From: torch@idt.unit.no (Tor Christian Ulvang)
Subject: Re: Aes Sedai
Keywords: Sedai
Reply-To: torch@idt.unit.no (Tor Christian Ulvang)
Organization: Div. of CS & Telematics, Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 14:13:25 GMT

In article <darknite.728034490@camelot>, darknite@camelot.bradley.edu (John S. Novak III) writes:
|> 
|> >>4. The name al'Thor probably means that Tam is descended from the old king
|> >>Thorin mentioned in the books (ANOTHER REFERENCE TO LOTR!)
|> 
|> >I got the distinct impression that Tam is the fabled Jain Farstrider.
|> >I don't remember all the clues that brought me to that conclusion, but
|> >he *does* have that fancy sword, which isn't just your average
|> >heron-mark blade.  At one point someone mentions that Tam's blade
|> >dates back to the Age of Legends.  Now how would a common footsoldier
|> >get a sword like that?
|> 
|> 
|> The person in question was Lan, telling Rand about the sword.
|> One possible way for this sheepherder to come into possession of
|> a very old Heron-marked blade is simple-- kill the old owner.
|> 
|> I know that Tam's history has been sketched out somehwere in the
|> series, and mentioned what wars he fought in.  However, in TSR,
|> it is noted that Tam had the same grace of mobility as the
|> Warders did.  I hypothesize that Tam may have, at one time,
|> trained to be a warder.  He did, after all, have enough pull to
|> see people in the White Tower.  This may have been the result of
|> an Old Boys' Network favor being called in.  For that matter, Lan
|> might have known so much about that blade because he may have
|> _known_ Tam, way back when.  Or not.
|> 
|> I've currently begun rereading the series with meticulous care.
|> I'm even possessed enough by the books to have bought a notebook
|> to jot down interesting or important details as I see them, to
|> correlate them later.  If I find evidence for any crazy theory
|> (my own, or anyone else's) I'll be sure to post it... :-)
|> 
|> --
|> "So this is the Sword of Immortality, huh?  What's it doing in a
|> crypt?"		-- Aratham De Cernilas
|> John S. Novak, III		darknite@camelot.bradley.edu

-- 

There have been some discussion about Tam and Jain Farstrider. My 
impression is that Tam is NOT Jain, in The Great Hunt, Moiraine Sedai tells
Rand that Tam went to Illia and became the second captain of 
the Companions, became a BladeMaster (and got his sword), fought in 
two wars against Tear and the Aiel war before going home to the two 
Rivers with a wife and a child (Rand).
(This is when Rand is told he is the Dragon Reborn.)

Thom can't be Jain since he is was a bard 20 years ago in Andor
known as the gray Fox, a master in the game of Houses(?) and
Queen Morgase's lover. (TSH)

My view of Fain Farstrider is that he is somehow connected to Lan,
since Lord Angelmark, in tEotW mentions someone called Jain <someting>
already known as Farstrider, when telling Lan's story and the story
about the fall of the Seven Towers.
Also Ba'alsamon (The Betrayer of Hope really) said something in a
dream Rand had about sending Jain Farstrider away as a fool, and Loial
said in tEotW about a man (Jain?) apparently suffering from a illness made
by the One Power comming to a Steddings 20 years ago, talking about 
how Ba'alsamon would blind the eye of the world, this could be Jain. 
This person left the stedding for the White Tower, but apparently
didn't arrive, so if it was Jain, then he is probably dead.....

Anyhow, Jain must be rather old now, at least 20 years older than
Lan, if it really was Jain who was referred to by Lord Agelmark.

Tor

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Tor Christian Ulvang               | Quote wanted.                      | 
| torch@solan.unit.no                |                                    |
| Norwegian institute of Technology  |                                    |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written