The Dark Forest was a place some of the earlier novels used. It was a place that woodland animals believed dead creatures went. What are your guy's thoughts on this place?
Hard to say. Interesting concept of a place, I think. The characters in the books make reference to dark forest, "hellgates," and a place of sunny streams and hills (or something like that), so there's also the question of whether or not they consider these three different places or just one. If they believe in three, an argument might be made for hellgates/sunny!place being one concept most people are familiar with, and dark forest being something else where, maybe, creatures can come back from the dead... kind of like how Martin and the badger lords do.
Or more than likely they all refer to the same thing - afterlife - and that's all there is to it.
They seem to use Dark Forest very loosely, as a place where both good and bad animals go, but sometimes they use 'hellgates' for bad ones.
If I remember correctly, Dark Forest was used to refer to the afterlife for any creature except for the truly evil (any main baddie or a high level mook).
Something interesting I noticed in the books, the dark forest is only mentioned in (correct me if i'm wrong) the novels set in the pre-redwall era.
Dark Forest is mentioned throughout the whole series, if not in every book. Hellgates is similar in appearance
I always thought that "hellgates" or I'm sure it'd be safe just to use "hell" is, obviously, the bad place, and the "sunny slopes" are inside of dark forest. I think of dark forest is just like Mossflower but minus the vermin.
Sunny Slopes: Heaven
Hellgates: Hell
Dark Forest: The After Life
Brian Jacques said otherwise. In the Ask Brian Files, he mentioned neither Hellgates nor Dark Forest as being either heaven or hell. Very specifically, and said they were simply an afterlife referred to during the series.
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 04, 2011, 01:55:26 AM
Brian Jacques said otherwise. In the Ask Brian Files, he mentioned neither Hellgates nor Dark Forest as being either heaven or hell. Very specifically, and said they were simply an afterlife referred to during the series.
That's odd though. I don't understand why mr. Jacques would say hellgates isn't hell. I'd imagine when some of the creatures say "I'm going to send you to hellgates" they mean the gates of hell.
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 04, 2011, 02:41:36 AM
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 04, 2011, 01:55:26 AM
Brian Jacques said otherwise. In the Ask Brian Files, he mentioned neither Hellgates nor Dark Forest as being either heaven or hell. Very specifically, and said they were simply an afterlife referred to during the series.
That's odd though. I don't understand why mr. Jacques would say hellgates isn't hell. I'd imagine when some of the creatures say "I'm going to send you to hellgates" they mean the gates of hell.
I wonder if "hellgates" was a colloquialism he picked up, just like "blood n' vinegar" and "Hawayyy the braw"...
I think hellgates was something that came up during the first Redwall novel - before he had everything sorted out for the series - and then just stuck. It's something every reader can identify (bad version of the afterlife) but isn't meant to allude to the Christian hell, exactly. It's always referred to as hellgates, one word.
I don't get it, how can Hellgates not be a reference to hell? I just don't quite understand your point.
Hellgates is Hellgates, Hell is Hell.
*shrugs* That makes sense to me.
Well, we know he was a big fan of Homer and the Iliad, perhaps he was a big fan of Dante's Inferno as well, which feature the gates to hell with the inscription "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
To throw out there:
The series was never technical on anything.
Quote from: Wot Wot! on July 05, 2011, 02:32:09 AM
Well, we know he was a big fan of Homer and the Iliad, perhaps he was a big fan of Dante's Inferno as well, which feature the gates to hell with the inscription "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
That might be it, assuming he read Dante's Inferno.
Well Brian also used an abbey, yet said he didn't put religion in the books, and st. Ninian's church as well. Maybe he was including the places, just removing any religious ceremonies and stuff. That's why we never read in any detail about weddings, and birth. Just "o yeah, they got married and had a baby"
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 05, 2011, 11:06:57 PM
Well Brian also used an abbey, yet said he didn't put religion in the books, and st. Ninian's church as well. Maybe he was including the places, just removing any religious ceremonies and stuff. That's why we never read in any detail about weddings, and birth. Just "o yeah, they got married and had a baby"
Yes, he was sort of brief on that sort of thing, wasn't he.
