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So I like Elsecallers and the seeming ability to teleport, what I don't like is from what I read its not that special. So Hoid shows that if someone knows how to use the shadesmar (apologies if I miss-spelled that), they can not only world hop, but teleport within the world (example: the implication that Hoid teleported to the well of ascension to beat Vin there and grab a bead of lesirum). So if one of the two abilities of the Elsecallers, and one other order of radiants is teleporting, then what is unique about it when ANYONE who can manipulate the shadesmar can do it as well? It is suggested that Hoid is a lightweaver but can hop around as he sees fit. Could this be something unique to Hoid? Otherwise it kind of deflates the coolness factor of the Elsecallers teleportation for me. Thoughts?

Hi. First time posting here or anywhere, but I really do enjoy the connecting backstory between all of the cosmere works. I was just wondering if anyone has talked about Hoid's motivations. I personally think that Hoid is doing everything he can to get the shard worlds into direct conflict with Rayse, while crippling Rayse's ability to effectively war. The WoK letter made me think that Hoid had a personal grievance against Rayse. So far it seems like every world he has visited he has aided the magic wielders (and by extension their shards) whose intent opposes that of Odium. On Sel he helps Raodin's lady friend smuggle in weapons which eventually led to the re-establishment of Elantris, but there is no mention of him helping magic wielders of dominion (as far as I remember). On Scradiel, his actions lead to the defeat of Ruin, and the creation of Harmony, not only depriving Odium of a powerful ally (despite the fact that he doesn't want allies), but it also deprived him of a shard that he could pick up that would not drastically alter his intent. "Hatred leads to anger, anger leads to destruction (<---substitution) and so on." Now Rayse can't pick up Ruin, without getting preservation (without shattering Harmony, which I don't think he is strong enough to do directly (I have an IDEA what might start this ball rolling!)) On Roshar, Hoid is clearly picking sides against Rayse. He has stated that he is fighting against the father of hatred in WoR, but he would watch the world burn if he needed to. I believe (with little evidence), that Hoid is sick of the Cold War-esque events on Roshar for the past 5,000 years. I think that Hoid sped up the return of the KR in order to bring about the Everstorm. This desolation is the Final Desolation because it's the never ending desolation. Either Odium is defeated, or Odium wins, destroys Roshar and moves on to another shard system, creating a threat large enough to force the other shards (and the seventeenth shard) into overt action. Either way, Hoid get what he wants, which is war against Rayse. Sorry for the long post =/ PS Odium Reigns

In Words of Radiance Hoid sings to Kaladin in jail. As he tunes his instrument he says something along the lines of, "Perfect Pitch makes this so much easier." In Warbreaker perfect pitch is a result of reaching a certain heightening. Any guesses or more information on Hoid with breath?

In a recent Q/A, we got WOB that we have seen another person performing lightweaving, other than Shallan. Do we know who else we've seen? WOB: Q: Have we seen another Lightweaver as of WoR? A: Yes, depending on your definition. You could make the argument, the Order of Knight Radiant, no. But you have seen people lightwaving, the skill, yes. When I first read this, I didn't give it much thought, but after considering it, I thought about all the times we saw Hoid allow people to see what he was describing in his story/song. We know Hoid doesn't have an honorblade (WOB), so the only way he could lightweave would be with a Nehal bond, which I doubt he has. Do you think it is possible he is the other person lightweaving? Any speculation on who else we've seen use it?

In the interview here: http://www.sffworld.com/2014/03/brandon-sanderson-exclusive-interview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brandon-sanderson-exclusive-interview the second question says: "2. Will we learn more about the character currently known as Hoid in Words of Radiance? Yes, you will. Watch for a story told at a bar." So here's an excerpt from the story Rock told at a bar of a man coming out of a pool in the mountains that the horneaters call holy: "Like person,” Rock said. “Maybe Alethi, though skin was lighter. Very angular face. Handsome,perhaps. With white hair.” Sigzil looked up sharply. “White hair?” “Yes,” Rock said. “Not grey, like old man, but white—yet he is young man. He spoke with me on shore. Ha! Made mockery of my beard. Asked what year it was, by Horneater calendar. Thought my name was funny. Very powerful god.” Speculation is that Hoid (it does describe him) was coming out of that pool, and that the pool is a shardpool. So maybe Hoid's worldhopping happens by going through shardpools????

