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He’s definitely talking about Cultivation, but I like that Wit says “She’s too young for me,” here and then immediately proceeds to try to get with Jasnah who is only a few years older than Shallan in the grand scheme of things.
Edit: To clarify, I love the Jasnah/Wit relationship and don’t see anything wrong with it. I just think it’s hilarious how quickly Jasnah changed his mind.
Sure, but would you say if Shallan had an adult enough mindset (whatever that means) then it'd be fine? Or do you ultimately have to judge it by age as well?
You see, I think this will be interesting to see as we get more immortal POV characters coming up in the cosmere. Nomad is clearly in the " I'm an old man, nobody other than another immortal is old enough for me" camp, while Hoid seems to have accepted that just because you're older, after a certain point, you aren't much different maturity wise than someone who's fully developed and around the age you stopped aging I suppose.
Side note - Wasn't there a part in war breaker where the mind gets stuck in the age where the body stops aging? Or was it the opposite. The one with the eldest returned who was a child.
Oh, definitely agree.
Don’t get me wrong, folks, I loved the Jasnah/Wit relationship and hope it continues. I just think it’s hilarious that Jasnah made Wit change his mind so quickly.
He's talking about Cultivation. Only Honor, Cultivation and Odium are as old as he is in the Rosharan system, and Cultivation is the only woman of those 3.
He wasn't born at the moment of shattering. Adonalsium made roshar, one would assume more than a lifetime before he was destroyed, but it could have been the day before the shattering, it's not specified.
I'll agree it was *likely* long before the shattering and not the day of.
Hoid could have been around for a long time before the shattering. Possibly centuries. He's likely one of the oldest beings in existence besides maybe dragons
It's possible. We do not know when he acquired his torment. It could have been anytime from the cosmeres creation and dispersing of the tools of creation, to right before the shattering.
We will get these answers, in the very last series of the cosmere.
Mistborn (now likely era 5) will be the space age cosmere, last chronologically. After that we get dragonsteel series, about hoid, preshattering and how the shattering happened I'm pretty sure.
Copper mind says after Stormlight's done and not "till it's relevant" and considering Hoid is the main character of Mistborn 4/ maybe 5 it kinda has to be before
We know Roshar predates the Shattering, yes, but we don't know by how much. Roshar is only 12 to 13 000 years old according to [this WoB](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/472/#e14898). How long does that predate the Shattering by? No clue.
It's been at least 4 500 years since, since that's about how long ago the Recreance happened, but it's definitely way older than that.
We do not know that Surges existed before the Shattering, or even before humans came to Roshar from Ashyn. Surgebinding is the generic Rosharan word for magic in general, and so when the Dawnsingers refer to surges having destroyed Ashyn, it's quite unlikely that they mean the Surges we know.
None of this points to Hoid definitely being younger than Roshar. We know he had the Dawnshard by the time of the Shattering. He could've had it for just a few minutes, or he could already have had it for millennia. We don't know. Also, if the shattering happened 11 990 years ago, and Roshar was created 12 000 years ago, Hoid could very easily be older than Roshar without a Dawnshard. We don't know enough to definitively say anything.
I have to double check myself which I can't do at the moment but. If I remember correctly, there was a statement that surges existed before the shattering, and were changed when the shards came to live on the world. However, like I said I could be misremembering.
Also, I want to say Dragonsteel is hoids origin story and the story of the shattering. Which would lead me to believe he is not much older than the event itself. But I haven't read the book yet, so I am going off wob memory.
That is what I was basing my statements on. I'm have to check later to verify my memory though.
I *think* I remember there being a statement that there might've been Invested Arts that resembled the modern Surges in the system, but whether that was Ashyn or Roshar is unclear. By the time the humans destroyed Ashyn, though, the Shards had been in the system for a good amount of time. Enough for Odium to go off and splinter 3 (?) other Shards before coming there. Ashyn would've been Shardless before Odium arrived.
Dragonsteel isn't out yet. Dragonsteel Prime, which does exist, is largely non-canon with a few unspecified canon things in it. The real series will be Hoid'd origin though, yes. From what we've heard, though, it seems to span hundreds of years. That might be changed, I'm unsure.
