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Difference between revisions of "Shard"
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{{spoilers|book=msh}}
{{update}}
{{quote
| [[Khriss]] explaining to [[Kelsier]] what the Shardholders are.{{msh ref|3|2}}
}}
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}} A person who has taken up the power of a Shard is the '''Vessel''' of that Shard.{{msh ref|5|2}}
== Introduction ==
{{quote
|the [[Hero of Ages]]{{epigraph ref|mb3|39}}, emphasis added
}}
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{{qa ref|727|45}}, 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}}
== Relationship with Magic Systems ==
{{quote
|[[Brandon]]{{qa ref|727|45}}
}}
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]]. It is thought that [[Surgebinding]] is of [[Honor]], but this is not confirmed. 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 Sentience ===
It has been theorized that a Shard's power creates sentience.{{17s ref|topic|549}}{{17s ref|topic|636}} 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.
=== Speculated Splinters ===
Since Aona and Skai's Shards have been Splintered, it commonly espoused that Skaze, is a Splinter of Dominion.
=== Shardic Future Sight ===
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.)
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