Stargazer

During the [[Shattering of Adonalsium|Shattering]], Adonalsium split into sixteen pieces, referred to as [[Shard]]s of Adonalsium. Each of these Shards represents a particular facet, or intentIntent, of Adonalsium. Sixteen people involved in the Shattering then took up those Shards, becoming the first Vessels and effectively ascending to godhood.{{msh ref|3|2}} There was some sort of force or property of the cosmere that caused Adonalsium to shatter into the sixteen Shards that it did,{{wob ref|9956}} and the distribution of the Shards to the Vessels was not random.{{wob ref|5490}}

Though the power of a Shard requires a mind to control it, known as a Vessel, the intentIntent of a Shard will slowly warp the minds of those that hold it, overriding their independence.{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}{{wob ref|5485}} For example, after [[Leras]] Ascended as [[Preservation]], he became unable to cause harm, even to preserve other things.{{book ref|mb3|81}}{{msh ref|2|3}} It is unclear whether the original Vessels knew this when they took up their Shards, but, eventually, the Vessels came to be known simply by their Shard's name.

The Shards have access to infinite power, but the Vessels' minds, even though they are expanded by holding the Shard, are not capable of wielding it all at once.{{wob ref|8605}}{{wob ref|8702}} The Shards are also limited by certain rules that restrict how they can act;{{book ref|sa3|16}}{{book ref|sa1|75}} for example, they must fulfill a formally made oath.{{wob ref|13144}}{{book ref|sa3|122}} Failing to do so can give others an opening to act against the Shard who broke an oath; this has, on at least one occasion, resulted in the death of a ShardVessel.{{book ref|sa4|99}} Shards can also intervene to block another Shard's actions, though not perfectly.{{book ref|mb3|76}}

Despite these restrictions, however, the Shards are generally capable of both subtle and incredible changes. Among other things, they can change the orbit of entire planets, make changes to individuals and entire species on a genetic level, and alter some of the mechanics of an Invested Art resulting from their presence on a planet, and speak into the minds of people.{{book ref|mb3|82}}{{wob ref|5971}}{{book ref|mb5|17}} Since Shards exist primarily in the Spiritual Realm, they also have some ability to look into the future, though not all Shards are equally good at this and it fragments into more and more possibilities the further they look.{{wob ref|8147}}{{book ref|sa3|75}}