Free Duchies of Tythium

The Free Duchies of Tythium are a string of small but sovereign human states in the region of that name, situated around the periphery of the much larger dwarven kingdom of Bharakzigal. They are ruled by a set of lordly families that mostly originated with mid-ranking local nobility who established their own independent domains following the collapse of the Asgali Empire (in which they had previously been members of the provincial aristocracy and sometimes regional magistrates or other such officials). As the collective name for these states suggests, Duke is the title used by most of these rulers, but some do style themselves as Arch-Dukes or Princes, or Duke-Archons.
Most of the Free Duchies have close relations with Bharakzigal, their prosperity being largely dependent on trade and commerce with their much larger neighbor (as is typical for the smaller human states clustered around the great dwarven powers of Rhydain). Obviously Bharakzigal also wields much greater military power than all of the Free Duchies combined, so when it comes to matters of war, peace, and statecraft, they likewise have little choice but to follow the dwarven lead. Several of the Free Duchies are so closely linked to Bharakzigal that they could be considered client states or protectorates thereof. 
The Free Duchies include the individual states of XXXXX, XXXXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXXXX, XXXXX, and XXXXX.