Thoreau Lionett

 is a human vineyard owner and winemaker, and the father of Beauregard Lionett. As an NPC, is played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
Thoreau was described by his daughter Beauregard Lionett as being a little bit shorter and slightly pudgy with a rounded face. He has dark hair with a widow's peak and brown eyes, with a unibrow that he's let go as he ages.

Personality
Beau described him as cranky and superstitious.

Background
Thoreau was "a poor bastard" who grew up with nothing and lived on the streets; he thought the woman he wanted to marry, Clara, deserved more than an impoverished man and that he had nothing to lose, so he risked walking through the wilderness to find "the witch in the mountains" about whom he had heard stories when he was growing up. Despite wearing out his shoes and being chased by wolves, in a diminished state he stumbled upon the house of a witch who claimed to specialize in fortunes. The fortuneteller offered him a deal: in exchange for "a fragment of [his] fortune," he would get what he always wanted. He agreed, so she told him to pick a place in the mountains and the ground would grow, that he would be a craftsman of fine spirits, and that "a young beau will take on the great name to continue the success, until everything eventually will humble [him] by that which [he] desired most." He borrowed what he could from Clara's family to buy derelict farm property in the hills on the north side of Kamordah and grew grapes on it, with amazing success. The family is now very well off and their wine is famous. Given the stunning success of the fortuneteller's advice, he now fears what is coming to "humble" him, and wants to protect his family. Thoreau believes that the fortuneteller may return someday and demand payment for her advice.

Thoreau receives a Sending from Jester pretending to be Archivist Zeenoth, telling him that Beau is now an Expositor and asking if anything weird has happened. He responds that everything's fine. The next day he is contacted again by Jester using a spooky voice, and he responds with some confusion, asking if they've met and who this is. Jester responds that everything he is doing is being watched, which seems to terrify him.

Thoreau receives another Sending from Jester, asking him how things are going and if he heeded her previous warnings, and telling him "we" are keeping eyes on you. He tells her that everything is fine, he thanks her for helping with the competition, and says that she needs to let him know what she needs.

The Mighty Nein went to meet with Thoreau after discovering a link between the witch who told Thoreau how to make his fortune and the witch who cursed Nott. They were the same person: a hag named Isharnai.

Within a few weeks after the defeat of Lucien, Lawmaster Orentha Stonegrasp presided over the trial of Archivist Zeenoth and Thoreau, overseen by High-Richter Dolan Thrym. Thoreau testified on his own behalf, trying to defend his actions and reasoning in paying Zeenoth to kidnap Beauregard, but he was sentenced to a brief time in jail and fines. As he was escorted from the courtroom, Beau handed him her Expositor badge, telling him to give it to TJ for her.

Post-campaign
According to two post-campaign tweets by Matthew Mercer, Thoreau’s toxic behaviors were very specific in their timing and targets, and otherwise he appeared a wonderful husband and father." However, following the revelations of Zeenoth and Thoreau's trial, and Thoreau's subsequent time in jail, Clara took their son T.J. and left.

Relationships
Thoreau is married to Clara Lionett, and has a young son named Thoreau Jr. He is also the father of Beauregard.

Zeenoth described Thoreau as "a very good friend" of the Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul. When Beau was arrested, he contacted the Cobalt Soul; in his last moments with her before the monks took her, he referred to her as his "misfortune."

Quotations
To Beau, during their reunion:


 * "I know we've had our differences. And I've not—I've not been the pinnacle of a father, in the same way that you've not been the pinnacle of a daughter. I accept my responsibilities in the things that I've maybe been a bit harsh on. But look what you've become."
 * "You were on a self-destructive path. We didn't know what to do. I've never been a—no one teaches you how to be a good father. I regret choices I've made, and you don't think I don't hold myself responsible for...? I thought I was doing what was best for you, truly."
 * "Beauregard, don't think for any moment your mother and I haven't loved you from the depths of our hearts this entire time. I'm sorry if we didn't show it properly."
 * "I only hope, I hope I can make up to you the missteps that I can plainly see behind me. It's rare that a child's damage at that age and behavior doesn't reflect how I, hmm, misstepped in my parenting."
 * "Your grandfather was no peach, either, and there's, there's difficulty in realizing how much you intended to be different, and then to realize you've become so similar. So I hope with the company you keep, maybe you won't repeat the same mistakes I have, by treating the people around you..."

Trivia

 * Matt described Thoreau as one of the most "slimy" characters he has had to roleplay, along with Howaardt Darrington. Both were fathers of a player character.