11,554
edits
Difference between revisions of "Shard"
Restored paragraph structure to help my mind think properly about content, also removed a theory that was proven false
m (→Known Shards: -infobox) |
(Restored paragraph structure to help my mind think properly about content, also removed a theory that was proven false) |
||
|
The '''Shards of [[Adonalsium]]''', or '''Shards''' for short, are pieces of the power of creation itself.{{ref|?|727|45|Allomancy is fueled by Preservation's body?}} 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.{{ref|?|672|21|Barring (Honor), did we see any Shards (like Sazed) in (TWoK)?}} 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.
There are sixteen Shards{{ref|b|TWoK|e|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.
Nine Shards have thus far been mentioned in the novels, either referenced by their Shard’s name or its holder. Those known by intent are [[Ruin]], [[Preservation]], [[Honor]], [[Odium]], [[Cultivation]], [[Endowment]], [[Devotion]]{{ref|?|715|9|Aona's shard is Devotion?}}, and [[Dominion]]{{ref|?|763|2|Another Shard revealed}}. In addition, [[Bavadin]] has been confirmed to hold (or have held) a Shard, though his Shards’ intent is currently unknown.
== 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 /><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.
}}
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{{ref|?|727|45}}, it is theorized that Adonalsium is in fact the power of creation. Regardless of its nature, Adonalsium was [[The Shattering|Shattered]], and thus the Shards of Adonalsium came into being. [[The Way of Kings]] heavily implies there are sixteen Shards.{{ref|b|TWoK|e|11}}
These Shards are named after their respective [[intent]], which represents the driving force of the power{{ref|b|mb3|a|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]].
When a person takes up a Shard, the extreme power vaporizes the body, allowing the person’s mind to expand.
{{quote
}}
It is not clear who the original Shardholders were, or where they came from. Over time, Shardholders begin referring to themselves as their Shard’s name (though they do remember their original selves{{ref|?|700|5|Do (Shards) still remember their original names?}}). They eventually scattered throughout the cosmere, taking residence on several different [[Shardworld]]s and influencing events on their given planet. Ruin and Preservation made a pact to create life on Scadrial,{{ref|b|mb3|e|53}} and constructed humans in the form which they have seen before{{ref|b|mb3|c|76}}--presumably on the planet where Adonalsium and these Shardholders came from. Judging from humanity on other Shardworlds, the Shards on those worlds probably created humanity there, too. However, the Shardworlds existed before the Shards arrived there{{ref|?|700|3|Who names the planets?}} so there is a case to be made that humans already were present during the Shards’ arrivals.
Often, a Shardholder’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 Shardholder on Sel.{{ref|b|TWoK|e|22}}
At this point, all known magic in the cosmere is related to a Shard.
It appears that the bond between human and Shard is permanent. The only evidence of Shards changing hands after the original Shardholders are when a Shard dies. When that dies, the person’s original body rematerializes and falls to the ground as a corpse.{{ref|b|mb3|e|56}}
Ruin and Preservation were drawn together because they were such perfect opposites{{ref|?|691|9|Are all Shards paired?}} (though not all Shards have pairs like those ones do{{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.
It is implied that not all Shards are equal. Rayse is said to hold the most dangerous of the sixteen, Odium.{{ref|b|TWoK|e|19}}{{ref|b|TWoK|c|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:
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.{{ref|?|692|12|Will you ever write a book or series where different magic systems come into the same world?}}
The [[Seventeenth Shard]], however, are not a Shard of Adonalsium, but rather an organization of people who hop between worlds.<ref name='17S_intro'>[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/6-welcome-to-17th-shard/ Welcome to 17th Shard]</ref>
==Known Shards==
Some worlds have more Shards than others.{{ref|?|428|59|Could you tell us the numbers per book?}}
Ruin and Preservation are the only Shards on [[Scadrial]] at the moment.{{ref|?|727|19|Is Scadrial the name of the Mistborn world?}} 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:
{{quote
}}
Endowment was confirmed to be the Voice from [[Warbreaker]],{{ref|?|428|59}} which Lightsong interacts with. [[Raoden]] interacts with a second voice when he jumps into the [[Shardpool]] 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 Shardholder on that list.{{ref|?|691|12|Does Hoid hold a Shard?}}
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.{{ref|b|TWoK|e|22}} So, all the Shards on Scadrial, Sel, and Nalthis are accounted for.
