imported>LordTBT at 22:11, 21 July 2025

2025-07-21T22:11:34Z

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{{Character|
image=
<gallery>
Image:Deyna.jpg|1
File:DeynatheWarrior.jpg|2
Image:Tagg-big.jpg|3
</gallery>
|caption=
|color=background:#ff8080
|character_name=Deyna
|species=[[:Category:Otters|Otter]]
|origin=[[Redwall Abbey]]
|gender=Male
|weapon=[[Sawney Rath]]'s [[dagger]], eventually the [[The Sword of Martin|sword]] of [[Martin the Warrior|Martin]]
|death=Unknown
|parent=*[[Rillflag]]
*[[Filorn]]
|sibling=[[Abbess Mhera]] (sister)
|books=''[[Taggerung (book)|Taggerung]]''
|ment=''[[Triss (book)|Triss]]''
|}}

{{#SQuote:
|id=11
|text=No beast can escape me. I am the Taggerung.
|speaker=[[Deyna]]
|receiver=[[Felch]]
}}

'''Deyna''', also known as '''Zann Juskarath Taggerung''' and '''Tagg''', was a male otter warrior of [[Redwall Abbey]]. He was the son of [[Rillflag]] and [[Filorn]], brother of [[Abbess Mhera|Mhera]], and ancestor of [[Churk]], [[Rumbol]], and [[Skipper (Triss)|Skipper]]. He was born with a birthmark on his paw pad in the shape of a speedwell flower. As Rillflag had an ancestor who had a birthmark and was named [[Deyna I|Deyna]], the young otter was given his name. As a babe, he was kidnapped by the vermin [[Sawney Rath]], whose seer [[Grissoul]] had predicted that the new [[Taggerung]] would be a creature of Redwall 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 [[Juskarath|tribe]], where he was called Zann Juskarath Taggerung, which, according to Sawney Rath, meant "Mighty Warrior of Our Clan." In time he became a peerless tracker and master of many forms of combat, on one occasion disabling [[Madd|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 led 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 left the [[Juska]] for good. Sawney wanted Deyna to kill a [[Felch|Juska]] member who ran away and stole Sawney Rath's blade, but Deyna made it clear he only wanted punishment, as the otter was truly good. Deyna's rival, [[Gruven Zann|Gruven]], vowed to slay Deyna and take his title of Taggerung.

During a journey to discover his true self, Deyna was welcomed for a night into the home of a [[Krobzy's tribe|tribe]] of voles. Soon after, he was confronted by Madd, and defended by her friend, [[Botarus]], who guided Deyna to the flatlands which lay before a range of mountains the otter wanted to visit. It was in these flatlands that Deyna met [[Nimbalo the Slayer|Nimbalo]]. The two stopped at the [[Cavemob]], and stayed with them until vermin from Gruven's group attacked them. Deyna rushed out to confront the vermin, but they ran away. The otter did catch [[Ribrow]], however, who told Deyna of his past and how he came from Redwall Abbey. And so, Deyna finally returned to Redwall.

During his journey, he received a vision of the spirit of [[Martin the Warrior]], calling to him.

At that time, Redwall was under attack by [[Vallug Bowbeast]]. However, when Deyna initially arrived, he was thought to be a vermin, due to the tattoos covering his face. He was beaten unconscious by the Redwallers and locked up. When he regained consciousness, and he heard that his friend Nimbalo was in danger outside of the Abbey, he convinced [[Broggle]] to let him out; as he went rushing off to save Nimbalo, he took up the only weapon he could find, the [[Sword of Martin|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 [[Lady Cregga Rose Eyes]] near her heart. Despite his wound, Deyna pursued and slew [[Eefera]] before passing out. The [[Skipper (The Taggerung)|Skipper]] took him to [[Rukky Garge]].

In order to stop the marking on his paw pad from causing further trouble in his life, Deyna had both it and his Juska tattoos removed. When Deyna returned, he was reunited with his sister and mother. Deyna took up the Sword of Martin and was chosen as the Abbey Warrior.

===Deyna's Tattoos===
Deyna was tattooed with the facial symbols of the [[Juska]], which consisted of a black stripe going from his skull to his nose, with red dots on either side of the stripe. He also had a blue lightning flash on his left cheek.

===Trivia===
*In keeping with his predicted destiny, Deyna's name may be derived from the Welsh ''deyrnas'', which means "kingdom" or "realm."
*Deyna was the first and only official otter Abbey Warrior, and one of only three otters (the others being [[Bragoon]] and [[Jum Gurdy]]) known to have wielded the Sword of Martin.
*According to ''Ask Brian Vol. 4'', Tagg was [[Brian Jacques]]' favorite character in ''[[Taggerung (book)|Taggerung]]''.
[[Category:Heroes]]
[[Category:Otters]]
[[Category:Taggerung Characters]]
[[Category:Abbey Warriors]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Recurring characters]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Vision Recipients]]
[[Category:Redwallers]]

Deyna - Revision history

imported>LordTBT at 22:11, 21 July 2025