The Sorceress

[Hmmm lies she/her]

Who or what is the Sorceress, they seem to know Hoid in some way, and have some sort of similar goal, as they are both

(Basically all the books spoiler)

Spoiler

 Elantrian Radiants (Possibly both bonded to Cryptids) and Awakeners. They seem to be collecting forms of Investiture, but what for. 

I also wonder what her goal is, is it as simple as ruling the seas, or is there something about the aethers that is important? Any ideas or such?

Edited September 20, 2023 by Hmmm lies

[alder24]

2 hours ago, Hmmm lies said:

Who or what is the Sorceress, they seem to know Hoid in some way, and have some sort of similar goal, as they are both

(Basically all the books spoiler)

  Hide contents

 Elantrian Radiants (Possibly both bonded to Cryptids) and Awakeners. They seem to be collecting forms of Investiture, but what for. 

I also wonder what her goal is, is it as simple as ruling the seas, or is there something about the aethers that is important? Any ideas or such?

Cosmere spoilers:

Spoiler

The Sorceress is Riina, Elantrian and a member of Ire, who was a part of the group Kelsier met in SH (a very old worldhopping, Cosmere aware organization of Elantrians with unknown goals, who possibly want to regain a Shard). She lived for a very, very long time, and had the opportunity to meet many people, including Hoid and Ulaam, and she also visited many different worlds. She definitely has some Breaths, and therefore can Awaken as she has an army of Awakened robots. She isn't Radiant (Lightweaving is a general term for illusion based magic, Elantrian can create illusions with Aons) and doesn't collect invested arts like Hoid. It looks like Awakening itself will become quite common in the far future, as Awakened objects are sold and possessed by different worlds, and Hoid, Xisis and Riina have Breaths to Awaken.

She doesn't seem to want to dominate Lumar, nor does she have any particular goal in mind, she just wants to torment people in an undeveloped world, without entities powerful enough to rival her. She's very sadistic and enjoys coming up with particularly cruel and twisted curses, that's why she was on Lumar.  She was very unhappy when she discovered that Xisis lives on Lumar, and even more when Hoid arrived there too, purposefully searching for her to become Elantrian. Tress ch 64:

Quote

I sighed and, as ordered, stepped forward and raised my hands. I met the Sorceress’s eyes, and knew what she was thinking. She, like most of her kind, was very good at something we call risk/reward projections. She’d come to this planet because nothing here could threaten her. Then she’d found a dragon living here. Then I’d arrived.
She might have been able to beat me. Curse me again. But she might not have been able to. Even if the odds were only one in five that she’d lose, you didn’t live long by frequently taking one-in-five chances that you’ll die. And Riina had lived a very, very long time.

 

[Hmmm lies she/her]

Hmm, I suppose "Her kind" is an Elantrian, and we don't know for sure what kind of Lightweaving she is using, but you are probably right in that she isn't a Radiant, it was most likely Aon Shao. Still, we don't know how she met Hoid.

[alder24]

44 minutes ago, Hmmm lies said:

Hmm, I suppose "Her kind" is an Elantrian, and we don't know for sure what kind of Lightweaving she is using, but you are probably right in that she isn't a Radiant, it was most likely Aon Shao. Still, we don't know how she met Hoid.

Well, when you live for thousands of years, and are a member of a very important Cosmere-wide organization, you will have lots of opportunities to meet Hoid. Characters less important than her get to know him. 

[Firesong she/her]

1 hour ago, alder24 said:

Well, when you live for thousands of years, and are a member of a very important Cosmere-wide organization, you will have lots of opportunities to meet Hoid. Characters less important than her get to know him. 

Especially as we know that the 17th Shard and Ire have some communication between each other. And the 17th Shard is very interested in Hoid. I feel that does give her reason to know of him. I feel the Ire would also have their own reasons to be interested in him. So, yeah. 

[+Oltux72 he/him]

On 20.9.2023 at 10:44 PM, Hmmm lies said:

Still, we don't know how she met Hoid.

What makes you think that Hoid is not just a figure of public notoriety at that time?

[ThatRedHead717]

On 9/20/2023 at 4:12 PM, alder24 said:

 She isn't Radiant (Lightweaving is a general term for illusion based magic, Elantrian can create illusions with Aons) and doesn't collect invested arts like Hoid.

I would argue with this as we see her wield at least 3 Invested Arts. She comes to the planet as a full Elantrian with access to Awakening and Breaths, then while on Lumar, she learns to manipulate spores. You may be right that she isn't scouring the cosmere for Invested Arts quite like Hoid is, but she certainly isn't shy about learning new things. 

 

Yall mention the Sorceress lightweaving over and over. I don't remember ever seeing her do that. All the magic we see can be explained by Elantrian AonDor and circuitry, Awakening, and whatever we call spore manipulation. Does she ever make an illusion? All I remember is curses and minions (both awakened and Midnight). Plus all the electronics like her security system and the shapeship castle itself. 

Edit: I missed that "the Lightweaving had fallen away, revealing a creature [reptilian with golden eyes and a toothy grin." So the Sorceress is most certainly lightweaving. I think this is explained through Aons though. We see Raoden cast lightweavings as complicated as this one, and that takes place hundreds of year before this. I'm sure they figured out how to make the lightweavings actually feel right in all that time. So that when Tress grabs his arm or hand, she isn't grabbing scales. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by ThatRedHead717

[Treamayne]

8 hours ago, ThatRedHead717 said:

She comes to the planet as a full Elantrian with access to Awakening and Breaths

Technically, we don't know she was using breaths to Awaken. There is evidence that Awakening might also become a generalized term for a type of implementation of investiture, so her "Awakened" fabrials and guards might have been Awakened through some other method (maybe even Aons). YatNP Spoilers:

Spoiler

Awakening is used in Yumi, and implies that the Awakening was a similar effect but a non-Breath source and method.

 

[Firesong she/her]

18 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Technically, we don't know she was using breaths to Awaken. There is evidence that Awakening might also become a generalized term for a type of implementation of investiture, so her "Awakened" fabrials and guards might have been Awakened through some other method (maybe even Aons). YatNP Spoilers:

  Hide contents

Awakening is used in Yumi, and implies that the Awakening was a similar effect but a non-Breath source and method.

 

Also:

Spoiler

Said Awakening is confirmed by WoB to not be Nalthian.