Tinauen

Tinauen is a fictional mineral described in fantasy literature and worldbuilding sources as a rare, luminescent ore that glows faintly in the dark. It is not a real element or mineral.

The name tinauen appears in the imagined lexicon of multiple cultures, with etymologies often linked to notions of light, stone, or dawn.

In lore, tinauen forms in hydrothermal veins within metamorphic rocks near fault zones. Deposits are scarce and geographically patchy, with notable occurrences in the Shardspine Range and the desert basins of Nythera. Extraction is technically challenging due to its friable crystals and sensitivity to rapid temperature changes.

Physical properties described in sources include a silvery metallic luster, a hardness near 3 to 4 on the Mohs scale, and blue-white luminescence when energized. It is said to alloy with tin or copper to produce decorative metals and to find use in energy storage or photonic devices in some narratives.

Historically, tinauen folklore ties it to light and revelation. Trade routes are described as perilous, and rulers sponsored expeditions to secure it. In myths, tinauen serves as an emblem of insight and governance.

In modern worldbuilding, tinauen appears in encyclopedias of fantasy geography and in novels and games as a staple of resource economies.