Tarnida

Tarnida is a term used primarily in fictional and speculative contexts to denote a mineral or mineral-like substance. It is not recognized as a real mineral by major geological surveys, and references to tarnida generally appear in literature, role-playing games, and worldbuilding scenarios.

In common fictional depictions, tarnida is described as a dense, opaque mineral with a shifting iridescent luster. Authors often assign a variable composition, sometimes metallic with copper- or iron-rich elements. The crystal habit is typically coarse-grained or massive, and tarnida is said to be brittle, with a mid-range hardness. In some stories, tarnida exhibits unusual optical or magnetic properties, such as faint luminescence under low light or a measurable magnetic response at low temperatures.

Tarnida is frequently portrayed as valuable for its aesthetic and practical properties. It may be used as a raw material for jewelry, ornamentation, or symbolic insignia, and in speculative technologies it can function as a catalyst or energy reservoir within fictional devices. Because its characteristics vary by author, tarnida serves as a flexible element for worldbuilders, offering a tangible, traceable object that can symbolize rarity, power, or mystery within a setting.

The term has appeared in glossaries of invented minerals and in collaborative writing projects, contributing to its status as a cultural motif rather than a real mineral with a defined chemical identity.

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