Vircazihm

The Kingdom of Vircazihm is in the southwest point of the continent of Skephon. It has a ruling dynasty, claiming to date to the fourth century BCE, although historians believe the royal lineage dates only to the beginning of the Second Knoptaban Dynasty, founded in the tenth century CE.

The primary national identity is Aromo with racial characteristics. Aromese is the primary language of Vircazihm. The second largest ethnicity is Ulete, a more appearing group associated with the Ulete language.

The current form of government is a with an elected prime minister and a bicameral parliament. This form of government has been in place since 1992 and came about by negotiation after a protracted civil war and was cemented with the approval of the Constitution of 1992.

The Vircazihm Tourism Council promotes black beach resorts, highland nature reserves, and the many historic sites.

Prehistory
Homo sapiens arrived approximately 70,000 years before present, bringing the paleolithic culture of big game hunting focused on hunting of mastodon and other megafauna. Around 30,000 years before present there was a shift to fluted stone spear points, use of obsidian microliths, and the appearance of ground and polished stone bowls and objects of unknown use. Archaeologists refer to this strata as the Tawpeghi culture.

The shift to mesolithic culture in this region occurred approximately 14,000 years before present, and this new cultural complex is referred to as the Duyo culture. This period was characterized by a semi-settled lifestyle with a hunter-gatherer subsistence pattern. Here we see the appearance of pottery and increased use of marine food sources as well as wild nuts and other wild vegetable foods.

Agriculture came to the area with the arrival the Heorutu people and culture who migrated into the area from the east about 1500 BCE, bringing with them millet and dry rice agriculture. The Heorutu supplanted and absorbed the pre-existing hunter gather population. They also brought bronze and domesticated sheep. Modern day Ulete are mostly descended from this Bronze Age population. Walled settlements appear in this period. They practiced sky burials in which the deceased were placed on elevated platforms and presumably devoured by vultures and other birds.

Early city states
Around 1000 BCE, the first known writings using pictograms derived from eastern cultures appeared in the lowland areas, which were then divided between three primary city-state kingdoms: Dole̊, Pate, and He. These kingdoms were known for their distinct cultural practices and political structures, which set them apart from one another.

Dole̊ was the largest and most powerful of the three kingdoms. It was a center of trade and commerce, with a thriving economy and a strong military. The kingdom was ruled by a powerful monarchy, which claimed divine right to govern the people. The people of Dole̊ were known for their sophisticated art and architecture, which reflected their wealth and prosperity.

Pate, on the other hand, was a smaller kingdom, but it was known for its advanced agricultural practices. The people of Pate were skilled farmers and herders, and they developed innovative techniques for managing water and soil to maximize crop yields. Pate was ruled by a council of elders, who made decisions through consensus rather than through a central leader.

He was the smallest of the three kingdoms, but it was the most culturally distinct. The people of He practiced a unique form of ancestor worship, and their religious practices included elaborate ceremonies and rituals. He was ruled by a priest-king, who was responsible for maintaining the kingdom's spiritual and cultural traditions.

Meanwhile, in the highland zone, which was believed to have only a sparse population, a group of people known as the Shing emerged. The Shing were a nomadic people who lived in small, tight-knit communities and were known for their skill in hunting and gathering. Over time, however, the Shing began to interact more with the lowland kingdoms, and they adopted some of their practices and technologies.

Despite their differences, the three lowland kingdoms and the Shing had a complex and interdependent relationship. They traded goods, exchanged cultural practices, and sometimes engaged in conflict. This period of history saw the rise of new technologies, the development of new forms of governance, and the emergence of distinct cultural traditions that would shape the region for centuries to come.

Boreche Empire
Around 600 BCE iron technology arrived in the area. In the year, 556 BCE, the ruler of He, a man known as King Goro, conquered Dole̊, and four years later, he conquered Pate, thus founding the Empire of Bore̊che̊. He made Hoyaw his capital city and built a monumental sky temple there, the ruins of which are still visible today.

The empire was to last three centuries. In the third century BCE, a people known as the J̈o˞vites began to migrate south into the land of Bore̊che̊ from north of the Kisho estuary. This appeared to be a mix of peaceful migration with some raiding. Over several decades the amount of migration and the amount of violence increased and several cities came to be lost to the empire and ruled by the newcomers.

The J̈o˞vites were phenotypically Jammadan and so, quite different in appearance from the native Heorutu who were phenotypically Skephonian. The J̈o˞vites had iron weapons, domesticated horses, as well as wheeled wagons and chariots. Cattle and wheat were the basis of their economy. They also had their own writing system that used a script. They had coexisted to the north for centuries and it is believed that population pressure and several years of famine contributed to their southward migration.

