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{{quote
|I am a god. [...] A little piece of one. Very, very little.
|[[Syl]] to [[Kaladin]]{{book ref|sa2|16}}
}}
A '''Splinter''' is the term for a specific type of fragment of [[Investiture]] that is ultimately derived from [[Adonalsium]].{{wob ref|10563}} These Splinters
== Nature ==
At its core, a Splinter is a significant measure of a Shard's power that has been separated from the main body of Investiture. There is a notable difference between a physical manifestation of Investiture such as [[atium]] and [[lerasium]] or a [[perpendicularity]], and a Splinter. While a Shard's power is never truly separated from itself, as it is all connected through the [[Spiritual Realm]],{{wob ref|8605}} Splinters represent power that has been released or removed by a Shard.{{wob ref|986}} Splinters tend to not have much in the way of a Physical aspect. As a chunk of Investiture they tend to be more rooted in the [[Cognitive Realm|Cognitive]] and Spiritual Realms.{{wob ref|4066}} While many Splinters are
One distinguishing factor of a Splinter is that it may often have an intent of its own, separate from that of
It is certain that all Splinters do not contain the exact same quantity of Investiture, as a Splinter may be Splintered yet again into smaller fragments.{{book ref|sa3|1111}}{{wob ref|11677}} However, it is likely that there exists some threshold below which a quantity of Investiture is not considered to be a Splinter. For instance, a [[BioChromatic Breath#Types of BioChromatic entities|divine Breath]] is considered to be a Splinter,{{wob ref|4486}} but there is no indication that the lesser Breath possessed by normal people is considered to be
== Formation ==
}}
There are a few common ways for a Splinter to come into existence, and most require the will of a Shard on some level. Perhaps the most common is that a Shard creates a Splinter by intentionally separating a bit of its power from itself.{{wob ref|9511}} This may be done for the purpose of creating some sort of synthetic race, such as the spren or seons. Another reason to create a Splinter is if a Shard wishes to prevent a soul from passing on to the [[Beyond#The Beyond|Beyond]]. They may make it into a Cognitive Shadow by either merging the Splinter with the soul or imprinting the soul upon the power, as is the case with the [[Fused]]{{wob ref|8693}} and the [[Returned]].{{wob ref|5995}} They could create an avatar of their Shard by using their Investiture and some would call that a Splinter.{{wob ref|13323}}
A Shard may also Splinter another Shard, tearing off one or many chunks of its power, typically for the purpose of diminishing it. This is a process that transcends the [[Realmatic Theory|three realms]]{{wob ref|7967}} and if a Shard is completely destroyed in this way it is said to be '''Splintered'''. Most commonly, a Splintering may happen as one titanic event that kills the [[Shard#Vessel|Vessel]] and disperses
A Splintered Shard cannot have a Vessel while it remains in such a state, but its Splinters may be reconstituted into a full Shard via an unknown process,{{wob ref|1070}} although it will not restore the original Vessel.{{wob ref|5993}} This is not known to have occurred yet in the cosmere.{{wob ref|5147}} If a Splinter's parent Shard is itself completely Splintered, there may be some impact on any
== Vulnerabilities ==
[[File:Adolin_and_Maya.jpg|200px|thumb|right|<center><small>by {{a|DNAVENOM}}</small></center> [[Mayalaran]], a damaged Splinter, and [[Adolin]]]]
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
A bond between a human and a seon, another type of Splinter, can also be a vulnerability for the seon. Following the [[Reod]] in the ten years before the restoration of [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]], seons were in danger if their master was taken by the [[Shaod]]. The incorrect [[Aon]] acting on the human would disrupt their bonded seon as well, causing gaps to appear in their Aon, as well as a loss of any apparent sentience.{{book ref|elantris|16}} These damaged seons were known to stay close to their former masters that still lived, but apart from this they were seemingly totally unaware. Their minds were returned to them when Raoden repaired the [[Aon#Rao|Aon Rao]] in Elantris.{{book ref|thoe}}
Other
== Abilities ==
The abilities of a Splinter depend heavily on the conditions of their formation and
Ultimately, the full extent of abilities a Splinter may have
== Known Splinters ==
=== Rosharan System ===
[[File:Deathspren_by_Ashley_Coad.png|250px|thumb|right|<center><small>by {{a|Ashley Coad}}</small></center> [[Sylphrena]], a Splinter, fights a [[deathspren]]]]
{{quote
|Spren are . . . power . . . shattered power. Power given thought by the perceptions of men. Honor, Cultivation, and . . . and another. Fragments broken off.
