Difference between revisions of "Hoid"

Hoid is not the author of the Ars Arcanums, nor of the back-of-book blurb for [[Words of Radiance]].{{cite}} He occasionally will show up somewhere, stand around for a while, realize there isn't a novel-worthy plot going on, and leave.{{ref|17s|6439|post|104720|Hoid appears on planets where nothing happens}}

 

Very little of Hoid's history is known beyond the fact that he was present at the [[Shattering]] of [[Adonalsium]].{{ref|?|732|1|Hoid was at the Shattering}} The specifics of his appearances follows, but bear in mind that it is arranged by book, not chronologically. Hoid's appearance in [[Alloy of Law]] takes place after his appearance in [[The Way of Kings]].

 

*[[Elantris (book)|Elantris]] - As he often does, Hoid plays a role as a beggar. He helps [[Sarene]] smuggle weapons into [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]].{{ref|b|elantris|c|58}}

*[[The Emperor's Soul]] - As Imperial Fool for the Rose Empire, he betrays [[Shai]], which results in her capture and imprisonment.

 

He has appeared multiple times on [[Scadrial]]:

*[[The Final Empire]] - To [[Kelsier]] he acted as an informant in [[Luthadel]].{{ref|b|mb1|c|19}}

*[[Alloy of Law]] - At the wedding of Lord [[Joshin Yomen]] and Lady [[Mi'chelle Ostlin]], Hoid was seen speaking to them, once again dressed as a beggar.{{ref|?|632|3|Was the "beggar in black" Hoid?}}

 

 

*[[Warbreaker]] - He is summoned to the [[Court of the Gods]] by [[Lightsong]]. He recounts the story of [[Vo]], the First Returned, explains the origin of the [[Hallandren]] God Kings, and answers Lightsong and [[Siri]]'s questions.{{ref|b|wb|c|32}}

 

{{quote|I’ve come to your land to chase an old acquaintance, but I end up spending most of my time hiding from him instead.|Hoid to [[Kaladin]].{{ref|b|sa1|c|57}}}}

 

In a departure from his previous appearances, Hoid plays a relatively major role on [[Roshar]]. Most often seen under the guise of ''Wit'', [[Elhokar Kholin]]'s court jester, he influences [[Dalinar]], going so far as to ask Dalinar if he has ever heard the term "Adonalsium".{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} He also meets [[Kaladin]] and tells him a story about [[Derethil]] and the ''[[Wandersail]]''.{{ref|b|sa1|c|57}} During the course of the story, Hoid uses a special, ancient flute called a Trailman's flute. It is also likely that he uses [[Lightweaving]] to cause the smoke from the fire to take the form of various elements from his story.

In the first Interlude, Ishikk, a man from the Purelake, spends six months being paid by three men to ask around the area after Hoid. These three men are [[Galladon]], [[Demoux]], and a third man from a book that has not been published, referred to as Vao or Blunt. These men are confirmed to be members of the Seventeenth Shard.

 

Hoid again in this plays a minor role as Wit. For most of the book, they say he is away, which is presumed to be when he went to Scadrial during the mistborn series, but not for certain.

Hoid appears again later on in the book at the very same time as [[Taln]], a [[Herald]], who breaks through the gates of [[Kholinar]] and falls unconscious after declaring that the [[True Desolation]] is imminent.{{ref|b|twok|epilogue}}

Also in a flashback 5 and a half years ago from Shallan, Shallan meets Wit, who is disguised as a messenger, and he talks to her. At the end of the book, he meets with [[Jasnah Kholin]] as she exits [[Shadesmar]], offering to travel with her.

 

Hoid's appearance varies drastically from book to book. He's often in disguise which makes his true appearance difficult to ascertain. Couple this with the fact that he can most likely Lightweave his appearance in order to look however he wants, it makes it nearly impossible to know for sure what he looks like. To the best of our knowledge, his face is lined;{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} hawk-like and arrow shaped. Hoid is tall and thin{{ref|b|twok|c|12}} and also has a sharp nose and jaw with delicate eyebrows.{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} He tends to cock his head to one side{{ref|b|twok|c|57}} and has keen blue eyes.{{ref|b|twok|c|12}} Hoid's hair is white, although he occasionally dyes it.{{ref|b|twok|i|1}}

 

This blade is not [[Nightblood]].{{ref|17s|4156|post|65432|Is Hoid's sword in WoK Nightblood?}}

 

* Lightweaving - possible illusion magic from [[Yolen]]. This allows him to create images of anything he likes, and even possibly change how he looks to others.

