Difference between revisions of "Lighteyes"

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{{culture
|image=Dalinar family BBQ Shapez reddit.jpg
|related=[[Vorinism]]
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
}}{{update|book=sa3}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}
{{spoiler|sa4}}
A '''lighteyes''' is a person with lightly coloured, bright eyes, such as blue, green, yellow, light grey, or violet.{{book ref|sa1|1}}{{book ref|sa1|5}} In the [[Vorin]] kingdoms of [[Alethkar]], [[Jah Keved]], and [[Kharbranth]] they form the nobility, ruling over the [[darkeyes]]. Lighteyes are ranked in ten different levels, in accordance with the dahn caste system.
{{update|sa3|sa4}}
A '''lighteyes''' is a person with lightly colouredcolored, bright eyes, such as blue, green, yellow, light grey, or violet.{{book ref|sa1|1}}{{book ref|sa1|5}} In the [[Vorin]] kingdoms of [[Alethkar]], [[Jah Keved]], and [[Kharbranth]], they form the nobility, ruling over the [[darkeyes]]. Lighteyes are ranked in ten different levels, in accordance with the dahn caste system.
 
== Overview ==
According to the [[Vorin]] religion, all lighteyes are born to rule and are superior to the [[darkeyes]], leading to a class system based on eye colourcolor.
 
The defining characteristic of a lighteyes is not merely the actual colourcolor of their eyes, but that they have a light and distinguishable color. For example, although grey is not normally considered a bright color, having light grey eyes qualifies one as a lighteyes.{{book ref|sa1|1}} Conversely, although green is normally seen as a light colourcolor, having deep, dark green eyes that look muddled and is hard to distinguish from brown or black in average light would qualify one as a [[darkeyes]].{{book ref|sa1|2}}
 
A male lighteyes of notable rank is addressed by the title Brightlord. Similarly, Brightlady is used to address high-ranking females,{{book ref|sa2|14}} although the more common term of address is Brightness. Brightness can be used to address a lighteyed lady of any rank.
 
Sometimes when important lighteyes die, their corpses are soulcasted into stone statues, as opposed to [[darkeyes]] corpses, which are typically burned. It is unknown how common this practice is among lighteyes of lower dahn or among lighteyes outside of [[Alethkar]].{{cite}}
== Changing eye colour ==
Permanently changing one's birth eye colour is generally not possible. However, two exceedingly rare methods are currently known to change one's eye colour.
 
== Changing eye colourcolor ==
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}} The exact colour of the Shardbearer's eyes depends on the specific type of Blade they bonded to.{{wob ref|3255}} 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]]. Upon receiving the Shards, Moash's eyes did indeed lighten, from a dark brown to a tan colour.{{book ref|sa2|68}} This effect lasts only as long as the formerly darkeyed shardbearer keeps ownership of his shardblade, as Moash's eyes changed again upon losing his.
Permanently changing one's birth eye colourcolor is generally not possible. However, two exceedingly rare methods are currently known to change one's eye colourcolor.
 
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}} Even if his eye color didn't physically change, he would still be promoted to fourth dahn by virtue of being a Shardbearer.{{book ref|sa2|66}} The exact colourcolor of the Shardbearer's eyes depends on the specific type of Blade they bonded to.{{wob ref|3255}} 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 [[KaladinAdolin StormblessedKholin]] won a full set of [[Shardbearer|Shards]] and gifted them to the former bridgeman [[Kaladin Stormblessed]]. Kaladin, remembering the event in which his friends were killed, stepped aside and commanded his lieutenant, [[Moash]], to take the Shards. Upon receiving the Shards, Moash's eyes did indeed lighten, from a dark brown to a tan colourcolor.{{book ref|sa2|68}} This effect lasts only as long as the formerly darkeyed shardbearerShardbearer keeps ownership of his shardbladeShardblade, as Moash's eyes changed again upon losing his.
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 turn pale blue, lighter than any king.{{book ref|sa2|87}} They stay pale blue for several hours after using stormlight before returning to brown.
 
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 turn pale blue, lighter than any king.{{book ref|sa2|87}} They stay pale blue for several hours after usingsummoning stormlight[[Syl]] before returning to brown, and Kaladin has to summon Syl several times a day to keep his eye blue. {{book ref|sa3|73}}
 
Lighteyes can temporarily be darkened using eyedrops. There is not currently a way to artificially lighten dark eye colors.{{book ref|sa2|28}}
 
== Origins ==
 
It is speculated that the distinction between lighteyes and darkeyes stems from the [[Knights Radiant]]. The Knights Radiant all used [[Surgebinding]] and [[Shardbearer|Shards]], which granted them light-colouredcolored 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 colouredcolored ones came to be. The bond between [[spren]] and humans is what actually causes the colourcolor change.{{wob ref|7729}}
 
[[Hoid]] thinks that he should be amused by the importimportance given to the colourcolor 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 lighteyes came to be.{{book ref|twok|epilogue}}
 
== Dahn ==
=== Dahn Rankings ===
{{theory}}
{| class=infobox
{{row| Dahn | WhoPeople isof inthe itrank |pre=!}}
{{row| 1st | The King }}
{{row| 2nd | Highprinces, their direct heirs, and the King's direct heir. }}
{{row| 3rd | ''Generals'', Highlords, and the non-inheriting children of 1st and 2nd dahn lighteyes. }}
{{row| 4th | Battalionlords, Citylords,and/or Shardbearers and other mid-ranked nobles. }}
{{row| 5th | ''Companylords'', along with lower-ranked nobles. }}
{{row| 6th | ''Captainlords, along with the lowest-ranked nobles'' and landholders''.any landed lighteyes}}
{{row| 7th | Lower-ranking landless officers, ''higher-ranking (or very wealthy) landless lighteyes''. }}
{{row| 8th | Soldiers, ''high-ranking (or moderately wealthy) landless lighteyes''. }}
|}
Anything italicized is speculated [https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/6s1gyf/no_spoilers_relationship_between_eyestatus_and/dlai1mv/ here].{{wob ref|4006}}
 
The position of ''Citylord'', may span multiple dahn, including fourth, fifth, and sixth.{{book ref|sa3|58}}{{wob ref|4006}} The dahn of the appointed citylord may be based on the size and significance of a settlement.
 
