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Difference between revisions of "Shard"

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{{magic
  
{{magic
  +
|image=The Roshards by jurassicpencil.jpg
 
|related=[[Adonalsium]], [[Investiture]]
  
|related=[[Adonalsium]], [[Investiture]]
 
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
  
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
  +
}}
−
}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}{{update}}
  
 
:''This page contains information for the Shards of Adonalsium. For information regarding the armaments used on Roshar, see [[Shardblade]] or [[Shardplate]].''
  
:''This page contains information for the Shards of Adonalsium. For information regarding the armaments used on Roshar, see [[Shardblade]] or [[Shardplate]].''
  +
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| The Shards are not God, but they are ''pieces'' of God. Ruin, Preservation, Autonomy, Cultivation, Devotion...There are sixteen of them.
−
| Sixteen people, together, ''killed'' [[Adonalsium]], ripping it apart and dividing its essence between them, becoming the first who Ascended.
  
−
| [[Khriss]] explaining to [[Kelsier]] what the Vessels are.{{msh ref|3|2}}
 +
| [[Khriss]]{{msh ref|3|2}}
 
}}
  
}}
−
The '''Shards of [[Adonalsium]]''', or '''Shards''' for short, are pieces of the power of creation itself.{{wob ref|6072}} They are named after a specific action or ideal, often referred to as an "intent," which represents the Shard's primary purpose or motivation. A mind must control a Shard. When a person holds a Shard, they are imbued with its power, but they also become the Shard.{{wob ref|4466}} A person who has taken up the power of a Shard is the '''Vessel''' of that Shard.{{msh ref|5|2}}
  
   
  +
The '''Shards of [[Adonalsium]]''', or '''Shards''' for short, are sixteen pieces of the power of creation.{{wob ref|6072}} They are each named after specific actions or ideals, which represent the Shard's primary purpose or motivation. A person who has taken up the power of a Shard is the '''Vessel''' of that Shard.{{msh ref|5|2}}
−
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}}
  
   
  +
The Shards are the most powerful entities in the [[cosmere]], and for all intents and purposes, serve as cosmere's gods. Most, if not all magic systems are related to them.
−
Ten Shards have thus far been mentioned in the novels, and an additional one by Brandon. They are either referenced by their respective Shards' names or their Vessels' names. Those known by intent are [[Ambition]], [[Autonomy]], [[Cultivation]], [[Devotion]], [[Dominion]], [[Endowment]], [[Honor]], [[Odium]], [[Preservation]], and [[Ruin]]. An eleventh Shard which has been partially revealed just "wants to survive." It is unclear what the intent of this Shard is, as it could be Survival but also could be many other things. [[Trell]] has been confirmed to be an alternate name for a known Shard.{{wob ref|6261}} It is an unknown being of great power worshiped by [[Miles Hundredlives]] and is served by the Set. Ruin and Preservation have been combined to form the new shard of [[Harmony]], so Ruin and Preservation no longer exist as separate entities.
  
   
 
== Introduction ==
  
== Introduction ==
  +
[[File:Tanavast.jpg|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|botanicaxu}}</small></center> [[Honor]] ]]
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| Ruin and Preservation inhabited power and energy in the same way a person inhabits flesh and blood.
−
| 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.
  
−
| the [[Hero of Ages]]{{epigraph ref|mb3|39}}, emphasis added
 +
| [[Sazed]]{{epigraph ref|mb3|14}}
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
=== Power ===
−
It is not known what [[Adonalsium]] is, whether it be a person or a great power. Since Shards have been called pieces of the power of creation,{{wob ref|6072}} it is theorized that Adonalsium is in fact the power of creation. Regardless of its nature, Adonalsium was [[Shattering|Shattered]] by the original sixteen Vessels, and thus the Shards of Adonalsium came into being. [[The Way of Kings]] heavily implies there are sixteen Shards.{{epigraph ref|TWoK|11}}
  
  +
Each Shard is a piece of the power of creation with a specific motivation, such as to destroy or to preserve. Those fragments each began their existence with equal level of power; however, over time many have diminished, whether through conflict or by the act of Investing a world -- imbuing it with [[Investiture]]. Each Shard has its own Investiture; while a Shard can co-opt the Investiture of another Shard, that Investiture will become noticeably red.{{wob ref|8340}}
   
  +
Investing in a world will produce numerous effects, most notably the creation of a magic system tied to the Shard. While a Shard doesn't have complete control over how the magic system functions or what it does, it can manipulate its mechanics to an extent.{{wob ref|6072}}{{wob ref|4242}} Moreover, the presence of a Shard leads to the formation of a [[Perpendicularity]], a well of the Shard's Investiture that pierces all three [[Realmatic Theory|Realm]]s, allowing for the existence of [[worldhopping]].{{book ref|sa3|119}} The Shard can also influence the world in other ways; examples of such influence are [[atium]] and [[lerasium]] on [[Scadrial]], the [[Tears of Edgli]] on [[Nalthis]], or the many [[spren]] of [[Roshar]].
−
These Shards are named after their respective intent, which represents the driving force of the power{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=58}}--an aspect of creation. However, after the Shattering, the Shards were left with no mind to control the power. For [[Realmatic]] reasons, a mind--Cognitive power--must be attached to the Spiritual power of the Shard. People eventually took up these Shards, like [[Rayse]] and [[Bavadin]], who share some history with whoever wrote [[the Letter]].
  
   
  +
=== Vessel ===
−
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}}
  
  +
To function properly, a Shard requires a '''Vessel''' -- a mind to control it, belonging to a sapient creature from the [[Physical Realm]], such as a human.{{wob ref|310}} One doesn't need to be able to use Investiture in order to become a Vessel, but the ability does help.{{wob ref|4062}} What becoming a Vessel requires above all is [[Connection]] to the Shard in question, whether forged artificially or driven by a natural inclination towards the Shard's intent.{{msh ref|5|2}}
   
  +
The act of becoming a Vessel is called '''Ascension''', and causes the Vessel's body to vaporize, allowing their mind to expand.{{wob ref|6072}} From then on, the Vessel and the Shard are intertwined; the Vessel gets to set some general course of how the Shard's power is defined, and feeds off the Shard's power to remain alive, but the Shard's power is the driving force between the two. Over centuries, the Vessel's mind begins to change to fit the Shard's intent more perfectly.{{annotation ref|mb3|chapter=58}}{{wob ref|5485}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}} If the Vessel were to give up the Shard, the Shard's influence on their mind would fade over time.{{wob ref|3009}}
−
{{quote
  
−
| Ati was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him.
  
−
| [[The Letter]], about Ati, the Vessel of [[Ruin]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}
  
−
}}
  
   
  +
A Shard can be killed by Splintering it, breaking its power down further into smaller pieces, called [[splinter]]s; the easiest way to achieve that is by killing the mind.{{msh ref|3|2}} The actual death of a Vessel, however, can take up to hundreds of years.{{wob ref|8144}} If the Shard is taken up before the Vessel dies completely, splintering can be prevented;{{msh ref|3|2}} if not, the power will become wild and dangerous.{{au ref|Selish}} When a Vessel dies, the person's original body rematerializes and falls to the ground as a corpse.{{epigraph ref|mb3|56}}
−
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}}
  
   
−
At least one of the Shards regrets taking up their power, though it is unknown which of them this refers to.{{wob ref|11900}}
 +
It is possible for a Vessel to be separated from their Shard without dying or Splintering the Shard they held.{{wob ref|120}}{{wob ref|6587}}
−  
−
Often, a Vessel's original name is mentioned in some form on their world. Atium is named after Ati, lerasium after Leras, and those condensed essences of their Shards' power. AonDor is derived from Aona, a Vessel on Sel.{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}
  
−  
−
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}}
  
−  
−
Two of the original Vessels were relatives.{{wob ref|1291}}
  
−  
−
Ruin and Preservation were drawn together because they were such perfect opposites (though not all Shards have pairs like those ones do).{{wob ref|5518}} Direct confrontation between their two powers was excruciatingly painful, and they eventually destroyed each other and the power of both shards was taken up by Sazed, forming the new shard 'Harmony'. It is not clear whether if any two Shards collided, they would both die, or if this was simply an effect of Ruin and Preservation having such opposite intents.
  
