Is anybody else worried about Hoid?

[Gears]

Just now, Halyo_Alex said:

...Hoid in shardplate. That's gonna be a hell of a sight.

Yes. I can't even imagine it. The idea of Hoid in a clunky suit of armor just doesn't make sense. How will he pull his dastardly schemes if he's weighed down by Shardplate? 

[Halyo_Alex]

Just now, Gears said:

Yes. I can't even imagine it. The idea of Hoid in a clunky suit of armor just doesn't make sense. How will he pull his dastardly schemes if he's weighed down by Shardplate? 

I mean, he might find a way to Lightweave it into being transparent from the outside, and silent. Illumination can do sounds too, so if he figures out antinoise, he could do that. destructively interfere the sound of the plate moving with the same sound out of phase.

[Gears]

Just now, Halyo_Alex said:

I mean, he might find a way to Lightweave it into being transparent from the outside, and silent. Illumination can do sounds too, so if he figures out antinoise, he could do that. destructively interfere the sound of the plate moving with the same sound out of phase.

Maybe. Picture Hoid tripping over his own Shardplate boots because they're so heavy. And if the Plate is invisible, it will look even stranger.

[Elsecaller_17.5]

We know that living blades can change their form so I'd imagine plate can too. I'm imagining a very thin light body suit for Hoid. Probably worn under the clothing, not even recognizable as Shardblade to those who have seen the normal version.

[ConfusedCow]

Hoid seems in total control of every situation he's in.   

[Truthless of Shinovar]

17 hours ago, Halyo_Alex said:

...Hoid in shardplate. That's gonna be a hell of a sight.

Kaladin Lashed himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the Parshendi spear that would’ve hit his gut. He jabbed with his Sylspear, and watched the parshendi’s eyes burn out as he began falling towards a larger group of parshendi.

He landed on the side of one of them, then Lashed himself down, landing on top of the parshendi and crushing the skull. The other parshendi moved in, chanting a hostile, war-like rhythm. Kaladin danced in between the spears. Weapons could not hit him. He was the wind. He was-

A searing pain shot up Kaladin’s leg. He cried out in pain as something sharp was ripped from his calf. Not a spear. Something longer... Kaladin turned around to see a Fused floating above, it’s wicked  blade gleaming on the end of a long pole. Storms! Where had it come from? 

The last of Kaladin’s stormlight healed the wound, muscle and sinew knitting together to make the leg whole again. He breathed in prepared to feel the storm ignite inside of him again. Except... nothing happened. Storms, he was out of stormlight!

Surrounded by parshendi and a Fused, Kaladin fought with everything he had. His Sylspear rose in silvery flashes, frantically trying to slap away the spearheads. A cut on his leg. A nick on his side. Kaladin began to breathe heavily, sweat running down the side of his head. Kaladin stumbled, watching one of the Parshendi swing his spear-

Suddenly, something slammed into the group of the Parshendi. A glowing, almost divine figure in glowing shardplate. Adolin? No, his shardplate wasn’t this bright of a blue. And besides, he was off fighting one of the Unmade heading this assault. The figure swung its magnificent-looking shardblade, cutting through the parshendi, leaving a row of them with their eyes burned out. Oddly, the figure dropped a bit of rounded metal and soared through the air towards the Fused. It seemed to be as surprised as Kaladin was, and it’s reflexes weren’t quick enough to stop the gauntleted fist from smashing into the Fused face. The Fused dropped to the ground, motionless. 

The figure in the shardplate turned around. It seemed to be laughing... where had Kaladin heard that laugh before? The figure reached up and slammed open its visor. 

Kaladin gasped. “You!”

“Me!” Hoid said, a big grin plastered to his face. “You seem to say that a lot. I suppose being dropped on your head as a small child certainly doesn’t help your intelligence.”

Kaladin was too stunned to even react to the insult. “But... how? Hoid, you’re a storming Radiant! And you’ve already got plate!”

“Yes, yes, I know. Everyone seems to be surprised by how fast I got that. Especially ole’ Swirly right here.”

Hoid’s sword disappeared in a puff of mist, and a spren similar to Shallan’s crawled up to Hoid’s shoulder. “So... many... Truths...” it said, sounding not unlike someone who had eaten about two more chickens than they should have at Middlefest. 

“Anyways, I’ve got to fly. You know, songs to sing, people to confuse, Dalinar to insult.” Hoid raised a small vial to his lips, chugged it’s contents, then threw the small bottle to the side. Odd man Hoid was. He dropped another bit of metal on the ground, and then soared away with the wind. As he was flying away, Hoid yelled out to Kaladin, “Don’t forget to play my flute, everything you think you know about the Nahel bond is a lie, the Dawnshards...” Hoid’s voice trailed of to the point where Kaladin couldn’t hear him anymore.

