BearerOfTheFirstGem Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) Welcome to the Shard! Brandon has said that Hoid does not hold a Shard. Quote Questioner (paraphrased) Is Hoid any of the Shards of Adonalsium? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) Good question. He does not hold a Shard. Steelheart Seattle signing (Oct. 14, 2013) It's not a Shard we've seen Quote The Only Joe (paraphrased) Was Hoid offered one of the Shards we know about? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) You know, I can't remember which Shards I've shown you, Wait, no I haven't shown you that one. Firefight Portland signing (Jan. 16, 2015) But he would have been tempted by Endowment, implying that he didn't really have a choice in the matter. Quote theofficetroll (paraphrased) If Hoid were tempted by a Shard, which one would it be? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) Endowment. SpoCon 2013 (July 10, 2013) There wasn't really a pact to go their separate ways. Some thought there was an understanding, but there wasn't a formal agreement. Quote Nameless36 All the Shards basically agreed not to settle on the same planet. Six of them - that we know of - immediately, basically broke that. Brandon Sanderson So... they did not make an oath to it. There was a suggestion made... and perhaps the people who made the suggestion did not understand that, if you want the Shards to do something, you need an actual Oath. And they did not get one. Tel Aviv Signing (Oct. 18, 2019) There isn't a "Survival" Shard. There's a Shard that wants to survive, but it's only loosely related to its intent. Quote Seonid I've heard about a Shard that just wants to survive, hiding off-- it doesn't have a planet it doesn't-- Brandon Sanderson Right. Seonid --out there in space, trying to survive. Does it have the intent of like Fear, or something like that? Brandon Sanderson The intent is related but only tangentially. Mostly it just knows what's going on and is smart enough to get out of there. Bands of Mourning release party (Jan. 25, 2016) Hoid took the bead and burned it to become a Mistborn. He did NOT take Taln's Blade. Quote Questioner The Herald of War at the end of Way of Kings-- I assume he had an Honorblade with him? Brandon Sanderson Yes. Questioner Okay... So when Dalinar had the sword that he gave up... Brandon Sanderson Yes. Questioner ...for the Stormfather it actually cried, which it typically happens if there's spren in the sword, which means that was not an Honorblade, correct? Brandon Sanderson Yes, and if you look they're described differently! Questioner Which means somebody else has the sword, correct? Brandon Sanderson The sword was switched out! Questioner Probably by Wit. I'm not going to ask you for spoilers, but... Brandon Sanderson Wit does not have the sword. Questioner No!? Brandon Sanderson But... I can't-- I dunno if I've told people whether or not he at one point had the sword... But he does not have the sword now. White Sand vol.1 release party (June 28, 2016) Quote Questioner At the very end of Words of Radiance, Dalinar touches a Shardblade and it screams at him. Shouldn't that particular Blade have been safe? Brandon Sanderson No it should not have. It's a clue that something has happened. [...] [This is] a question that the subtle reader should be asking. And there are other clues that something is wrong with what the story you've been told is. Questioner Because Option 2 is that it's unsafe to touch an honorblade, but there's no evidence of that. Brandon Sanderson There is no evidence of that. In fact there's much stronger evidence that something else is going on. Questioner 2 Did Hoid switch out the blades? Brandon Sanderson Hoid did not switch out the blades, but good question. Words of Radiance San Francisco signing (March 6, 2014) The element he refers to is the lerasium. The First Gem is a topaz, something that's been associated with Hoid for a while and had some "mystical properties." If you haven't yet, you should read Mistborn: Secret History. That should explain why Kelsier and Hoid hate each other. Also, this should go in Cosmere Discussion Edited February 13, 2020 by RShara 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneonfoxtribute Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 It occurs to me. Hoid was offered a Shard but didn't take it. However, presumably, all of the current Shards also helped to shatter Adonalsium, unless it's been confirmed that some random person took the shard Hoid rejected. So that should mean that there's just an empty Shard out there, right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 6 hours ago, aneonfoxtribute said: It occurs to me. Hoid was offered a Shard but didn't take it. However, presumably, all of the current Shards also helped to shatter Adonalsium, unless it's been confirmed that some random person took the shard Hoid rejected. So that should mean that there's just an empty Shard out there, right? There were no Shards before the Shattering. The Shards are... well, shards of Adonalsium. The original Vessels of the Shards killed Adonalsium and then picked up the shards of his power. Hoid was present at the Shattering and offered a Shard but refused But there are currently Shards without Vessels out there (Ambition, Devotion, Dominion and Honor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneonfoxtribute Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Honorless said: There were no Shards before the Shattering. The Shards are... well, shards of Adonalsium. The original Vessels of the Shards killed Adonalsium and then picked up the shards of his power. Hoid was present at the Shattering and offered a Shard but refused But there are currently Shards without Vessels out there (Ambition, Devotion, Dominion and Honor) I know that. However, since Hoid refused to pick up his Shard, there should still be a full Shard intact out there. The other four are different because they're not intact, they're splintered so they can't be picked up traditionally. Hoid's offered Shard should theoretically be intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) 30 minutes ago, aneonfoxtribute said: I know that. However, since Hoid refused to pick up his Shard, there should still be a full Shard intact out there. The other four are different because they're not intact, they're splintered so they can't be picked up traditionally. Hoid's offered Shard should theoretically be intact. There are only 16 Shards of Adonalsium and all 16 were taken up by Vessels who after their Ascension left their homeworld of Yolen. We don't really know the mechanics of the Shattering, except that there could've been a number other than 16 under different circumstances. So no extra Shard waiting for Hoid to change his mind, I'm afraid Edited February 13, 2020 by Honorless their>there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 1 hour ago, aneonfoxtribute said: I know that. However, since Hoid refused to pick up his Shard, there should still be a full Shard intact out there. The other four are different because they're not intact, they're splintered so they can't be picked up traditionally. Hoid's offered Shard should theoretically be intact. Someone else took it. Quote Paladin Brewer We know that Hoid was offered a Shard and turned it down. Was he offered a specific Shard? Brandon Sanderson He was. There is one of the Shards that he would've-- yeah. Paladin Brewer Would he have been the 17th person or did someone take his place? Brandon Sanderson No. Someone took his place. Skyward Houston signing (Nov. 19, 2018) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) Here's WoB you might like (on the off-chance you haven't already seen it): Quote theofficetroll (paraphrased) If Hoid were tempted by a Shard, which one would it be? Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) Endowment. SpoCon 2013 (July 10, 2013) Edit: just checked and saw RShara had already linked it. I think the WoB can be read to have other implications, such as Hoid being tempted to take up Endowment but deciding not to, this could be why Edgli doesn't seem very fond of him in the OB epigraph letters Edited February 13, 2020 by Honorless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eternal Khol Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 The weapon that killed Adonalsium is what gave Hoid his immortality and who knew what else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendshipspren Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 damnation I got so psyched up when I read hoid had the honorblade along with the Cryptic. Too bad it's not true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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