[Spoiler Alert] Let's look at the "What is an artifact" question the way an Athyra (or perhaps a Hawk) would. We know spellbreaker is, technically, part of a greater whole. However, if we remove the rest of the universe in relation to it, it is a standalone item of great power, without an attached soul (like the orb.) So I tend to think of SB (Spellbreaker = Steven Brust? Ok, too much pepsi....wheeee) as an artifact in chain form (vs sword form). Then again, an Athyra might view SB as GS right off because of "wholeness" and "connectedness"...so I doubt that until we see a better definition in the books (which will then be contradicted in a future book, of course) we will be able to be totally impartial in our judgement. - Tim