Tyndal

Tyndal enters the series at fourteen as Minalan's first apprentice. Illegitimate son of a drunken mother on a Boval farm called The Heights, Minalan discovered him "doing simple wild magic in a stable" and took him on a few months before the goblins struck. Skinny, dirty-blond hair, blue eyes. Woken by the tolling bell the night Minden's Hall is attacked, Minalan finds him still drunk from the evening with his boots on, tosses him a warwand charged with the command-word "guerestra," and sends him out to fight; first kill is a gurvan shot in the jaw with an arrow.

At the Alka Alon visit he is smitten with the maiden Ameras and full of questions. In the siege of Boval Castle he receives a witchstone ("green amber," the most potent piece Minalan trusts him with) and is formed into the early magical corps with Rondal, Garkesku, and others. When Urik goes mad and tries to kill Minalan, Tyndal enters the duel with sword in one hand and warwand in the other, sending bolts so elegant Minalan takes a moment to admire them mid-fight. His "dangerous and stupid stunt that bordered on the criminal" of detonating an over-stuffed warwand as a delayed bomb against the advancing horde saves the day.

Tyndal spends most of the book shepherding Bovali refugees with Rondal. Minalan buys him a proper mageblade at Master Cormoran's workshop in Tudry and teaches him telepathy via Pentandra's sigil. By Timberwatch he has put on "twenty pounds of muscle" and his voice no longer breaks:

Just you and me, now, master. At the beginning of the summer, he would have needed a stool.

He has somehow ended up with Minalan's Farisi mageblade Slasher, and uses it to "nearly cut a gurvan in two." He faces a troll alongside Minalan with an over-charged warwand improvisation. Minalan opens a telepathic link:

Tyn, the moment you notice anything change about Hamlan, I want you to kill him as quickly as possible.

Tyndal obeys without hesitation, dropping the treacherous valet with a warwand, then covers Lady Isily with his wand as Minalan confronts Princess Rardine. The Dukes knight every warmage at Timberwatch: "included Pentandra, Tyndal, Rondal, and the rest." From stableboy to Sir Tyndal in less than a year.

Returns with Rondal to Sevendor; Minalan has both boys knighted publicly before his new vassals. Physical growth: "put on at least twenty pounds, all of it muscle," while Rondal gained two inches in height. "Accepted [the attentions of Bovali maidens] eagerly," while Rondal was baffled.

Personality contrast with Rondal says:

Tyndal was bold, ambitious, and audacious. Rondal was thoughtful, subtle, and cautious. Tyndal seemed to attack everything he did like a dog pouncing on a nest of silksnakes, and was openly contemptuous of caution as an unmanly vice.

Their rivalry manifests as magical one-upmanship at the Brestal guard tower: Tyndal's red magelight versus Rondal's blue; Tyndal's carpentry versus Rondal's stonework.

Wears Slasher over his shoulder, with his own mageblade "(he didn't go anywhere without it when he was on duty, mostly because the girls loved it)." In the duel with Sir Surbaral and the West Flerian squires he dispatches all three squires with style (including Sir Festaran) and defeats Sir Surbaral ("Because I won. First blood, remember? I tagged you. That's blood. I've seen it before. I win"). At the Chepstan Fair he wins the swordplay tournament 6-0 without visible magic, and at the Censorate attack duels one of the warmagi with Slasher blunted from the tournament while the Censor's blade is sharp, surviving through footwork until Dranus yanks his opponent away. Minalan's aside: "In two years, Tyndal will be a better swordsman than I."

At the Dragon of Cambrian battle he drops to his knees emptying every warwand he carries and shields the fallen Delman with an infantry shield; he and Rondal extract the two largest dragon teeth as trophies. Minalan announces his future:

Tyndal, I will want you to join the Horkan Order as my representative, one day. Your skills as a warmage are impressive, and you have the kind of attitude they respect.

