Difference between revisions of "Dahn"

The first dahn consists of the king.{{ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} The second dahn contains the highprinces.{{ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} The third dahn is made up, at least in part, by the non-heir children of the king,{{ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} the non-heir children of highprinces,{{ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} and highlords{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}}{{ref|b|sa2|c|52}}. The fourth dahn includes lighteyes who hold the position of battalionlord in the army; battalionlords command a full battalion of a thousand men.{{ref|b|sa1|c|73}} The seventh dahn includes lower ranking officers in the army who are landless and attached to a more powerful officer's retinue.{{ref|b|sa1|c|27}}

It is difficult for a lighteyed person to raise their dahn, especially at the higher dahns.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} At the lower dahns, one could buy themselves up a rank. Alternatively, one could be appointed to a position; a position such as a citylord conveys a certain rank and if the person does not currently have that rank, they will receive it along with the appointment.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} A person could potentially jump up two or three dahns by receiving such an appointment.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}}

One could raise his dahn through two other, much more rare, methods. The first was through direct intervention by the king or a highprince.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} The second was to become a Shardbearer; by doing so, one immediately raised his dahn to that of the fourth rank, if he was not already at or above this rank.{{ref|b|sa2|c|66}}

A person can also be demoted in dahn if they perform poorly in a given role.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} In particular, if an [[ardent]] leaves the ardentia, he will be demoted to the tenth dahn.{{ref|b|sa1|c|45}}

The dahn of a lighteyed child is influenced by the dahn that his parents hold. Generally, the child's dahn will be equivalent to the highest dahn that either of his parents hold.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} For example, a child from a union of a fifth dahn husband and sixth dahn wife would be fifth dahn.

However, special rules apply to those of very high dahn or who hold certain special positions. In such a circumstance, the heir apparent will receive the highest parent's dahn and eventually succeed the parent's position while the non-heir children will slip one or two ranks down until they reach a "stable rank."{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}} A stable rank is one in which the child will always inherit the rank of their parent; the third dahn is a stable rank, while the first and second are not.{{qa ref|?|1068|13|Interview with Brandon Sanderson}}

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