Tzerimytris isn’t so much a country as a confederation of city-states who have seen the advantage of cooperation. Located in the midst of wild country, each city lives under constant threat from monsters and tribes of feral humanoids. Many cities have been destroyed through the ages as their defenses were weakened by rivalries, intrigues, and invasion. Over time the only cities still intact are those closest to the sea.
Even those cities stood on the brink fifty years previous, before Tibalt of Gatzer-Dau began establishing mutual defense and cooperation pacts with neighboring states. This provided greater security, which led to prosperity. Rather than using that prosperity to overwhelm other neighboring cities, he was able to convince his new allies to duplicate his efforts and expand the cooperation. As their alliance grew he was then able to focus their burgeoning economies on trade across the sea. Over time their confederation has stabilized to an economic and defensive powerhouse.
It also attracted the attention of the tribes of the Uldamai, who occasionally launch raids into Tzerimytrian territory, but generally are quickly defeated. The primary threat to the continued prosperity of the region, however, is internal. Leadership of the confederation shifts every five years through the vote of the Collegium, and the High Electors of late have begun making decisions that benefit certain cities over others. Friction is increasing, and a few cities have re-opened old rivalries and intrigues. The entire confederacy could collapse if things escalate much farther.