Moot
The Imperial government's only deliberative body. It has few powers
and even more rarely exercises them. In theory, the Moot includes all
Imperial nobles of baronial or higher status
-- the peerage -- but most nobles do not find it convenient to travel to Capital, and so many of those
seated hold proxy votes. Large blocks of these votes can be wielded
by a single influential noble.
While the emperor is technically a peer, and a landed noble at that, he and his family are
not members of the Moot. In fact, they are prohibited from entering
the Moot Spire on Capital unless invited by the body.
Technically, the Moot is supreme in the Imperium, but its power is extremely
limited. In practice, its deliberations are advisory to the emperor,
and he is wise to heed them. The Moot has only one power: to dissolve
the Imperium. When this power is brought to bear, it compels compromise
between opposing factions.
When an emperor dies, abdicates, or otherwise becomes unfit for office,
the Moot becomes important as the validating body for the new emperor.
It has the power to examine the qualifications and credentials of the heir
apparent and, in unusual situations, to reject him. It may also exercise
this power for all peerage titles, including the power to revoke any noble
ranking; in these cases, the emperor can override the Moot.
The Moot holds its sessions in the Moot Spire. which, at 1.75 kilometers
high, is the tallest building on Capital. By tradition, the Spire
is the only building allowed to tower above the Imperial Palace, which is
4.25 kilometers away. Elevators with gravitic compensators can speed
visitors from the bottom to the top in 18 seconds. At the top of the
Spire is the High Moot, where select committees hold the most private deliberations.
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