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So let me start with this. The dawnshard that is different from the rest is likely the one Hoid held (which was a topaz) and that is now dead. so we know Hoid held the name topaz because of him being the bearer of the first gem, which was a topaz. from the coppermind: And we know that title is linked to him being a dawnshard from this WoB: and we know that the topaz is now “dead” from this letter that frost sent: From all that, it is easy to connect some dots. Now that we have that out of the way, Have we seen the Topaz? The Dawnshard? Not just in the stormlight archive, but in any of the Cosmere. A reference to a strange orange gem or a magical stone? Where is the Dawnshard?

This has been discussed a lot. Here’s my speculation (which someone’s probably anticipated): 1. Gemstones attract specific spren if you give the spren something it wants. 2. Pre-Shattering, Rosharan gemhearts attract and hold Adonalsium spren. IMO, this shows Adonalsium’s Investiture can be captured in gemstones. 3. Maybe the Vessels Shattered Adonalsium by each holding a different gemstone to attract a different aspect of Adonalsium? They must have done something more to make this happen, but maybe their aim was to funnel power through the gemstone and into themselves. 4. Hoid may have chosen/been assigned the “First Gem,” the Topaz. I speculate something went wrong in the process. Frost, Edgli and others suggest Hoid voluntarily abandoned his chance at godhood. Regardless, Hoid did not ascend and the gem is now “dead.” 5. What if Hoid had been assigned Fortune? The incomplete ascension changed Hoid’s nature until he’s not homo sapiens anymore. The unattached Fortune Investiture dissipates into the cosmere, but Hoid can still figure out where and when to be. FWIW, I’m not yet convinced Fortune isn’t another Vessel’s Shard, rather than some nebulous “Spiritual attribute.” This speculation hedges my bet.

Words of Radiance, Chapters 59, 60 and 61 Epigraphs, pages 725, 733, and 746 (emphasis mine). We know this to be Frost, the Dragon from Yolen, replying to Hoid's letter. Over the last few years, people have teased some answers out of Brandon here and there, and we now know that Hoid was actually the name of Hoid's master many years ago. And, obviously, the current alias is Wit, but what about that first part? Another quote somewhere (I couldn't find it, though) states that one of Hoid's old names was Topaz (correct me if I'm wrong), so it could be that Frost is asking after his aliases, after all, he opens without knowing to whom he should address his letter. I could be that "the gemstone" is simply a reference to his old name, and that that alias died, and Hoid did whatever regeneration thing he does, moved on, and picked a new name. I do not think that that is the case. The Way of Kings, Chapter 57, page 801 (emphasis mine) I hereby theorize that it is the gemstone itself that died, not the alias itself. Perhaps something Hoid did "killed" it, or him using it lead to its "death." More on this later. Now, I was reading through some WoBs, and I found this: Which relates to the section in WoR chapter 54 when Hoid name-drops Adonalsium, blows it off, talks about taking people apart and stitching them back together, and says his goodbyes to Dalinar. I would say that this subject was very important to Hoid, as Dalinar notes that he seems preoccupied, which is quite unusual. This WoB tells us a few things. 1. The secret society that Gavilar was part of knew, at the very least, the name "Adonalsium." 2. The secret society also knows more about the History of the Knights Radiant, Honor, and the Desolations, than the average Rosharan. 3. Hoid needs to know about them for some reason. What else do we know about Gavilar? Not much, except that he handed Szeth a black glowing sphere upon his death, saying "they must not get it." Another WoB I found: I theorize that this sphere is the gemstone after which Hoid was named, and it has since died, which is why it has gone black and weird. Hoid is looking for it, which is why he wanted to know if Dalinar knew anything about Gavilar's secret society. Frost asked if he has given up on it, now that it is dead. Perhaps he meant "given up on looking for it," rather than "given up on the alias." Source. Since Brandon didn't correct the questioner, this could confirm that the black sphere was at least a gemstone. So? Thoughts? Feel free to poke holes, theorize, and add to this as you will. Thank you for reading.