Shards are the teenagers of the Inner Planes following the Sundering. The largest shards are about the size of the state of Pennsylvania.

Shards don’t rotate on their axis or orbit a star. In fact, there is no stars in this universe. Instead, a constant colorful twilight glow magically exists, thanks to energy particles remaining from the Sundering. As in many pulp stories, few fragments comprise more than one type of geography. There are ice shards, desert shards, jungle shards, and so on, but a true mixed location is rare. All shards, large and small, share two common features. First, they possess an atmosphere identical to that of Earth in basic composition and pressure. Second, gravity on any shard, regardless of its size or composition is the same as Earth's. The Aether, the gap between Shards, has zero gravity, and can be quite dangerous.

Shards are often found in close proximity to others in an orbiting dance through the Aether known as a Shard System. These systems are usually named for the largest Shard that holds the others in orbit, termed the Primary Shard.

Material Shards are made from the stuff that was once the Prime Material Plane before the Sundering. Some contain structures and civilizations that survived the apocalyptic event and thrived.

Fey Shards are the remnants of the Feywild. They are the home to many fantastic creatures and peoples.

The Shadowfell was fractured just like all the other Inner Planes during the Sundering. Shadow Shards are the remains of the Shadowfell. They are populated by the stoic Shadar-Kai, and still bear the soul-crushing influence of that plane despite now being free of it.

Shards of the Elemental Planes of earth, air, fire, and water are common features of Shard Systems. These bodies are unique from the others in that they typically give off some sort of illumination such as the bright white-hot light of flame or the soft, moonlit glow from an Elemental Shard torn from the Elemental Plane of Earth.