Tyndal is sixteen, "taller, skinnier" than Rondal, "shock of dirty blond hair that never quite seemed to stay put, and blue eyes that the village girls found dreamy. He was well-muscled for his frame, the result of countless hours spent on the practice field. He loved swordplay, horses, and the trappings of nobility, too." Minalan exiles the two boys for fighting ("I am about to throw both of you off the tallest mountain in Sevendor!") and sends them to Inarion Academy, then Relan Cor.

At Inarion, Tyndal is humiliated by how much more Rondal has read. Retreats to the practice yard, attracts the gifted senior Imperial student Estasia of Mistalagan (his first real love interest) through his swordplay. Her murderer turns out to be Kaffin of Gyre, who is really Relin Pratt, nephew of Orril Pratt the Mad Mage of Farise and a Shadowmage assassin. When Ancient Galdan throws Estasia from a roof, Tyndal drives Slasher eight inches through Galdan's chest ("I have never cut a man in half before") and realizes too late that he has killed. This trauma is formative.

At Relan Cor under Master Renando of Cormeer he studies shield work, augmented-speed combat magic, and cavalry mageblade. Out-sparred by Sire Cei with a practice greatsword. During errantry at Cargwenyn his philosophy lands: "It's like a free meal under every manor!" He delivers endless lectures to Rondal on the Sixteen Laws of Love drawn from "the Sage of Castle Heart" and the Meditations.

Maramor/Taragwen. He arrives at Maramor at the head of a cavalry column, "riding a midnight-black charger and wearing a dashing green mantle over his armor, looked all the world like a handsome knight errant." Lady Arsella immediately switches her affections to him, wounding Rondal. He loses Slasher in combat. With Rondal he conquers Taragwen and founds the Estasi Order of Arcane Knights, named for the dead Estasia, secretly dedicated to hunting the Brotherhood of the Rat. Minalan rewards them with a matched pair of larger Alka-crafted spheres (two of the Spellmonger's Seven) and, for the first time, calls Rondal "friend."

Tyndal has had "his cockiness tempered with discipline. While he was just as ambitious as before, he was more cautious, particularly around Rondal." Both boys are at the Alka Alon Council and the Rescue of Anthatiel with new mageblades, new spheres, new staves.

At Anthatiel he fights beside Minalan, charging siege worms: "Tyndal kept up with me on his way toward the worm." He and Rondal help drive the worms, plying their mageblades "like madmen" against gurvani. On the giant-dog-pulled barges he rides at the head "standing triumphantly over a team of seven, surrounded by giant dogs who were enjoying the ride." Classic Tyndal:

Dragons are a pisser, but they do get the girls. You start talking about Castle Cambrian, and being there when the Dragonslayer and the Hawkmaiden slew the beast, and the skirts just start flying. I'm hoping three dragons has an augmented effect.

Returns with Rondal from the Land of Scars mission where they rescued Ruderal says:

seven of the company we set out with did not return. They will be missed.

Reports sighting Korbal and the Nemovorti. On the Kasari:

They are the most loyal and dependable men I have ever met.

Commander of the Pathfinders vanguard on the Kasari Great March. Seizes Lotanz Castle by bluff, commands it as forward base, makes first contact with the human refugees at Baerlon's Hill:

We will not turn them away. We can't! These are good Wilderlands folk. They just need some help.

Takes Rognar Tower (Mask's castle) by bringing down a wall with earth-magic on Minalan's order ("Tyndal, you have your weakness. Take down that castle, please") and persuading Wilderfolk refugees to storm the gatehouse. Loots Mask's quarters: "Be a shame to leave it just lying there."

Passes his journeyman certification under Master Hartarian:

Free might be overstating it. We got our journeyman's papers. But we're still sworn knights magi of the Baron of Sevendor. We have some unfinished business with the Brotherhood of the Rat.

Arrests Sir Oacei and Sir Harlond psychokinetically: "Psychokinetics, if you want to be technical." On the Kasari's strict dress: "And trousers. The Kasari are weird." Comes out grinning from an Ishi oracle while Rondal comes out shaken.

