Difference between revisions of "Darkeyes"

AOn the planet of [[Roshar]], a '''darkeyes''' is a person with dark colored eyes, such as brown or black. In the [[Vorin]] kingdoms of [[Alethkar]], [[Jah Keved]], and [[Kharbranth]], they are the peasantrycommoners, beingconsidered inferior to the [[lighteyes]]. Darkeyes are ranked in ten different levels, in accordance with the nahn caste system.

It is a well-known legend within [[Vorin]] society that if a man wins a [[Shardblade]] on the battlefield, he will become a lighteyes, regardless of his previous station in life.{{book ref|sa1|16}} This would also be accompanied with a promotion to the fourth dahn for the Shardbearer. This legend, though a foundation of Vorin society, went untested for centuries, until [[Kaladin Stormblessed]] won a full set of [[Shardbearer|Shards]] and gifted them to his lieutenant, [[Moash]]. UponAfter receivingbonding the Shardsshards, Moash's eyes did indeed lighten,lightened from a dark brown to a light tan color.{{book ref|sa2|68}} It is unknown if this effect is permanent or only temporary while the holder is in possession of his Shards.

A second and even rarer method of becoming a lighteyes is to become either a [[Surgebinder]] or [[Knight Radiant]]. According to [[Skar]], [[Kaladin]]'s eyes changed while fighting to save [[Dalinar]] during the [[Battle of the Tower]], although it was only for a short moment, as other men still recognize him as a darkeyes during the fight.{{book ref|sa2|2}} During this battle, Kaladin only said up to the Second Ideal of the [[Immortal Words]] and did not recognize himself as a Knight Radiant. Later, during the [[Battle of Narak]], after Kaladin says the Third Ideal of the Immortal Words and recognizes himself as a true Knight Radiant, his eyes permanently turn pale blue, lighter than any king.{{book ref|sa2|87}}

It is speculated that the distinction between lighteyes and darkeyes this stems from the [[Knights Radiant]]. The Knights Radiant all used [[Surgebinding]] and [[Shardbearer|Shards]], which granted them light-colored eyes even if they didn't have them at birth. Because the weapons and magic that the Radiants wielded were so superior, the belief that light colored eyes being superior to dark colored ones came to be.

[[Hoid]] thinks that he should be amused by the import given to the color of one's eyes, but he isn't, since he has seen other arbitrary systems of governance; additionally, he recalls that there is a good reason why the belief in the superiority of the lighteyes came to be.{{book ref|twok|epilogue}}

Nahn is athe caste system for darkeyes.{{book ref|sa1|8}} Its counterpart for [[lighteyes]] is the [[dahn]] system.

Since darkeyes are peasantscommoners in the Vorin kingdoms, the nahn system is inferior to the dahn system. Holding any level of nahn would be socially inferior to the lowest level of [[dahn]].{{book ref|sa2|2}} However, there are situations in which practical reality makes the social standing between two persons less relevant or even reversed. For example, after [[Kaladin]], a darkeyes, was promoted to captain, he was socially outranked by many lighteyed soldiers, yet still possessed higher military rank and authority than them.{{book ref|sa2|5}} A worker, such as a carriage driver, would treat a wealthy darkeyes as any other master, since their wages would be paid by the darkeyed passenger.{{book ref|sa2|63}}

Within the nahn system itself, there are ten different levels ranging from one to ten, with one being the highest and ten being the lowest. Those at the highest levels of nahn enjoyed relative comfort and wealth while those at the lowest level of nahn would be serfs restricted from being able to freely travel. Finally, those of the tenth nahn are slaves and can be bought and sold by others.{{wob ref|13069}}

While those at the lowest level of nahn without the right of travel are essentially serfs tied to the land they are currently on, this is relatively rare. Many more people are at the slightly higher levels of nahn that includesinclude the right of travel.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}}

The first is the the right of travel, which is assumed to be included with most nahns. To not possess that right would imply that someone issue that occurred withor one's ancestors orhad havingcommitted done something to have that rightsome revokedwrongdoing.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}} The right of travel allows a darkeyed person to leave a town being ruled poorly by the citylord.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}} If the town experiences a substantial loss of persons, the citylord may be stripped of his position and be demoted in dahn.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}}

Moving between ranks is a fairly fluid and common occurrence, except for the very highest ranks, which are harder to attain.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}} The structure of the nahn system pushes people towards "stable ranks," which are ranks in which the child automatically inherits the same rank as their parents.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}}

Joining the army is one way to permanently increase the nahn of a person and their children; for example, if a very low-ranked darkeye joins the army, he would most likely receive an immediate one nahn increase.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}} Another way to increase one's nahn is to buy yourself up a rank, although this only works at the lower ranks of nahn.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}}

There is also an extremely rare method to change ranks out of the nahn system and into the dahn system. By becoming a [[Shardbearer]], regardless of method and whether one is darkeyed or not, one immediately raises his rank to the fourth dahn.{{book ref|sa2|66}} This was accomplished for the first time in generations when [[Kaladin StormblessedMoash]] was grantedreceived a full set of Shardsshards and, instead of claiming them for himself, gifted them to his subordinatefrom [[MoashKaladin Stormblessed]].

The nahn of a darkeyed child is influenced by the nahn that his parents hold. Generally, the child's nahn will be equivalent to the highest nahn that either of his parents hold.{{qawob ref|1068|132782}} For example, a child from a union of a fourth nahn husband and fifth nahn wife would be fourth nahn.

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