−  
−
It is implied that not all Shards are equal (though they started at an equal level).{{wob ref|1081}} Rayse is said to hold the most dangerous of the sixteen, Odium.{{epigraph ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|TWoK|46}} It is unknown what makes Odium inherently so dangerous, whether it is due to the intent, or because Odium actually has more power than other Shards.
  
−  
−
Odium was powerful enough to travel to Sel, kill Aona and Skai, and Splinter their power:
  
   
  +
== History ==
  +
:''For the histories of individual Shards, see their respective pages.''
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| 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.
−
| One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say. In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse.
  
−
| [[The Letter]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}
 +
| [[Sazed]]{{epigraph ref|mb3|39}}
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
It is unknown what precisely [[Adonalsium]] was, though it has been referred to numerous times as the power of creation, suggesting it to be the progenitor god of the [[cosmere]]. At some point in the distant past, on the planet of [[Yolen]], sixteen people conspired to kill it, and succeeded in an event known as the [[Shattering of Adonalsium]].{{msh ref|3|2}} Some of those people were romantically involved; others were related to each other.{{wob ref|1291}}{{wob ref|2786}} All of them were mortal at some point.{{wob ref|13341}}
−
It is unknown if Odium is special in his ability to Splinter a Shard, but regardless, the person who wrote [[the Letter]] is terrified of Odium's power.
  
   
  +
Following the Shattering, the power that comprised Adonalsium broke into sixteen pieces, each polarized to one particular aspect of it, such as [[Ruin]] or [[Endowment]]. Those pieces, each equal in power, became known as the Shards. The sixteen killers of Adonalsium each took up one of the Shards, Ascending and becoming the first Vessels.{{msh ref|3|2}} Following their Ascension, each of the Vessels departed Yolen. Some settled on various planets, henceforth dubbed [[Shardworld]]s; others set no roots.{{wob ref|4441}}
−
Odium is not native on Roshar{{wob ref|6918}} and it's not known yet whether any Shard is native on its Shardworld.{{wob ref|9934}}
  
   
  +
Originally, the Shards made a pact not to interfere with each other; however, only a few Shards kept to it.{{epigraph ref|sa3|39}} The pact was not, it seems, set in stone, as even the Shard of oathkeeping, [[Honor]], felt no qualms about travelling with [[Cultivation]].{{wob ref|10835}}
−
If Brandon were to do a novel where different magic systems collide as the focus of the book, he refers to it as a '''conflux''' book.{{wob ref|10125}}
  
   
  +
Over the millennia, several Shards have passed away, one way or another. The most common cause of death for them were actions of one specific Shard, [[Odium]], who went on a killing spree, splintering [[Ambition]], [[Devotion]], [[Dominion]] and [[Honor]] before eventually being trapped in the [[Rosharan system]] by the remnants of the latter.{{au ref|Rosharan}} [[Preservation]] passed hands several times before being merged with [[Ruin]] into [[Harmony]];{{wob ref|6486}} by contrast, [[Autonomy]] spread, creating avatars to inhabit numerous Shardworlds, including [[Obrodai]] and [[First of the Sun]].{{wob ref|11432}}
−
The [[Seventeenth Shard]], however, is not a Shard of Adonalsium, but rather an organization of people who hop between worlds.{{wob ref|4439}}{{wob ref|4013}}
  
   
  +
At least one of the Vessels regrets taking up a Shard, though which one that would be is unknown.{{wob ref|11900}} There are living descendants of some of them still alive.{{wob ref|13341}}
−
One does not need to be able to use Investiture in order to take up a Shard, but the ability does help.{{wob ref|4062}}
  
   
 
== Known Shards ==
  
== Known Shards ==
  +
−
There are ten known Shards, listed here:
  
 
{| class='infobox sortable' align=center
  
{| class='infobox sortable' align=center
 
|- class=title
  
|- class=title
Line 69: Line 60:
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Devotion]]
  
| [[Devotion]]
−
| [[Aona]]
 +
| [[Aona]] <small>(deceased)</small>
 
| [[Sel]]
 
| [[Sel]]
−
| [[Elantris]]
 +
| ''[[Elantris]]''
 
|{{wob ref|783}}{{wob ref|4679}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|783}}{{wob ref|4679}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Dominion]]
  
| [[Dominion]]
−
| [[Skai]]
 +
| [[Skai]] <small>(deceased)</small>
 
| [[Sel]]
  
| [[Sel]]
−
| [[Elantris]]
 +
| ''[[Elantris]]''
 
|{{wob ref|9990}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|9990}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Preservation]]
  
| [[Preservation]]
−
| [[Leras]] (later [[Sazed]])
+
| [[Sazed]] <small>(formerly [[Leras]], [[Kelsier]], and [[Vin]])</small>
 
| [[Scadrial]]
  
| [[Scadrial]]
−
| [[Mistborn (series)]]
 +
| ''[[Mistborn (series)]]''
 
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Ruin]]
  
| [[Ruin]]
−
| [[Ati]] (later [[Sazed]])
+
| [[Sazed]] <small>(formerly [[Ati]])</small>
 
| [[Scadrial]]
  
| [[Scadrial]]
−
| [[Mistborn (series)]]
 +
| ''[[Mistborn (series)]]''
 
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
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| [[Rayse]]
  
| [[Rayse]]
 
| [[Braize]]
  
| [[Braize]]
−
| [[The Stormlight Archive]]
 +
| ''[[The Stormlight Archive]]''
 
|{{wob ref|7266}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|7266}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
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| ''Unknown''
 
| ''Unknown''
 
| [[Roshar]]
  
| [[Roshar]]
−
| [[The Stormlight Archive]]
 +
| ''[[The Stormlight Archive]]''
 
|{{wob ref|10113}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|10113}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Honor]]
  
| [[Honor]]
−
| [[Tanavast]]
 +
| [[Tanavast]] <small>(deceased)</small>
 
| [[Roshar]]
  
| [[Roshar]]
−
| [[The Stormlight Archive]]
 +
| ''[[The Stormlight Archive]]''
 
|{{wob ref|4229}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|4229}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
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| [[Edgli]]
  
| [[Edgli]]
 
| [[Nalthis]]
  
| [[Nalthis]]
−
| [[Warbreaker]]
 +
| ''[[Warbreaker]]''
 
|{{wob ref|5943}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|5943}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
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| [[Bavadin]]
  
| [[Bavadin]]
 
| [[Taldain]]
  
| [[Taldain]]
−
| [[White Sand]]
 +
| ''[[White Sand]]'', ''[[Sixth of the Dusk]]''
 
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
  
|{{wob ref|5599}}{{wob ref|5984}}
 
|-
  
|-
 
| [[Ambition]]
  
| [[Ambition]]
−
| [[Uli Da]]
 +
| [[Uli Da]] <small>(deceased)</small>
 
| [[Threnody]]
  
| [[Threnody]]
−
| [[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]]
 +
| ''[[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]]''
 
|{{au ref|threnodite}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|40}}{{wob ref|8398}}
  
|{{au ref|threnodite}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|40}}{{wob ref|8398}}
 
|}
  
|}
   
  +
While most [[Shardworld]]s have only one Shard, [[Sel]] and [[Scadrial]] are both dishardic, hosting two Shards each.{{au ref|Selish}}{{au ref|Scadrian}} [[Roshar]], on the other hand, is the only known example of a world influenced by three Shards.{{au ref|Rosharan}}
−
It is likely that this is a complete list of all the Shards for the published [[Shardworld]]s. Some worlds have more Shards than others.{{wob ref|5943}}
  
   
  +
Several of the known Shards are dead in the current time, with [[Ambition]], [[Honor]], [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]] all being [[splinter]]ed.{{au ref|Rosharan}} [[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]], on the other hand, have blended together into [[Harmony]], albeit they remain somewhat separate within this unified construct.{{wob ref|6486}}
−
According to Brandon, it's possible that there is an Ingenuity Shard.{{wob ref|10288}}{{wob ref|3299}} This is not confirmed, although he did claim it would be the Shard he would take up if he was a Vessel.
  