Tyndal and Rondal return from southern Alshar with Ruderal in tow, paid his mother two years' rent in advance, and hidden her under a false name. They buy a Sevendor cottage (the Rat Trap) with their rat-loot, warded and staffed with a magical guardian construct.

At the Bouleuterion Tyndal builds his custom baculus Grapple, paraclete-enchanted with "a highly inquisitive, slightly impetuous" enneagram that Ruderal says matches his magical style. In Lorcus's Rolone campaign he tracks Sir Ganulan (his old Book 3 rival, now a Brotherhood-linked bandit) behind the Amel Wood attack. At Dunselen's keep he forces the front doors, tends Rondal's Alka-Alon-wrought wound with field spirits, and disarms Dunselen. Rondal, Tyndal, Lorcus, Bendonal, and Lanse all swarm up to face Ishi-infused Isily atop the keep; Tyndal is sent "whirling across the floor" by her Blue Magic.

Tyndal and Rondal arrive in Vorone from Enultramar with Master Thinradel and massive intelligence haul: "Between assignments right now, what can we do?" Already adept warmagi, geared for war.

At the Great Revelation council, dressed in Enultramar-style doublets with mageblades and Kasari daggers, Tyndal narrates with typical flourish how he and Rondal stole EVERYTHING from the Brotherhood of the Rat's treasury ("A couple of fortunes, as near as we can tell") and got the Brotherhood's spider-like master of spies blamed for it. This windfall funds Anguin's restoration of Alshar. Offers to assassinate a suspected traitor:

We could just kill her, if she's been compromised. I will undertake that mission, if called upon.

Commits to the Rardine rescue:

Are you jesting? A hopeless quest into an impenetrable fortress against untold hordes of evil to rescue a princess who is literally being guarded by a dragon? . . . But we're not bitter. We're doing it as a public service.

Tyndal is ennobled in Alshar during this period as a "real Alshari knight magi."

The mission: rescue Ruderal and his mother from the Brotherhood of the Rat in Solashaven, Enultramar. Dual POV with Rondal.

Character pivot. Tyndal admits to Rondal for the first time:

I'm worried I'll screw it up. And then Ruderal will end up dead. I understand my limitations. There is a time for kicking doors in, and there's a time for subtlety. I trust your subtlety more than I trust my ego so I want you to take the lead on this.

Rondal is stunned. This is a landmark maturity beat.

Plays drunk sailor and charming foreign wastrel to work street informants. Builds the Estasi Order's identity and close working bonds with Sir Atopol the Cat (Gatina's brother). Campaign of vengeance:

We won't be caught. And if they try, we'll see a lot more dead Rats.

Multi-stage Rat-disruption operations using wooden dahman spy-constructs, berserker balls, and alchemical fire. Grapple and Bulwark are formally built this book; Ruderal chooses Tyndal's paraclete enneagram, "a highly inquisitive, slightly impetuous" ancient ocean-scavenger.

Heads the first wave of Anguin's rescue force to the Tower of Despair at Olum Seheri, with Atopol (shadowmage scout) and Rondal in support. Berserker-ball siege opening: "We really spared no thaumaturgical expense for these."

Teleports into the burning Tower of Despair nine stories up, hanging over fire: "Ishi's tits! How high up are we?" Climbs in full armor up a needle-thin ledge to Princess Rardine's cell, announces himself through the bars with a courtly bow as "Sir Tyndal of Sevendor," gives her the unvarnished truth about her mother Grendine's betrayal, and presents her a hoxter-stored leaf-shaped Magocracy-era mageblade. Earns her lifelong gratitude.

Draugen duel. He and Lady Noutha face a steel-clawed draugen in the corridors. Tyndal flings his mageblade as a concussion-enchanted missile:

Less than a second after the slender leaf-shaped blade buried its point into the pallid shoulder the enchantment activated, producing an explosion of pure concussive force.

