Tressen

One of the oldest countries in the Sunrise Lands, the kingdom of Tressen is said to have existed for thousands of years. It exists in the high, mountainous valley near the headwaters of the great  Tresse River , which feed the lowlands below. Their culture is strange and isolationist, and it is said that of all the races of men, the inhabitants of Tressen remember most the ancient lessons on good, evil, and magic learned in the dawn times. These  Men of the Mountains  have inhabited the region, worshipping their stone gods, since time immemorial, and have successfully defended their homelands from their high roosts against dozens of full-fledged invasions. However, their land is harsh and not highly populated, and the quality of their warriors could not match the quantity of the Imperial Army.  Alvyrnia  succeeded where everyone else had failed, and conquered Tressen after three of the bloodiest invasions in the history of the east. And yet, the Imperials knew that to attack the faith and customs of the  Mountain Men  was to invite disaster. For this reason, they left the affairs of Tressen in its own hands; so long as they were provided coin, grain, and soldiers, Tressen could act on its own.