造物主的孩子

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翻译：ANK、汤镬、大學和官中
数据：主要来自UESP Books

造物主的孩子

造物主的孩子

独孤城的沙尔斯坦 著

如果这标题在你看来很熟稔，那么也许你跟我一样，相当乐于认识这些最出色非凡的人——索瑟海姆的斯卡尔。

跟这些和善的荒野之人初次会面，我就立刻对他们的热情好客留下深刻印象。他们邀我进屋，每个人都一样，毫无任何猜忌或迟疑。信任感，似乎轻而易举就在斯卡尔人心中深植发芽。

由外表看来，斯卡尔人与诺德祖先相差无几，可是在文化上却有许多相异之处，最明显的差异就是他们的信仰。斯卡尔人从未吸纳帝国的众神，他们只信奉一位他们称为“造物主”的神明。

对斯卡尔人而言，造物主是所有生命和万物的起源。当一条生命逝去，灵魂就会回归造物主，经他重塑成新型体后再遣回梦达思。死亡等同生命的终结，这样的概念在斯卡尔人是天方夜谭。他们视死亡为踏上无尽旅程下一个阶段的开始，就这么简单。

对生命的无比敬重，在斯卡尔人最重要的观念之一就可以清楚看到，村民称此概念为“与大地合一”。斯卡尔人试着和环境和谐相处，尽可能减少对环境的冲击。举例来说，当一个斯卡尔村民外出收集木柴，他或她只会从倒下或死亡的树木下手；而打猎则是出于必要，并非运动娱乐。因为对天下万物无比敬畏，非到万不得已，斯卡尔人不会诉诸暴力。

这样的信仰让这些单纯善良的人维持着相当俭朴的生活。对斯卡尔人来说，“奢侈”这个词相当奇怪，尽管我曾注意到有个叫艾蒂拉的村民开始用必需品跟行经村庄的旅人交换漂亮的小东西。如此大胆的行径在斯卡尔人之间实属新奇。

虽然以如此阴郁的口气为这篇记述作结实在令我难过，但斯卡尔人正在凋零，这是无可否认的严峻事实。在一两百年内，他们独特的生活方式很可能永远从世上消失，仅仅成为历史上一个大时代的注脚。

考量他们在这种极端环境下过着无比艰困的生活，这结果并不令人意外。对斯卡尔人来说，要在北索瑟海姆无休止的寒冷气候求温饱已不容易，可是其他挑战近来陆续出现。

来自瓦登费尔的飞灰占据了斯卡尔人赖以维生的动植物，如今对所有以索瑟海姆为家的生命而言，生活尽是挣扎与奋斗。

因此，我谦卑地恳求任何学习历史的人，如果你们恰巧涉猎了这篇审慎的文章，请你们前往索瑟海姆，竭尽所能地学习这群高尚的人民和他们古老的习俗。斯卡尔人或许终将从这个世界消失，但我们却可以尽力确保将他们值得骄傲且崇高的生活智慧传承下去。

Children of the All-Maker

Children of the All-Maker

By Tharstan of Solitude

If the title of this text rings familiar, then perhaps you, like me, have had the great pleasure to become acquainted with a most remarkable people, the Skaal of Solstheim.

Upon first meeting these gentle wild-folk, I was immediately impressed with their great hospitality. They welcomed me into their homes, one and all, without the slightest hint of suspicion or uncertainty. Trust, it seems, comes readily to the Skaal.

In appearance, the Skaal are clearly of Nord ancestry. However, they are culturally distinct in several significant ways, the most notable of which is their faith. Having never adopted the pantheon of the Empire, the Skaal recognize only a single deity whom they call the All-Maker.

For the Skaal, the All-Maker is the source of all life and creation. When a creature dies, its spirit returns to the All-Maker, who shapes it into something new and returns it to Mundus. The concept of death as an ending to life is unknown to the Skaal. Rather, death is seen as simply the beginning of the next stage of an endless journey.

This great respect for life is evident in one of the most important Skaal beliefs, a concept the villagers call "one-ness with the land". The Skaal try to live in harmony with their surroundings, making as small an impact on their environment as possible. When a Skaal villager sets out to collect firewood, for example, he or she takes it from fallen, dead trees. When the Skaal hunt, it is only out of necessity, and not for sport. Because they hold all life in great reverence, the Skaal people will resort to violence only as a last resort.

This has understandably led to a rather austere lifestyle for these simple, good-natured folk. For the Skaal, the word "luxury" is nearly an alien concept, though I was intrigued to note that one villager, Edla, has taken to trading basic goods with travelers who pass through the village in exchange for small luxury items. Such an enterprising outlook is something of a novelty for the Skaal.

Though it saddens me to conclude this account on such a somber note, it is impossible to deny the hard truth that the Skaal people are dwindling. In a century or two, it is possible that their unique way of life will be lost to the world forever, reduced to little more than a footnote in the great epoch of history.

This comes as little surprise, given the immense hardships of a life lived in such an extreme environment. For the Skaal, it is a daily struggle to survive the perpetual wintry climate of northern Solstheim, but other challenges have recently appeared.

The ashfall from Vvardenfell has taken its toll on the plants and animals upon which the Skaal depend for their survival, and life is now a struggle for all who call Solstheim home.

Therefore, I humbly beseech any students of history who might encounter this modest text to travel to Solstheim and learn all that can be learned of this noble people and their ancient customs. The Skaal people might not be long for this world, but let us assure that their proud and noble legacy lasts well into the future.