−  
−
Ruin and Preservation are the only Shards on [[Scadrial]] at the moment.{{wob ref|5599}} By the time of the Hero of Ages spoiler thread (before the Way of Kings release), Brandon mentioned that there were four Shards other than Ruin and Preservation that have been seen:
  
   
  +
=== Unnamed Shards ===
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| Some men, as they age, grow wiser. I am not one of those, for wisdom and I have always been at cross-purposes, and I have yet to learn the tongue in which she speaks.
−
| You've interacted with two directly.<br>
  
  +
| [[Hoid]] implying the existence of another Shard{{book ref|sa3|68}}
−
One is a tough call. You've never met the Shard itself, but you've seen its power.<br>
 
−
The other one you have not met directly, but have seen its influence.|multiline=y
  
−
| Brandon Sanderson{{wob ref|5786}}
 
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
There remain six Shards that have not been named, nor referred to explicitly in text. Very little is known about them.
−
Endowment was confirmed to be the Voice from [[Warbreaker]],{{wob ref|5943}} which Lightsong interacts with. [[Raoden]] interacts with a second voice when he jumps into the [[Perpendicularity]] in [[Elantris]] (presumably Aona's). Before the release of [[The Way of Kings]] it was not clear what the other two Shards were. However, Hoid was not a Vessel on that list.{{wob ref|5522}}
  
−  
−
With the Way of Kings, [[the Letter]] demystifies the other two unaccounted for Shards: we had not directly met Skai's Shard, but his power on the planet of [[Sel]] has been seen (and, presumably, his related magic, with the [[Dakhor]]). And [[Odium]] traveled to Sel, killing Aona and Skai, so by default his influence is pervasive on Sel.{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}} So, all the Shards on Scadrial, Sel, and Nalthis are accounted for.
 
   
  +
What is known is that there exists a Shard with intent similar to Wisdom, that once sought to hide and survive, but has over time realized that this isn't the most desirable course of action.{{wob ref|12684}}{{wob ref|13231}} [[Hoid]] and this Shard seem to be antagonistic towards each other, though this appears to be a common thread in his relations with all Vessels.{{book ref|sa3|68}}{{wob ref|13239}}
−
There are three Shards on Roshar{{wob ref|5523}} and they are confirmed to be Honor, Odium, and Cultivation.{{wob ref|10113}} Honor and Cultivation arrived at the same time on Roshar,{{wob ref|1169}} prior to Odium's appearance.{{wob ref|9934}}
  
   
  +
There exists a Shard that wishes only to hide and survive.{{wob ref|2788}} It's possible that this refers to "wisdom". There's also at least one unknown Shard that doesn't inhabit any planet.{{wob ref|4441}} Moreover, at least one unknown Shard has been mentioned as having been splintered, although this may refer to Ambition, who was unnamed at the time this information appeared.{{wob ref|1357}}
−
Therefore, for all Shardworlds that have been seen, all Shards are known.
  
   
  +
When asked about what Vessel he would become, Brandon suggested Ingenuity, implying that it might be another Shard.{{wob ref|10288}}{{wob ref|3299}} Likewise, Prudence was suggested to be a very Shardic name.{{wob ref|13231}} However, neither Ingenuity nor Prudence have been confirmed as Shards.
−
The intent of one unknown Shard has been described, but not explicitly named:
  
   
  +
== Powers and Abilities ==
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| The power of ancient Adonalsium permeates him. And controls him. [[Odium]] is a force like pressure, gravitation, or the movement of time. These things cannot break their own rules. Nor can he.
−
| There is one [Shard] who just wants to hide + survive.
  
−
| Brandon Sanderson{{wob ref|2788}}
 +
| [[Stormfather]]{{book ref|sa3|16}}
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
Shards possess incredible power -- a single Shard can easily move entire planets and alter people down to genetic level.{{epigraph ref|mb3|4}} They exist in all three Realms, but unlike other living beings, the vast majority of their power is concentrated in the [[Cognitive Realm|Cognitive]] and [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]]. Time matters little to Shards, and they can bend and stretch as they wish it.{{epigraph ref|mb3|17}}
−
There is also a shard that doesn't inhabit any planet.{{wob ref|4441}} While Ambition fits that description, Brandon was referring to another Shard.{{wob ref|2550}}
  
   
  +
As [[Investiture]] never truly goes away, a Shard has access to a functionally-endless supply of it; however, there is a finite amount that a Vessel can command at any one time. This also means that while all Investiture in the cosmere is assigned to one Shard or another, a Shard cannot truly command all of it at once.{{wob ref|8605}} As such, while powerful, Shards are neither omniscient, nor omnipresent or omnipotent.
−
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.
  
   
  +
A Shard's power can be temporarily diminished, either by assigning it to other living creatures (like people or [[spren]]) or by sending it back to Spiritual Realm, for example, by burning [[atium]]. Moreover, Shards are, as powers, bound to follow higher rules; a deal, once made by a Shard, cannot be broken, and they must absolutely obey the rules that govern them.{{book ref|sa3|16}}
−
At least one of the Vessels is not human.{{wob ref|2571}}
  
   
  +
Each Shard appears particularly predisposed towards acting in line with their intent; for example, [[Preservation]] finds it near-impossible to destroy, while it's extremely easy for [[Ruin]].{{msh ref|2|3}} This is partially influenced by the personality change brought about by the Shard.{{wob ref|6685}} However, whether their intents provide Shards with actual unique powers is unknown.
−
The last six Shards are unknown.
  
   
−
== Use of Investiture ==
 +
=== Individual Powers ===
  +
[[File:Marsh Ruin.png|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|eyeronis}}</small></center> [[Ruin]] commanding a [[Steel Inquisitor]] ]]
−
{{quote
  
−
| The Shards are not God, but they are ''pieces'' of God. Ruin, Preservation, Autonomy, Cultivation, Devotion...There are sixteen of them
  
−
| [[Khriss]] talking about the origin of a shards power.{{msh ref|3|2}}
  
−
}}
  
   
  +
==== Movement ====
−
A Shard is a chunk of [[Investiture]] with intent, while held by a [[Vessel]] that vessel is able to guide that power to do incredible things so long as that corresponds with its intent. Here lists some general abilities of all Shards that we currently know. An individual Shard's abilities may vary depending on their intent, but such distinctions are not fully understood at this time.
  
