16個(gè)瘋狂的特征，卷十二

  16Accords of Madness, v. XII

  16個(gè)瘋狂的特征，卷十二

  Malacath'sTale

  瑪拉卡斯的傳說

  In the days before the Orsinium's founding, the spurned

  在奧斯紐姆被世人們發(fā)現(xiàn)之前，獸人一族被迫遭受不公平的蔑視以及大部分人的

  Orc-folk were subjected to ostracism and persecutionseven

  排斥，甚至因?yàn)楦鞣N原因遭到遠(yuǎn)勝于他們的后裔—也就是現(xiàn)在的獸人，雖說他們

  more numerous and harsh than their progeny are accustomed

  也習(xí)慣于被歧視—更加嚴(yán)酷的迫害。這就是為什么許多奧斯莫的強(qiáng)者到處遷徙，

  to in our own age. So it was that many champions of theOrsimer traveled, enforcing what borders they could for the

  只能在別的領(lǐng)主領(lǐng)土的邊緣地區(qū)繁衍自己的種族。這些強(qiáng)者中的大部分至今都被

  proliferation of their own people. Many of thesechampions are spoken of yet today, among them the Cursed Legion,

  世人所知曉，在其中著名的有被詛咒的軍團(tuán)，禿頂者格洛馬，以及獸人貴族艾米

  Gromma the Hairless, and the noble Emmeg Gro-Kayra. This

  格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉。這位后來的改革者本應(yīng)在傳說中被泰姆瑞爾的人們所知，

  latter crusader would have certainly risen to legendarystatus throughout Tamriel, had he not been subject to the

  只要他當(dāng)時(shí)沒有吸引到某些魔神的注意力。

  attention of certain Daedric Princes.

  Emmeg Gro-Kayra was the bastard son of a young maiden who

  艾米格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉是一位不知名少女的私生子，他的母親為了生下他難產(chǎn)而

  was killed in childbirth. He was raised by the shaman of

  死。之后艾米格被部落里的薩滿收養(yǎng)，他的部落名叫格瑞利卡馬格，定居在我們

  his tribe, the Grilikamaug in the peaks of what we nowcall

  現(xiàn)在稱作諾瑪山系的山峰間。在他快滿十六歲的時(shí)候，艾米格親手鍛造了一套絢

  Normar Heights. Late in his fifteenth year, Emmeg forgedby hand an ornate suit of scaled armor, a rite of ascension

  麗的鱗甲，這是他們部落中慣有的成年禮儀式。在一個(gè)狂風(fēng)大作的日子里，他將

  among his tribe. On a blustery day, he pounded the final

  裝甲上的最后一個(gè)柳釘敲定，又在后面覆上了一層沉重的披風(fēng)，就這樣，艾米格

  rivet, and draping a heavy cloak over the bulky mantle,

  穿著自己打造的裝甲最后一次出走他的部落。之后，常常會(huì)有關(guān)于他的成就的流

  Emmeg set out from his village for the last time. Word of

  言傳回部落，或是從強(qiáng)盜手中保護(hù)了商人的篷車，或是解放了被奴隸的野獸人。

  his exploits always returned home, whether defendingmerchant caravans from brigands or liberating enslaved

  這位獸人貴族改革者的事跡到后來甚至開始被布雷頓人所談?wù)?，常常帶著一絲恐

  beast folk. News of the noble Orc crusader began to grace

  懼。

  even the lips of Bretons, often with a tinge of fear.

  Less than two years after ascending to maturity,Gro-Kayra

  成人之后不到兩年，格羅—?jiǎng)P拉正在野外扎營時(shí)，一道微弱的聲音從濃稠的夜幕

  was making camp when a thin voice called out from the

  中傳來。艾米格很驚訝，他很少聽到明顯不是獸人的人會(huì)說他的種族的語言。

  thickening night. He was surprised to hear the languageof his people spoken by a tongue that obviously did not belong to an Orc.

  'Lord Kayra', said the voice, 'tales of your deeds have

  ‘凱拉大人’那個(gè)聲音說道，‘關(guān)于你的行為的傳說已經(jīng)被許多人傳頌，甚至傳

  crossed the lips of many, and have reached my ears.'Peering

  到了我的耳中?！赘衲曋瞧诎?，他能從中隱約看到一個(gè)穿著斗篷的身

  into the murk, Emmeg made out the silhouette of a cloaked

  影，影子被營火照得不斷起伏。剛開始，他以為這位闖入者是一位老巫婆，但現(xiàn)

  figure, made wavy and ephemeral by the hazy campfire.From the voice alone he had thought the interloper an old hag,

  在他能確定他面對(duì)的是一個(gè)體型瘦長(zhǎng)而有些羸弱的男人，盡管他不能發(fā)現(xiàn)其他更

  but he now decided that he was in the presence of a manof

  多的細(xì)節(jié)。

  slight and lanky build, though he could discern nofurther detail.

