《龙之纪元起源》部分Codex翻译之四（文化与历史篇）

Codex Entry 129: On the Orlesian Empire

There are many lords and ladies in Val Royeaux.

And I mean this literally. Once, the system of noble titles in Orlais was labyrinthine: There were barons and baronnes and baronets and sur-barons and a horde of others, each with its own origins and its own nuances of comparison. The Orlesian aristocracy is ancient and much given to competition. All the nobility play the Grand Game, as it is known, whether they wish to or not. It is a game of reputation and patronage, where moves are made with rumors and scandal is the chief weapon. No gentle game, this. More blood has been drawn as a result of the Grand Game than any war the Orlesians have fought. Of this, I am assured by almost every gentleman here.

As far as titles went, everything changed with the coming of Emperor Drakon, who established the Orlesian Empire as it exists now, and who created the Chantry. There is no more venerated figure in Orlais; in Val Royeaux, the statue of Drakon stands as tall as the statue of Andraste. Drakon determined that the Grand Game was tearing Orlais apart, so he abolished all titles besides his own, and lord, and lady.

I am told, with some twittering amusement, that this action did not end the Grand Game as Drakon had intended. Now the lords and ladies collected unofficial titles rather than official ones, such as "the exalted patron of Tassus Klay" or "uncle to the champion of Tremmes." It is a headache to remember such titles, and one winces to think of the poor doormen at the balls who must rattle them off as each guest enters the room.

The aristocracy is different from Ferelden in other ways, as well. The Orlesians right to rule stems directly from the Maker. There exists neither the concept of rule by merit nor the slightest notion of rebellion. If one is not noble, one aspires to be--or at the least aspires to be in the good graces of a noble, and is ever watching for a way to enter the patronage of those better placed in the Grand Game.

And then there are the masks. And the cosmetics: I have not seen so much paint since the kennels at Highever. But that is another story.

--From Beyond the Frostbacks, by Bann Teoric of West Hill, 9:20 Dragon

第一百二十九卷：Orlesian帝国

在Val Royeaux有许多的领主和女士。

我所说的仅为作为文字记载。曾经有一时，Orlais贵族头衔的体系就如迷宫般地错综复杂：他们拥有barons和baronnes以及baronets以及sur-barons还有其他的一大堆头衔，每一个头衔都有其自己的来源，并有一些和其他头衔细微的区别。Orlesian的贵族家族们是十分古老的，且他们彼此之间的斗争也十分激烈。几乎所有的贵族都置身于政治游戏之中，无论他本人的意愿如何。这是一场声誉与利害关系的游戏，谣言是它的招式，丑闻是它的武器。这可不是一场富有礼貌的游戏。据说，Orlesian人在政治游戏中所留的血，比他们在任何一场战争中所流的血都要多。因此，我很确信在那里生活的人都是毋庸置疑的绅士。

而无论头衔还是其他的一切事物，都因皇帝Drakon的出现发生了改变。他建立了如今我们所看到的Orlesian帝国，以及我们所熟知的教会。最直接说明他在Orlais地位的就是：在Val Royeaux里，Drakon的雕像甚至与Andraste的雕像一样高。Drakon认为政治游戏正在使Orlais走下坡路，因此他剥夺了除自己外的所有人的头衔，包括所有的领主，女士。

据我所知，Drakon的举动除带来了一丝令人讨论的乐趣以外，并没有像他的意愿那样结束政治游戏。如今的领主和女士们发明了一些非官方的头衔来取代原本的正式头衔，比如“Tassus Klay的崇高赞助者”，或“Tremmes冠军的叔叔”。而记住这些头衔便成了让人头疼不已的问题，让人不禁同情那些需要为皇家舞厅开门的人，他们必须在每一个客人进来的时候准确无误地喊出客人的头衔。

而这些贵族在其他方面也和Ferelden的贵族们不一样。Orlesian人的统治权力直接源自于造物主本人。那里既不存在功高而治或者起义的概念。如果一个不是贵族的人，渴望能当贵族---或者至少渴望受到贵族们的青睐，总是必须想方设法地寻找方法去赞助那些在政治游戏中比他地位高的人。

那里还有面具。还有他们的化妆品：我除了Highever的战犬身上的图案以外，从没见过谁化得那么浓的妆。不过那都是另外一个故事了。

---源自“超过Frostback山脉之外”，作者West Hill的男爵Teoric，9：20巨龙纪元.

