Windrunner Oaths(based on ethical leadership theory the origins of which some trace to Aristotle)

[Tglassy]

Your fourth ideal is fairly close to what I've always thought it to be.  I always pictured it as something akin to "I will allow those who can to protect themselves."  This is the flip side of the first oath, "I will protect those who cannot protect themselves."  The third ideal eliminates feelings from the equation.  The fourth ideal, in this case, reduces the responsibility to those who need it, rather than everyone.  Kaladin's main problem in Oathbringer is he feels he is responsible to protect EVERYONE.  He feels his oath should include Dalinar, not just because it's his job, but because he took an oath.  What he didn't realize is that Dalinar is NOT included in his first oath, because his first oath was to "Protect those who CANNOT protect themselves."  Dalinar could.  In fact, if he had not been alone and fought his battle himself, if he'd had Kaladin to jump in and save the day, he would not have "leveled up".  

 

This would fit with the gemstone's record as well.  It must be very difficult for someone who is sworn to protect others to admit when someone doesn't need their help, and therefore should not be helped, but it is the natural answer to Kaladin's problem of wanting to protect everyone, to the point where he freezes when he doesn't know who to protect.

 

So the second oath would be about the basic tenant (protect people).  The third would be about discrimination (protect them even if you don't like them).  This oath would be about prioritizing (don't protect those who don't need it).  I like yours, though.  It goes in a similar direction.

 

I can't say I'm sold on that last oath, though.  We only have one of the Fifth Oaths available right now, "I am the Law".  And even in universe, there is some debate over what that means. The fifth oath we have, though, seems to be the penultimate of the others, which are all related to the second.  It is the ultimate clarification, the end of the ideal.  "I am the Law."  I feel the oath for the Windrunners would be similarly related to their job as protectors, maybe going as far as saying something like "I am the shield against aggression" or "I am the shield of peace" or something like that.  

 

One of the things I've wondered about Kaladin's plight, of knowing both sides and wanting to protect both sides, is that he may be RIGHT.  Maybe he SHOULD be protecting both sides.  Maybe he should be trying to stop the war, and protect whichever is defending against the other in any particular conflict.  To protect against the aggressor, whichever side the aggressor, at that moment, happens to be. If the Parshmen attack, he fights for the humans defending against them.  If, later, the humans come across a parshman camp and attack, they protect the parshmen.  They try to keep everyone from attacking each other.   It would make sense if Windrunner's jobs became to simply keep the peace, against everyone.  They are the guards, while the Skybreakers are the investigators (and maybe jurors or judges).  They protect whoever needs protecting against whoever would attack them.  

[Karger he/him]

29 minutes ago, Tglassy said:

I can't say I'm sold on that last oath, though.  We only have one of the Fifth Oaths available right now, "I am the Law"

This is a problem for me.  I really don't have much in the way of actual information on 5th oaths.  It is basically just an educated guess.  Your 5th oath is interesting but I see it being rather problematic in practice.  What constitutes aggression for example?

[Tglassy]

2 minutes ago, Karger said:

This is a problem for me.  I really don't have much in the way of actual information on 5th oaths.  It is basically just an educated guess.  Your 5th oath is interesting but I see it being rather problematic in practice.  What constitutes aggression for example?

"I am the Law" could wind up problematic.  Does it mean that he is above the other laws of men, and therefore whatever he does is right?  Or does it mean that he must obey all laws set forth by men?  Or does it mean his word is law and all men should bow before them?  It is really rather vague, and I believe even in universe they're not sure.  

 

Because of that, I don't think even the last ideal will be "This is how you act in every situation ever."  It would still be up to interpretation, to an extent.  But it would help you to clarify and refine your ideal, to where you become what the ideal is meant to be.  

[Karger he/him]

1 minute ago, Tglassy said:

"I am the Law" could wind up problematic.  Does it mean that he is above the other laws of men, and therefore whatever he does is right?  Or does it mean that he must obey all laws set forth by men?

I have an opinion on this.

Basically.  it is about the Law's fundamental devotion to peaceful settlements between aggrieved parties.  Maybe you don't exactly follow the rules or you have to make up a new one but your overall purpose is to help people live together with a reasonable expectation of having their deputes settled amicably.