【ISF】引路者——阿普苏(Apsu, the Waybringer)

圣文

　　龙　阿普蘇就是阿普蘇的圣文，尽管是由现在的无神论者兼盲眼金龙智者贡纳尔克斯（Gunnarrex）所写。［註：想知道發生了什么事请跑「符文領主的崛起第4册」（Fortress of the Stone Giants）和「龙墓的守护者」（Guardians of Dragonfall）］此龙写了4000行绵绵不断的史詩，部分是作為在不适当的时间意外地绊進阿普蘇的神域——不朽者回廊（Immortal Ambulatory）而道歉。阿普蘇强烈支持文本背后的含义，其中包括关于善恶本质和創造龙类的韻文。龙　阿普蘇预示着阿普蘇跟达哈克之间的最终之战的到来，但没有详细说明。

劇透 -   :

HOLY TEXT

　　The Draconic Apsu is the definitive holy text of Apsu, despite having been written by the now atheist and blind gold dragon sage Gunnarrex. The dragon wrote the text of the 4,000-line epic in one continuous sitting, in part as an apology for accidentally stumbling into Apsu’s realm, the Immortal Ambulatory, at an inopportune time. Apsu strongly supports the meaning behind the text, which includes verses on the nature of good and evil and the creation of dragonkind. The Draconic Apsu foretells the coming of the final battle between Apsu and Dahak, but does not detail it.

节日

　　以下是对阿普苏信徒有着神圣意义的节日。

　　回忆之时（Time of Reminiscence）：阿普苏的追随者会在冬季的第1天独处，回想过去的事情、朋友和恋人。此节日充满象征意义，代表阿普苏反思从他第一位后代诞生起对世界的改变。

　　漫游荒芜（Wanderer’s Escape）：夏季的第1天是旅行的好日子。阿普苏的从者会利用这天及之后的星期漫步野外，穿越未知的土地。通過這樣做，从能熟悉新的匿藏點和可供防禦的位置。

劇透 -   :

HOLIDAYS

　　The following holidays are sacred to Apsu’s faithful.

　　Time of Reminiscence: Apsu’s followers spend the first day of winter in solitude, remembering past events, allies, and lovers. This holiday is symbolic, representing the time Apsu spends thinking of the ways the world has changed since his first offspring were born.
　　Wanderer’s Escape: The first day of summer is meant to be a day of travel. Servants of Apsu spend this day and the following week in the wilderness, traveling across unknown lands. By doing so, the practitioner becomes acquainted with new hiding spots and defensible positions.

格言

　　以下格言頻繁出现在引路者的教会及祂的信徒之间。

　　它將被完成（It Shall Be Made）：侍奉阿普苏的建築設計師經常信奉这句格言。它常用于接到建造重要建築物的請求，但追隨者们亦会做在創造实体上或概念性的事物时做出承諾。

　　载誉而归（To Returning）：經常被用作一種致敬，向冒險闖進未知世界的阿普苏的追隨者，从酒吧至神殿都能使用。人们說出這段短语时經常配合的舉起武器或挥动一隻手，以及一個微笑。

劇透 -   :

APHORISMS

　　The following sayings are common among the Waybringer’s church and his faithful.

　　It Shall Be Made: Architects serving the designs of Apsu often espouse this verse. It is commonly employed when receiving a request to build an important structure, but followers also say it when making a promise to create something physical or metaphorical.
　　To Returning: Used frequently as a salute for those servants of Apsu venturing off into the unknown, this verse is used in everything from barrooms to temples. Uttering the phrase is often accompanied by the raising of one’s weapon or the wave of a hand, and a small smile.

跟其他宗教的关系

　　阿普苏甚少跟其祂神祇連繫，龙族间糾紛的结果到目前為止没有使其祂神祇擔憂，但他與善良陣營的神祇保持著更牢固的關係，特別是那些守序志向的。艾奥梅黛（Iomedae）和托拉格（Torag）是阿普苏的支持者，正如莎伦莱（Sarenrae），祂緊记龙类束縛拉瓦古格（Rovagug）在其监狱里的贡献。其祂神祇则较少支持阿普苏，尤其是凯登．凯连（Cayden Cailean）和古拉姆（Gorum）；前者抵制邪恶並認為阿普苏跟达哈克之间即将到来的战斗「会是场精彩的毆鬥」，而后者渴望地看到即将到来的龙族之战越大越好，那么祂的手下就能大干一场（在双方陣營也是）。

