Imperial Body

The Imperial Body is the name given to the gathering of the entirety of the noble class within the Stahlheimian Empire. It serves as a legislative body for the Emperor, though often is overruled by him and is reduced to bickering about minor issues. It is a requirement that every noble in Stahlheim attend a yearly gathering of the Imperial Body, though rare exceptions are made in the case of war or obligations to the Empire elsewhere. Each noble has one vote, though it is common for nobles from neighboring provinces to form a bloc that can heavily influence a proposed law. The Imperial Body is currently composed of 1,368 members, down from 1,782 since the secession of Highreach from the Empire.

Beyond proposing laws to the Emperor, the Imperial Body holds the power to remove him from power. In a rite known as Kaiserende, the Body is able to declare any Emperor unfit to rule should they unanimously vote in favor of it. This has never happened(and remains unlikely to) in the Empire's history, for coercing every last noble to vote one way is nearly impossible.