The Shattering

Lore & Background

Before the Shattering, Investiture was unified under one source, Adonalsium. When this entity fell, its essence split according to the intents of those who claimed it. This fragmentation allowed for diverse magical systems like Allomancy on Scadrial and Surgebinding on Roshar, as each Shard embodies a specific Aspect or Ideal that dictates how magic manifests in their respective domains. The event is often shrouded in myth, with different cultures remembering the truth differently. Some view it as an assassination of a tyrant god, while others see it as a necessary sacrifice to prevent stagnation. The sixteen resulting powers were taken by individuals who became living gods themselves, binding their wills to specific worlds or concepts. The aftermath created a spiritual landscape where power is finite and contested. Shards can be murdered, stolen, or split further, complicating the theological history of the Cosmere. This distribution ensures that no single entity holds total control over the system again, setting the stage for thousands of years of conflict and cooperation between Shardbearers.

In Their Own Story

The stars did not fall; they screamed. A single light, vast and terrible, fractured into a kaleidoscope of colors that burned through the fabric of reality. Where there was once silence, now sixteen voices whispered promises to the void. The earth trembled as the weight of divinity settled upon sixteen shoulders, binding their wills to worlds yet unnamed.

Reader's Guide

Investiture serves as the fuel for magic across the Cosmere, originating solely from Adonalsium’s destruction. Each Shard holds a specific Intent that dictates how this energy behaves locally. Theological scholars argue whether the Shattering was an assassination or a divine sacrifice intended to save the universe from stagnation. Prior to this event, the laws of physics and magic were likely unified under one source. Now, worlds like Roshar and Scadrial operate on distinct magical rules based on which Shard resides there. The loss of Adonalsium created a void that allows for human connection to divine power through Hemalurgy, Surgebinding, or Allomancy. This fragmentation ensures no single entity holds total control over the system again. Shards can be murdered, stolen, or split further, complicating the spiritual landscape. The history of the Cosmere is essentially a study of how these sixteen fragments interact across different planets and timelines.

Did You Know?

• The event created exactly sixteen distinct powers known as Shards.
• Originally, the planet Scadrial was home to two of these Shards simultaneously.
• Investiture is the magical energy derived directly from this fragmentation.
• The location where Adonalsium fell remains a subject of scholarly debate.