Codj is a major antagonist in Eulalia!, the nineteenth book in the Redwall novel series. He is the slightly dimwitted and slightly childish yet sadistic brother of Vizka Longtooth as well as the first mate and second-in-command of the crew of the ship Bludgullet and likely the only member Vizka ever cared for due to their relationship as brothers who is conveyed to participate in the raids they lead on islands for loots and bounties while occasionally commanding the crew when Vizka, as his brother, puts him in charge. During a raid on a farm on an isle, Codj burns down a house after locking two elderly badgers in it, killing them for fun, an act that earns him the hatred of the badger Gorath as they were his grandparents. Though Vizka would capture the badger and take him aboard the ship chained up to the mast with intent on using him for his Bloodwrath abilities, Codj would object to this as he wishes to kill the badger as soon as possible. Despite this, he would delight in the suffering they entail on him through starving, tormenting, and abusing him.
Biography[]
As the brother of Vizka Longtooth and first mate and second-in-command of the crew of the ship Bludgullet, Cojd would regularly partake in the raids his brother leads on isles they visit for the loot they find to take to their ship with Codj being the one usually ordered by Vizka to rouse the crew whenever they do so. One time on one night, they raid an isle with a farm on it that has a young badger named Gorath working on it and taking care of his grandparents while they're in the house ever since his parents died. They led the raid while he was asleep from the labor and throughout, Codj and his mate, the weasel, Balid, for sick kicks, light the house on fire with the elderly badgers locked inside to prevent them from getting out, killing them while the crew stole all the food and valuables and Vizka viciously knocked Gorath unconscious with his mace and chain he is known for carrying around, also leaving a scar on his head. Seeing some potential in the badger as a killing machine due to being aware of the Bloodwrath abilities badgers usually have, Vizka has the crew take his unconscious form aboard where they chain him to the mast. They soon wake him up and as Vizka interrogates him while having Balid pour saltwater on him several times, Balid winds up revealing when asked by Vizka in response to him saying he couldn't slay the badger that he and Codj set fire to the farmhouse and locked the two badgers inside so they couldn't get out, leading to Gorath instantly lashing out and, while barely reaching it, slashing his throat with his paw.
Angered by this due to Balid being his mate, Codj took up the big pitchfork that belonged to Gorath called Tung that he had stolen from Gorath's unconscious body at the farmhouse and declared that he'd kill him for that only for Vizka to stay his brother's paw as he states he wants the badger to be kept alive. When Codj asks why, Vizka tells him he'd lose a sight more than his tailstump if he tried tackling him before the two observed him carefully and look at the best movements he can make chained to the mast. Taking the pitchfork from his brother showing his impressive teeth while calling him his nickname "Stumple", which had come about at one point after losing his tail in a fight when he was young and was a nickname Codj hated, Vizka tells him having no tail would be the least of his worries if he went near him. Shooting a resentful glance at his brother for calling him the nickname he hated, Codj spat sullenly in Gorath's direction, declaring that the beast is crazy and should be slain and suggesting Vizka do it if he won't let him carry out the job. Whilst calling out orders, Vizka takes Codj into his cabin where, while the two drink seaweed grog, Vizka explains the Bloodwrath abilities that come with being a badger and how he has plans to break and tame him into becoming a killing machine they can use as a one-beast army to become the terror of the land and sea. Codj was not wholly convinced due to the way the badger slew Balid and questions Vizka on this to which he explains that as the brother with the bigger brains, they'll keep him chained to the mast and starve him into his way of thinking to make him do like he says or perish.
In awe of his brother's wisdom, Codj asks why they're going south with Vizka explaining that there's lots of places with good food, loot, and plunder that they can use Gorath to take care of all the fighting and killing for them once he's got him trained proper. All of this sounded quite good to Codj, but he had unanswered questions, one being where is he planning on going. Pouring him more grog, Vizka says that they'll find some place where he can rule just like a king while Codj becomes the captain of the Bludgullet, much to Codj's excitement. Vizka ushered him to the cabin door and instructs him to keep the ship on a straight south course and not to strain his brains with too much thinking and remind thecrew to stay clear of the badger and not give him any food. Grinning foolishly, Codj threw a clumsy salute, holding it under the assumption he's been made captain already from the conversation to which Vizka tells him he's not in charge yet and he's still captain before ordering him to get on with his work. Briefly crestfallen, Codj brightened up, swaggering off along the deck, practicing his role of captain-to-be by selecting a small, puny-looking rat and jabbing his rump with Gorath's pitchfork, issuing him gruff orders to tell the steers beast to keep the ship on a south course, make the lines fast, and swab the deck but not before fetching him some food from the galley. Pleasantly surprised that his commands had been carried out so promptly, Codj perched on the rail, out of the prisoner's reach and began sadistically taunting Gorath as he applied himself to a bowl of hot soup and a tankard of beer.
