How many ranks are there?

[Oversleep]

So prose version (which is also included in AU) says:

Quote

Fen. It was the next to lowest of the nine sand master ranks; only underfen--the rank Kenton had been offered the four previous years--was beneath it.

So there are acolents and then there are 9 sand master ranks.
But coppermind lists only 8, inlcuding acolents.

Is this because we don't know more or was it changed?

[Jofwu he/him]

Good question.

I actually edited that list recently. It used to have Lord Mastrell at the top of the list. But I removed it because my interpretation is that the Lord Mastrell is a mastrell. He wears the same color sash after all. When Drile is supposedly going to be promoted, Dirin went to get a mastrell sash for him.

I can't recall any other ranks though...

 

Edited January 17, 2017 by jofwu

[Weltall]

The list given in the Coppermind comes from the prose version where Kenton identifies all the ranks by sash color and later in the prose version Kenton mentions that Diemfen has three ranks below it and four above it. Those numbers work out perfectly if you assume acolent is being counted as a rank, below underfen. That still leaves only eight ranks total but remember that the prose version was still a draft so it's got some typos; it's quite possible the mention of nine ranks is one of them and that the uncertainty over whether acolents constitute a rank or not could be another.

[Spoolofwhool]

I think the Graphic Novel only says eight ranks, which makes sense.

[Oversleep]

25 minutes ago, Spoolofwhool said:

I think the Graphic Novel only says eight ranks, which makes sense.

GN says "Fen. The next to lowest of the seven permanent sand master ranks." So Acolents + 7 Sand Master ranks, as coppermind says.

[Quiver he/him]

On 1/28/2017 at 8:57 PM, Oversleep said:

GN says "Fen. The next to lowest of the seven permanent sand master ranks." So Acolents + 7 Sand Master ranks, as coppermind says.

...Huh.

So, that has the implication that there are temporary ranks? Are they talking about the rank that people who haven't yet got those ranks (ie: Kenton) are at? Or is it something analogous to the Highprinces of Roshar, where someone might be given a title related to something during a time of duress? 

[Jofwu he/him]

Yes, it's suggesting that "Acolent" (sand masters in training, like Kenton) is considered a non-permanent rank. Seven "real" ranks plus Acolents.

[Modal Seoul he/him]

The ranks are(from lowest to highest): Underfen, fen, diemfen, under-lesstrell, lesstrell, under-mastrell, and mastrell. Just to clarify.