Difference between revisions of "Hoid"

|image=Worldsinger by Ari Ibarra.jpg

|groups={{tag|Worldsingers}}

|bonded=[[Design]]

|aliases=Wit, Cephandrius, [[#Known Aliases|others]]

|Hoid to [[Dalinar]]{{book ref|sa2|67}}

}}

 

Hoid was involved in the events taking place before any of the cosmere's published books begin, and is the second oldest character seen so far.{{wob ref|945}} He was originally human, but has changed enough that when asked, [[Brandon]] only says "It's complicated."{{wob ref|6614}} Hoid is not a [[Shard]], nor is he a [[Herald]], but something else entirely.{{wob ref|8843}} He is very skilled with disguises, and the overtness of his involvement varies from book to book. In some, he is named outright and makes references to other events and places in the cosmere, while in others he is seen only deep in disguise, almost unrecognizable. Brandon has confirmed that all of these appearances are the same individual,{{wob ref|4414}} but that he [[worldhopping|worldhops]] between planets. Hoid's motives are unknown, and most of his actions occur behind the scenes. He is searching for something unknown.{{wob ref|7842}}

 

 

 

== Appearance & Personality ==

{{for|/Gallery|more images}}

 

 

Hoid's true personality, while also usually disguised, is more easily seen as he occasionally drops whatever part he is playing. One of his overall most noticeable traits is his sharp wit and intelligence. The characters he plays often have a penchant for jokes and mockery but when he removes the facade his personality often seems mysterious and grave.{{book ref|twok|epilogue}}{{book ref|twok|57}} If he was asked about whether he called himself a good man personality-wise, Hoid would reply with a "No".{{wob ref|1704}} Hoid is not always serious when he should be, due to how much normal human interaction bores him.{{wob ref|14988}}

== Attributes and Abilities ==

{{theory}}

 

=== Illusions ===

Hoid has access to an Invested Art known as [[Lightweaving]] that originates from Yolen prior to the Shattering of Adonalsium.{{wob ref|8909}} Lightweaving allows for the creation of optical and auditory illusions.{{book ref|sa2|part=ars}} This Lightweaving is much less restrictive than the later [[Illumination|Rosharan variant]],{{book ref|sa2|45}} and does not require a spren or Stormlight to function.{{wob ref|8909}} Hoid sometimes makes use of this ability in his disguises{{wob ref|5775}} although he has several ways of changing how he looks{{wob ref|5024}} including practical effects.{{epigraph ref|sa3|35}} He may also make use of it in some of his storytelling,{{wob ref|8329}} such as the pictures of [[Derethil]] and the ''[[Wandersail]]'' that Kaladin sees in the smoke when Hoid is telling him a story.{{book ref|sa1|57}}

 

 

=== Worldhopping ===

=== Connection ===

Hoid has access to some manifestation of Investiture that allows him to manipulate the Spiritual attribute of [[Connection]]. The full extent of this ability is unknown, but its primary known use is to help Hoid speak the various languages of the worlds of the cosmere that he visits. The ability allows him to Connect to whatever land he is in, temporarily altering his Spiritual aspect to believe that he was raised in that place, allowing him to speak as a native.{{wob ref|3759}} While Hoid has learned naturally how to speak some foreign languages,{{wob ref|9012}} and is decent with languages, he desires to pass as a local oftentimes, which requires something beyond natural learning.{{wob ref|223}} Generally he makes use of the his Connection ability to communicate in foreign languages.{{wob ref|9012}} This ability is not without fault though, as when Hoid speaks naturally it will fill in local idioms and phrases on its own, but if Hoid is careless and focuses on a specific word or phrase the ability may fail and he will say the word verbatim in his own tongue{{wob ref|3759}} or it may be said in an odd way.{{wob ref|3583}} Hoid is an expert in using his Connection ability, but even he sometimes makes mistakes. This is the reason he occasionally slips up and may say words that confuse others,{{wob ref|8185}} such as "coin"{{book ref|sa2|epilogue}} and "bunny"{{book ref|sa2|59}} on Roshar. As Hoid has demonstrated the ability to fluently speak foreign languages before the knowledge of unsealed metalminds became widespread,{{book ref|elantris|58}} it is unlikely that he is making use of Feruchemical [[duralumin]] to manipulate Connection.

 

=== Metallic Arts ===

 

=== Awakening ===

|Hoid to Kaladin on making music{{book ref|sa2|59}}

}}

 

=== Surgebinder ===

{{quote

|It's either go with me now or wait it out and get captured. I honestly don't even know if you've the mind to listen. But if you do, know this: I will give you truths. And I know some juicy ones.

}}

<!-- Out of all of the orders of the [[Knights Radiant]], [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]] was his first choice, as Lightweaving matches him very well and he's quite familiar and experienced with it. Having full access to Lightweaving is a fulfillment of a long, long quest for him.{{wob ref|10755}} -->

 

 

== History ==

=== Origins ===

 

 

=== Taldain ===

Hoid spent a lot of time gambling on Nalthis, and was fairly renowned. He would arrange things so that he could never lose, and then bet everything on himself. However, someone else managed to arrange it so that he couldn't ''win'', either, resulting in a tie and the loss of his winnings.{{book ref|sa4|99}}

 

 

=== Obrodai ===

{{image|You by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=left|width=250px|[[Shallan]] hugging Wit}}

===== Words of Radiance =====

 

Hoid is also seen acting as the carriage driver for [[Adolin]] when he is visiting [[Shallan]] at [[Shattered Plains|Sebarial's warcamp]]. He speaks to [[Kaladin]] about his flute and mentions that he wants an interesting story from him. When [[Shallan]] recognizes him she happily hugs him for his advice from three and a half years prior when he encouraged her at her worst and told her to keep seeking the light.{{book ref|sa2|55}}

 

==== Rayse ====

 

==== Taravangian ====

Hoid and [[Edgli]] mutually detest each other. However, their conversations are far more polite than Hoid's relations with Bavadin or Rayse.{{epigraph ref|sa3|33}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|41}}

 

 

In his position as King's, and later, Queen's Wit, Hoid has had opportunities to interact with many notable Rosharans, and has taken full advantage of such chances.

 

==== Design ====

Hoid has a fondly exasperated view towards [[Design]]. Though, as a pair who share a [[Nahel bond]], they are extremely close, he is consistently frustrated by her habit of spoiling stories that he's telling, as he sees it.{{book ref|sa4|80}}{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}}

 

==== Jasnah ====

 

== Known Aliases ==

* Hoid

* Roamer{{book ref|sa1|i|1}}

* Dust{{book ref|sa2|81}}

* Imperial Fool of the [[Rose Empire]]{{ref|name=tes-del}}

* Topaz{{wob ref|8609}}

* Cephandrius Maxtori{{wob ref|5882}}{{wob ref|3985}}

* Midius{{book ref|sa3|121}}{{epigraph ref|sa4|84}}

 

== Speculation ==

* Hoid's favorite color is black.{{wob ref|14774}}

* Though he once (extremely accurately) said to Shallan that he began life as words on a page, this was not in fact a break of the fourth wall.{{wob ref|3334}}

 

== Notes ==