No Trauma? No Problem: A Proposal to Scale Knight Radiant Production
To: King Dalinar Kholin, The Bondsmith
From: Captain Solas Khyron, Radiance Intelligence (RADINT), Kharbranthian Special Operations Group
Date: Tanatases 1174.2.23 (15 days after Battle of Thaylen Field)
Executive summary
King Dalinar,
Odium’s Fused have disrupted the balance of power across all combat theatres in Roshar. They are Invested soldiers roughly equal in power to a Knight Radiant who’s sworn the Second Ideal, neutralizing our strategic monopoly on Surgebinders.
We must increase Knight Radiant force generation to regain combat superiority.
At your behest, we have completed a top-down, outside-in assessment of current Knight Radiant training, and have found significant optimization opportunities.
Recommendation: operationalize Nahel bonding with (1) psychometric spren-squire matching, (2) Oath indoctrination, and (3) induced traumatic situations.
Preliminary modelling shows a projected 400-500% increase in Knight Radiant production within 3 months. Knight Radiant production would exceed combat mortality rates, letting us comfortably win the war of attrition against the Fused.
Problem context
A Knight Radiant is a squire who has said the First Ideal and formed a Nahel bond with a spren. This process happens through proximity-based training, where aspirants start as squires to a fully-fledged Knight Radiant and learn critical skills (e.g., using Stormlight) through an apprenticeship model.
Disaggregating the process into its component drivers:
Spren affinity + saying the First Ideal + catalyzing adversity = Knight Radiant
Analysis and recommendation
Unfortunately, the current approach is deeply subjective and personal, making it slow and completely incompatible with wartime urgency.
We no longer have the luxury of time, waiting for personal growth to happen or psychological pathologies to be resolved.
Here are our recommendations to improve each component of the training process:
1. Spren affinity can be optimized by matching spren and squires based on psychological compatibility, assessed through psychometric evaluations
We know that spren of each Radiant Order have certain personality traits they seek in a potential Knight Radiant. By mapping the mental construct of all spren and squires through a standardized personality quiz, we can find the perfect squire for each spren (since they are the supply-side constraint).
Why leave the Nahel bond to chance when we have data? Evidence-based matchmaking is highly effective, removing inefficiencies like individual choice, personal chemistry and serendipity.
We have a war to win.
2. Indoctrinate all squires with their Order’s Five Ideals so they no longer need to discover it through personal growth and self-discovery from lived experience
Radiants like Kaladin Stormblessed who survived multiple near-death experiences and emotional breakthroughs are the exception, rather than the rule. Relying on squires to have authentic personal growth and genuine moments of self-actualization is too risky.
Compressing personality development through indoctrination has the benefit of making them more attractive to spren because they are programmed to match spren preferences.
3. All squires will be forced into controlled, trauma-informed situations to accelerate the First Ideal
Oaths can only be said under circumstances of personal triumph over adversity. Unfortunately, relying on those conditions to happen on a battlefield is naive and puts the lives of allies at risk. By artificially creating situations where squires have to say the First Ideal in order to save a real life with Surgebinding, we provide the forcing function needed for growth.
For example, Windrunner squires will have loved ones tossed off the side of Uritiru, forcing them to save the person with a lashing. Failure to do so will result in their loved one falling to their death, which serves as a powerful, intrinsic motivating factor. These growth-focused, deeply traumatic events catalyze the progression from squire to Knight Radiant. Any spren that has “concerns” about this “involuntary progression” will receive re-education emphasizing wartime necessity.
Addressing stakeholder concerns
Queen Navani has raised concerns about “telling squires what to think” and “manufacturing artificial growth.”
While we respect these philosophical considerations, we must emphasize: programmed adherence to Oaths is more reliable than authentic conviction.
The Recreance occurred because Knight Radiants actually understood their Oaths and questioned them. Knight Radiants who never personally derived meaning from their Oaths cannot philosophically object to them.
By suppressing all independent thought from future Knight Radiants, we mitigate the risk of another Recreance.
This is not a compromise of the Ideals. This is learning from history.
Proposed next steps
King Dalinar, implementing these recommendations is the only way to win the war for Roshar.
Odium has forced us to sacrifice the mental health and sanity of our squires.
While this may seem regrettable, we truly have no choice; either we win the war against Odium or else condemn all humans on Roshar to extinction.
This is not choosing the lesser of 2 evils, this is living up to the First Ideal.
We choose the life of humanity over the necessary death of a few humans.
We choose the strength to make the utilitarian decision before the weakness of conscience.
We choose the difficult journey of beating Odium before the destination of Desolation.
Blackthorn, we request authorization to implement these recommendations.
The most important step is always the next.
Very respectfully,
Captain Solas Khyron
Radiance Intelligence (RADINT)
Kharbranthian Special Operations Group