Codex Entry 130: An explanation of the casteless

The caste system in Orzammar includes many groups of privilege--the nobility and the warriors above all others, but to a lesser degree the merchants and the smiths and the miners. Tradition establishes a clear hierarchy. But as in any culture with an upper class, there is also a clear underclass. These unfortunates, the so-called "casteless," are believed to be descendants of criminals and other undesirables. They have been looked down upon since Orzammars foundation. They have taken up residence in a place called "Dust Town," a crumbling ruin on the fringe of Orzammars common areas.

Orzammar society considers these casteless lower than even the Servant Caste (indeed, the casteless are not allowed to become servants, as it is too honorable a position). They are seen as little better than animals, their faces branded at birth to mark them as the bastard children of the kingdom. Their home district, little more than a slum, is a haven for crime, organized and otherwise. Orzammars guards seemingly cannot be bothered to patrol its streets. The best that most casteless dwarves can hope for is a life at the whim of a local crime lord, ended abruptly by violence or an overabundance of toxic lichen ale.

Even so, there is some hope for the casteless, a dangling rope that offers a way up into greater Orzammar society. Since a dwarfs caste is determined by the parent of the same sex, the male child of a nobleman is part of that nobles house and caste. Strangely, it is acceptable for casteless women to train in the arts of courtly romance to woo nobles and warriors; they are known as "noble hunters." Any male born from such a union is considered a joyous event, considering the low rate of dwarven fertility. The mother and entire family are then taken in by the fathers house, although they retain their caste.

The dwarves we know on the surface are also considered casteless once they leave Orzammar, although this is only relevant to those who return--if they are allowed to return at all. Dwarves who leave for the surface (the "sun-touched," as theyre often called behind their backs) lose their connection to the Stone and the favor of the ancestors, and thus are worthy of little more than pity, for upon dying they are said to be lost to the Stone forever. Put that way, it seems a sad existence indeed.

--From Stone Halls of the Dwarves by Brother Genitivi, Chantry scholar

第一百三十卷：无阶级之人

在Orzammar的阶级体系包含了许多拥有不同特权的阶级---贵族和战士的地位在所有人之上，而较低一点的阶级则包括了商人和铁匠以及矿工。但是在任何一个拥有着上层阶级的文化中，总会相对应地也拥有下层阶级。这些不幸之人便被称为“无阶级人”，他们被认为是罪犯或坏人的后代。他们自从Orzammar的建立之初就被人所鄙视。他们居住在Orzammar平民区周遭被一个被称作为“Dust Town”的废墟里。

Orzammar的社会认为这些无阶级人比仆人阶级（确实，无阶级人不允许成为仆人，因为那对于他们来说是一个过于荣耀的职位）的地位更加低下。他们获得的仅仅是比动物稍好一点的待遇，他们的脸上自出生之时就被打上烙印，来标识他们是王国中坏蛋们的孩子。他们的家园比贫民区强不了多少，是犯罪的避风港，无论是有组织的犯罪还是其他的犯罪。Orzammar的守卫们并不愿意多费事去巡逻那里的街道。诸多无阶级人所能盼望的最好出路就是听命于当地的一个罪犯头目，且最终因暴力原因或者有毒的地衣麦芽酒而离开人世。

即使如此，对于无阶级人来说仍然存有一线希望，一条将他拉上更高Orzammer社会的绳子。因为一名矮人的阶级是由他双亲中同性别那位的地位所决定的，一位贵族所生的男性后裔被看作是贵族家族与阶级的一员。而奇怪的是，任何无阶级的女性都可以在接受了一定礼仪训练后去追求那些阶级家族的成员或战士，且这在矮人中被看作是一件可以接受的事；她们被人称作为“贵族猎手”。考虑到矮人那较低的出生率，任何因此而出生的男孩会被看作是一件令人欢快的事情。孩子的母亲则会和他的整个家族成为孩子父亲方家族中的一员，虽然他们仍保留着自己的阶级。

我们所熟知的地表矮人一旦离开了Orzammar，同样也被看作是无阶级之人，尽管这实际上只对那些还回去的矮人有些作用---如果他们还被允许回去的话。离开并前往地表（他们背后这么叫他们作“接触太阳的人”）的矮人失去了他们和石头与祖先之间的灵犀，因此他们不值一文，而根据矮人的说法他们死去会永久迷失在石头之中。这么看来，那确实是一中可悲的存在。

---源自“矮人的石头大厅”，作者教会学者Genitivi教士。

Codex Entry 131: An explanation of the dwarven caste system

Visitors to Orzammar should keep in mind that the hierarchies of dwarven society are much more complex than our own. It is easy to gravely insult a man simply by mistaking his position. Since this can lead to unnecessary loss of life and limbs, I will attempt to mitigate the danger for my fellow travelers.