Kingdom of Arom (First Knoptaban Dynasty)
In the year 331 BCE, a J̈o˞vite queen named Knoptaba came south with a great force and defeated the Bore̊che̊n emperor in series of battles. She had his eight sons beheaded and his wives were turned over to her soldiers. But the defeated emperor, she turned into her personal slave, to humiliate him for the rest of his days.

Knoptaba, founded a new city for her capital, the city of Hyǐ˞ Arom and thus began the Kingdom of Arom. Gone were the sky temples and sky burials of fallen Bore̊che̊. The J̈o˞vites brought with them their religion of ancestor worship that is still practiced to this day in Vircazihm and is known as Kìfù. Not only was Queen Knoptaba believed to be descended from a god, she herself was worshiped as a goddess. The J̈o˞vites preserved the bodies of their dead and entombed them in monumental crypts that also served as temples known as Kvi which still dot the landscape of Vircazihm.

Kingdom of Zhozh
The Kingdom of Arom lasted for several centuries until, in the third century CE, the Aromese kingdom fell into chronic civil wars and the kingdom was broken up into petty kingdoms. Then, at the turn of the Fourth Century, there came along a warlord called Bnuchǐ˞ from the city of Zhozh. He was described by the poet as “black of skin, dark of eye, and his long black hair flowed in the wind from under his war helm.” Bnuchǐ˞  subdued all the petty kings and established a new kingdom, the kingdom of Zhozh.

Bnuchǐ˞ ‘s daughter Zhǐny succeeded him to become queen of Zhozh, but unlike her father, Zhǐny was not a warrior but a scholar who loved poetry and literature, and she liked nothing better than to surround herself with the wise and the keen minded. In her long, peaceful, and prosperous reign, Zhǐny created a school wherein philosophers and the learned could teach and share ideas. Next to the school she built the famed library of Zhozh where she collected writings not only from within her kingdom but from far a wide.

In the year 424 CE a plague appeared and for several years the kingdom saw many outbreaks and much death.

In the sixth century a new threat appeared. The Hutani people came from the steppe land to the northeast and caused destruction and death in the frontiers. Cities were lost but the kingdom endured through battle or tributes of gold to buy peace. Then in the seventh century a new alliance of Hutani tribes resulted in a large horde that could not be defeated and Zhozh at last, with no fight left, opened the doors to the Hutani.

Kingdom of Kīrk
Hutani rule is known as the Kingdom of Kīrk or alternately as the Kīrkīnian Dynasty, named after the first Hutani king, King Kīrkīn. The administrative structures of the kingdom were kept largely intact, but all important positions as well as all significant landholdings were given over to the Hutani nobility. The people of the Zhozhian kingdom, who at this point were recognizably Aromo, had become second class citizens in their own land.

Under the Kīrkīnian dynasty, trade with the east increased. Sky worship was again seen in the kingdom, however, over time most Hutani eventually converted to the Kìfù faith and took on the local Aromese language. Cavalry was now the backbone of the military, and the kingdom gained new land both to the north and to the east.

In the eighth century, priests and monks of the Shungi faith arrived in the kingdom from the east and began to teach there. The first Shungi monastery in Zhozh was established CE 790.

Over time, the Kīrkīnian Dynasty became weakened by infighting and their nobility had lost their edge as they chose feasts and time in the haram over military discipline. The dynasty came to an end with a messianic cult which arose around a mother and her son who were said to be of the ancient Knoptaban bloodline, thought to have been lost for centuries.

Kingdom of Vircazihm (Second Knoptaban Dynasty)
While historians presume the ancient lineage to be a fiction, the people of Zhozh shared no such skepticism. The mother was Pʼa˞tzim and her son was named Juk. The story goes, the secret lineage had been maintained in and around a Kìfù holy center in the highlands, where they stayed in secret through the centuries until the stars aligned and the ancient gods spoke through a priest-seer that the time was now for the ancient god-kings of Arom to return to the throne.

As unlikely as this story may be, it did not stop the people of Zhozh spreading the news and organizing to serve the new god-queen and her son. The Kīrkīnian king, Ìko knew only there was growing banditry in the south perpetrated by a group who called themselves the Blue Lotus. The Blue Lotus army was made up of both professionals and fervent peasants and the force grew to an enormous size until they could switch from small-scale attacks and threaten the king’s army in pitched battle.

On 29 August 995 CE, the Kīrkīnian dynasty ended at the battle of Çüprik where Juk led the Blue Lotus against the king’s forces. So devastating was the battle that the greater part of the nobility lay dead at the end. The king was assumed dead although his body was never found.

Pʼa˞tzim was proclaimed god-queen. Pʼa˞tzim called for peace and for the Blue Lotus to return to their homes, but the peasant army was deaf to the words of their queen and following the battle, families of the remaining nobility were massacred and their bodies left in the streets for the dogs.

Pʼa˞tzim placed her new capital at Virkkaz and so her kingdom became known as Vircazihm.

