Tohrment

"Tohrment, son of Hharm. The sensible leader of the Brotherhood. The one who took care of all the others." -Trez^[1]

Tohrment is the tactical leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood in the series of the same name by JR Ward. Wellsie, his first mate, was killed by a lesser; he went on to mate Autumn and the two of them are the main characters of the tenth book, Lover Reborn.

Biography[]

Tohrment is the disowned son of Hharm and the adopted son of Darius; there's some human in his bloodline thanks to his great-great-grandmother. As a boy, his father sent him to the Bloodletter's camp and in 1671, the time came for graduation from that brutal education. Hharm neglected to show up with the other fathers to get their sons because he was too busy having sex, leaving Aghony to fetch Tohrment and bring him to a meeting of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Hharm was an apathetic parent at the best of times and knowing that Tohr wasn't likely to survive the night with an uncaring male to watch over him, Darius offered to take the boy with him as they hunted. Hharm read the subtext correctly and took it poorly, claiming that he could bring the boy back safe and sound. Darius told him that he'd fight Hharm over it if need be. Hharm had never been able to best Darius, although he'd certainly been eager to claim the rights of the winner over those who lost to Darius as per the rules of the Bloodletter's camp. Just to spite the man and rid himself of the responsibility of parenting entirely, Hharm disavowed Tohr on the spot, leaving him to Darius to claim.^[2]

In 1814, he was mated to his childhood sweetheart, Wellesandra. For years, their otherwise happy mating was only disturbed by regular arguments over having children. Tohr didn't want to risk losing his shellan, but Wellsie wanted a piece of her hellren to love if he was killed in the war. Eventually, he agreed and when the pregnancy was confirmed, he was gripped with a terrible knowledge that he was going to lose her.

When Bella brought a mute pretrans, John Matthew, who'd been raised by humans to the Brotherhood, Tohr and Wellsie took the poor traumatized boy in like he was their own son. Tohrment and John grew close as he developed and ran the training program in which John was enrolled. It was pure random chance that Lessers found and murdered her while searching for Bella.^[3]

After his shellan's death, Tohrment lived in a cave in the Adirondacks where he fed off deer in the hope that he'd eventually starve to death. Since suicide condemns one to Dunnhd, and he wanted to see Wellsie in the Fade, he couldn't take his own life. Lassiter found him and dragged him back to the Brotherhood, but it was only when he told Tohr that Wellsie had sent him to save him that he stopped slowly trying to commit suicide.

Despite Lassiter's words, Tohr was still self-destructive in the field, taking foolish risks and having no regard for his well-being. This behaviour worsened as he became attracted to Autumn, for which he punished them both for his guilt over his reaction to her. Learning that Wellsie was stuck in the In Between because he couldn't let go was the kick in the butt that he needed, although it was not a quick process but rather one that took months. With John Matthew's help, he finally packed up and sold the house where the three of them had lived; her jewelry went to Safe Place and funded its newest addition: the Wellesandra Wing.

At the Fade ritual for Wellsie and their unborn son, he revealed that his son's name would have been Tohrment, son of Tohrment. During the ceremony, he could finally allow Wellsie to go unto the Fade and in doing so, released Lassiter and Autumn from their own purgatories. Lassiter was able to intervene to bring Autumn back from the door to the Fade and back to Tohr.

When the rest of the race returned from hiding, Tohrment started the training program again and this time opened try-outs to females and non-aristocrats.

After Xcor's failed assassination attempt on Wrath in his bid for the throne, Wrath promised Tohrment would have the honour of executing Xcor.

Personality[]

Strong, steady, and cool-headed under pressure, he's the lay leader of the Brotherhood.

Physical Description[]

Tohr has military short dark hair with a white streak in front and navy blue eyes. He's described as having strong bones and clearsighted eyes.^[4] His voice is deep and commanding.^[5] He wears a black Timex Indiglo watch.^[6] The names carved into his back, Wellesandra and Tohrment, are scarred with a brand in the Old Language.^[7]

Skills[]

American Sign Language
He can identify the make of a car by the sound of its engine.^[8]
Leadership
Marksmanship; he's always been good with a gun since he was a boy and is the best shot of the Brothers^[9]
Tactics

Abilities[]

Dematerializing

Relationships[]

Autumn[]

Tohr did everything he could to resist his feelings for her until he learned of Wellsie's predicament, and once he finally realized he needed to move on with his life, he was able to love Autumn.

