Difference between revisions of "Splinter"

As Splinters are fragments of energy and energy is conserved in the cosmere,{{wob ref|6984}} they ultimately cannot be reduced to true nothingness.{{book ref|sa2|75}} They may be damaged sufficiently to destroy their minds, if they are self-aware in the first place. It seems one source of vulnerability of a Splinter is in any bonds it may have formed with other beings. One of the primary examples of this are the [[deadeye]]s of the [[Knights Radiant]] who break their oaths. These spren are effectively immortal, as their essence cannot be destroyed,{{book ref|sa2|75}} but they suffer physical disfigurement in the Cognitive Realm and are reduced in function.{{book ref|sa3|89}} When they are drawn as a [[Shardblade|Blade]], they experience a state of agony.{{book ref|sa2|87}} The severing of the [[Nahel bond]] rips out a portion of their soul, which is not easily replaceable.{{wob ref|6053}} However, to the astonishment of many spren, deadeye cultivationspren Mayalaran showed significant and ongoing [[Deadeye#Resurrection|rehabilitation]] during her time with Adolin Kholin.{{book ref|sa4|94}}

The abilities of a Splinter depend heavily on the conditions of their formation and the purpose or lack thereof that they were created with, although Splinters may learn to behave in ways other than was originally intended.{{book ref|sa2|87}} As previously mentioned, many Splinters may become self-aware or were self-aware from the moment of their creation,{{wob ref|6538}} but some do not and it is not a requirement to be a Splinter.{{wob ref|2904}} Splinters may possespossess an inherent understanding of [[Realmatic Theory]].{{wob ref|9448}} One notable ability associated with Splinters is the ability to get a sense of what the future may hold.{{wob ref|4645}} This is visible across a number of different Splinters, from the visions granted by the divine Breath to the Returned{{wob ref|4483}} to the brief flashes of the future associated with [[Odium]]'s [[Unmade]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|101}} Splinters, in many cases, may form bonds with other sapient beings. Sometimes these bonds are capable of granting access to Invested Arts, such as is the case with the NahelRadiant bond in spren, but they may be a much more simple connection, as is the case with seons.{{wob ref|3488}}

Ultimately, the full extent of abilities a Splinter may havemake remainuse of remains unknown. They are often associated with [[Fortune]] and precognitive abilities.{{wob ref|4645}} A Splinter may be able to replicate Preservation's imprisonment of Ruin on a much smaller scale.{{wob ref|1028}} Splinters may serve as a sort of release valve on the power of a Splintered Shard, potentially making it less dangerous.{{wob ref|4129}} It remains an open question whether or not a Splinter may take up a full Shard itself{{wob ref|3507}} or if it would just become subsumed within that Shard.{{wob ref|310}} [[Kelsier]]'s time spent holding the Shard Preservation may give some insight into the ability of a Splinter to serve as Vessel to a Shard.{{bookmsh ref|msh|6|4}}

Splinters are perhaps most populous in the [[Rosharan system]], residing in the form of spren and Cognitive Shadows on at least two of the planets there.{{au ref|roshar}} On [[Roshar]], Splinters most commonly take the form of spren, comprised often of some mixture between the Investiture of both [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]].{{wob ref|13604}} The Shard Honor has actually been Splintered entirely.{{wob ref|9810}} While these two Shards are most common on Roshar, self-aware Splinters left by Adonalsium remain on the planet.{{wob ref|10563}} Spren are more properly known as transformative cognitive entities,{{book ref|sa3|part=ars}} concepts from the Cognitive Realm that have gained power and sentience as people have personified them.{{book ref|sa2|1}} Notably powerful Splinters range in power from the true spren capable of forming [[Nahel bond]]s, such as the [[honorspren]],{{wob ref|3017}} to massive spren of larger importance such as the [[Stormfather]]{{wob ref|5991}} and the [[Nightwatcher]].{{wob ref|9207}} Certain objects created directly by the local Shards, including the [[Honorblade]]s, may also be Splinters.{{wob ref|6539}} While the flashiest bonds may belong to [[Surgebinding|Surgebinders]], the Splinters of this world form symbiotic relationships with many species of creatures,{{au ref|roshar}} including the [[Ryshadium]]{{wob ref|10499}} and the [[Tai-na]].{{book ref|sa2|i|3}} Splinters are also made use of in devices known as [[fabrial]]s, which require trapping a Splinter in order to create some sort of Invested device with a specific power.{{book ref|sa3|33}} The ten Cognitive Shadows known as [[Herald]]s could be considered Splinters as well, most likely created from Honor's Investiture.

In the distant past, both Shards native to Sel, Devotion and Dominion were Splintered by Odium.{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}{{au ref|sel}} As a result the beings known as seons and skaze were formed from their Splinters; although their exact origin and manner of creation is something that is currently uncertain. The seons are considered to be Splinters of Devotion,{{wob ref|5991}} and more specifically it may be the [[Aon]]s at the heart of the seons that are the actual Splinters.{{wob ref|4679}}. Seons appear as glowing balls of light with an Aon at their center.{{book ref|elantris|2}} Skaze on the other hand are formed from Splinters of Dominion.{{wob ref|4547}} They are visible as dark spheres that seem to draw in light, with a ring of misty symbols around its circumference.{{book ref|Elantris|part=postscript}} The general nature of the seons and skaze are very much in keeping with their respective Shards. Seons appear to generally have the attitude of a devoted servant to their masters and view them with great affection,{{book ref|elantris|16}} while the skaze have much more control within the confines of the [[Fjordell Empire]]{{wob ref|6167}} and are a group of some importance to the [[Dakhor]].{{wob ref|4640}} While there are some similarities to Rosharan spren, seons and skaze are far less numerous.{{wob ref|4129}} It is noteworthy while there are many Splinters of Devotion and Dominion on this world, Odium left none of his power behind on Sel when he moved on to a different system.

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