A possible connection between Hoid and Adolnasium

[Dagorian]

This is my first time writing here so please correct me if this has already been discussed.

After reading around a bit here I thought that while Hoid isn't a shardholder it doesen't mean he is not connected to Adolnasium.

What if while Adolnasium was broken into 16 shards there were an 17th piece, not a shard but a purpose or something similair. And it's goal is to somehow keep balance, not neceserily through putting it together just to make sure that none of the shards take total domition/destroy all the other shards.

[darniil]

To my knowledge, we have no idea what the group called the Seventeenth Shard has for goals. (Well, other than wanting to catch up with Hoid.) Any speculation about their purpose is, at the moment, just that: speculation.

And it was either strongly suggested our outright stated that Hoid was around when Adonalsium shattered. "Around", though, hasn't been clarified. That is, does "around" mean "in physical proximity of Adonalsium" or just "alive at the time of the shattering"?

I'm sure he has some kind of connection to Adonalsium, but I don't know what. Was he a friend of Adie and is now trying to exact revenge? Was he the reason for the shattering? Was he actually one of the aspects of Adonalsium that came into its own life and its own existence after the shattering? We don't know. We know Hoid was around, but that's pretty much it. (I even seem to recall reading somewhere that "Hoid" is just a title, of sorts, that can be taken on sequentially by different people. Kind of like the Dread Pirate Roberts.)

It's the mysteries like these that really make me look forward to new stories in the cosmere.

[happyman]

To my knowledge, we have no idea what the group called the Seventeenth Shard has for goals. (Well, other than wanting to catch up with Hoid.) Any speculation about their purpose is, at the moment, just that: speculation.

And it was either strongly suggested our outright stated that Hoid was around when Adonalsium shattered. "Around", though, hasn't been clarified. That is, does "around" mean "in physical proximity of Adonalsium" or just "alive at the time of the shattering"?

I'm sure he has some kind of connection to Adonalsium, but I don't know what. Was he a friend of Adie and is now trying to exact revenge? Was he the reason for the shattering? Was he actually one of the aspects of Adonalsium that came into its own life and its own existence after the shattering? We don't know. We know Hoid was around, but that's pretty much it. (I even seem to recall reading somewhere that "Hoid" is just a title, of sorts, that can be taken on sequentially by different people. Kind of like the Dread Pirate Roberts.)

It's the mysteries like these that really make me look forward to new stories in the cosmere.

In this case, I would suggest looking up the HoA Q&A thread from Timewasters Guide. There was lots of stuff reported there, including the original reports of Brandon's statements on the relationship between Hoid, Adonalsium, and the shattering. What I remember most from these: Jokes about Hoid saying "Oops! I broke God!" Nobody really thinks it went down that way, though.

[Zas678]

We do know that Hoid is one person. The Hoid in Elantris is the Hoid in WoK, who is the Hoid in Mistborn. I'm too lazy to find the quote right now.

I am pretty sure that he was pretty involved with the Shattering. He seems to know many of the Original Shardholders.

[SOM1else]

I even seem to recall reading somewhere that "Hoid" is just a title, of sorts, that can be taken on sequentially by different people. Kind of like the Dread Pirate Roberts.

I don't think it is a title per se but there have been at least 2 people who have gone by the name of Hoid. In the first sample chapter for Dragonsteel there are 2 people talking, one is named Hoid and I'm pretty sure he is dying (it's been a while since I read it), the other is named Mindus Midius. Hoid dies and I don't remember what happens next but I do recall it being said that the Hoid that we see popping up all over the place is actually the Mindus Midius dude. In WoK he even says that Hoid isn't actually his real name. I'm pretty sure that when they say hoid was around when Adonalsium shattered they mean he was involved in the circumstances of what caused the shattering as Dragonsteel is supposed to be the story about when Adonalsium shattered, and is also the story about the orgins of Hoid. It just wouldn't make sense to not have them be directly related to each other.

What if while Adolnasium was broken into 16 shards there were an 17th piece, not a shard but a purpose or something similair. And it's goal is to somehow keep balance, not neceserily through putting it together just to make sure that none of the shards take total domition/destroy all the other shards.

The 16 Shards are just that, a purpose. Well actually they are intents, but it's pretty much the same thing as what you were suggesting. That being said I don't see how there could be a 17th piece that was not a Shard, the 16 Shards don't really have any physical form after all, a new intent/purpose would just be a new Shard.

As far as we know, the Seventeenth Shard is just an organization that exists within the Cosmere. That's it, we don't know who's in it or what their goals/intentions are. But I don't think that they are trying to keep the Shard seperate. Rather I think that they want them to get back into one complete Something. I'm pretty sure Hoid is a part of the society and those seem to be his goals at least.

EDIT* Fixed spelling of name

Edited October 13, 2011 by SOM1else

[Link Von Kelsier Harvey]

I don't think it is a title per se but there have been at least 2 people who have gone by the name of Hoid. In the first sample chapter for Dragonsteel there are 2 people talking, one is named Hoid and I'm pretty sure he is dying (it's been a while since I read it), the other is named Mindus. Hoid dies and I don't remember what happens next but I do recall it being said that the Hoid that we see popping up all over the place is actually the Mindus dude. In WoK he even says that Hoid isn't actually his real name. I'm pretty sure that when they say hoid was around when Adonalsium shattered they mean he was involved in the circumstances of what caused the shattering as Dragonsteel is supposed to be the story about when Adonalsium shattered, and is also the story about the orgins of Hoid. It just wouldn't make sense to not have them be directly related to each other.

His name is "Midius" actually. And that scene is in the Liar of Partinel sample chapters, not Dragonsteel(which does not have sample chapters available).

[Dagorian]

Thanks for the feedback

[SOM1else]

His name is "Midius" actually. And that scene is in the Liar of Partinel sample chapters, not Dragonsteel(which does not have sample chapters available).

As I said, it's been a while since I read the samples.

So I was unaware that Liar wasn't the same Dragonsteel. Now that I think about it I vaguely recall that Liar is set a few hundred/thousand years before Dragonsteel, (it could also be the other way around, I'm not really sure about what way it is) and they are set on the same Shardworld. Can someone confirm this for me so I can know that I'm not going crazy and remembering things that never happened.

So assuming that they are indeed connected, what one is the story where Adonalsium shatters; is it Dragonsteel, or is it Liar of Partinel?

[Chaos]

Liar happens before Dragonsteel, and as far as we know, the first chronological cosmere story. I believe it to be the story where Adonalsium Shatters.