Astilla
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]
This indicates that there are Splinters on Roshar, Sel and Nalthis. Whether or not there are more, on other Shardworlds, is unknown.
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
- ↑ How is a Splinter different from a Sliver?
— Theoryland - Mar 19th, 2011# - ↑ Do Splinters have their own Intent, in addition to the Shards'?
— Theoryland - Aug 4th, 2011# - ↑ Are Splinters primarily Spiritual?
— Theoryland - Apr 15th, 2013# - ↑ Are Honorspren Splinters, or do they hold Splinters?
— Foros de 17th Shard - 05 October 2013# - ↑ If a returned gives away his/her breath they die right?
— Theoryland - Jan 18th, 2010# - ↑ Are the Aons at the heart of Seons shards of Devotion?
— Theoryland - Jan 18th, 2010# - ↑ The Letter#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 75#
- ↑ Is Honor splintered?
— Theoryland - Apr 17th, 2012#