Shaking his head, Kaladin jogged off to find Dalinar. He would need another perpendicularity to charge up his spheres.

Spoiler

Yes I’m ignoring the fact that Hoid can’t hurt anyone

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Truthless of Shinovar

[Gears]

This is storming amazing! Absolute gold! Somehow, I'm even more excited for Radiant Hoid.

[Halyo_Alex]

1 hour ago, Truthless of Shinovar said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Yes I’m ignoring the fact that Hoid can’t hurt anyone

 

Honestly that's fine, that was pretty storming cool. Really well-written if nothing else!

[Truthless of Shinovar]

1 hour ago, Gears said:

This is storming amazing! Absolute gold! Somehow, I'm even more excited for Radiant Hoid.

3 minutes ago, Halyo_Alex said:

Honestly that's fine, that was pretty storming cool. Really well-written if nothing else!

Thanks!

[Halyo_Alex]

3 minutes ago, Truthless of Shinovar said:

Thanks!

Actually wait I just realized how you could fix it.

Spoiler

Hoid can't hurt people, but that doesn't mean he couldn't just Soulcast the air around their legs into stone or something to lock them to the ground. Then let Kaladin wipe them out for him? He certainly doesn't mind violence that comes about as a result of his actions (he asks someone to punch him in the teeth and seems fine with it).

 

[Truthless of Shinovar]

1 minute ago, Halyo_Alex said:

Actually wait I just realized how you could fix it.

  Hide contents

Hoid can't hurt people, but that doesn't mean he couldn't just Soulcast the air around their legs into stone or something to lock them to the ground. Then let Kaladin wipe them out for him? He certainly doesn't mind violence that comes about as a result of his actions (he asks someone to punch him in the teeth and seems fine with it).

 

True that^^
 

[Storyspren]

Ok I don’t really feel that bad for Hoid because his isolation is his own choosing. Both when he rejected the shard and for millennia afterwards when he is busy plotting and scheming instead of living it up. 
 

He’s the most charming entity in the Cosmere. He chooses to be a lonely old coot most of the time.

If there is some kind of shard of “accepting reality,” that’s the one he rejected.

[Spren of Kindness]

2 hours ago, Storyspren said:

Ok I don’t really feel that bad for Hoid because his isolation is his own choosing. Both when he rejected the shard and for millennia afterwards when he is busy plotting and scheming instead of living it up. 
 

He’s the most charming entity in the Cosmere. He chooses to be a lonely old coot most of the time.

If there is some kind of shard of “accepting reality,” that’s the one he rejected.

That's fair.  I don't know if I would call him 'the most charming entity in the Cosmere', though.  There's a lot of people who don't like him.

[SpinnerofStarlight]

I get that Hoid chose to live his life that way and all, but I don’t think we’ve seen any indication that he has a support system. That sort of isolation can be incredibly bad for a person’s mental health. I think I’d like to give him a hug too. 

[Spren of Kindness]

9 minutes ago, SpinnerofStarlight said:

I get that Hoid chose to live his life that way and all, but I don’t think we’ve seen any indication that he has a support system. That sort of isolation can be incredibly bad for a person’s mental health. I think I’d like to give him a hug too. 

We'll band together to give him hugs!

[+robardin]

On 6/9/2020 at 11:44 PM, Rushu42 said:

Given the length of his life, I have no doubt that he's done both great good and great evil. I think seeing who he was at the start will provide some insight into his true character, though.

Yeah, the fact that he's operating under some kind of geas that prevents him from doing physical harm to another person can have a lot of background reasons... His expertise and satisfaction at dealing a beating to Ghost Kelsier in the Cognitive Realm at the Well of Ascension in Mistborn: Secret History hints at some darkness there.

[Mat]

I take comfort in knowing that he has a good time messing with everybody he encounters.   

[Eternal Khol]

Hoid's doin just fine.

he doesnt have any real friends that we know of BUT we are eventually going to get to meet some of his love interests

 

 

RiyriaMistborn

Has Hoid ever had a love interest?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes! Several!

General Signed Books 2018 (March 14, 2018)

 

 

Questioner

My question is a follow up to what you answered in my Well of Ascension. I asked if Hoid had any love interests, and you said, "Several". My follow up question is, have we seen any of those *inaudible*.

Brandon Sanderson

They will show up in various books but you have not seen them yet. They're *inaudible*.

Footnote: That entry can be found here.
FanX 2018 (Sept. 8, 2018)

[Weltall]

On the subject of Hoid having a support network, it's worth remembering that while there are very few people who are anywhere close to his age and could understand him well, some of them still do consider him a friend. He and Frost both refer to one another as 'old friend' even if Frost admits that Hoid exasperates him and at least some of the Vessels still like him.

