Kingdom of Gilithas
The Kingdom of Gilithas is an Absolute Monarchy, based on feudalistic rule. Spread far and wide, the Kingdom encompasses most of the southern Ghoul Mountains, up to the Meandering Plains and the Ice Floes, from the Marchenfields to the River Selene, where it borders the League of Concasse. It ranges to the Canary Desert and the borders of the Southern Dukedoms, and has claims on the entire Ghoul Mountains, though that is largely unenforced.
As King, Vencelas is Grandmaster of no less than fourteen Knightly Orders, which consists of nearly all of the sons of nobility, since only the eldest inherits the father's property. With its history of service, many of the Orders are monastic in nature, and act as a powerful deterrent against bandits and orc intrusion. Vencelas has nine principle landowners which comprises his Ruling Council. These are the Dukes and powerful Earls of the kingdom, each with vast holdings which is in turn controlled by barons, lesser earls and knights. Vencelas however, has the largest demesne , and also has many smaller fiefs and estates throughout the realm, controlled by stewards. All the towns in Gilithas are property of the King, and is controlled by a Sheriff, while the forests are patrolled by Royal Foresters, who prevent overhunting and illegal logging.
The Knightly Orders have castles and fortresses throughout Gilithas, a byproduct of their history when they were the sole defensive force protecting the Kingdom. As most of their castles are situated within the lands of the King's vassals, rebellious or stubborn lords have to think twice, since the Orders owe complete loyalty to the King, and one of their castles are usually no more than a day's ride away.
While it is illegal in Gilithas to tax the Church, King Vencelas has pursued a legal fiction, and had himself ordained as a priest, and presides (maybe once a year) at his own cathedral. With a Cathedral and a Throne, King Vencelas calls himself a Bishop, something no one quite dares to object to, and requires all clergy in Gilithas to "share" with him the bounties of the Church. No clergyman dares to even snidely comment about this, for Vencelas keeps stringent records, and has spent the collected church money on public works throughout the Kingdom, cementing his position as the most beloved king in recent history. The Church, is very much subordinate to the will of the King, and he has nearly every prelate in the palm of his hand.
Rather than spent an inordinate amount of time and energy fighting off the orc raids, Vencelas has paid the Wodesmen and Fellheim's Da'Gothians to do what they do best, kill orcs. To Fellheim, he is a loose ally, and source of much gold. To the Wodesmen, he is suzerain. In neither case those he involve himself in any way with the internal dealings of his tributary states, contenting himself with sending them a constant supply of arms and food as a cheaper alternative to raising a large army to garrison every exit from the Ghoul Mountains.
Vencelas is the most powerful man in the Midlands, commanding a powerful military force, with powerful military allies, a very firm hold on his vassals and the church, and is loved by the commoners.