  'Perhaps,' the wary Orc began, 'but I seek no glory. Who

  ‘也許吧，’這位機(jī)警的獸人回答道，‘但我做這些可不是為了追尋他人的贊頌和

  are you?'

  光榮。你又是誰?’

  Ignoring the question, the stranger continued, 'Despite

  那個(gè)陌生人繼續(xù)說著，很顯然無視了獸人的提問，‘盡管如此，奧斯莫，光榮自

  that, Orsimer, glory finds you, and I bear a gift worthy

  會(huì)找到你，而我則準(zhǔn)備了一份配得上這份榮譽(yù)的禮物?！又@位拜訪者的斗篷

  of it.' The visitor's cloak parted slightly, revealing

  輕微地分開少許，從縫隙中艾米格只能借著暗淡的月光看見一些閃著光的紐扣，

  nothing but faintly glinting buttons in the palemoonlight,

  陌生人拿出了一捆東西并將它扔到營火旁邊的空地，恰好處于兩人之間。艾米格

  and a bundle was withdrawn and tossed to the side of the

  謹(jǐn)慎地?fù)炱鸢缓笮⌒囊硪淼爻返衾υ跂|西上的破布，感到一陣目眩神迷。

  fire between the two. Emmeg cautiously removed the ragsin

  在包裹里面的是一把寬而彎曲的彎刀，刀柄上有著過分華麗的裝飾。艾米格拿起

  which the object was swathed, and was dazzled to discoverthe item to be a wide, curved blade with ornately decorated handle. The weaponhad heft, and Emmeg realized on

  彎刀掂了掂，又揮舞了幾下，接著意識(shí)到這個(gè)過分裝飾的刀柄并不只有美觀這一

  brandishing it that the elaborate pommel disguised themore

  作用，顯然鍛造者費(fèi)盡心思安了這么個(gè)刀柄是為了平衡前面那部分重量相當(dāng)大的

  practical purpose of balancing the considerable weight of

  刀刃?，F(xiàn)在看起來這柄彎刀確實(shí)不怎么起眼，獸人想道，但若是擦拭干凈刀刃上

  the blade itself. It was nothing much to look at in itspresent condition, thought the Orc, but once the tarnish

  的污點(diǎn)，再補(bǔ)上那些缺失的寶石，它甚至配得上比他自己偉大十倍的戰(zhàn)士來揮舞

  was cleaned away and a few missing jewels restored, it

  使用。

  would indeed be a blade worthy of a champion ten timeshis own worth.

  'Her name is Neb-Crescen' spoke the thin stranger, seeing

  ‘她的名字叫奈布—新月’那個(gè)瘦弱的陌生人說，看見格羅—?jiǎng)P拉的臉上顯出

  the appreciation lighting Gro-Kayra's face. 'I got herfor

  欣賞和感激的神情?！以谝粋€(gè)溫暖的日子里用一匹馬和一個(gè)秘密換到了她，

  a horse and a secret in warmer climes, but in my old age

  但顯然對(duì)于一個(gè)老人來講，能夠舉起她都算是很幸運(yùn)了。所以最合適的做法應(yīng)該

  I'd be lucky to even lift such a weapon. It's only properthat I pass her on to one such as yourself. To possess her

  是將她交給一個(gè)配得上的人，比如你。擁有她會(huì)徹底改變你的生活，永遠(yuǎn)?！?

  is to change your life, forever.' Overcoming his initial

  好不容易克制住欣賞刀刃磨光面的弧度的目光，艾米格將注意力重新放到拜訪者

  infatuation with the arc of honed steel, Emmeg turned his

  的身上。

  attention back to the visitor.

  'Your words are fine, old man,' Emmeg said, not maskinghis

  ‘你的故事講得很好，老人家，’艾米格說道，不再掩飾他的懷疑，‘但我不是

  suspicion, 'but I'm no fool. You traded for this bladeonce,

  傻瓜。你曾經(jīng)為這把刀做過交易而今天晚上你肯定也會(huì)為了她再做一次交易。你

  and you'll trade for it again tonight. What is it thatyou

  想要什么?’那個(gè)陌生人的肩膀一下子就焉了下去，而艾米格卻為他揭露出這場(chǎng)

  want?' The stranger's shoulders slumped, and Emmeg wasglad to have unveiled the true purpose of this twilight visit.