　　龙神达哈克是阿普苏第一位后代兼最大的敵人。自从达哈克设计破坏原初的龙族万神殿后，阿普苏就跟他任性的孩子开战。双方都知道最终之战的迫近，而达哈克正不断为这场惊天动地的对抗做准备。尽管祂们即将发生冲突，祂们在封印拉瓦古格的后有过文明的会谈，当达哈克告訴其父亲為什么祂決定不背叛其祂神祇时，阿普苏宣告將永远保护格拉利昂。

　　阿斯莫迪尔斯（Asmodeus）是接觸阿普苏中唯一已知的邪惡陣營神祇，以某种未知的价格和理由提供祂的服务。阿普苏在面对地狱之主时保持文明，但迄今每次仍然拒绝了祂。达哈克在不朽者回廊中的间谍反映阿斯莫迪尔斯的提議是在龙族最终之战开展前削弱达哈克，盡管其他人则指出黑暗王子也向无尽毁灭（Endless Destruction）提供类似的提議。

　　在完成星石試煉（Test of the Starstone）后，艾奥梅黛去接觸阿普苏。在研究过高尚的龙神后，她试图使阿普苏參與更多凡人的事务並与他同盟对抗宇宙中邪惡神祇。阿普苏堅信总有一天跟祂的孩子在格拉利昂天空中決鬥会妨礙任何长期联盟关系，但艾奥梅黛仍与一位阿普苏的朋友留这份努力。兩位神祇同意在面对其他神力袭击时守望相助。艾奥梅黛的神僕「警覺带来和平」（Peace through Vigilance）——一位独特的天界金龙，就是兩位神祇共识下的实体証明。
［註：一个小小的八卦 警覺带来和平稱呼他的女神為母上艾奥梅黛，所以有谣言指他是艾奥梅黛和阿普苏结合的后代。］

劇透 -   :

RELATIONS WITH OTHER RELIGIONS

　　Apsu’s contact with other deities is sparse, the result of draconic strife being so far removed from the worries of other gods, but he maintains stronger relationships with good-aligned deities, particularly those of a lawful bent. Iomedae and Torag are supporters of Apsu, as is Sarenrae, who remembers the contribution of dragonkind in the act of shackling of Rovagug within his prison. Other deities pledge minor support to Apsu, particularly Cayden Cailean and Gorum; the former opposes evil and thinks the coming battle between Apsu and Dahak “will be a good rumble,” while the latter eagerly views the coming draconic war as a vast conflict in which his forces can fight (on either side).
　　The dragon god Dahak is Apsu’s first progeny and greatest enemy. Ever since Dahak engineered the destruction of the original draconic pantheon, Apsu has fought his wayward son. Both dragon deities know their final battle approaches, and Dahak is constantly preparing for this world-shaking confrontation. Despite their impending conflict, they had civil discourse in the aftermath of Rovagug’s imprisonment, when Dahak told his father why he had decided not to betray the other deities and Apsu made his proclamation of eternal protection over Golarion.
　　Asmodeus is the only evil-aligned god known to approach Apsu, and has offered his services for some unknown price and reason. Apsu remains civil with the Lord of Hell, but has thus far rebuffed him each time. Dahak’s spies within the Immortal Ambulatory report that Asmodeus has offered to weaken Dahak before the start of the dragons’ final battle, though other claims state that the Archfiend has also made a similar offer to the Endless Destruction.
　　Following her completion of the Test of the Starstone, Iomedae approached Apsu. Having researched the noble dragon deity, she sought to involve Apsu more deeply in mortal affairs and ally with him in the struggle against the evil deities of the cosmos. Apsu’s dogged determination to one day battle his son in the skies of Golarion prevented any long-term alliance, but Iomedae still left the attempt with a friend in Apsu. The two gods agreed to defend one another should they ever come under attack by other deific powers. Iomedae’s divine servant Peace through Vigilance, a unique celestial gold dragon, is considered the physical manifestation of the agreement between the two gods.

神域

　　這個浮動的球形半位面就是阿普蘇的国度——不朽者迴廊。遼闊的大陸在球體內滑翔，每一座都是不同种类的金屬龙的灵魂的終点。还一座有着多种环境的大陸漂浮在国度的邊緣，是阿普蘇的家中的少數彩色龍的家。乳白色大教堂（Opalescent Cathedral）坐落于不朽者迴廊的中央大陸。阿普蘇居住于這座巨大而閃亮的建築物之中，引導祂的国度与祂的龙类盟友穿梭伟大彼岸（Great Beyond）。不朽者迴廊自由地漫游在伟大彼岸之中，但最常被發現於善良陣營位面的邊界之內，尤其是在天堂（Heaven）里。

劇透 -   :

REALM

　　The spherical, floating demi-plane known as the Immortal Ambulatory is Apsu’s realm. Vast islands glide within the sphere, each the ultimate destination for the souls of a different type of metallic dragon. A multi-environmental island floats at the edge of the realm, home to the few chromatic dragons who serve Apsu in his home domain. The Opalescent Cathedral rests on an island at the center of the Immortal Ambulatory. Apsu resides in this massive, shining structure, piloting his realm across the Great Beyond with his draconic allies at his side. The Immortal Ambulatory freely wanders the breadth of the Great Beyond, but is most often found within the boundaries of the good-aligned planes, especially Heaven.