  +
Shards are capable of appearing in various parts of their own Invested worlds instantaneously.{{book ref|mb3|76}} They can also travel to other planets by willing themselves to do so.{{epigraph ref|sa1|21}}{{wob ref|5526}} However, when a Shard Invests its power in a world, it's bound to it and will have difficulty leaving the system it's in.{{wob ref|9852}} Shards can also trap each other in systems, though the precise mechanics of it are unknown.{{book ref|sa3|57}}
   
  +
==== Communication ====
−
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}}
  
  +
Shards have several ways of communicating with people. Some Shards can speak directly into the minds of others, while others can listen.{{book ref|mb3|48}} A Shard can also communicate with a person directly through dreams or visions, and even take on a physical form -- a puppet of sorts, serving as a Physical outlet for communication.{{book ref|sa3|57}}{{book ref|sa3|114}} While the visions and speaking directly into a mind are limited to a single person, a puppet can be seen by many people.{{book ref|sa3|115}}
−
=== Movement ===
  
−
Shards are capable of moving themselves to various parts of their world instantaneously (or near instantly).{{book ref|mb3|76}} They can will themselves to other Shardworlds, as noted from Odium's journey to Sel{{epigraph ref|sa1|21}} and Brandon implying that [[Sazed]] could travel to another world, but chooses not to.{{wob ref|5526}}
  
   
  +
A Shard can also communicate directly with [[Cognitive Shadow]]s, and is capable of bilocation -- being present in several places at once -- within its sphere of influence.{{msh ref|1|1}}
−
=== Magic Generation ===
  
−
Shards will begin to fuel magic when they settle on a world. Each Shard can do this differently, though much of the system is restricted by the world itself. Because of this, the Shard is able to directly interact with the users of the magic and provide the needed investiture. Ruin and Preservation's ability to fuel all the Metallic Arts is an example of this.{{wob ref|6072}} [[Ruin]] could also manipulate the contents of [[Feruchemical]] [[metalmind]]s.{{wob ref|9695}}
  
   
−
=== Communication ===
 +
==== Creating Sapience ====
  +
Shards can use their power to create complex '''constructs''', capable of continuing their function past the Shard's death. Examples of such constructs are the snapping mists of [[Preservation]],{{wob ref|4445}} and the vision journal of [[Honor]].{{book ref|sa1|75}} Shards can also create sapient beings out of their power -- this is most commonly seen on [[Roshar]], with its overabundance of [[spren]]. Many of them, like [[Stormfather]], [[Nightwatcher]] and [[honorspren]], were created by local Shards.{{book ref|sa3|108}}{{book ref|sa3|114}}
−
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.
  
−
[[Ruin]] can whisper into the minds of humans and spiked humans it could manifest and speak to directly and Preservation can see into the minds of humans and even influence them a small amount, like getting them to leave an earring off. however that influence is very weak and easily overcome by a persons own will.{{cite}}
 
−
=== Future Sight ===
 
−
Shards can see into the future, though this is difficult to do. [[Honor]] describes seeing the future like "It's as if the future is a shattering window. The further you look, the more pieces that window breaks into."{{book ref|twok|75}} Some Shards are better at seeing into the future--Honor says Cultivation is better at future sight than Honor.{{book ref|twok|75}} Preservation saw into the future and created the [[Terris Prophecies]].{{wob ref|5309}} Most of the time, temporal abilities are related to the pure essence of a Shard (see [[atium]]) or to a Splinter (like Returned do).{{wob ref|4645}} Since Wyrn can see into the future through some method, it is theorized he may hold a Splinter or be a Sliver, but he may also have this power via [[Seon]] or [[Skaze]].
  
   
  +
Shards can also create '''avatars''', personas that can act independently of them.{{wob ref|13220}} Avatars can be of any gender, race and species, regardless of the original Vessel creating them, and can be formed at a considerable distance from the main body of the Shard, with many different avatars able to exist on a single [[Shardworld]].{{wob ref|3974}}{{wob ref|9385}}{{wob ref|3974}} Though a Shard can create them directly, avatars can also form without a conscious decision on the Shard's part, though the Shard is still aware of what is happening.{{wob ref|13220}} When created directly, however, they can be instilled with specific traits.{{epigraph ref|sa3|50}}
−
=== Cognitive Constructs ===
  
−
Shards can develop complex constructs with their power. Preservation made the mists Snap Allomancers long after his mind had withered away.{{wob ref|4445}} Honor created a visual journal which [[Dalinar]] now sees during [[highstorm]]s.{{book ref|twok|75}} That visual journal was propagated by the [[Stormfather]]. Honor also created many [[Spren]] out of investiture and was even able to alter and increase the mind of the [[Stormfather]]. Entities like the Mist spirit and the Stormfather are often called Cognitive Shadows, bits of mind with power doing tasks created for them.
  
   
  +
Avatars are, in a way, considered to be Shards in their own right.{{wob ref|8606}} Known ones include [[Patji (being)|Patji]] and the [[Sand Lord]], both of [[Autonomy]].{{wob ref|8902}}{{wob ref|5876}} It is difficult, but possible for someone to become a Vessel of an avatar.{{wob ref|13323}}
−
=== Endless investiture ===
  
−
Investiture never goes away and always returns; a Vessel wielding a Shard has access to an endless supply of Investiture. However, there is a finite amount that a Vessel can wield at one time. Occasionally a Shard's power is condensed into a different form in the physical realm. Investiture can appear in one of three states: a gas or mist like substance, a liquid, or a solid. [[Stormlight]] and the mists on [[Scadrial]] are examples of investiture manifesting as a gas. The Well of Ascension is [[Preservation]]'s power, condensed as a liquid. Some Aspects of Shards' power regenerate over time. The Well of Ascension reformed every 1024 years{{wob ref|5511}} rather than vanishing forever. Atium also regenerates, though when atium was burned away, Ruin was not able to use it. It isn't known whether all of a Shard's power would regenerate eventually.
  
   
  +
Shardic power is also directly related to sentience and sapience. Close presence of a particular Shard, such as [[Cultivation]], can lead to surrounding beings developing higher levels of sapience.{{wob ref|2792}} Shardic power can also grant sentience directly -- [[Scadrian]]s are sapient due to Preservation's power within them, and [[Nightblood]]'s sapience is partially derived from his large quantity of [[Breath]]s. [[Splinter]]s can also become sapient.{{wob ref|1799}} Even the raw power of a Shard, if left alone and without a Vessel, will eventually begin to form a rudimentary mind.{{au ref|Selish}}
−
=== Weaknesses ===
  
−
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}}
  
   
  +
==== Magic Generation ====
−
Shards, though their minds are significantly expanded, are not omniscient, omnipresent nor omnipotent. Even after Ruin was free from his prison, he couldn't influence everything. After the end of ''[[The Hero of Ages]]'', Sazed can more easily influence events where the mists are located,{{wob ref|5308}} which implies that there is a limit to his Shards' powers.
  
  +
When a Shard Invests a world, it will begin to fuel the local magic system. Each Shard can do this differently, though much of the system is dictated by the planet itself. Because of this connection to the magic, a Shard is able to directly interact with its users and provide Investiture when necessary, without the need for intermediaries.{{wob ref|6072}}
   
  +
While not all magic systems in the cosmere are directly tied to a Shard, Shardic presence greatly influences the shape a magic system takes. On a [[Shardworld]], magic forms as a result of the interactions between Shard's power, [[Realmatic]]s, the world's natural inclinations and, in some places, even genetics.{{wob ref|6072}} For this reason, the exact function magic performs will not always be related to the Shard's nature -- for example, [[Surgebinding]], despite being powered by [[Honor]], is capable of manipulating [[Division]], separating things. However, how the magic is ''obtained'' is, in fact, tied to the Shard.{{wob ref|4032}} [[Hemalurgy]] demands that a person be destroyed, in line with the intent of Ruin, while Surgebinding demands forging bonds.
−
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.
  
