Difference between revisions of "Shard"

There are sixteen Shards{{epigraph ref|TWoK|11}}, and they are the most powerful known entities in the [[cosmere]]. They are related to many, if not all, magic systems, and for practical purposes, they are gods. All Shards started at an equal power level.{{wob ref|1081}}

 

 

== Introduction ==

{{quote

| Even now, I can barely grasp the scope of all this. The events surrounding the end of the world seem even larger than the Final Empire and the people within it.<br> I have delved and searched, and have only been able to come up with a single name: '''Adonalsium'''. Who, or what, it was, I do not yet know.

}}

 

 

 

When a person takes up a Shard, the extreme power vaporizes the body, allowing the person's mind to expand.{{wob ref|6072}} From then on, the person's consciousness feeds on the power of the Shard to remain alive{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=58}}, but the Shard's intent is the driving force of the power. Over an immense time--centuries, perhaps millennia--a Vessel’s mind begins to change, slowly molding to the Shard's intent.{{wob ref|5485}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=57}}{{wob ref|5527}}

It is not clear who the original Vessels were, but they all originally were from [[Yolen]]. Together, the sixteen of them killed Adonalsium and divided the power between themselves, becoming the first to Ascend.{{msh ref|3|2}} Over time, the Vessels begin referring to themselves as their Shard's name (though they do remember their original selves).{{wob ref|7264}} They eventually scattered throughout the cosmere, taking residence on several different [[Shardworld|worlds]] and influencing events on their given planet. Ruin and Preservation made a pact to create life on Scadrial,{{epigraph ref|mb3|53}} and constructed humans in the form which they have seen before{{book ref|mb3|76}}--presumably on the planet where Adonalsium and these Vessels came from. Judging from humanity on other Shardworlds, the Shards on those worlds probably created humanity there, too. However, the worlds existed before the Shards arrived there{{wob ref|7262}} so there is a case to be made that humans already have been present before the Shards’ arrival in some cases. It is known that some shards may have helped transplant humanity to other worlds as well.{{book ref|sa3|113}}{{wob ref|8243}}

 

 

 

It is possible for a Vessel to be separated from their Shard without dying{{wob ref|120}} or Splintering the Shard they held.{{wob ref|6587}} When a Vessel dies, the person's original body rematerializes and falls to the ground as a corpse.{{epigraph ref|mb3|56}}

Also, one that had already been splintered, but its intent was still unknown at the time of the questioning.{{wob ref|1357}} This may refer to Ambition.

 

 

The last six Shards are unknown.

Shards are a vast amount of Spiritual energy, and have enormous capabilities, so much power that they have effectively turned the Vessels holding them into gods. Things like moving a planet is easy for them to accomplish.{{epigraph ref|mb3|4}} They exist on a higher level than the Physical Realm, and have expanded Cognitive aspects and perceptions. Time seems to matter little to Shards. Minutes can pass like hours.{{epigraph ref|mb3|17}}

=== Movement ===

 

=== Magic Generation ===

 

=== Communication ===

Some shards have the ability to touch the minds of people. This ability has many restrictions and much may depend on the intent of each shard.

=== Future Sight ===

 

=== Cognitive Constructs ===

One of the largest weaknesses a Shard has is that its Vessel is shaped to its intent. Ruin and Preservation could not create by themselves, as it was against their Shards' intent to do so alone. Odium refuses to take additional Shards simply because doing so would change his personality.{{wob ref|6685}}

 

 

Ruin could not read minds, but this is not a limitation to all Shards. Ruin is invasive, it can insert thoughts, but that power can't hear the reaction. Preservation listens and protects, and as such can hear what is inside people's minds, but cannot insert thoughts.{{wob ref|4156}} Brandon has also stated, however, that Shardic mind reading in this case has to do with humans having more Preservation than Ruin.{{wob ref|4139}} It is possible a Shard could only read a mind when the Shard has given its power to make sentience (as Preservation did with humans on Scadrial). If that were true, then if Odium did not give humans sentience on Roshar, Odium would also not be able to read minds, similar to Ruin.

In its Physical form, it can appear as a solid, and does one specific thing.{{wob ref|6072}} On Scadrial, a Shards' Physical essence was a metal, and these [[god metals]] each performed a specific effect within the Metallic Arts. Yet, as evidenced by the god metal atium, the physical essence of a Shard can be used by magic systems created by other shards. For example, Atium, Ruin's "body", could be burned by a mistborn or atium misting, both of whom use magic created by or based on Preservation.

 

 

 

There are further subdivisions of Shards: Slivers and Splinters.

It is unknown what the exact definition of a Splinter is, but the term seems to refer to a specific kind of fragment of a Shard's power. Unlike Slivers, a Splinter has never been human.{{wob ref|4541}} Lerasium and atium, despite being condensed essences of their Shards, are not Splinters. One distinguishing factor of a Splinter is that they often have an intent, separate from their Shards'. {{wob ref|10089}}

 

 

It is not clear how Splinters are formed, though it appears a Shard can actively create one. Endowment seems to be able to form them at will for [[Returned]]. [[Odium]] traveled to Sel and Splintered [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]].{{article ref|The Letter}} Since [[Odium]] killed [[Tanavast]],{{book ref|twok|75}} the Vessel of [[Honor]], Honor is Splintered.{{wob ref|9810}}