How is Dahn determined? and what do they mean?

[Stormblessed Dolphin he/him]

So, I'm still fairly new. And as such, admit my own noobiness. If someone with more experience than I could explain to me the Dahn class system for Darkeyes, (I think I got that terminiology right) works, that'd be great.

[N006+ard4life]

Dahn is for Lighteyes, Nahn is for Darkeyes, both have 10 levels and I believe it’s birth based.  Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.  I believe 1^st and 2^nd Nahn have the right of travel, and I think Lirin (Kaladin’s father) is 2^nd Nahn. 

Kaladin is now 4^th Dahn, since he’s a shardbearer.

1^st Dahn would be Elhokar and his heir.

2^nd Dahn would be the Highprinces and their heir (Dalinar and Adolin)

3^rd Dahn would be children of Highprinces that aren’t heirs (Renarin).

Shallan would have been 5^th Dahn, but because she’s a shardbearer she’s now 4^th.

Anything below 6^th Dahn, I believe can’t be landowners.

[Stormblessed Dolphin he/him]

oh okay, I was confusing Dahn, and Nahn. I was specifically hoping to understand the darkeyes ranking

 

since I have brown eyes, and wanted to figure out what I would be lol

Edited December 1, 2017 by Benjamin_Stormblessed

[N006+ard4life]

The only bit about Nahn that I know is the right of travel for 1st and 2nd... It isn't really explored much.  I'm brown eyed as well and the Nahn and Dahn system's have fascinated me too

[Stormblessed Dolphin he/him]

I'm guessing that if I suddenly were living on Roshar, in the exact status that I hold currently, Probably 2nd Nahn?

[Weltall]

Here's a WoB with a lot of little details. We know there are 'stable' ranks where children inherit the Nahn of their parents and some where children are automatically lower-ranked until they hit the first such stable rank (this seems more a lighteyes thing but it applies to darkeyes too). It's easy to buy an increase in Nahn up to a point. Also, military service tends to immediately cause an increase in Nahn if you're low-ranked and serving with distinction frequently brings an increase. Also, not having the right of travel is actually pretty rare, Brandon says that to be below the rank when you have that right, something has to have gone very wrong in your family's past.

Not mentioned in that WoB but in Kaladin's flashbacks is that Second Nahn and higher are permitted to marry into lighteyed families, since Kaladin was considered eligible to marry Laral.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Weltall

[Devout Pathian]

6 hours ago, Weltall said:

Also, right of travel is actually pretty rare, Brandon says that to be below the rank when you have that right, something has to have gone very wrong in your family's past.

Wait I’m confused. Is it rare to have the right of travel or rare not to have it?

Also I agree that I’ve been confused by the ranking system.

[Weltall]

Typo, I meant to say that not having the right to travel is rare. I've fixed it.

[Yata he/him]

@Weltall maybe I remember wrong, but having the right to Travel have to be' rare among the Darkeyes as the required Nahn is expansive.

In Hearthstone Kaladin's family will be' the only one with the right status to freely leave. Of course you could be' sent by a lighteyes or simply wander without illegal. 

Edit: I checked on coppermind and the stuff seems confused

Edited December 3, 2017 by Yata

[Calderis he/him]

The rarer right for darkeyes was the right on inquest, which Lirin used to cover his tracks with the spheres. 

[WhiteLeeopard she/her]

Nahn and Dahn are both determined by money. Lighteyed landowners would be 5th dahn or higher, and darkeyes with money can buy nahn. First and second nahn can marry lighteyes, and possibly speak to lighteyes in almost equal terms so long as they are polite. An example of this is seen by Lirin sitting at Roshone's table without invitation and saying it was his right. Right of travel seems to be pretty common, although lower nahns won't have it. 

Lighteyes over 7th dahn seem to be sort of normal people just making a living. Of course I think darkeyes over 7th nahn are practically slaves. The other thing linked to social ranking is military standing. Serving with distintion means getting higher nahn and dahn both. Officers are automatically 5th dahn or higher, with how many men they command changing their dahn. As an extreme example, if a highlord lost his lands and money his rank would still be the same due to the number of troops he commanded.

[Vashakh Sadeas he/him]

I'd recommend Coppermind.net they have a ton of answers to the Dahn/Nahn system.