Kingdom of Kilth
The northern monarchy of Kilth is among the longest lasting and stable in the Great Bay, having ruled their core realm of Kilthia for over six hundred years, and having had a king for almost all of that period. Ruled by the dwarven house of Arkäntall for hundreds of years, in its heyday the kingdom was the pre-eminent power in the bay. The current king, Jarall Arkäntall has had to lead his kingdom through a diminishing of its territories and international clout, as war with the dragon to the east and revolt by the Angrian provinces to the west have sapped its resources. Nevertheless, the kingdom remains, and the throne of Kilth commands respect despite the comparatively meager population base of the wintry realm.
Known for their stonework and metalwork, the Kilthians are also notable for their mastery of terrace farming and their skill in making food grow in fairly poor conditions. Most Kilthians are dwarves, but even in the core duchies of Kilthia there are human populations on the southern coast, most of whom have entirely adopted the ways of the mountain dwarves.
Structure
Kilth has an unusually powerful royal house, with relatively few checks on their power. While the realm is divided into a dozen duchies, duke is not inherently a hereditary position in Kilth. Rather, dukes are appointed to rule the constituent duchies by the king, and the title does not automatically transfer to any heir. In most cases, the king will however appoint the offspring of the previous duke if the current duke dies.
Local administration is a mixture of elder town councils and feudal landowners. While duchies are not hereditary, smaller personally owned lordships are, and typically the dukes are appointed from the ranks of the lords within that region. However, house Arkäntall directly owns a lot of land in Kilth, and in some cases dukes are charged with administering royal land. Any decisionmaker of any note must swear fealty to the King of Kilth.
Culture
The Kilthians are known to be traditional and deferential, suspicious of novelty and deeply respectful of their elders. Valuing experience and the "way things were always done" above all, the Kilthian realm is remarkable for its social stability, even when the political situation changes around them. Family and loyalty are everything to Kilthians and they are usually regarded by others as very honorable and trustworthy, but also inflexible and hidebound.
I like the fact that duchies are not hereditary, although it seems as though the King usually passes the role onto their heir. I love that as a people they are quite stuck on their traditions, which also makes them loyal and honourable. Sounds like a fascinating place.