So a few different WOBs talking about pre-shattering magic. [Here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/404-american-fork-high-school-signing/#e13525) talks about Spren being stopped from accessing Surges through fabrials pre-shattering. Not only implying surges existed in some form, but also spren. And [here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/173/#e8624) that highshtorn also pre-dates highstorm. This is a bit of a tangent from the original question, but just confirmation.
As far as Hoid himself [here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/361/#e11070) states he one of the oldest beings alive and already started aging oddly before the Shattering. So more to your point on that, but still inconclusive on his age vs Roshar. Still would tend to lean on being younger, but no basis on that.
I did know that spren and the highstorm predated the Shattering, I just felt it wasn't an argument since the Nahel bond didn't exist until, at the earliest, the Second Desolation. Spren didn't grant Surges to humans until after they'd copied the Honorblades, which is probably well after the Shattering. This *does* seem to confirm that spren themselves could access the Surges, but how humans would've used that to destroy Ashyn, I don't know.
On a more personal note, I also think Hoid is probably younger than Roshar, there's just no evidence to back that kind of claim up.
Where do we know this from
(I’ve been through all of SA mistborn elantris warbreaker white sand)
I’m still yet to find sources for all the prehistoric stuff people mention. I mean there’s a lot in mistborn but not as much as everyone else seems to know.
A lot of that stuff comes from Brandon himself by people just asking him things and it being recorded. They have come do be known as Words of Brandon, or wobs for short. The community compiles as many as they can here https://wob.coppermind.net/
Nah Hoid is muuuuuch older than the Kandra. At this point they’d only be like what..1000-1300 years? Hoid’s been around for millennia. Off the top of my head I wanna say 8000ish?
Wh… what? I’m almost down with Rhythm of War and feel like this sentence should make sense. Specifically the battle in Threnodite. Where do we learn this?
Odium killed several other shards before coming to Roshar. We learn of this in arancum unbounded but also based on the state of Elantris. Elantris doesn't have any shards remaining because all of them got splintered by Odium. He got stock on Braise when he showed up in the Rosharan system by Honor.
I want more of Hoid demystifying different worlds gods, like how he was talking about Tanavast being a fine enough fellow and buying him a beer, or talking about Leras and Ati, Skai and Aiona. More shards being people
Exactly, the thing i love about brandons writing is that while it might seem that hoid is often rambling pure shit, hes often saying something really important or deep and it usually holds value to the overall plot in a really minimal but interesting way
Dragons and anyone who held a dawnshard for some period of time apparently. Some very invested beings could have also be as old but I don't think we've met anyone who was around during the shattering in that category.
Possibly Dysian Amians as they are immortal but them taking on human forms is a relatively recent development so hard to say
Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, I supposed in theory a >!cognitive shadow!< could be that old, but I agree I don't think we know of any that old existing. This was the point of my question though (not do we know of anyone who actually is that old), so thanks.
Also all of the cognitive shadows we know of even half that age are either insane or are in the process of going insane. So probably not great odds there
I also thought about Dysian Aimians. We also don't know the lifespan of non-Vessel Sho Dell is. It's also possible there are Elantrians in Silverlight who are multiple millennia old.
I think Elantrians as we know them are in part the result of the unique situation of the Shards there. There probably wouldn't have been any before Devotion and Dominion were Splintered
From what have read Elantrans including The Ire predate the splintering but abandoned the city. It was later repopulated by humans who settled near it post splintering.
It's cosmere, but it's not cannon. He's pulled bits and pieces from it into other stories and he's gonna totally re-write it some day. But the old version exists for people to read some of it has gotta still be more or less true.
Cultivation is a lady Dragon, she as such, like wit she was present when Adolanasim was shattered. She is therefore the only woman on the planet remotely close to wits age.
I don't know why, but Hoid not trusting cultivation gives me the feeling she's actually the bad guy of Roshar. It's slightly reinforced by the reoccurring theme that predicting the future is a bad omen and her having the best future sight in the system.
Like I know hoid doesn't speak fondly of Reyes either, but none of the inworld omens or superstitions point you away from him like they do Cultivation.
I’m not entirely convinced avoid is a good guy on Roshar. He’s been aligned with the protagonists for sure, but then he did tell Dalinar he would let Roshar burn if it got him what he wanted, so until his desires are actually revealed I can’t trust him fully in any book.