* Worldhopping - Hoid is very good at manipulating Shadesmar.{{ref|?|428|102|Hoid is quite proficient at manipulating Shadesmar for his own ends.}} He can travel to any world he likes, and can even use this ability to move swiftly around a single planet and to get to otherwise inaccessible areas, like the Well of Ascension.{{ref|17s|2383|post|42244|Well, by this point Hoid had been to the Well--getting there just before Vin--and had retrieved something from it.}}

*Awakening - Hoid likely has a [[Breath]], something that a scene in Words of Radiance seems to confirm, as he mentions how playing an instrument was easier now with 'perfect pitch' - something granted to those with the Second Heightening.{{ref|?|949|11|It seems quite likely that he would.}}

 

* Roamer{{ref|b|twok|i|1}} - by [[Galladon]] in the Purelake

* The King's Wit{{ref|b|twok|c|54}}

* Imperial Fool of the [[Rose Empire]]

* A storyteller in the Court of the Gods{{ref|b|warbreaker|c|32}}

 

{{theory}}

In the epigraphs in Part 2 of The Way of Kings, there is the text of a [[letters|letter]]. Both its author and recipient are unknown. This letter refers to all the original Shardholders by their names and begs the recipient for aid in the struggle against [[Rayse]], holder of the Shard [[Odium]]. If Hoid wrote this letter, it offers valuable insights into his personality and goals. The author of the Letter is being hunted by the Seventeenth Shard and has set a false trail for them to follow. This provides strong evidence that the author of the Letter is Hoid, as he is being hunted in an area far from where he really is by three men who are probably from the Seventeenth Shard. It is confirmed that we "may have read that Hoid has specific beef with Rayse." As for only the Letter tells about Hoid having a grudge against Rayse this can be seen as an acknowledgement that Hoid wrote the Letter.{{ref|17s|3099|post|50695|text=Hoid has a specific beef against Rayse.}}

 

The names of the [[Worldsingers]], a group of storytellers on Roshar, and the Conclave of [[Worldbringers]], the leading body of the original [[Terris]] religion, are strikingly similar. Brandon has stated that this is not a coincidence.{{ref|17s|1308|post|22043|Mi'ch was telling me that Brandon said that their similarity in names wasn't a coincidence.}} Some believe that Hoid is a common root to both of these organizations, one of which, the Worldbringers, was very [[Realmatic Theory|Realmatically]] aware.{{ref|17s|2383|post|42471|Realmatic theory was part of the ancient Terris religion.}}

 

We know that aside from the beads of [[lerasium]] burned by the original nine [[Allomancy|Allomancers]] and [[Elend]] there is at least one more other bead somewhere in the cosmere.{{ref|?|732|1|And at least one more.}} We know that Hoid was at the well prior to [[Vin]] and Elend arriving there.{{ref|17s|2383|post|42244|Well, by this point Hoid had been to the Well--getting there just before Vin--and had retrieved something from it.}} Also, Hoid has "metal he isn't supposed to have".{{ref|17s|1389|post|24231|Hoid has metal he isn't supposed to have}} Hoid has also been confirmed to have retrieved something from the Well.{{ref|17s|2383|post|42244}} Combining all these facts heavily hint that Hoid is in possession of a bead of lerasium.

 

It was later confirmed that Hoid does in fact have a lerasium bead.{{ref|?|897|21|Well, he has a bead of Lerasium}} In the letter it also references that someone is keeping something safe for Hoid. It is presumed to be the Lerasium bead that he took.

 

{{quote|I only tell stories, Your Grace. They may be truths, they may be fictions. All I know is that the stories themselves exist and that I must tell them.|Hoid to [[Siri]] on the truth of his stories{{ref|b|warbreaker|c|32}}}}

 

As Hoid developed that type of storytelling,{{ref|?|590|40|This is a storytelling method that Hoid developed on his own.}} it's possible that the "man who didn't know who he was" is himself. Also, "where gods have died"and "many, many years ago" seem to speak of the Shattering.

 

{{quote|The foolishness of men who care, Dalinar, and the brilliance of those who do not. The second depend on the first—but also exploit the first first—while the first misunderstand the second, hoping that the second are more like the first. And all of their games steal our time. Second by second.|Hoid to Dalinar{{ref|b|twok|c|54}}}}

 

{{quote|What is it we value? Innovation. Originality. Novelty. But most importantly...timeliness. I fear you may be too late, my confused, unfortunate, friend.|Hoid to [[Taln]]{{ref|b|twok|epilogue}}}}

 

* The character of Hoid existed before the concept of Adonalsium was developed. He first appeared in a short story Brandon wrote long ago. He was on a planet trying to figure out how the magical system of the area worked.{{ref|17s|2383|post|42219|Hoid has been around forever, long before Adonalsium became the central plot of his story.}}

* Brandon has stated that Hoid is his favorite character, but he couldn't say why without giving away spoilers.{{ref|?|690|43|I’ll have to say Hoid is my favorite.}}

== Notes ==

{{columns|count=2|<references />}}

[[Category: Worldsingers]]

[[Category: Viewpoint Characters]]