Styressia

The lands of Styressia sit under the shadow of the mist tipped peaks of the skyscraping Aarhus Mountains. Many folks in Terrania believe humans first touched down on this continent from those very peaks. Due to its proximity, Styressia has long been known as the bridge to Umbregia. Inhabitants from both sides of the Yergjegor Sea have long moved back and forth. Many folks of Orcish ancestry can trace their lineage through Styressia and into Orcinium. The Aarhus Mountains are also where the infamous Terranian Awakening happened (First Contact with those existing outside our material plane). Thus, those interested in the studies of the Celestial and Infernal, journey to these lands to investigate the numerous historical sites left from that tumultuous era.

Government

Styressia is renowned for the five great kingdoms.
Alturia
Welkania
Skallange
Gorthlund
Trysalland
Each Kingdom has a Prince or Princess with strong levels of autonomy within their respective lands, but still swear fealty to crown in Alturia (and nominally, Tronsvik as well). The Politics of Styressia are divided between the peoples of the highlands and Northern Lands, and the peoples along the coast and Southern lands. While most of the agriculture and manufacturing sit along the riverlands and on the coast, the robust natural resources sit in the rugged, deep forests of the northern taiga. This has often resulted in the political and economic power base of the region sitting on the coast, leaving those in the Highlands feeling neglected or exploited without proper representation or protections. Thanks to the series of wars between House Nylissa & House Alturia; the kingdom is now ruled by a dual monarchy. House Alturia rules Alturia, Skallange and Gorthlund from their capital in Velkslanda. House Nylissa controls Trysalland and Welkania in the north. Technically, the supreme power still lays in Velkslanda, but the level of autonomy Troksvik has due to the treaties signed in 1756 AC largely makes that power null-void in practice. Per the Treaty, the two crowns should meet three times a year for the Grand Styressian Moot to legislate the Kingdom untied, but Erkhart II has no-showed the lasts few Moots, sending representatives in his stead. There is growing unease in Styressia though as Reinhart provocations in the region threaten the peace; if Reinhart presses their claims on Gorthlund it will be interesting to see if Erkhart II answers Axel's V’s call to arms.

History

In 0 AC, Styressia was the setting for the The Terranian Awakening , where the Abyssal and Celestial beings touched upon this plane. Many of the precursors to the five kingdoms began as cheiftans and groups of humans that pledged their support to the Celestials.
The bulk of Styressian history is known as the Five Kingdoms period (324-1604 AC). This era was characterized by interkingdom struggles, wars of conquest against Heleninum's eastern lands, and fighting off excursions and war parties from Orcinium. By the late 5 Kingdoms era, Alturia had emerged as the regional power.
From 1581-1604 AC Alturian King Addo The Great united the lands of Styressia under his family's banner. He inherited the Gorthlund crown through his mother, and conquered Welkania during the subsequent succession crisis. King Addo The Great then went on to conquere Skallange by taking Eskronsa in 1598 AC. The King of Trysalland pledged fealty to Addo in 1604 in exchange for full protection from two massive Brute Orcish Raids, and the erasure of massive personal debts the King had taken on during the struggle.
Styressia was pushed the brink of destruction during the events of the Obscurring of the Terra Firma but persevered. The Kingdom then entered a long golden age under the rule of Addo the Greats Granddaughter, Queen Rosalina Cossette Alturia from 1652 - 1719. 
But Queen Rosalina's children and grandchildren struggled to maintain the United Kingdom. The Styressian Civil Wars (1735-1756 AC) fractured the power the Throne of Alturia had in the region. Erkhart's Rebellion, the last conflict of the Civil Wars (1749-1756 AC) ended with the creation of the Styressian Dual Monarchy.

Title: The United Styressian Kingdom of Alturia, Welkania, Skallange, Gorthlund And Trysalland
Established: 1604 AC
Capital: Velkslanda & Tronsvik
Current Ruler(s): Axel V of House Alturia (Velkslanda) & Erkhart II of House Nylissa (Tronsvik)