Rand is the novel’s main protagonist. He is the son of Tam and Kari al’Thor and lives on a small farm near the village of Emond’s Field in the Two Rivers region. His mother has been dead for fifteen years at the start of the series and he barely remembers her. He only knows that she is not from the Two Rivers region. In fact, Rand is adopted, but has been unaware of it his entire life. Tam used to be a warrior. After a particularly bloody battle he found one of the enemy, a woman, and a newborn baby, Rand, who Tam raised as his own. Later in the novel, it becomes clear that Rand is of Aiel descent, but not much more is revealed in the series’ first installment.

Rand is unusually tall, over six feet, with reddish hair and grey eyes (3). At the beginning of the series, he is a rather typical adolescent; he dreams of adventure and has a budding romantic interest in the mayor’s daughter, Egwene. Rand is presented as kindhearted and willing to help those in trouble, such as Padan Fein in Chapter 15. He is a loyal friend, standing up for Mat and Perrin, and a loving and dutiful son who does not shirk his chores.