Quote from: Galedeep on July 04, 2011, 08:43:24 PM
I don't get it, how can Hellgates not be a reference to hell? I just don't quite understand your point.
It probably was in the first Redwall novel, but as there is
no religion in the series, Hell isn't present. If it were meant to be the Christian Hell, it would have been referenced as such. But it never is - "hellgates," one word, is the Redwall version of "bad afterlife place." Erm, does that make a little more sense...?
Taggerung - Indeed it isn't. XD But we all know technical would just ruin the mystery. And then what would we the fans argue about here? Yarr, indeed, 'tis better this way, after all, I suppose. 8)
Yeah, that was an obvious point, by nature.
Quote from: Osu on July 06, 2011, 03:43:04 AM
Quote from: Galedeep on July 04, 2011, 08:43:24 PM
I don't get it, how can Hellgates not be a reference to hell? I just don't quite understand your point.
It probably was in the first Redwall novel, but as there is no religion in the series, Hell isn't present. If it were meant to be the Christian Hell, it would have been referenced as such. But it never is - "hellgates," one word, is the Redwall version of "bad afterlife place." Erm, does that make a little more sense...?
Taggerung - Indeed it isn't. XD But we all know technical would just ruin the mystery. And then what would we the fans argue about here? Yarr, indeed, 'tis better this way, after all, I suppose. 8)
Good bally point there, Osu, wot!
Why, thank you, Wot Wot! ;D
I've been reading Ask Brian files recently:
From Volume 1:
"I try not to have any religious connotations at all, therefore no comparisons are intended. I have creatures die and to my mind they go on but who knows where? Dark forest is meant to be mysterious rather than menacing."
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 08, 2011, 05:11:39 PM
I've been reading Ask Brian files recently:
From Volume 1:
"I try not to have any religious connotations at all, therefore no comparisons are intended. I have creatures die and to my mind they go on but who knows where? Dark forest is meant to be mysterious rather than menacing."
Hmm, that's interesting
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 08, 2011, 05:11:39 PM
"I try not to have any religious connotations at all, therefore no comparisons are intended. I have creatures die and to my mind they go on but who knows where? Dark forest is meant to be mysterious rather than menacing."
Whelp, that solves it, to my mind. Mysterious rather than menacing, no religious connotations. I guess hellgates and the sunny slopes are just euphemisms for dark forest as well, or vice versa.
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 08, 2011, 05:11:39 PM
I've been reading Ask Brian files recently:
From Volume 1:
"I try not to have any religious connotations at all, therefore no comparisons are intended. I have creatures die and to my mind they go on but who knows where? Dark forest is meant to be mysterious rather than menacing."
I see where he's going with that...unfortunately, with my background I don't think I'll ever be able to read anything without religious connotations attaching themselves in my mind.
Well, think about it. Do mice really have religion? It would be a little strange.
Quote from: Redwall Musician on July 10, 2011, 04:26:01 AM
Well, think about it. Do mice really have religion? It would be a little strange.
Okay, I seriously don't follow that in the remotest degree.
They certainly don't have any religion. When they say 'grace', it's just a little song to the seasons thanking them for the food. Which I think is a little strange. :P
Quote from: Tiria Wildlough on July 10, 2011, 10:04:17 AM
When they say 'grace', it's just a little song to the seasons thanking them for the food.
It's much more like celebration among friends and peace.
Yes, the grace is a little confusing about that also. And they sometimes do say "amen". But I think we can all just agree and say that Brian didn't have religion in his Redwall books.
There's also a mention of Hell's teeth in several books. Here's an idea. Hellgates is the opening to the Dark Forest. The sunny slopes are part of the Dark forest. Now that BJ himself has left for the Dark Forest, we must imagine the spaces that he left for us.