Agar traders arrived in the late 15th century and established a trade outpost at Tas̈. The Agar presence slowly grew from there. The H'Ejrad faith came to Vircazihm at this time, and increasingly people could be seen praying and bowing toward the sun. Mostly they were Agar, but some locals would gradually start joining them.

In 1709 the Agar traders demanded a reduction in tax and an end to restrictions on their movement in the kingdom. On 13 March 1711, at the battle of Vishìnzlà, an Agar force defeated the king’s forces. As a result of this battle much of lowland Vircazihm was ceded to the Agar and Vircazihm was reduced to half its former size; it was mostly in the highlands, now.

Ordrey colonial forces were active in the area during the 19th century, and they managed to weaken the Agar presence in Vircazihm. In this century a trade relation grew between Ordrey and Vircazihm, helping to loosen Agarad's grip. In 1832, King Màtètch invited Ordrey to occupy Dawgu Island after evicting the Agar. There, Ordrey set up a fortified trading post.

At the end of the First World War Vircazihm regained something close to its former borders as Agarad left the region. The capital was moved to Slodos Seymi, at this time, which had become the largest and most economically significant city. Ordrey, however, maintained a colonial enclave in the city.

World War II
In World War II, Vircazihm remained ostensibly neutral, however King Ryùnshivi saw an opportunity. The war provided a perfect opportunity to rid Vircazihm of concessions to Alutran powers in which citizens from those nations were not subject to Vircazihmese law and in which an Ordrish enclave had been carved out of the capital city. Ordrey and the other Alutran powers would be distracted by the war and would not be able to threaten Vircazihm. The king wasted no time in declaring war against Ordrey.

When Vircazihm declared war, the country had only a minimal amount of industrialization. It remained a primarily agricultural economy under a strictly stratified class system in which nobility lived off the proceeds of agricultural labor and rarely invested in improvements to the nation. While the standing army was significant for a nation of its size, the available weaponry and munitions were far out of date, much of the nation's arsenal dating to the late 19th century up through World War I.

In May of 1942, in Operation Vutni ("Storm"), Vircazihmese forces closed off all land approaches to the Ordrish enclave. They also attempted a sea blockade, however the Ordrish frigate, the Pergelan kept the outdated Vircazihmese navy at bay and allowed the Ordrish to resupply their forces by sea. The land assault on the enclave did not go well for the Vircazihmese. They lost considerable forces in the initial assault, which consisted of frontal infantry advances with minimal artillery support. They discovered the Ordrish had been expecting the attack. They had prepared strong defensive positions and were well provisioned. Further attacks used the same strategy to much the same result. Over the course of three weeks, the Vircazihmese assaults weakened. This allowed the Ordrish to sortie out of the enclave, testing the Vircazihmese defenses, which by and large fell back with only poorly organized resistance. Some Vircazihmese were seen armed with traditional pole arms as their stores of modern weapons and ammunition dwindled. Out of sheer luck, at five weeks in, a sizeable Ordrish sortie encountered the headquarters of Vircazihmese general, Mpà Kyyitmì Glaw. He was taken captive and this action resulted in a panic among the Vircazihmese. The king fled the city. He had hoped to reorganize and retake the capital, however mutinies sprang up, and he fled the country with his family, going into exile in Dayan.

By mid-July, the Ordrish set up a military government. While this went smoothly for the Ordrish at first, there was a pre-existing Gekezikist insurgency, and this movement grew considerably under occupation as they were the only organization able to strike back at the Ordrish. They started with sabotages and ambushes. The occupation force was relatively small, relying mostly on local forces drafted to supplement the occupiers. The native forces lacked loyalty or morale and performed poorly against the Gekezikists. As they gained recruits and captured arms, they saw increasing victories against Ordrish proxy forces and the Ordrish themselves. By early 1944, they managed to push the Ordrish back to the capital and the Gekezikists owned the countryside. Forward momentum stopped at the outskirts of the city, however, and soon both sides dug in.

In late 1944, the Osamian Federation sent a relief force, at the behest of the Gekezikists. The Federation Navy enforced a blockade of the city and bombarded key Ordrish positions as the resistance fighters assaulted by land. The Federation landed an elite infantry force, as well. The Ordrish were finally defeated.

The Federation organized a territorial trust government along Gekezikist lines.

Federation Trust Government
The Osamian Federation administered the trust government until late 1951. The Trust government moved quickly to remove all direct political authority of the nobility. They instituted a program of education focused on increasing literacy among the working and agrarian classes, and more importantly, improving their political and social awareness to enable them to know and struggle for their own interests. Kìfùism was removed from government authority and the traditional class system was erased from statues. Apart from these steps, the Trust government avoided radical change and instead focused on building the foundations of a future socialist society.

Collective Republic of Vercazihm
The Federation withdrew from the area in 1951, leaving a friendly Gekezikist government in place. The Collective Republic of Vircazihm (CRV) was declared with the Gekezikist Party as the sole political party.

