Thomas

Thomas (トーマス, Tōmasu) is one of the protagonists of Suikoden III.

He is a young man from the Nameless Lands who works to revitalize Budehuc Castle.

Appearance
Thomas had medium length brown hair and large, expressive brown eyes. He wore an orange-brown coat over a red vest and white shirt. He also wore short green pants, grey stockings, and brown shoes.

He wielded a short sword as his combat weapon with both hands, holding it timidly.

Personality
Thomas has a timid personality, but has a strong conviction that he will never bend to what is important to him. He quickly grew to care about Budehuc Castle and its inhabitants and was willing to stand against anyone, even the Zexen Knights if it meant securing their rights to live their lives undisturbed.

This bravery as well as his earnest and honest character would draw the people of Budehuc, all from diverse backgrounds, to him.

Thomas was a poor runner but a surprisingly talented swimmer. He also had a sweet tooth and preferred sweet, children's-style curry.

History
"An indecisive, ordinary young man and the master of Lake Castle."

- Thomas' profile

Thomas is the illegitimate son of Zexen Council representative Lowma. His mother was a vendor from a remote country. Her personality was much like Thomas'. She fell in love with Lowma and bore his child, only to be abandoned. He was raised in the Nameless Lands where he grew to have a timid personality and poor fighting ability. However, he is also a quietly determined person, willing to work hard.

He was raised in the Nameless Lands by his mother, but after her death in a Grassland raid, Thomas journeyed to Zexen per his mother's request to live with his father. However, as an illegitimate child was a political liability, Lowma quickly got rid of Thomas by assigning him lordship over the obscure, crumbling Budehuc Castle in Zexen's northern frontier. Thomas had no grand designs when coming to Zexen, save to see the face of the father he had never met.

There, without his father's negative influence over him, Thomas worked hard at winning the trust of the castle's residents and revitalising the area and its economy. To achieve this, Thomas attempted to make Budehuc Castle a free-trade zone, aided by a 50 year old treaty which marked the area as common ground for both Zexen and the Grassland. Although he did not have council approval, Thomas reasoned that the resident's livelihood mattered more than the bureaucratic process and forged ahead with a strong will. As castle lord, he worked closely with Cecile, his guard commander, forming a firm friendship. When Cecile accompanied Thomas to Brass Castle, Salome pointed out that her position was not official, to her dismay. It was Thomas who would stand up for her, convincing Salome to agree to let Thomas appoint her as guard commander until an official appointment could be made. This would be one of Thomas' first official acts as lord of Budehuc Castle.

The Zexen Council would disapprove of Thomas' free trade actions when word eventually reached them and would send a small force to eject Thomas. Although Thomas had no real desire to rule a castle, he felt responsible for its care and indebted to the friends he had made there and began to take up weapons to defend his new home.

Even when his resolve began to falter, hoping to leave the castle so as to spare his colleagues further hardship, Cecile would speak up, convincing him to stay. Thanks to the stratagems of Caesar Silverberg, Thomas and his friends were able to hold off the force before they were forced to withdraw due to political pressure instigated by Salome Harras.

To thwart the Zexen Council's designs, Thomas would sell the lease of Budehuc Castle to Lucia, chief of the Karaya Clan for a token sum of 200 potch before leasing it back at the rate of 1 potch per year for the next 200 years. This loophole, combined with Councillor Durabum's recall to Vinay del Zexay allowed Thomas to stay in control of the castle.

When the Fire Bringer was reformed in order to resist the invasion of the region by the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia, Thomas grew as a lord as Budehuc Castle was seen as the best option for a secure headquarters. As such, he contributed greatly to the Fire Bringer during the War of the Champions and was a driving force behind their eventual victory. He and Cecile would even join Sasarai and Dios during the final battles, helping to protect the Harmonian bishop at the Ceremonial Site.

Following the war, thanks in part to Salome, Budehuc Castle continued to be recognised as a free trade zone, keeping Thomas very busy indeed.

Name and Weapon
Thomas is a popular western European name and was especially so in medieval times. It is of Aramaic etymology and means "twin".

His sword upgrades from Old Sword, to Well-Kept Sword, to Master's Sword, reflecting Thomas' growth as the master of Budehuc Castle.

Trivia

 * Thomas is not very good at running but is a surprisingly adept swimmer.
 * Thomas has a sweet tooth but has a hard time handling spicy foods, preferring mild curry, which is more popular with small children.