=== General Dahn Information ===
Dahn is the caste system for lighteyes.{{book ref|sa1|8}} Its counterpart for [[darkeyes]] is the [[nahn]] system.
 
Since lighteyes are nobility in the Vorin kingdoms, the dahn system is superior to the nahn system. Holding even the tenth and lowest dahn socially outranks the highest level of [[nahn]].{{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 an extreme 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 dahn system itself, there are ten different levels ranging from one to ten, with one being the highest and ten being the lowest. The highest levels of dahn implies immense power and authority while those at the lowest level of dahn are merely ordinary people.
 
The first dahn consists of the king. The second dahn contains the Highprinceshighprinces. The third dahn is made up, at least in part, byof the non-heir children of the king, the non-heir children of Highprinceshighprinces, and Highlordshighlords{{wob ref|2782}}{{book ref|sa2|52}}. The fourth dahn includes lighteyes who hold the position of battalionlord in the army; battalionlords command a full battalion of a thousand men.{{book ref|sa1|73}} The seventh dahn includes lower ranking officers in the army who are landless and attached to a more powerful officer's retinue.{{book ref|sa1|27}}
 
People in the tenth and lowest level of dahn are colloquially known as "tenners" and are looked down upon as being barely above darkeyes.{{book ref|sa1|45}}{{book ref|sa2|2}}{{book ref|sa2|45}} Unlike high dahn lighteyes, wholighteyes—who might make a living from their landed estates or by ruling over other men, ormen—or even high nahn darkeyes, whodarkeyes—who might be merchants or master craftsmen, tennerscraftsmen—tenners have to actually work for a living.{{book ref|sa2|45}}
 
=== Moving between ranks ===
It is difficult for a lighteyed person to raise their dahn, especially at the higher dahns.{{wob ref|2782}} At the lower dahns, one can buy themselves up a rank. Alternatively, one can 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.{{wob ref|2782}} A person can potentially jump up two or three dahns by receiving such an appointment.{{wob ref|2782}}
 
One can raise his dahn through two other, much more rare, methods. The first is through direct intervention by the king or a Highprincehighprince.{{wob ref|2782}} The second is to become a Shardbearer; by doing so, one immediately raises his dahn to that of the fourth rank, if he is not already at or above this rank.{{book ref|sa2|66}}
 
A person can also be demoted in dahn if they perform poorly in a given role.{{wob ref|2782}} In particular, if an [[ardent]] leaves the ardentia, he will be demoted to the tenth dahn.{{book ref|sa1|45}}
 
=== First dahn ===
* King [[Elhokar Kholin]], King of [[Alethkar]]
* King [[Gavilar Kholin]], King of [[Alethkar]]{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
* King [[Elhokar Kholin]], King of [[Alethkar]]
* Queen [[Jasnah Kholin]], Queen of [[Alethkar]] (NotableA asruler shein isher notown Queen by marriage, butright instead rulingof Queenmarriage, in defiance of [[Vorin]] tradition).{{book ref|sa3|end122}}
* King [[Hanavanar]], King of [[Jah Keved]]{{book ref|sa1|29}}{{wob ref|4006}}
* King [[Valam]], King of [[Jah Keved]]{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{wob ref|4006}}
* King [[Taravangian]], King of [[Jah Keved]]{{book ref|sa3|12}}{{wob ref|4006}}
* Queen [[Fen Rnamdi]], Queen of [[Thaylenah]]{{book ref|sa3|12}}{{wob ref|4006}}
 
=== Second dahn ===
* Navani Kholin, Dowager Queen of Alethkar{{wob ref|2782}}{{wob ref|4006}}
* Queen [[Aesudan Kholin]], Queen of [[Alethkar]]{{book ref|sa1|1}}
* [[Highprince]] [[Dalinar Kholin]], [[Highprince of War]]
* Highprince [[Adolin Kholin]],{{book Heir to the Kholin princedom and son of Dalinar Kholinref|sa3|122}}
* Highprincess [[Shallan Davar]]{{wob ref|2782}}
* Highprince [[Torol Sadeas]], [[Highprince of Information]]
* Highprincess [[Ialai Sadeas]]{{wob ref|2782}}
* Highprince [[Aladar]], [[Highprince of Information]]
* Highprince [[Bethab]]
* Highprince [[Hatham]], [[Highprince of Works]]
* Highprince [[Roion]]
* Highprince [[Ruthar]]
* Highprince [[Sebarial]], [[Highprince of Commerce]]
* Highprince [[Thanadal]]
* Highprince [[Vamah]]
* [[Nan Balat]], Shallan's brother{{book ref|sa2|52}}
* [[Kaladin Stormblessed]], Knight Radiant, Order of Windrunners (by virtue of Shardblade)
* [[Shallan Davar]], Knight Radiant, Order of Lightweavers (by virtue of Shardblade)
* [[Teft]], Knight Radiant, Order of Windrunners (by virtue of Shardblade)
 
=== Fifth dahn ===
 
 
=== Eighth dahn ===
== Notes ==
<references />
{{completepartial}}
{{stormlight}}
 
[[category: Alethi|*]]
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