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Thomdril Merrilin

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“A man who, it was said, could play the Game of Houses in his sleep. It is a shame that such a man calls himself a simple gleeman. But such arrogance to keep the same name.”
   —Moiraine Damodred
“Go juggle something.”
   —Min Farshaw

EWoT: Thomdril Merrilin

Thomdril Merrilin
Biographical information
Current Status

Alive

Physical description
Gender

Male

Hair color

White

Eye color

Blue

Chronological and political information
First mentioned

TEOTW 1

First appeared

TEOTW 4

Occupation

Gleeman

  [Source]

Thom Merrilin(TOM MER-rih-lihn) is a gleeman, or bard.

Contents

[edit] Appearance

He is fairly old, has a gnarled face, shaggy white hair and blue eyes. He is tall, with stooped shoulders, his snowy hair and long mustaches make him appear older than he probably is, given his spryness. He is frequently portrayed as smoking a pipe.

[edit] Backstory

Not much of his early life is known, although he was Bard to the young Lady Morgase of House Trakand. He helped her ascend to the throne of Andor and became her Court Bard, and was renowned in noble circles in most nations. He thwarted Taringail's plan to kill Morgase and killed him. He and Morgase became lovers. Somewhere during this time, Thom discovered his nephew and only surviving blood kin, Owyn, was being pursued by the Red Ajah for channeling, but he was too busy with his duties to Morgase to seek him out.

The issue of Owyn returned later and Thom disappeared to help him, but he had waited too long: Owyn had been gentled by the Red Ajah and, left alone, had died. When Thom returned, Morgase was angry with him for leaving - a fight ensued, and Thom said she was a spoiled baby and tool of the White Tower. He left, barely dodging the execution block.

Thom is hot headed, but generally kind and considerate, and nurses a hatred of the Red Ajah, following their treatment of his nephew. A great player of Daes Dae'mar, Thom is able to sort out what is important among the information he gathers and which is just lies. He is supposedly attracted to and linked to saving Moiraine.

[edit] Escape from the Two Rivers

With his talents of Court Bard, he became a gleeman and journeyed across the land, performing in inns and villages. He just so happened to be in Emond's Field on the night when Trollocs attacked and Moiraine Damodred arrived. He went with Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara and Egwene al'Vere, fearing that they would succumb to the same fate Owyn had by following Moiraine, and felt he had to repay the failure he had made to his nephew. When the company was split up, he ended up on Bayle Domon's ship along with Rand and Mat. He seemingly sacrificed his life to protect them from a Myrddraal in Whitebridge, however he did not die, but the encounter did leave him with a permanent limp.

[edit] After Whitebridge

Rand later caught up with Thom in Cairhien after recovering the Horn of Valere. Soon afterward, Thom's girlfriend/apprentice Dena was murdered by men in the employ of King Galldrian. In a suspicious turn of events, King Galldrian Riatin was murdered hours later; Thom may or may not be the killer, as even his own statements on the subject are ambiguous.

Depressed, he left the city and made his way to Tar Valon, where he began drinking heavily. It was here that Mat found him after escaping from the White Tower. They rejoined the company in Tear after the Fall of the Stone. Thom, along with Juilin Sandar, was asked to take care of Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne Trakand when they journeyed to Tanchico, by Moiraine. She tells him by the Three Oaths that he will survive Tarabon and that they WILL meet again and she will provide him with the names of the Red Sisters who Gentled Owyn and the one who gave the order to have him Gentled on the spot.

[edit] Ebou Dar

After Tanchico he and Juilin rescue the two girls when they are poisoned by Forkroot tea by Ronde Macura. They then join Valan Luca's Travelling circus where Thom becomes a fire-breather and juggler. They followed them on their quest to Salidar where they are sent by the Salidar Six to scout around Tarabon for a time before returning again. Mat arrives in Salidar soon after Thom returns but Thom is told to stay away from him. Thom then goes to Ebou Dar with Elayne, Nynaeve and Mat to search for the Bowl of the Winds.

Thom and Juilin stayed with Mat after the Seanchan capture Ebou Dar and Mat is injured. He is now planning some scheme with Beslan Mitsobar against the Seanchan. He also uses the excuse of playing the harp to sneak into one of Tylin Quintara Mitsobar's maids room. He helps Mat escape with Tuon.

He, with the rest of Mat's group join up with Luca's Traveling Circus as a cover while they flee from Ebou Dar.

[edit] Moiraine's letter

It was recently revealed that Thom knows of Moiraine's fate after her battle with Lanfear and that her rescue requires Mat's help. Most of this comes from the letter that Thom received after the Blue Aes Sedai's 'death', in which she details some of what she saw when visiting with the Eelfinn[verify] and the three rings in Rhuidean.

[edit] Traveling with the Band

He accompanies Tuon Athaem Kore Paendrag and Mat to a hell in the town of Maderin. While in the White Ring he brings the news that the entire Seanchan army are after Tuon, claiming she is an imposter. As they are all leaving the hell, they are spotted by darkfriends trying to kill Mat. Thom protects Tuon while Mat engages another group behind them. Here Thom witnesses Selucia's fighting ability. At the end of the fight Thom professes to not remember seeing Selucia fight at all.

After this incident, Mat, Thom and the rest of their group decide to leave Luca's show. While riding through Altara they meet up with the Band of the Red Hand and begin to travel with them.

Furyk Karede enters the Band's camp, looking for the return of Tuon. He asks to speak to Thom, having him confused for being in command of the Band and a plot to take Tuon to the White Tower.

[edit] Viewings

A man not Thom, juggling fire and the White Tower.

[edit] Similarities to Merlin

Both Thom and Merlin advise very important people in their respective series (Rand and King Authur), and after certain events both Thom and Merlin cease to advise their former pupil.


In some legends, Merlin is the son of an Incubus; a male version of the Sucubus known for it's ablities at manipulation, much as Thom plays the Game of Houses.

The persona of Merlin is also linked to a woman named Ninive (possibly a different spelling for Nynaeve), and is eventually trapped in an enchanted tower by her.

Merlin was known for the ability to shapeshift, changing his appearance to disguise his identity. Thom is an excellent spy with the ability to blend into any situation without appearing out of place.

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