以下内容出自AP玉关白(Jade Regent)第5本荣耀之潮(Tide of Honor)明海一章。机翻润色。
Minkai
我从来没有参观过一个如此自在的地方,那里有自己的奇观。在经过几个世纪的开垦和耕种的田地里,一代又一代的农民重复着他们的日常工作,甚至当精魂一样的生物从稻田中剪径而行时他们也不会抬眼观望。在城市里,严厉的父母警告孩子不要在码头或桥上闲逛,以免他们成为地下存在的猎物。在首都,矗立着过去统治者的纪念碑,他们仍然被尊为像神一样聪明和强大的人,而在玉石的宝座上,他们的世俗继承人统治着一个奇迹的王国。
Never have I visited a land so at ease with its own wonders. In fields groomed and cultivated for centuries on end, generations of peasants go about their daily rituals, not even lifting their heads as spirit creatures take shortcuts through their crops. In the cities stern parents warn their children not to dally near the docks or on bridges, lest they make themselves prey for what lives beneath. In the capital rise monuments to rulers past, honored still as beings as wise and mighty as the gods, while upon a throne of jade their worldly inheritor rules over a realm of wonders.
—Vimerido “Togashi” Rirdomerio, From Whence I Returned
明海是天下最东端的民族,素有“黎明帝国”、“三灿之地”之称,在内海各族人民中被誉为一个充满神秘和奇迹的传奇之地。作为一个拥有无尽财富和自豪人民的家园,明海培养了一种民族荣誉的传统,这种传统孕育了独立和一定程度的冷漠。无论国家的船只在哪里航行,它们都传播着独特技能和令人垂涎的设计的宝藏和艺术。明海的人民,天明人,渴望有机会证明他们的力量和技能,就像天夏的其他人民一样,他们可能会在远离家乡的地方遇到,因为他们需要冒险或重大事件。但是,没有什么地方比在他们古老的祖国明海更能展现出这些人的天才、才华和自豪感了,明海是格拉里昂一片与众不同的神奇的土地。
Known as the Empire of Dawn, or the Land of the Three Fires, Minkai is the easternmost nation of Tian Xia, and is renowned as a legendary place of mystery and marvels among the peoples of the Inner Sea. A land of endless riches and home to a proud people, Minkai fosters a tradition of national honor that breeds independence and a degree of aloofness. Wherever the nation’s ships travel, they spread treasures and artistry of singular skill and coveted design. The people of Minkai, the Tian-Mins, thirst for opportunities to prove their strength and skill just as surely as the other peoples of Tian Xia, and might be encountered far from their homeland, driven by their need for adventure or by matters of great import. But nowhere is the genius, talent, and pride of this people better exhibited than in their ancient homeland, Minkai, a land of wonders unlike any in all of Golarion.
政府与皇室家族 Government & Imperial Families
在其历史的大部分时间里,明海一直由来自五个皇族之一的皇帝和王后统治,每个皇族都有幸在遥远的过去由女神静琉授予统治权。如今,这五个家族大多已被五岚众的恶鬼及其爪牙猎杀至灭族。这个国家现在是由一位被称为玉关白的无情军阀统治的,在过去的几年里,他放纵了自己对这个国家的残酷幻想,迫使这个国家的八个省的省长和无数封建领主对越来越受压迫的人口实施严格的剥削性法律。然而,尽管正统皇室家族已不复存在,他们的作品、纪念碑和对明海的影响仍然存在,直到今天,它们以明海合法统治者终将回归的希望不断地激励着明海的农民。下面介绍五个皇室家族。
For the majority of its history, Minkai has been ruled by emperors and empresses descending from one of five imperial families, each of which was blessed with the right to rule by the goddess Shizuru in the distant past. Today, however, most of these five families have been hunted to extinction by the oni of the Five Storms and their emissaries. The nation is ruled by a merciless warlord known as the Jade Regent, who for the past few years has indulged his cruel whims upon the nation, forcing the governors of the land’s eight provinces and the numerous feudal lords to levy strict and exploitative laws upon an increasingly downtrodden population. Yet despite the legitimate families’ demises, their works, monuments, and inf luences upon Minkai remains present even today, endlessly inspiring the peasantry with the hope that of one of their rightful rulers will return. The five imperial families are described below.
Amatatsu(あまたつ):这个皇室家族以商人、探险家和改革者辈出而闻名。这个家族的一名成员Amatatsu Aganhei在数千年前建立了明海和阿维斯坦之间的贸易路线,但他的胜利被Teikoku家族镇压,他本人也被Teikuku幕府处决。当五岚众开始屠杀皇室时,Amatatsus从他们先祖建立的贸易路线出逃,并改姓Kaijitsu。目前,Ameiko Kaijitsu是唯一活着的真正继承人。
Amatatsu: This imperial family has a reputation for producing traders, explorers, and reformers. One member of this family, Amatatsu Aganhei, forged the trade route between Minkai and Avistan thousands of years ago, but his triumph was suppressed by the Teikoku family and he himself executed by the Teikoku shogun. When the Five Storms began slaughtering the imperial families, the Amatatsus fled across the trade route established by their ancestor and changed their name to Kaijitsu. Currently, Ameiko Kaijitsu is the only living true heir to the line.
Higashiyama(ひがしやま):这个家族的成员都是受人尊敬的学者和静琉女神的虔诚崇拜者。自龙瓦帝国灭亡以来,这个家族统治明海长达100年之久。他们的复灭发生在五岚众中一个叫玉关白的恶鬼杀死了前任皇帝Higashiyama Shigure天皇的时候。有传言说,这个家族可能还有活着的继承人,但他们要么与恶鬼结盟,要么被关押在五岚众控制下的偏远监狱中。
Higashiyama: Members of this family were respected scholars and pious worshipers of the goddess Shizuru. This family ruled Minkai for much of the last 100 years since the fall of Lung Wa. Their downfall came the when the Oni of the Five Storms, in the person of the Jade Regent, killed the previous monarch, Emperor Higashiyama Shigure. Rumors suggest that there may still be living heirs of this family, but that they have either allied with the oni or been hidden away in remote prisons under the Five Storms’ control.
Shojinawa(しょじなわ):尽管这个家族最古老的统治者以崇敬祖先的精神、建造梦幻般的神殿和创作宏伟的公共作品而闻名,但其后代的颓废和疯狂让人们对Shojinawas伟大作品的印象变得糟糕。一些人声称,这家人甚至因为在月亮的注视下涉足黑暗魔法和血腥的牺牲而受到月亮的诅咒——甚至怀疑若是把恶鬼与Shojinawa的继承人放到一起让人们分辨,人们说不出哪个是哪个。据说Shojinawa家族是在其宫殿被一场永冻黑焰火灾吞没时毁灭的。
Shojinawa: Although the oldest rulers from this family have reputations for revering ancestral spirits, raising fantastic shrines, and creating grand public works, the memory of the Shojinawas’ great works was soured by later generations’ decadence and madness. Some claim the family was even cursed by the moon for dabbling in dark magic and bloody sacrifices under its gaze—and doubt one could tell the difference between an oni and a Shojinawa heir if forced to say which was which. The Shojinawa family was supposedly destroyed when their palace was consumed by a conflagration of freezing black fire.
Sugimatu(すぎまつ):历史上,Sugimatu都是致力于和平的人,是最能满足人民需求的皇室。历史学家都用诸如“喜雨皇后”、“清酒洋帝”和“六泉皇后”这样的头衔称呼这个王朝的统治者。这些名字并不是令人生畏的头衔,而是反映了明海历史上最和平、最富足的时代。Sugimatu图家族的大多数成员在数年内被毒死,成为五个家族中第一个复灭的家族。
Sugimatu: Historically, the Sugimatus were peacemakers and the imperial family most in touch with the needs of the people. Historians have granted members of this dynasty titles such as the Empress of Pleasant Rains, Emperor of the Sake Sea, and the Six Springs Empress. Rather than being intimidating titles, these names ref lect eras that number among the most peaceful and bountiful in Minkai’s history. Most members of the Sugimatu family were poisoned over a period of years, making it the first of the five families to fall.
Teikoku(ていこく):一个由传统主义者和孤立主义者组成的家族,Teikoku是五个皇室中最军国主义的家族之一。这个家族建立了Teikoku幕府,一个早于明海的帝国。在过去的半个世纪里,它的成员被五风暴的恶鬼杀害,尽管据说这些恶鬼在与这个古代家族交手中遭受了相当大的损失。
Teikoku: A family of traditionalists and isolationists, the Teikokus were among the most militaristic of the five imperial families. This family founded the Teikoku Shogunate—the empire that predated Minkai. Its members were slain by the Oni of the Five Storms within the last half century, though it is said the fiends suffered considerable losses at the ancient family’s hands.
城市和省份Cities & Provinces
从部落交战和部族不和的时代起,现在被称为明海的土地上的生活就依赖于大海的慷慨。因此,这个国家最古老、最大的一些定居点都是沿海岸而建,明海文化也从这些贸易、学习和政治中心发展和辐射,为附近所有人的生活方式增光添彩。随着这些城市对周边地域的影响,每个城市都以自己为中心发展成了省份,并成为了皇帝意志的代言人帝国总督的所在地。除了八个省之外,还有三个额外的地区:Ikkaku半岛,一片艰苦的土地,粗犷坚毅的人民与上古诡秘的家园;Osogen草原,一片广阔的平原,鲁莽的野蛮人部落的家园;以及Higashita海岸,按说东海岸属于Hiyosai省,但那的人民已经形成了自己独特的身份认同。
Ever since the days of warring tribes and feuding clans, life in the land now known as Minkai has depended upon the bounty of the sea. As such, the oldest and largest settlements in the nation have risen upon the shores, and the culture of Minkai has grown and radiated from these centers of trade, learning, and government, coloring the lives and ways of all who live nearby. As these cities exerted their influences over the land, each became the hub of its own province, and the seat of an imperial governor who administers the emperor’s will. Beyond the eight provinces exist three additional regions: the Ikkaku Peninsula, a harsh land home to a rugged people and ancient mysteries; the Osogen Grasslands, a vast plain home to reckless barbarian tribes; and the Higashita Coast, which technically falls within the province of Hiyosai, but whose people have developed a distinctive identity of their own.
Akafuto(あかふと):明海的第二大港口,也是帝国主要河流路线的终点站,拥有四万多人口。作为天夏主要的木材贸易中心,这里出口各种原材料和半成品,而且其大型帆船是最有可能在Tianjing海岸和外国港口航行的明海工艺品。Akafuto最著名的寺庙Ukuashi-Ji是献给Kofusachi的,他祝福田野和丰收季节性地沿着Tagiryu河从Akafuto流向全国各地的市场。Akafuto也是Juhimeiyo学校的所在地,这是一所修道院,传统上年轻贵族经常光顾,他们渴望成为朝廷的办事员。Akafuto是一座政治稳定的城市,11个世纪以来几乎一直由Moniwa家族的统治者统治。现任总督莫尼瓦·卡蒙是最早宣誓效玉关白的人之一;尽管这样做让他赢得了许多人民的怀疑和厌恶,但也确保了在新统治者的政权下,该省将面临相对较少的变化。
Akafuto: The second largest port of Minkai and terminal of the empire’s major fluvial route, Akafuto boasts a population of more than 40,000. A major center of lumber trade in the Tian Xia, it exports a variety of raw and semifinished products, and its large junks are the Minkai crafts most likely to be seen sailing along the coasts of Tianjing and in foreign ports in general. The most famous temple of Akafuto, Ukuashi-Ji, is dedicated to Kofusachi, who blesses the fields and the rich harvests that seasonally flow down the Tagiryu River and from Akafuto to markets across the nation. Akafuto is also the seat of the Juhimeiyo School, a monastic institute traditionally frequented by young nobles who aspire to become clerks at the imperial court. A city of remarkable political stability, Akafuto has been ruled by the governors of the Moniwa family almost continuously for 11 centuries. The current governor, Moniwa Kamon, was among the first to swear fealty to the Jade Regent; though doing so earned him the suspicion and loathing of many of his people, it also ensured the province would face relatively few changes under the new ruler’s regime.
Enganoka(えんがのか):一个比Sakakabe更年轻的城市,但同样建在明海西海岸的一个合适的定居点,Enganoka是一个重要的商业港口。贸易活动集中在港口后面的开放市场,商品包括普通谷物和鱼类。在明海最著名、最豪华的商业场所之一的Kuroi Yane市场可以买到奢侈品。Enganoka的主要出口产品是来自附近山丘桑园的丝绸和明矾,明矾被广泛用于染色织物,几乎只能在统治Sikutsu家族的领地内取得。在全国范围内,Enganoka以迎合只有最富有的人才能负担得起的腐朽品味——合法的和非法的——而闻名,这在城市居民和附近的村民中引发了一种经常被称为“Enganoka式傲慢”的不应有的状况。
Enganoka: A younger city than Sakakabe, but similarly built in a favorable landing spot on the west coast of Minkai, Enganoka is an important commercial port. The trading activity concentrates in the open market located behind the port, with wares ranging from ordinary cereals and fish. Luxury goods are available in the Kuroi Yane market, one of Minkai’s most famous and luxurious commercial venues. The chief exports of Enganoka are silk, coming from the mulberry orchards of the nearby hills, and rock alum, widely used to dye fabric and almost exclusively extracted in the domain of the governing Sikutsu family. Across the nation, Enganoka has a reputation for catering to decadent tastes— legal and illegal—that only the wealthiest can afford, giving rise to an oft unmerited condition among both city dwellers and nearby villagers known as “Enganoka arrogance.”
Higashita海岸(ひがした):Higashita海岸的村庄被广阔的Seseragi森林严重影响,据说这里是传说中英雄Okirori Tomoko的故居。据说,Tomoko在森林与Warashi河的骄傲的kami领主之间达成了一项决议,从那以后,那些在森林中行走的人都得到了古代守护者以幻象和低语的形式提供的指引。即使在森林之外,kami和先祖之灵的传说也在一连串贫穷的沿海渔村中引发了的各类臆想与风俗。几代人以来,海岸居民从海洋中收集财富,用浮木、珍珠、珊瑚、海胆壳和其他具有内在美感的材料制作出令人难以置信的精品。他们的艺术有病态倾向,重点关注各种雕塑中描绘的114种可怕且普遍具有讽刺意味的死亡。尽管有时很可怕,但这些艺术品在明海地区已经非常受欢迎,许多人不遗余力地去收集114种死法的实例。
The Higashita Coast: Officially part of Hiyosai Province, the villages of the Higashita Coast are heavily influenced by the vast Seseragi Forest, said to have been the ancestral home of the legendary hero Okirori Tomoko. Tomoko was said to have mediated a resolution between the proud kami lords of the forest and the Warashi River, and ever since, those who have walked the forest’s paths have been granted advice in the form of visions and whispers from its ancient guardians. Even beyond the forest, tales of the kami and ancestral spirits have ensnared the imaginations and traditions of what might otherwise be a string of poor coastal fishing villages. For generations, the coast dwellers have gathered riches from the sea, crafting incredibly fine works from driftwood, pearl, coral, urchin shells, and other materials of inherent beauty. Their artistry tends to have a morbid bent, with a focus on 114 types of gruesome and generally ironic deaths depicted in varied sculptures. Though sometimes grisly, this artwork has become incredibly popular across Minkai, and many go to great lengths to gather examples of all 114 deaths.