That's... a really good idea, Storm! I hadn't thought of that. All different parts of the same place. Genius.
Yea that makes a lot of sense. I personally think that hellgates is a separate place and dark forest and sunny slopes are for good creatures. But well never know for sure
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 10, 2011, 06:20:34 PM
Yes, the grace is a little confusing about that also. And they sometimes do say "amen". But I think we can all just agree and say that Brian didn't have religion in his Redwall books.
Amen just means "I agree", so it isn't that strange.
Quote from: DanielofRedwall on July 14, 2011, 07:47:42 AM
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 10, 2011, 06:20:34 PM
Yes, the grace is a little confusing about that also. And they sometimes do say "amen". But I think we can all just agree and say that Brian didn't have religion in his Redwall books.
Amen just means "I agree", so it isn't that strange.
Amen: So it is, so be it.
Sorry, I study too much. :'(
So like Daniel said, it is not strange.
I usually hear "amen" over burritos.
"That was a good burrito."
"Amen."
XD Sorry, sorry! Back on topic, then...
Reading through the Ask Brian Files:
Volume 2, thought I'd be interesting to post if anyone's interested:
"There is no religion in my stories and no hidden meanings. What you see is what you get. The Abbey is just a place of peace and comradeship, where creatures choose to live together."
they also used the dark forest as the place were BAD, cruel cats went when they died in Warriors by erin hunter!
Quote from: ilovemariel on July 16, 2011, 12:25:52 PM
they also used the dark forest as the place were BAD, cruel cats went when they died in Warriors by erin hunter!
I don't remember that? Maybe they really are both sunny slopes and hellgates in dark forest
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 18, 2011, 04:51:42 AM
Quote from: ilovemariel on July 16, 2011, 12:25:52 PM
they also used the dark forest as the place were BAD, cruel cats went when they died in Warriors by erin hunter!
I don't remember that? Maybe they really are both sunny slopes and hellgates in dark forest
That's a good theory, dark forest is the whole thing, with sunny slopes and hellgates inside it.
It's not my theory, it was Storm's
Oh, right, I didn't notice that!
Quote from: Captain Tammo on July 04, 2011, 01:23:27 AM
I always thought that "hellgates" or I'm sure it'd be safe just to use "hell" is, obviously, the bad place, and the "sunny slopes" are inside of dark forest. I think of dark forest is just like Mossflower but minus the vermin.
that does not explain why it is called Dark forest
Quote from: Galedeep on July 03, 2011, 09:48:07 PM
Something interesting I noticed in the books, the dark forest is only mentioned in (correct me if i'm wrong) the novels set in the pre-redwall era.
Nope, I'm currently reading Long Patrol and Damug says something about his brother going to the dark forest very soon. And Long Patrol occurs three generations after Redwall.
When brian jacques said dark forest was the afterlife, i think that the "sunny slopes" and "hellgates" are contained both in there, think something like hades.
The dark forest confused me alot!So I decided that (for me)dark forest was one general topic but ment two different things for two different animal class's e.g: When sarobando and whatshisorhername died and talked about the sunny slopes and peaceful streams *still makes me sad*When vermin talk more like they are scared.Whatever works for me!
They talk of it like a real place, I'm sure Bella Of Brocktree said Sunflash got lost there.
I think it's a dark forest....filled with aluminum trees.
(Read Ask Slagar to get what I'm talking about)
Quote from: Nightfire on November 16, 2011, 04:20:22 PM
(Read Ask Slagar to get what I'm talking about)
Which one?
When I imagine The dark forest, I imagine it like the greek afterlife. The sunny slopes and green hills is where the good people go, bad people go to hellgates, and normal people go to the dark forest. There all part of the same place, just different sections.
Are darkforest and hellgates the same thing???
Not the way I see it.
