User blog:Kilmarnock228/Why no Mossflower navy
To say that the Redwall series has a nautical theme is a great understatement. Of the the series’ 22 books, around 2/3 involve seagoing vessels in some capacity. Even those that don’t tend to feature rivercraft, and or the mention of seafaring creatures. However, there is a rather puzzling aspect to this whole subject: the good creatures never seem to be able to keep ships around.
Brocktree’s allies seized a number of Ungatt Trunn’s ships, but we never heard from them again. Wuddship was apparently refloated to ship sandstone for the building of Redwall Abbey, but we hear nothing of it afterwards-unless you count it having a creek named after it in Outcast. The ships of Mariel of Redwall were apparently either destroyed or disassembled for timber, though they never really said what became of the Darkqueen. The Pearl Queen evidently sailed off into the sunset, never to be seen again. Salamandastron has picked up a number of ships over the series, but it always seems like they’re eventually retired and never replaced.
Personally, I find it perplexing that, as the series progressed, the heroic forces of Mossflower didn’t develop a standing navy, or at least a ship or two. They seem to make good use of ships that they happen to acquire from vermin, so it seems strange that they would fail to maintain such vessels or replace them when they presumably wore out. It’s especially puzzling for Salamandastron, given that the vast majority of threats to it come from the sea. You’d think that after being land bound while dealing with such adversaries as Ripfang, Gabool, and the Rapscallions, they’d have started seeing the advantages of being able to meet seagoing enemies on their own terms. I would hardly call any Badger Lord or their hare subordinates fools-for self preservation among other reasons-but it does bring to mind Princess Kurda’s statement about the ruler of a realm bordered by the sea having no ships.
Defense matters aside, it would also allow the various settlements of the Redwall world to maintain better connections. Places like Southsward, Riftgard, Green Isle, and even Noonvale could have been recurring if Salamandastron and/or Redwall could have kept a ship or two around for more than one book at a time. Instead, they’re lucky to get a mention after their debut book.
Just some thoughts.