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Meaning of Falah'd?

#1 Drogo

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Posted 18 July 2010 - 11:31 PM

I apologize in advance - I am an anal-retentive reader. I have run across the word falah'd and can not find an "official" meaning for it. I gather from context it is some sort of ruler or governing body, but I'm not 100% sure.

An enlightenment you can toss my way will be appreciated

This post has been edited by Drogo: 18 July 2010 - 11:31 PM

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#2 HoosierDaddy

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Posted 18 July 2010 - 11:34 PM

This could be wrong, but it is my memory that each city of the Seven Holy Cities had a ruler, that person being the "Falah'd" or however it is spelled. It could, however, be a mage or a champion of some sort of other. Been a while since I re-read DG.

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#3 Sinisdar Toste

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Posted 18 July 2010 - 11:57 PM

each of the seven holy cities in seven cities had a ruler called a holy falah'd. the malazans put an end to that. its just a title i think

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#4 Drogo

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Posted 19 July 2010 - 01:17 AM

Sinisdar Toste, on 18 July 2010 - 11:57 PM, said:

each of the seven holy cities in seven cities had a ruler called a holy falah'd. the malazans put an end to that. its just a title i think

Thanks!

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#5 D'rek

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Posted 19 July 2010 - 01:17 AM

I'm not 100% sure that it's actually stated that there is exactly 1 Falah'd for each of the Seven Holies, and no more. In any case, the Falah'dan is indeed the ruling caste of the former Seven Cities macro-nation, and there's almost certainly a religious aspect to that leadership related to the worship of the Seven Holies (which of course supercedes the tribes and city-states' own secular conflicts).

Oh and the Falah'dan was scattered from their cities during the 7C campaign, so of course it's a confused and garbled mess. Plus you can probably assume that the priestly caste had some sort of lieutenant-Falah'd rank level and that as the Falah'dan died the lieutenants would self-promote themselves to replace the dead Falah'dan.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 19 July 2010 - 01:24 AM

worrywort, on 14 September 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:

I kinda love it when D'rek unleashes her nerd wrath, as I knew she would here. Sorry innocent bystanders, but someone's gotta be the kindling.

#6 Hetan

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Posted 20 July 2010 - 06:09 AM

There were Seven Holy Falah'd - one for each of the seven holy cities.

They had a cadre of wizards for protection (as with Quick Ben and his cadre) and also people like Kalam (a Falah'dans Dagger).

"He was not a modest man. Contemplating suicide, he summoned a dragon". (Gothos' Folly)- Gothos

#7 D'rek

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Posted 20 July 2010 - 12:54 PM

Also to further confuse(!): when the rebellion kicked off in DG there were new appointed/proclaimed/whatever Falah'ds of the reconquered cities

AND, there's also the title "Holy Protector" which comes up a lot may or may not be the same thing.

worrywort, on 14 September 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:

I kinda love it when D'rek unleashes her nerd wrath, as I knew she would here. Sorry innocent bystanders, but someone's gotta be the kindling.

#8 Silk

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Posted 20 July 2010 - 01:02 PM

I think the Holy Protector is something all together different..... the gist I get from RTCG leads me to this belief

#9 Hetan

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Posted 20 July 2010 - 02:47 PM

Ok, just found a definition in the books for Holy Falah'd and it simply means ruler - of a Holy City.
The Holy Protector's and the Holy Falah'd are the same thing - there's a passage in House of Chains which refers to them as being one and the same.

"He was not a modest man. Contemplating suicide, he summoned a dragon". (Gothos' Folly)- Gothos

#10 Abyss

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Posted 20 July 2010 - 02:56 PM

...albeit ruler in a religious as well as secular context apparently.

And it is confused by things like unofficial holy cityies, rebellions, executions, power struggles and other fun stuff.

But in essence it's 'Priest Ruler of a holy city'

- Abyss, ...wishes there was at least one 'help, i've Falah'd and i can't get up' joke in the books...

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