Lands in the fire-hole he just blasted. Rondal later finds only the blood-slicked mageblade:

If there's a gaping hole in something, one can reasonably assume Tyndal is involved.

In the Korbal finale he and Rondal both assault the Necromancer with their mageblades as a pair. When Dara dives from her giant hawk and distracts Korbal, "Tyndal rolled past the Nemovort he fought and tackled Korbal at the knees. Tyndal kicked his giant staff out of his hand." A direct, desperate tackle that helps bring down Korbal. Also celebrates at the great Sevendor feast in full Estasi Order garb (dark blue cloak with light blue lining, gold signet ring, ornate Dradrien-forged dagger). Announces the Vorone Estasi chapter and the abandonment of Tudry.

Tyndal comes into his own as a landed magelord. Minalan grants him the ruined domain of Callierd in the new Magelaw: "I want Tyndal to become the Lord of Callierd." It is north of the Maier River, good horse country, site of ruined Nandine.

Callierd campaign. Arrives at Vanador leading a caravan of volunteer knights-errant from northern Gilmora via Losara. Methodically exterminates the goblin deserters in Callierd:

A common Wilderlord would have fought back by tracking the goblins back to their lairs and driving them out. Tyndal was a magelord with a grudge. He meticulously located the hidden raiders by magic, and then destroyed them and their lairs with violent spellwork.

Re-settles the ruin with Bovali Hundreds recruited back from Sevendor, invests in breeding big Wilderlands roans at Roan Hall as destriers. No permanent lords: manors run by elected reeves with rotating knight garrisons. Opens an equestrian-themed tavern in Nandine's High Street with horseshoes on the walls and a jousting saddle over the fireplace: "I always wanted to own a tavern."

Banner: "A yellow haystack with a green mage's star on a blue field" (a nod to his old nickname "Sir Haystack"). When Korbal's general Gaja Katar invades, Tyndal leads the reserve cavalry: the moonlight charge with three hundred horsemen tears through the center of the enemy formation, then retreats in good order. Later leads five hundred cavalry in a cold-weather raid that destroys the goblin artillery line. With Terleman he orchestrates the mass defection of thousands of gurvani regulars (Gurkarl as diplomat):

Had it failed, they would have borne the consequences, perhaps with their blood. I would escape the charge of conspiring with the enemy.

Described in Vanador as "colorful, in a town full of arrogant wizards Sire Tyndal of Callierd managed to steal attention wherever he went."

Tyndal is now among Minalan's inner war council. Meets Koucey (his old Boval Vale liege, now the Crafted Man) with Minalan in a poignant scene: "Tyndal!" Koucey says with an authentic smile, "Dear gods, is that you? You survive!" "I thrive," Tyndal corrects. "I am Lord of all of Callierd, now." Reluctant sympathy: "Yet you continued to serve."

Shakathet campaign. Leads Knights of Callierd cavalry throughout the Second Wilderlands War. Breaks the siege of Megelin and leads cavalry sweeps. At Mostel Abbey, with Minalan and three hundred Vorone Free Company men, he intercepts the last invasion column (destroyed by the stampede of stor cattle): "That was amazing!" Tyndal whooped as the stampede passed. At the victory court in Vanador, Minalan promotes him to Viscount of Callierd, responsible for the entire northern frontier of the Magelaw, alongside Terleman (Spellgate), Azar (Megelin), and Carmella (Towers).

Tyndal accompanies Minalan's small Anghysbel expedition, bringing six Knights of Callierd as escort. Contributes headers and marginal entries to the expedition log: "Recorded by Viscount Tyndal of Callierd," his title boasts including "a mage knight of most noble bearing, impressive virtue and uncommon bravery."

Displays unexpected Blue Magic depth by laying psychomantic glyphs across the trail to throw off the gurvani pursuers:

doubt, resentment, confusion, and a liberal sprinkling of absolute certainty laid across the road like invisible cobbles. Blue magic is useful, sometimes. Especially when you're talking to girls. But once you study it a bit, you realize that it's really no different from any other discipline.