The society of Orzammar is divided into nobles, warriors, smiths, artisans, miners, merchants, and servants. Now, you are undoubtedly saying to yourself, "We have all those divisions among our own people." This is a dangerous misconception. Certainly, we do have nobility, artisans, merchants, and these positions are largely inherited from our parents. However, the younger children of noblemen often choose to be artisans or soldiers. The sons of merchants may join the army, or become servants, or apprentice themselves to a craftsman. This is all freely chosen. Limited, perhaps, by the circumstances of birth, but still chosen.

What is a matter of choice for most human folk is dictated entirely by birth for dwarves. No one may become a smith who was not born to Smith Caste parents. A servant who marries a noblewoman will never be a noble himself, and although his daughters would be nobles, his sons would be servants, for daughters inherit the caste of their mother, while sons inherit the caste of their father.

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

第一百三十一卷：矮人的阶级体系

访问Orzammar的人应当禁忌谨记在心的是矮人的社会等级划分要比我们的复杂得多。如果你错误地称呼了一个人的地位，那将是对他极大的侮辱。由于这样做会导致许多人不必要地丢失他们的性命或手指，因此我在此为我亲爱的旅行者们避免这一危险。

Orzammar的社会分为了贵族，战士，铁匠，工匠，矿工，以及仆人。现在你可能会不假思索地对你自己说，“我们在自己的人群中也有这种分类。”这是一个危险的误解。当然，我们也有着贵族，工匠，商人并且这些位置常常都是由我们的父母处继承下来的。但是，贵族们的年轻孩子一般都可以选择去当工匠还是士兵。商人们的孩子也可以加入军队，或者成为仆人，或者为一位手工艺者做学徒。这些都完全可以自由选择。也许他们会因为自己的出身受到一定限制，但是他们还是有选择余地的。

这些事情对人类来说由选择决定的，而对矮人来说就是完全由出身决定的了。没有人可以在他们父母不是铁匠阶级的情况下成为一名铁匠。一位和贵族女人结婚的仆人永远也无法成为贵族，仅管他的女儿会成为贵族，他的儿子却会成为仆人，因为女儿继承的是她母亲的阶级，而儿子继承的则是父亲的阶级。

--源自“追寻知识：一位教会学者的旅行”，作者教会学者Genitivi教士。

Codex Entry 132: On the culture of the dwarves of Orzammar

The dwarves of Orzammar are quite unlike those found in most human cities. Although Orzammar derives its vast wealth from trade with human kingdoms, all dwarves who come to the surface to trade are stripped of their position in society. Dwarven merchants are so ubiquitous in human cities that many people labor under the impression that all dwarves are merchants, or that their whole race worships coin and trade. But these surface dwarves are atypical creatures, the ones willing to give up all ties to their kin and sacrifice their rank in order to conduct business.

Below ground, the dwarves are a people obsessed with honor--their own, and that of their family. Most nobles incorporate chainmail even into formal gowns, because slights and insults often turn deadly.

They are a people who revere excellence and strive to achieve it in all things. Even members of the Servant Caste have been elevated to Paragons, usually posthumously, in recognition of remarkable service.
--From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of A Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

第一百三十二卷：Orzammar矮人们的文化

Orzammar的矮人们非常不像那些在人类城市见到的矮人。仅管Orzammar巨大的财富都是通过和人类王国交易获得的，所有来到地面上进行交易的矮人都会被剥夺他们在社会中的地位。矮人商人在人类城市中是如此的普篇常见，因此大多数人都理所当然地认为矮人们都是商人，或者他们整个种族都崇尚金币和贸易。但是这些地表矮人是非典型的矮人，是那些愿意放弃与所有亲戚的联系并牺牲他们在社会中的地位而从事贸易的人。

在地下，矮人们是对于捍卫荣誉是非常著迷的---那些属于他们自己的，以及那些属于他们家族的。大多数的贵族甚至在长袍下都穿上了锁子甲，因为常常就是因为一句轻视或侮辱的话都会导致致命的后果。

他们是一群追寻卓越并倾尽一切努力去达到目标的人群。甚至仆人阶级的成员也曾由于他提供的不同寻常的服务，而在死后被追封为矮人贤者。

--源自“追寻知识：一位教会学者的旅行”，作者教会学者Genitivi教士。