The Congregation of Lords
The Congregation of Lords acts under the guidance of the Emperor of Turelion as the major legislative body in the whole of the Empire of Turelion. They enact laws under Imperial supervision, have oversight of key Imperial institutions and can act as the highest court in the Empire.
Structure
The Congregation of Lords has 101 members that make it up, one of which is the Emperor, who presides over the entire organisation and who approves all of their decisions. As the Emperor is often not present for meetings of the Congregation, the Lord Elect, a member of the Congregation appointed by the Emperor to preside over business in their absence leads proceedings. When the Emperor is not present, the Lords are still able to conduct business under the auspices of the Lord Elect, but all of their decisions, whether legal, judicial or administrative need to be ratified by the Imperial personage prior to being actually carried forward.
The membership of the Congregation of Lords is made up of a variety of stakeholders. 45 seats are given to noble families, whose great service to the Empire, especially during the reign of the first Emperor, Machestaro I, means that they have been given a hereditary seat on the Congregation for the head of the family to occupy. A number of other seats are automatically given to certain office holders, such as, the Arch Priest of Astartes, the Grand Arcanist of the Imperial College of Arcanists and the heads of the Imperial Bureau's various branches. The remaining seats are handed out to a selection of high-born, or ennobled individuals whose skills, knowledge and loyalty to the Empire warrant them being rewarded with a seat. These last seats are only awarded for a period of ten years, though an individual appointed to the Congregation in this manner can be re-appointed for multiple further periods of ten years.
Organisations that Report into the Congregation of Lords:
- The Imperial Bureau
- The Imperial Colonies
- The Imperial College of Administration
- The Imperial College of Arcanists
- The Imperial College of Engineering
- The Imperial Flight College
- The Imperial Naval College
- The Imperial Order of Knights
- The Imperial Strategic College
- The Lodge of Imperial Hunters
Public Agenda
The Congregation of Lords exists to act as a legislative body for the Empire of Turelion, to create, amend and implement laws that will affect the whole of the Empire as directed and approved by the Emperor of Turelion. The body also acts as the overseers of a number of Imperial organisations, including the Imperial Bureau, the Lodge of Imperial Hunters, the Imperial Colonies and the Imperial College of Arcanists amongst others.
The organisation also has the jurisdiction to act as a court of law, and they regularly convened at the command of the Emperor to hear cases of grievous national importance. The majority of cases that come before the Congregation of Lords are accusations of treason that have been levelled against a high profile individual by the Imperial Inquisition. In 99% of such cases brought before the Lords, a guilty sentence is passed, with a minimum sentence of life imprisonment on the notorious The Isle of the Lost prison complex.
Assets
The only asset that the Congregation of Lords as an organisation have is the large ornately decorated building, the Chamber of Lords, which exists as part of the infrastructure of the Grand Imperial Palace in the capital Meltaro, where meetings of the Congregation are held. The Chamber of Lords has facilities for the meetings of the Lords to take place, dining facilities and its own landscaped gardens. In addition, each member of the Congregation of Lords is provided with rooms within the complex that they can use either for private meetings, or to stay in if they do not dwell near the Imperial Capital.
Type
Court, Royal
Alternative Names
The Emperor's Rubber Stamp/ The Congregation of Agreement (both derogatory)
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
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