   
  +
==== Futuresight ====
−
Preservation and Ruin are blind to metal, the [[focus]] of the [[Metallic Arts]]. It is not clear if other Shards are blind to an aspect of their respective focus, but Brandon has stated that Sazed is also blind to metal.{{wob ref|6149}}
  
−  
−
Honor states to [[Dalinar]] that a champion may bind [[Odium]], but it is unknown what he meant.{{book ref|sa1|75}}
  
−  
−
== Forms and Subdivisions ==
  
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| It's as if the future is a shattering window. The further you look, the more pieces that window breaks into. The near future can be anticipated, but the distant future… I can only guess.
−
| Ruin's consciousness was trapped by the Well of Ascension, kept mostly impotent. That night, when we discovered the Well for the first time, we found something we didn't understand. A black smoke, clogging one of the rooms.<br />
  
  +
| [[Honor]]{{book ref|sa1|75}}
−
Though we discussed it after the fact, we couldn't decide what that was. How could we possibly have known?<br />
  
−
The body of a god—or, rather, the power of a god, since the two are really the same thing. Ruin and Preservation inhabited power and energy in the same way a person inhabits flesh and blood.|multiline=y
  
−
| Sazed{{epigraph ref|mb3|14}}
 
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
Shards can perceive the future, although it can be difficult for them. Some are better at it than others, with [[Cultivation]] and [[Preservation]] in particular being noted as particularly excelling.{{book ref|sa1|75}}{{wob ref|5309}} Like all seers, Shards utilize [[Fortune]] to see ahead; and, like all seers, they can be wrong about both what they see and how they interpret it.{{book ref|sa3|122}} Shardic power can also be utilized by others to perceive the future like they do: examples of this are [[atium]], as well as the visions of the [[Returned]].{{wob ref|4645}}
−
A Shard's power can take many different forms, related to the three [[Realmatic Theory|realm]]s: the Physical, the Cognitive, and the Spiritual.{{wob ref|4445}} All are extensions of the Shard's power, and in ''[[The Hero of Ages]]'', sometimes referred to as the body of the Shard.{{epigraph ref|mb3|14}}
  
   
  +
{{theory}}
−
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.
  
   
  +
It has been speculated that the Shard's intent is tied to its proficiency in futuresight. Preservation, as a Shard dedicated to keeping things existing, and Cultivation, a Shard dedicated to growing something in a desired form, would hold a natural interest in predicting what the future will hold. As such, they would be particularly excellent at seeing it. By contrast, a Shard like Ruin, which is interested only in destroying things, and Honor, about holding to one's oaths no matter what, would not have "seeing ahead" as part of their nature.
−
In its liquid form, it is most potent.{{wob ref|6072}} The [[Well of Ascension]] is one such pool of a Shard's power, and as it was formed from Preservation's own mind, the liquid essence of a Shard is said to be related to the Cognitive aspect. Many Shards have such a [[Perpendicularity]]. Ruin's is located below the [[Pits of Hathsin]].{{wob ref|5525}} Raoden encounters a Perpendicularity, where [[Hoed]] can go to relieve their pain.{{book ref|Elantris|60}} That pool is theorized to be Aona's Perpendicularity.
  
   
  +
== Forms and Subdivisions ==
−
It is not clear what the gaseous form of Shards (the Spiritual power) do in general, but the mists--the power of Preservation--are able to fuel Allomancy as if working as a metal.{{wob ref|6072}} The black smoke that was found in the chamber before the Well of Ascension was Ruin's corresponding "mist".{{epigraph ref|mb3|14}}
  
  +
[[File:Cultivation and the Nightwatcher 1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|Kyle Pearson}}</small></center> [[Cultivation]] with her daughter-[[spren]], [[Nightwatcher]] ]]
−  
−
There are further subdivisions of Shards: Slivers and Splinters.
  
−  
−
=== [[Sliver]] ===
  
−
A Sliver is a human intelligence who has held the power and released it.{{wob ref|4540}} There is a certain threshold of power where one would be considered a Sliver of Adonalsium. Every person on [[Scadrial]] has a bit of the power of Preservation, but they are not technically Slivers. Though there is some grey area in what it means to be a Sliver, individuals who have directly held the power of a Shard are usually termed Slivers.{{wob ref|4499}}
  
−  
−
The [[Lord Ruler]] held a bit of Preservation at the [[Well of Ascension]] and let it go. This altered him, and that residue of a Shard inside him was what scholars would term a Sliver. After Vin gave up [[Preservation]], she was considered a Sliver, as was Kelsier by the end of the [[Mistborn trilogy]]. Elantrians are not slivers.{{wob ref|4499}}
  
−  
−
=== [[Splinter]] ===
  
−
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}}
  
−  
−
The divine Breath that [[Returned]] hold (a Splinter of [[Endowment]]){{wob ref|4486}} and the Aon within a Seon (a Splinter of [[Devotion]]) are the only confirmed Splinters. Splinters also appear in ''[[The Way of Kings]]'', but not ''[[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]]''.{{wob ref|4541}}
 
−  
−
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}}
  
−  
−
=== Shardic Sentience ===
  
−
A Shard's power can create sentience if left around people.{{wob ref|9708}} Preservation put a fragment of himself into the people on Scadrial, granting them sentience, and the large quantity of Breaths (presumably fragments of Endowment) in [[Nightblood]] are a factor in his sentience. Splinters can also gain sentience.{{wob ref|1799}}
  
−  
−
== Relationship with Magic Systems ==
  
 
{{quote
  
{{quote
  +
| I'm still a [[spren]]. I’m a little piece of God.
−
| The powers of Ruin and Preservation are Shards of Adonalsium, pieces of the power of creation itself. Allomancy, Hemalurgy, Feruchemy are manifestations of this power in mortal form, the ability to touch the powers of creation and use them. These metallic powers are how people's physical forms interpret the use of the Shard, though it's not the only possible way they could be interpreted or used. It's what the genetics and Realmatic interactions of Scadrial allow for, and has to do with the Spiritual, the Cognitive, and the Physical Realms.
  
−
| [[Brandon]]{{wob ref|6072}}
 +
| [[Syl]]{{book ref|sa3|91}}
 
}}
  
}}
   
  +
The raw Investiture of a Shard can take distinct forms and states. As a solid, the Investiture is metallic, and is thus sometimes referred to as a '''godmetal'''. Examples of godmetals are [[atium]], [[lerasium]] and the alloy of [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]] that forms [[Shardblade]]s. Godmetals typically have properties within the [[Metallic Arts]], regardless of what Shard they're aligned with.{{wob ref|6072}}
−
All magic systems that are currently known are related to Shards. [[Allomancy]] is of Preservation, [[Hemalurgy]] is of Ruin, and [[Feruchemy]] is the balance between the two Shards. [[AonDor]], by name, appears to be related to [[Devotion]]. [[Awakening]] is of [[Endowment]]. [[Surgebinding]] is of [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]]. The only magic that may not be related to a Shard are [[Hoid]]'s ability to move from planet to planet, but the mechanics of his powers are not clear.
  
   
  +
Shardic power is the most potent as a liquid.{{wob ref|6072}} It typically coalesces in one place on a planet, forming a '''[[perpendicularity]]'''. A perpendicularity represents a tremendous amount of power, enough so to pierce all three Realms, allowing people to slide between them.{{au ref|Drominad}} Examples of such perpendicularities are the [[Well of Ascension]], the [[Pits of Hathsin]], or the [[Devotion's Perpendicularity|Lake]].
−
The types of magics that exist on a world depends on which Shards are present. If Endowment were to move to Scadrial, additional combinations of magics may form.{{wob ref|5535}}{{wob ref|3005}} However, Shards did not ''create'' magic systems. Ruin and Preservation did not create the Metallic Arts.{{wob ref|5269}} Rather, magic is a natural function of the world, a Shard's intent, [[Realmatic]] interactions, and sometimes genetics.{{wob ref|6072}}
  
   
  +
As a gas, the Shardic power can take on a number of different functions. Examples of Investiture in gaseous forms include [[Breath]], [[Stormlight]], and Preservation's mists. All can serve as fuel for magic. In both [[Awakening]] and [[Surgebinding]], gaseous Investiture is, in fact, the primary source of magic, but even in systems that use other substances, like [[Allomancy]], gaseous Investiture can serve the same purpose.{{wob ref|6072}}
−
Though magics are related to a Shard, that does not mean that the effect of a magic is in line with a Shard's intent. For example, Allomancy does things like Pushing and Pulling that don't bring to mind "Preserving" things. Rather, a Shard's intent determines ''how'' the magic is obtained, not its effect.{{wob ref|4032}} In Hemalurgy, the method of gaining magic is spiking and it is inherently destruction, but the ''effect'' of the magic actually enhances something else. (This is the more exact, confirmed statement of [[17s-topic:369|the Principle of Intent]] theory).
  