Well I was thinking about the shard blade that Dalinar gets from Taln and mainly how it's not an honor blade as you would expect Taln to have, him being one of the Heralds and all. Dalinar's shardblade screams like normal shardblades do(when held by radiant) which means that it is [spoiler] A dead spren [/spoiler] and it does not give him any surgebinding powers. Now very interestingly the Taln has at the end of the way of kings is described as a large spike while the shard blade that Dalinar ends up with is described as cleaver like so I thought maby they aren't the same blade right? and that somehow Taln had managed to get a second shardblade while wandering around and mostly insane and I thought "well maybe that's just something Hearlds can do and they can just summon extra shard blades or something." But then I had a better idea So Hoid is known to swipe various objects that can grant magical powers, like that Lerasium bead, and an unknown quantity of breath and stuff like that right? and Hoid was the guy who met with Taln first, immediately after he showed up. So what if Hoid swiped Taln's honorblade, swapped it out with a regular shardblade so that no one asked questions, and made of with stone-warden powers free of any oaths and all those normal surgebinder/spren bond restrictions.

NB: Spoiler tags aren't used in the post for spoilers, but for long chunks of text or meaningless digressions. I haven't seen any full versions of The Reply (unless we have another name for it?) typed up yet, so here's one for reference: Right. Now here we go. So we can be pretty sure, I think, that there was a Hoid before Hoid (who I will henceforth call "Wit" to distinguish him from the other Hoid): Here's what I think: The Letter was written to the Original Hoid ("OH"). Now there's very little evidence for this, I do think that the relationship between Wit and The Recipient of the Letter does seem like a master-apprentice relationship, somewhat. And thus it is my belief that the Letter was written from Wit to OH, or, if you prefer, the Letter was written from Hoid to Hoid. Yep. Attack me.

I fear that this might be lost in the noise, so I'd like to bring some new WoB to everyone's attention: Source: So that. I suppose we were all too quick to assume that Hoid was carrying around a second sword. And now I must say that I'm scared. Hoid might not be the most fuzzy of people, but I generally trust his intentions, or at the very least his general inactivity so far as potentially derailing plots and murdering main characters with super-weapons goes. I would have far preferred for Hoid to have added "Honorblade" to his list of powers and then called it a day, versus the disturbing possibility that some unknown party now possesses it. Alternatively, as I believe someone suggested on another thread, the Blade could be misty at the moment and Hoid still put in a regular Shardblade so that no one would be tempted to do evil unto Taln in order to get his.