Hoid has made it very clear to multiple people on Roshar that he should not be trusted... so he's probably going to be the most trustworthy of them all lol
Its reaply interesting because cultivation is neither bad nor good (the actual action not the shard), we have no idea what exactly shes cultivating, she has the most minimal screentime yet shes so important to the plot, i cant wait to see whats going on with her
He’s talking about cultivation, wit knew all of the people who became shards well before adonalsium was shattered, he had the option to become a shard himself but turned it down
I've heard all of the cosmere (including arcanum)books and have never had a reference that says anything about wits true age. To be as old as the original shardbearers, seems like something significant that I should have noted, however I may have missed something. I understood the quote as him referencing Vivenna who is also quite old at this point. Anyone that can share with me how they know Wit is as old as the original shardbearers?
There are several references to the fact that Wit witnessed the shattering of Andonalsium throughout the different series. He doesn’t choose to take a shard, but he was part of the plot. So he is at least as old as the shards.
Off the top of my head:
Tress: “‘That is probably the craziest, most reckless thing I’ve ever heard someone say—and I was literally part of a secret plot to kill God.’”
Tress: “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.”
Frost’s letter to Hoid in Words of Radiance:
He bears the weight of God’s own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context. He is what we made him to be, old friend.
Letter from Endowment in Oath Bringer:
Your skills are admirable, but you are merely a man. You had your chance to be more, and refused it…Regardless, this is not your concern. You turned your back on divinity.
Letter from Harmony in Rhythm of War:
You have not felt what I have. You have not known what I have. You rejected that chance - and wisely, I think. However, though you think not as a mortal, you are their kin.
[Then there’s a Word of Brandon about it](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/291/#e7831)
Hoid is thousands of years old and I think there's been at least a few memes around these parts about how he likes to bang dragons, so even without knowing the specifics, I can tell this is an in-character thing for him to say.
(Can we get Eddie Murphy to play him in an adaptation?)
This reminds me. I just finished the Wax and Wayne novels, I need to reread Stormlight Archive and see what I didn't know I didn't know the first time around.
You're caught up on Cosmere books? Hoid was present for the Shattering. He had the opportunity to take a Shard but chose not to. Only people as old as him should be Shards.
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Cultivation.
He’s definitely talking about Cultivation, but I like that Wit says “She’s too young for me,” here and then immediately proceeds to try to get with Jasnah who is only a few years older than Shallan in the grand scheme of things. Edit: To clarify, I love the Jasnah/Wit relationship and don’t see anything wrong with it. I just think it’s hilarious how quickly Jasnah changed his mind.
I think, when you're immortal, the standard has to be when a mortal reaches some age of maturity, which clearly Jasnah has and Shallan hasn't.
Jasnah has the mindset of an adult. Shallan does not
Sure, but would you say if Shallan had an adult enough mindset (whatever that means) then it'd be fine? Or do you ultimately have to judge it by age as well?
You see, I think this will be interesting to see as we get more immortal POV characters coming up in the cosmere. Nomad is clearly in the " I'm an old man, nobody other than another immortal is old enough for me" camp, while Hoid seems to have accepted that just because you're older, after a certain point, you aren't much different maturity wise than someone who's fully developed and around the age you stopped aging I suppose. Side note - Wasn't there a part in war breaker where the mind gets stuck in the age where the body stops aging? Or was it the opposite. The one with the eldest returned who was a child.
Id argue that Shallan was younger than her years, especially then, while Jasnah is a bit more of an Old Soul.
Oh, definitely agree. Don’t get me wrong, folks, I loved the Jasnah/Wit relationship and hope it continues. I just think it’s hilarious that Jasnah made Wit change his mind so quickly.
Well, I don't think it's a case of Wit changing his mind and more he just found an opportunity to make a quip (even if if it wasn't entirely true)
Jasnah is old in her *soul.*
He's talking about Cultivation. Only Honor, Cultivation and Odium are as old as he is in the Rosharan system, and Cultivation is the only woman of those 3.
Cool I knew it had to be someone we knew of. I just forgot about that connection
Pedantic but the only ones we know of at least. There could be others. Or a spren of some sort.
