宇宙大篷车(The Cosmic Caravan):宇宙大篷车在瓦瑞西亚文化中被广泛使用,它指的是一组13个年复一年以同样的运行方式绕着北极星旋转的可以从阿维斯坦(Avistan)北部看到的星座。每一个星座都与一个符号相匹配,而这个符号,则毫不令人意外的,对应了一个可能让人联想到大篷车和旅行的主题。这十三个星座如下所示,依照其在日历中一年内的出现顺序排列。
鸫鸟座(The Thrush,库山纳月【Kuthona】18日——阿巴迪乌斯月【Abadius】20日)是星座中的第一个;它被认为如同迎接旅者的歌鸟一般带来了大篷车中其它星座的讯息。
被描述成一位蛇尾的天使,
灯护座1(the Lantern Bearer,阿巴迪乌斯月【Abadius】21日——卡莉丝翠月【Calistril】16日)比喻性地在其时引导着剩余的星座。
新侣座(The Newlyweds,卡莉丝翠月【Calistril】17日——法莱斯特月【Pharast】11日)被描述为一对彼此缠结的夫妇;在这个星座下进行婚礼的场景并不少见,人们以此向宇宙祈求自己的新婚生活能有个好的开始。
桥梁座(The Bridge,法莱斯特月【Pharast】12日——哥兹兰月【Gozran】18日)标志着冬春之间的时节;在旅行者间,它代表着对潜藏着的危险的防护。
被描绘为一个舞者,
女儿座(the Daughter,哥兹兰月【Gozran】19日——黛丝娜斯月【Desnus】13日)在春天伊始之时出现,常常被作为对青春岁月的颂扬;这一星座的出现据说对原能魔法有着剧烈影响,并且许多文化将它与太阳崇拜联系地更紧密。
骑手座(The Rider,黛丝娜斯月【Desnus】14日——莎伦尼斯月【Sarenith】20日)被视作是宇宙大篷车中的保护者。他主要被看成一名骑士,且有着坚定守卫者或是鼓舞人心的浪客之类的举止风度,因而这个星座常被与同志情谊相联系。
族长座(The Patriarch,莎伦尼斯月【Sarenith】21日——埃拉斯图斯月【Erastus】20日)被视作是大篷车的领导者,指引着马车座(the Wagon),以及一切被马车驼载的东西。尽管其并没有过度与神秘主义相联系,但闪耀诸国(the Shining Kingdoms)曾有一项普遍的信仰认为在这个星座下出生的个体注定会成为最优秀的掌权者。
马车座(埃拉斯图斯月【Erastus】21日——奥罗都斯月【Arodus】10日)象征性地承载着大篷车穿过天空。
作为一个与两个独立的含义相关联的星座,
兽群座(the Pack,奥罗都斯月【Arodus】11日——洛瓦月【Rova】16日)象征了追随着大篷车的生物;他们可能是忠诚的兽类,其成员致力于保护大篷车的安全,也可能是潜伏起来等待机会的食腐动物。
母亲座(The Mother,洛瓦月【Rova】17日——拉玛沙恩月【Lamashan】30日)在冬天前的几个月出现。它被看成一个在火上的大锅,这个星座被认为是大篷车的心脏,象征了家族纽带。
占星学家和其它占卜师为了特别模糊或是遥远的预测,亲切地望着
望星座(the Star Gazer,拉玛沙恩月【Lamashan】31日——内斯月【Neth】20日)。它在那些运用群星来激活力量的施法者中也很受欢迎。正如它的名字,这个星座常被描绘为一个凝视天空的人。
异邻座(The Stranger,内斯月【Neth】21日——内斯月【Neth】29日)由于其相对较短的出现时间,总被如此命名。它被描绘为一只单独的,凝视着的眼睛;一些学者相信这一星座可能隶属于特定的神秘位面,如果不是直接隶属于一个神秘实体的话。
末客座2(The Follower,内斯月【Neth】30日——库山纳月【Kuthona】17日)是一年中最后一个星座(因此跟在其它大篷车的星座后面),可见于基本一片漆黑的夜晚。它被与死亡紧密联系在一起,包含了各种迷信和传闻在死亡方面的法术上的效果。
除了每个星座所附带的含义,占星学者们也研究如何将天体的运行运用在预言即将到来的事件或是解释那些通常超出凡人理解能力的宇宙力量。宇宙大篷车是内海首选的占星学传统,特别是在瓦瑞西亚,尽管它的使用史可以追溯到利尔根以及甚至阿兹兰特帝国。根本上,宇宙大篷车承担了焦点的功能,许多格拉里昂的占星学者围绕着它来学习其它被识别的行星、我们的太阳和其它可能进入我们的系统的天体的运动——尤其是其排列。他们工作的主要内容在于天体相关的占卜,包括对宇宙的运行做出解释来预测将要到来的事件,以及在某些情况下,辨别更多当下的细节信息。
一个著名的宇宙大篷车起源理论认为其可以追溯到即位之年(the Age of Enthronement),由阿兹兰特学者所建立,他们绘制了那个时代的星座,而他们所用的方法随后渗透进了后来的文化中。从这些之前观察到的星星的图案当中,我们所熟知的大篷车获得了他现在的名字以及相关联的含义。在瓦瑞西亚,存在着关于宇宙大篷车真实意义的不断发酵着的各种观点,他们企图给这些星座的象征意义添加更多实在的解释。一些人相信大篷车描述了瓦瑞西亚失传的历史——一群最早探索这片地区的古老游民,他们战胜了传奇的敌人并使这片土地安全到足以让后人定居,比如瑟西隆帝国( the Thassilonian Empire)的先驱以及此后的其它文明。这些英雄们的行径是如此卓越,这让他们的努力被记录于繁星之中,享受最崇高的荣誉。一个类似的理论相信宇宙大篷车并不只是来自于格拉里昂。这个故事和这些星座背后的含义来自穿过了我们的世界以外的各种世界的旅行者;然而,那些相信这个理论的人中更悲观的一批将末客座看作对将从群星之外到来之物的一种不祥预兆。
