Difference between revisions of "Shard"

The '''Shards of [[Adonalsium]]''', or '''Shards''' for short, are sixteen pieces of the power of creation.{{wob ref|6072}} They are each named after a specific actionscharacteristic or ideals,ideal whichthat representrepresents 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}}

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

[[File:{{image|Tanavast.jpg|thumb|side=right|width=250px|<center><small>by {{a|botanicaxu}}</small></center> [[Honor]] ]]}}

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's investitureInvestiture can also manifest directly in the world in other ways; examples of such manifestations are [[atium]] and [[lerasium]] on [[Scadrial]], the [[Tears of Edgli]] on [[Nalthis]], or the many [[spren]] of [[Roshar]].

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}} Upon Ascension, a Vessel loses its connection to its former species -- for example, a human who Ascended is no longer considered human.{{wob ref|4709}} However, it is possible for Vessels to reproduce.{{wob ref|6383}}

The act of becoming a Vessel is called '''Ascension''', and causes the Vessel's body to vaporize, allowing theirand 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.{{wob ref|7965}}{{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}}

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}} A Shard without a Vessel will eventually gain sentience.{{wob ref|5816}} When a Vessel dies, the person's original body rematerializesmaterializes and falls to the ground as a corpse.{{epigraph ref|mb3|56}} However, it does not age rapidly, since Shardic immortality is different from other methods like atium compounding.{{wob ref|3870}}

It is possible for a VesselVessels to be separated from their ShardShards without dying or Splintering the ShardShards they held.{{wob ref|120}}{{wob ref|6587}}{{wob ref|14278}} If this happens, then after the Vessel's death, it is able to resist the pull into the [[Beyond]].{{msh ref|6|8}}

Originally, the Shards made aan pactagreement not to interfere with each other; however,{{epigraph onlyref|sa3|39}} abut fewthey Shardsdid keptnot tomake it.a formal oath{{epigraphwob ref|sa3|3913144}} Theand pactmany wasof not,the itShards seems,chose setnot into stone,keep as evento the Shardagreement.{{epigraph ofref|sa3|39}} oathkeepingAdditionally, [[Honor]], felt nohe qualmsdid aboutnot break the agreement by travellingtraveling with [[Cultivation]].,{{wob ref|10835}} suggesting the wording of the agreement may not have been as precise as Shards like Endowment thought.

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}} At least one Shard other than Odium has been forced to leave their Shardworld after its destruction.{{wob ref|12759}}

| [[Taravangian]] <small>(formerly [[Rayse]])</small>

| ''Unknown''[[Koravellium Avast]]

|{{wob ref|10113}}{{wob ref|5984}}{{file ref|Alethi Glyphs Page 2.jpg}}

|[[Hoid]] implying the existence of another Shard{{book ref|sa3|68}}{{wob ref|13239}}

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

WhatOne isof knownthese istwo thatShards therehas exists a Shard withan intent similar to Wisdom, thator once sought to hide and survive, but has over time realized that this isn't the most desirable course of actionPrudence.{{wob ref|12684}}{{wob ref|13231}} [[Hoid]] and this Shard seem to be antagonistic towards each other,{{book ref|sa3|68}}{{wob ref|13239}} though this appears to be a common thread in his relations with allthe original Vessels.{{bookepigraph ref|sa1|23}}{{epigraph ref|sa3|6841}}{{book ref|sa2|55}} There is a Shard that "[[Survival Shard|just wants to hide and survive]],"{{wob ref|132392788}} though it has realized over time that that may not be the most desirable course of action; it is implied that this may be the "wisdom" Shard.{{wob ref|12684}}{{wob ref|13231}}

ThereAt existsone apoint, there was an unknown Shard that wishesdoes onlynot toinhabit hidea and surviveplanet.{{wob ref|27884441}} It'sSince possiblethen, thathowever, thisthe refersShards to[[Ambition]], "wisdom".[[Invention]], There's[[Mercy]], also[[Valor]], atand least[[Whimsy]] onehave unknownbeen Shardrevealed; thatit doesn'tis inhabitunclear if any planet.{{wobof ref|4441}}them Moreoverare this Shard. Similarly, at one point there was at least one unknown Shard hasthat had been mentionedSplintered asby having been splinteredOdium,{{wob althoughref|1357}} thisthough maythe referSplintered toShard Ambition, whohas wasbeen unnamedrevealed at thesince time this information appearedthen.{{wob ref|1357}}

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 means that while all Investiture in the Cosmerecosmere 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 not omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent.

A Shard's power can be temporarily diminished, either by assigning it to other living creatures (such as people or [[spren]]), or by sending it back to the Spiritual Realm, such as by(e.g. 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}}

[[File:{{image|Marsh Ruin.png|thumb|side=right|width=250px|<center><small>by {{a|eyeronis}}</small></center> [[Ruin]] commanding a [[Steel Inquisitor]] ]]}}

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}} Some avatars are self-aware, while others are not, although the parent Shard will always be aware. Though some would call these avatars Splinters, it is not clear whether they truly fit the definition.{{wob ref|13323}}{{wob ref|13339}}

While not all magic systems in the Cosmerecosmere 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 a Shard's power, [[Realmatic]]s, the world's natural inclinations and, in some cases, 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]], which controls separating things. However, how the magic is ''obtained'' is 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.

[[File:{{image|Cultivation and the Nightwatcher 1.jpg|thumb|side=right|width=250px|<center><small>by {{a|Kyle Pearson}}</small></center> [[Cultivation]] with her daughter-[[spren]], the [[Nightwatcher]] ]]}}