Meets Lady Tandine. At Anferny he spars verbally with Lady Tandine of Anferny, a skilled shieldmaiden Wilderlord who is his host's daughter. She challenges him on whether he really slew a dragon (Tyndal: "I slew a dragon once, and it was quite sporting"); he cannot keep his eyes off her. Mock flirts and real flirts through the whole visit (Rondal and Minalan note: "Tyndal would argue with his horse, if there was no better opponent"). Wins the Anferny mini-tournament against her knights.

In the climactic vault scene he finds the fatally wounded Minalan after the Nemovort Gindomel: "Master! he swept me up in his arms and laid me carefully on the floor of the Beast," applying an ancient bandage under Lilastien's direction. Lady Tandine is clearly in love with him by journey's end:

Tyndal smiled behind her, clearly pleased with her attitude. That relationship, at least, had blossomed in the closing weeks of the summer.

Tyndal returns from Anghysbel "in a glorious fashion" through Vanador; impromptu parade, young maidens thronging the high street. He admits to Rondal that Tandine has struck him the same way Gatina struck Rondal says:

More than sunshine on a cloudy day. I never thought I'd ever say that about a girl, I know. I gave you so much grief about Gatina. But if you feel about her even a little like I feel about Tandy, I understand, now. Her laugh. I miss hearing her laugh. It took so much work to coax one out of her, but when I did, it was like magic, only easy.

Visits the Ishi abbey school in Nandine and finds he has no interest in the "nubile young maidens":

I was more interested in what they were having for dinner than their charms. They're nothing like Tandy.

Also acts as Rondal's grounding foil. On Rondal's engagement to Gatina:

She's also willing to sidle up to some poor wench who's making eyes at her man at some boring reception and stick a knife in her thigh. She wouldn't even take it that personally.

And during the draugen raid on Sevendor when Alurra and Olmeg are taken, Tyndal is the steady voice:

Stomping around like a crazy man isn't going to help her. Proceeding with calm, clear-minded action might.

A role reversal showing how much Tyndal has matured.

Rondal's assessment:

If Tyndal thought it was a good idea, it usually wasn't. If Tyndal was certain about something, it was worthy of further investigation because he was likely wrong. And Tyndal had an amazing ability to ask stupid questions that provided insight.

Present for the Darkfaller siege reunion. Volunteers to accompany Rondal into enemy territory to search for the captured magi: "I can be sneaky!" he complains when dismissed. Describes Rondal's mental state during Gatina's captivity:

He's not lingering, he's bloody dancing around in madness.

Spider (Paranchek) battle. Leads fifty mounted warmagi from Callierd through a portal in full spectacle:

Tyndal, with his warwands projecting molten iron ingots onto the great abdomens of the females, sending them into burning, shrieking agony.

Trial at Astyral's Yule Court. Called as witness in the Maramor succession dispute. His introduction by the lawbrother runs off the rails: "Sir Tyndal of Callierd, Viscount of Callierd, Knight of Alshar and Castal, founder of the Estasi Order of Arcane Knights, Slayer of Dragons, Bravest Knight in the Wilderlands, Champion of Pretty Maidens In Dire Situations, Beloved of All Who Come To Know Him," until the truth-enchantment magelight turns red from exaggeration. Testifies honestly that Belsi slept with both him and Rondal during the war, and defends her:

It was wartime. We were young, in danger of a horrific death, and terrified. I don't blame her one bit. A few hours of pleasure was good for all of our morale.

Part of the Conspiracy of Friends:

After us [Taren and Terleman], Astyral, Wenek, and Mavone. Tyndal and Rondal will follow.

Also receives a letter from Tandine delivered by Nattia: "He was quite pleased to hear from Lady Tandine."

