Difference between revisions of "Hoid"

|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]], [[Elantris (book)|Elantris]], [[The Emperor's Soul]], [[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]], [[Warbreaker]], [[White Sand]]

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'''Hoid''' is a recurring character in the [[cosmere]], asoriginally wellfrom as[[Yolen]]. aHoid legend rumored to have a thousand titles (most of which, he says, areis not pleasant).his Heoriginal hasname;{{wob appearedref|5882}} inbefore almosttelling every[[Kaladin]] cosmere novel, shortthe story, andof novella which takes place in that universe. Note that his real name is likely not Hoid. Inthe ''[[The Way of KingsWandersail]]'', he mentionsclaims he stole the name from someone he should have loved,.{{book whileref|sa1|57}} givingIn response to [[Kaladin]]Letters#The hisFirst fluteLetter|a and telling the story of the ''[[Wandersailletter]]''. Inasking sectionfor 2help ofin the 2ndfight [[Letters|Letter]]against from ''[[Words of RadianceOdium]]'', the author of the letter ([[Frost]]) asksasked him if Hoidhe is no longer hiding behind the name of his old master.,{{epigraph Theref|sa2|60}} likely referring to the name "Hoid". Among the original [[Vessel]]s, Hoid is likelyoften theknown nameas heCephandrius,{{msh ref|2|1}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|33}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|42}}{{book ref|sa4|112}} which is hidingone behindof his earliest aliases.{{wob ref|3985}}

When he is on Roshar during the [[War of Reckoning]] and [[True Desolation]], serving as King [[Elhokar Kholin]]'s, and later Queen [[Jasnah Kholin]]'s Wit, Hoid has the appearance of a man in his mid-30's30s{{wob ref|1705}} with deep onyx hair. He wears a stiff black coat and carries a long thin sword at his waist.{{book ref|sa1|12}} This blade is not magically Invested but has personal value to Hoid.{{wob ref|2505}} It is a symbol of office for the King/Queen's Wit, though Hoid himself is not a skilled swordfighter.{{wob ref|896}}

Hoid does not yet have the abilities of every planet he's visited.{{wob ref|2853}} Some of his powers predate the [[Shattering]], but none of them are gained through [[Hemalurgy]].{{wob ref|6658}} Hoid is concerned about opening himself up to the influence of Shards, so he only gains access to manifestations of Investiture through more conventional ways.{{wob ref|656}} Hoid has access to multiple Invested Arts, but not an incredibly large number.{{wob ref|1044}} He is likely the most powerful non-Shard entity in the cosmere.{{wob ref|7323}} There are only a few things in the cosmere that are capable of hurting him, one of which is [[Nightblood]], and he stays far away from all of them.{{wob ref|11671}} Hoid also has an unknown [[seon]].{{book ref|sa4|78}}{{book ref|sa4|115}}

Hoid has lived for many more years than any mortal human would be able to live.{{wob ref|4031}} This immortality is an effect of some remnant of the weapon the original sixteen Vessels used to kill Adonalsium and may also be related to, the Dawnshards.{{wob ref|10439}}{{wob ref|14300}} Additionally, Hoid has not actually experienced all those years,{{wob ref|6585}} instead making use of some time-dilation technique that may render him somehow unconscious or unaware.{{wob ref|4083}} However, Hoid does not have the ability to travel backwards in time.{{wob ref|37}}

As a Yolish man, Hoid was not himself born with any [[BioChromatic Breath]].{{wob ref|3212}} However at some point Hoid has gained access to enough BioChromatic Breath to bring him to at least the Second Heightening.{{book ref|sa2|59}} This means Hoid has at least two hundred Breaths, which grant him the ability to recognize unsupressed Breath auras and judge about how much breath another Awakener has, as well as perfect pitch.{{book ref|wb|epilogue}} That is not to say that Hoid may not have reached a higher Heightening, just that the second Heightening is his minimum power level.{{wob ref|4655}} Hoid's level of skill with [[Awakening]] is still unknown, as he has only made use of it on one known occasion, when he Awakened a doll, causing it to walk.{{book ref|sa3|epilogue}} This makes it difficult to ascertain his knowledge of Commands or complex Awakenings. Hoid's level of control over Investiture does allow him to suppress his Breath aura, making it difficult to notice by others. However, there are various methods of detecting Investiture that could circumvent this suppression.{{wob ref|3437}} Hoid's perfect pitch does aid him in tuning instruments and making music.{{book ref|sa2|59}} Additionally, holding Breath has allowed Hoid to somehow outsource some of his memory to said Breath. RecentAfter loss[[Odium]]'s destruction of a partsome of histhese Breaths hasin resultedorder into himwipe havinghis memoryshort-term gapsmemory, thehis extentlevel of whichBreath beingwas asreduced ofto just under the yetSecond unknownHeightening,resulting andin losinga hisloss of perfect pitch.{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}}

Hoid traveled to [[Sel]], likely making use of [[Devotion's Perpendicularity]] in [[Arelon]]. Hoid spoke to the [[skaze]], and seems to have made some sort of agreement with them hinging on his desire to become an Elantrian with the restoration of [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]].{{book ref|Elantris|Postscript}} Hoid disguised himself as a beggar, wrapped in bandages. He helped [[Sarene]] smuggle weapons into [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]].{{book ref|Elantris|58}} Following the restoration of the city by Raoden, Hoid traveled to the Pool to meet a skaze. He removed his bandages, hoping to find himself transformed into an Elantrian, but the transformation had not occurred. The skaze ridiculed Hoid for his failure, but Hoid expressed his joy that secrets still remained unknown to him and then entered the Perpendicularity and transitioned to the [[Cognitive Realm]].

Hoid returned to Sel several years later, and found himself a position in the court of Emperor [[Ashravan]] in the [[Rose Empire]] as the Royal Fool. He allied himself with the [[Forger]] [[Shai]] in her attempt to steal the [[Moon Scepter]], an artifact that allows for the translation of the various symbols of Selish Investiture. He arranged for her to be caught after she'd left the Gallery with the Scepter, later using her duplicate to steal the scepter for himself. Hoid stealsstole the Moon Scepter in order to interprethelp Selhim magictranslate andbetween tovarious helpsymbols himand gain access the magics on Sel.{{wob ref|12146}}

When Waxillium Ladrian walked up the path to KelsinaKelesina's mansion to attend a [[Kelesina Shores' party|party]] with [[Steris Harms]], Hoid climbed out of the bushes, startling Wax.{{book ref|mb6|11}} Wanting to reveal Kelsier's resurrection and identity as the Sovereign,{{wob ref|1727}} Hoid looked for an opportunity to pass on the unsealed metalmind. He asked Wax for a few clips.{{book ref|mb6|11}} Steris noticed Hoid's cologne and asked him if he was wearing cologne. Hoid was startled by her observation and claimed that he had been drinking perfume, as it had quite a kick. Steris told him that that was unhealthy and Wax advised Hoid that he should leave the private grounds. Hoid agreed but claimed that it was his property and again asked for coins. Wax gave him a banknote and told him again to leave the grounds. Hoid claimed it was far too much and that he wished to give Waxillium change. As Wax walked away, Hoid threw the coin at Wax's head, who caught it in midair. A groundsman then noticed Hoid and tried to chase him off. Hoid laughed and escaped back into the bushes again.