Beth[]

Tohr was the only Brother Wrath trusted to keep Beth safe early on in their relationship and they developed a friendship over Godzilla movies.

Darius†[]

When Tohr was young, he idolized Darius as both a mentor and a male of worth. He still misses his best friend^[10]

John Matthew[]

He quickly adopted John as a pre-trans struggling on his own, taking him into his home and under his wing. Their relationship was almost irreparably broken when Tohr withdrew from everyone and from life after Wellsie's death, but when John bonded with Xhex during her kidnapping, they were able to make amends since John better understood Tohr's situation as a widowed bonded male.

Lassiter[]

At first, he didn't like the angel, he thought he was a bit of jackass. Since he wasn't a Brother or even someone Tohr considered a friend without being an enemy, he allowed Lassiter to see him at his lowest points even when he wouldn't allow the Brotherhood to. Although they went round and round while Lassiter was trying to help him, Autumn, and Wellsie, they became good friends.

Wellsie†[]

Happily mated, with a son on the way, and another recently adopted, Tohrment had been as content as a bonded male could be. When he lost his shellan and their unborn son, Tohrment saw no reason to live. It took Lassiter telling Tohr that Wellsie sent him to stop Tohrment's slow suicide, revealing that his inability to move on was keeping her trapped in the In Between.

Wrath[]

As the on-the-ground leader of the Brotherhood, he's pretty much the only one who can make judgment calls about the king's safety without getting his butt beat for telling Wrath what to do.

Trivia[]

He owns a 1964 Corvette Sting Ray that he'd rebuilt himself, but can only drive it with the top down otherwise he can't fit in it.^[11]
He hasn't paid attention to the news in years.^[12]
He likes a cold Sam Adams and Milk Duds.^[13]
The only thing he can cook is chocolate chip cookies.^[12]
He's a Godzilla fan.
Autumn is his favourite season because it's beautiful and alive with fire, which is why he suggested the name to Autumn.^[14]
He absolutely does not get choked up during rom-coms. Nope, not at all.^[13]
He doesn't care about sports.^[12]
There are several volumes on Tohr in the Temple of Books, the last one ends with "Upon this eve, he did lose his mated shellan, Wellesandra, who was with young, from the earth. Subsequently, he extricated himself from the communal society of the Black Dagger Brotherhood."^[15]
He brought Wellsie her favourite flowers, white roses, every year on their anniversary.^[11]
He likes Extra Hot Pringles.^[16]
Member of the Survivors' Club

Appearances[]

Dark Lover
Lover Eternal
Lover Awakened
Lover Enshrined
Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide
Lover Avenged
Lover Mine
Lover Reborn
Lover at Last
The Shadows
Blood Kiss
The Beast
The Chosen
Where Winter Finds You
Caldwell Courier Journal. Vol II, Issue 2
Lover Unveiled
Lover Arisen
The Jackal
Forever
Lassiter

References[]

[1] Where Winter Finds You, Ch. 32

[2] Lover Mine, Ch. 7

[:0-3] Lover Eternal

[4] Lover Unbound, Ch. 23

[5] Lover Enshrined, Ch. 51

[6] Lover Avenged, Ch. 52

[7] Lover Reborn, Ch. 72

[8] Lover Reborn, Ch. 39

[9] Lover Mine, Ch. 46

[10] Lover Unbound, Ch. 10

[:1-11] 11.0 ^11.1 Lover Mine, Ch. 72

[:2-12] 12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 Lover Reborn, Ch. 24

[:3-13] 13.0 ^13.1 Lover Reborn, Ch. 37

[14] Lover Reborn, Ch. 46

[15] Lover Reborn, Ch. 15

[16] Lassiter & Tohrment. "Point/Counterpoint." Caldwell Courier Journal. Vol II, Issue 2. February 4, 2020

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]