What if Romsca had lived?

[Romsca]

Well I know that but did it actually say "Romsca died"? no, it just mentioned a dead corsair. There were many dead corsairs! You seem to have forgotten about...

Well seeing as she was ripped up, she couldn't even move or she would fall apart, I find it highly likely that she could have lived. Sorry, I wish she had.

I see what you're saying but how could she have gotten Lask over to the door without "falling apart"? I think she was just exaggerating so Abbot Durral wouldn't see how injured she was.

Say Romsca kills Lask but has critical instead of fatal injuries. Abbot whats-his-name heals her. The Abbot is locked up, and Romsca is killed by Mad Eyes for treachery.

/If/ Romsca even survived the fight, she'd still die anyway, unless she and the Abbot (I seriously went and forgot his name) sailed somewhere else. But there was likely only enough provisions to last them a trip to Sampetra, in which case they'd starve to death.

Interesting but what about this scenario: Abbot Durral is throwing the dead bodies overboard, like it says in the book. First he throws off a rat with a wooden leg, which is mostly already off. It comes off in the water. Then he throws Romsca overboard, because he thinks she's dead. She wakes up, but only for a second, but long enough to grab hold of the rat's wooden leg so she doesn't drown. The abbot doesn't see this because he doesn't want to look because he's too sad. In the story it's raining, so soon the rain turns into a storm, and there's and island close enough that she gets washed up there and rescued.

...how I said she could have lived, and it would still be CONSISTENT WITH THE STORY. Anyway, welcome to the forum, Mariel Gullwhacker! Dannflor, please don't correct their spelling, they probably just typed it quickly and forgot to hit spell check. They're a new member anyway! You shouldn't try to give them a bad impression of the website. WoodenSpoon, VERY GOOD PARAGRAPHS. *hears applause* The only thing is, I was thinking of a way that could still have happened, even though Abbot Durral thought she was dead.

[WoodenSpoon]

   Why, thank you Romsca.  I see what you're trying to do here, and it is pretty creative, so pardon me if I nitpick about one detail.

    One thing you keep pointing out is that they never mention Romsca by name, and only refer to the dead corsair, here is the paragraph.

   

Durral sat nursing the dead corsair until it grew dark, heedless of the rain soaking him as the Waveworm sailed silently westward on the drifting swell carrying it's lone cargo. One old mouse.

   If Romsca was not the dead corsair, then Abbot Durrals reaction comes across as random. Not to mention the confusion that it causes would be an example of very poor storytelling. (When it comes to writing, I am a 'mere pup' compare to Brian Jacques, and even I know not to suddenly change characters without clearly stating my intention.)

  Ignoring this detail, what would happen after she reached the island? There would have to be a healer there. I don't think seawater would cover it this time. Would she be crippled because of her injuries? Who would rescue her? Would she go back to Mossflower, or find a new life somewhere else? Would she be tempted to return to pirating? I think she might... hold on.

     Yes, I just checked. She never expressed any intention to reform, even if she lived.

     For some reason, and I don't have a leg to stand on, I get the feeling that she not only would stay away from Redwall, she would actively avoid it. Maybe from some sense of pride... I don't know. Maybe she would want to check and see if Durral made it home, maybe she wouldn't want to know.

   But that last one doesn't sound much like Romsca does it?

   Unlike some of you, I don't think she'd settle in at Mossflower. I think she's a sea faring beast at heart, pirate or otherwise.

    One possible idea is that she becomes a trader, maybe with a mixed crew of woodlanders and vermin. They would be looked upon with suspicion by "polite society", though the Redwallers occasionally have dealings with them. The hares at Salamandastron want nothing to do with them, because.... they hate fun.  No, no, just kidding. They hate vermin. Vermin do not equate to fun. Well... sometimes- okay, I am typing myself into a corner here, and my joke was thin from the beginning. I think I'd better stop.

PS: Don't you just love the words Mr. Jacques uses? "Drifting swell". He was really quite good at this. 

PPS: I am a little nervous posting here, and just want to assure everyone that I respect your opinions. If I ever seem to argue against you personally, I am sorry. I don't mean it as an attack. I just have a habit of questioning everything. Ask my sister, I challenge her all the time. Yes, she hates it too.

[Romsca]

No, it's fine, thanks a lot!

Here's an argument: On the ship, maybe there was another room adjacent to Romsca's cabin for meetings and stuff. The abbot had to hide in her room to avoid being seen by lizards, but he could go back and forth without being seen. Maybe he became a good friend with another corsair also. Although Brian Jacques didn't specify a character change at the end, it could have still happened. Romsca didn't necessarily die; it was just written in a way that made it seem like that. Even if Brian thought that Romsca should have died, he wasn't clear enough, maybe so that people could debate whether she actually died or not. It's fine if you argue though; it makes for good conversation. I argue a lot anyway.

