Deyna/Zann Juskarath Taggerung
Species: Otter Place of Origin: Redwall Abbey Gender: Male Weapon: Sawney Rath's dagger, and eventually the sword of Martin. Death: Unknown
Books Appears: Taggerung Mentioned: Triss

Deyna was the son of Rillflag and Filorn, brother of Mhera, and ancestor of the Skipper in Triss. He was born with a birthmark on his pawpad in the shape of a speedwell flower. As Rillflag had an ancestor who had a birthmark and was named Deyna, the young otter was given that name. As a babe he was kidnapped by Sawney Rath, whose seer Grissoul had predicted that the new Taggerung would be a creature of Redwall Abbey and would have a mark resembling a speedwell.

Deyna was an extremely competent warrior. He spent most of his youth being trained in the ways of war by Sawney's tribe. In time he became a peerless tracker and master of many forms of combat; on one occasion disabling an assailant, despite being bound paw and foot. However, Deyna was far from violent and his strong morals prevented him from taking a life; which put him at odds with his adoptive father--who realized that Deyna would never become the merciless living weapon he wanted him to be. While Deyna respected Sawney as a leader, he was disgusted by Sawney's ruthlessness which eventually lead him to desert the tribe.

As the young otter grew up in the vermin camp, he began to feel as though he didn't belong. Finally, after an argument with Sawney, Deyna (or Tagg, as he was known) left the Juska camp for good. (Tagg was short for Zann Juskarath Taggerung, which, according to Sawney Rath, meant "Mighty Warrior of Our Clan".) Sawney wanted Tagg to kill a Juska who ran away from the camp and stole Sawney Rath's blade, but Tagg made it clear he only wanted punishment, as the otter was truly a goodbeast, even though he was growing up among vermin. Tagg's rival, Gruven vowed to slay Tagg and take his title of Taggerung. During his journey to find his true self, Tagg met a young harvest mouse named Nimbalo. The two stopped at the Cavemob, and stayed with them until vermin from Gruven's group attacked them. Tagg rushed out to confront the vermin, but they ran away. The otter did catch Ribrow, however, who told Tagg of his past and how he came from Redwall Abbey. And so, Tagg finally returned to Redwall. At that time, Redwall was under attack by Vallug Bowbeast. However, when Tagg initially arrived, he was thought to be a vermin, due to the the tattoos covering his face, and was beaten unconscious by the Redwallers and locked up. When he regained consciousness, he was let out but went rushing off to save his friend Nimbalo, and took up the only weapon he could find--The Sword of Martin the Warrior. He beheaded Vallug, but not before the former had shot him in the chest with an arrow and had shot Cregga near her heart. Despite his wound, Deyna pursued and slew Eefera before passing out. The Skipper of otters took him to a healer, a legendary otterfixer named Rukky Garge. In order to stop the marking on his pawpad from causing further trouble in his life, Tagg had both it and his Juska tattoos removed by the otterfixer. When Deyna returned, he was reunited with his sister and mother. Deyna, never to be known as Tagg ever again, took up the sword of Martin and was made the Abbey Warrior. Deyna became the first otter to be an Abbey Warrior, and his sister Mhera became the first otter to be Abbess.

 

Ruggan Bor, a fox who had taken over the Juskarath, came to Redwall in the hopes of conquering it, killing Tagg and to see if Gruven had been telling the truth about him killing the Taggerung, but he was stopped by Russano the Badgerlord, who had come to the Abbey after being informed by a vision of Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, while also killing Gruven in the process.

Skipper of Otters and Master of Arms at Redwall Abbey in Triss is a direct descendant of Deyna. He also seems to have inherited some of his skills.

EtymologyEdit

In keeping with his predicted destiny, Deyna's name may be derived from the Welsh deyrnas, which means "kingdom" or "realm."