在宇宙大篷车外存在着其它星座;在内海的各个地区,同一组星星构成的图案也许会有许多不同的称呼。其中许多星系有着扎根于神圣信仰的含义,比如钥匙座(the Key)或者水鬼座(the Sea Wraith)。其它一些星座则从著名的生物或是那些细节已经与神话故事相融合的历史事件中获得他们的名字以及含义。另一个需要记住的细节是宇宙大篷车,如同许多其它占星学的传统一样,在流传的过程中染上了那些建立他们的人的历史和文化偏见色彩。其它地区毫不意外地有着他们自己特色的天体划分。举例来说,在天夏(Tian Xia),龙国(the Dragon Empire)将黄道分为十二个星座,而他们的重要性,由天夏的占星学者所制定,与月相相联系而非与他们在天空中的位置。芒吉莽原(the Mwangi Expanse)的许多人,从贾哈希联合(Jahaxi)
3到穆阿里雅精灵(Mualijae)的各种部落,建立了他们自己对各种星座的命名法和阐释。
译者注:
1.为便于理解,原文有持灯者的意思,此处先与本书其余部分保持一致。
2.占星学背景中译为信徒座,根据文意此处无信徒意思,“follow”应指其位于星座最后的特性,且信徒座与其与死亡有强烈关联这点不符,故按照群友提供的思路翻译为末客座。
3.具体信息都在莽吉荒原那本书而且还没翻译,差不多就是蜥蜴人和贾哈人的联合这感觉,等那本有人翻了再校对吧。
原文:
劇透 - :
Used prevalently in Varisian culture, the Cosmic Caravan
refers to a set of 13 constellations visible from northern
Avistan that maintain consistent movement around
Cynosure from year to year. Each one is attached with
a sign, which, unsurprisingly, aligns with a theme one
might associate with caravans and traveling. The 13
constellations are as follows, listed in order of their
appearance in a calendar year.
The Thrush (18 Kuthona–20 Abadius) is the first
constellation; it’s believed to herald the others of the
Caravan like how songbirds greet travelers.
Depicted as a serpentine angel, the Lantern Bearer (21
Abadius–16 Calistril) guides the rest of the constellations,
temporally and metaphorically.
The Newlyweds (17 Calistril–11 Pharast) are depicted
as an intertwined couple; it’s not an uncommon sight to
see weddings take place under this constellation, hoping
to the cosmos for a happy start to married life.
The Bridge (12 Pharast–18 Gozran) signifies the beginning
of the span between winter and spring; among travelers, it’s
representative of protection from lurking dangers.
Depicted as a dancer, the Daughter (19 Gozran–13
Desnus) appears at the onset of spring, at times a
celebration of youth; this constellation’s presence
reputedly has acute effects on primal magic, and various
cultures associate it more closely with worship of the sun.
The Rider (14 Desnus–20 Sarenith) is seen as the
protector of sorts of the Cosmic Caravan. Viewed
mostly as a cavalier whose demeanor might be that of
a stern guardian or inspiring reveler, the constellation is
associated with camaraderie.
The Patriarch (21 Sarenith–20 Erastus) is perceived
as the leader of the Caravan, being the one to guide
the Wagon and, by extension, all those carried by it.
While not overly associated with mysticism, it was
once a prevailing belief in the Shining Kingdoms that
individuals born under this constellation were destined
to be the greatest of sovereigns.
The Wagon (21 Erastus–10 Arodus) symbolically
carries the Caravan across the skies.
A constellation attached with two distinct meanings,
the Pack (11 Arodus–16 Rova) represents creatures
that trail the Caravan; they might be loyal beasts whose
numbers serve to bolster safety or scavengers lurking for
an opportunity.
The Mother (17 Rova–30 Lamashan) appears in the
months preceding the winter. Viewed as a cauldron over
a fire, this constellation is considered the heart of the
Caravan, representative of familial bonds.
Astrologers and other diviners look fondly to the Star
Gazer (31 Lamashan–20 Neth) for particularly vague or
distant predictions. It’s also popular among spellcasters
who invoke their powers using the stars. Apropos to
its name, this constellation is typically depicted as an
individual regarding the skies.
The Stranger (21 Neth–29 Neth), invariably named
as such due to its comparatively shorter appearance, is
depicted as a single, staring eye; some scholars believe
this constellation might be affiliated with particularly
esoteric planes, if not entities.
The Follower (30 Neth–17 Kuthona) is the last
constellation of the year (thereby following the other stars
in the Caravan), visible during primarily dark nights. It has
been closely associated with death, including superstitions
and purported effects on death-aspect magics.In addition to the meaning attached to each
constellation, astrologers study how the movements of
heavenly bodies can be used to foretell coming events
or otherwise interpret cosmic forces normally beyond
mortal understanding. The Cosmic Caravan is the
preferred astrological tradition throughout the Inner Sea,
particularly in Varisia, though its usage goes as far back as
Lirgen and even the Azlanti Empire. Primarily, the Cosmic
Caravan functions as a focal point around which many of
Golarion’s astrologers study the movements—particularly
alignments—of other identified planets, our sun, and
celestial bodies that might pass into our system. The bulk
of their work goes into celestial divination, which involves
interpreting cosmic movements to predict coming events
and, in some cases, discern further details in the present.
A prominent theory for the Cosmic Caravan’s origins
claims it dates as far back as the Age of Enthronement,
established by Azlanti scholars who mapped out the
constellations in their era and whose methodologies
then trickled into later cultures. From these previously
observed patterns of stars, the Caravan as we know it
garnered its current names and associated meanings.
Within Varisia, there are growing sentiments about the
Cosmic Caravan’s true meanings, attempting to attach
more concrete interpretations to the constellations’
symbolism. Some believe the Caravan refers to Varisia’s
lost history—an ancient group of itinerants who first
explored the region, vanquishing legendary foes and
making the land safe enough to be settled by later people,
such as the Thassilonian Empire’s predecessors and other
civilizations thereafter. These heroes’ deeds were so great
their efforts were recorded in the very stars, the loftiest
of honors. A similar theory believes the Cosmic Caravan
came not from Golarion itself. The story and meaning
behind those constellations hailed from travelers who journeyed across worlds beyond our own; however, the
more pessimistic of those who believe this theory view
the Follower to be an ominous portent of what is to
come from beyond the stars.
Other constellations exist beyond the Cosmic Caravan;
throughout the Inner Sea, the same stellar pattern
might be known by varying names. Many of these
constellations have meanings seeded in divine faith, such
as the Key or the Sea Wraith. Others received their name
and meaning from mythic creatures or historical events
whose details have blended into legends. Another detail
to keep in mind is the Cosmic Caravan, much like other
astrological traditions, has been informed and colored
by the historical and cultural biases of the peoples who
established them. Other regions unsurprisingly feature
their own celestial groupings. For example, in Tian Xia,
the Dragon Empire’s zodiac includes 12 constellations
whose importance, as determined by Tian astrologers,
ties to the moon phases rather than their position in the
skies. The many people of the Mwangi Expanse, from
the Jahaxi to the various tribes of the Mualijae, have
established their own nomenclatures and interpretations
for various constellations.