Though Aldric the First had made mistakes, he was, by most accounts, a ruler who had been good to his people. To shield the common folk from the excesses of the nobility, he declared a law that shocked the aristocracy: "Princes and nobles, their descendants shall be commoners." Even the son of an emperor held no privilege unless he proved himself on the battlefield. Titles were not hereditary, and only those who earned merit through service could claim honor. In Aldric's dominion, birth alone granted no advantage.
He went further still. The Iron Dominion enforced a system of collective responsibility. Officials were not only expected to carry out their duties faithfully but also to watch each other. If one committed an offense and others failed to report it, every department involved was purged together.