   
  +
=== Slivers ===
−
Magic systems have a [[focus]]. Metals are the focus for the Metallic Arts, Aons are the focus for AonDor, and the Commands are the focus for Awakening.{{annotation ref|wb|chapter=21}} The focus seems to be related to Shards themselves, as Ruin and Preservation could not perceive metal. It is not known what determines a focus for a given Shard, or if all Shards are blind to their focus in some way.
  
  +
{{for|Sliver}}
   
  +
A Sliver is a person who has held the power of a Shard, and then released it.{{wob ref|4540}} This "stretches" a person's [[spiritweb]], noticeably altering them. There is some grey area as to how much power one needs to have to be considered a Sliver; however, a person who directly handled Shardic power is the most straightforward example. The [[Lord Ruler]] and [[Kelsier]] would both be considered Slivers, while [[Elantrian]]s and [[Returned]] would not.{{wob ref|4499}}
−
== Theories and Speculation ==
  
  +
−
{{theory}}
  
−
=== Shardic Future Sight ===
 +
=== Splinters ===
  +
{{for|Splinter}}
−
A remarkably simple theory explains why some Shards are better at seeing into the future than others. Cultivation is better at seeing into the future than Honor, and when compared to Preservation, Ruin was remarkably bad at seeing into the future. (After all, if Ruin figured out the Terris Prophecies, he could have simply killed Vin after the events of [[The Well of Ascension]], thus defeating Preservation's plot for a new Vessel and ultimately gaining victory.)
  
   
  +
Splinter is a fragment of a Shard's power, similar to how a Shard is a fragment of Adonalsium's power. Unlike Slivers of [[Cognitive Shadow]]s, Splinters don't generally have a Physical component.{{wob ref|4541}} They often have a mind of their own, separate and distinct from that of their parent Shard.{{wob ref|10089}} They can form in two distinct ways: either by the Shard being splintered (killed), or by the Shard directly splitting off splinters of itself.{{wob ref|4129}}{{book ref|sa3|108}}
−
The idea is simple: a Shard's ability to see into the future is determined by the Shard's intent.{{wob ref|2713}} Ruin is intent that has an immediate effect--Ruin wants to destroy ''now'', not later. Since Ruin is preoccupied with the present, he is particularly bad at seeing into the future. Preservation, on the other hand, is about protection. Protection is a long term thing, so Preservation is more looking into the future, so he is good at seeing into the future. It’s probably for similar reasons why Cultivation is skilled at seeing into the future.
  
   
  +
Splinters can be comprised of the Investiture of one or more Shards.{{wob ref|6454}} Examples of splinters include the divine [[Breath]] of the [[Returned]],{{wob ref|4486}} [[Aon]]s within [[seon]]s, and [[spren]].{{wob ref|3017}}
−
There was significant debate whether Odium could see into the future. People agreed that Odium is more proficient than Ruin at the very least, because having hatred for something would mean that Odium would stop at nothing to exact his goals, even if he had to wait an extremely long period of time. However, Odium is probably not as good as Cultivation or Preservation in this regard, but this still means Odium is much more dangerous than Ruin.
  
   
 
== See Also ==
  
== See Also ==

Revision as of 21:50, 19 January 2020

Shard
The Roshards by jurassicpencil.jpg
by mushimallo
Related to Adonalsium, Investiture
Universe Cosmere
This page contains information for the Shards of Adonalsium. For information regarding the armaments used on Roshar, see Shardblade or Shardplate.

“ The Shards are not God, but they are pieces of God. Ruin, Preservation, Autonomy, Cultivation, Devotion...There are sixteen of them. ”

The Shards of Adonalsium, or Shards for short, are sixteen pieces of the power of creation.[2] They are each named after specific actions or ideals, which represent the Shard's primary purpose or motivation. A person who has taken up the power of a Shard is the Vessel of that Shard.[3]

The Shards are the most powerful entities in the cosmere, and for all intents and purposes, serve as cosmere's gods. Most, if not all magic systems are related to them.

Introduction

by botanicaxu
Honor

“ Ruin and Preservation inhabited power and energy in the same way a person inhabits flesh and blood. ”

Power

Each Shard is a piece of the power of creation with a specific motivation, such as to destroy or to preserve. Those fragments each began their existence with equal level of power; however, over time many have diminished, whether through conflict or by the act of Investing a world -- imbuing it with Investiture. Each Shard has its own Investiture; while a Shard can co-opt the Investiture of another Shard, that Investiture will become noticeably red.[5]

Investing in a world will produce numerous effects, most notably the creation of a magic system tied to the Shard. While a Shard doesn't have complete control over how the magic system functions or what it does, it can manipulate its mechanics to an extent.[2][6] Moreover, the presence of a Shard leads to the formation of a Perpendicularity, a well of the Shard's Investiture that pierces all three Realms, allowing for the existence of worldhopping.[7] The Shard can also influence the world in other ways; examples of such influence are atium and lerasium on Scadrial, the Tears of Edgli on Nalthis, or the many spren of Roshar.

Vessel

To function properly, a Shard requires a Vessel -- a mind to control it, belonging to a sapient creature from the Physical Realm, such as a human.[8] One doesn't need to be able to use Investiture in order to become a Vessel, but the ability does help.[9] What becoming a Vessel requires above all is Connection to the Shard in question, whether forged artificially or driven by a natural inclination towards the Shard's intent.[3]

The act of becoming a Vessel is called Ascension, and causes the Vessel's body to vaporize, allowing their mind to expand.[2] From then on, the Vessel and the Shard are intertwined; the Vessel gets to set some general course of how the Shard's power is defined, and feeds off the Shard's power to remain alive, but the Shard's power is the driving force between the two. Over centuries, the Vessel's mind begins to change to fit the Shard's intent more perfectly.Template:Annotation ref[10][11] If the Vessel were to give up the Shard, the Shard's influence on their mind would fade over time.[12]

A Shard can be killed by Splintering it, breaking its power down further into smaller pieces, called splinters; the easiest way to achieve that is by killing the mind.[1] The actual death of a Vessel, however, can take up to hundreds of years.[13] If the Shard is taken up before the Vessel dies completely, splintering can be prevented;[1] if not, the power will become wild and dangerous.[14] When a Vessel dies, the person's original body rematerializes and falls to the ground as a corpse.[15]

It is possible for a Vessel to be separated from their Shard without dying or Splintering the Shard they held.[16][17]

History

For the histories of individual Shards, see their respective pages.

“ 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. ”

It is unknown what precisely Adonalsium was, though it has been referred to numerous times as the power of creation, suggesting it to be the progenitor god of the cosmere. At some point in the distant past, on the planet of Yolen, sixteen people conspired to kill it, and succeeded in an event known as the Shattering of Adonalsium.[1] Some of those people were romantically involved; others were related to each other.[19][20] All of them were mortal at some point.[21]

Following the Shattering, the power that comprised Adonalsium broke into sixteen pieces, each polarized to one particular aspect of it, such as Ruin or Endowment. Those pieces, each equal in power, became known as the Shards. The sixteen killers of Adonalsium each took up one of the Shards, Ascending and becoming the first Vessels.[1] Following their Ascension, each of the Vessels departed Yolen. Some settled on various planets, henceforth dubbed Shardworlds; others set no roots.[22]

Originally, the Shards made a pact not to interfere with each other; however, only a few Shards kept to it.[23] The pact was not, it seems, set in stone, as even the Shard of oathkeeping, Honor, felt no qualms about travelling with Cultivation.[24]

Over the millennia, several Shards have passed away, one way or another. The most common cause of death for them were actions of one specific Shard, Odium, who went on a killing spree, splintering Ambition, Devotion, Dominion and Honor before eventually being trapped in the Rosharan system by the remnants of the latter.[25] Preservation passed hands several times before being merged with Ruin into Harmony;[26] by contrast, Autonomy spread, creating avatars to inhabit numerous Shardworlds, including Obrodai and First of the Sun.[27]