The CRV focused on industrialization and modernization, collectivizing what industry there was and gradually building it up. Nationalization of factories encountered little resistance as it was only a small segment of the economy. Nationalization of mines and forestry operations likewise met with little resistance as these were largely held by foreign interests who had no reach with the new socialist government.

There was also a push to modernize the military. The end of World War III allowed the acquisition of modern weapons and equipment. The Gekezikist government however lacked officers schooled in tactics of modern warfare. In what was later seen as a regressive move, the government chose to restore those officers from the Royal Army who had been educated in First World military doctrine.

Agricultural land reform was a much larger problem as it represented the backbone of the economy and was almost entirely in the hands of the local nobility, the same nobility who had adapted to being removed from direct political power as long as the basis of their wealth and status, their agricultural lands, were left unmolested. This posed a significant challenge for the government whose goal was to create a socialist society. Land reform through some form of collectivization was a must for this vision to be anything other than a mirage.

The 1971 Five-Year Plan was rolled out with land reform nestled in vague language. The initial roll out focused on foreign-own plantations. These were seized under a new law and ownership transferred to the people, meaning the government, and the agricultural workers were organized into collectives. While this move was not contested openly, the local elite, who had so far accepted and adapted, began to form contingency plans with certain high ranking people in the military. Historians generally agree that the CRV's failure to vet and purge the upper officer ranks was a key component of its eventual downfall.

The 1976 Five-Year Plan called for general land reform in unequivocal language. At this point, the covert resistance picked up momentum. Many landowner had been stockpiling small arms and now began to train illegal paramilitary "security brigades." In 1978, a large cotton land owner, Vudj Awd Fept (of the Awd lineage of House Fept), ordered his security brigade to attack workers who had actively taken collective control of his lands. They attacked the troublesome village at pre-dawn, killing some 21 men, women, and children, and wounding another 30. The government responded in force. Most of the paramilitaries fled; Vudj was arrested and, after a quick trial, executed by firing squad. The rebellious landowners learned from this, they would need to act in a concerted manner if they wished to succeed.

Legacy of Gekezikist Vircazihm:
 * Mandatory childhood education with a dramatic increase in literacy
 * Nationwide health infrastructure and universal healthcare
 * Multiple hydroelectric projects and development of a nationwide electrical grid
 * Increased rail and road systems and widespread public transport
 * Increased industrial infrastructure and refinement of raw resources prior to export, including textiles, milled lumber, and refined metals
 * Modernization of the military

Civil war
In 1979, General Zho˞g attempted a coup d'etat and set up a military junta government. The coup was only partially successful, resulting in two governments with separate zones of control and a devastating civil war that lasted until 1992. The Junta maintained control of Lower Vircazihm outside of the capital itself, while CRV government maintained control in the capital and much of Upper Vircazihm.

The civil war resulted in many civilian deaths and devastated the economy. After the first year or so of war, there was minimal change in territories and the war was characterized by intermittent low level attacks and retaliatory strikes. By the end of the war neither competing government had support of the population. In September of 1990, there was a paralyzing general strike organized on both sides of the front. While strike leaders were rounded up by both governments, it did succeed in starting peace negotiations.

Constitutional monarchy
The civil war ended by negotiation. King Ptèpteba returned from exile but as a constitutional monarch, established with the Constitution of 1992.

The constitution does not address the topic of the monarch’s status as a living god, however the Kìfùists continue to believe and worship their monarch. The Jaraders find this to be generally offensive and there is an active Jarader insurgency in the northern panhandle. Critics have pointed out that the insurgents seem more interested in abducting and ransoming businessmen and tourists for financial gain than they are in any real political agenda.

In 2017 the young crown princess succeeded her father and was crowned Queen Fawma II. She actively engages with her subjects using social media, which has been quite scandalous for the noble families. She is popular amongst the young who refer to her as Goddess Fawma. She does not discourage this but has never directly commented on her supposed godhood.

Geography
Vircazihm is about 1,200 km from the northernmost to southernmost point, and 700 km from easternmost to westernmost. It is divided into two basic zones, the upland (or highland) zone in the south and the lowland zone in the north where the majority of the population lives. The Akoshu subduction zone lies off the coast to the south. A stratovolcano in the upland area, Mt Mĩhe, was active as recently as 300 years ago and is considered a sacred site to folk religionists as well as Shungyists. The higher volcanic range is called the Ṇepå Mountains, and the lower range along the south coast is called the Kuḍũku Mountains (Ulete, lit. "Coastal" Mountains). Between the two ranges lies the Mĩkaw River Valley. Off the south coast lies Dawgu Island.

Politics and government
Vircazihm is a constitutional monarchy with a prime minister and a bicameral parliament, the Kkàrum. The lower house, the People's Assembly, is determined by direct election and the smaller upper house, the Chamber of the Elect, is made up of 20 nobles whose seats are inherited and 20 royal appointees, mostly economic elite and other important personages. Members of the upper house serve for life. The upper house cannot introduce legislation but can amend or veto any decisions made by the lower house.

