in Books[]
Lomar’s story Song of the Fathers
Lomar Fasholt first appears in Conflict of Honors. She is discussed subsequently in Dragon Ship and Shan yos'Galan is concerned about her in Alliance of Equals but she doesn't feature directly in these books. Lomar features as main character in the short story “Song of the Fathers”, included in Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Number 35 From Every Storm.
Lomar Described[]
- She is ethnically from the widespread family of Terrans, as opposed to Liadens, who are typically smaller and shorter than those born of legendary Terra.
- “Lead Trader Lomar Fasholt, of Fasholt and Daughters, based at Swunaket Port”[1]
- Trusted and respected by Shan yos'Galan Master Trader Tree & Dragon
- Round-faced and rumpled, her tunic was a particularly pleasing shade of pink[2]
- She has eight husbands when Shan and Priscilla visit her in Standard Year 1385. The more money she makes, the more husbands they insist she take. [2]
- She has five daughters.[3]
Trading with Tree & Dragon[]
Decades ago, Lomar’s grandmother negotiated a contract with Tree & Dragon Trading through Shan’s grandmother Petrella yos'Galan. Thus, Clan Korval has worked with Family Fasholt for several generations, through Petrella, her son Er Thom, and currently Shan. The original contract established between Petrella and Lomar's grandmother, Tuleth states 'between Petrella yos'Galan or assignees and Tuleth Fasholt, or assignees'.[2]
Theocratic Matriarchy[]
Fasholt and Daughters is based in Tralutha Siamn, on Swunaket Port. Swunaket is one of Terran planets — the second planet of four in the Irrobi System [2]
Swunaket Port (and perhaps the entire planet) is governed by temple-teachings that promote matriarchy by association with the goddess. The Temple has increasingly diminished the role, authority, and even authenticity of men. It has become increasingly tyrannical.
Like the Safe World of matriarchal Delgado, this culture favors females over males. “According to the information on Shan’s key, Swunaket was also a matrilineal culture.” [1]
Lomar is not happy on Swunaket anymore:
- "If I were twenty years younger I'd leave this silly planet and set up somewhere else. I don't know why my daughters stay - true speech!"[2]
Lomar must stop trading with Korval because of a new temple law:
- "It's the new law, Shannie. From the temple. The thrice-blessed have instructed us to have no trade with any families but those who are properly headed by a female. To trade with no ship, except when captain and Trader are women." ... "This is not Sintia, sister. Here we follow the temple's instructions. Or find ourselves broken into bits and scattered, mother from daughter, and sister from sister, across the world." ..."I don't dare."[2]
Her Disappearance[]
Shan and Priscilla urge Lomar to vacate the planet, before things get worse:
"You know and I know that it will become less and less right. Cut off trade with half the galaxy? It's insanity— worse! Suicidal. You'll starve. If the luck rides your shoulder. If not— a society that enslaves half its population? Lomar, what happens when the slaves see the masters are weak?" . . ."Revolution," Priscilla said in a low voice, feeling prophecy stir within her. "War. Hatred. Death." [2]
Lomar hesitates when Shan urges her to leave as Soon as possible: "My assets must be liquidated. That takes time, careful planning. And my daughters. It's not possible. Not now."
Shan reminds her of his personal pinbeam code and the pinbeam code for Dutiful Passage and urges her to call him for providing transport. He also offers to become a silent second business partner for 5 or 10 years to help her get established offworld.[2]
In her melant'i as trader for Laughing Cat and Master Trader yos'Galan’s emissary, Theo Waitley seeks audience at another Temple world, Frenzel, at Chaliceworks Aggregations Main Office, and there she learns that Lomar has vanished.[1] -This is eight years after Shan and Priscilla last saw her.
- “Lomar Fasholt has broken with her Temple, and her whereabouts are uncertain. We here— because these things concern all of us who serve the Goddess— we here are awaiting enlightenment. Is this break an honest disagreement, a proper complaint; a bid for a new and truer direction? Or is it schism born of disharmony and a desire for destruction?” [1]
- Shan reads "... Theo’s report that she had broken with her Temple and disappeared from her homeworld." [4]
Shan Searches for Her[]
- "He began to fear, indeed, that Lomar had not merely left her Temple, but had been returned to her Goddess, and all her plentiful household with her." [5]
- "He had some time ago put out discreet inquiries on Lomar Fasholt, who had vanished from all of her usual ports and places about the time that Korval had quit Liad for their new homeworld of Surebleak. A few more answers to his questions had arrived in his mail queue, all of them unsatisfactory in the extreme, just as the others had been. He was beginning to believe that Lomar, far from not wanting to be found, no longer existed to be found." [6]