BY THE GODS

When a mortal reworks a Shard, they can produce a Magic Item which is basically an inferior but more flexible Shard. When the gods reworked Shards they created Artifacts. They function very much like Magic Items but they are much more powerful. The divine essence in them is so strong that most mortals can only manage to pick up and use a single Artifact at a time. Artifacts can re-write reality, create new races, protect and even destroy you. Where Magic Items are uncommon, Artifacts are rare, world altering discoveries. Some are more humble than others, depending on who created them. It's possible to possess one for your whole life and simply enjoy it's little benefit but others have one for minutes and try to rule the world.