Unlike most constitutional monarchies, the monarch of Vircazihm retains significant, but balanced powers. The monarch is forbidden from meddling in elections, but personally appoints half of the 40 members of the upper house and the monarch or their designee has the power to tie-break. The monarch does not have direct authority in executive matters, but an exception exists for states of emergency and in matters of national security. In practice, the monarch provides guidance and advice to the PM. The Aromo in general follow a bilateral system of inheritance and the monarchy uses absolute cognatic primogeniture as its rule of succession, meaning the eldest child succeeds regardless of gender.

The current government (2022) is a coalition of the Prosperity Party with the People's Empowerment Party as the junior partner. The nationalist right has been growing in popularity in recent years.

National Symbols
The white lotus and blue lotus are symbols of the monarchy and the nation. They originate in ancient Kìfùism wherein the white lotus is a symbol of the primary goddess and the blue lotus is the symbol of the primary god. Both elements combine in the deified monarch and have therefore come to symbolize the monarchy and the realm. The white lotus appears on the national flag while the military flag displays a blue lotus.

Since ancient times, the leopard has also been a symbol for the realm and the monarch. Today it is often seen as a symbolic representation of Vircazihm and is featured on some military insignia.

Foreign relations
Vircazihm has a strong trade relationship with Nzandi in the west and Mitruhmoer in the east. Vircazihm has long maintained a territorial claim on its neighbor to the east, COUNTRY3, which was historically a tributary state to the Kingdom of Vicazihm. A previous government headed by the Light of Vircazihm party threatened annexation in 2015, going so far as massing available units on the border but eventually relented, caving to international pressure and threats of sanctions. The current centrist government has shown little interest in military conquest.

Military
The Vircazihm armed forces is estimated at 45,000 personnel. They have actively participated in several peacekeeping missions in the region over the past two decades. The majority of forces are under civilian control via the prime minister as commander-in-chief, however the constitution places a small portion of the armed forces are under direct command of the monarch. These forces under royal control are collectively referred to as the Queen's Guard and consists of the Household Mounted Regiment that defends the palace area and largely takes part in ceremonial duties, and there is a smaller non-ceremonial force, the Queen's Security Command, who are responsible for royal security detail as well as police duties and includes an investigative branch. Some have suggested they have engaged in covert police operations against enemies or perceived enemies of the crown. They did foil an assassination attempt against the queen in 2021, killing the would be assassin at Slodos Seymi International Airport.

The bulk of military hardware is World War III surplus. There have been recent efforts to upgrade, but this has so far been a gradual process.

Corruption
Transparency International has rated Vircazihm's public sector as "pretty damn corrupt." In 2016, Vircazihm ranked 51st worst and had a score of 42 on a scale from 0 (perceived as most corrupt) to 100 (perceived as clean).

Human rights
Human Rights International in 2020 released a report on Vircazihm's human rights violations with the following findings:


 * 1) The government is very loose in its definition of terrorism and has even incarcerated children as young as 9, claiming they are dangerous terrorists.
 * 2) People in custody who are accused of terrorism are held without due process.
 * 3) Accused terrorists are coerced into renouncing their religious beliefs.
 * 4) Critics of the queen risk assault and arrest.

Economy and infrastructure
The primary exports are cotton and wool based textiles, followed by precious metals, timber, leather, and wines. Imports consist of manufactured goods. Vircazihm has an agricultural economy with a small but growing manufacturing sector. The upland zone produces high quality wool. Cotton, grapes and spices are grown in the lowland zone.

Tourism
Tourism is a growth industry with hospitality making the core component and is centered on coastal and highland regions. Tourism is marketed around history, ruins, and nature, with ecotourism and ethnotourism both accounting for much of the growth in this sector. The country is famed for its black basalt beaches and the government has supported the growth of coastal resorts, however, this has been of limited success, likely due to the country being temperate with generally poor weather in autumn and winter seasons, meaning the resorts are mostly active during summer months. Inland tourism is focused on historic ruins in lower Vircazihm and nature reserves in the highlands. There is growing interest in winter sports in the mountains, however development of the necessary infrastructure has been slow. The sprawling Diboku ski resort is planned to open November, 2022.

Textiles and fashion
A staple of the Vircazihmese economy is clothing manufacturing. Over the past three decades, the country has successfully shifted from exporting raw cotton and wool to now exporting consumer end-products, mostly clothing, but including other textile-based products. Related to this, there is a growing fashion design community. The new monarch, Fawma II, has been actively promoting Vircazihmese fashion. There are several shoe manufacturers which utilize local leather and textiles.

Automobile manufacture
The first foreign automotive assembly plant opened in 2002. In 2008, Push Automotive was founded with assistance from Slodos Seymi Univeristy and support from foreign investors. Their first car to be mass produced was a small economy sedan. They have since added a small van, an SUV and a bus to their line. They use locally produced parts made from local metals and other resources as much as possible allowing for price points low enough to compete with imported used vehicles. Since 2017, they have been producing the Htàkh (Viper) armored personnel carrier.

Electronics
There is a growing electronics sector around Slodos Seymi. This is primarily assembly, but there is increasing local manufacture of parts.

Software
There is a high interest in coding and software development among young educated entrepreneurs in Slodos Seymi. The most well known being the game studio, Nidjni Natni. Additionally, the last several years has seen a large number of First World tech workers moving to Vircazihm to either work remotely or work as independent software developers. This trend has been supported by the availability of high speed internet throughout most of the capital city.

Imports
Vircazihm continues to rely on the import market for complex manufactured goods and military hardware.

Aromo
The primary ethnic group is the Aromo and the associated leading language is Aromese. This ethnic group is native to Vircazihm and the name derives from the ancient Kingdom of Arom. There is wide phenotypic variation with Jimmado-Skephonian characteristics. The Aromese language is considered east Jimmadan in its classification and specifically grouped in the branch. It has notable influence from west Skephonian languages, especially Ulete.

Zidaam is a dialect of Aromese spoken in eastern and northern Vircazihm. It has less influence from Ulete.

Ulete
The next largest ethnicity is the Ulete who have a west Skephonian appearance in general and speak a west Skephonian language, also called Ulete. The Ulete are centered in the southern highlands, but can also be found in the capital and environs.

Others
A smaller minority are the Manuak who are found mostly in the northern district. This is followed by Hutani and Wedu.

In addition, there is a small but growing number of Alutran and other First World expatriates.

Shungyism
Vircazihm is a Shungyist majority country. Shungyism is heavily monastic and focused on the attainment of the True and Eternal Body through spiritual attainment. Monastic practitioners renounce worldly things in favor of contemplation and rituals. Lay adherents pray to the Shungyist saints who they call the Eternals. Dreams are considered the windows into the Eternal Realm and dream interpretation and manipulation is an important part of Shungyist spiritual practice. Shungyism values detachment, peaceful avoidance of conflict, avoidance of hedonistic contamination, and disciplined spiritual practice.

Kìfùism
The native religion of the Aromo is called Kìfùism which in its modern form is highly syncretic with Shungyism. Its theology involves vitalism and polytheism. The core practice is the worship of ancestors and deities. The more ancient the lineage, the more powerful the ancestors are believed to be. The monarchs of the Knoptaban dynasty, past and present, are considered divine beings and as such are included in prayers and worship. Kìfùism values extraordinary traits and abilities and reveres people living and dead who have shown extraordinary courage, strength, beauty, or intelligence. Such traits are believed to be signs of divine nature and in death such individuals are elevated to a semi-divine status.

Kìfùism is practiced primarily by nobles and other elites regardless of ethnicity. The Ulete nobles and elites also practice this religion, to some degree, as Kìfùist practice is regarded as necessary to be included in the upper strata of society.

Shungi-Kìfùist syncretism
Kìfùism is observed by many Aromo in combination with Shungyism, with a focus on ancestor veneration and attainment of the Eternal Realm. It is more often the sole or primary religion amongst the Aromo nobility and elite. These two religions have co-existed for over a millennium and there are syncretic aspects in both, but especially in Kìfùism. Lay adherents for both religions may have minimal active involvement. Participation in Kìfù, for some, is as much a patriotic activity as it is religious while the majority of the non-elite population identify primarily as Shungyist.

h'Ejrad
There is an Jarader minority who adhere to the h'Ejrad religion. They are found mostly in the northern district as well as in the capital. There is an active Manuak separatist movement centered in the northern district. It is heavily Jarader and has gained support from non-ethnically-Manuak Jaraders.

Animism
Traditional, pre-Shungyist animism continues to be practiced among a small minority of Ulete people and is found only in upper Vircazihm, specifically in the eastern highlands.

Social stratification
Vircazihm's class system has been described by anthropologists as caste-like. There are four classes to which there are strong social barriers to crossing. The Vicazihmese refer to this as the dahny system.

Tchàshàpùngi
The tchàshàpùngi or "nobility," are the traditional ruling class. They are defined, not by title, but by endogamous houses (yyùhùta) and each house is made up of multiple bilateral lineages (khùta). The House of Knoptaba is the royal house and there are several Knoptaban lineages who have vied over the throne over the centuries. The other noble houses are also sub-divided into lineages. One cannot become a noble; only those born in a noble house can ever be considered a noble.

