Windrunner Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 One of the epigraphs in Words of Radiance gave me pause when I read it. There came also sixteen of the order of Windrunners, and with them a considerable number of squires, and finding in that place the Skybreakers dividing the innocent from the guilty, there ensued a great debate. -From Words of Radiance, chapter 28, page 3 What are these squires that are mentioned? Traditionally, squires were the assistents of knights, helping them put on their armor and the like. Radiants of course, who seem to have once had a mechanism for making their armor appear and disappear, seem unlikely to need this service. But squires also were knights-in-training, awaiting an opportunity to become knights themselves. A potential hypothesis that can be drawn here is that once Radiants were accompanied by men and women who were attempting or in the process of becoming members of the Knights Radiant. I believe that there is a small glimpse of this in one of Dalinar's visions. Beyond him, the fight began in earnest, water splashing, rock grinding. Soldiers approached bearing hammers,and surprisingly, these men now also glowed with Stormlight, though far more faintly.Initially, I thought that perhaps this woman's abilities as a Surgebinder allowed her to grant her followers the ability to use a bit of Stormlight. Now, I am not so certain. She almost certainly a Releaser or Dustbringer, her Surges are Division and Abrasion. Neither of these would seem to account for such a power. These men would seem to be her squires, or at least people who could be her squires. I also believe that this is what was offered to Dalinar by Harkaylain. He couldn't promise that Dalinar would become a Radiant, but he could give him a shot by making him a squire. Now, with Lopen's abilities, and mentions of other members of Bridge Four glowing, I believe that the men of Bridge Four are now Kaladin's squires. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 (edited) Wasn't that tefts group? 4th March, see you guys in a week Edited March 4, 2014 by WEZ313 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuoni Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Agreed, the Bridge 4 are probably all squires now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted March 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Wasn't that tefts group?Not quite sure what you mean by that? I figured that all of them are ultimately deriving their powers due to their relationship to Kaladin, no matter who might be commanding them at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeatherWriter Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Oh, are you talking about the Envisagers, Wez? The group Teft's parents were a part of? I don't think they're really related here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke.spence Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I think we can be pretty sure that once there was an established order of Radiants, that the next generations were trained rather than having to discover everything for themselves. Starting as squires. Not that they didn't need to embody the ideals of their orders, just that they were much more likely to do so than anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogle Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) I concur, Windy. Lopen has no spren, but can suck in Stormlight. His strong connection to Kaladin making him a sort of 'squire' would make perfect sense. (Also, curse you for beating me to this theory.) Edited March 5, 2014 by Moogle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgedancer Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 As things stand now being Bridge 4 gives you super strenght. Given that they started showing their powers just after Kaladin had his upgrade and they don´t have Sprens, calling them Kaladin´s squires seems completly logical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Aletus Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Maybe it has something to do with the bridgemen and others who can see Syl, and presumably other spren, like sharing the investiture. I don't have quotes right now to back that up. Poke holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterAhlstrom Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 You should look for squires in the first book too. (And I'm not talking about the prelude.) 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 You should look for squires in the first book too. (And I'm not talking about the prelude.)During the realtime sequences, or Dal's visions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daishi5 Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) Yay, I was kind of right. It is interesting that only some orders had "squires" though. Edit: For the other squires, I seem to recall that some members of bridge 4 were surviving and healing from pretty nasty wounds. Edited March 5, 2014 by Daishi5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FollowYourMuse Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 We also have this evidence for Squires (proto-Radiants) from Dalinar vision in WoK “Very well. But should you wish to put that mysterious training of yours to use, come to Urithiru.”“Urithiru?” Dalinar said. He’d heard that name somewhere.“Yes,” the knight said. “I cannot promise you a position in one of the orders—that decision is not mine—but if your skill with the sword is similar to your skill with hearth-tending implements, then I am confident you will find a place with us.” - TWoK Chapter 19 Starfalls This with the other quotes lead me to think that the Squires or trainees gain some abilities along with training. But that to become Radiants will require a spen bonding them. I would think living with and training with a Radiant, could also lead to those under them ending up with similar character traits, and actions, so would be more attractive to spren. Though not always, as Moash's actions point out, no matter what there is no promise or guarantee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 What if the squires are based on the same attribute of connection that Feruchemical duralumin stores? 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marianmi Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 The 2 bridgemen with Adolin (Skar and Drehy?), being able to survive all places where Adolin when and fought with a set of shards... I think they are squires as well... Lopen is one w/o even taking part in the fight... I'm curious about Hobber, if he gets his legs back 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azul Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have to agree that its very likely many of Bridge Four are squires. You did just kill my dream of conversations between Lopen and his spren though 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natans Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 You should look for squires in the first book too. (And I'm not talking about the prelude.) I think that I spotted this one. Many bridgeman (Hobbler Teft and Skar for example) cured fast that they should in book one. Teft said that the one of his injurries he did'nt hurt as at should and he didn't get any side affect from as would in the arm that should maked in "have dificult to fight" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiamondMind Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I think that I spotted this one. Many bridgeman (Hobbler Teft and Skar for example) cured fast that they should in book one. Teft said that the one of his injurries he did'nt hurt as at should and he didn't get any side affect from as would in the arm that should maked in "have dificult to fight" They also fight much better than expected against the Parshendi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Thanks for the hint, Peter. I must admit that usually I rather fear (in a friendly and appreciative way, of course ) your comments, what with their crypticism and multiple meanings. This one seems rather straightforward, though... ... ... IT'S A TRAP!!!! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melancholy Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Couldn't the squires be in the process of attracting spren or not yet be aware of a nahel spren sorta like kaladin while in amarans army? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortaan Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Well at this point I think we can confirm Bridge Four as... maybe proto-squires? I'd be interested to see how exactly their abilities work. Do they get full Surgebinding abilities, only somewhat more limited, or do they just get the enhanced speed/skill/etc of Stormlight? Honestly the second seems much more useful to me as you don't necessarily need a ton of mage/fighter/tanks, but you definitely will need people to keep them alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlehrma Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 As things stand now being Bridge 4 gives you super strenght. Given that they started showing their powers just after Kaladin had his upgrade and they don´t have Sprens, calling them Kaladin´s squires seems completly logical. They may have unknowingly been borrowing strength without realizing it. When they carried the bridge, I seem to recall some of them talking about how much lighter it had become. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marianmi Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 It would be so funny for Adolin to become Kal's squire 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartbug Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Or Elhokar. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rust and Ruin Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 This is also something that seemed to stand out to me - I can't find the exact quote at the moment, but I believe that the Words of Radiance (in-world book) stated that the Windrunners in particular have very specific heirarchies. If we see that Bridge 4 gains access to stormlight through their loyalty to Kaladin (and I would imagine loyalty and honor are very close knit), it would make sense that windrunner heirarchies are so clean cut. It is also implied that Moash has failed to become a squire - Kaladin more or less asks him if his loyalties lie with Kaladin or his cause. Moash chose the latter. I was (very slightly) disappointed when Lopen's stormlight went to his arm instead of his attempt to test a full lashing. We could have found out if members of Kaladin's squires can surgebinding. Still, I can't wait to see Lopen glow to impress girls with while flexing his arms somewhere down the line. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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