Difference between revisions of "Hoid"

 

== Appearance & Personality ==

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Hoid's appearance varies dramatically 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,{{book ref|twok|54}} hawk-like and arrow shaped. Hoid is tall and thin{{book ref|twok|12}} and also has a sharp nose and jaw with delicate eyebrows.{{book ref|twok|54}} He tends to cock his head to one side{{book ref|twok|57}} and has keen blue eyes.{{book ref|twok|12}} Hoid's hair is white, although he occasionally dyes it.{{book ref|twok|i|1}} There is a particular reason for his hair being white, which will be revealed in the future.{{wob ref|9236}}

Hoid cannot easily kill people "because of certain things in his past."{{wob ref|4780}} Rock says he cannot hurt man because it is forbidden by other gods.{{book ref|sa2|46}} He also tells a young Shallan, "You needn't fear me. I'm terribly ineffective at hurting people. I blame my upbringing."{{book ref|sa2|45}} Hoid apologizes to Kelsier after beating him in a fight, stating he doesn't have the inclination to do real harm to him.{{msh ref|2|1}} This aversion causes him to be nauseated when thinking about physically harming someone, and is sometimes bad enough to incapacitate him. However, this only extends to physical trauma- Hoid has no issues with mentally hurting someone or through inaction.{{wob ref|2010}} Hoid also has issues with harming himself physically, such as when he has to manipulate another man into punching him when he wants a tooth knocked out, rather than just doing it himself.{{book ref|sa3|epilogue}}{{wob ref|8498}} This is an involuntary trait.{{wob ref|8687}}

 

 

== Attributes and Abilities ==

He makes no appearance in [[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]].{{wob ref|6665}}

 

 

{{quote

|There is beauty in every disaster, friend, if you are clever enough to find it."

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 steals the Moon Scepter to interpret Sel magic and to help him gain the magics on Sel.{{wob ref|12146}}

 

Hoid arrived on [[Scadrial]], likely through Ruin's Perpendicularity in the Pits of Hathsin. He took up the guise of an informant, pretending to have bad eyesight in order to make himself less threatening to people seeking information from him.{{book ref|mb1|19}} At some point he became known to both [[Dockson]] and [[Ashweather Cett]].{{book ref|mb1|19}}{{book ref|mb3| 27}} [[Kelsier]], pretending to be a nobleman contacted Hoid, requesting information on House Renoux. Hoid (closed shop, smoking tobacco) met with Kelsier on the streets of Luthadel and told him that House Renoux was buying large amounts of weapons and armor from various noble houses and that Lord Renoux was considering a marriage between Valette and Elend Venture. He also claimed that Renoux was rumored to have some sort of leverage on Venture and that he knew [[Shan Elariel]] to be a [[Soother]]. At some point following this, he left Scadrial to attend to other business, again likely via the Pits.{{wob ref|1552}}

 

Around a year later, Hoid returned to Scadrial, traveling through Scadrial's subastral, riding on the back of a [[Cognitive Shadow]] to the Well of Ascension, Preservation's Perpendicularity.{{msh ref|2|1}} He encountered the Shadow of Kelsier, who asked for help returning to the Physical Realm. Hoid told him that there was nothing to be done, but he challenged Kelsier to an insult battle, with the prize being the answer to one true question. Kelsier instead threatened Hoid. Hoid attempted to enter the pool, but Kelsier attacked him. Hoid easily overpowered Kelsier and caused him serious pain, if not permanent injury. Hoid then transitioned through the Well and stole the bead of [[lerasium]] from the adjacent room. He later ate the lerasium and became a [[Allomancy|Mistborn]].{{wob ref|12210}} When Kelsier spoke of the incident to Preservation, Preservation spoke briefly on Hoid, calling him Cephandrius.

 

A year later, Hoid was in [[Fadrex City]], again acting as an informant, and Ashweather Cett suggested Vin speak to him.{{book ref|mb3|27}} Just before Vin arrived, Kelsier's Cognitive Shadow noticed Hoid from within the Cognitive Realm.{{msh ref|6|1}} Kelsier tried to touch Hoid's soul, but was rebuffed by a shock that numbed his hand. At that moment, Vin arrived intending to meet with Hoid,{{book ref|mb3|27}} but Kelsier attempted to warn her away from the Cognitive Realm{{msh ref|6|1}} and she sensed he had something off about him{{wob ref|5760}} and instead chose not to speak to him.

 

 

=== Obrodai ===

 

{{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.

While rescuing [[Elhokar]]'s [[Cryptic]] before leaving [[Kholinar]], he recognizes one of the [[Fused]] as [[Vatwha]], an old acquaintance. At some point, "thousands of years ago," Hoid visited Roshar and mingled with the original inhabitants of the world, even dancing with the ancient [[singer]]s. The Fused, however, are now trained to watch for him - most likely to capture him and deliver him to [[Odium]].{{book ref|sa3|epilogue}}

 

{{image|Wit by ShiroXIX.png|side=right|width=200px|Insulting the [[lighteyes]]}}

 

===== [[Words of Radiance]] =====

 

===== [[Oathbringer]] =====

The three letters in part two of Oathbringer are directed at Cephandrius. The first two explicitly say this, while the third simply says "friend". It is likely that they are all referring to the same person.

 

 

==== The Letters ====

 

The Letters in [[Oathbringer]]'s epigraphs are all from Shards{{wob ref|8401}} and all of them are directed to Hoid.