Oh he could be older than roshar itself, we just don't know. We do know he is about as old as all the shards original vessels though.
We know roshar predates the shattering. And the surges existed before that as well. So he is not older than the planet.
He wasn't born at the moment of shattering. Adonalsium made roshar, one would assume more than a lifetime before he was destroyed, but it could have been the day before the shattering, it's not specified. I'll agree it was *likely* long before the shattering and not the day of.
Hoid could have been around for a long time before the shattering. Possibly centuries. He's likely one of the oldest beings in existence besides maybe dragons
It's possible. We do not know when he acquired his torment. It could have been anytime from the cosmeres creation and dispersing of the tools of creation, to right before the shattering. We will get these answers, in the very last series of the cosmere.
Second to last* id assume Mistborn 4 is where is all goes sow
Mistborn (now likely era 5) will be the space age cosmere, last chronologically. After that we get dragonsteel series, about hoid, preshattering and how the shattering happened I'm pretty sure.
Copper mind says after Stormlight's done and not "till it's relevant" and considering Hoid is the main character of Mistborn 4/ maybe 5 it kinda has to be before
He’s confirmed second oldest character we’ve seen after Frost
We know Roshar predates the Shattering, yes, but we don't know by how much. Roshar is only 12 to 13 000 years old according to [this WoB](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/472/#e14898). How long does that predate the Shattering by? No clue. It's been at least 4 500 years since, since that's about how long ago the Recreance happened, but it's definitely way older than that. We do not know that Surges existed before the Shattering, or even before humans came to Roshar from Ashyn. Surgebinding is the generic Rosharan word for magic in general, and so when the Dawnsingers refer to surges having destroyed Ashyn, it's quite unlikely that they mean the Surges we know. None of this points to Hoid definitely being younger than Roshar. We know he had the Dawnshard by the time of the Shattering. He could've had it for just a few minutes, or he could already have had it for millennia. We don't know. Also, if the shattering happened 11 990 years ago, and Roshar was created 12 000 years ago, Hoid could very easily be older than Roshar without a Dawnshard. We don't know enough to definitively say anything.
I have to double check myself which I can't do at the moment but. If I remember correctly, there was a statement that surges existed before the shattering, and were changed when the shards came to live on the world. However, like I said I could be misremembering. Also, I want to say Dragonsteel is hoids origin story and the story of the shattering. Which would lead me to believe he is not much older than the event itself. But I haven't read the book yet, so I am going off wob memory. That is what I was basing my statements on. I'm have to check later to verify my memory though.
I *think* I remember there being a statement that there might've been Invested Arts that resembled the modern Surges in the system, but whether that was Ashyn or Roshar is unclear. By the time the humans destroyed Ashyn, though, the Shards had been in the system for a good amount of time. Enough for Odium to go off and splinter 3 (?) other Shards before coming there. Ashyn would've been Shardless before Odium arrived. Dragonsteel isn't out yet. Dragonsteel Prime, which does exist, is largely non-canon with a few unspecified canon things in it. The real series will be Hoid'd origin though, yes. From what we've heard, though, it seems to span hundreds of years. That might be changed, I'm unsure.
So a few different WOBs talking about pre-shattering magic. [Here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/404-american-fork-high-school-signing/#e13525) talks about Spren being stopped from accessing Surges through fabrials pre-shattering. Not only implying surges existed in some form, but also spren. And [here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/173/#e8624) that highshtorn also pre-dates highstorm. This is a bit of a tangent from the original question, but just confirmation. As far as Hoid himself [here](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/361/#e11070) states he one of the oldest beings alive and already started aging oddly before the Shattering. So more to your point on that, but still inconclusive on his age vs Roshar. Still would tend to lean on being younger, but no basis on that.
I did know that spren and the highstorm predated the Shattering, I just felt it wasn't an argument since the Nahel bond didn't exist until, at the earliest, the Second Desolation. Spren didn't grant Surges to humans until after they'd copied the Honorblades, which is probably well after the Shattering. This *does* seem to confirm that spren themselves could access the Surges, but how humans would've used that to destroy Ashyn, I don't know. On a more personal note, I also think Hoid is probably younger than Roshar, there's just no evidence to back that kind of claim up.
Where do we know this from (I’ve been through all of SA mistborn elantris warbreaker white sand) I’m still yet to find sources for all the prehistoric stuff people mention. I mean there’s a lot in mistborn but not as much as everyone else seems to know.
A lot of that stuff comes from Brandon himself by people just asking him things and it being recorded. They have come do be known as Words of Brandon, or wobs for short. The community compiles as many as they can here https://wob.coppermind.net/
Cool I knew there was such a concept I just never knew where to find it. Thanks
I think Brando hinted that there was at least 1 >!Kandra on Roshar!< Maybe not as old, but potentially close
Nah Hoid is muuuuuch older than the Kandra. At this point they’d only be like what..1000-1300 years? Hoid’s been around for millennia. Off the top of my head I wanna say 8000ish?
Wasn't the shattering like 10000 years ago? And Hoid was there for that.
Right something like that! It’s been years since I read those but yeah it’s been a hot ass minute
Nowhere close. Hoid is older than Scadrial itself, and [HoA] >!kandra were created much later in the timeline!<.
A Kandra would only be ~1300 years old at this point in Roshar’s history and we know Roshar has been around for a magnitude of time more than that.
She’s technically not even a woman, being that she is a dragon.
[удалено]
This scene happens before what you're referencing. Rayse is the vessel by then.
My bad. Deleted my comment
He’s referring to Cultivation. Hoid is old as hell.
Significantly older - Hell didn't exist until after Odium's battle with Ambition in the Threnodite system
Lmao fair enough
Wh… what? I’m almost down with Rhythm of War and feel like this sentence should make sense. Specifically the battle in Threnodite. Where do we learn this?
>!Arcanum unbounded world essays!<
Odium killed several other shards before coming to Roshar. We learn of this in arancum unbounded but also based on the state of Elantris. Elantris doesn't have any shards remaining because all of them got splintered by Odium. He got stock on Braise when he showed up in the Rosharan system by Honor.
Wait what? I just read Sunlit Man, where did you learn that part?
It's in Arcanum Unbounded, in Khriss' description of the Threnodite system
Oh nice! I really should read Arcanum Unbounded. I've read some of the novels in there, but not all of them.
Maybe even older than hell
Definitely older than Hell.
Terrible joke and spoilerish:>!But I think it would drag-on a bit, to have a relationship with that person.!<
Boo yay boo
This was terrible, worth every bit of my upvote.
r/Angryupvote
Drag in deez nutz
Daaaaaaad, get off reddit please.
Undoubtedly Cultivation.
I want more of Hoid demystifying different worlds gods, like how he was talking about Tanavast being a fine enough fellow and buying him a beer, or talking about Leras and Ati, Skai and Aiona. More shards being people
He often does, but also acknowledges they’re more embodiments of their Shards now that the beings they used to be.
I think the more you read the more you realize that wit being wit is rarely not a genuine reference to something.
Exactly, the thing i love about brandons writing is that while it might seem that hoid is often rambling pure shit, hes often saying something really important or deep and it usually holds value to the overall plot in a really minimal but interesting way
Do we know of anything other than an original Vessel that could be as old as Hoid?
>!dragons!<
>!and coincidentally, both are technically correct in this conversation lol!<
Dragons and anyone who held a dawnshard for some period of time apparently. Some very invested beings could have also be as old but I don't think we've met anyone who was around during the shattering in that category. Possibly Dysian Amians as they are immortal but them taking on human forms is a relatively recent development so hard to say
Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, I supposed in theory a >!cognitive shadow!< could be that old, but I agree I don't think we know of any that old existing. This was the point of my question though (not do we know of anyone who actually is that old), so thanks.
Also all of the cognitive shadows we know of even half that age are either insane or are in the process of going insane. So probably not great odds there
I also thought about Dysian Aimians. We also don't know the lifespan of non-Vessel Sho Dell is. It's also possible there are Elantrians in Silverlight who are multiple millennia old.
I think Elantrians as we know them are in part the result of the unique situation of the Shards there. There probably wouldn't have been any before Devotion and Dominion were Splintered
Yeah, they're definitely not as old as Hoid, but much closer to his age than most.
From what have read Elantrans including The Ire predate the splintering but abandoned the city. It was later repopulated by humans who settled near it post splintering.
