Master Lord Thom of Trebond (pronounced TOM), born 419 HE,^[1] was a noble of Tortall, a remarkably powerful sorcerer, and the older twin brother of Alanna of Trebond. Alanna and George's oldest son, Thom of Pirate's Swoop, is his namesake.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Thom was born in 419 HE as the only son of Marinie and Alan of Trebond. He had a twin sister, Alanna. Their mother died giving birth to the twins. Their father was more interested in his scrolls and books than in his children, leaving them in the main care of Coram Smythesson and Maude Tanner. Maude taught them how to use their gift. Thom has always been an ambitious person, desiring to become a sorcerer. However, at the age of ten the twins were to leave Trebond and because Thom was Lord Alan's only son he was supposed to go to the royal palace to train as a knight, at the same time as Alanna was being sent to the convent in the City of the Gods to learn womanly arts. The twins decided to switch places, with Alanna disguising herself as a boy to train to be a knight, and Thom to go to the City of the Gods, where he could study sorcery.

During his years in the City of the Gods, Thom corresponded regularly with Alanna, often advising her to be cautious of Roger of Conté. Because of his suspicion of Duke Roger, Thom pretended to fail at his lessons while practicing them alone and in secret at night. He shocked the convent's administration, headed by Master Si-cham, when he passed the tests for Mastery at the age of eighteen, when most Masters don't even apply before they're thirty.

Life as Master[]

After attaining Master status, Thom traveled to Corus and resided in the Royal Palace. He was approached by Delia of Eldorne, who cajoled or convinced him to try raising Roger of Conté from the dead.(Roger was, in fact, not dead but under the Sorcerer's Sleep. This may be why Thom was successful, when Emperor Mage reveals that only the Black God and the Graveyard Hag can grant mortals the ability to return the dead to a semblance of life.)

On All Hallows' Eve, he channeled all of his and Alanna's joint Gifts and raised Roger. The spell left the two magically tied, a bond that manifested when their Gifts changed from their original colors — orange for Roger and violet for Thom — to a dark red color, probably a result of the two colors combined.

Either because of the spell's toll on him, Roger's manipulations, or for other reasons, Thom's health deteriorated rapidly from that point on, and Roger killed him before the Coronation Day Battle.

Physical description[]

As children, Thom and Alanna were so much alike in face and body shape as to be mistaken for each other, if dressed alike. The only distinguishing feature of the twins at that time was the length of their hair.^[2] Both were short and skinny, with copper hair and purple eyes. When Alanna visited him at age eighteen she commented on his beard and height, suggesting he grew up to be taller than her.

Personality and traits[]

Thom was very ambitious and wanted to become one of the most powerful sorcerers. He didn't like people, in fact the only person he ever loved was his twin sister. As a child he was very close to Alanna but resented Coram for teaching both twins to track and hunt, because Coram "made him feel stupid" since Thom wasn't good at tracking or hunting and didn't like any of it. Unlike Alanna, Thom also didn't bond with Maude, who first taught him magic, although he was eager to learn new things on this subject. He only listened to Maude because he thought that she had something left to teach him.^[3] When Alanna and George Cooper visited him, George commented that Thom was cold and friendless, and that Alanna might have turned out the same if she'd made no friends at the palace. Thom was also arrogant and self-centered. He believed he could do much more than he really could. Alanna described him as being much like their father, always with his books and scrolls.

Skills and abilities[]

As a ten year old boy Thom was already an expert in forging his father's handwriting, which enabled him to write new letters for him and "Alan", the name under which Alanna would go in the palace, to take with them when they switched places.^[4] At the same age he didn't ride very well and "usually complained after an hour's ride". He wasn't accomplished at the most rudimentary skills of a warrior, either. Thom's skills in those fields probably didn't improve much in his further life, because he was content with being a scholar and sorcerer who didn't need to fight well.^[5] Thom was the most powerful master living.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Alan of Trebond[]

Lord Alan was Thom's father. He paid more attention to his scrolls and books than to his children, giving them the impression of not being loved by him. Therefore Thom didn't have an intimate relationship with his father.