There are three Shards on Roshar{{ref|?|691|13|How many Shards have existed on Roshar?}} and they are confirmed to be Honor, Odium, and Cultivation{{ref|?|692|21|Is Cultvation a Shard on Roshar?}}. Therefore, for all Shardworlds that have been seen, all Shards are known.
Still, that leaves eight additional Shards that have not been seen, and the only reference to any of them is that Bavadin is a Shardholder.{{ref|?|700|7|Does Bavadin hold a Shard?}} The last seven Shards are unknown.
==Forms and Subdivisions==
{{quote
|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 /><br />
Though we discussed it after the fact, we couldn't decide what that was. How could we possibly have known?<br /><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.|Sazed{{ref|b|mb3|e|14}}
}}
A Shard's power can take many different forms, related to the three [[Realmatic Theory|realm]]s: the Physical, the Cognitive, and the Spiritual.{{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?}} All are extensions of the Shard's power, and in ''[[The Hero of Ages]]'', sometimes referred to as the body of the Shard.{{ref|b|mb3|e|14}}
In its Physical form, it can appear as a solid, and does one specific thing.{{ref|?|662|24|Allomancy is fueled by Preservation's body?}} 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.
In its liquid form, it is most potent.{{ref|?|662|24}} 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 [[Shardpool]]. Ruin's is located below the [[Pits of Hathsin]].<ref name='May2010_q15'>{{17s|614|May 2010 Q&A, Question 15}}</ref> Raoden encounters a Shardpool, where [[hoed]] can go to relieve their pain.{{ref|b|e|c|60}} That pool is theorized to be Aona's Shardpool.
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.{{ref|?|662|24}} The black smoke that was found in the chamber before the Well of Ascension was Ruin's corresponding "mist".{ref|b|mb3|e|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.
There are further subdivisions of Shards: Slivers and Splinters.
=== [[Sliver]] ===
A Sliver is a human intelligence who has held the power and released it.{{ref|?|699|7|Is a Sliver someone who has held a Shard temporarily?}} 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.{{ref|?|680|26|Also, would the Elantrians and the Lerasium-mistings be considered Slivers?}}
The [[Lord Ruler]] held a bit of Preservation at the [[Well of Ascension]] and letting 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.{{ref|?|680|26}}
=== [[Splinter]] ===
Splinters are the qualitative opposites of Slivers, as Splinters have never been human. It refers to a specific kind of fragment of a Shard's power.{{ref|?|699|8|How is a Splinter different from a Sliver?}}
Brandon has not told us the complete definition of a Splinter. 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'.{{ref|?|552|<!--TODO:FIX when transcribed-->|Do Splinters have their own Intent, in addition to the Shards'?}}
The divine Breath that [[Returned]] hold are the only confirmed Splinter (a Splinter of [[Endowment]]{{ref|?|680|13|If a returned gives away his/her breath they die right?}}), though they appear in ''[[The Way of Kings]]'' and ''[[Elantris]]'' as well, but not ''[[Mistborn]]''.{{ref|?|699|8}} It is been theorized that [[Seon]]s are Splinters, and Brandon has said this line of theorizing is very close to being correct.{{ref|?|700|1|Are Seons Splinters of Aona?}}
It is not clear how Splinters are formed, though it appears a Shard must actively create one. Endowment seems to be able to form them at will for [[Returned]]. [[Odium]] traveled to Sel and Splintered [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]].{{ref|a|The Letter}} Since [[Odium]] killed [[Tanavast]],{{ref|b|twok|c|75}} the holder of [[Honor]], it has been theorized that Honor is Splintered as well.