  月夜造訪的真實(shí)目的而感到自豪。他坐在陌生人旁邊一會(huì)兒，丟出了一摞毛皮，

  He sat with him a while, eventually offering a stack of

  一些還暖著的食物，以及一大把金幣來交換那把絕妙的異域彎刀。第二天早晨，

  furs, warm food, and a handful of coins in exchange forthe

  那個(gè)陌生人離開了。

  exotic weapon. By morning, the stranger was gone.

  In the week following Emmeg's encounter with thestranger,

  就在艾米格遇到陌生人后的一周內(nèi)，奈布—新月就沒有離開過她的刀鞘。在這片

  Neb-Crescen had not left its scabbard. He had encountered

  no enemy in the woods, and his meals consisted of fowland

  森林里他再也沒遇到過任何敵人，而每一餐他也都能吃上用弓箭打來的飛禽小野

  small game caught with bow and arrow. The peace suitedhim

  味。這種和平的生活讓他心安不少，但在第七天的早上，森林中的晨霧仍徘徊在

  fine, but on the seventh morning, while fog still creptbetween the low-hanging boughs, Emmeg's ears pricked up at

  低矮的樹枝之間時(shí)，艾米格的雙耳捕捉到一陣腳步聲從身旁的鋪著厚厚的一層雪

  the telltale crunch of a nearby footfall in the densesnow

  的樹林里傳來。

  and forest debris.

  Emmeg's nostrils flared, but he was upwind. Being unable

  艾米格的鼻孔微微張開，但很快發(fā)覺他才是處于上風(fēng)向的那一個(gè)。他不能看見或

  to see or smell his guest, and knowing that the breeze

  聞到這一位不速之客，但他的氣味卻能輕易地被微風(fēng)吹去那個(gè)方向，艾米格擺出

  carried his scent in that direction, Emmeg's guard wasup, and he cautiously drew Neb-Crescen from its sheath. Emmeg

  防守的姿勢(shì)并小心地將奈布—新月抽出刀鞘。但接下來發(fā)生的一切顯然不在他的

  himself was not entirely sure of all that happened next.

  預(yù)料之中。

  The first moment of conscious memory in Emmeg Gro-Kayra's

  就在他拔出奈布—新月的那一瞬間，艾米格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉突然眼前一片模糊，在

  mind after drawing Neb-Crescen was the image of thecurved

  他恢復(fù)意識(shí)后的第一個(gè)畫面，便是彎曲的刀刃劃過他眼前的空氣，鮮血染紅了純

  blade sweeping through the air in front of him,spattering

  blood over the virginal powder coating the forest floor.

  凈的刀鋒，一如森林中積雪遍布的純白地面也被灑上血紅。第二秒他立刻感覺到

  The second memory was a feeling of frenzied bloodlust

  一股瘋狂的嗜血沖動(dòng)爬上他的身體，差點(diǎn)讓他失去理智，接著艾米格終于看清在

  creeping over him, but it was then that he saw for the

  他眼前的受害者，那是一個(gè)看起來比他小上幾歲的女獸人，身體被一個(gè)巨大而恐

  first time his victim, an Orc woman perhaps a few years

  怖的傷口而撕裂，那個(gè)傷口足以將一個(gè)比她強(qiáng)壯十倍的人殺死。

  younger than himself, her body a canvas of grisly wounds,enough to kill a strong man ten times over.

  Emmeg's disgust overwhelmed the madness that hadovertaken

  幾乎一瞬間艾米格內(nèi)心的瘋狂就被惡心感擊退，他用上他全身所有的意志命令他

  him, and with all his will enlisted, he released Neb-

  的右手松開奈布—新月，那柄彎刀離開他的手后仍在繼續(xù)飛行，呼嘯著穿過飄落

  Crescen from his grip and let the blade sail. With a

  的白雪最后一頭扎進(jìn)遠(yuǎn)處的一個(gè)雪堆里。艾米格感覺內(nèi)心被愧疚和驚駭填滿，恐

  discordant ringing it spun through the air and was buriedin a snowdrift. Emmeg fled the scene in shame and horror,

  懼洗刷著他的身體，他拉起斗篷，戴上兜帽，將自己隱藏起來，不敢暴露在現(xiàn)在

  drawing the hood of his cloak up to hide himself from the

  如同世人們審判的眼光的朝陽之下。

  judging eyes of the rising sun.

