Kingdom of the Sornele

The Kingdom of the Sornele is a mid-sized state in far southeastern Orithea, encompassing the region of the same name plus some small parts of the surrounding highlands. It was extensively raided by orcish warbands ranging ahead of Gol Garga’s main force during the great orc invasions. The bulk of the horde was defeated at the Battle of Crow’s Gorge before it could crash into the Sornele and push east into Rhydain, but considerable damage was still done. 
The shameful cowardice of Marabain Hotspur, the current King of the Sornele, prevented his troops from joining the coalition that fought at Crow’s Gorge and also probably increased the suffering of the Sornele’s people at the hands of orcish raiders. Now, in the aftermath of the invasions, the entirety of the Sornele is occupied by the dwarven army of Kuzul-Kadrin, and King Marabain is held as a virtual prisoner in his palace. 
With [former East Sularian bulwark kingdom to its south] gone, the Sornele lies directly on the new Ulthark Marches. The Kuzulkadrinu have let it be known that their occupation will continue until the Sornele is capable of doing its part to defend the new frontier against orcdom. In cooperation with several of the reconstituted Sentinel Orders, they have begun construction of a string of large border fortresses scattered across the southern and western Sornele. King Marabain has been compelled to give royal charter to the knightly brotherhoods that will occupy these fortresses, entitling them to govern the surrounding areas as sovereign enclaves and exempting them in perpetuity from all taxes and obligations to the crown.