What happened to Tam's Sword? Who was Tam?

[DocBean]

What happened to Tam's heron-marked blade that Rand carried? I can't remember if it was destroyed or if it's still around in the story. I was reading a bit about Rand on Wikipedia and it got me to thinking it would be great to see Tam in action again, since we know he must be a swordmaster, and I'd like to see him get his hands back on his old blade.

 

Who was Tam during the Aiel War? Why did he settle down, and what do we know about Kari (SP?? Rand's Birth Mother)?

 

I'm hoping the forums will be enough to keep me from diving back into this world a third time around.

[Leopoled Boothe]

Tam's sword melted after Rand stabbed Ishamael with it during one of their battles. It was either at the end of TGH or TDR, I can't remember which.

 

As far as who Tam was in the Aiel War and why he settled down to become a farmer is to be the subject of RJ's second WOT Prequel.

[Guest Wynne Jessal]

Wasn't his sword destroyed in his battle with Ba'alzamon over Falme? (Trying to remember...)

 

After that he started using his saidin flame sword.

 

And then he got a new blade from Avi.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Yes, Tam's sword melted during the climax of the battle over Falme, the only time Rand stabbed Ishamael with it directly.

 

During the Aiel War, Tam was Second Captain of the Companions, the elite formation of Illian, tasked specifically with protecting the King. In addition to the Aiel War, he fought in the Whitecloak War, and two wars with Tear. He settled down because he was sick of war, and had found a son (Rand). We have essentially no details about Kari al'Thor, or how they met.

 

One of the projected prequel novels is supposed to be specifically about Tam, his rise, meeting Kari, and greater detail about why he went back to the Two Rivers.

[icspots]

What RAW said. :)

[Zardi]

and what do we know about Kari (SP?? Rand's Birth Mother)?

I'm surprised no one said this yet, but Tigraine/Shaiel is Rand's birth mother, not Kari. Kari is his adopted mother.

 

I hope we see more of Tam, as well :) I think he's one of the coolest characters in the series.

[icspots]

Good point Zardi. I think we all knew that, but just glossed over it in our minds. :oops:

[Leopoled Boothe]

and what do we know about Kari?

 

Only that she was the wife of Tam al'Thor and the adoptive mother or Rand, that she was not from The Two Rivers, that she died when Rand was very young and that somehow Ishamael and/or the DO was able to capture and imprison her soul after she died (if that was indeed Kari al'Thor that Rand saw at the end of TEotW). She doesn't even have her maiden name worked into here married name the way most married gal's in WOT do, so we don't even have that as a clue as to who she was or where she might have come from. However, if you do a little searching around Dragonmount you will see that fans have made all kinds of specualations about her. They have here cast as everthing from a stilled AS to a darkfriend.

[Leopoled Boothe]

What happened to Tam's heron-marked blade that Rand carried?

 

Thom swallowed it.

[Guest Wynne Jessal]

What happened to Tam's heron-marked blade that Rand carried?

 

Thom swallowed it.

 

*rimshot*

[DocBean]

I meant adopted mother. sorry.

 

anyway, i'd like to know more about her, i wonder if RJ will get a chance to write her story.

[HoppyQ]

Is it possible Kari was a Saldean? Other than the aiel, I think that's the only place ever mentioned where redheads are common and it seems to me that what little description of her we've had says she is a redhead.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Since all of Tam's activity was in the South during the time he must have met Kari (serving in the Army of Illian) it is less likely that she is Saldaean. However, there is not enough evidence in the story to say for sure one way or the other.

[Guest Anonymous!]

Yes, Tam's sword melted during the climax of the battle over Falme, the only time Rand stabbed Ishamael with it directly.

 

To elaborate further, the blade of the sword melted. I got the impression that Rand was going to use the blade from Aviendha's gift with the hilt from Tam's old sword to forge a new sword to give back to Tam. If I recall correctly, the blades of both Tam's sword and the one Aviendha gave to Rand were both "power wrought".

 

I too agree that Tam is awesome, and I do believe he is my favorite character.

[Leopoled Boothe]

It occurs to me that Rand stabbing Ishamael at Falme is how he got his second heron mark, so the destruction of Tam's sword was actually part of a very important event.

[Leopoled Boothe]

Is it possible Kari was a Saldean? Other than the aiel' date=' I think that's the only place ever mentioned where redheads are common and it seems to me that what little description of her we've had says she is a redhead.[/quote']

 

Isn't red hair also common in Eastern Andor?

[Zardi]

Yeah. And apparently, Kari is from Caemlyn: http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org/

[Guest Wynne Jessal]

Is it possible Kari was a Saldean? Other than the aiel' date=' I think that's the only place ever mentioned where redheads are common and it seems to me that what little description of her we've had says she is a redhead.[/quote']

 

Actually red hair isn't common in Saldaea. Black hair is common; the red-haired strain is uncommon, if not an aberration.

 

In fact, have we read of another red-haired Saldaean besides Sheriam?

[RobertAlexWillis]

Zardi is correct. Upon further investigation, Kari al'Thor is a red-headed merchant's daughter from Caemlyn. (This according to Moiraine, in The Great Hunt, chapter 8 ) Whether Tam met her in Caemlyn or not is uncertain, but since she is a merchant's daughter, she may have been able to travel, making a meeting in Illian possible. They were apparently married for some time before the Aiel War, and Tam finding Rand.

 

(edited so my brother would stop making fun of me 8) )

[Safia al-Maaz]

Yes' date=' Tam's sword melted during the climax of the battle over Falme, the only time Rand stabbed Ishamael with it directly.

[/quote']

 

To elaborate further, the blade of the sword melted. I got the impression that Rand was going to use the blade from Aviendha's gift with the hilt from Tam's old sword to forge a new sword to give back to Tam. If I recall correctly, the blades of both Tam's sword and the one Aviendha gave to Rand were both "power wrought".

 

Rand had another hilt made for the sword Avienda gave him while in one of the little towns the passes on there way to fight Couladin. He didn't want to use that gaudy hilt Laman had on it (who would really?) I don't remember what happened to the hilt of Tam's sword...

[SBoydW]

This according to Moiraine, in The Great Hunt, chapter 8)

 

hehehehhe chapter 8) ..... dorl forgot to put a space in....

 

Sorry bro couldn't help myself.... so go ahead and DEE DEE DEE yourself...

[RobertAlexWillis]

Why whatever are you talking about, dear brother?

 

8)

[SBoydW]

:evil: