History UsefulNotes / Obsidian

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': 3rd Edition [[InterchangeableAsianCultures Oriental Adventures]] has obsidian as a material for making special weapons. Like jade, it [[AntiRegeneration overcomes the regeneration]] and [[KryptoniteFactor bypasses the damage reduction]] of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the Shadowlands Oni]]. Unlike jade, it's not effective against ghosts or spirits, doesn't protect the bearer from [[TheCorruption the Shadowlands Taint]], and obsidian weapons can carry a {{curse}} from the dead moon-god Onnorangu. If used against Tainted creatures, the wielder can be cursed to [[MistakenForBetrayal think their families and friends have betrayed them]] and [[TheBerserker recklessly attack until they can't fight anymore or they run out of people to kill]]. Discarding the obsidian weapon allows the UnstoppableRage to gradually wear off.

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': Obsidian is one of the hardest blocks in the game that's not indestructible, taking almost ten seconds to obtain just one with a diamond pickaxe. Its durability makes it effective at surviving explosions, but it's most notable use is creating a portal frame that, once lit with a fire, leads into [[{{Hell}} the nether]].

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'': Obsidian is a trade item which can be found, looted, or removed from a mine. Obsidian armor is available, and while it good good protection, it's also extremely heavy and expensive.

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Another reason for obsidian's ubiquity in media is its trademark color. Black knives, swords or arrowheads are by their nature implicitly [[RuleOfCool cooler]] than some 'simple' steel, at least by today's standards. Because of this, obsidian has been led to [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience associations with demons]] (either in their destruction, or as their tools), though often obsidian has also been shown to be the weapon of choice for, say, a fire god. Historically, obsidian has also been used in the creation of all manner of other tools: bowls, plates, and even some early proto-mirrors. If you see an obsidian ''mirror'' in a work, you can probably guess that the creators have done their research.

Oh, and don't forget, it came out of a ''volcano''. How cool is that?

Not to be confused for the creator or the video game, '''obsidian''' is in its most common form a black, volcanic rock primarily formed of silicon dioxide (SO2), formed when lithic flows cool in a rapid fashion. Its usage is ''extremely'' common in fiction, particularly of the speculative or historical sort, in part due to its comparatively common nature in general: anywhere you find a volcano, you're likely to find some, and silicon is one of the most common elements on Earth. So why is it so popular?

Obsidian. A black, glasslike rock formed from volcanic activity, that can be polished to be glossy and reflective. It has garnered a reputation for various mystical properties and superstitions surrounding it, the most prominent of which being its association with demons. Obsidian was used in the stone age to make many tools such as arrowheads, and even today an obsidian tool can qualify as an AbsurdlySharpBlade.

Obsidian. A black glasslike rock formed from volcanic activity, it has gained various mystical properties and superstitions surrounding it, the most promenent of which being its assocition with demons. Obsidian was used in the stone age to make many tools and even today an obsidian tool can qualify as AbsurdlySharpBlade.