Difference between revisions of "Odium"

'''Odium''' is a [[Shard|Shard of Adonalsium]], held by [[Rayse]].{{qawob ref|700|7|He did however confirm that Rayse is Odium|date=May 31st, 20117266}} The author of [[The Letter]] calls Odium the "most frightening and terrible of all the Shards."{{epigraph ref|sa1|19}} Odium had been on [[Roshar]], though arrived on Roshar later than its other two Shards, [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]].{{qawob ref|836|49|Is Odium native to Roshar?|date=Sep 22nd, 20129934}} Currently Odium is settled on [[Braize]], one of the three [[Shardworld]]s in the [[Rosharan system]], but his presence is still felt on Roshar.{{17s ref|topic|3934|Q&A at Spokane B&N|date=2013-08}} According to Syl, Odium was brought by the humans; he was the first god of humans on Roshar before they turned to Honor.

The Shard's intent, Odium, means two things: the feeling of strong hatred, and that which provokes hatred from others.{{17swob ref|post|42190|Some dictionaries list two meanings for the word "odium"|date=26 September 20121146}}

Over time, a person holding a Shard will be shaped to the Shard's intent. This can, for example, turn a kind person like [[Ati]] into [[Ruin|someone who just wants to destroy]]. However, Rayse was purportedly already an incredibly crafty, loathsome, and dangerous individual, even before picking up the power. A Shard's intent is mildly interpreted by its Vessel{{17swob ref|topic|1729|A holder's personality, however, does get to filter the Shard's intent, so to speak|date=17 March 20125485}} (for example, the idea of [[Preservation]] could be interpreted in a number of ways, and the Shard's Vessel helps determine this), so Odium is probably being interpreted in the darkest, most dangerous way possible. Odium is a force of pure hatred which is held by a man who can--and will--use that power to the most terrible end.

Odium's ultimate goal is indeed terrible: he seeks to be the most powerful being in the cosmere. To this end, he kills other Shards (namely [[Aona]], [[Skai]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}, [[Uli Da]]{{au ref|threnodite}}, and [[Tanavast]]{{book ref|twok|75}}).{{wob ref|date=2011-11-5|5489|Alloy of Law 17th Shard Q&A}} But, instead of picking up those Shards (and becoming more and more powerful as he increases his Shard count), Rayse does not want to be unduly influenced from other Shard's intents.{{qawob ref|675|126685}} He feels that Odium matches him perfectly. So, he [[Splinter]]s the Shards he kills, preventing anyone taking up those Shards to challenge him.{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}

[[Ambition]] was the first Shard to be targeted by Odium, as he felt threatened by the Shard's Intent.{{wob ref|date=2016-12-6|1550|Arcanum Unbounded Chicago signing}} However, Odium was unable to locate Ambition until after he Splintered [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]] on Sel.{{wob ref|date=2016-12-6|1550|Arcanum Unbounded Chicago signing}}

Odium tends to attack two kinds of Shards- those that violated the original Vessels' pact to not settle on the same world (such as Dominion and Devotion) or those he feels would be a threat or challenge to confront (such as Ambition).{{wob ref|date=2017-11-18|8358|Oathbringer Houston signing}}

He is willing to work with another Shard if he is in charge. He may have done this once.{{wob ref|date=2015-10-9|4298|Shadows of Self San Francisco signing}}

Odium currently has an alliance with a Cosmere power other than [[Bavadin]].{{wob ref|date=2015-12-12|2263|General Signed Books 2015}}

Unlike Ruin, Odium is unable to change text documents on Roshar.{{wob ref|date=2016-4-8|2654|OdysseyCon 2016}} This is due to him not having infused his essence into the world, like Ruin did at the creation of Scadrial.{{wob ref|date=2015-10-19|5293|Shadows of Self London UK signing}}

Odium has killed at least one other Shard,{{qawob ref|1091|3|Odium has killed at least one more Shard than the ones we know about|date=Nov 29th, 20141357}}, heavily implied to be the shard [[Ambition]] which was mortally wounded by Odium during a clash in space within the same solar system as [[Threnody]]{{au ref|Threnody}}.