In The Wheel of Time series, there is a character named Thom, short for Thomdril Merrilin. Thom is a traveling gleeman and adventurer, and former bard to Queen Morgase of Andor. In The Eye of the World, he is in the remote village of Emond's Field when it is attacked by a horde of Trollocs. He joins a group of young villagers who flee under the guidance of the Aes Sedai Moiraine Damodred and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran. Thom is presumed killed when he helps Rand al'Thor and Mat Cauthon escape by fighting a Fade, or Myrddraal, the deadly, eyeless creatures who lead the pursuing Trollocs. Thom is proven to be alive after all when he is reunited with Rand in The Great Hunt, and he helps Mat foil a plot to assassinate Elayne Trakand in The Dragon Reborn.