Knights Radiant

The Knights Radiant, commonly known as Radiants, were a military organization of ten consecrated orders, centered at Urithiru on Roshar. Commonly believed to have betrayed mankind on the Day of Recreance, they are now referred to as the Lost Radiants ... traitors. Yet, the orders were once one. Not without problems or strife, but focused. Their symbol was a golden hourglass shape of eight spheres connected with two at the center. This shape was also sometimes referred to as the Double Eye of the Almighty in Vorinism.
==Description==
The Radiants were emotionally broken people. People who had been broken, but then instead of lying down and giving up, they stood up straight, shouldered the weights, and found they could continue. In a conversation between Kaladin and Syl the following exchange occurred:
Even so ...
Still, according to Kaladin, being a Radiant isn't so much about one's strength or skill, but about one's heart.
==History==
According to the visions from Honor left for Dalinar, the appearance of the Radiants was a surprise for both the Heralds and for him. The Heralds later took patronage of corresponding orders, but they didn't found them; they began to lead them, using Shardplate and Shardblades to protect humankind against the Voidbringers during conflicts known as the Desolations.
Ishar's part at their inception was most important. He understood the implications of Surges being granted to humankind. As a result, he instilled organization into them. Though humankind now had great power, he let it be known that he would destroy every one of them, unless they agreed to be bound by precepts and laws.
The ardentia teach of Aharietiam, a victory over the Voidbringers, the end of the Desolations and the departure of the Heralds. This occurred sometime before the Knights Radiant became lost, abandoning their duty and betraying mankind, on what is now known as the Day of Recreance. (The day was not known by this name at the time.)
The only known account of the Recreance occurred during one of Dalinar's visions, sent by the Almighty. In the vision, a group of some 300 Radiants gathered at one city, left their Shards, and walked away. The vision suggests that the Radiants killed their spren in the process, indicating that the Recreance is also the day mankind betrayed the spren, through their mass slaughter of bonded spren. It is also suggested that others might've been corrupted and used their strength to rule over lesser men. It has been centuries since the fall of the last Radiant, and today, only legends of the Lost Radiants and their Shardblades and Shardplate remain.
The Radiants who broke their oaths prior to the Recreance, however, did not experience deadeye spren as a result.Deadeye?
==Characteristics==
Eye color amongst the various Knights is related each to their order.Book signing, San Francisco, CA, 11/15/17
There is a pattern in the way that the Radiants learn their Surges; they learn their anti-clockwise Surge before their clockwise Surge.Book signing, London, UK, 11/28/17
Leadership in the orders of Knights Radiant is different for every order. Some are more democratic than others.Book signing, London, UK, 11/28/17
==Orders of Knights Radiant==
The Radiants were divided into ten orders, each of which directly corresponds with one of the Heralds. Each order had two Surges associated with it, and each Surge was used by two different orders. The Knights Radiant used Shardblades and Shardplate, which were etched with glyphs and glowed a different color according to the order of which they were a member. Each Radiant was bonded to a spren, and that spren determined the powers and order to which the Radiant belonged.
According to Brandon, different orders of Radiants lend themselves to different styles of organization. Some of them are rather disorganized, and some others have a very militaristic organization to them.BookCon 2018, New York, NY, 6/1/18
Orders include those of the Windrunners, Skybreakers, Dustbringers, Edgedancers, Truthwatchers, Lightweavers, Elsecallers, Willshapers, Stonewards, and Bondsmiths. The Knights Radiant use a system of powers known as Surgebinding.
Pattern notes that the majority of several spren 'peoples' were bonded before the event known as the Day of Recreance. Thousands were killed when the event occurred. Thus, several of the orders may have few spren with which to bond ... and there may be very few new Knights Radiant.
===Windrunners===
The Windrunners are an order originally led by Jezrien, King of the Heralds. Their Surges are Adhesion and Gravitation. The effects of the Surges available to Windrunners are known colloquially amongst the members of the order as the Three Lashings: Basic lashing, Full lashing, and Reverse lashing.Ars Arcanum
Their Nahel bond is to honorspren, and they exemplify the virtues of Protection and Leading. The glow of their Shardplate is blue.
*Kaladin, through Syl, belongs to this order. He has spoken the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Ideals of the Windrunners.
*Teft, through Phendorana, belonged to this order.
*Rock belongs to this order.