异界盟友

　　许多阿普苏的盟友比起格拉利昂的某些神灵还要早就存在。以下是祂最知名的从者，並且能透过異界盟友（planar ally）召喚。

　　無瑕之焰（独特羽蛇）：無瑕之焰是阿普苏其中一位最古老的盟友，被金龙的喷吐武器的正义之火所缠绕。他在物质位面旅行以搜尋传播达哈克的信条的文本或物品，並在圣炎中焚烧这些物品。这样一来，他能顯著地削弱达哈克的教会，因為每肅清一份文本，就越少人能得知无尽毁灭。

　　俄金力士（阿普蘇的使者）：这位優雅的天界成年银龙因經常佩帶巨型眼鏡而被轻易认出来。俄金力士正如他的同类一样善良，但作為阿普蘇的使者，他有幾分疏遠那他须要保護的人。他环游物质位面，為跟恶龙作鄰居或遭受强大的邪恶威胁的人建造堡垒和庇护所，並在途中传递神灵那令人振奋的话语，来侍奉阿普苏。俄金力士的喷吐武器的独特之处在于它会歹殘留永久的冰块，如同冰牆術（Wall of Ice），使这位龙能將此雕刻成長期存在的建築物。然而，这位银龙的冰不会散發寒氣，并有着石头一样的硬度，对于使者想要安置的人而言，它成为了一个非常有用的保护性庇护所。

　　敘拉克斯．白金者（独特发条巨龙）：既非色彩亦非金属，敘拉克斯乃阿普蘇的密使，在整个物质位面与伟大彼岸旅行，以此侍奉其主人。上古瑟西隆帝国（Thassilon）的領導人，皇帝辛（Emperor Xin），直到死前仍然对发条结构有着浓厚的兴趣。此发条巨龙（clockwork dragon）（怪物图鑑4 pg. 30）就是皇帝被遗忘的实验之一的成果——试图将黄铜龙的思维移植到机械身驱之内。敘拉克斯刚在手术后就设法脱離了辛的控制並往不朽者迴廊進發，在那里她懇求阿普苏逆转这个工序。虽然龙神无法帮助她，祂注意到她绝世超伦的精神並任命她行走于物质位面与伟大彼岸，成為祂的密使。

劇透 -   :

PLANAR ALLIES

　　Many of Apsu’s allies predate the existence of some of Golarion’s other gods. The following are his best-known servants, and can be summoned using planar ally.
　　Blameless Flame (unique couatl): One of Apsu’s oldest allies, Blameless Flame is wreathed in the righteous fire of a gold dragon’s breath weapon. He travels the Material Plane in search of texts or items that spread the creed of Dahak, immolating such items in holy fire. In doing so, he weakens Dahak’s church significantly, for with the eradication of each text, fewer are able to learn of the Endless Destruction.
　　Oregenus (herald of Apsu): This graceful, celestial adult silver dragon is easily recognizable because of the enormous spectacles he always wears. Oregenus is as kind as any of his species, but he is also somewhat aloof from the needs of the people he protects as Apsu’s herald. He serves Apsu by traveling to the Material Plane to construct fortresses and shelters for those living near malign dragons or powerful evil threats, delivering heartening words from the god along the way. Oregenus’s breath weapon is unique in that it leaves behind a permanent block of ice, akin to a wall of ice, which the dragon can sculpt into longstanding structures. However, the silver dragon’s ice does not radiate cold and has the same hardness as stone, making it incredibly useful as a protective shelter for those the herald wishes to house.
　　Syrax the Platinum (unique clockwork dragon): Neither chromatic nor truly metallic, Syrax is Apsu’s emissary, traveling the breadth of the Material Plane and Great Beyond in service to her master. The leader of the old empire of Thassilon, Emperor Xin, had an abiding interest in clockworks up until his death. This  clockwork dragon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 30) is the result of one of the emperor’s forgotten experiments, an attempt to take the mind of a brass dragon and transplant it into a mechanical body. Syrax managed to escape from Xin’s control just after the procedure and made her way to the Immortal Ambulatory, where she begged for Apsu to reverse the process. While the draconic god could not aid her, he did remark on her incredible spirit and charged her with traveling the Material Plane and the Great Beyond as his emissary.