《龙之纪元起源》部分Codex翻译之四（文化与历史篇）

Codex Entry 124: On the village of Lothering

In ancient times, Lothering was little more than a trading post that served the fortress of Ostagar to the south. Nowadays, it is larger, serving Redcliffe and the community of merchants and surface dwarves near Orzammar. Its location on the North Road gives it strategic value, so control of Lothering has historically been a matter of contention between the Southern Bannorn and the South Reach Arling. King Calenhad himself stepped in and awarded the town to South Reach in the Exalted Age, which has largely ended the feud, or at least the appearance of it.

--From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of A Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

第一百二十四卷：Lothering村庄

在远古的时代里，Lothering只不过是一个为南方Ostagar要塞提供服务的交易栈。如今的日子，它的规模变大了，并为Redcliff，商人团体以及Orzammar附近的地面矮人所服务。它那位于北方之路的位置给予了他很高的战略意义，因此自古以来它就是南方的Bannorn与South Reach Arling之间的必争之地。在崇高纪元，Calenhad国王进行了干涉并将这座城镇赐给了South Reach，才解决了长期的争端，或者最少表面上解决了该事。

---源自“追寻知识：一位教会学者的旅行”，作者Genitivi教士

Codex Entry 125: On King Maric Theirin

It is difficult to separate the man from the myth. The last survivor of the bloodline of King Calenhad, the silver knight, Maric drove the Orlesian forces from Fereldens borders, reclaimed the throne, and freed our people from foreign tyranny. All true, and all larger than life.

He was born in hiding near Cathals Crossing to the Rebel Queen Moira and grew up in the rebel camps, an outlaw in his own country. When the rebel queen died, Maric inherited her homeless nobles, malcontents, and displaced freeholders, and with the aid of his friend Loghain Mac Tir, built them into an army.

After the pivotal battle of River Dane, Maric took the throne. He married Rowan, daughter of Rendorn Guerrin, arl of Redcliffe, and began the long, slow process of rebuilding everything Orlais had demolished during 70 years of occupation.

--From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar

第一百二十五卷：国王Maric Theirin

很难分清他是神话还是普通人。他是Calenhad国王血脉的最后一位幸存者，银色骑士，Maric将Orlesian的势力驱逐出了Ferelden的边界，重新占领了王座，并且将我们的人民从外国人的暴政下解救了出来。所有这些说法都是真的，并且都超越了他自己的生命本身。

他的母亲起义女王Moira在靠近Cathal’s Crossing附近的藏身处生了下来，并在起义军营地中长大。当起义女王死去后，Maric继承了她那些无家可归的贵族，对社会不满者，以及其他一些分散势力，并得到了他的朋友Loghain Mac Tir的帮助，将他们组建成了一只军队。

在Dane河战役的转折点后，Maric夺取了王位。他取了Rowan，Redcliffe男爵Rendorn Guerrin的女儿，并开始了长期，漫长的重建，为了恢复那些在Orlais在七十的占领过程中所摧毁的一切。

--源自“Ferelden：乡间传奇与历史”，作者教会学者Petrine修女

Codex Entry 126: An account of a trip to Nevarra

The fourth time I attempted to cross the border into Nevarra from Orlais and was turned back by Chevaliers, I decided to take the more roundabout path: A ship back to Ferelden, and then another to Nevarra. The outcome was more than worth the trouble.

The whole country is filled with artistry, from the statues of heroes that litter the streets in even the meanest villages to the glittering golden College of Magi in Cumberland. Perhaps nowhere is more astonishing than the vast necropolis outside Nevarra City. Unlike most other followers of Andraste, the Nevarrans do not burn their dead. Instead, they carefully preserve the bodies and seal them in elaborate tombs. Some of the wealthiest Nevarrans begin construction of their own tombs while quite young, and these become incredible palaces, complete with gardens, bathhouses, and ballrooms, utterly silent, kept only for the dead.

--From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of A Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

第一百二十六卷：Nevarra游记

在我第四次尝试从Orlais进入Nevarra的尝试被侠义骑士们阻止后，我决定尝试一条绕行的道路：乘船回到Ferelden，然后再进入Nevarra。而这样作所带来的收获远远大于它带来的麻烦。

从最小的村庄中也大街小巷处处可见的英雄雕像，到Cunmberland金光闪闪的魔法师大学，这个国家笼罩在一片浓郁的艺术气息之下。也许没有其他建筑能够比Nevarra城市外的大墓更加辉煌了。不像众多其他的Andraste追随者，Nevarrans人并不会火花他们的死者。取而代之地，他们小心地保存好尸体，并把它们封存在精心制作的坟墓中。一些Nvarrans中最富有的人甚至在他们很年轻的时候就开始建造他们的坟墓，把它们建成了十分不可思议的建筑，带有专门的花园，浴室，甚至舞厅，这里是非常寂静的地方，只为了死者而准备。

--源自“追寻知识：一位教会学者的旅行”，作者Genitivi教士。

Codex Entry 127: On Ferelden nobility

The occupation left empty castles in its wake. Whole families were butchered in the initial invasion, and all those who couldnt or wouldnt bend knee to the Emperors puppet king were Declared traitors and hunted. Many bloodlines ended on Chevaliers blades at dusty crossroads, in forest clearings, or in freeholds.

And then there were the turncoats.

To curry favor with their new masters, some nobles took up arms against their brothers. They betrayed and murdered the Rebel Queen, an act that created even more vacant titles and lands, once King Maric exacted justice.

