Tom

Tom (Made with HeroForge)

A disgraced Templar that worked with the Anti-Templar Marcus Bloom in an attempt to gain revenge on Simon and his Order. Killed by River after his treachery was revealed.

## History

### Arc 5: Plague's Servant

While driving back to New Wells from Dugway, the NW6 were forced to skid to a halt as Addie spotted spike strips lining the highway ahead. On the overhead above, a large figure wearing black stood watching the group. After meeting any interaction with silence, the figure lifted up something large in their hands, seemingly a sort of bag shifting with movement, and tossed them over the rail toward the spikes. Gregg reacted quickly to ride toward the object, kick-flipping over the spikes and pushing it away from the spikes. While Jenny and Atom investigated the figure above, Addie and Gregg examined what they dropped. This 'object' was revealed to be a man wrapped up in a white tabard bearing a red cross, his face covered in bruises that oozed a white viscous fluid. Addie interpreted this as signs of an arcane disease, and was just able to heal him of both conditions. With his face back to its normal state, Addie quickly recognized him as a fellow Templar she'd seen around Boise. Even after being healed, he seemed too frightened to properly speak.

After the man above (later revealed to be Marcus Bloom) took off, Addie helped the Templar to his feet and offered him a ride and protection on their way to New Wells. He gave them his name, Tom, and gratefully accepted the help. He notices he's missing his sword, and Addie promises they'll find it when they have a chance. On the ride there, Tom mentions Marcus got in his head, and he didn't want to experience that again.

After arriving in New Wells, Tom followed the group as they went to investigate the crowd gathered near Victor's house. At Victor's detailing of the Hell Rider refugees experience, Jenny mentioned that sounded similar to Tom's own. Tom denied the idea, but seemed to be unable to speak as a look of fear washed over him. When River arrived soon after, his nervous agitation grew, giving her his full attention as he stood straight and frozen. That night, Addie and River spoke about the situation. River proposed Marcus probably threw Tom on top of us believing we'd take him back to town, thus quickly infecting everyone.

The next week the group discussed how to deal with Marcus. Addie suggested they question Tom, as he had the most up-close experience with the man. They pulled him aside to question him, away from the town's residents. At Addie's request of more information about the now known Anti-Templar, Tom seemed to go into a panic. Gregg and Addie managed to calm him down enough to get him to talk. Tom admitted he didn't get attacked, he had started traveling with Marcus after they met and he seemed friendly. They had formulated a plan for the both of them to get stronger, to spread a plague to a town's populate, and generate power from the despair. Tom had volunteered to be taken to New Wells as the vector, taking the beating from Marcus to better sell the act.

In response to the confession, River immediately pulled her sword to swing at Tom. Addie stopped her cold, telling her they needed to get as much info out of him as they could. Tom looked to them and said he didn't need their kindness, he needed strength, to pay back Simon for what he did. Knowing Tom's true intentions, Jenny set aside her usual standards and pulled details from his mind. She got the full picture: Tom had a vendetta against Simon for refusing to save his mom, believing it was for minor rudeness. He became a Templar to get close to Simon, hated every minute of his training. When he met Marcus, originally hunting him, the man had spilled that killing people and spreading fear could give power and strength to those who caused it, channeled what it gave. Jenny got the sense Tom enjoyed that work, all in the effort to piss off Simon. Jenny showed River, Addie, and Gregg what she saw too, and Addie asked for a look into more information on Marcus's abilities and base.

As Jenny reached deeper, she found images of Marcus that revealed he was incredibly fast and strong, his ax able to cut through most everything like butter. He could taint water sources with a touch, had a habit of going into smaller settlements, cooking for them, and poisoning all who partook in the meal. He turned them into plague zombies. They got a look into some of Marcus's history, of his appearance, and of his and Tom's shared base in a hospital in Golconda, Nevada.

At the conclusion of the one-sided mental interrogation, Gregg punched Tom in the eye. Addie asked if they needed more information, and at the negative, stepped aside to allow River her own retribution. After getting in a few solid punches, River mentioned she might take him to Simon. Addie commented it was a long way to Boise, which River agreed, and shot the man dead with her gun. Choc stripped Tom's corpse of his jacket. Later on, Addie and River dragged Tom's body out into the wastes near New Wells to burn.

During the raid on Marcus's base, Addie recovered Tom's sword.

### Arc 9: The Goat, The Witch, and The Warden

Tom's sword was returned to Boise, news of his betrayal given to Simon.