“True Wit is Nature to advantage dress’d What oft was thought, but ne’er so well expressed” [ASIDE: In the Spirit of Sanderson, I thought I’d begin with an epigraph of my own, this one from Essay on Criticism, the 1709 poem by Alexander Pope. Unlike our Wit, Pope was a hunch-backed asthmatic dwarf. But, like Wit, Pope was the leading satirist of his time. His jibes earned him the enmity of many. Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. were not the original “gangstas”; when Pope wandered the London streets at night, he took with him two loaded pistols and his two Great Danes (what an image!) You’ve all heard many of the lines from Essay on Criticism, but might not have known their source. Here are a few: “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”; “A little learning is a dangerous thing”; “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” ASIDE OVER – thanks for reading this far!] On WoR’s last page, Wit says to Jasnah, “You’ll find God in the same place you’re going to find salvation from this mess…Inside the hearts of men.” Of similar import is this phrase from the epigraph to Chapter 71, from the Second Letter: “[Rayse] bears the weight of God’s own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context.” [Second aside: Does that mean the Second Letter writer considers Adonalsium to be God?] I believe these statements capture the theme of The Stormlight Archives, and perhaps all of the Cosmere novels: the importance of balance. Not necessarily of “harmony,” which assumes perfect equilibrium, but of balance, offsetting characteristics that temper the edges of each. The shattering of Adonalsium upset the balance of the Cosmere by giving primacy to specific aspects of Godhood: Honor, Hatred, Growth, Ruin, Preservation, etc. Maybe it’s the imbalance of each Shard holder that causes them to lose their humanity, since each Shardic Intent operates within them unopposed. I think Wit’s statement to Jasnah means that to defeat Odium, men’s hearts must return to honor – doing what’s right and not only what’s legal. That doesn’t mean that people won’t hate, but that hate cannot be allowed to dominate them – balance is necessary. Sadeas and Nalan appear to be character devices to illustrate what happens when imbalance captures the heart. Adolin may end up showing us balance despite his lapse. As I’ve said in other posts, Honor binds, Odium divides – centripetal and centrifugal forces. To find the place in the middle, they must be combined – not the harmony of Mistborn, but a complementary tension. I think the Battle of Champions in Book 5 will be fought by Kaladin and Eshonai (not Szeth, who is clearly unbalanced in every meaning of that word and will likely continue his story into the second five books). Halfway through her bonding with the stormspren, Eshonai tried to halt the process. This may have caused an imperfect bonding and may explain why the rhythms of peace still try to assert themselves within her. I predict that during the Battle of Champions, her desire for peace will defeat her desire for destruction. Eshonai and Kaladin together will form that unity, that bonding of honor, that will enable them to halt Odium’s gains – the Everstorm may or may not continue at that point, but Odium will be temporarily thwarted. In the second five books, he will seek another approach: hatred among men. Odium is already a long way towards reaching that goal (see Jah Keved and the wars in the West). One last observation: before WoR was released, I speculated on another post what Odium gains by the Desolations and the Everstorm. Based on the Second Letter, epigraph to Chapter 69, we now know that Odium is bound to the Rosharian planetary system: “Rayse is captive. He cannot leave the system he now inhabits. His destructive potential is, therefore, inhibited.” The natural inference is that he seeks to destroy Roshar to free himself from his bonds. The Second Letter writer further states (in the epigraph to Chapter 70) that this binding might have been by “Tanavast’s design.” One can envision that either the Oathpact or Tanavast’s splintering might have had the effect of causing Odium to be so bound. How interesting, then, that Hoid/Wit, who has “never been a force for equilibrium” and who “tow chaos behind [him] like a corpse dragged by one leg through the snow” (epigraph to Chapter 74) should be the one who seeks to re-establish equilibrium by focusing on “men’s hearts.” He may be (reluctantly) content to destroy humankind on Roshar if necessary to triumph over Odium, he tells Dalinar. But if humankind is to save itself, it must find balance within its own hearts.

The writer of the letter in WoR is Sazed. I don't know if this is confirmed or what, it's just my personal thoughts. The whole non-intervention/Harmony thing. C'mon. ?

Hi everybody, so now that Words of Radiance is out and im guessing everybody on here has already read it i wanted to make a thread about the third installment of the series. There was so much in the second book, Ghostbloods, epic fight scenes, the meeting between major characters and their growth as individuals, so much new info and hints of things to come. I just wanted to know what you are most looking forward to in the next book personally im looking forward to, Szeths past and his progress in the Skybreakers. Hoid and his road trip with Jasnah. The secret societies and their numerous plots. Axies and his various and inconvenient incarcerations. Finding out what that damnation code means!! The Unmade Kaladin finally bringing a girl home to meet his parents and the reunion between him Roshone and Laral. The whole point of this thread is just what you want and what you suspect will happen in the next book

After rereading one thing struck me regarding Hoid & Shallan's two meetings and it made me wonder: Is time a linear aspect of Hoid's experience or does his Worldhopping abilities also give him the ability to choose which time he is in? He seemed to recognize Shallan during the flashback scene but it's not clear if he knew he when she met him for the second time... Any thoughts?