== Powers ==
Here lists some general abilities of all Shards. More powers may be discovered as more books are published.
Also, it is possible an individual Shard's abilities may vary depending on their intent, but such distinctions are not known at this time.
Shards hold a vast amount of Spiritual energy, and have enormous capabilities, so much power that they have effectively become gods. Moving a planet is easy for them to accomplish.{{ref|b|mb3|e|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.{{ref|b|mb3|e|17}}
Shards can will themselves to various parts of their world instantaneously (or near instantly).{{ref|b|mb3|c|76}} They can will themselves to other Shardworlds, as noted from Odium’s journey to Sel{{ref|b|TWoK|e|21}} and Brandon implying that [[Sazed]] could travel to another world, but chooses not to.{{ref|?|691|16|Can Sazed worldhop?}}
Shards can fuel magic, as evidenced by Ruin and Preservation's ability to fuel all the Metallic Arts.{{ref|?|727|45}} Ruin could manipulate the contents of Feruchemical metalminds. Ruin and Preservation can both whisper into the minds of humans.
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."{{ref|b|twok|c|75}} Cultivation is apparently better at seeing into the future than Honor. Preservation saw into the future and created the [[Terris Prophecies]].{{ref|?|727|9|How were the Terris Prophecies created in the first place?}} Most of the time, temporal abilities are related to the pure essence of a Shard (see [[atium]]) or to a Splinter (like Returned do).{{ref|?|590|46|How did Wyrn see into the future?}} 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 develop complex constructs with their power. Preservation made the mists Snap Allomancers long after his mind had withered away.{{ref|?|428|10}} Honor created a visual journal which [[Dalinar]] now sees during [[highstorm]]s.{{ref|b|twok|c|75}}
Aspects of Shards' power regenerate over time. The Well of Ascension reformed every 1024 years{{ref|?|691|3|Why did the Well of Ascension refill every thousand years?}} 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.
=== Weaknesses ===
One of the largest weaknesses a Shard has is that its holder is shaped to its intent. Ruin and Preservation could not create by themselves, as it was against their Shards' intent to do so alone.
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{{ref|?|727|8|Do the Metallic Arts still exist after Sazed's ascension?}}, which implies that there is a limit to his Shards' powers.
Ruin could not read minds. It is unknown whether this is a limit to all Shards. In [[the Alloy of Law]] it is speculated that Sazed is reading Waxillium's mind.{{ref|17s|647|Alloy of Law Chapter Three Discussion}}
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{{ref|?|727|80|Is Sazed effected by the metal blindess, or can he see thing written in metal?}}
Honor states to [[Dalinar]] that a champion may bind [[Odium]], but it is unknown what he meant.{{ref|b|TWoK|c|75}}
{{quote|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]]{{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.
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.{{ref|?|691|25|If Endowment went to Scadrial, would more magic's appear?}} However, Shards did not ''create'' magic systems. Ruin and Preservation did not create the Metallic Arts.{{ref|?|727|5|Is Hemalurgy dead?}} Rather, magic is a natural function of the world, a Shard’s intent, [[Realmatic]] interactions, and sometimes genetics.{{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>[[User:Chaos2651|Chaos]]’s meeting with Brandon insists it is so.</ref> 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.
==Theories and Speculation==
===The Principle of Intent===
This principle states that all magic is directly related to a given Shard's intent.<ref>{{17s|369|The Principle of Intent}}</ref> [[Awakening]] endows power, so it is of [[Endowment]]; Hemalurgy ruins; and Honor's Surgebinding deals with oaths and bonds. From a Shard's intent, one can postulate a magic system’s mechanics easier.
===Shardic Sentience===
It has been theorized that a Shard's power creates sentience.<ref>{{17s|549|Shardic Sentience}}</ref><ref>{{17s|636|Power generates sentience}}</ref> 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.
===Shardholder of Endowment===
Syl and Honorspren are also thought to be Splinters.
== See Also ==
| |||