A bit about the Zagadur's history.
Zagadur Isle is rich in metal, especially iron, tin, lead and copper. For this reason, as well as to serve as a stopover in a naval trade-route, it was first colonized by Kurnagor in the Dawn Age. The Kurnagorans built a few settlements near what was then the coastline (and now is the foothills) - including digging the first mine in what is now Norin's Stand - and eventually established a Murdahaz, major mining town in the plateau up in the mountains where a rich Mithril vein could be found.
Most of these settlements were abandoned early in the Age of Dusk, as trade dwindled during the Dusk War sunk many ships and ruined the major ports. During that time, goblinoid raiders from the south sailed along the ocean currents and established a foothold on the island, pillaging the nearly defenseless Kurnagoran settlements.
In the 113th year of the Age of Blossom, Dwarven and Human settlers returned in force Zagadur and drove away most of the goblinoids and other beasts into hiding in remote mountain crags. They reopened the mines, rebuilt Murdahaz in the plateau and established several ports and fishing towns along what was then the coastline. Eventually, Murdahaz prospered and grew into a large industrial city.
When Winter came in the 362nd (and final) year of the Age of Blossom, several ships loaded with refugees from the mainland fled the famine and chaos there to the relative safety of Zagadur. This illusion of safety, however, did not last long. As the Ten Years without a Summer came, the seas around Zagadur Isle filled with deadly ice, preventing further sailing from the mainland. A huge sheet of ice formed in the north, connecting the northern tip of the isle with the freezing mainland; many beasts of the North, as well as Snow Orcs, used the ice-sheet to cross the ocean and spread to Zagadur, attacking the remaining settlements. And Murdahaz itself, the Jewel of Zagadur, was choked by the ice, its fertile fields no longer able to bear enough grain to feed it. Famine set in, followed by chaos; civilization fell into barbarity.
But, inch by inch, civilization recovered. The seas receded, revealing new arable land, which, eventually could be settled and farmed; and the much reduced population once again reached a state of equilibrium with the available food sources. In the year 72 of the Frozen Age, Igor the Iron-Fisted united some of the survivors living in the southern parts of the island, drove away a few of the resurgent goblinoid tribes, and became the first King of Zagadur. He established the town of Igorgrad - now the kingdom's capital - and engaged in a series of wars to reconquer more parts of the Isle. He also formed a crude feudal system, with his two greatest war-leaders becoming Counts, each entitled with the right to grant the title of Baron to their trusted underlings.
Today, in the year 217 FA, the ninth year of the reign of Mira II 'The Wise', there are three Counties on Zagadur, each divided into three Baronies. The Queen also holds a Royal Domain in the richest agricultural region of Zagadur, and each Count holds a significant portion of his or her county as a Count's Domain. Barons typically rule frontier towns and villages where the Count feels that a strong guiding hand must be present.
While the Queen is Zagadur's sovereign, and has the sworn fealty of all Counts, Barons and Knights of the realm, each noble has a great degree of autonomy. In fact, in some occasions one Count or Baron marches against the other in order to grab territory and resources. Mira II is a wise queen, and knows how to play one noble against the other to keep herself on top of the situation, all while limiting infighting to small border skirmishes.
The greatest enemies of the realm are monsters, goblinoids, and Snow Orcs. The latter raid in the winter, coming from the sea in longships enchanted with foul magicks to cut through the ice as through butter.