Quote

Questioner

Does any of the Sixteen actually like Hoid anymore?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Oathbringer Portland signing (Nov. 16, 2017)

He also has people he considers friends at he 'current' point in the timeline and has had others in the past and will have others in the future. For example, the entire reason he showed up in The Alloy of Law was to congratulate some friends.

Quote

i_do_stuff

Hoid likes to be in interesting places. What was so interesting about the Yomen/Joshin wedding that he had to be there?

Brandon Sanderson

In that case, he went to congratulate friends. Not everything is about large-scale cosmere problems.

WeiryWriter

Is there anything you are willing to say about how he befriended them?

Brandon Sanderson

Afraid not.

Footnote: The characters are a shout-out to two of the 17th Shard admins, Josh and Mi'chelle, who had just been married in real life.
/r/books AMA 2015 (July 14, 2015)

So whatever else Hoid may be, he's not completely friendless or alone. He's just not used to hugs...

[+robardin]

I've been thinking about Radiant Hoid and I can't help but feel he's got some explaining to do wrt the First Ideal.

Journey Before Destination was basically summarized by Teft as "the end does not justify the means." And while different Orders or individual Radiants may interpret the Words differently between themselves and their spren, like maybe that's how an honorspren interprets that phrase but not necessarily a Cryptic, ultimately the Nahel Bond is something the spren are doing in reaction to Odium's intentions for Roshar... And Hoid flat out said this to Dalinar's face not long before he fully assumed the role of Bondsmith:

Quote

"I am no Radiant. And while I am your friend, please understand that our goals do not completely align. You must not trust yourself with me. If I have to watch this world crumble and burn to get what I need, I will do so. With tears, yes, but I would let it happen.”

Sounds a lot like Destination Before Journey to me!

Edited June 20, 2020 by robardin

[Weltall]

On 6/20/2020 at 8:24 AM, robardin said:

I've been thinking about Radiant Hoid and I can't help but feel he's got some explaining to do wrt the First Ideal.

Journey Before Destination was basically summarized by Teft as "the end does not justify the means." And while different Orders or individual Radiants may interpret the Words differently between themselves and their spren, like maybe that's how an honorspren interprets that phrase but not necessarily a Cryptic, ultimately the Nahel Bond is something the spren are doing in reaction to Odium's intentions for Roshar... And Hoid flat out said this to Dalinar's face not long before he fully assumed the role of Bondsmith:

Sounds a lot like Destination Before Journey to me!

Brandon has already got this covered. If an Edgedancer can conceive of the Journey as one of the entire species, then Hoid with his grasp of the Big Picture can probably work his way around that part of the First Ideal quite easily so long as he and his spren can agree that his interpretation of the Journey as something far bigger than Roshar is valid.

Quote

AndrewHB

I wondered if I could follow up to that Machiavelli question. Would Elsecallers be a-- one of those other, uh-- one of those...

Brandon Sanderson

So, yeah. Elsecallers are fairly compatible. Like, Elsecallers feel like the journey is... the journey is the entire species, right? And that the journey is the destination. *inaudible*
Arcanum Unbounded Hoboken signing (Dec. 3, 2016)

Here's the question this was following up on for added emphasis:

Quote

AndrewHB (paraphrased)

Is Niccolò Machiavelli's political theory--the ends justify the means--incompatible with the Knights Radiant's First Oath?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

No. Although many of the Orders of Knights Radiant would find Machiavelli's theory, that the ends justify the means, incompatible with additional oaths and/or values of that Order, there are some Orders who could accept a Machiavellian. (Brandon said that the Skybreakers are where a Machiavellian could find a home.)

Arcanum Unbounded Hoboken signing (Dec. 3, 2016)

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Weltall

[Negative_Null]

What I'm most interested in the Truths. Shallan had a lot of trouble with her truths. How bad do you think it will be for Hoid who has thousands of years of lying to work through?

[Gears]

9 minutes ago, Negative_Null said:

What I'm most interested in the Truths. Shallan had a lot of trouble with her truths. How bad do you think it will be for Hoid who has thousands of years of lying to work through?

If Brandon doesn't have at least 1 of Hoid's Truths on screen, I will be furious.

[aneonfoxtribute]

10 minutes ago, Negative_Null said:

What I'm most interested in the Truths. Shallan had a lot of trouble with her truths. How bad do you think it will be for Hoid who has thousands of years of lying to work through?

He has a ton of truths and is fsr more composed than Shallan. He could just talk about Adonalsium and the Shards and he'd be fine 

[Spren of Kindness]

51 minutes ago, Negative_Null said:

What I'm most interested in the Truths. Shallan had a lot of trouble with her truths. How bad do you think it will be for Hoid who has thousands of years of lying to work through?

Oh, yes.