  The scene where Emmeg Gro-Kayra had murdered one of hisown

  之后艾米格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉的腦海中一直定格著一個(gè)他謀殺了一個(gè)同族人的恐怖畫

  kind was a macabre one. Below the neck, the body wasflayed

  面。那具尸體脖子以下的身體被那道傷口一分為二，幾近完全分離，但未受影響

  and mutilated almost beyond recognition, but theuntouched

  的臉部上卻一直凍結(jié)著一個(gè)充滿可憐的恐慌表情。

  face was frozen in a permanent expression of abjectterror.

  It was here that Sheogorath performed certain rites that

  而這時(shí)，謝格拉斯正好完成了召喚瑪拉卡斯所需的種種儀式，就這樣兩個(gè)魔神

  summoned Malacath, and the two Daedric Lords held courtin

  一起出現(xiàn)在那具已經(jīng)破損不堪的尸體旁邊。

  the presence of the disfigured corpse.

  'Why show me this, Mad One?' began Malacath, once he

  ‘汝所圖為何，瘋子?’瑪拉卡斯從剛開始看見尸體的無言暴怒中恢復(fù)過來，

  recovered from his initial, wordless outrage. 'Do youtake

  說道。‘難道看著吾為吾后裔之離去而悲痛亦能給予你快感乎?’瑪拉卡斯的喉

  such pleasure in watching me grieve the murder of my

  嚨深處發(fā)出一聲轟鳴，這位獸人的守護(hù)神用指責(zé)的目光看著另外一位同是魔神的

  children?' His guttural voice rumbled, and the patron of

  某人。

  the Orismer looked upon his counterpart with accusingeyes.

  'By birth, she was yours, brother outcast,' began

  ‘作為一個(gè)獸人，她是你的子民，我被驅(qū)逐的兄弟，’謝格拉斯風(fēng)度翩翩，一本

  Sheogorath, solemn in aspect and demeanor. 'But she was a

  正經(jīng)地說?！罁?jù)她的個(gè)人習(xí)慣，她同樣也算是我的女兒。我為她的離去而產(chǎn)

  daughter of mine by her own habits. My mourning here isno

  生的哀痛和憤怒不會(huì)遜你分毫?！?

  less than your own, my outrage no less great.'

  'I am not so sure,' grumbled Malacath, 'but rest assured

  ‘吾不確定，’瑪拉卡斯猶豫地說，‘而是以此無恥之行的實(shí)施者必將由我持刀

  that vengeance for this crime is mine to reap. I expectno

  審判，汝可安心站旁觀看，不必插手于此?！驮谶@位燃著復(fù)仇之火的魔神擠過

  contest from you. Stand aside.' As the fearsome Prince

  他準(zhǔn)備出發(fā)時(shí)，謝格拉斯又開口了。

  began to push past him, Lord Sheogorath spoke again.

  'I have no intention of standing between you andvengeance.

  ‘我心里沒有分毫想要阻止你復(fù)仇的意圖。事實(shí)上，我想要幫助你。在這片荒蕪

  In fact, I mean to help you. I have servants in this

  的土地上不太容易找到我們共同的敵人，幸運(yùn)的是，我在這兒有不少仆人能告訴

  wilderness, and can tell you just where to find ourmutual

  我們一些情報(bào)。我唯一的請(qǐng)求便是請(qǐng)你使用我選擇的那把兵刃。用我的刀刃殺死

  foe. I ask only that you use a weapon of my choosing.Wound

  the criminal with my blade, and banish him to my plane,

  他，并將他放逐到我的領(lǐng)域之中，這樣我就能接著實(shí)施我自己對(duì)他的懲罰。殺死

  where I can exact my own punishment. The rights of honor-

  他的這份榮譽(yù)也就獨(dú)屬于你了?！?

  killing here belong to you.'

  With that, Malacath agreed, took the wide blade from

  瑪拉卡斯這回沒有猶豫太久就接過謝格拉斯手中的武器離開尸體尋找敵人

  Sheogorath, and was gone.