Unlike nobles elsewhere, alliances were not historically made by marriage in Vercazihm because of this house endogamy. Endogamy becomes more strict the greater the prestige of the noble house. Most houses practice house endogamy but lineage exogamy, meaning one marries outside their lineage but within their house. However, this rule does not apply to the oldest and most important houses, especially of the House of Knoptaba, which maintains endogamy within their lineages, meaning most marriages are to cousins, including first cousins, with marriage to cross cousins being preferred.

Each lineage has its own venerated ancestors, worshiped at dedicated kvo. The leader of each lineage is a shìngatitsha (patriarch) or yawbitittì (matriarch). Every house has a primary lord called shebitsha (m) or shebittì (f). Thus, historical nobility did not rule over areas of land so much as over members of their house as well as ruling over the common people beholden to that house. In modern Vircazihm, nobility have no direct authority over common people. That authority was stripped of them under the Federation Protectorate government and the subsequent Collective Republic of Vircazihm government.

Yyawreyy
The yyawreyy, literally "honorable ones", but more commonly "the distinguished," and historically translated as "gentry," is made up of certain select land owners, wealthy persons, capitalists, intellectuals, professionals, celebrities, athletes, musicians, artists and others. This dahny is not hereditary in principle, but often is in practice. To become yyawreyy, one must be nominated by a noble house or lineage head. The status is then affirmed by a Kìfùist priest.

Being yyawreyy bestows status and opens doors. Management and professional positions are largely made up of members of this dahny. In today's Vircazihm, the noble sponsorship is largely unnecessary and any notable personage can be designated yyawreyy by the Kìfùist priesthood.

Obìnfèngi
The obìnfèngi, translating to the "protected," are commoners. To be considered a member, one must have a lineage where one or more of your ancestors are worshiped or at least venerated. Some commoner lineages or khùta are grouped into clans or fiptùta which is the same as the noble houses (yyùhùta) but without the authority or standing. Most common people in modern Vircazihm are not practicing Kìfùists but nevertheless venerate their ancestors and may specifically venerate their ancestors as Shungyist eternals, being as most non-noble Vircazihmese identify as Shungyists. Few commoners practice clan or lineage endogamy the way Kìfùist nobles do.

Khuzohtùta
The khuzohtùta translates to outsiders. This was traditionally defined as anyone without a known ancestral lineage with one or more venerated ancestor. In modern times it has simply come to mean non-Vircazihmese.

National Culture
A 2007 study scored the Aromo and Ulete cultures on the following traits. All traits are scored 0 (low) to 100 (high).

Note that a high "masculinity" score means that both males and females have strong "masculine" traits whereas a low "masculinity" score means the culture is more "feminine" such as in a high value on nurturance.

Two millennia of co-existence has likely brought these two cultures closer in character than otherwise would be the case. We can also presume the Shungyist religion, as the primary religion of all Vircazihmese, has also been an influence in blending cultural differences. Yet, in spite of these ameliorating factors, we can see some significant divergence of character in certain key areas. The Aromo have long been stereotyped as outgoing, flashy, and self-promoting in comparison to the Ulete, who are customarily viewed as reserved, conservative, self-absorbed, and uncanny. While these are stereotypes we can see they are reflected to some degree in the traits found in scientific survey data.

Aromo scored notably higher on achievement orientation, assertiveness, indulgence, and individualism, for instance, while Ulete are notably higher in humane orientation, and uncertainty avoidance. Another area of difference is gender egalitarianism, where the Aromo, with their bilateral descent (historically matrilineal), and high valuation of merit, we see a higher gender egalitarianism score and this is in fact reflected in their history of strong female leaders alongside male leaders. The Ulete, on the other hand, with their patrilineal descent, and social conservatism show a much lower score in this area.

Areas of congruence include low universalism, likely reflecting the Vircazihmese concept of exceptionalism, and high power distance, reflecting the traditional Vircazihmese class system.

Pushùngi
Pushùngi is an Aromese word describing a quality of Vircazihmese people. It is generally translated as "exceptionalism" but does not have an exact translation in other languages and also carries connotations of creativity, superiority, and the ability to overcome hardship and obstacles through force of will and personality. There is a further distinction between dèhupt pushùngi (overt exceptionalism) and tarvu pushùngi (hidden exceptionalism). The overt form is generally applied to well known people who have excelled in some known manner, whereas the hidden type is ascribed to people who have special qualities about them as a person and is associated with Shungyist inner achievement.

Khìt
Another concept of Vircazihmese character is khìt which is typically translated as "indirectness" but also connotes sarcasm, satire, and wit. Khìt is a form of self expression driven by a culture that values personal achievement and abilities while at the same time devaluing blatant self promotion and open conflict. A common expression of khìt is indirectly putting someone down and promoting oneself but couched in the form of a compliment--a backhanded compliment, essentially. The reverse of this is also khìt where one makes a seemingly self-effacing comment that is in fact a hidden self promotion. Humble bragging is, for instance, a form of khìt. Having an open argument in which people state what they actually think is considered distasteful; the preferred approach is to couch the language of argument in the language of agreement while making it clear that you are disagreeing by using standard idioms of khìt. Outsiders often misconstrue serious verbal conflicts among Vircazihmese as pleasant conversations.

Breaches of Khìt are considered obscene by most Vircazihmese. For instance, when the Shungyist abbot, Chyàru, publicly called the queen a derogatory word for a low-cost sex worker, it created a nation-wide scandal and public opinion quickly turned against him, not necessarily because they disagreed with him but because he said the words out loud in a direct manner.

Culture bound syndromes
There are several culture-bound mental disorders unique to Vircazihm and region.

Tabletop games
Games pitting minds against each other have long been popular in Vircazihm and remain so. There is a significant cottage industry of indie tabletop game designers.

The role playing game, Wanderlust, came out in 1993, authored by Slodos Seymi native, Khàlhù Rawtshelpè. It quickly became a hit nationwide due to the Vircazihmese love for drama. Wanderlust games are set in parallel universes and players act out scenes set up by the game director.

Computer gaming
As an increasing portion of the population gains access to computers there is a growing gamer community and several new game studios. The most famous Vircazihmese studio is Nidjni Natni (Mind Fuck Studio) known for the medieval war simulator, Total Brutality. Since 2016, Nidjni Natni has sponsored an annual Total Brutality esports competition in Slodos Seymi called the Brutality Cup.

Sports
Isihnar is deeply rooted in the culture of Lower Vircazihm, where it has been practiced for centuries. It is a traditional test of courage and a rite of passage for young men in many Zidaam-speaking communities. The event involves a bull, which is released into an open field, and young men are challenged to run towards it and grab onto its hump, then run along the length of the bull and jump off without getting caught by the bull's horns or trampled underfoot.

Bull jumping and wrestling are not without their risks, and serious injuries and even deaths can occur. Despite these dangers, Isihnar remains a popular tradition, and the status of the bull jumpers and wrestlers is highly respected within their communities. The more extreme sport of bull wrestling is only for the few and the brave as it requires wrestling a bull down to the ground.

In recent years, Isihnar has started to gain popularity among tourists, both as a spectator sport and as a challenge for adrenaline junkies. While some argue that the increased tourism has helped to preserve the tradition, others worry that it is becoming commercialized and losing its cultural significance.

Cuisine
The Vircazihmese have a rich culinary heritage that combines Skephonian and Jimmadan traditions. Primary meats are goat, beef, mutton, lamb, duck, and chicken. Yak and pork are also consumed especially in the south and horse meat is seen in the east where it is traditional fare for the Hutani people. Rice is the primary staple throughout Vircazihm and additional common grains are wheat, oats, and barley. Lentils are also common. Dairy is an important throughout the country and is made into sour milk, butter, and cheese. Seafood is a large part of the diet, especially in coastal areas, including fish, squid, and shellfish. Common spices include ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, cardamom, clove, and black pepper.

Food is traditionally eaten with the hand, or spoon in the case of soups. Meals are usually served at a low table. It is expected the host will pour tea or coffee for the guest.

Common ingredients and dishes:
 * Pèzyyni bumzu - sourdough flatbread
 * Djufi màkh - spiced butter
 * Nåj nyĩye (ᱱᱶᱡ ᱧᱷᱭᱮ) - sauce of fermented squid (Ulete)
 * Ziʻni bìb - rice pilaf with meat or vegetable accompaniment
 * Shvi - porridge like substance made from wheat, honey, milk, chili and spices
 * Djizpù - comprises all sorts of vegetables (tomato, potato, onion, ginger, garlic), stir-fried with lamb
 * pèlilni pàʻni - fish stew
 * Åyså̃psãb (ᱶᱭᱥᱶᱯᱥᱟᱵ) - goat or mutton stir-fried with onions and noodles (Ulete)
 * Rångåryå̃ (ᱨᱶᱱᱜᱶᱨᱭᱶ) - roasted pork (Ulete)
 * Nalni linù - duck with ginger-garlic yogurt, cilantro, and chilies served on flat bread; a popular street food dish
 * Nalni fihta - another street food, this one is made with goat meat with potato and spiced butter wrapped in flat bread
 * Vun - horse sausage (Hutani)
 * Vaytuʻ fèht - black pudding was introduced by the Ordrish enclave of South Slodos Seymi and is now common

Common beverages:
 * Tshìkh - Black tea
 * Gra - buttered, spiced tea
 * Blìsh - barley beer
 * Kha - Rice wine
 * Itå̃ (ᱤᱛᱶ) - Blackberry wine (Ulete)
 * Awsũ - distilled wine
 * Pinot noir wine production was introduced by Ordrey and is largely for export but is also consumed locally
 * Nye̊gi brand raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry sodas
 * Engaw - ginger beer (alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions)