Blind Radiant

Here’s something I’ve been considering since reading the Stormlight Archive for the first time, and I’ve been thinking about it even more since rereading it. I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. As my screen name says, I’m blind. I’ve been wondering how the mechanics of a blind Knight Radiant would work (healing by stormlight is an unacceptable answer in this case). Here are my thoughts on the plausibility of a blind person being a member of each of the orders, and why. I would appreciate additional input or insights anyone has to offer on this. This is a topic I haven’t seen discussed in the Cosmere community at all, so I want to be the one to start bringing it into the light. Here is my list of all ten orders of Knights Radiant, how plausible I think it would be for a blind person to belong to each of them, and my reasoning behind my decisions. Order of Windrunners (surges of adhesion and gravitation): I actually think this could be quite plausible if the radiant was progressed enough in their oaths. I think this because of how attuned Kaladin is to the winds at different points in the books. There are times when he seems to be able to anticipate what is about to happen around him through feeling the winds. This could be a huge asset to a blind Windrunner. This, combined with a possible clever application of lashings to sense when the blind Windrunner is getting too close to obstacles around them, makes me think that it would be quite possible for someone like me to belong to this order. Order of Skybreakers (surges of gravitation and division): I think this is somewhat less plausible than a blind Windrunner. Since Skybreakers only have access to basic lashings. A blind person of this order would still be able to use a similar method of taking advantage of lashings to sense their environment. I don’t think a Skybreaker would have the same relationship with the winds that a Windrunner would though, so that would be a definite disadvantage. I don’t know enough about the surge of division to say much about how that would come into play for a blind person belonging to this order, but it could be an interesting factor. Order of Dustbringers (surges of division and abrasion): I think this one is pretty implausible. I can’t think of a way that a blind Dustbringer would be able to use the surge of abrasion to get a feel for their environment. I guess they could just use the surge of division to destroy any obstacles in their path, but that sounds extremely dangerous and unwieldy. Order of Edgedancers (surges of abrasion and progression): Like the Dustbringers, I think this is also pretty implausible. There are similar issues with me being unable to think of a way in which a blind Edgedancer could use the surge of abrasion to their advantage. They could always use stormlight to heal themselves after crashing into things, but again, that sounds impractical. Order of Truthwatchers (surges of progression and illumination): I think this may be slightly more plausible than either the Dustbringers or Edgedancers. Assuming that Truthwatchers can use illumination to weave sound, a blind person belonging to this order would definitely be able to use that to their advantage, probably in ways most people would find unexpected. They could also use the surge of progression to great effect, similar to the two other Truthwatchers we’ve met so far in the books. Order of Lightweavers (surges of illumination and transformation): I think this would be about as plausible as the Truthwatchers. A blind Lightweaver would be able to use the surge of illumination similar to what I mentioned before, and they could use transformation very effectively. They’d probably be limited to using transformation only when they could get their hands on whatever they’re trying to transform, but if I understand correctly, that wouldn’t be much more limiting than what most Solecasters have to do in order to transform things. Order of Elsecallers (surges of transformation and transportation): I’m honestly unsure about this one, since we still know relatively little about what Elsecallers can actually do. A blind Elsecaller would definitely be able to use transformation similarly to how I explained earlier, but I don’t know how easy or difficult it would be for them to use transportation. I guess they could do it, as long as they had someone to guide them on the Shadesmar side. Order of Willshapers (surges of transportation and cohesion): I know almost nothing about this order, so I’m very unsure of how plausible it would be for a blind person to become a Willshaper. I already explained how they could possibly use the surge of transportation, but I have no idea what the surge of cohesion does, or how a blind person could use it to their advantage. Order of Stonewards (surges of cohesion and tension): I know even less about this order than I do about the Willshapers, so I can’t guess how plausible or not it would be for a blind person to become a Stoneward. Order of Bondsmiths (surges of tension and adhesion): This one is very interesting to consider. I think it could be quite plausible under the right circumstances. I don’t know enough about the surge of tension to guess how it could benefit or hinder a blind Bondsmith, but I do know that they could use adhesion, especially spiritual adhesion, to great advantage. The one Bondsmith we know so far only uses spiritual adhesion to be able to speak other languages and boost the abilities of other Radiants, but I’d be willing to bet that a blind person of this order could find creative applications of this surge to assist them with different things. Again, I don’t know enough about the surge of tension to guess how a blind Bondsmith could use it. This was quite interesting to consider. As things stand with my current understanding of the Knights Radiant and their powers, this is my current ranking of how plausible I think it would be for a blind person to belong to each order: 1. Windrunners 2. Bondsmiths 3. Skybreakers 4. Lightweavers 5. Truthwatchers 6. Elsecallers 7. Edgedancers 8. Dustbringers 9. Willshapers 10. Stonewards Those last two are at the very bottom mostly because I know so little about either of them. I love the Stormlight books a lot, and this is one way in which I try to insert myself into the story in a more meaningful way. This ranking is not set in stone, and is very likely to change with input and as we continue learning more about each order of Knights Radiant. Please let me know if I overlooked something in my considerations, or if there’s more information about the surges I know so little about.

I’ll check that out. Thanks.

This is unrelated to the recent discussion on this thread, but I’m curious. Are there any hints as to who will be in each narrative group in this book? I know there are going to be three somewhat separate story arcs with different characters in each one, but I haven’t been able to find anything saying who’s going to be involved in each.

This entire thing is so accurate, especially Szeth.

Alternatively, the fourth ideal could be something like, “I will learn to care, and when to let go.” This thought is inspired by chapter 20 of The Way of Kings.

Kaladin would absolutely hate it, and it would be very bad for his mental state. Syl would definitely try to help him though. I think it would also help if he was in quarantine with the rest of Bridge Four, that way he could keep an eye on his men and make sure they’re staying safe. he wouldn’t let them leave at all, but I don’t think he would be that strict with himself. He would go out and put himself in danger before letting anybody else do the same.

Could destroying evil mean that he would destroy the virus?

My favorite is probably surgebinding, though I also really like allomancy and feruchemy. AonDor and breath are great ideas and systems, even though they’re not my favorites.

There are some issues, but this is far from the worst site I’ve used. I do hope they make it better though.

I have read those, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I found some quizzes through google and took those. One said I am a windrunner, and the other said I am an edgedancer. I like windrunners more though, so that’s what I am!

Yay! Someone else who loves Kaladin! Out of the main focus characters, I think my least favorite is Shallon. She’s a good character, but she’s just not my type, for lack of a better phrase coming to mind. In terms of other characters, I’d say my least favorite is either Amaram or Sadeas. Oh. And Odium of course.

I can’t pick between allomancy, ferochemy (or however it’s spelled), and surgebinding. They’re all so cool for different reasons.

Hey y’all. I’m new here. I only created my account the other night. I was introduced to the Cosmere a month or so ago by a friend on twitter, and I quickly fell in love with Brandon’s stories. So far, I’ve read Mistborn first era, all of what currently exists of the Stormlight Archive, Elantris, and I’m currently in the middle of Warbreaker. So far, Stormlight is my favorite! My favorite character from those books is Kaladin. My screen name isn’t a joke. I really am blind, so I’m extremely glad that audio books exist. If they didn’t, I wouldn’t know about the Cosmere, and that would be very sad. Anyway, I’m glad I’ve found this place to discuss and continue learning about Brandon’s books. Feel free to ask me questions if you want.

I agree with you to a point. It’s true that Kaladin knows that he can’t protect everyone, but that doesn’t keep him from doing his damnedest to try. If you don’t believe me, just look at the multiple occasions where he pushed himself to the edge of death to protect people. Two examples I can think of without trying are his involvement in the battle of the tower and him keeping Elhokar from being assassinated. He nearly died both times, but he still gave into his urge to protect. He logically knows that it’s impossible to protect everyone, but I don’t think he has accepted that fully yet. If he had, it would be easier for him to know when to accept the inevitable and move on. I think it would also be easier for him to let go of those under his protection who he had lost in the past. It’s also true that he struggles to reconcile the conflict between knowing when and who to fight or protect. He wants things to be black and white, us against them, but he lost the ability to view things that way in the palace in Alethkar. Coming to terms with this and working through that conflict may very well play a part in his fourth ideal, but I think there’s more to it than just that. At the moment he failed to swear the ideal, he was thinking of all the people he lost, not who to fight or protect. I think accepting his losses will be very important to his continued development, and it might also be a part of one of his two remaining oaths. Part of the reason I think it’s involved in the fourth ideal is because of something he says in Shadesmar when he can’t say the words: “I can’t lose him, but… oh, Almighty… I can’t save him.” I think in this moment, Kaladin is finally starting to accept something he’s known subconsciously for a while, maybe even since he was young. That thing is that there is only so much he can do to save people, and when all he can do isn’t enough, he must let go. His inability to so far embrace that idea is one of the main things holding him back, I think. That is why I believe that some form of letting go will be a part of his fourth ideal.

I think the fourth ideal will be something like, “I will let go of those I cannot save, even if those are the ones I cannot lose.” It fits so perfectly, both with the situation in which Kaladin fails to say the words, and with the things that happened leading up to that moment. It also fits with Kaladin’s backstory and the ideas that truly matter to him. His past and persistent inability to let go of perceived failures would make it nearly impossible for him to say and mean these words. And so, he failed to say them, and will have to grow and begin healing from his past failures if he is ever to successfully speak the ideal with intent and meaning.