The Council of the Freefolk

The original governing body of Eletheria, dating from before the foundation of the monarchy. It was the Council of the Freefolk which originally passed the Act of Royal Institution which created Eletheria’s electoral monarchy. Whilst the Council used to simply meet as an assembly of all free people, it is now divided into two parts: the Honourable House of Esteemed Nobles, Divines, and Guilders (or simply, the Honourable House), and the Magnum Concilium (which meets every twelve years).
In between each Magnum Concilium, the Honourable House exercises its voice on behalf of all Freefolk, meeting twice a year in Spring and Autumn. The Honourable House consists of the heads of each of the noble houses in the land, the 24 divines selected by the Council of the Divines, as well as the guildmasters of the notable guilds of Eletheria. The Honourable House casts its views on a great many issues, but of particular importance is that their consent is required to raise taxes or levy soldiers for war (though declaration of war remains by royal prerogative). The Honourable House may also vote through a Motion of Great Importance with a two-thirds majority, which calls a Magnum Concilium three months from the date of the motion. Whilst those in the Honourable House are notionally above faction, in practice two groups predominate the Navigators and the Temperates. At present, the Navigators - with their historical association with the Dawnstar family and Galen the Navigator - is in the ascendant, though the Temperates, headed by Lord Nigel Roylance have been gaining in influence since the latest round of Elven troubles.
Once every twelve years, Eletheria holds a Magnum Concilium, to which all citizens in the kingdom are invited to cast their opinions on the issues of the time. The Magnum Concilium operates as the third branch of Eletherian government. Whenever a Magnum Concilium is called it is a grand event with a festival atmosphere, whether or not there is any particularly interesting issue to discuss. At times, particularly contentious meetings have led to riots in the streets of Pax and its surrounding areas. The Magnum Concilium is the only body which has the power (by three-quarters majority) to force the monarch to abdicate. Notionally being the primary legislative chamber, it also retains the power to abolish the monarchy entirely. However, suggesting the abdication of a monarch or abolishing the monarchy has since been ruled to be treasonous, and the presence of the soldiers of the crown at every Concilium arresting troublemakers is usually enough deterrence to prevent anybody such motions from being tabled.