Difference between revisions of "Shard"

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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|?|697|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. All Shards started at an equal power level.{{ref|17s ref|2383|post|42116|All shards started equal?}}
 
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, a person called [[Bavadin]] has been confirmed to hold (or have held) a Shard, though his Shard's intent is currently unknown.
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 (though they started at an equal level{{ref|17s ref|2383|post|42116|All shards started 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.{{url17s ref|http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/6-welcome-to-17th-shard/|text=Welcome to 17th Shard}}
 
==Known Shards==
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?}} Honor and Cultivation arrived at the same time on Roshar,{{ref|17s ref|2383|post|42213|Did Cultivation come to Roshar with Honor?}}, prior to Odium's appearance.{{ref|?|836|49|Honor and Cultivation were there long before Odium showed up}}
 
Therefore, for all Shardworlds that have been seen, all Shards are known.
{{quote
|There is one [Shard] who just wants to hide + survive.
|Brandon Sanderson{{ref|17s ref|2652|post|46099|Clues in signed things}}
}}
 
In its Physical form, it can appear as a solid, and does one specific thing.{{ref|?|727|45|text=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|?|727|45}} 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|17s ref|614|text=May 2010 Q&A, Question 15}} 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|?|727|45}} 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.
===Shardic Sentience===
 
It has been theorized that a Shard's power creates sentience.{{17s ref|17s|549|text=Shardic Sentience}}{{ref|17s ref|636|text=Power generates sentience}} 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===