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The golden age of the [[Elmoreden|Elmoreden Empire]] came about a thousand years after its establishment, during the reign of Emperor [[Baium]]. With great charisma and leadership skills, Baium created the strongest army in the history of the Empire. This army drove the [[Orcs]], who had considerable influence in the northern parts of Elmore, out of their homeland, taking their capital, Rion, and forcing them to retire to the Immortal Plateau. In addition, Baium's army led repeated attacks against the kingdom of Perios, and eventually occupied the southern parts of [[Gracia]].

In his later years, Baium lost interest in conquests and used the Empire's resources to begin construction of an elaborate tower rising into the clouds. When asked by an advisor whether it was really prudent to pour a major part of the Empire's revenue into this one project, Baium anwered: "My name inspires fear in every corner of the continent. Tens of thousands of lives can be lost or saved by the movement of my hand. My power is absolute. That I can only have this power for a few decades, I cannot bear! No - I shall obtain everlasting life from the gods and rule my kingdom forever!"

The magnificent tower of Baium's design, called "Tower of Eternity", took thirty years to construct. He intended to use the tower to climb to the residence of the gods and obtain the secret of everlasting life. When he climbed the tower - the construction work was not even fully completed - [[Einhasad]], alerted by Saint Solina, objected to his plans and gave him this response: "Child of lowly humans, and a lowly human yourself: You dare to soil our abode for your own everlasting life? Have you learned nothing from the lesson of the [[Giants]]? Very well, if eternal life is what you desire, we shall grant you your request. But you shall never leave your tower."

Raging with fury, [[Einhasad]] cast a curse that brought down the top third of the tower, since that day known as [[Tower of Insolence]], and trapped Baium for all eternity on the 14th floor, now open to the skies. After the sudden disappearance of the Baium, a fierce competition broke out among members of the imperial family as each vied for ascension to the throne. Numerous aristocrats also seized the opportunity to stake their claim to the throne, leaving [[Elmoreden]] enmeshed in internal conflict. In the end, Baium's son [[Frintezza]] emerged victorious from this power struggle, but the cost and labor requirements for construction of the tower had already weakened the Empire, disenchanting the population with the imperial family. The added conflict and backbiting over the vacant throne was the last straw. The resplendent Empire of Elmoreden, powerful on the continent for more than a thousand years fell into rapid decline. Within a mere twenty years, the Empire was in shambles.

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Sources:

[http://www.lineage2.com/background/legends16.html] Official Lore

[http://power.plaync.co.kr/lineage2/%EC%98%A4%EB%A7%8C%EC%9D%98+%ED%83%91] NCKorea Powerbook

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang] Biography of Emperor Ying Zheng

[http://usuarios.multimania.es/kanaju/baium.jpg] Spanish Fansite