The reason I brought up Tam and a theory is because of the interesting little facts we have been given throughout the first three books. Which are as follows(I will try to be brief):

"Remember the flame and the void," Tam said this to Rand. Point, we all now know that the flame and the void is a method used to also teach men how to touch the one power. Not your every day common knowledge.

"Tam won the archery contest every year." Tam is more than a farmer he is a master archer.

"At first sight Tam dispatched the Trolloc and the next that followed and Rand saw two more dead when he returned and 12 trollocs followed Tam running from the house." "Some trollocs can hear like a dog." Tam is a master swordsman, and has fought Trollocs before.

"Tell me what she said , her exact words, mind, just as she said." Tam has dealt with Aes Sedai before.

"I can track as well as any man in the Two Rivers, except perhaps Tam..." Nynaeve makes this comment to Lan when she is able to track him. Tam is what you would call a "master" tracker.

"Tam rose to be a blademaster and Second Captain of the Companions." Tam became Second Captain of one of the most elite fighting forces to the day.

My theory is that Tam al'Thor is more than meets the eye. I believe his history goes further than even Moraine could discover. Pedron Niall "lost" one battle that he speaks of to the Illian Companions, who when Pedron Niall thought he had the king of Illian trapped, they came in and saved him. I believe that Tam al'Thor was in command that day and for that reason the King of Illian gave Tam one of the most rare swords in the world. It was a heron marked blade, passed down from king to king, forged by Aes Sedai. Much more than just a farmer who brought a baby back from the war. If you will notice, this sword is almost an exact replica of Lan's, Lan's just doesn't have herons on it.