Provoking him through remarking that his grandparents don't have much use for eating and drinking now to the point of where Gorath charged his tormentor, Codj, shocked by the speed of the badger's rush, jerked backward, spilling soup and beer over himself before sneering as he recovered himself. He attempts to rouse him further by pouring more saltwater on him with the pail as a mocking way of giving him water to "ail" his thirst to no avail, much to the crew's amusement and Codj's rage. He began shouting at Gorath, asking if he can talk to which Gorath threatens him by stating he doesn't waste his breath talking to dead beasts. With an expression of comical surprise on his face, Codj looked around at his shipmate, stating that Vizka must have knocked his brains loose when he belted him with his mace and, to "give him another drink" to prove it, he pours more salt water over him, but Gorath was still staring at his torturer, declaring with heavy contempt that he'll slay him for slaying his kin and that's all he has to say to him. Seeing dark blood begin rising in Gorath's eyes clouding them with the fury of Bloodwrath, Codj's nerve deserted him as he dropped the pail and fled aft. Later, from the cabin doorway, Vizka Longtooth and Codj watched Gorath as they notice him beginning dreadfully seasick. Passing Codj a length of tarred and knotted rope, Vizka whispered instructions to him to swing the rope at Gorath to strike him with it so that Vizka could come in to stop it. Though Codj questioned the order, he carried it out when Vizka reaffirmed it as he came hurrying up and snatched the rope when he does so, pretending to defend Gorath and ordering him to leave. Codj obeys this, going to the deck below with some of the cermin crew to await him while Vizka pretends to act friendly with the badger to try to get him on his side to no avail.
Vizka arrives to the deck and tossed the knotted rope to Codj who asks if he wants him to go and flog him again. In response to this, Vizka, while sitting down at the mess table, denied it as he's had enough for now and says to leave him until later. Codj watches as Vizka humiliates a weasel named Grivel for saying the badger can't be too far off dead by declaring that he decides what happens to the badger and dealing him a swinging back-pawed blow that knocked him out of his seat onto the floor and remarking that he can't hold his grog with the crew dutifully laughing with him. Vizka issued orders to eat the food served up on deck where Gorath can see them to make him feel hungry and to Codj to keep an eye peeled on him before heading off to his own cabin. Meanwhile, the crew waited until Codj left to keep watch and didn't say anything until he left as he and Vizka were very close before shoving Snikey, Vizka's spy, into a closet and plotting a mutiny against the captain. Codj watches the badger as the crew then comes in to eat food made by the ship's cook, a female rat named Glurma, in front of the badger and put emphasis on the taste of the food. Vizka himself joins in before trying to negotiate with the badger only to get a death threat form him himself, nodding toward Codj as him and Vizka are ones he plans to kill. Leaping up quivering and yelling at the badger while kicking the bowl into the sea, Vizka strode back to his cabin with Codj trotting in his wake stating that he told him they should have killed him. Vizka shoved Codj into the cabin ahead of him, telling him to shut his mouth has the crew can hear him, being aware of the mutiny going on against him and Codj and the murder of Snikey that would take place just afterwards at the hands of the rat, Durgy. Once the Bludgullet's lookout sighted land off the portside, Vizka Longtooth gave orders to heave to and follow the coastline. As he prepared to give Gorath more lashes, Codj came in to inform him of a river crossing the shore landward. In response, Vizka has him ask the crew if any beast knows the river. Codj brings him Glurma, who recognizes it as the River Moss that runs out of Mossflower Country due to her history of sailing up there with her previous captain looking for Redwall Abbey. After Vizka has her explain the place to him, Vizka issued orders for the anchor to be dropped and the sail to be furled and told Codj to get all paws up up there on deck for an announcement to make.
Once the crew arrives, Codj pays attention as Vizka explains about Redwall Abbey and rallies the crew into a plan to conquer the place for its secrets and treasures before declaring that he wants loyal crew beasts at his back when he takes that place on. As Vizka points the trident Tung at three of the crew members, Grivel, Feerog, and Durgy to ask which of them would like to lead the shore party with them jostling one another as they strode forward each one pointing to himself, Codj gave his brother an injured look, figuring that he had been passed over as leader of the shore party. Vizka winked at Codj, widening his toothy smile. Codj kept wisely silent, knowing the coming danger to some beast which his brother's smile always heralded. He watches as Vizka has the three engage in a duel to the death against each other for the position with Durgy winning the fight and slaying the other two, proclaiming that he'll be the one who leads the shore party only for Vizka to state that he denies this for killing three of his crew. Puzzled, Codj asks what he means as there's only two of them to which Vizka reveals that he's aware that he had slain Snikey and was plotting a mutiny against him. Vizka then nominates Codj to be the shore party leader likely to his relief, declaring that they'll take the abbey and loot it down to the stones to provide lots of bounty for them all before having his crew members kill Durgy while entering his cabin. That evening, the Sea Raiders poled their vessel up the navigable channel across the sands. Codj commanded two squads, both tugging on hawsers attached to the ship's bows. By dusk, they were into the dunes before the crew went to their hammocks to sleep.