*Skar belongs to this order.
*Drehy belongs to this order.
*Lopen, through Rua, belongs to this order.
===Skybreakers===
Skybreakers are an order that was not founded by Nalan'Elin, but was eventually accepted by him, as their patron. This was revealed by Brandon in a Q&A.Skybreakers Their Surges are Gravitation and Division. Their Nahel bond is to highspren, and they exemplify the virtues of Law and Justice.
* Nale, as patron, is the only Herald to be a member of this order.
* Szeth belongs to this order, and has spoken the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Ideals of the Skybreakers by the end of Oathbringer.Szeth
* Nale's underlings belong to this order.
* Master Ki, through Winnow, belongs to this order.
* Master Warren belongs to this order.
* Joret belongs to this order.
* Cali belongs to this order.
* Zedzil belongs to this order.
* Fari belongs to this order.
* Ty belongs to this order.
===Dustbringers===
Dustbringers are an order led by Chanarach. Their Surges are Division and Abrasion. They have been mentioned by Brandon to be the third order and are mentioned by Kalak in the Prelude to The Way of Kings:
* Chanarach, as patron, is the only Herald to be a member of this order.
* Malata, through Spark, belongs to this order.
===Edgedancers===
Edgedancers are an order originally led by Vedel. Their Surges are Abrasion and Progression. Nale recalls them as being "elegant things of beauty ... . They could ride the thinnest rope at speed, dance across rooftops, move through a battlefield like a ribbon on the wind." They are also described as "the most articulate and refined" of the orders.
* Likely, the female Radiant in Dalinar's vision was an Edgedancer.
* Lift, through Wyndle, belongs to this order. It is implied that she spoke the First Ideal when she 'captured' Wyndle. She speaks the Second Ideal of the Edgedancers when she saves Gawx, and speaks the Third when she saves the Stump.
* The Radiant to whom Mayalaran was once bonded was an Edgedancer.Edgedancer's Blade
===Truthwatchers===
Truthwatchers are an order originally led by Paliah. Their Surges are Progression and Illumination.
They have been described as being made up by those who never spoke or wrote about what they did.
*Renarin, through Glys, belongs to this order. However, Glys has been corrupted by Sja-anat. Despite this, Renarin and Glys are loyal to the Radiants.
*The Stump is a member of this order.
*Ym was once suspected of potentially belonging to the Edgedancers due to his healing abilities.Ym
*Rlain, through his corrupted spren, Tumi, belongs to this order.
===Lightweavers===
Lightweavers are an order originally led by Shalash. Their Surges are Illumination and Transformation.
Their Nahel bond is to Cryptics, and they appear to be inclined towards lies and manipulation, while also valuing truths and self-awareness. Their members were people who pursued the arts, and they possessed mnemonic abilities.
*Shallan, through Pattern, belongs to this order.
*Elhokar would have belonged to this order.Lightweaver
*Tien was a budding Lightweaver.Budding ...
===Elsecallers===
Elsecallers are an order originally led by Battar. Their Surges are Transformation and Transportation.
*Jasnah, through Ivory, belongs to this order.
===Willshapers===
Willshapers are an order originally led by Kalak. Their Surges are Transportation and Cohesion.
Their members have been described as being unreliable and erratic.
*Venli, through Timbre, belongs to this order.
===Stonewards===
Stonewards are an order originally led by Talenel. Their Surges are Cohesion and Tension.
The glow of their Shardplate was amber.
*Talatin was a member of this order.
===Bondsmiths===
Bondsmiths are an order originally led by Ishar. Another order revealed by Brandon at a signing, their Surges are Tension and Adhesion. Due to the nature of their spren, at least some of them are not allowed to have Shardblades.
*Melishi was a member of this order.
*Dalinar, through the Stormfather, belongs to this order. He swore to both the First and Second Ideals of the Bondsmiths in quick succession in Words of Radiance, and swore to the Third Ideal in Oathbringer.
*Navani has bonded the Sibling to be part of the Bondsmiths. She has sworn the First Ideal in Rhythm of War.
==Ideals of the Knights Radiant==
The Ideals of the Knights Radiant, also known as the Immortal Words, are a set of rules by which each Radiant lived. The First Ideal - identical for all orders of Radiants - is used as their motto. The four later Ideals are different for each order of Radiants. 