Plugg pictures the Hellgates and the Sunny Slopes inside the Dark Forest, don'tcha?
Yeah, but like different sections.
like...ocean, land, etc
I always saw the Dark Forest as the animals' version of purgatory or hell. There was never any talk of an opposite afterlife like the heavens of the Catholic faith. Even with the goodbeasts, you never gathered that going to the Dark Forest would be a wonderful eternal experience.
so martin the warrior went to hell :'(
Quote from: Taggerung The Otter on November 18, 2011, 08:01:16 PM
so martin the warrior went to hell :'(
You make it sound like I said that. :P I said I never gathered any sort of immaculate afterlife for any of the animals. Mr. Jacques never gave Redwall a religion, so therefore, nothing to look forward to beyond your present earthly life. The animals always called it the Dark Forest, so to me, that means a place for the dead and nothing more. Does it sound splendid to really any of us when you hear that's your destiny on your deathbed? So yeah, good or bad...seems like everyone goes to one place in the Redwall universe when they die.
oh...ah get it
i disagree but i partly agree with you because you will often hear the warriors shouting that they will send the vermin to the dark forest and some good guys go there like in eulalia gorath sees boar and stuff there but if you read loamhedge saro and bragoon say to each other just before they die, ill see you in the sunny slopes and the quiet streams (or something like that)
Guess I'll have to reread Loamhedge again and see for myself. :)
I always thought it was just a euphemism for dying. Just like we would usually say, "So-and-so passed away," instead of, "So-and-so died," because it seems a little more sensitive.
Quote from: Lily on November 22, 2011, 10:10:06 AM
I always thought it was just a euphemism for dying. Just like we would usually say, "So-and-so passed away," instead of, "So-and-so died," because it seems a little more sensitive.
That is a really good theory, actually, but the way they mention it makes it seem to me like they mean it as an actual place after death.
Well i kinda thought
Sunny slopes = Heaven
Dark forest = kinda like an afterlife but darker
Hellgates =hell
i agree with maudie but i think Dark forest is for walike goodguys like all the badger lords and stuff
well yeah for good guys it would not be nice if cluny was there duh!
I'm enthused by the idea of Dark Forest being a purgatory. It means that nobeast in Redwall is irredeemable. Definitely fits with Brian's Catholic background.
well actually he was not catholic, he was Anglican, but that is very close to catholic.
I thought he referred to himself as a "working-class Catholic".
Yes, Brian Jacques was Catholic, as he said in one of his interviews. And Maudie, I'm Anglican and I can name hundreds of differences between Anglican and Catholic! I'd say it's closer to Baptist.
Anyway, I think I like the idea Lily said here:
Quote from: Lily on November 22, 2011, 10:10:06 AM
I always thought it was just a euphemism for dying. Just like we would usually say, "So-and-so passed away," instead of, "So-and-so died," because it seems a little more sensitive.
I agree with Lily's theory. I would also add that his Catholic beliefs may have played a part in how he invented those euphemisms, but as has been pointed out, he tried pretty hard to keep religion out his story.
Quote from: DanielofRedwall on January 26, 2012, 02:31:43 AM
Yes, Brian Jacques was Catholic, as he said in one of his interviews. And Maudie, I'm Anglican and I can name hundreds of differences between Anglican and Catholic! I'd say it's closer to Baptist.
True. High Anglican services can seem very Catholic-like, but a lot of very fundamental beliefs of the two denominations are very different.
Anyway, this is not the place for religious discussion! I think the different euphemisms that vermin and good beasts had for dying was just due to their natures. Vermin might say "hell gates" because it's more in their nature to be crude and evil, and good beasts might say "dark forest" or "sunny slopes and quiet streams" because it's more in their nature to say nice things like that.
Dark Forest and sunny slopes and streams give me 2 bery different images.
Im catholic.
Quote from: BadgerLordFiredrake on January 29, 2012, 01:21:39 AM
Dark Forest and sunny slopes and streams give me 2 bery different images.
