Teelihen

Teelihen is a fictional mineral used in the lore and worldbuilding of various fantasy settings. In the fictional reference works, teelihen is a translucent, pale blue-green mineral noted for its soft luminescence and usefulness as a decorative material.

It forms in hydrothermal veins within metamorphic rocks and is typically found in fibrous or botryoidal aggregates. Its hardness is described as moderate, easily polished for inlays but susceptible to scratching by harder minerals.

Teelihen exhibits persistent photoluminescence, emitting a faint glow after exposure to light, which can last several hours in darkness. The composition is described as a hydrated silicate with trace elements that contribute to its color and glow, though exact chemistry varies by source in different narratives.

Geographically, teelihen is associated with rugged highland regions and volcanic islands in several fictional archipelagos. In-world lore, it is valued for aesthetic applications in jewelry and weapon decorations, and, in some techno-fantasy settings, as a component in luminous energy cells or signaling devices.

Cultural significance varies by culture within the fiction; it is sometimes considered a talisman of clarity or resilience, and at other times a symbol of celestial alignment. The term teelihen is attributed to ancient inscriptions in the language of a historical species within these worlds, with the earliest references dating to several centuries ago in fictional catalogs.