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|universe=[[Cosmere]]
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{{update|sa4|yumi}}
{{quote
|I am a god. [...] A little piece of one. Very, very little.
}}
A '''Splinter''' is the term for a specific type of fragment of [[Investiture]] that is ultimately derived from [[Adonalsium]].{{wob ref|10563}} These Splinters can be composed of a single [[Shard]]'s power or the Investiture of multiple Shards. They are present in many worlds of the [[cosmere]], sometimes in abundant quantities{{au ref|roshar}} or with self-aware personalities,{{au ref|sel}} while other times they are absent altogether or exist simply as a chunk of raw power guided by something else. These Splinters often possess abilities themselves or are capable of granting abilities by bonding with people.{{au ref|roshar}} Splinters are generally ageless and difficult to kill or destroy.{{wob ref|3855}} The [[spren]] of [[Roshar]]{{au ref|roshar}} and the [[seon]]s of [[Sel]]{{au ref|sel}} are some of the most well-known, although many species of Splinters can be found throughout the cosmere. The Shards [[Honor]],{{au ref|roshar}} [[Ambition]],{{au ref|threnody}} [[Devotion]],
== 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 composed of the Investiture of a single Shard, in the case of some Splinters they may actually be composed of the Investiture of two or more Shards.{{wob ref|13604}}
One distinguishing factor of a Splinter is that it may often have an intent of its own, separate from that of its parent Shard,{{wob ref|10089}} although it may be thematically related.{{wob ref|15990}} Splinters are often sentient and have an associated personality,{{ref|group=fn|name=eyes|text=While Brandon has said on one occasion that Splinters must be self-aware,{{wob ref|10563}} elsewhere he has said differently and has explicitly referred to the [[divine Breath]] as a Splinter, despite its lack of self-awareness. That, combined with the fact that [[Khriss]] feels the need to specify that seons and skaze are self-aware Splinters,{{au ref|sel}} makes it clear that a Splinter need not necessarily be self-aware.}} although that personality may be destroyed{{book ref|sa2|87}} or its body tortured.{{book ref|sa3|110}} However, they do not necessarily need a personality to be considered a Splinter. Generally speaking, a Splinter has never been a person.{{wob ref|4541}} Therefore, by the strictest definition, a [[Cognitive Shadow]] may not be considered a Splinter, by some. However, there is an argument to be made that a Cognitive Shadow is just an imprint of a once-living being on Investiture,{{wob ref|8395}} and has therefore never truly been human.{{au ref|threnody}} Generally speaking, most would consider a Cognitive Shadow to be a type of Splinter.{{wob ref|8757}} Nevertheless, Splinters and Cognitive Shadows operate by similar rules and many Cognitive Shadows may be made of an amount of Investiture equivalent or potentially even greater than a typical Splinter. Whether or not an avatar of a Shard should be considered a Splinter is also a subject of some debate.{{wob ref|13323}} While some would disagree, many people in the cosmere would be comfortable terming avatars Splinters.
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|111}}{{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 one. In fact, the small amount of Investiture present in sapient beings, known as Innate Investiture, is also distinct from Splinters.{{wob ref|1072}}
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 Odium's Investiture.{{book ref|sa3|97}}
Due to their strong Connection to the system, it is very difficult for spren to leave the Rosharan system,{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|yumi|21}}{{wob ref|9489}}{{wob ref|4956}}{{wob ref|15879}}{{wob ref|15986}}{{wob ref|8543}} though it is possible through currently unknown means.{{book ref|yumi|21}}{{wob ref|9489}}{{wob ref|15986}}
=== Nalthian 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]], [[Harmony]] still does not have any Splinters, but that does not preclude the possibility that one day he may have Splinters of his own.{{wob ref|652}} Any potential Splinters present on Scadrial would have to be brought there from another world,{{wob ref|3020}} a notoriously tricky process.{{wob ref|8757}} However, in the event that Ruin had been successful in defeating Preservation and destroying Scadrial, he would have Splintered Preservation.{{msh ref|6|4}} Somehow, Rosharan spren have entered and
=== UTol System ===
{{quote
|...Spirits began to float up from the stones beneath. Teardrop shaped, radiant like the sun—a swirling red and blue—and the size of a person’s head.
|Hoid describing the Hijo{{book ref|yumi|4}}
}}
The shard [[Virtuosity]] Splintered herself at some point in the past, in the UTol system.{{book ref|yumi|1}} On that system's planet of [[Komashi]], the Splinters are known as [[hijo]], or 'spirits'; they form a major part of the lives of people all over Komashi, and are the key to their survival on the planet.{{book ref|yumi|17}}
During the [[Torio]] period, figures known as the [[Yoki-hijo]] served to attract these, and bind them into various objects used by denizens.{{book ref|yumi|4}} At one point, a [[Institute of Mechanical Solutions|group of scholars]] discovered that hijo could also be attracted by mechanical means to produce a more general-use form of Investiture known as [[hion]]. Unfortunately, the [[father machine|machine]] they [[Awakening|Awakened]] to automate this was [[Command]]ed incorrectly, imprisoning the hijo and killing almost all the planet's human population.{{book ref|yumi|39}}
The survivors wrested the hion to their own needs to persevere until, seventeen centuries later, the machine was finally defeated by [[Yumi]] and the hijo were freed again.{{book ref|yumi|41}} They then entered into a more amicable relationship with humanity, and provided hion freely.{{book ref|yumi|part=anotherepilogue}}
=== Elsewhere in the Cosmere ===
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