Vilkun

Vilkun is a fictional mineral often featured in science fiction and fantasy works as a rare energy source or conduit for power. The term and its properties vary by setting, but vilkun is typically described as an iridescent, silicate-rich crystal that forms under extreme conditions.

In most depictions, vilkun crystals range from transparent to blue-green and are noted for photon-conductive properties, absorbing ambient radiation and re-emitting it as usable energy. Its exact chemical makeup is not standardized; authors usually assign a complex silicate framework with trace elements that remain unidentified. Reported physical characteristics in different works place vilkun at a hardness around 6–7 on the Mohs scale and a density roughly 3.2–4.0 g/cm3, though these figures are fictional and not consistent across universes.

Vilkun is commonly said to originate in high-temperature, high-pressure environments, such as subduction zone metamorphism, volcanic conduits, or space-based regolith processing in orbital mines. In narratives, its rarity and hazardous extraction drive plot elements around mining ethics, planetary protection, and technological advancement.

Culturally, vilkun often holds symbolic significance, sometimes revered as a sacred material or treated as a key to ancient technologies. Its use spans practical applications—power cells, propulsion, or conduits for mystical energies—to ritual objects in various communities. As a fictional construct, vilkun serves as a versatile device for worldbuilding, with its properties defined to suit the needs of the story rather than real-world science.