===The First Ideal===
The First Ideal for all orders of Knights Radiant is the same:
It was explained to Kaladin by Teft as follows:
*Life before death - "The Radiant seeks to defend life, always. He never kills unnecessarily, and never risks his own life for frivolous reasons. Living is harder than dying. The Radiant's duty is to live."
*Strength before weakness - "All men are weak at some time in their lives. The Radiant protects those who are weak, and uses his strength for others. Strength does not make one capable of rule; it makes one capable of service."
*Journey before destination - "There are always several ways to achieve a goal. Failure is preferable to winning through unjust means. Protecting ten innocents is not worth killing one. In the end, all men die. How you lived will be far more important to the Almighty than what you accomplished."
(The Lightweavers have only this one oath after which their progression is marked by accepting deep truths about themselves.)
===The Second Ideal===
The Second Ideal is different for every order of Knights Radiant. 
The Second Ideal for the Windrunners is:
A generalized Second Ideal for the Skybreakers is:
The Second Ideal for the Edgedancers is:
The Second Ideal for the Willshapers is:
The Second Ideal for the Bondsmiths is:
===The Third Ideal===
Like the Second Ideal, the Third Ideal is different for each of the orders.
The Third Ideal for the Windrunners is:
The Third Ideal for the Skybreakers is:
Called the Ideal of Dedication, this is a specific oath to dedicate oneself to a greater truth. A Skybreaker squire must first bond their highspren before taking this oath, and it is the minimum oath required before the Surge of Division can be used.
The Third Ideal for the Edgedancers is:
The one known instance of the Third Ideal for the Bondsmiths is:
===The Fourth Ideal===
Like the Third Ideal, the Fourth Ideal is different for each of the orders.
The Fourth Ideal for the Windrunners is:
It was almost spoken by Kaladin while he was in Shadesmar after the fall of Kholinar, but he wavered as he spoke it for not being able to live up to the oath.
Having spoken this Ideal, Kaladin receives his Shardplate, made of hundreds of windspren.
The Fourth Ideal for the Skybreakers is:
Called an Ideal of Crusade, it requires that a Skybreaker undertake a personal quest and complete it to the satisfaction of their highspren. Once completed, the Skybreaker is elevated to the rank of master.
===The Fifth Ideal===
Like the Fourth Ideal, the Fifth Ideal is different for each of the orders.
The Fifth Ideal for the Skybreakers is:
Called the Ideal of Law, it requires a Skybreaker to swear an oath that s/he will become a personification of law and truth. Nale is the only current Skybreaker to have achieved it - and the only Herald - as it has been centuries since anyone mastered the Fifth Ideal.
==Attributes of the Knights Radiant==
 
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# 	Order 	Number	Herald 	Image 	Primary/Sec Divine Attribute	Primary/Sec Divine Attribute	Essences	Gemstone 	Body Focus	Soulcasting Properties 	Spren 	Primary Surge 	Secondary Surge
1 	Windrunners 	Jes 	Jezrien 	King image 	Protecting 	Leading 	Zephyr 	Sapphire 	Inhalation	Translucent gas, air 	Honorspren 	Adhesion 	Gravitation
2 	Skybreakers 	Nan 	Nale 	Hooded man 	Just 	Confident 	Vapor 	Smokestone	Exhalation	Opaque gas, smoke, fog 	Highspren 	Gravitation 	Division
3 	Dustbringers 	Chach 	Chanarach 	Woman with something akin to a helmet 	Brave 	Obedient 	Spark 	Ruby 	Soul 	Fire 	Ashspren 	Division 	Abrasion
4 	Edgedancers 	Vev 	Vedel 	Hooded woman 	Loving 	Healing 	Lucentia	Diamond 	Eyes 	Quartz, glass, crystal 	Cultivationspren 	Abrasion 	Progression
5 	Truthwatchers	Palah 	Paliah 	Woman with hair going all directions 	Learned 	Giving 	Pulp 	Emerald 	Hair 	Wood, plants, moss 	Mistspren 	Progression 	Illumination
6 	Lightweavers 	Shash 	Shalash 	Woman with large jewel on forehead 	Creative 	Honest 	Blood 	Garnet 	Blood 	Blood, all non-oil liquid	Cryptic 	Illumination 	Transformation
7 	Elsecallers 	Betab 	Battar 	Woman with band around head, over hair	Wise 	Careful 	Tallow 	Zircon 	Oil 	All kinds of oil 	Inkspren 	Transformation	Transportation
8 	Willshapers 	Kak 	Kalak 	Man with uncovered hair, long bangs 	Resolute 	Builder 	Foil 	Amethyst 	Nails 	Metal 	Lightspren 	Transportation	Cohesion
9 	Stonewards 	Tanat 	Talenel'Elin	Helmed man 	Dependable 	Resourceful 	Talus 	Topaz 	The Bone 	Rock and stone 	Peakspren 	Cohesion 	Tension
10	Bondsmiths 	Ishi 	Ishar 	Old man with long beard 	Pious 	Guiding 	Sinew 	Heliodor 	Flesh 	Meat, flesh 	Stormfather, Nightwatcher, Sibling	Tension 	Adhesion
==Notes==
According to Lirin, the Knights Radiant were indeed the orders of the Knights they founded, yet also those who betrayed the people once the Heralds left. He indicated that they were men who had too much power and not enough sense.