Does anybody have any guesses on who this is? -Mraise -Hoid -Lift Just wanted to Gather some general opinions on who they think this is, could this be the champion to fight Odium?

With WoR, we have more of an idea about the factions on Roshar. I was particularly intrigued by the following snippet from ch 54: I thought it would be interesting to have a compilation of the factions and what we know about each. I have started it and will compile contributions from this thread, if people want to contribute. So the parties that we are aware of: Diagramists Ghostbloods Radiants Shamanate Skybreakers Sons of Honor Wit/Hoid 17th Shard What we know about the parties Diagramists Led by Mr. T Goal: Some humans survive Desolation Method: Destabilize, take over and ? Members: Mrall, Abrotogar (sp), Graves Ghostbloods Led by Master Thaidakar Cosmere aware (local species of human) Members: Iyatil (babsk of Mraize?), Mraize, Jin Aware of Mr. T/Diagramists creating chaos former members: Kabsal, Lin Davar, Heleran Davar? Radiants Members: Dalinar (Bondsmith), Jasnah (Elsecaller) (assumes she will join w/others), Kaladin (Windrunner), Renarin (Truthwatcher), Shallan (Lightweaver) Goal: destroy Odium? Shamanate possess 7 Honorblades Skybreakers Led by Nin/Nalan members: Szeth Nightblood Sons of Honor members: AmaramWit/Hoid Stop Odium Honorblade, presumed allomancer 17th Shard Leader: Dragon Members: Gallodon,

Chapter 43 has Hoid in the header and i can't figure out who he is or if he's just someone they mention in this chapter. The only person I can think he'd be is the guard who lets Shallan down into the secret basements, but he would need to be well disguised if that's him. Has anyone figured this out?

According to Hoid in the Ars Arcanum: "I am more and more convinced that the creation of these devices [fabrials] requires forced enslavement of transformative cognitive entities, known as “spren” to the local communities." Now we know that touching Shardplate does not cause the Nahel bonded to hear screaming, so they aren't dead spren. We also know that the ancients, at least the Radiants, had fabrials of some kind. The Oathgates operate like fabrials and Nale used the KR Regrowth fabrial on Szeth. Shardplate has gemstones in it that must be "fed" stormlight to repair it. They seem to operate the same way. But would spren, particularly honorspren, be ok with imprisoning their compatriots? Do you guys think there is a major difference between the "fabrials" of old and the modern fabrials? Something to ponder.

Wiith a close read or WoR I noticed something very interesting. In chapter 59 whiile tuning his instrument, he speaks to himself, noting how much easier this is with perfect pitch. Being a total Brandon Sanderson follower it immediately clicked that this is one of the benefits gained from awakening as noted in the Ars Arcanum of Warbreaker. This most likely means that he gained this by acquiring breaths, at least 200 since that is the requisite amount of breaths for the second level of awakening, which grants perfect pitch. This makes an interesting question, why would Hoid take these and how will he use them? We know of his fascination with magic, he did in all likelihood since there is a reference to Token in the WoR arcanum. Combined with the theory that he has a bead of lerasium, this is intriguing why he is gaining elements from all magic systems. What is his purpose?

I was thinking that perhaps Hoid is Adonalsium. We know he was present at the Shattering. And we know he has Lightweaving and Feruchemy. He most likely has a Breath. Hoid is very good at manipulating Shadesmar. It seems possible that he has all the various magical abilities. As it stands people are able to hold Shards and I believe that it is likely that people are also able to give up a Shard or in some way lose the power of the Shard without dying. So what if at The Shattering Hoid lost the powers of Adonalsium and then that power shattered forming the Shards. I would assume that if this were true Hoids end goal would be to reform Adonalsium(already speculated to be the case).