Hiyosai(ひよさい):Hiyosai被称为明海的东部金库,因在城镇南部山区的铜矿开采活动和制造青铜器而致富,这些青铜制品与帝国铸币所需的原材料一起出口到Kasai。来自Okaiyo洋深处珊瑚礁群的siyokoys(探索者 RPG Bestiary 3 246)以神出鬼没的行踪和诡计多端的战术,袭击了正要离开Hiyosai港口时的货船,将金属货物和水手统统拖回了他们在水下城市Sangoshi珊瑚废墟中的巢穴。作为回应,该市的港口巡逻队已发展成为一支名副其实的海军,由勇敢的武士和他们的学生担任队长,他们用各种各样的长柄武器无休止地训练。Hiyosai及其周围的一些家庭声称自己是Sangoshi幸存者的后裔,Sangoshi以其不同寻常的公正和绿色眼睛而闻名。
Hiyosai: Called the eastern treasury of Minkai, Hiyosai grew rich on the copper-mining activity in the hills south of town and the manufacture of bronze objects, which are exported to Kasai together with the raw material needed for the empire’s coinage. With frightening unpredictability and varying organization, siyokoys (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 246) originating from coral complexes deeper in the Okaiyo Ocean attack ships as they leave Hiyosai’s port, dragging metal goods and sailors alike back to their dens in the coral ruins of the drowned city of Sangoshi. In response, the city’s harbor patrol has grown into a veritable navy, captained by daring samurai and their students, who train endlessly with a variety of polearms. Some families in and around Hiyosai claim to be descended from the survivors of Sangoshi, who were known for their unusual fairness and green eyes.
Ikkaku(いっかく)半岛:明海最北端的土地很贫穷,几乎没有人居住,但那些在冰冷的悬崖中安家的人却格外自豪和独立。大多数人靠Kamifushi山脉冰冷的石头和里面发现的各种矿物宝藏来维持艰难的生活。然而,有几个村庄受益于该地区的地质不稳定和矿产丰富,是矿泉的家园。这些泉水通常伴随着供奉黛丝娜、国府幸(Kofusachi)或齐仲的寺庙,并拥有非凡的医疗、精神或神奇的治疗特性。然而,这些神秘的度假胜地中很少有人宣传他们非凡的水域,相信灵魂会引导那些最需要的人去泉水——有时很难到达泉水。尽管在过去的几十年里,这个地区基本上没有受到玉关白的统治,但它的居民和明海的任何人一样传统和爱国。许多人坚决反对席卷全国的变革,并庇护逃犯免受新实施的帝国法律的影响。
The Ikkaku Peninsula: The northernmost lands of Minkai are poor and scarcely inhabited, but those who do make their homes amid the frosty cliffs prove exceptionally proud and independent. Most eke out hard lives from the cold stone of the Kamifushi Mountains and the varied mineral treasures found within. Several villages, however, benefit from the region’s geological instability and mineral richness, being home to mineral springs. Such springs are often accompanied by temples dedicated to Desna, Kofusachi, or Qi Zhong, and boast remarkable medical, spiritual, or magical healing properties. Few of these mystical resorts promote their remarkable waters, however, believing that the spirits guide those most in need to the springs—which sometimes prove quite treacherous to reach. Though over the past decades this region has been largely untouched by the rule of the Jade Regent, its residents are just as traditional and patriotic as any of Minkai’s people. Many staunchly oppose the changes sweeping the land and shelter fugitives from new implemented imperial laws.
川西(かさい):明海省最大、最繁荣,拥有首都和数量最多的封建领地,这些领地大多位于Tagiryu河和Kamiteki河之间的富饶土地上。开赛是一个繁华的城市,有超过10万居民,也是外国商业的主要中心。川西作为一个枢纽港口,通过繁忙的河流路线连接西岛湾的主要海上通道和前首都尾田,以及富饶的明海东南部内陆。在Teikoku幕府时期,川西经历了快速发展。当尾田被夷为平地并随着Teikoku统治的结束而被遗弃时,川西已经是明海最重要的社区,因此它被选为新的首都。作为帝国目前的所在地,川西拥有皇宫、总督府、各种神圣纪念碑和明海最繁忙的港口。在皇宫里,玉关白统治着这片土地,他的法令被大批仆人、士兵和更阴险的特工无情而有效地执行。在探路者冒险之路#54中详细介绍了川西市。
Kasai: The largest and most prosperous province of Minkai hosts the capital and the highest number of feudal domains, which are mostly located in the bountiful land between the Tagiryu and Kamiteki rivers. Kasai is a bustling city with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and the main center of foreign commerce. Founded to serve as a hub port connecting the main sea lanes of the Xidao Gulf to Uddo, the previous capital, and the fertile inland of southeastern Minkai via busy fluvial routes, Kasai experienced rapid growth during the Teikoku Shogunate. When Uddo was razed and abandoned with the end of Teikoku rule, Kasai was already the most important community of Minkai, and so it was chosen as the new capital. As the current seat of the empire, Kasai hosts the imperial palace, the palace of the governor, various holy monuments, and the busiest port in Minkai. From the imperial palace, the Jade Regent rules the land, his edicts being meted out with ruthless efficiently by legions of servants, soldiers, and more sinister agents. The city of Kasai is presented in detail in Pathfinder Adventure Path #54.