|Syl on spren{{book ref|sa2|24}}}}
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 of Odium are also present on that world, such as the [[Unmade]],{{wob ref|1672}} and other [[Voidspren]].{{book ref|sa2|3}} The Cognitive Shadows of ancient long-dead [[singer]]s, known as the [[Fused]], are also considered to be Splinters.{{epigraph ref|sa2|34}} Historically, these Splinters have been confined by the [[Oathpact]] to [[Braize]], a planet inhabited solely{{au ref|drominad}} by an entire ecosystem of self-aware Splinters,{{au ref|roshar}} except during [[Desolation]]s.{{book ref|sa3|38}} However, following the [[True Desolation]] and the appearance of the [[Everstorm]] on Roshar, they are present on both Braize and Roshar. It is unknown if any Splinters are present on [[Ashyn]], the third inhabited planet in the Rosharan system.{{au ref|roshar}} Splinters in this system are particularly vulnerable to the Unmade [[Sja-anat]], who is capable of corrupting Splinters with
=== Nalthian System ===
{{quote
|I just wish I knew if there is really something spiritual about the Returns, or if it’s all just cosmic happenstance.”
|[[Vasher]] on the Returned{{book ref|wb|epilogue}}
}}
The only known Splinters present on [[Nalthis]] are the
It is worth noting that while he may appear as such, Nightblood himself is not actually a Splinter,{{wob ref|3586}} nor is he powerful enough to Splinter a Shard.{{wob ref|3194}} In fact, Nightblood corrupts Investiture,{{wob ref|2681}} which is a completely different process than Splintering.{{wob ref|3863}}
=== Selish System ===
[[File: Seon Ien.png|200px|thumb|right|<center><small>by [[User: Big Smooth|Big Smooth]]</small></center> The seon [[Ien]], a known Splinter]]
{{quote
|Brief mention should be given to the entities known as the seons and the skaze, Splinters of self-aware Investiture who have developed humanlike mannerisms.
|[[Khriss]]'s notes on Sel{{au ref|sel}}
}}
In the distant past, both Shards native 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.
One uncertainty on Sel is the exact nature of the Dor. While the skaze and seons represent a small portion of the Splinters of Dominion and Devotion,{{wob ref|3184}} the vast majority of their power is contained within Shadesmar as the [[Dor]].{{au ref|sel}} While it is known to be
=== Scadrian System ===
|Khriss on Ruin killing Preservation
}}
During the time of the [[Final Empire]], both Ruin and Preservation had no Splinters of themselves on [[Scadrial]].{{wob ref|4541}} This signifies that their [[Metallic Arts#The God Metals|god metals]], [[lerasium]] and [[atium]]--despite existing as condensed Investiture of their respective Shards{{wob ref|6072}}--are not Splinters.{{wob ref|4541}} In fact, there are no Splinters of Ruin and Preservation in existence.{{wob ref|3020}} Three and a half centuries after the [[Catacendre]]
=== Elsewhere in the Cosmere ===
There are other places where Splinters must exist that we know less about, as of yet. The Shard Ambition is known to have been Splintered by Odium,{{au ref|threnody}} so it stands to reason that Splinters of that Shard exist somewhere in the cosmere. A few may exist even in the [[Threnodite system
== Notes ==
|