A Splinter is a specific type of fragment of a Shard's power.
What are Splinters?
Though Brandon has not stated the complete definition of what a Splinter is, in a way they are qualitative opposites of Slivers. Whereas Slivers are people who have been influenced by Shardic power, a Splinter is a thing that has never been human.[1] One distinguishing factor of a Splinter is that they often have an intent, separate from their Shards'.[2] Splinters are a blend of more the spiritual and cognitive and less the physical.[3]
Known Splinters
Examples of Splinters are Honorspren[4], the Divine Breath that Returned hold, which are Splinters of Endowment[5], and the Aons inside of Seons are Splinters of Devotion.[6]
No Splinters on Scadrial
Lerasium and atium--despite being condensed essences of their Shards--are not Splinters, so there are no Splinters in Mistborn.[1]
Creation
It is not clear how Splinters are formed, though it appears a Shard must actively create one. Endowment seems to be able to form them at will for Returned. Odium traveled to Sel and Splintered Devotion and Dominion.[7] Since Odium killed Tanavast,[8] the holder of Honor, Honor was Splintered as well.[9]
Notes
- ↑ a b Broken reference - Missing date declaration: How is a Splinter different from a Sliver?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}# Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "qa-699-8" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Do Splinters have their own Intent, in addition to the Shards'?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}# - ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Are Splinters primarily Spiritual?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}# - ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: 66703
— 17th Shard forums - {{{date}}}# - ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: If a returned gives away his/her breath they die right?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}# - ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Are the Aons at the heart of Seons shards of Devotion?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}# - ↑ The Letter#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 75#
- ↑ Broken reference - Missing date declaration: Is Honor splintered?
— Theoryland - {{{date}}}#