PS THIS IS MY 500TH POST! I AM NOW A HERO MEMBER!!!!!!


                   

[Dannflower Reguba]

*Headache*

Ow. Wooden Spoon, you need to quit those hyper pills.  It's great to see some great ideas running around. 

BTW Romsca, I got more on my own case for being a Nazi about these things than I did on Mariel's about a misspell. 

[Romsca]

I actually like arguing about this sort of stuff!  Sorry for misinterpreting your comment, dannflor

[WoodenSpoon]

Here's an argument: On the ship, maybe there was another room adjacent to Romsca's cabin for meetings and stuff. The abbot had to hide in her room to avoid being seen by lizards, but he could go back and forth without being seen. Maybe he became a good friend with another corsair also. Although Brian Jacques didn't specify a character change at the end, it could have still happened. Romsca didn't necessarily die; it was just written in a way that made it seem like that. Even if Brian thought that Romsca should have died, he wasn't clear enough, maybe so that people could debate whether she actually died or not. It's fine if you argue though; it makes for good conversation. I argue a lot anyway.

    I have a counter-argument: Romsca would've kept the door to that room locked as well. She also gave the Abbot strict instructions not to open the door to anyone but her. Not even her crew was included in this.

  As for Mr. Jacques being clear, there is two ways of conveying information to the reader, showing and telling. An example would be Rose's and Martin's feelings for each other. No where in the book are we  told that they love each other, but we are shown their love so clearly I doubt anyone here would argue with it. I am of the opinion that Romsca's fate was just as explicit.

   The thing I do like about your theory is that even though it requires an additional subplot, and a previously unheard of character (unless you know an established corsair who would fit the role), it could be pulled off with little damage to the established story. The thing is, this corsair would have to be closer to the Abbot then Romsca, if he would leave her and go to find his other friend in-between two paragraphs. I would actually be interested in seeing a fan-fiction based around that. If I remember right, Romsca's crew was a little underdeveloped.

     Dann, you haven't seen me on hyper pills. Hope you never do.

[Romsca]

That doesn't mean he was necessarily closer to the other corsair. He might have left because he thought Romsca had already died, and he was sad this this other corsair was injured. He might have gone over because it was still barely alive, and Romsca just hadn't noticed

[Kitsune]

This is really interesting! LOL I have been reading all of your posts and that's a lot of ideas flooding all over the place! Unfortunately, I don't have many ideas... most of my 'Redwall creative' thoughts are going to my story for the Leatho Shellhound fanfic contest.

[Lutra]

WoodenSpoon, I like your analogies and thoughts on what Romsca might have done.   Far more detailed than what I said...I just said she'd live in Mossflower.

[Romsca]

I think she would try to get back to the abbey somehow. She definitely wouldn't stay, though, because she preferred being out at sea, and no one else would like her being at the abbey.

[321tumbler]

Maybe she would go to Salamandastron or some good ship.

[WoodenSpoon]

I say her switch over to the good side was not totally complete. She never expressed any regret for her life as a corsair (if you have a book quote that corrects me, please share it). I propose she would initially try and return to it (unless she was crippled by her injuries, then she would have that to deal with), though maybe the memory of the Abbot would prick her conscience. Eventually, she could reform entirely, or she could repress her good tendencies and become worse.

I doubt the hares and badger would put up with a ferret at Salamandastron. And Romsca may have trouble getting along with sea-farin' goodbeasts. I still say a mixed ship of woodlanders and vermin is the best compromise.

[Romsca]

I say her switch over to the good side was not totally complete. She never expressed any regret for her life as a corsair (if you have a book quote that corrects me, please share it). I propose she would initially try and return to it (unless she was crippled by her injuries, then she would have that to deal with), though maybe the memory of the Abbot would prick her conscience. Eventually, she could reform entirely, or she could repress her good tendencies and become worse.

I personally don't think she would become worse, but that's just me

[WoodenSpoon]

I think it really depends on whose company she fell into, what circumstances she ended up in ect.

The neat thing about Romsca is she was truly a grey character. She had good tendencies, but rest assured, she probably did some vermin type things in her time which she didn't seem to regret.  She's really the only character in Redwall who could go both ways.

[Dannflower Reguba]

You forgot one.... FLINKY! All in all though, I'd say Flinky was actually a good beast.