võsud

Võsud are a fictional forest-dwelling people created for Baltic-inspired fantasy settings. The name is often linked to Estonian-root words related to groves or thickets, though in most works it functions as a cultural label rather than a strict linguistic term. They are described as living in mixed coniferous and deciduous forests across a broad upland region known in fiction as the Mist Vale. The Võsud form small kin-based communities that join in larger confederations for major ceremonies and seasonal migrations.

The Võsud language, sometimes called Võsu, is depicted as an agglutinative tongue with vowel harmony, and in some sources is imagined to belong to a hypothetical branch of the Uralic family. Their economy combines subsistence farming, foraging, and selective forestry, with woodcarving, basketry, and herbal medicine as notable crafts. Social life centers on elders and apprenticeships, with a strong emphasis on kinship, hospitality, and reciprocal obligations. Spiritual life is animist, honoring forests, rivers, and ancestral spirits; seasonal rituals mark transitions between planting, harvest, and winter rest. In fiction, võsud are often portrayed as guardians of woodland knowledge and as wary yet cooperative neighbors to settled peoples. The concept has appeared in various fantasy novels and role-playing settings, where it is used to explore themes of environmental stewardship, cultural resilience, and the tension between tradition and change.