Matter is Associated with Shards

[Scion of the Mists]

Two facts that Brandon has repeatedly said:

1. Investiture, matter, and energy are all the same thing
2. All investiture is assigned to one of the 16 Shards

Taken together, this suggests that all matter (and energy, but matter is more interesting) is assigned to one of the Shards.  That means people, animals, planets, etc. are composed of a mix of the 16 Shards.  Presumably it's not a perfectly balanced mixture, so certain people may be more strongly identified with certain Shards.  This could have an interesting effect when the Shards clash, especially since they have a fondness for working through their minions.  

 

 

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Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Yes, it is. That one is even closer associated with a Shard, the actual Investiture of the magic. Remember when I say Investiture, I mean matter, energy and magic.

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Brandon Sanderson

When people ask, "What shard is this investiture associated with" it gets very complicated. Shards influence and tweak certain investiture, giving it a kind of spin or magnetism, but all investiture ever predates the shattering--and in the cosmere matter, energy, and investiture are one thing.

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Overlord Jebus [PENDING REVIEW]

Is all Investiture in the cosmere associated with a Shard?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Yes, well, okay. So this is a complicated one. *pauses* So, Investiture predates the Shattering of Adonalsium, all Investiture was from Adonalsium, all Investiture got assigned to one of the 16 Shards when Adonalsium was Shattered. Some of the Investiture was not on Yolen but location is irrelevant. So Investiture is related to Shards even on planets where none of the Shards are inhabiting. 

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[EddyJ]

Yep! Certain characters are very much “tied” to one Shard more than the others (Secret History has some good examples of this).