Maybe he was taught by someone, rather than having the spark. Then he could have been channeling only a relatively short while before meeting Rand. I don't recall anything in the books specifically addressing when he started; did we just assume he had the spark and has been channeling for 15 years because of his age?
In LOC
A New Arrival
Rand studied Taim as the man and his escort crossed the courtyard. At least fifteen years older than himself; thirty-five, then, or a few years more at most. ... Rand had clung to sanity for close to two years, so far. Yet in front of him he had a man who must have managed it for ten or fifteen. That alone was worth something.
Clearly Rand thinks Taim is in his mid-late 30's and must have been channeling for 10-15 years.
However, later RJ stated the Taim was significantly younger
RJ's blog 4 October 2005 "ONE MORE TIME"
Rand misjudges Taim’s age because when they meet, you might say Taim has been rode hard and put away wet. He has just finished a long and difficult flight to reach Caemlyn, the one place where he might find refuge instead of being hunted — along with other reasons — and that has a wearing effect on anyone. Now that he has recovered, he doesn’t look so old.
This is also suggestive that he is NOT a Forsaken (why would one of the Forsaken look haggard?). But could well have been intercepted and put through the meat grinder so to speak ("along with other reasons" ).
Sanderson was cagey in what he had to say about Taim being turned by a 13x13 circle:
The Gathering Storm Book Tour, Books and Co., Dayton, OH 11 November 2009 - Tim Kington reporting
Q: Was Taim turned by a circle of thirteen?
A: RAFO. I will say that he was never a very nice guy.
Clearly Taim was never a nice guy, but that doesn't automatically mean he was already a DF (look at Elaida) or that he wasn't turned. Now that we're seeing others get turned in the BT it seems more of a possibility to me that Taim could have been turned... hell they may have done it to him even if he was already a DF ... just to make sure a Channeler of his immense strength stayed on their side.
All channelers who start young, stay young looking, so he should have slowed and shouldnt look more than in his early 20's.
Just thought about how that is odd too.
Taim
- 10/02/2011 07:14:30 AM
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Do we know when he started channeling?
- 10/02/2011 02:14:19 PM
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it's uncertain
- 10/02/2011 10:39:23 PM
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hmm channeling should have kept him young
- 11/02/2011 06:41:31 AM
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The dark cords aren't always visible
- 10/02/2011 02:48:14 PM
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That's assuming he /has/ kept off the taint...
- 10/02/2011 03:14:51 PM
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Re: That's assuming he /has/ kept off the taint...
- 10/02/2011 03:45:24 PM
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There's no way a non-darkfriend would use "Let the Lord of Chaos rule." *NM*
- 10/02/2011 06:15:10 PM
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I can gather two things from the other comments in both posts about Taim.
- 11/02/2011 05:21:48 PM
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Re: I can gather two things from the other comments in both posts about Taim.
- 11/02/2011 10:08:57 PM
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