Kingdom of Steelhelm (Human)

The Kingdom of Steelhelm - also known as Human Kingdom of Steelhelm or Second Kingdom of Steelhelm - was a state found in today's Northern Etrand, named after its capital city Steelhelm. The state was well known for peculiar form of government, as well as its role in maintaining a bridge between Human and Dwarven culture and finance. The Kingdom of Steelhelm was also the most powerful adversary of the would-be King Corlagon during the Corlagon's Wars of Unification.

Form of government
One of the most peculiar features of the Kingdom of Steelhelm was its form of government - it was not constant. Sometimes, it was a monarchy, other times it was a diarchy, and sometimes - especially in the end - it was a triarchy. Most historians agree that the "Kingdom" of Steelhelm wasn't a true kingdom in the modern sense, but rather a tribal confederation - the leader of this confederation being labelled as "king" was a misinterpretation that originated in the fact that the much of the original Dwarven structures - such as the throne room - remained intact when the Humans captured the settlement, so the leaders of Steelhelm sat on the same throne their Dwarven predecessors did, and even wore the same crown jewels, ultimately leading to the misconception of this tribal confederation's leader being a "king".

During the first few centuries, the tribal confederation we mistakenly call "Kingdom" of Steelhelm" was definetely a monarchy, ruled by a leader who was elected by the various tribal chieftains. Between ~800 BEKE and ~150 BEKE, the state's form of government was constantly switching between monarchy, diarchy and triarchy, when around ~150 BEKE, it became a stable triarchy, giving rise to the phrase "Three Kings of the North".

There was a time - during a "monarchy period" early on - when the "kingdom" was led by a woman whose title got inherited by her daughter rather than a leader with merit - giving rise to the legend of Gæryca/Yeryca, who would become a goddess in Human Paganism and a saint in Etrandish Titanism - which puts the idea of Steelhelm always having been an elective monarchy into question.

Military
The army of Steelhelm was the first human army to adopt crossbows, which were originally a Gnomish/Dwarven invention. It is said that during the Corlagonid war, Steelhelmish crossbowmen gave Corlagon's men a lot of trouble. The would-be king was so impressed by the crossbows of Steelhelm, that he made crossbowmen one of the main parts of the Etrandish army. Since most of the original Dwarven-made structures remained intact after the human conquest - albeit many buildings had to be rebuilt to fit humans - the descendants of the conquerors were quick to learn the Dwarven ways of designing a stone castle.

In addition to the early adoption of foreign technology, the Kingdom of Steelhelm - through their trade connections - also had access to Dwarven steel, which was once again used to create superior weaponry.