Present your case to the Landsmeet, if you will. I am sure you shall be well-received by the thousand heads of the Empire.
—Nero Royce to Padmé Amidala
The Landsmeet, also known as the Gargan Senate or Gargan Congress, was the body that represented all the Kolkans, or noble families, of Gargan's Empire. It was ruled by the Order of Gargan and overseen by the Gargan.
The Landsmeet met annually and provided a forum within which Kolkans could relate with one another, to either negotiate trade agreements, create alliances or mediate disputes and feuds. It was also supposed to protect any Kolkan or reigning noble who was under threat of being eliminated.
Organization[]
The Landsmeet was led by the Order of Gargan, and meetings were virtually always attended by the Gargan. Members of the Order of Gargan were elected among the Empire's most accomplished Force-sensitives - regardless of social status - and they were charged with overseeing Landsmeet meetings and ensuring that they proceeded accordingly. They determined which members could speak and which amendments were selected for consideration. The Order was also responsible for maintaining order during debates and could punish members who broke the rules. They were housed at the Chamber of the Convention at the Imperial Palace on Garganath.
The Landsmeet was comprised of all heads of the Kolkans, which were the ruling noble families of Gargan's Empire. The royal families of Garganath's kingdoms had been preserved by Gargan the Conqueror upon forming the Empire, as to maintain the goodwill of the displaced dynasties. As such, many of the Landsmeet's incumbent families had descended from ancient kings. Traditionally, the reigning nobles of the Kolkans were official members of the Landsmeet, and by law were the only ones allowed to speak during meetings. The Kolkans' leaders were usually accompanied by their retainers, though they were not allowed to bring their own guards or weapons into meetings. During the Landsmeet, the safety of all attendants was guaranteed and any feuds were expected to be left behind upon entry.
The Landsmeet provided a forum in which the nobility could mediate disputes, settle feuds, or broker alliances with one another. Since the Landsmeet guaranteed that no harm be given upon its attendants, it also provided a safe space where noblemen would be protected from their rivals or enemies. Shedding blood during the Landsmeet was considered a grave offence and a reason for divergence.
Each House had a number of seats in the Landsmeet. The nine varkhans, which were the rulers of the Empire's nine sub-sectors, typically held ten seats or more. The amount of seats a Kolkan had depended on a number of factors, including a family's military capabilities, economic power, size of territories, or even their standing with the reigning Gargan.
