Pharoslantaarn

Pharoslantaarn is a term encountered in Dutch-language hobbyist writing and fan glossaries to denote a lantern-like artifact or device associated with light, navigation, or ritual significance. The word is a compound of pharos, the Greek term for a lighthouse, and lantaarn, the Dutch word for lantern, suggesting a lantern linked to guiding or signal‑giving light. There is no single, authoritative definition in widely recognized sources, and usage varies by author.

In fictional settings, pharoslantaarn is often described as a portable light source of exceptional brightness or a ceremonial object capable of casting a focused beam, signaling, or revealing hidden inscriptions. Some depictions assign it solar or magical power, enabling sustained illumination or controlled color signaling. The aesthetics range from a simple brass lantern to a crystalline reliquary that glows with an inner light.

Because the term is largely absent from scholarly reference works, its precise properties differ across works. It appears primarily in online wikis, tabletop role-playing game materials, and fan fiction, where it serves as a narrative or world‑building element rather than a real-world technology.

Pharoslantaarn thus functions as a flexible, fictional device tied to themes of guidance, discovery, and maritime lore. Its meaning depends on the surrounding fictional context, and there is no canonical specification.