Oda(おだ):明海的粮仓,小田的乡村拥有帝国最高产的稻田。这座城市本身就见证了成千上万的田移民的来来往往,他们被招募到当地封建领主的富裕庄园当农场工人。小田是明海市居民最多的外国人,主要是田商人、工匠和餐馆老板,他们世世代代都在西岛湾和其他地方支持自己的社区。许多犯罪集团在小田产生了影响,土匪捕食前往该市的农民和游客,几个黑帮集团在该市经营着谨慎的敲诈勒索活动,海盗中介监视着离奥盖岛太近、守卫不力的商船。
Oda: The granary of Minkai, Oda’s countryside hosts the most productive rice paddies in the empire. The city itself has seen the coming and going of thousands of Tian immigrants, recruited to work as farmhands in the rich estates of the local feudal lords. Oda is the Minkai city with the most resident foreigners, mostly Tian merchants, artisans, and restaurateurs, who have come over the generations to support their own communities across the Xidao Gulf and beyond. Numerous criminal groups have grown inf luential in Oda, with bandits preying on farmers and travelers headed to the city, several yakuza groups running discreet rackets in the city itself, and pirate junks watching for poorly guarded merchants ships sailing too close to Aogaito Island.
Osogen草原:在神灵之林附近,Osogen居住着两个同类的野蛮人:Utare人,他们是坚守海岸的渔民和猎人,Yumogu人,他们以欺骗著称,是自豪的游牧牧民。在长达数百年的斗争中,明海人慢慢地将两个民族赶回了草原,这场斗争在帝京幕府崛起之前基本上平息了。自那以后,尤莫古人和乌塔雷人再也无法真正挑战帝国的实力,但Osogen的南部地区一直在几代定居者和野蛮人之间争夺。根据帝国法律,Osogen草原被视为Sakakabe省的一部分,但该地区的统治者长期以来一直采取对野蛮人不感兴趣和不干涉的立场,只要他们不入侵更文明的南方。
The Osogen Grasslands: Near the Forest of Spirits, Osogen is inhabited by two kindred of barbarians: the Utare, fishermen and hunters who keep to the coasts, and the Yumogu, proud nomadic herders with a reputation for deceit. Both peoples were slowly driven back to the grasslands by the Minkai people in a centuries-long struggle that largely subsided before the rise of the Teikoku Shogunate. The Yumogu and the Utare have never been able to seriously challenge the might of the empire since then, but the southern reaches of Osogen have been contested between generations of settlers and barbarians. Under imperial law the Osogen Grasslands are considered part of Sakakabe Province, but the region’s governors have long taken a stance of disinterest and noninterference with the barbarians, so long as they don’t intrude upon the more civilized south.
