imported>LordTBT at 20:04, 16 June 2026

2026-06-16T20:04:47Z

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{{Character|
image=
<gallery>
Cluny.jpg|1
Cluny2.jpg|2
Clunyfangorn.jpg|3
ClunyRGN.jpg|4
</gallery>
|caption=
|color=background:#ff8080
|character_name=Cluny the Scourge
|species=[[:Category:Rats|Bilge rat]]
|origin=Unknown, allegedly far-away jungles
|gender=Male
|weapon=Poisoned tail barb, [[sword]], iron spike
|death=Killed by [[Matthias]], via the [[Joseph Bell]]
|books=''[[Redwall]]''
|ment=''[[Pearls of Lutra]]'', ''[[Taggerung (book)|Taggerung]]''
|voice=*Diego Matamoros (''[[Redwall - Season 1|Redwall]]'')
*Jason Mulhearn
|tvseries=[[Redwall - Season 1|Season 1]]
|}}

'''Cluny the Scourge''' was an enormous black male bilge sea rat horde leader with unknown origins. It is believed that he once was involved with [[Corsair|seafaring]] and came from distant jungles. One of Cluny's most distinguishing features, as well as his primary weapon, was his own tail, which was long, powerful, and whip-like. In battle, he fastened a poison spike to its tip and used it to lash out at his enemies. He commanded a [[Cluny's Horde|vast 500-strong horde]] of rats with a smattering of weasels, stoats, and ferrets.

Cluny had one eye, the other was lost during a battle with a pike; he covered its empty socket with an eyepatch. Cluny wore a cloak made out of batwings that was fastened at his throat with the skull of a mole. His war helmet was adorned with blackbird feathers and stag beetle horns. He was extraordinarily strong, fast, and agile, but unusually intelligent, observant, ambitious, and a master tactician as well.

Cluny was one of [[Redwall Abbey]]'s most competent and formidable enemies.

===History===
While Cluny the Scourge's origin is a mystery, he wrought a path of destruction that seemingly began in the [[Northlands|Far North]]. After discovering a mine owned by badgers and others, he attempted to take it for his army, however he lost a battle for the territory. He later returned to collapse the mine and kill everyone inside. As Cluny moved south over several seasons, his horde burned down a farmhouse, consumed a litter of piglets, infected livestock with disease, and destroyed a village with a cow stampede.

===Assault of Redwall Abbey===
After Cluny arrived in Mossflower Woods, he expanded his army and made a name for himself as a warlord. During the [[Summer of the Late Rose]], Cluny waged an [[Late Rose Summer Wars|intense war]] against the residents of [[Redwall Abbey]] in an effort to take the structure and rename it Cluny Castle.

During the process, he experienced deranged dreams of a mysterious warrior mouse and frequently lost control of his temper.

Cluny's various tactics included a false attempt at parlaying, tunneling under the walls, a battering ram, boarding the ramparts from a tree, and building a massive [[Siege Tower]] to reach over the walls. All of these attempts failed. His final plan, which resulted in success, involved forcing the dormouse [[Plumpen]] to open the gates for him by threatening to kill his captive family members.

After entering the Abbey, Cluny quickly subdued the Redwallers and would have certainly conquered them if not for the timely return of [[Matthias]], who had procured the missing [[Sword of Martin|sword]] of [[Martin the Warrior]], bringing with him the [[Guosim]] and the deadly [[Sparra]] warriors.

Though Cluny far outmatched Matthias in strength, force, experience, and skill, the young mouse was able to defeat the rat by slashing the rope that held the Abbey's [[Joseph Bell]] in place, causing it to free-fall towards Cluny and crush him before he even knew what was happening.

Prior to his death, he murdered [[Abbot Mortimer]] with his poisoned tail barb.

===Legacy===
Cluny the Scourge was mentioned by [[Rollo]] as one who resided in [[Saint Ninian's Church]] prior to its burning; by [[Sawney Rath]] as one who tried (and failed) to enter Redwall Abbey; and in a poem about the Abbey bell that killed him.

===Nelvana Redwall TV Series===
[[Image:Cluny54.jpg|thumb||right|Cluny the Scourge from the [[Redwall TV Series]]]]
In the [[Redwall TV Series]], Cluny is portrayed as having killed [[Matthias]]' [[Myrtle (Redwall TV Series)|family]] during an attack on their village. Cluny the Scourge and [[Badrang the Tyrant]] shared the same voice actor, Diego Matamoros.

===Other References===
[[File:Scourgelabel.jpg|right|200px|Scourge]]
*Off Color Brewing in Chicago, IL, named a 9.9% ABV Belgian-style stout "Scourge" after Cluny, with accompanying artwork.

===Trivia===
*Watch [[Brian Jacques]] discuss Cluny the Scourge [https://youtu.be/rCYIp6SdjI4?si=wkURWpC6xwZxj6I5&t=161 here].
*Cluny the Scourge is originally described as Portuguese, however Portugal [[Redwall FAQ|does not exist]] in the world of ''Redwall''.
*Many of Cluny's past misdeeds involve animal species that were later retconned out of the ''Redwall'' universe as ''Redwall'' was not intended to be published.
*The name Cluny was meant to rhyme with the word "loony" as Brian Jacques describes him as a "mad type."
*Cluny the Scourge, [[General Ironbeak]], [[Badredd]], and [[Raga Bol]] have the distinction of being the only villains to successfully hold Redwall Abbey.
*Cluny the Scourge is one of two characters known to be killed by a Redwall Abbey bell or bells; the other is [[Tarul]].

[[fr:Cluny]]
[[de:Cluny die Geißel]]
[[ru:Клуни Хлыст]]

[[Category:Villains]]
[[Category:Villain Leaders]]
[[Category:Rats]]
[[Category:Redwall Characters]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Recurring characters]]
[[Category:Corsairs]]
[[Category:Sea Rats]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall TV Series Characters]]
[[Category:Nelvana Redwall Season One Characters]]
[[Category:Disabled Characters]]

Cluny the Scourge - Revision history

imported>LordTBT at 20:04, 16 June 2026