At least one of the Vessels regrets taking up a Shard, though which one that would be is unknown.[28] There are living descendants of some of them still alive.[21]

Known Shards

Shard Vessel World Books References
Devotion Aona (deceased) Sel Elantris [29][30][31][32]
Dominion Skai (deceased) Sel Elantris [33][31][32]
Preservation Sazed (formerly Leras, Kelsier, and Vin) Scadrial Mistborn (series) [34][32]
Ruin Sazed (formerly Ati) Scadrial Mistborn (series) [34][32]
Odium Rayse Braize The Stormlight Archive [35][32]
Cultivation Unknown Roshar The Stormlight Archive [36][32]
Honor Tanavast (deceased) Roshar The Stormlight Archive [37][32]
Endowment Edgli Nalthis Warbreaker [38][32]
Autonomy Bavadin Taldain White Sand, Sixth of the Dusk [34][32]
Ambition Uli Da (deceased) Threnody Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell [39][40][41]

While most Shardworlds have only one Shard, Sel and Scadrial are both dishardic, hosting two Shards each.[14][42] Roshar, on the other hand, is the only known example of a world influenced by three Shards.[25]

Several of the known Shards are dead in the current time, with Ambition, Honor, Devotion and Dominion all being splintered.[25] Ruin and Preservation, on the other hand, have blended together into Harmony, albeit they remain somewhat separate within this unified construct.[26]

Unnamed Shards

“ Some men, as they age, grow wiser. I am not one of those, for wisdom and I have always been at cross-purposes, and I have yet to learn the tongue in which she speaks. ”

— Hoid implying the existence of another Shard[43]

There remain six Shards that have not been named, nor referred to explicitly in text. Very little is known about them.

What is known is that there exists a Shard with intent similar to Wisdom, that once sought to hide and survive, but has over time realized that this isn't the most desirable course of action.[44][45] Hoid and this Shard seem to be antagonistic towards each other, though this appears to be a common thread in his relations with all Vessels.[43][46]

There exists a Shard that wishes only to hide and survive.[47] It's possible that this refers to "wisdom". There's also at least one unknown Shard that doesn't inhabit any planet.[22] Moreover, at least one unknown Shard has been mentioned as having been splintered, although this may refer to Ambition, who was unnamed at the time this information appeared.[48]

When asked about what Vessel he would become, Brandon suggested Ingenuity, implying that it might be another Shard.[49][50] Likewise, Prudence was suggested to be a very Shardic name.[45] However, neither Ingenuity nor Prudence have been confirmed as Shards.

Powers and Abilities

“ The power of ancient Adonalsium permeates him. And controls him. Odium is a force like pressure, gravitation, or the movement of time. These things cannot break their own rules. Nor can he. ”

Shards possess incredible power -- a single Shard can easily move entire planets and alter people down to genetic level.[52] They exist in all three Realms, but unlike other living beings, the vast majority of their power is concentrated in the Cognitive and Spiritual. Time matters little to Shards, and they can bend and stretch as they wish it.[53]

As Investiture never truly goes away, a Shard has access to a functionally-endless supply of it; however, there is a finite amount that a Vessel can command at any one time. This also means that while all Investiture in the cosmere is assigned to one Shard or another, a Shard cannot truly command all of it at once.[54] As such, while powerful, Shards are neither omniscient, nor omnipresent or omnipotent.

A Shard's power can be temporarily diminished, either by assigning it to other living creatures (like people or spren) or by sending it back to Spiritual Realm, for example, by burning atium. Moreover, Shards are, as powers, bound to follow higher rules; a deal, once made by a Shard, cannot be broken, and they must absolutely obey the rules that govern them.[51]

Each Shard appears particularly predisposed towards acting in line with their intent; for example, Preservation finds it near-impossible to destroy, while it's extremely easy for Ruin.[55] This is partially influenced by the personality change brought about by the Shard.[56] However, whether their intents provide Shards with actual unique powers is unknown.

Individual Powers

by eyeronis
Ruin commanding a Steel Inquisitor

Movement

Shards are capable of appearing in various parts of their own Invested worlds instantaneously.[57] They can also travel to other planets by willing themselves to do so.[58][59] However, when a Shard Invests its power in a world, it's bound to it and will have difficulty leaving the system it's in.[60] Shards can also trap each other in systems, though the precise mechanics of it are unknown.[61]

Communication

Shards have several ways of communicating with people. Some Shards can speak directly into the minds of others, while others can listen.[62] A Shard can also communicate with a person directly through dreams or visions, and even take on a physical form -- a puppet of sorts, serving as a Physical outlet for communication.[61][63] While the visions and speaking directly into a mind are limited to a single person, a puppet can be seen by many people.[64]

A Shard can also communicate directly with Cognitive Shadows, and is capable of bilocation -- being present in several places at once -- within its sphere of influence.[65]

Creating Sapience

Shards can use their power to create complex constructs, capable of continuing their function past the Shard's death. Examples of such constructs are the snapping mists of Preservation,[66] and the vision journal of Honor.[67] Shards can also create sapient beings out of their power -- this is most commonly seen on Roshar, with its overabundance of spren. Many of them, like Stormfather, Nightwatcher and honorspren, were created by local Shards.[68][63]

Shards can also create avatars, personas that can act independently of them.[69] Avatars can be of any gender, race and species, regardless of the original Vessel creating them, and can be formed at a considerable distance from the main body of the Shard, with many different avatars able to exist on a single Shardworld.[70][71][70] Though a Shard can create them directly, avatars can also form without a conscious decision on the Shard's part, though the Shard is still aware of what is happening.[69] When created directly, however, they can be instilled with specific traits.[72]

Avatars are, in a way, considered to be Shards in their own right.[73] Known ones include Patji and the Sand Lord, both of Autonomy.[74][75] It is difficult, but possible for someone to become a Vessel of an avatar.[76]

Shardic power is also directly related to sentience and sapience. Close presence of a particular Shard, such as Cultivation, can lead to surrounding beings developing higher levels of sapience.[77] Shardic power can also grant sentience directly -- Scadrians are sapient due to Preservation's power within them, and Nightblood's sapience is partially derived from his large quantity of Breaths. Splinters can also become sapient.[78] Even the raw power of a Shard, if left alone and without a Vessel, will eventually begin to form a rudimentary mind.[14]

Magic Generation

When a Shard Invests a world, it will begin to fuel the local magic system. Each Shard can do this differently, though much of the system is dictated by the planet itself. Because of this connection to the magic, a Shard is able to directly interact with its users and provide Investiture when necessary, without the need for intermediaries.[2]

While not all magic systems in the cosmere are directly tied to a Shard, Shardic presence greatly influences the shape a magic system takes. On a Shardworld, magic forms as a result of the interactions between Shard's power, Realmatics, the world's natural inclinations and, in some places, even genetics.[2] For this reason, the exact function magic performs will not always be related to the Shard's nature -- for example, Surgebinding, despite being powered by Honor, is capable of manipulating Division, separating things. However, how the magic is obtained is, in fact, tied to the Shard.[79] Hemalurgy demands that a person be destroyed, in line with the intent of Ruin, while Surgebinding demands forging bonds.

Futuresight

“ It's as if the future is a shattering window. The further you look, the more pieces that window breaks into. The near future can be anticipated, but the distant future… I can only guess. ”

Shards can perceive the future, although it can be difficult for them. Some are better at it than others, with Cultivation and Preservation in particular being noted as particularly excelling.[67][80] Like all seers, Shards utilize Fortune to see ahead; and, like all seers, they can be wrong about both what they see and how they interpret it.[81] Shardic power can also be utilized by others to perceive the future like they do: examples of this are atium, as well as the visions of the Returned.[82]

This page or section deals with theories or speculation.
Please read carefully and note that this is not necessarily canonical.