As the Bludgullet sailed through the Mossflower woodlands, Vizka Longtooth kept to his cabin, leaving Codj and a stoat named Bilger in charge of the crew. After the two get into an argument over the conditions, Codj stalked off to his brother's cabin where Vizka was rocking in a hammock, sipping grog. Eyeing Codj irritably, he asks if another mutiny is on their hands to which Codj explains that all the crew does is moan and complain and asks what he's supposed to do. Heaving himself from the hammock and peering out the open door at the sky to see that it's getting dark, Vizka tells him to tell them to down paddles and rest for the night and asks if there's anything else to report. Codj tells him there's not much drinking water left, leading to Vizka lashing out, cuffing his younger brother's ear, and ordering him to lower the barrels into the river as it's fresh water they're sailing in. Codj tried to leave the cabin quickly, but Vizka caught him tight by his tail stub to tell him to organize a shore party and get in the forest to get food like fruits, roots, birds, and eggs. When Codj asks about Gorath, Vizka shoved his brother contemptuously out through the cabin door as he told him that he's not going anywhere with an iron chain holding him to the mast and will be dead in a few days. In the early evening, Codj, heading a party of six, which he had paw picked, managing to omit the crew beasts, were foraging in the woodlands. Due to them being totally ignorant of woodland produce, Codj was bombarded with enquiries from the vermin of his party about matters which were a mystery to him. After getting annoyed from putting up with the questions, Firty reveals that he hears something with Codj and the others hearing it as well. They go over to a nearby swamp where they hear the noise and after Codj bickers a bit with Firty whom he bullies with the flat of his blade into going forward, Codj hears someone in the crew call him a stumple and asks who said it with none of them speaking up, leading to him threatening to make them sorry.
The standoff was broken by Firty's squeal as Codj turned to see him standing at the edge of the ferns asking what he is screeching for with Firty exclaiming that it is squelchy over there. Just then, they realize what they've just heard, a young hedgehog named Orkwil Prink drowning in the swamp with Jungo locating him. Discovering Jungo in the tree, Codj orders the rest of the foraging party to get up in the tree and not come down without the hedgehog as he suspects the captain will want a word with him. After they drag Orkwil out of the swamp, as the young hedgehog expresses his gratitude and introduces himself to them unaware of them being pirates, Codj stamped down his footpaw on his stomach and, mockingly calling him "Orful Stink", he interrogates him on where he came from as the vermin laugh at his little joke. When the young hedgehog corrects him on his name, Codj merely sneers, pricking his captive's throat with the swordpoint and asks him again where he comes from under the threat of carving him if he doesn't answer, leading to Orkwil explaining that he came from Redwall Abbey. Interrupting him by hauling him upright sharply while he was talking, Codj has him be lashed up good and taken back to the ship. There, he reveals to Vizka the young one's residence, leading Vizka to heartily embrace Codj and pound his back soundly for doing something right before interrogating Orkwil while making jokes about his name as well. When Orkwil refuses to answer, Codj prodded him with his sword, also making a pun out of his name which no beast laughed at. He watches as Vizka declares that the next day he'll get the galley fire burning good and hot and stick a spit over it to make a threat to roast him alive unless he gives him information by the next day.
Afterwards, Codj severed the rope to cut his bonds as Bilger, Firty, and Jungo held him still and dragged him to the mast next to Gorath under Vizka's commands. Not about to check on Gorath's condition, Codj stood with his sword ready as Bilger and the others took a loop in the chain and padlocked it around Orkwil's waist before getting out of the way speedily when Gorath suddenly stirred. Codj beckoned to his messmates to go and get some food and grog as the hedgehog won't go anywhere, jokingly suggesting that the badger may eat him unless. In the meantime, Orkwil and Gorath would befriend each other and later that night, they would find a way to escape their chains. During this, Codj came to check up on the two prisoners. Halting where he knew he was out of the badger's reach, he peered through the darkness at them both. Unaware that they were free from the chains, he was surprised to see Gorath sitting upright. Turning away to head back to his cabin, Codj comments as to what keeps the badger going. Just then, as he half-turned as something sounded behind him, he was too late as Gorath's huge paws were around the fox's neck. In his Bloodwrath mode, Gorath whispered in his ear the answer to the fox's question that the need to slay his kin beast's murderer is what keeps him going before killing him, either by snapping his neck or strangling him to death, avenging his grandparents' demises as he shook the already dead fox like a rag before escaping with Orkwil. Afterwards, Vizka would discover what happened to his brother and freak out a bit while discovering that the badger and hedgehog escaped as well and before pursuing them to Redwall Abbey, he has a eulogy be hosted for his brother before having his wrapped up corpse be taken into the water in honor of him.
