Melkrondes

Melkrondes are a fictional mineral described in speculative fiction and role-playing game settings. They are characterized by rounded, domed aggregates that range from translucent milky white to faintly iridescent, giving a soft glow when exposed to low light.

Crystals form in hydrothermal environments, often as concentric, shell-like layers around a central nucleus. The mineral's surface is smooth, with a waxy luster; fractures produce curved, conchoidal surfaces. In most descriptions, melkrondes exhibit a pale luminescence under ultraviolet light and a distinctive milky color that shades to blue under bright illumination.

Geologic setting: Melkrondes are said to occur in basaltic or andesitic host rocks where silica-rich fluids precipitate minerals at moderate temperatures; commonly found in geodes and vein halos within volcanic provinces of the fictional world.

Distribution: Documented specimens come from a few well-described sites in the Melk Rift and nearby upland basins; scavenging notes mention a preference for damp, cave-like environments.

Uses: In narrative contexts, melkrondes are valued for decorative uses, as pigments, and in fictional energy technologies due to supposed luminescent properties. They are also referenced in myths as symbols of clarity or renewal.