It has been speculated that the Shard's intent is tied to its proficiency in futuresight. Preservation, as a Shard dedicated to keeping things existing, and Cultivation, a Shard dedicated to growing something in a desired form, would hold a natural interest in predicting what the future will hold. As such, they would be particularly excellent at seeing it. By contrast, a Shard like Ruin, which is interested only in destroying things, and Honor, about holding to one's oaths no matter what, would not have "seeing ahead" as part of their nature.

Forms and Subdivisions

by Kyle Pearson
Cultivation with her daughter-spren, Nightwatcher

“ I'm still a spren. I’m a little piece of God. ”

— Syl[83]

The raw Investiture of a Shard can take distinct forms and states. As a solid, the Investiture is metallic, and is thus sometimes referred to as a godmetal. Examples of godmetals are atium, lerasium and the alloy of Honor and Cultivation that forms Shardblades. Godmetals typically have properties within the Metallic Arts, regardless of what Shard they're aligned with.[2]

Shardic power is the most potent as a liquid.[2] It typically coalesces in one place on a planet, forming a perpendicularity. A perpendicularity represents a tremendous amount of power, enough so to pierce all three Realms, allowing people to slide between them.[84] Examples of such perpendicularities are the Well of Ascension, the Pits of Hathsin, or the Lake.

As a gas, the Shardic power can take on a number of different functions. Examples of Investiture in gaseous forms include Breath, Stormlight, and Preservation's mists. All can serve as fuel for magic. In both Awakening and Surgebinding, gaseous Investiture is, in fact, the primary source of magic, but even in systems that use other substances, like Allomancy, gaseous Investiture can serve the same purpose.[2]

Slivers

For more information, see Sliver.

A Sliver is a person who has held the power of a Shard, and then released it.[85] This "stretches" a person's spiritweb, noticeably altering them. There is some grey area as to how much power one needs to have to be considered a Sliver; however, a person who directly handled Shardic power is the most straightforward example. The Lord Ruler and Kelsier would both be considered Slivers, while Elantrians and Returned would not.[86]

Splinters

For more information, see Splinter.

Splinter is a fragment of a Shard's power, similar to how a Shard is a fragment of Adonalsium's power. Unlike Slivers of Cognitive Shadows, Splinters don't generally have a Physical component.[87] They often have a mind of their own, separate and distinct from that of their parent Shard.[88] They can form in two distinct ways: either by the Shard being splintered (killed), or by the Shard directly splitting off splinters of itself.[89][68]

Splinters can be comprised of the Investiture of one or more Shards.[90] Examples of splinters include the divine Breath of the Returned,[91] Aons within seons, and spren.[92]

See Also

Notes

  1. ↑ a b c d e Mistborn: Secret History part 3 chapter 2#
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide
    — Arcanum - 2008-10-15#
  3. ↑ a b Mistborn: Secret History part 5 chapter 2#
  4. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 14 epigraph#
  5. ↑ Oathbringer San Francisco signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-15#
  6. ↑ General Twitter 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-11-14#
  7. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 119#
  8. ↑ Bands of Mourning release party
    — Arcanum - 2016-01-25#
  9. ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2013
    — Arcanum - 2013-04-15#
  10. ↑ Alloy of Law 17th Shard Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2011-11-05#
  11. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 18 epigraph#
  12. ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-10-05#
  13. ↑ Oathbringer release party
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-13#
  14. ↑ a b c Arcanum Unbounded - The Selish System#
  15. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 56 epigraph#
  16. ↑ Firefight Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2015-02-20#
  17. ↑ Calamity Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-02-22#
  18. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 39 epigraph#
  19. ↑ Firefight Seattle UBooks signing
    — Arcanum - 2015-01-06#
  20. ↑ Rithmatist Albuquerque signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-05-22#
  21. ↑ a b Starsight Release Party
    — Arcanum - 2019-11-26#
  22. ↑ a b Words of Radiance Los Angeles signing
    — Arcanum - 2014-03-05#
  23. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 39 epigraph#
  24. ↑ Legion Release Party
    — Arcanum - 2018-09-19#
  25. ↑ a b c Arcanum Unbounded - The Rosharan System#
  26. ↑ a b Alloy of Law Milton Keynes signing
    — Arcanum - 2011-11-21#
  27. ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
    — Arcanum - 2018-10-27#
  28. ↑ Skyward Seattle signing
    — Arcanum - 2018-11-10#
  29. ↑ General Twitter 2015
    — Arcanum - 2015-02-19#
  30. ↑ A Memory of Light Signing Milford
    — Arcanum - 2013-02-16#
  31. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 22 epigraph#
  32. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2009-07-08#
  33. ↑ Alloy of Law Seattle Signing
    — Arcanum - 2011-11-11#
  34. ↑ a b c Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide
    — Arcanum - 2008-10-15#
  35. ↑ Oslo signing, 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-05-30#
  36. ↑ 17th Shard Interview
    — Arcanum - 2010-10-03#
  37. ↑ General Twitter 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-03-21#
  38. ↑ Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2009-07-08#
  39. ↑ Arcanum Unbounded - The Threnodite System#
  40. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 40 epigraph#
  41. ↑ Oathbringer Houston signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-18#
  42. ↑ Arcanum Unbounded - The Scadrian System#
  43. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 68#
  44. ↑ Stuttgart signing
    — Arcanum - 2019-05-17#
  45. ↑ a b Prague Signing
    — Arcanum - 2019-10-26#
  46. ↑ Prague Signing
    — Arcanum - 2019-10-26#
  47. ↑ General Signed Books 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-11-08#
  48. ↑ Idaho Falls signing 2014
    — Arcanum - 2014-11-29#
  49. ↑ MisCon 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-05-26#
  50. ↑ Sofia signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-03-28#
  51. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 16#
  52. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 4 epigraph#
  53. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 17 epigraph#
  54. ↑ Oathbringer London signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-28#
  55. ↑ Mistborn: Secret History part 2 chapter 3#
  56. ↑ West Jordan signing
    — Arcanum - 2011-12-15#
  57. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 76#
  58. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 21 epigraph#
  59. ↑ Ancient 17S Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2010-05-01#
  60. ↑ Phoenix Comicon 2013
    — Arcanum - 2013-05-24#
  61. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 57#
  62. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 48#
  63. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 114#
  64. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 115#
  65. ↑ Mistborn: Secret History part 1 chapter 1#
  66. ↑ Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2009-07-08#
  67. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 75#
  68. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 108#
  69. ↑ a b Prague Signing
    — Arcanum - 2019-10-26#
  70. ↑ a b General Reddit 2016
    — Arcanum - 2016-11-28#
  71. ↑ /r/Cosmere
    — Arcanum - 2018-03-18#
  72. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 50 epigraph#
  73. ↑ Oathbringer signing London
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-28#
  74. ↑ Orem signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-12-21#
  75. ↑ Shadows of Self release party
    — Arcanum - 2015-10-05#
  76. ↑ Starsight Release Party
    — Arcanum - 2019-11-26#
  77. ↑ Shadows of Self Denver signing
    — Arcanum - 2015-10-06#
  78. ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Seattle signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-12-01#
  79. ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-08-31#
  80. ↑ Hero of Ages Q&A - Time Waster's Guide
    — Arcanum - 2008-10-15#
  81. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 122#
  82. ↑ Tor.com Q&A with Brandon Sanderson
    — Arcanum - 2011-01-10#
  83. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 91#
  84. ↑ Arcanum Unbounded - The Drominad System#
  85. ↑ Vericon 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-03-19#
  86. ↑ Goodreads Fantasy Book Discussion Warbreaker Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2010-01-18#
  87. ↑ Vericon 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-03-19#
  88. ↑ West Jordan signing
    — Arcanum - 2011-08-04#
  89. ↑ /r/Stormlight_Archive
    — Arcanum - 2013-03-11#
  90. ↑ Writing for Charity Conference
    — Arcanum - 2012-03-17#
  91. ↑ Goodreads Fantasy Book Discussion Warbreaker Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2010-01-18#
  92. ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-10-05#
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