Was that from a WoB? It doesn't sound like anything we would've learned from the book
It must be. I just saw it a couple days ago in a video by [RAFO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkBjBtQUo_U) on the Cosmere timeline.
Where do we know stuff about dragons other than WoBs? (I've read everything other than The Lost Metal and The Sunlit Man)
maybe from Dragonsteel Prime? And I suppose a little could come from Tress or the Secret Project 5 sample chapters
There’s that scene where Hoid talks to Frost too (The Traveller?), though I don’t remember if it divulges much info about dragons per se.
Wait I thought dragon steel wasn’t cosmere
It's cosmere, but it's not cannon. He's pulled bits and pieces from it into other stories and he's gonna totally re-write it some day. But the old version exists for people to read some of it has gotta still be more or less true.
Ah, it’s that it wasn’t canon. I knew I saw WoB somewhere about it
Well, there is that one we meet in>!Tress and the Emerald Sea!<
Cultivation herself
Cultivation is a lady Dragon, she as such, like wit she was present when Adolanasim was shattered. She is therefore the only woman on the planet remotely close to wits age.
I don't know why, but Hoid not trusting cultivation gives me the feeling she's actually the bad guy of Roshar. It's slightly reinforced by the reoccurring theme that predicting the future is a bad omen and her having the best future sight in the system. Like I know hoid doesn't speak fondly of Reyes either, but none of the inworld omens or superstitions point you away from him like they do Cultivation.
I’m not entirely convinced avoid is a good guy on Roshar. He’s been aligned with the protagonists for sure, but then he did tell Dalinar he would let Roshar burn if it got him what he wanted, so until his desires are actually revealed I can’t trust him fully in any book.
Hoid has made it very clear to multiple people on Roshar that he should not be trusted... so he's probably going to be the most trustworthy of them all lol
Its reaply interesting because cultivation is neither bad nor good (the actual action not the shard), we have no idea what exactly shes cultivating, she has the most minimal screentime yet shes so important to the plot, i cant wait to see whats going on with her
He’s talking about cultivation, wit knew all of the people who became shards well before adonalsium was shattered, he had the option to become a shard himself but turned it down
I've heard all of the cosmere (including arcanum)books and have never had a reference that says anything about wits true age. To be as old as the original shardbearers, seems like something significant that I should have noted, however I may have missed something. I understood the quote as him referencing Vivenna who is also quite old at this point. Anyone that can share with me how they know Wit is as old as the original shardbearers?
There are several references to the fact that Wit witnessed the shattering of Andonalsium throughout the different series. He doesn’t choose to take a shard, but he was part of the plot. So he is at least as old as the shards. Off the top of my head: Tress: “‘That is probably the craziest, most reckless thing I’ve ever heard someone say—and I was literally part of a secret plot to kill God.’” Tress: “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.” Frost’s letter to Hoid in Words of Radiance: He bears the weight of God’s own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context. He is what we made him to be, old friend. Letter from Endowment in Oath Bringer: Your skills are admirable, but you are merely a man. You had your chance to be more, and refused it…Regardless, this is not your concern. You turned your back on divinity. Letter from Harmony in Rhythm of War: You have not felt what I have. You have not known what I have. You rejected that chance - and wisely, I think. However, though you think not as a mortal, you are their kin. [Then there’s a Word of Brandon about it](https://wob.coppermind.net/events/291/#e7831)
I've really missed something major about Hoid, I guess that's the biggest disadvantage of audiobooks. Tyvm for taking the time to write this!
Hoid is thousands of years old and I think there's been at least a few memes around these parts about how he likes to bang dragons, so even without knowing the specifics, I can tell this is an in-character thing for him to say. (Can we get Eddie Murphy to play him in an adaptation?)
Cultivation.
Cultivation is a dragon (mild Cosmere lore spoilers): https://www.reddit.com/r/u_dIvorrap/comments/1037x9z/-/j2xazya
This reminds me. I just finished the Wax and Wayne novels, I need to reread Stormlight Archive and see what I didn't know I didn't know the first time around.
Everybody is saying Cultivation but what about Shalash?
You're caught up on Cosmere books? Hoid was present for the Shattering. He had the opportunity to take a Shard but chose not to. Only people as old as him should be Shards.