Im catholic.
Agreed
Ditto
In one of the books, an Abbey Champion says something about there being a place in Dark Forest being reserved for liars and muderers. I always imagined Hellgates as being the way into that part. In contrast, the Dark Forest Gates are often spoken of. I imagined them as the gates into the part for goodbeasts.
What's a Ditto? I think the Dark Forest is supposed to be hell. I don't mean anything bad here but I was just stating.
When someone says 'ditto', they mean 'the same' or 'the same to me/for me'.
Aaahhh. I thought it was some kind of insult. Surely sounds like one.
Hmmm. I thought it meant something else.
Hahaha! ;)
Might I ask wot is so funny chap? WOT!
Nothing. You don't get it.
I might if you tell me!
Uh, sorry about that. At least it wasnt chatspeak.
Quote from: danflorreguba on April 17, 2012, 02:36:36 AM
I might if you tell me!
You wouldn't. Trust me. I know you wouldn't. It's not anything bad. It's just you don't see the world in my eyes.
I don't need to to understand something.
*sigh*
Do I really have to explain it?
YES!
Well I'll PM you. We need to get back on topic. Why do I do that? Anyway. The Dark Forest seems like everyone goes there, because in Mossflower, Bella says that her son Sunflash probably went to the Dark Forest venturing for Salamandastron.
Maybe Darkforest is the waiting area for those who are going to Hellgates or the Sunny pastures.
Aha! What an interesting theory!
It makes sense doesn't it?
I always liked to think that there were two Dark Forests. One for the woodlanders and the other for vermin.
But that wouldn't make sense since (hee hee!) there would need to be a specifacation for which was which.
Maybe in like the middle of Dark Forest there is the sunny pastures and all this awesome stuff. And at the outside of Dark Forest is Hell gates.
In Taggerung, Ermath says that the Great Vulpuz is the ruler of Hellgates.
Quote from: MatthiasMan on April 14, 2012, 10:11:22 PM
What's a Ditto? I think the Dark Forest is supposed to be hell. I don't mean anything bad here but I was just stating.
"What's a Ditto?" Ahahaharr! Ah, the things that young'uns ferget! *wipes tear of mirth from eye* s'okay, though. Such is funny. Made my day, mate!
If you say Ditto, it means "I agree" like Amen and possibly others.
Scary :)
What is so scary about that? Or are you talking about Dark Forest?
Talking about Dark forest thickhead
Yeah, it's thick with brains! ;D
Sorry I got out of control Mate
And no not with brains with flubber
That's why it's so bouncy!
And by the way. Your head is mainly brains so yes it is thick with brains.
Naw flubber head
whats scary about the dark forest? when animals die they go there, not the other way around
(speaking of getting out of control)
Panglpaws monnetmouth would you like to die go right in there
no, but wouldn't it be death that's scary rather than the dark forest?
But a good beast goes to the sunny slopes and quite streams, where as vermin (if they are bad) go to hellgates. What is Darkforest then? It is most likely the FIRST place you go too. Then you proceed to your final destination.
Yeah you are right
I think I said earlier the Dark Forest is just a generic place, maybe like Purgatory or something. Its not very clear because both sides have different ideas of what the Dark Forest really is.
Quote from: Lutra on May 08, 2012, 11:56:55 AM
I think I said earlier the Dark Forest is just a generic place, maybe like Purgatory or something. Its not very clear because both sides have different ideas of what the Dark Forest really is.
That is pretty much what I just said.
Quote from: danflorreguba on May 01, 2012, 05:06:09 PM
But a good beast goes to the sunny slopes and quite streams, where as vermin (if they are bad) go to hellgates. What is Darkforest then? It is most likely the FIRST place you go too. Then you proceed to your final destination.
Sunny Slopeeeeeeeessssss!!!