Tyndal serves as Anguin's standard-bearer and bodyguard at Olum Seheri:

Tyndal proudly bore his standard, the Anchor and Antlers device in blue and green, on a long pole that I suspected my former apprentice had enchanted to ensure that it constantly billowed in an inspiring manner.

When the Dradrien betrays the truce, Tyndal "had manifested his mageblade and was trying to protect Duke Anguin." Takes charge of the recovered Magolith and drags the unconscious Dradrien smith back to camp: "Ishi's tits, this guy is heavy!" Anguin addresses him as "Marshal" ("Orders, Marshal?") during the operation. Called to battle again in a divine Call of Battle spiritual experience:

Tyndal. My former apprentice and current vassal looked possessed by some foreign spirit.

Tandine evacuation. When Gareth returns from Anghysbel with the refugees, Tyndal drops everything:

Enough chatter, where is she, Gareth? Tandine! Where is Tandine? I know she's with you!

Leaves mid-conversation to find her. Reappears in the hall "with his arm wrapped protectively around Lady Tandine, who seemed overwhelmed by the size of Vanador." Minalan says:

I can't wait to meet the girl who finally discovered the key to Tyndal's heart.

Tyndal "graciously offered his expansive, empty lands in and around Callierd to settle the Wilderlords and Kasari refugees" from Anghysbel. Minalan announces he won't do anything about Farise until "after Tyndal and Rondal's weddings."

The opening of the book is given over to Tyndal and Rondal's joint wedding in Vanador, the defining capstone of Tyndal's arc. Minalan's retrospective on him:

A cast-off bastard of a rural woman whose rajira had arisen unexpectedly while he was shoveling shit in a stable. . . . Tyndal and Rondal, individually and as a pair, had far exceeded my expectations.

On Tyndal's chosen bride:

Tyndal, for his part, had escaped a hundred dalliances and infatuations with lesser maidens to surrender his heart to Lady Tandine, of the distant northern fief of Anferny within the desolation of the jevolar. She was utterly ignorant of magic, but well-versed in feats of arms usually reserved for the male nobility. A proud, strong shieldmaiden of the Wilderlords, of a minor and half-forgotten house, my first apprentice had been captivated with her beauty and character and charmed by her inherent nobility on short acquaintance. . . . if any young idiot could blunder his way into matrimonial contentment, it was Tyndal.

He brings "more than two hundred knights, vassals and retainers from Callierd in attendance as his honor guard." Wedding-eve pranks:

Someone painted cats whiskers on Rondal's face with charcoal, and Tyndal woke up the next morning with a horse's tail magically attached to his behind!

On the day:

Tyndal and Rondal rode together, shoulder to shoulder, into view, stunningly handsome, dressed in velvet doublets and richly embroidered mantles, astride two splendid, perfectly groomed mounts from Tyndal's herd of thoroughbreds.

After the wedding he settles into married life as Viscount of Callierd. Still eager to go after Relin Pratt if Pratt ever becomes Doge of Farise:

Tyndal and Rondal. They still have an account with the man that needs to be settled.

Senior former apprentice of Minalan and now Viscount of Callierd. The Golden Goblin opens during his first Yule as a married man -- his wife Tandine is the daughter of old Kanlan of Anferny -- with Minalan's surprise visit and the mission to find Lilastien.

Tyndal travels with Rondal via Vanador (where his old friend Rael the Enchantress, met on the Long March, agrees to act as their supplier) and on into the Goblin Kingdom and the court of Ashakarl. The book's chapter epigraphs are signed "From the private journals of Tyndal, Viscount of Callierd."

At court he introduces himself and Rondal: "We are magelords from Vanador, seeking to speak with King Ashakarl. I am Viscount Tyndal, this is my friend Baron Rondal. We come in peace."

Resettling Tandine's Anfernite refugees -- whose volcano-doomed northern homeland Minalan evacuated -- occupies his domestic energy throughout the book. He explains to Tandine the difference between Wilderlaw service and magelord service in the Magelaw, and trusts her with Callierd in his absence.