Tavuis

Tavuis is a fictional mineral used in speculative fiction and world-building to describe a crystalline energy-storage material. In most settings, tavuis forms in hydrothermal veins within mountainous regions and is mined for use as a power source in advanced technology.

Physically, tavuis crystals are typically prismatic and color-shifting from pale blue to colorless. They luminesce faintly in the dark, a property attributed to trace lanthanide-like elements within the fictional chemistry. The lattice is described as highly stable, enabling many thousands of charge-discharge cycles.

Processing and handling: Tavuis ore is extracted via underground mining, then refined through a controlled annealing and defect-healing process to stabilize the material and prevent microcracking.

Applications and performance: Tavuis serves as a primary energy storage medium for starship reactors, city grids, and portable power units in the imagined world. It offers high energy density, rapid charging, and long cycle life, though thermal or quantum stresses can cause gradual efficiency loss over time.

Economic and cultural context: In-world, tavuis trading is regulated by an interregional council; price fluctuates with ore grade and geopolitical events. Some cultures revere tavuis for its perceived connection to light, incorporating it in ceremonies and art.

Etymology and taxonomy: The term tavuis is said to derive from an ancient Tavari word meaning “light-carrier.” In-universe taxonomy describes tavuis as a mineral category rather than a discrete chemical species, with variations named by deposit and formation history.