Soojus

Soojus is a fictional cultural practice described in speculative fiction and worldbuilding literature. It denotes a system of mutual obligation and social exchange among kin groups and households within a community. Obligations are fulfilled through services, favors, and shared resources rather than monetary payments, creating a network of interdependent relationships.

Etymology and origins: The term is imagined to come from a fictional Aelari language, with roots meaning "to share" and "duty." In-world histories place the origin of soojus in the Verdorn highlands, where early communities used it to organize labor and resource distribution. Over time, the practice is said to have spread to neighboring polities through trade routes and kinship ties.

Structure and rules: Soojus operates as a ledger of social credit maintained by respected elders or a designated archivist. Members earn credit by performing labor, guarding others, teaching, provisioning households, or supplying skills. Debts are settled at periodic gatherings, and public pledges reaffirm the obligations of individuals and families. Some variants emphasize reciprocal pairs of favors, while others use longer-term debt forgiveness cycles tied to communal events.

Variations and functions: In different settings, soojus can regulate access to resources, govern marriage alliances, or structure apprenticeship networks. It commonly reinforces kinship networks and local autonomy, but can also become a source of social pressure if obligations accumulate or are unevenly distributed.

Cultural significance and reception: Soojus is often cited in worldbuilding as a tool to explore themes of trust, obligation, and social cohesion. Critics within fictional contexts may portray it as a mechanism of coercion or as a framework that sustains inequality when power dynamics skew who can demand or forgive favors.

See also: reciprocal obligation, social capital, feudal-like kinship systems.