That Ferelden did not fall apart after the Orlesians left is a testament to the strength of King Maric. The old families still held grudges against those who had sided with the emperor, and those new families that had been granted titles were viewed as interlopers. The Landsmeets that followed Marics coronation were tense, to say the least.

--From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar

第一百二十七卷：Ferelden的贵族

入侵者的军队们导致了很多空闲城堡的出现。在最开始的入侵中，整个家族经常被全部屠戮殆尽，而那些所有不肯向帝国制造的傀儡国王卑躬屈膝的人被宣布为叛徒并遭到追杀。许多家族的血脉因此被侠义骑士们终结在了灰尘满天的十字路口，森林的清剿行动中，以及一些自由地区里。

于是很快地就出现了一批叛国者。

为了服务他们的新主人，一些贵族们向他们的兄弟们挥舞起刀剑。他们背叛并谋杀了起义女王，而他们自己又因这一举动致使Maric国王重新即位后被执行了正义，于是又出现了更多无人归属的领地和官职。

而Ferelden在Orlesian人给Maric国王留下了这个大难题后并没有四分五裂。古老的家族们仍然对那些曾经和帝国皇帝站在一起的人怀有恩怨，而那些新提升的家族则被他们视为是闯入者。因此在Maric加冕后的第一次领主会议上的气氛，最起码来说也是十分地紧张。

---源自“Ferelden：乡间传奇和历史”，作者教会学者，Petrine修女。

Codex Entry 128: On the Old Gods

Dumat, the Dragon of Silence.
Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos.
Toth, the Dragon of Fire.
Andoral, the Dragon of Slaves.
Urthemiel, the Dragon of Beauty.
Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery.
Lusacan, the Dragon of Night.

There were seven Old Gods, great winged dragons that were said to rule over the ancient world. The Chantry maintains that they are responsible for the original sin, that they turned humanity away from its true creator through deceit. Humanity’s faith faltered, and thus the Maker turned away from the world--but not before trapping the Old Gods in eternal prisons beneath the earth as punishment.

Scholars assume that the Old Gods must indeed have been real at one point, but most agree that they were likely actual dragons--ancient high dragons of a magnitude not known today, and impressive enough to frighten ancient peoples into worshipping them. Some even claim that these dragons slumber as a form of hibernation, not as a result of the Makers wrath.

Regardless of the truth, legend maintains that even from their underground prisons, the Old Gods were able to whisper into the minds of men. The Archon Thalsian, first of the Magisters, who claimed to have contacted the Old God Dumat, used the blood magic Dumat taught to him to attain incredible power in Tevinter and Declare himself the ruler of an Empire. In return, he established the first temples worshipping the Old Gods, and the dragons became equated everywhere with imperial power.

To date, four of the Old Gods are said to have risen as corrupted archdemons: Dumat, the first and most powerful, was slain at the Battle of Silent Fields. Zazikel fell at the Battle of Starkhaven, Toth died at the Battle of Hunter Fell, and Andoral was felled by Garahel, the legendary Grey Warden, at the Battle of Ayesleigh. The archdemons have been identified only after years of argument among scholars, and to this day it is unclear whether the archdemons were truly Old Gods and not simply dragons. All that is known is that the darkspawn hunt for them deep underground. If they are truly the Old Gods, as many scholars believe, then we have only three Blights remaining. When all the Old Gods have risen and been slain, however, what will happen? Will the Blights end forever, and humanity earn forgiveness from the Maker at last? We shall see.

--From The Old Gods Rise Again by Sister Mary, Chantry scholar, 8:50 Blessed

第一百二十八卷：远古诸神

Dumat，沉默之龙
Zazikel，混沌之龙
Toth，火焰之龙
Andoral，奴隶之龙
Urthemiel，美丽之龙
Razikale，神秘之龙
Lusacan，黑夜之龙

据说，远古世界是由七位远古诸神，伟大的挥着翅膀的巨龙所统治的。而教会则拥有他们的原罪，因为他们通过欺骗的方式误导了人们对真正的造物者的信仰。人性的信仰是很容易动摇的，为此造物主远离了我们的世界----但这不是在远古诸神被困在地表下的永恒监狱之前所发生的。

学者们认为远古诸神肯定是曾经真实存在的，但是通常地人们都会认为它们其实只是普通的巨龙---不是当代人所理解的那种，古老而高等的巨龙，它们那威猛的形象到了足以让远古的人们惊恐到崇拜他们的地步。一些人甚至宣称这些巨龙的沉睡其实是因某种形式的冬眠，而不是因为造物主的怒火。

无论事实如何，传说中都说即使是在深深的地底，古老诸神的声音仍然能够传到人类的耳中。Zazikel在Starkhaven的战斗中倒下，Toth死在了Hunter Fall的战斗中，Andoral被传说中的灰色守望者Garahel所杀死。大恶魔的称呼是在学者们持续辩论了几年后才最终给出的名称，而且直至今日仍然无法说清大恶魔究竟是远古之神还是仅仅的一只巨龙。唯一被人所知的就是黑暗生物们不停地在地底深处寻找它们。如果他们真的是像诸多学者所相信的远古诸神，那么我们只会再遭受三次天灾了。如果所有的远古诸神都觉醒且被杀死，那之后会发生什么呢？是否天灾会就此永远结束，并且人类终于最终得到了造物主的原谅？我们将会拭目以待。

---源自“古老诸神的再次崛起”，作者是教会学者，Mary修女，8：50祝福纪元