Quote from: MatthiasMan on May 08, 2012, 11:47:44 PM
Sunny Slopeeeeeeeessssss!!!
You forgot quite waters/streams. ;D
Quote from: danflorreguba on May 01, 2012, 05:06:09 PM
But a good beast goes to the sunny slopes and quite streams, where as vermin (if they are bad) go to hellgates. What is Darkforest then? It is most likely the FIRST place you go too. Then you proceed to your final destination.
Agreed, like heaven! :)
Precisely! Exactly what I meant.
Maybe there's a separate place for vermin in Dark Forest.
But then why are they always going to "Hellgates"?
Maybe the woodlanders and vermin have different views on such things, like a different religion if you will. The woodlanders have one idea of where a good or bad beast goes when they die, and the vermin have another.
Quote from: KaiTheDog on May 12, 2012, 02:46:52 AM
Maybe the woodlanders and vermin have different views on such things, like a different religion if you will. The woodlanders have one idea of where a good or bad beast goes when they die, and the vermin have another.
My thoughts exactly. After all, I remember someone saying "There's a special place in the Dark Forest waiting for you" or something.
You'll notice that some of the other good beasts will yell at the vermin suggesting that they will be sent to "hellgates" meaning it isn't just point of view.
I don't know.
I think Dark Forest is where all the good creatures go when they die, and that Hellgates is where all the Evil creatures go when they die. I also think that "the sunny slopes" and Dark Forest are the same place.
But they don't match up! DARK forest, SUNNY slopes... ???
I would almost have to say the notion of 'what is the Dark Forest' has changed or morphed as Mr. Jacques wrote more books. It seemed like purgatory/hell if you look at how its talked about in Redwall. As you go on later in the series you see mentioned these sunny slopes or peaceful places in the afterlife. Nothing wrong with a morphed definition but it makes it harder to determine what is plausible. ;)
I think Dark Forest may be an entryway to the sunny slopes and quiet streams. Please understand that these are only my thoughts, and you are all welcome to your own interpretations. To me, it seems like there was a place of mystery to pass through on the way to the permanent after-dwelling. Again, this is just one take on it.
That's my take, too. Only the creatures who are at peace can enter the sunny slopes. ;)
Well that is a good idea. you know how in Greek Mythology there was places were you die in the undreworld like different placements and punishments and stuff like that. It could also be like that
That's what I've been saying time and again! And about the Greek mythology part, I believe you are refering to the Underworld, ruled by Hades, Guarded by Cereberus, Gotten to by the Ferryman. (I studied this alot in History ;D)
Nice! ;D Well yeah it could be like that but minus some parts if you know what I mean
Yea, the creepy and punishment parts :o
What is weird is that, they seem to say that good and bad go to Dark Forest! Is it separated or what?
Quote from: Redwaller on June 09, 2012, 12:18:48 PM
What is weird is that, they seem to say that good and bad go to Dark Forest! Is it separated or what?
As I've stated in the past I think the Dark Forest is like the Christian purgatory--the gateway to your ultimate fate considering there is mention of good and evil places even in the afterlife.
You are wrong. Purgatory is the state when you are not worthy to go to Heaven, but not evil enough to go to Hell. You cannot go to Hell from Purgatory. You can only go up, which is Heaven. Dark Forest was like the Underworld in Greek myths, you can be rewarded or punished. I believe that it has no relationship to Purgatory at all.
So what your saying is that Dark Forest has more reference too Greek Mythology than Catholicism? It'd make sense. Look at the Latin gods and such. I mean, Brian DID use a lot of name's and stuff from Latin.
Possibly Hellgates (Helsgrind in Norse myth) and the Sunny Slopes (which might not exist, it was poetry on a tomb) are both different parts of Dark Forest.
Dark Forest, so far as I can tell, is pretty much just a state between Heaven and Hell where all the dead creatures souls go to be judged.
I don't really think it has any connection with established religions as the Redwall universe is fictitious and has it's own mythos.
