Well, I finally did it: I got Kerillian to open up a bit about her past. I mean, not all the way, and she had a funny look in her eye, but it’s a start, right? And it’s not as though her eyes don’t look funny all the time.
终于做到了！凯瑞莲总算愿意谈谈她的过去了。当然，也没全说，她眼神似乎透着一股古怪，但万事开头难嘛，对吧？再说了，她那眼神什么时候不古怪了？
Seems Athel Loren’s a bit of a melting pot. Most bloodlines stretch back to the times before the Sundering. You know, before there was dark elves and high elves, and there was just, well, elves. Or as Kerillian puts it, ‘pure’ elves, untainted by that big old civil war the rest of the pointy-ears are always embroiled in. But over the years, the forest’s also become a refuge for outcasts from Ulthuan and Naggaroth, and though they’re sworn to leave old ties behind, for some it ain’t that easy. Leads to some … well, let’s call them ‘suspect’ choices.
看来艾索洛伦还真有点大熔炉的意思。大多数精灵的血脉都能追溯到大决裂以前。就是那会儿还没分什么黑暗精灵、高等精灵，只有——嗯，精灵。
照凯瑞莲的说法，他们是“纯粹”的精灵，不是后来那群成天陷在那场陈年内战里的尖耳朵们可以比拟的。可这么多年下来，森林也成了奥苏安和纳迦罗斯流亡者的避难所。虽说他们都发誓要斩断旧日牵绊，但知易行难，于是有些人就做出了一些……呃，姑且叫“可疑”的选择吧。
Turns out, our merry lass stumbled on one of these suspect choices right as it was being made. A mage walking parts of Athel Loren no mage should be walking, if you take my meaning. And it wasn’t just him alone. Whole bunch of them there were, midway through a ritual dedicated to Hekarti.
Now, elf gods are a mixed bunch, but Hekarti definitely sits on the bleaker side of the ledger. She’s the mistress of all that’s corrupting and terrible in the Winds of Magic, so it follows that those who worship her ain’t exactly looking for the wherewithal to bring peace and solace to this world of ours.
说起来，精灵的神也是三教九流，什么货色都有，而赫卡提绝对得记在阴暗的那一档。魔法之风里那些腐化人心、骇人听闻的玩意儿，都归她管。
可想而知，那些信奉她的人绝不是为了用她的赐福给咱们这个世界带来安宁和慰藉。
I’ll spare you some of the details I wish Kerillian had spared me, but let’s just say this was not a nice ritual. Seems this mage – Etrian Dunderhead, though I suspect Kerillian may have editorialised his surname – was petitioning Hekarti for sorcerous mastery, and offering forest spirits as collateral. Sadly for him, it all goes to a dog’s breakfast when Kerillian makes her entrance.
我就不用那些仪式细节折磨你们了，真希望凯瑞莲当时也能这样放我一马。
总之，那就不是什么正经仪式。
据说这个叫埃特里安·榆木脑袋的法师——我严重怀疑凯瑞莲把这货的姓给改了。
这位榆木脑袋当时正以森林精魄作为交换，向赫卡提祈求高深巫术。结果凯瑞莲一登场，整个仪式让她闹了个鸡飞狗跳。
To hear our lass tell it, Etrian’s accomplices scarper at first sight of her. The thing about waywatchers is you can never be sure that the one you see is the only one what can see you, and with this lot being involved in some very mucky business, they weren’t planning on waiting to discover the truth. Etrian’s made of sterner stuff, or maybe he’s more afraid of Hekarti than Kerillian’s arrows? More fool him, as it turns out. Kerillian leaves him dead among the moss and goes about her business, job done and a righteous fire burning within.
按咱们“快乐姑娘”的说法，埃特里安那帮人一见到她就撒丫子跑了。毕竟，当你看到一个巡林客的时候，可能是你只能看到一个巡林客。加上这帮人做贼心虚，谁也没胆子等个明白，除了有种的埃特里安，或者说，比起凯瑞莲的箭，他更怕赫卡提？结果他只是更蠢而已。凯瑞莲怀着凛然的正气宰了他，随后事了拂衣去，留下一具倒在苔藓里的尸体。
Only problem is, Etrian’s a popular chap, and his mates raise hell at the next council of kings. Accusations of murder are levelled, and our Kerillian has no witnesses to prove her side, and plenty arranged in opposition. She’s cast out, and hasn’t been home since.
唯一的问题是，埃特里安人缘挺好。等下回诸王议会一开，他那伙朋友就闹翻了天。他们指控她谋杀，而咱们的凯瑞莲孤立无援，对面全是埃特里安的证人。于是她被驱逐了，至今都没回过艾索洛伦。
So that’s her tale … but I don’t know that it’s the truth. Not sure why I doubt her. I mean, apart from the fact that it’s Kerillian, and Kerillian’s an elf. Maybe it’s the way she was watching me all the time I was speaking, as if she was using my expression for a guide as to what she should say next? Could be.
她讲的就是这么个故事……至于保不保真我就不知道了。其实我也说不清为什么我老怀疑她。
我琢磨着，第一，她是凯瑞莲，而凯瑞莲是个精灵。第二，许是她在我说话的时候，一直用那古怪的眼神盯着我看，好像在拿我的反应来盘算她下一句该怎么说？唉，说不清楚。
