- For the Valdamaran nobleman, see Tobias (noble).
Tobias Marchand is a famous Master Bard and the very absent father of Bard-Trainee Lena.[1] "He can play almost every instrument there is, and do it brilliantly—and his songs are popular in at least three countries besides Valdemar. And, besides that, he’s supposed to be a simply amazing and witty man, able to hold a conversation on just about any subject."[1] Marchand is very popular amongst the nobility and is known as the King of Bards.
He ignores Lena's struggles to get his attention and live up to the expectations of being his daughter. He is unable to recognize Lena when he returns to Haven and orders Mags and Lena to bring a note to the King's Own about a minor thing. Bardic Collegium Dean Lita Darvalis publicly berates Marchand for his behavior.[2]
He has a one-sided rivalry with King's Own Herald Nikolas, due to Nikolas witnessing Marchand using his Gift unethically while they were Trainees. The Dean at the Bardic Collegium at the time likened Marchand to "a dangerous animal" which they "dare not" allow off a leash.[3] Marchand is constantly seeking to boost his reputation and is good at identifying and acquiring people who will be useful. He sometimes uses his gifts heroically, when he himself is not in danger, and has written songs about these events.
Lena notices some irregularities in Marchand's songwriting and discovers that he has been stealing his protégés' work and claiming it as his own. Marchand picks impoverished students who are grateful for the attention, and then takes them traveling when they are ready to produce their Masterwork. The protégés are offered a comfortable position as a House Bard for wealthy country nobles, and Marchand submits a weak "Masterwork" on their behalf that is barely good enough to earn them their Scarlets, destroying any Bardic interest in them. Lena suspects Marchand of frightening the protégés into accepting a life of obscurity and murdering their creativity. Lena presents the evidence to Lita but there isn't enough to do more than ban Marchand from taking any more protégés. [4]
Marchand is later revealed to have been meeting foreign agents Stone and Ice and receiving money for information. After Amily is saved, Marchand is permanently assigned as the Bard and Chronicler for a Guard Headquarters at the Iftel Border and will remain there under house arrest for the remainder of his life.[5]
He is described as "A tall and very handsome man, with dark hair that was greying at the temples."[2]
In the series[]
Tobias is mentioned or appears in the following works:
- Foundation, Collegium Chronicles, volume 1
- Intrigues, Collegium Chronicles, volume 2
- Changes, Collegium Chronicles, volume 3
- Redoubt, Collegium Chronicles, volume 4