Moons and Prophecies?

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

I would like to preface this theory with the fact I have read neither Dragonsteel Prime nor Isles of the Emberdark, so this may end up being very wrong.

 

In Wind and Truth, we learn that there was a fourth moon of Roshar that crashed, bringing the total number of celestial bodies in the system down from 17 to 16. There are 16 Shards. There were 17 people who killed Adonalsium.

 

In The Way of Kings, Hoid says, "I began life as a thought, a concept, words on a page. That was another thing I stole. Myself." My personal take on this is that it related to a prophecy of sorts (I may be completely wrong) - if Preservation had good enough future sight to see several millenia ahead, I suspect Adonalsium would have, too.

 

My theory is that perhaps Hoid was referring to a prophecy about himself, involving him becoming a Shard, which he chose not to fulfill (thereby "stealing" himself from fate?). Potentially, Adonalsium intended for him to be a Shard, thinking there would be 17 Shards - and so 17 would become a significant number instead. Then, they crashed the fourth moon when they realised they were wrong so the Rosharan system retained its significance.

 

Why the system had to be notable, I'm not sure, but perhaps it has something to do with Braize's strange metals?

 

Obvious flaws in the argument:

 

If Adonalsium had such good future sight, how did they not see this coming? Perhaps it was only a slim possibility, like how Hoid thought Retribution's Ascension was unlikely?

 

If the fourth moon crashed into Roshar, it would have been catastrophic. But the listeners were there when Honor and Cultivation arrived, which was, presumably, just after the Shattering. My only theory against this is that perhaps Adonalsium (or their remnants) preserved them, but that is a weak argument at best.

 

Any thoughts?

[Clarkmon22 He/Him]

On 8/29/2025 at 11:52 AM, Ink and Embers said:

There were 17 people who killed Adonalsium.

Didn't Frost help to? that would be 18

On 8/29/2025 at 11:52 AM, Ink and Embers said:

In The Way of Kings, Hoid says, "I began life as a thought, a concept, words on a page. That was another thing I stole. Myself." My personal take on this is that it related to a prophecy of sorts (I may be completely wrong)

I always took this as a sort of meta joke by Sanderson, something he could brush off easily, but fair enough. 

On 8/29/2025 at 11:52 AM, Ink and Embers said:

if Preservation had good enough future sight to see several millenia ahead, I suspect Adonalsium would have, too.

The people who killed him might have used some Yolen variant of what Glys does, or the Dawnshards might have masked them in some way, as they're what the big guy used to create a bunch of frickin stuff (like, I assume, the Rosharan system or at least the Singers)

 

On 8/29/2025 at 11:52 AM, Ink and Embers said:

If the fourth moon crashed into Roshar, it would have been catastrophic. But the listeners were there when Honor and Cultivation arrived, which was, presumably, just after the Shattering. My only theory against this is that perhaps Adonalsium (or their remnants) preserved them, but that is a weak argument at best.

 

I don't really have an answer to this... maybe because one of the intelligent Spren did something to shield them? Maybe that's one of the reasons that the Wind is so weak?

[Argenti he/him]

On 8/30/2025 at 9:08 PM, Clarkmon22 said:

Didn't Frost help to? that would be 18

On 8/29/2025 at 12:52 PM, Ink and Embers said:

It has been stated that 17 people killed Ado.  

In tress, Hoid states this;

"I can’t. For your own good, you see.” Ah, those words. I’ve heard those words. I’ve said those words. The words that proclaim, in bald-faced arrogance, “I don’t trust you to make your own decisions.” The words we pretend will soften the blow, yet instead layer condescension on top of already existent pain. Like dirt on a corpse. Oh yes. I’ve said those words. I said them with sixteen other people, in fact.”

17 people in total. 

On 8/30/2025 at 9:08 PM, Clarkmon22 said:

I don't really have an answer to this... maybe because one of the intelligent Spren did something to shield them? Maybe that's one of the reasons that the Wind is so weak?

The wind only became weak after honor and whatnot appeared. 

