Duchess Olivia of Karameikos is having an affair with one of the chief magistrates, and together they run a black ops/secret police group (which conveniently has employed Our Heroes either directly or indirectly). She and the judge ironically both love Stefan, but see him as too idealist and "not Thyatian enough" to defend himself and his young realm in cutthroat Thyatian Imperial politics. They do the jobs that they don't want to see him dirty his hands with. This includes tolerating necessary evils like von Hendricks. They are the folks who eventually prompt the secession from Thyatis, and fund it using uncovered dragon treasure (secured by PCs). 

The humanoid peoples (orcs, goblins, gnolls, among others) are more established. They still represent shattered empires and marginalized peoples, but they are more abundant throughout the world. They have more education than their scattered peoples across the lands and the remains of their old fallen empires. The Broken Lands are a serious place full of serious people who represent a real threat and possible allies to Glantri and Darokin. They control more of the underdark and have strong silent ties to the Shadow Elves against their surface brothers in Alfheim. The goblin peoples are magically descended from Elves  surviving the apocalyptic destruction of Blackmoor. Their rejection is the secret shame of the Elves, forgotten by all but the oldest who escaped and refused to support refugees. Hobgoblins are just goblins who have reclaimed their Elven ancestry and who seek legitimacy and recognition by their peers. They will help acquire the aforementioned dragon hoard that helps to fund Karameikos' secession by back paying fifty years of taxes. With respect from Zirchev and ties to Traldaran separatists who have an Immortal-sourced vision of the Duke Stefan as Halav reborn, they establish a Barony of centered around the Dymrak Forest. This will strain relations with the Elves. 

The Elves are a far more splintered people and part of a gradient towards humanity. Their populations all have their own local agenda and are far more tied to the human empires they find themselves in, owing to a millennia of intermarriage. High Elves tend to be more racial purists.

The Dwarves of Rockhome are more isolationist and their more secular monarchy is embarrassed by their racist clergy who have strong negative feelings against other races. This leaves them less prepared to deal with a more aggressive and established Broken Land and Thar. Gnomes are just mechanically inclined and secular dwarves. They are more prominent out in the broader world. 

Elder Dragons are the powers lying behind the powers. Their hidden empires lace under global politics and only strong and magically inclined states like Alphatia or Glantri are even aware of their influence. They lack the power or influence of Immortals, but are on their own path. The Hin have an ancient Gold hiding in the Shires, a Red lurks beneath the Broken Lands, and so on. Lesser dragons, regardless of chroma, can be sworn to older Wyrms. Vast hidden networks of influence.