Õigsad

Õigsad is a fictional social and economic concept used in worldbuilding to describe a cooperative guild of craftspeople in a coastal, northern-inspired society. The term is presented as belonging to a proto-language of that world, with etymological notes suggesting a root meaning 'just' or 'right' and a suffix indicating a people or order.

Its defining features are mutual aid, shared resources, and apprentice-based training within a nested guild structure. Members pool tools and parts, finance new workshop setups through communal funds, and provide unpaid relief during illness or crop failure. Leadership is typically rotating among master artisans, with decisions made by consensus assemblies rather than a single ruler.

Origins are traced to the early medieval period in sagas of the northern archipelago, where scarce materials and long winters incentivized cooperation. Over time, õigsad settlements formed craft districts with consolidated workshops, common stores, and a ritual calendar that marks tool maintenance, harvests, and dispute resolution.

Practices include a formal oath of fairness at initiation, annual tool-share fairs, and a grievance process conducted by a panel of senior artisans. The system aims to reduce individual risk and sustain craftsmanship across generations, while also encouraging quality through peer review.

Geographically, references place õigsad along the northern coastal belt and its offshore islands in the fictional realm of Lethoria. In literature and worldbuilding guides, the õigsad are used to explore themes of cooperation versus rivalry and to model sustainable economies.

Note: Õigsad is a fictional construct and not a real-world culture.