Difference between revisions of "Shard"

Ten Shards have thus far been mentioned in the novels, and an additional one by Brandon. They were either referenced by their Shard's name or their Vessel. Those known by intent are [[Ambition]], [[Autonomy]], [[Cultivation]], [[Devotion]], [[Dominion]], [[Endowment]], [[Honor]], [[Odium]], [[Preservation]], and [[Ruin]]. An eleventh Shard which has been partially revealed just "wants to survive." It is unclear what the intent of this Shard is, as it could be Survival but also could be many other things. [[Trell]] may be one of the unknown Shards or an alternate name for a known Shard, as it is an unknown being of great power worshiped by [[Miles Hundredlives]], and served by the Set. [[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]] have been combined to form the new shard of [[Harmony]], so [[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]] no longer exist as separate entities.

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}}

| [[Ati]] was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him.

| [[The Letter]], about [[Ati]], the Vessel of [[Ruin]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}

It is not clear who the original Vessels were, but they all originally were from [[Yolen]]. Together, the sixteen of them killed [[Adonalsium]] and divided the power between themselves, becoming the first to Ascend.{{msh ref|3|2}} Over time, the Vessels begin referring to themselves as their Shard's name (though they do remember their original selves{{qa ref|700|5}}). They eventually scattered throughout the cosmere, taking residence on several different [[Shardworld|worlds]] and influencing events on their given planet. [[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]] made a pact to create life on Scadrial,{{epigraph ref|mb3|53}} and constructed humans in the form which they have seen before{{book ref|mb3|76}}--presumably on the planet where [[Adonalsium]] and these Vessels came from. Judging from humanity on other Shardworlds[[Shardworld]]s, the Shards on those worlds probably created humanity there, too. However, the worlds existed before the Shards arrived there{{qa ref|700|3}} so there is a case to be made that humans already have been present before the Shards’ arrival in some cases. It is known that some shards may have helped transplant humanity to other worlds as well.{{book ref|sa3}}

Often, a Vessel'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 Vessel on Sel.{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}

[[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 and the power of both shards was taken up by [[Sazed]], forming the new shard '[[Harmony]]'. 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|post|42116}}). [[Rayse]] is said to hold the most dangerous of the sixteen, [[Odium]].{{epigraph ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|TWoK|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:

| 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]].

It is unknown if [[Odium]] is special in his ability to Splinter a Shard, but regardless, the person who wrote [[the Letter]] is terrified of [[Odium]]'s power.

[[Odium]] is not native on [[Roshar]]{{qa ref|675|32}} and it's not known yet whether any Shard is native on its [[Shardworld]].{{qa ref|836|49}}

The [[Seventeenth Shard]], however, is not a Shard of [[Adonalsium]], but rather an organization of people who hop between worlds.{{17s ref|topic|6}}

[[Ruin]] and [[Preservation]] are the only Shards on [[Scadrial]] at the moment.{{qa ref|727|19}} 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:

[[Endowment]] was confirmed to be the Voice from [[Warbreaker]],{{qa ref|428|59}} which [[Lightsong]] interacts with. [[Raoden]] interacts with a second voice when he jumps into the [[Perpendicularity]] 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 Vessel on that list.{{qa ref|691|12}}