 

On 8/29/2025 at 12:52 PM, Ink and Embers said:

In The Way of Kings, Hoid says, "I began life as a thought, a concept, words on a page. That was another thing I stole. Myself." My personal take on this is that it related to a prophecy of sorts (I may be completely wrong) - if Preservation had good enough future sight to see several millenia ahead, I suspect Adonalsium would have, too.

 

Ado would absolutely have the ability to look far ahead, but I think this is just Brandon joking.

 

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

On 9/1/2025 at 3:22 PM, Argenti said:

Ado would absolutely have the ability to look far ahead, but I think this is just Brandon joking.

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/122/#e3334

 

I found this WoB which suggests otherwise?

 

On 8/31/2025 at 2:08 AM, Clarkmon22 said:

I always took this as a sort of meta joke by Sanderson, something he could brush off easily, but fair enough. 

Yeah, perhaps I'm reading into it too much!

 

On 8/31/2025 at 2:08 AM, Clarkmon22 said:

The people who killed him might have used some Yolen variant of what Glys does, or the Dawnshards might have masked them in some way, as they're what the big guy used to create a bunch of frickin stuff (like, I assume, the Rosharan system or at least the Singers)

Awesome! I didn't think of that!

On 8/31/2025 at 2:08 AM, Clarkmon22 said:

 

I don't really have an answer to this... maybe because one of the intelligent Spren did something to shield them? Maybe that's one of the reasons that the Wind is so weak?

They seem to be fond of the humans and singers - the Stone with Venli and the Wind with the Heralds - so I wouldn't be surprised if they had been trying to protect them then as well!

Edited September 25, 2025 by Ink and Embers

[Treamayne]

4 hours ago, Ink and Embers said:

Hello I'm sorry about the double post (?) I found this WoB which I'm not sure how to embed about the "words on a page" quotation

Anyways sorry is this a breach of ettiquette I'm still fairly new at this sorry

• You can edit a post by clicking "Edit" in the 3-dot (hamburger) menu on the top right of a post. 
• You can also hide the double post once you have edited the first post to add your new information - also with the 3-dot menu
• You can add a WoB by clicking on the Copy Icon on the top-right of the Arcanum post (which copies the entire WoB and link to your device clipboard so it can be Pasted anywhere)

Please see the Sharder FAQ for more detailed information. 

WoB Example:

Spoiler

Questioner

(...) like Hoid saying he got his life as words on a page.

Brandon Sanderson

It can be taken both ways, but it is actually literal. I'm not sure how much I can say about this, but... Let's say that it's referencing where he got his nickname/pseudonym.

Questioner

I thought he maybe stole a character from a book and (hid himself? indistinctive...)

Brandon Sanderson

It is something like that. People think it's like a big wink breaking the 4th wall, but at the time I was just looking back at his past and wanted something I could say that is esoteric and referenced his past.

Leipzig Book Fair (March 24, 2017)

Hope that helps

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

20 hours ago, Treamayne said:

• You can edit a post by clicking "Edit" in the 3-dot (hamburger) menu on the top right of a post. 
• You can also hide the double post once you have edited the first post to add your new information - also with the 3-dot menu
• You can add a WoB by clicking on the Copy Icon on the top-right of the Arcanum post (which copies the entire WoB and link to your device clipboard so it can be Pasted anywhere)

Please see the Sharder FAQ for more detailed information. 

WoB Example:

  Reveal hidden contents

Questioner

(...) like Hoid saying he got his life as words on a page.

Brandon Sanderson

It can be taken both ways, but it is actually literal. I'm not sure how much I can say about this, but... Let's say that it's referencing where he got his nickname/pseudonym.

Questioner

I thought he maybe stole a character from a book and (hid himself? indistinctive...)

Brandon Sanderson

It is something like that. People think it's like a big wink breaking the 4th wall, but at the time I was just looking back at his past and wanted something I could say that is esoteric and referenced his past.

Leipzig Book Fair (March 24, 2017)

Hope that helps

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!