Did anyone else hear Brandon using Hoid to voice some valid concerns? Pleading with his fans not to put him on too high a pedestal? Maybe Brandon is just another of Hoid's aliases. That's how he's come up with all of these amazing book. Brandon Sanderson isn't just an ordinary guy turned superauthor, he's a being from a parallel universe. The cosmere novels aren't really The Best Fiction Ever Written, they're a recounting of events as told by someone who lived it, who was there. It's kind of Alcatrazy.

There were two instances where I noticed that Hoid used or prepared to use powers/abilities that don't exist on Roshar. In one of the flashback scenes with Shallan, we saw him ingest metals. She was wondering why he would potentially add poison to his own drink. When he's tuning his instrument before playing for Kaladin, he thinks that perfect pitch makes it a lot easier. This means he has at least 200 breaths. We already know he can travel through Shadesmar - we just don't know which power he uses to travel. Did anyone notice any other instances of him using or preparing powers?

Hi im quite new to the forum and i just wanted to make a place where i could gather information on Hoid where we could speculate about the cosmere and his world hopping. i have been scouring the forums looking for info on Hoid but have only been able to find tidbits that ask more question than answer them. If there is alread a topic of this send me a link and i will delete this topic, thanks

I've been thinking. In WoK, we encounter three foreigners in the Purelake, looking for Hoid. In Hoid's note, he is said to have laid a false trail for them to follow. Assuming these are the ones he laid the trail for, I have to ask the question; What is so important about the Purelake that the people of the 17th Shard would believe Hoid would spend time there? Just a question, I've got some theories, but nothing definite. The Purelake drains during Highstorms, right? That isn't exactly natural, so maybe it is draining to protect it's waters from being polluted by the Highstorms? Purelake. Maybe it -is- a Shardpool and as such, it is defending itself. Maybe it has something to do with the Keep Dalinar saw during his vision out in the Purelake? I don't know, but its some food for thought for all of you.

Alright guys. This one is for you. A note before you read this is that Swimmingly is the one who made the discovery. I just think that a different title for the post might spread the word more, and I want to get reactions. So. In the google play or the ibooks version of the Emperor's Soul, there is now a deleted scene, featuring none other than our one and only Hoid taunting Shai. From this point on, I'm going to assume that you've read this, because it's pretty much canon. First off, I'm now positive that we will see Shai again, and I'm even more certain that she has a fascinating backstory of deep cosmerical relevance. Also, I'm curious as to what the Scepter entails, and I'm curious to what timeline the Emperor's Soul is in, and where it stands in relation to Elantris. Is it possible that Hoid was only in Elantris because it was on the way? But I digress. Onward, to one bonus, swaggilicious, chapter of Sanderson, with Hoid as you've seen him before, and you will see him many times hereafter!

So, as Brandon said in the Worldbuilders Write-a-thon, Hoid does "something interesting" in the fifth Stormlight book. I personally, with no evidence whatsoever, think that this will relate to a Yolen magic system, that we haven't seen at all yet. Any other speculations?

Hello there. I was basically just lurking around the forums until the shardhunt made me get an account, and so I thought I'd post my first theory. Basically, I've been thinking that we know that Hoid has lightweaving\can lightweave, and the only reference to lightweaving we have in published books is the order of Knights Radiant. I theorize that it might be something similar to what Szeth is, what with his powers of a Windrunner, yet not being one. Another thing that I think supports this is the fact that the illusion surge is called just that, nothing related to light or weaving. So, any thoughts? If this has already been posted, I apologize, but my phone is practically my only connection to the internet, and not the best way to search through the forums. Also, can anyone tell me how to get my first tag in the thread title? I read about how to do it somewhere, but I've forgotten.