  去了

  Malacath materialized in the path of the murderer, the

  瑪拉卡斯的眼前顯現(xiàn)出謀殺者行進(jìn)的路線，那個(gè)穿著斗篷的身影被暴風(fēng)雪所掩蓋，

  cloaked figure obscured through a blizzard haze.Bellowing

  逐漸變得模糊起來。一聲憤怒而充滿力量的狂吼使得四周的樹瞬間枯萎，阻礙的

  a curse so foul as to wilt the surrounding trees, theblade was drawn and Malacath crossed the distance more quickly

  消失令瑪拉卡斯能夠比森林中的野狐更快地移動(dòng)，不斷縮短之間的距離。他把手

  than a wild fox. Frothing with rage, he swung the bladein

  一揮，像是要發(fā)泄盡心中的怒氣一般，刀刃劃出一道圓滑的弧線，敵人的腦袋被

  a smooth arc which lopped the head of his foe cleanlyoff,

  干脆利落地砍飛，接著瑪拉卡斯將刀狠狠插進(jìn)敵人的胸部，堵住那個(gè)本應(yīng)噴射出

  then plunged the blade up to its hilt in his chest,choking

  鮮血的傷口，轉(zhuǎn)變成鱗甲和沉重的斗篷上不斷擴(kuò)大的血斑。

  off the spurts of blood into a steady, growing stain ofred bubbling from beneath the scaled armor and heavy cloak.

  Panting from the unexpected immediacy and fury of his own

  瑪拉卡斯因?yàn)閯偛抛约褐苯佣錆M怒氣的擊殺行為氣喘不已，為了稍息片刻，他

  kill, Malacath rested on a knee as the body before him

  單膝跪在原地看著眼前的尸體重重地向后倒下，那顆被他砍下的頭落在一塊寬大

  collapsed heavily backwards and the head landed roughly

  而平整的巖石上。接下來的這個(gè)聲音像一道閃電一般打破了暫時(shí)的沉寂。

  upon a broad, flat stone. The next sound broke thesilence like a bolt.

  'I - I'm sorry...' sputtered the voice of EmmegGro-Kayra.

  ‘我—我很抱歉…’艾米格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉的頭噴濺著說道?，斃ㄋ沟耐滓?yàn)?

  Malacath's eyes went wide as he looked upon the severed

  驚訝而睜大不少，那顆躺在巖石上的斷頭還在不斷往外滲著血，但莫名其妙地還

  head, seeping blood from its wound, but somehow keptalive.

  持有生命。頭上的雙眼幾近狂暴地轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著，試圖將視線集中到瑪拉卡斯的方向。

  Its eyes wavered about wildly, trying to focus on theaspect of Malacath before it. The once-proud eyes of the champion

  那雙曾經(jīng)屬于一個(gè)戰(zhàn)士的驕傲雙眼現(xiàn)如今被悲傷而痛苦的淚水填滿，讓人難以辨

  were choked with tears of grief, pain, and confused

  認(rèn)。

  recognition.

  To his horror, Malacath recognized only now that the man

  瑪拉卡斯感到十分驚恐，他現(xiàn)在才認(rèn)出他剛殺死的這個(gè)人不單單只是他的獸人后

  he had killed was not only one of his Orismer children,but

  裔，但也是他真正意義上的兒子，也就是前幾年祝福過的那個(gè)獸人少女所生下的

  very literally a son he had blessed an Orc maiden withyears hence. For achingly long moments the two looked upon

  很長(zhǎng)一段時(shí)間里這兩個(gè)人(兩顆頭…)就這樣悲痛而震驚地看著對(duì)方。

  each other, despondent and shocked.

  Then, silent as oiled steel, Sheogorath strode into the

  不久，謝格拉斯安靜地像是涂了油的鋼鐵一樣，大步流星地走進(jìn)空地的兩人之間。

  clearing. He hefted Emmeg Gro-Kayra's disembodied headand

  他一手拿起艾米格格羅—?jiǎng)P拉空洞的腦袋，接著塞進(jìn)一個(gè)灰色的小麻布袋里扎

  bundled it into a small, grey sack. Sheogorath reclaimed

  了起來。然后謝格拉斯默默地拾起尸體旁的奈布—新月，拎著這兩樣?xùn)|西走開。

  Neb-Crescen from the corpse and turned to walk away.Malacath began to stand, but kneeled again, knowing he had

  瑪拉卡斯反應(yīng)過來，慢慢站起身，但緊接著又跪了下去，知曉他剛剛該死地親手

  irreversibly damned his own offspring to the realm of

  將自己的后代送進(jìn)了謝格拉斯的領(lǐng)域里，他為他的過失而哀痛且后悔不已，但也

  Sheogorath, and mourned his failure as the sound of his

  聽著兒子嘶啞的懇求聲越來越輕，最后消失在寒冷的地平線之后。

  son's hoarse pleas faded into the frozen horizon.

  Location:

  Volkihar Keep, in one of the bookshelves nearRonthil

  瓦奇哈城堡，在榮希爾(口才訓(xùn)練師)旁邊的一個(gè)書架上。(黎明守衛(wèi)DLC)