BearerOfTheFirstGem

I’m confused why no one is focusing on the fact that black smoke pooling is a consistent theme from both Nightblood/Sword-Nimi and the “dagger”. Additionally, Kelsier as a Cognitive Shadow observes Ruin in the cognitive realm as tempestuous black smoke. I think it’s therefore evident that the associated power of the dagger is more likely batesian mimicry of nightblood (especially considering good ol rayse just watched that bad boy work his game on the thaylen fields) than it is some form of investiture worthy of research

I know I’m far from the first person to postulate a theory about Hoid, or the Survival Shard, but... hear me out: Hard facts: - confirmed to be virtually unkillable - confirmed to be present at the shattering of Adonalsium - confirmed to be hated by Kelsier (aka the self-proclaimed “Survivor”) - known by the Shards as “Cephandrius, bearer of the first gem” - preternatural knowledge of “where he’s supposed to be” - incapable of direct interference Implied facts: - confirmed that Nightblood might be able to kill Shards, and confirmed that Nightblood might be able to kill Hoid - Shardic intent eventually overrides the impulses/personality of the Ascended person (e.g. Ati/Ruin, Sazed/Harmony), Hoid is by nature a “pot-stirrer” - Shards are aware of the relative locations of other Shard’s singularities, Hoid world-hops at an alarming rate that puts Khriss to shame - cognitive investiture is non-dilutable/non-transferable; spheres in the cognitive realm are not re-charged, shardblades cannot be summoned in the cognitive realm, cognitive shadows are immortal unless either their bond with the physical realm (abandoned shardblades at the aharietum, Returned who surrender their breath to a human) or their bond with the spiritual realm (shades of Threnody countered with silver, Heralds of Roshar countered with “awakened” metal—Nale refuses to draw Nightblood himself, and black smoke pooled the wound when Vyre stabbed Jezrien), and to date Hoid can only invoke harm in the cognitive realm - Hoid moves to accelerate Ruin’s return on Scadrial (not only does he pose as an informant for Kelsier, but also steals one of the last two beads of Lerasium which he then takes off-world AND steals an Taln’s Honorblade, both of which would dimish there respective shards abilities to coalesce their presence in the physical realm), but moves against the Odium/Autonomy team-up; equally potent shards in combat are net neutral (e.g. Ati sans Atium pitted against Vin sans Lerasium); Odium’s success in defeating co-habitating shards lies in pitting them against each other (e.g “WE killed you”-Roshar, dominion vs. devotion-Sel) - Hoid inspires the actions of Invested humans, but invokes vexation from Invested others (court of gods, shards, autonomy’s splinters, the unmade, frost) AND shards (edgli, autonomy, odium, cultivation) **EXCEPTION: Sazed/Harmony; however, this makes sense as Saze’s opposing intents would keep him from attacking another Shard. Therefore, he is the ultimate “whale” for Hoid’s sales-pitch. - the Survival Shard would by nature be an “investiture chameleon”, Hoid collects investiture in the physical realm - Hoid understands the metallic arts to such a degree that he can intuit which will hold their power across shard realms - the “Shardpact” explicitly forbade Shards settling a world together, but did not forbid Shards traveling between worlds THEORY: Hoid engineered the shattering of Adonalsium, presumably because he’d drawn the malice of God for an act of pot-stirring. However, when he met Frost (an immortal dragon, who presumably hoards metals based on genetic tendencies, from interactions with whom he may have realized there was a metal that allowed him to hide from God), he spent his adulthood on Yolen attempting to hide from and eventually overturn Adonalsium. He gathers the 16 plus Frost, using the heuristic threat of Godly intervention while promising them “unimaginable power” [#sheevpalpatine]. They plot the shattering. They succeed. As engineer of the Shattering, he is granted first choice of the “gems” aka shards. Because he spent his life hiding from God, he opts for Survival. However, over time his Shardoc intent precludes him from proactively protecting himself. After Odium makes quick work of D and D in Sel, however, he begins to get “buyer’s remorse”. He realizes that while his Shardic intent will keep him from diluting his own investiture, he does have two other avenues for proactive protection. Therefore, he starts worldhopping, still within the bounds of the Shardpact as he is the omnipresent Bedouin who never settles, collecting mild levels of investiture from as many different Shards as he can. This both bolsters his own power level and diminishes the actionable power of his peers, while giving him insight into the forms of magic chosen by his peers. Kelsier and his Ghostbloods are chasing him because through Kelsier’s interactions with Saze in the cognitive realm he realizes there is a Shard perfectly molded to his modus operandi. The 17th shard is chasing him because Kelsier’s loyal disciple/priest Captain Demoux is conducting a sting meant to utilize Frost’s resources to gain knowledge, and during his infiltration Demoux has convinced his compadres that Hoid is up to no good.

my interpretation was the dagger's blade is comprised of awakened metal (rationale in bullets below). the retrofitted investiture catching gem on handle fits the dawnshard theory, but the dawnshards are OG and if odium had weapons at his disposal capable of killing the heralds during previous desolations i'd assume he'd killed at least a few in the past. so i think it's a hybrid. i like the idea of hemalurgy, but the random gut stab doesn't fit the precision MB era 1 indicates that hemalurgy requires. when moash kills jezrien, the wound emits black smoke that pools on the ground. i'd have to track down the WoB, but i remember reading elsewhere that nightblood can kill across all three realms, which i assume is necessary to sever a herald's bond to the spiritual realm? vasher states in the warbreaker prologue that he has only awakened metal on a few select occasions. so far there are two notable awakened blades, neither of which were awakened by vasher. it's been hinted that vasher and vivenna traveled to roshar via an interstellar worldhopping trade caravan. i think a case could be made that vasher knew of the caravan previously from his lone-wolf mercenary days, and may well have bartered awakened goods for other forms of investiture or refuge during his travels. there is presumably an unresolved conflict between vasher and vivenna. while this may have to do with the backstory of how the nightwatcher ended up in possession of nightblood, i think a case could be made that vivenna learned of vasher trading black market awakened weapons like a war dog and couldn't stomach the thought after the attempted coup d'etat in hallendren. and if you dislike the idea that vasher awakened the dagger, there's always the possibility that Odium observed the devastation of nightblood at the battle of thaylen fields or prior and mimicked its investiture in rosharan form.