farvois

Farvois is a fictional mineral used in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing games to denote a rare crystalline substance capable of storing and releasing energy with high efficiency. It is not a real-world mineral; its properties and lore vary between works, but it frequently functions as a primary power source or a plot device.

In many depictions, farvois appears as a glassy crystal—often blue or violet—with a high energy density and fast charge-discharge cycle. Energy is stored within its lattice and accessed through engineered interfaces, typically requiring specialized equipment. Handling and mining are depicted as hazardous, sometimes involving microfractures, heat bursts, or radiation-like effects when energy is released.

Origins and distribution differ by setting. Some worlds place farvois in asteroid belts or remote mountain veins; others describe ancient subterranean deposits or meteoric mineral caches. Extraction is expensive and heavily regulated, shaping trade networks and geopolitical tensions among corporations, states, and frontier communities.

Uses and cultural impact: Farvois powers spacecraft reactors, portable power cells, or ceremonial artifacts in various stories. Its scarcity and value drive exploration, mining economies, smuggling, and political maneuvering, making it a common focal point for world-building conflict.

Terminology and reception: Because farvois is a fictional construct, there is no single canonical definition. Readers or players should consult the specific work for exact lore, properties, and in-universe history. In scholarly discussions of speculative world-building, farvois is often cited as an archetype for energy minerals in science fiction.