Viqho

Viqho
The emblem of Viqho.
Small Town
Country	T'vaqi
Founded	30-8 72 TT
Government • № Magisters • % Est. Population	1 0.185%
Area (km2) • Total	15.3
Population (estimate) • Total • Density	540 35.3
Demonym	Viqhi

Viqho is a small town located on the edge of the Viqho Peninsula in T'vaqi. It is the westernmost settlement in the nation. In addition, the town sits atop the westernmost extent of the nation's Bunker Network.

History

The area now encompassing Viqho was for many years considered uninhabitable due to especially strong interference from the Perpetual Storm. Attempts to inhabit the area showed increasing success as technology improved after the Second Unification of T'vaqi; however, settlement of the island's westernmost point and the area surrounding it was deemed a waste of resources, as calmer coastal settlements such as N'isi demonstrated far more potential with regards to the abundance of fish and other natural resources. Viqho was officially founded and given a name in 72 TT, though the area would not sustain a continuous population until 15 PC.

Crossed Swords dispute

In the spring of 14 PC, prominent landowner Paq Olori informed a young businessman, Hito Taqar, of a largely unknown but highly profitable tract of land in the Viqho Peninsula. The land, which Olori owned, was a detriment to his income, and Olori aimed to convince an unwitting Taqar to purchase it at a high price. Taqar agreed to the purchase, and was furious when he discovered that the land was near-uninhabitable. He challenged Olori to a swordfight among the desolate, unpopulated structures of Viqho, claiming to have blackmail on Olori that he would spread should he refuse to accept. While it is not known what private information Taqar possessed, if any, Olori quickly accepted the duel, and the two met in the early morning of 30-5. Only the outcome of the duel is known; Taqar emerged unscathed save for small cuts, while Olori had suffered one stab wound through the abdomen. Taqar carried Olori to a nearby town for medical assistance, where blood loss was prevented; the sword had punctured no vital organs, allowing Olori to make a partial recovery over time. This conflict became known as the Crossed Swords dispute.

While an assault charge was levied against Taqar, the case was dismissed by his father, Grand Magister Sivro Taqar. The event brought national media attention to the Viqho area, where Taqar would become the town's first permanent inhabitant. The town would remain small due to its relatively remote location, low availability of natural resources, and turbulent weather; however, the settlement persisted and eventually attracted more inhabitants, many belonging to the To'natona subculture.

Culture

Viqho is home to a significant population of To'natoni people. As such, Q'shasi is a popular art among the town's residents; an annual Q'shasi festival is held in the town which attracts thousands of nationwide spectators. The disproportionate ratio of spectators to the town's actual population led to the construction of several hotels, which only see use in the summer months when the festival is held.