Difference between revisions of "Shard"

The '''Shards of [[Adonalsium]]''', or '''Shards''' for short, are pieces of the power of creation itself.{{qa ref|727|45}} They are named after a specific action or ideal, called an [[intent]]. A mind must control a Shard. When a person holds a Shard, they are imbued with its power, but they also become the Shard.{{qa ref|697|21}} Despite this, fans have created the term '''Shardholder''' to refer to the person who holds a Shard (not to be confused with [[Shardbearer]]), but this term is not canonical.

 

 

 

== Introduction ==

Ruin and Preservation were drawn together because they were such perfect opposites{{qa ref|691|9}} (though not all Shards have pairs like those ones do{{qa ref|691|9}}). Direct confrontation between their two powers was excruciatingly painful, and they eventually destroyed each other. 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.

 

 

Odium was powerful enough to travel to Sel, kill Aona and Skai, and Splinter their power:

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.{{qa ref|692|12}}

 

 

While it is not a requirement for taking up a Shard, it helps to be able to utilise Investiture.{{qa ref|979|56}}

{{/row|Endowment | |Nalthis |Warbreaker |{{qa ref|428|59}}{{qa ref|428|106}}|}}

{{/row|Devotion |Aona |Sel |Elantris |{{qa ref|715|9}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{qa ref|428|106}}|}}

{{/row|Honor |Tanavast |Roshar |Stormlight |{{qa ref|698|1}}{{qa ref|428|106}}|}}

{{/row|Odium |Rayse |Braize |Stormlight |{{qa ref|700|7}}{{qa ref|428|106}}|}}

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.

 

 

Therefore, for all Shardworlds that have been seen, all Shards are known.

{{quote

|There is one [Shard] who just wants to hide + survive.

}}

 

In its Physical form, it can appear as a solid, and does one specific thing.{{qa ref|727|45}} 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 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.{{qa ref|727|45}} The black smoke that was found in the chamber before the Well of Ascension was Ruin's corresponding "mist".{{epigraph ref|mb3|14}} Based on [[Realmatic Theory]], it is known that the spiritual power is tied to the afterlife in the corresponding world and is the area in which shardblades are stored, so it is reasonable to conclude the gaseous form of Shards are somehow tied to this plane of existence.

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.{{qa ref|691|25}} However, Shards did not ''create'' magic systems. Ruin and Preservation did not create the Metallic Arts.{{qa ref|727|5}} Rather, magic is a natural function of the world, a Shard's intent, [[Realmatic]] interactions, and sometimes genetics.{{qa ref|727|45}}

 

 

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.{{ref|text=[[User: Chaos2651|Chaos]]'s meeting with Brandon insists it is so.}}{{clarify|need better than 'Eric says so}} 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.

=== Shardic Sentience ===

 

 

=== Shardholder of Endowment ===

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{{qa ref|428|10|Of the people that were sick for the 16 days in comparison to just the 1 day, it is mentioned that they would be able to burn more precious metals (atium). Could it also be possible they are/were Mistborn - with the ability to burn all 16 metals?|date=Jul, 2009}}