The Coppermind

Splinter

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Splinter
Related to Shards
Universe Cosmere

A Splinter is a specific type of fragment of a Shard's power.

What are Splinters?

Brandon has not stated the complete definition of what a Splinter is. He has said that it is a term used by certain people in the Cosmere for a power of Adonalsium which has no person holding it and has attained self-awareness[1] (although not all Splinters are self-aware[2]). In a way they are the opposite of Slivers. Whereas Slivers are people who have been influenced by Shardic power, a Splinter is a thing that has never been human.[3] One distinguishing factor of a Splinter is that they often have an intent, separate from their Shards'.[4] Splinters are more strongly concentrated in the Spiritual and Cognitive Realms and less in the Physical.[5]

Known Splinters

Examples of Splinters are Rosharan spren (Splinters of Honor and Cultivation)[6], the Unmade (Splinters of Odium)[7], the divine Breath that Returned hold (Splinters of Endowment)[8], and the Aons inside of seons (Splinters of Devotion)[9]. Although there are no natural Scadrian Splinters (Ruin and Preservation never made any[10]), there are some Rosharan spren present in Scadrial's Cognitive Realm.[11]

Creation

Splinters can be formed either intentionally or unintentionally. Shards have the ability to actively split off a portion of their power to form Splinters (e.g. Endowment and the Returned). Splinters can also result from the destruction of a Shard (or a Vessel voluntarily giving up its power[12]), as was the case with Devotion, Dominion, and Honor.[13][14]

Restrictions

Certain types of Splinters are tied to their place of creation. For example, it's very difficult (although not impossible) for a spren to leave Roshar.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Steelheart Seattle signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-10-14#
  2. ↑ Calamity Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-02-22#
  3. ↑ Vericon 2011
    — Arcanum - 2011-03-19#
  4. ↑ West Jordan signing
    — Arcanum - 2011-08-04#
  5. ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2013
    — Arcanum - 2013-04-15#
  6. ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-10-05#
  7. ↑ /r/books AMA 2015
    — Arcanum - 2015-03-12#
  8. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2010-09-09#
  9. ↑ A Memory of Light Signing Milford
    — Arcanum - 2013-02-16#
  10. ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
    — Arcanum - 2013-10-05#
  11. ↑ General Twitter 2015
    — Arcanum - 2015-12-11#
  12. ↑ FAQFriday 2017
    — Arcanum - 2017-06-09#
  13. ↑ The Letter#
  14. ↑ Google+ Hangout
    — Arcanum - 2012-04-17#
  15. ↑ Legion Release Party
    — Arcanum - 2018-09-19#
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