Alanna of Trebond[]

Alanna was Thom's twin sister. Because of the lack of attention they suffered from their father the twins were all the closer. Alanna was the only person Thom ever really loved, besides himself. Even though they were separated for years their bond remained close until Thom's death.

Coram Smythesson[]

Coram was one of the adults looking after Thom and Alanna, teaching them the basics a future warrior needed to know. Thom didn't like Coram because he "made him feel stupid".

Maude Tanner[]

Maude was the other adult looking after the children, teaching them all the magic she knew. Thom didn't really appreciate her, either, and only listened to Maude because he thought that she had something left to teach him.

Si-cham[]

Si-cham was a Mithran priest resident at the cloisters in the City of the Gods. He was one of the masters supervising Thom's magical education when he was a teenager. As with Coram and Maude Thom didn't like him. He felt that the masters, including Si-cham, envied him and his power. When Thom's magic was polluted by Roger's Si-cham was called to Corus by George. At first Thom refused to accept his former master's help, but eventually he agreed and together they found a cure for him that was supposed to help.

George Cooper[]

Thom didn't get along too well with George, either. George had a negative impression of Thom when his mother was affected by one of Thom's spells and had to rest several days in bed to restore the strength of her gift. Thom in turn didn't like the fact that George called for Si-cham.

Notes and references[]

See also[]

The Song of the Lioness
Books	Alanna: The First Adventure • In the Hand of the Goddess • The Woman Who Rides Like a Man • Lioness Rampant
Tortallan nobles	Alanna the Lioness • Thom of Trebond • Alan of Trebond • Duke Gareth of Naxen • Jonathan of Conté • Sir Gary of Naxen • Alexander of Tirragen • Geoffrey of Meron • Raoul of Goldenlake • Douglass of Veldine • Francis of Nond • Ralon of Malven • Myles of Olau • King Roald of Conté • Lianne of Conté • Duke Roger • Baird of Queenscove • Martin of Meron • Cythera of Elden • Delia of Eldorne • Sacherell of Wellam • Gwynnen • Hamrath of King's Reach • Henrim of Tirrsmont
Commoners	Eleni Cooper • George Cooper • Rispah Cooper • Ercole • Stefan Groomsman • Liam Ironarm • Keel • Micah • Aram Sklaw • Coram Smythesson • Maude Tanner • Thor • Marek Swiftknife • Kuri Taylor • Orem • Shem • Harra • Solom • Aram • Eda Bell • Captain Chesli
Bazhir	Ali Mukhtab • Halef Seif • Hakim Fahrar • Farda • Akhnan ibn Nazzir • Kara • Kourrem • Ishak • Amman Kemail • Hassam ibn Farid • Gammal Sadrik • Umar Komm • Mari Fahrar • Mikal Moumir
Foreigners	Tusaines: Aenne of Danne • Mikal of Danne • Jemis • Hilam of Keir • King Ain • Dain of Melor; Marenites: Windfeld • Nahom Jendrai; Saren: Thayet jian Wilima • First Daughter jian Cadao • Adigun jin Wilima • Kalasin • Buriram Tourakom • Dusan zhir Anduo; Other: Liam Ironarm • Kylaia al Jmaa • Dalil al Marganit • Joesh Valany
Others	Ysandir • Faithful • Moonlight • Darkness • Si-cham • Chitral • Great Mother Goddess • Norrin and Anj'la • Giamo the Tyrant
Artifacts, weapons, and magic	Lightning • Crystal sword • Ember-stone • Dominion Jewel • Gate of Idramm • Sorcerer's Sleep • Chamber of the Ordeal • Ordeal of Knighthood • Ordeal of Kings
Places	Tortall: Corus • Royal Palace • Dancing Dove • Great Southern Desert • Persopolis • Black City • Trebond • Olau; Tusaine: Drell River Valley; Maren: Berat • Wandering Bard; Sarain: Rachia • Mother of Waters convent • Roof of the World • Port Udayapur
Events	Tusaine War • Coronation Day Battle • Saren Civil War