Quote from: AxeHound on August 26, 2012, 10:44:13 PM
Possibly Hellgates (Helsgrind in Norse myth) and the Sunny Slopes (which might not exist, it was poetry on a tomb) are both different parts of Dark Forest.
Never thought of it that way...
On Slagar the Cruel: Coast to Coast they make an explanation of it, but since it is a piece of fanfiction, I doubt it has anything to do with the Dark Forest from the series. Still, it is rather interesting.
To quote Brian Jacques:
"I try not to have any religious connotations at all, therefore no comparisons are intended. I have creatures die and to my mind they go on but who knows where? Dark forest is meant to be mysterious rather than menacing."
http://www.redwall.org/faq.php?page=2
Quote from: Storm on July 11, 2011, 03:06:38 PM
There's also a mention of Hell's teeth in several books. Here's an idea. Hellgates is the opening to the Dark Forest. The sunny slopes are part of the Dark forest. Now that BJ himself has left for the Dark Forest, we must imagine the spaces that he left for us.
That is a nearly flawless idea. The only flaw is that "Dark Forest Gates" are also referenced. I think that perhaps seperate gates for good people and evil?
The Dark Forest is probably just the term that represents where they go, and might have no meaning really, just a thought that Brian Jacques had while writing the Redwall series. He never got around explaining it, so all of us have different impressions of it. Mine is that it was a myth started when younger woodland creatures asked their parents where they went when they die. The father or mother didn't know, so they made up a story and tale about a "Dark Forest", and the story was probably carried along and told for generations.
Sorry for the long post, and I can understand if some of you are TL;DRing right now.
Yes, we can all have our own impressions of it, though I wonder what BJ thought of it personilly...
Pozzibly it vaz zorta ze gatez tae ze afterlife or zummat. For aw ve ken zere'z zome teleportation ray off tae ze zide.
I assert that the afterlives described by the characters of the Redwall are real.
Humans can have near death experiences (1) and Jacques' animals are anthropomorphized; thus, we could argue that the afterlives described in the Redwall series are simply visions experienced during the creatures' near death experiences. However, such a hypothesis does not explain the stunning accuracy, resolution, and precision of visions experienced by various creatures throughout the series. Moreover, such visions sometimes contained information that the creatures who experienced them could not otherwise obtain, thereby further strengthening the case for supernatural forces. Yet the biology of the creatures in question is (pardon the pun) in question; assuming that trees are as tall in the series as they are in real life, Redwall series creatures stand as tall as humans and understand architecture, agriculture, language, mathematics, metallurgy, and even philosophy. Therefore, we could very easily imagine that memories could be passed down from generation to generation and unconsciously among societies, thereby granting the creatures almost supernatural powers of recollection.
Such a hypothesis, however, again leaves a hole. If the creatures can remember so much, then why don't they behave as walking, talking encyclopedias? My only explanation is that such a trait is extremely taxing either because the creatures of the Redwall series are 'fallen'--a hypothesis that agrees with the author's Catholicism--or because it is not yet fully developed. While I haven't any evidence that Brian believed in any sort of teleology, concluding the former premise would violate the Word of God (i.e., the Word of the Author) statement that the Redwall series lacks hidden messages or Catholic religion. I, however, would hold that the unconscious nature of writing leaves open the possibility that Brian wrote a partially religious book despite himself. Death of the Author certainly applies, enabling us to ignore authorial critique and focus on the text itself. Therefore, the visions experienced by creatures in the Redwall series point to the a formerly strong connection to a spiritual world that is almost entirely severed by the time of the events described in the series.
From thence we can reason that such visions of the afterlife are accurate. If so, then the spirits of dead creatures go to the Dark Forest, for example, they really go somewhere, be it a real or ethereal. Therefore, and in conclusion, the afterlives described by the characters of the Redwall series are real.
QED.
-Duxwing
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDE