferahgo's son, and his lackey Goffa. Their journey would lead them to the Guerilla Union of South Stream Shrews of Mossflower and a quest for the Blackstone.

Reader's Guide

Salamandastron serves as the central setting for the novel's main conflict, a siege by Ferahgo the Assassin and his Corpsemakers. The fortress is defended by Urthstripe the Strong, the Badger Lord, and his hares. The siege involves treachery, including the poisoning of food and water by Farran the Poisoner, who kills two hares before being killed by Urthstripe. The horde also attempts to tunnel through a sealed kitchen outlet, but Urthstripe pours boiling water into the tunnel, burning Ferahgo and killing thirty soldiers. The mountain is also home to Mara, Urthstripe's adopted daughter, who leaves with Pikkle Ffolger. The story also follows Samkim and Arula from Redwall Abbey, who pursue the stolen Sword of Martin the Warrior, and Thrugg and Dumble, who seek a cure for the Dryditch fever ravaging the Abbey.

Did You Know?

• Salamandastron is the fourth book published and eighth chronologically in the Redwall series.
• The novel features a sand lizard named Swinkee, whose tail is accidentally pulled off by Pikkle Ffolger during a fight.
• The Deepcoiler, a large monster residing in a lake, terrorizes the Guosssom and is eventually stabbed through the eye by Samkim with the Sword of Martin.
• Ferahgo the Assassin is a weasel warlord who leads an army called the Corpsemakers.
• The cure for Dryditch fever is the Flowers of Icetor from the Mountains of the North, boiled in springwater.

The Siege of Salamandastron

The central conflict of the narrative revolves around the brutal assault on the mountain stronghold by Ferahgo the Assassin and his Corpsemakers. This weasel warlord seeks to overthrow Urthstripe the Strong, the Badger Lord who has long defended the fortress. The siege is characterized by treachery rather than open battle alone; Ferahgo employs a cunning fox named Farran the Poisoner to infiltrate the mountain's defenses. Farran successfully contaminates the food and water supplies, causing tragic casualties among the defenders before Urthstripe deduces the sabotage. In a grim turn of justice, the Badger Lord corners the poisoner in the lower tunnels and forces him to consume his own deadly concoctions. The siege escalates when Ferahgo's horde attempts to tunnel through a sealed kitchen outlet. However, their efforts are thwarted when Urthstripe discovers the breach and pours boiling water into the passage, inflicting severe burns on the warlord and decimating thirty of his soldiers.

The Quest for the Blackstone

Parallel to the siege, a complex subplot follows Mara the badgermaid and her companion Pikkle Ffolger as they leave Salamandastron seeking adventure. Their journey leads them into captivity by cannibalistic toads under King Glagweb, where they are rescued by the Guosssom, a shrew guerrilla union led by Log-a-Log. Grateful for their salvation, Mara and Pikkle agree to aid the shrews in retrieving the Blackstone, a sacred symbol of leadership stolen by a mysterious badger ghost. This quest takes them across treacherous waters infested with the Deepcoiler, a monstrous lake creature that terrorizes the region. Upon reaching an island forest, they discover the 'ghost' is actually Urthwyte, the long-lost brother of Urthstripe. The revelation connects the past to the present, as Loambudd, the ancient matriarch, recounts how Ferahgo murdered her sons years prior during a failed peace conference, explaining the deep-seated hatred driving the current conflict.

Betrayal and Internal Conflict

The narrative explores themes of betrayal through the character of Klitch, Ferahgo's son, who initially appears as an ally to Mara and Pikkle. After being tricked by the young weasel and his ferret companion Goffa, the protagonists are nearly led into a trap before Sergeant Sapwood intervenes. The story also highlights internal strife within the villainous ranks; Klitch frequently clashes with his father over strategy, criticizing Ferahgo's age while the warlord dismisses Klitch as naive. This tension culminates in an assassination attempt by two of Ferahgo's own soldiers. The weasel warlord anticipates this treachery, manipulating the plotters into killing a rat instead before executing them himself. Meanwhile, at Redwall Abbey, two deserting stoats face suspicion from the residents until their innocence is proven, illustrating how trust and deception play out on both sides of the conflict.

The Plague at Redwall Abbey

While the mountain faces invasion, Redwall Abbey suffers a different kind of devastation as a deadly fever ravages its inhabitants. The crisis begins when two mischievous stoats steal the legendary Sword of Martin the Warrior after accidentally killing Brother Hal with a carnival bow. Young Samkim the squirrel and Arula the molemaid embark on a perilous journey to reclaim the stolen weapon, hoping to restore order. Simultaneously, the only hope for curing the plague lies with an otter named Thrugg and his partner, Dumble the dormouse, who must find a remedy before the disease claims more lives. This subplot underscores the vulnerability of even the most peaceful sanctuaries when faced with chaos. The convergence of these events—the theft of the sword, the spread of illness, and the external war at Salamandastron—creates a web of urgency that threatens to overwhelm Mossflower's defenders.