Adolin asks Shallan why the Radiants created only swords. Further, he tells her that his father had asked why the ancient Radiants never made tools for the people.
According to Brandon, there is one of the Knights that has sworn not exactly what people think.Book signing, London, UK, 11/28/17
Again according to Brandon, a Seeker burning bronze would be able to tell just which order of Knights Radiant an individual is, and - by extension - which Surges to which they have access, as long as the Radiant was actively using those Surges.DragonCon 2019, Atlanta, GA, 8/29/19
In the past, Radiants lent out their armor to lower ranked Radiants.YouTube Livestream 23, 12/17/20
There is an extensive article at tor.com about what readers know of the Knights Radiant thus far here.
There is also an extensive article at brandonsanderson.com about what readers know of the Knights Radiant thus far here.
Brandon has said that he didn't necessarily want the orders of Knights Radiant to be too restrictive. He didn't want them to be too exclusive to anyone who would want to be in them. Further, that the number one thing that's going to determine what order one would be in is what order one would want to be in and whether one jives with the spren of that order in the right way. He wanted to run these based on the Truths that are being spoken, the Oaths that are being spoken, what they mean to those who are speaking them. Further still, that some of these weren't going to be archetypal: the whole idea of protecting, or such as that.YouTube Livestream 39, 2/1/22
==Trivia==
It is possible to have a Radiant Mistborn.Oathbringer release party, Provo, UT, 11/13/17
Radiants can have children and can heal them in-utero.JordanCon 2021, 7/17/21
Retired Radiants cannot necessarily pass on each their spren bond to each their children.JordanCon 2021, 7/17/21
==Q&A with Brandon==
Q. Can Knights Radiant of one order see the spren of someone from another order?
A. RAFO!Q&A with Brandon Sanderson, 9/25/12
Q. Can people from another world like Scadrial or Sel become a Knight Radiant?
A. Yes.Book signing, Prague, Czechia, 10/26/19
Q. I'm sensing a subtle metaphor between all of the Radiants, where it seems like their lives have caused them to be pressurized gems and now they get the cut from their Oaths. 
A. Nice job. Yeah.
Q. They're holding Stormlight better when they do that, right?
A. They are indeed.Starsight Release Party, Orem, UT, 11/26/19
Q. Can one person speak the oaths of more than one order of the Knights Radiant?
A. That is a RAFO. It is theoretically possible, but we'll RAFO anything else about that.YouTube Livestream 4, 2/29/20
Q. How did the Knights Radiant treat their transgender members? Assuming that some underwent a physical transformation once they gained access to Stormlight?
A. In the past, you will find the Knights Radiant being way more progressive than the societies at large. They would treat the transgender person as the gender that they see themselves as being.Dark One Q&A, 7/2/20
Q. If a Radiant uses an Honorblade or binds a second spren, could they get new abilities/Resonances by having access to Surges that aren't usually combined?
A. Yes, they could. Indeed.San Diego Comic-Con@Home 2020, 7/23/20
Q. Can a Radiant join multiple orders?
A. This was not done in the past.
Q. Or become a squire of a different order?
A. It is actually not impossible for this to happen; it simply was not done.RoW Release Party, 11/17/20
==References==
Category:Organizations
 
Category:Surgebinders
Category:Groups
Category:Military