Difference between revisions of "Shard"

Jump to navigation Jump to search
m
{{quote
|Ati was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him.
|[[The Letter]], about Ati, the holder of [[Ruin]]{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|18}}
}}
 
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,{{epigraph 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. It is also suspected that 'Domi', god of the Shu-Korath people, is short for Dominion.{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|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.{{epigraph 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 (though they started at an equal level{{17s ref|2383|post|42116|All shards started equal?}}). Rayse is said to hold the most dangerous of the sixteen, Odium.{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|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:
{{quote
|One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say. In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse.
|[[The Letter]]{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|22}}
}}
 
{{/row|Preservation|Leras|Scadrial|mb|c2=(later [[Sazed]])|{{ref|?|727|19|E=x}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
{{/row|Endowment||Nalthis|wb|{{ref|?|428|59|E=x}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
{{/row|Devotion|Aona|Sel|e|{{ref|?|715|9|E=x}}{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|22}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
{{/row|Dominion|Skai|Sel|e|{{ref|?|763|2|E=x}}{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|22}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
{{/row|Honor|Tanavast|Roshar|sa|{{ref|?|698|1|Honor was held by Tanavast first?}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
{{/row|Odium|Rayse|Braize|sa|{{ref|?|700|7|E=x}}{{ref|?|428|106}}|}}
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.{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|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,{{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}}
<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{{epigraph 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.{{epigraph ref|b|mb3|e|14}}
 
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]].{{17s ref|614|text=May 2010 Q&A, Question 15}} Raoden encounters a Shardpool, where [[hoed]] can go to relieve their pain.{{ref|b|Elantris|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".{{epigraph 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.
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.{{epigraph 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.{{epigraph 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{{epigraph ref|b|TWoK|esa1|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.
Retrieved from "https://coppermind.net/wiki/Shard"