obrczy

Obrczy is a fictional term used in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing contexts to describe a decentralized system of reciprocity among nearby communities. In the imagined setting, obrczy coordinates resource sharing through trust networks and ritual exchange rather than formal institutions, creating a durable social fabric during periods of scarcity.

The term is a neologism introduced by authors in online fiction and RPG supplements. In-world etymology is presented as derived from a constructed language, and the term is not attested in real-world lexicons.

Core principles include mutual obligation, reputational tracking, and seasonal exchange cycles. Participants contribute surplus food, tools, or labor according to ability, and in return receive access to goods or services when needed. A lightweight ledger records exchanges and favors, while community observers monitor compliance. Sanctions are reputational and social, rather than legal, and tend to reinforce long-term cooperation.

In narrative and gameplay, obrczy is used to explore how trust can scale in small communities without formal financial systems, and to examine tensions between generosity and personal risk. It has appeared in several speculative works and RPG supplements to illustrate alternate economic orders.