Sakakabe(さかかべ):Sakakabe的同心梯田建在一个原本危险的海岸上,坐落在一个有利的着陆点上,可以俯瞰狭窄的海岸线。最低的梯田坐落在一座建于数千年前的石头堡垒的废墟上,其古老的石墙上装饰着古代战士的浮雕,几乎完全被现代建筑所掩盖。萨卡贝以买卖白银和珍珠而闻名。白银是在附近的三京代山脉开采的,那里有几个堡垒保护矿山免受土匪和邪恶的类人生物的袭击。整个西北海岸都在捕捞珍珠,那里丰富的珊瑚礁和天然泻湖有利于牡蛎和海螺的生长。萨卡贝的繁荣反映在其文化上。除了丰富的神社和寺庙外,该镇还拥有一个精致的娱乐区,以仅次于开赛的茶馆和剧院而闻名。该镇中产阶级的高生活水平,加上州长的宽容态度,使黑社会在大多数传统活动中蓬勃发展,尤其是赌博。这些游戏的开放性和吸引力已经成为游客的一种吸引力,为该市的单一黑帮团体提供了国内其他地方所没有的合法性。
Sakakabe: Built on a favorable landing on an otherwise treacherous coast, the concentric terraces of Sakakabe climb the hills that overlook the narrow shoreline. The lowest terraces lean on the ruins of a stone fortress built millennia ago, whose ancient stone walls— adorned with reliefs of ancient warriors—are almost completely hidden by modern structures. Sakakabe is famous for trading in silver and pearls. Silver is extracted in the nearby Sankyodai Mountains, where several fortresses protect the mines from bandits and evil humanoids. Pearls are fished along the entire northwestern coast, where an abundance of coral reefs and natural lagoons favor the growth of oysters and conches. The prosperity of Sakakabe is mirrored by its culture. Besides rich shrines and temples, the town boasts a refined entertainment district that is famous for both its teahouses and theatres, which are second only to those in Kasai. The high standard of living of the town’s middle class, coupled with the somewhat lenient attitude of its governor, has allowed the yakuza to thrive in most of their traditional activities, especially gambling. The openness and appeal of these games have become something of an attraction for visitors, lending the city’s single yakuza group a measure of legitimacy not found elsewhere in the country.
Shogokabe(しょごかべ):这座崎岖不平的城市俯瞰着一个由许多不可通航的溪流和灌溉运河交汇而成的大海湾。作为明海的主要渔港,它拥有一个长达一英里的码头,每天都有大批帆船从这里出发,在Sorui湾丰富的水域捕鱼。Shogokabe是一个平静而热情的小镇,以其象征和土特产,紫色Sorui鱿鱼而闻名全国。Sorui的渔民在工作和信仰方面都非常务实,该市的码头上排列着数十座供奉着来自世界各地的海神和风暴之神的神殿。黑风的雕像几乎占了纪念碑的四分之三,但格兹雷、凯利赞锥、瓦拉尼、大衮信仰的形象,甚至更模糊的信仰也可能在这里找到。很少有渔民声称知道海岸线上代表的所有信仰,或者他们来自什么地方,但如果多向神什一献上几枚硬币能为他们赢得丰厚的渔获,水手们认为这钱花得很值得。
Shogokabe: This rugged city overlooks a large bay at the confluence of many nonnavigable streams and irrigation canals. The chief fishing port in Minkai, it boasts a milelong wharf from which a multitude of junks sail every day to fish the bountiful waters of the Sorui Gulf. Shogokabe is a pacific and welcoming town, known throughout the nation for its symbol and regional specialty, the purple Sorui squid. The fishermen of Sorui are highly practical when it comes to both their work and their faith, and the city’s wharves are lined with dozens of shrines dedicated to deities of the seas and storms from across the world. Statues of Hei Feng account for almost three-quarters of the monuments, but images of the faiths of Gozreh, Kelizandri, Valani, Dagon, and even more obscure faiths might also be found here. Few fishermen claim to know all the faiths represented along the sea front, or from what lands they hail, but if tithing a few coins to multiple deities wins them bountiful catches, the sailors consider it money well spent.
Wanshi(わんし):Wanshi是明海南海岸的主要商埠,拥有一个防御严密的海军基地,旨在保护帝国军队的舰队免受突然袭击。与Shogokabe一样,Wanshi市的经济以渔业和农业为基础,而不是以商业为基础,周围肥沃的平原被用于各种农业用途。帝国最好的马匹来自该地区的牧场,其中大部分被出售来支持帝国骑兵。部分原因是该市与国家军方有联系,Awahana河沿岸精明的农民用大部分水稻作物来生产清酒。事实证明,这重营生回报异常丰厚,现在每年都有数十万加仑的清酒、粗酿酒(そちゅ)、葡萄酒和医用酒精水运到下游的Wanshi出售。这种做法使附近的山丘和森林成为许多狸猫人(Bestiary 3 259)最喜欢的家园,这对地区酿酒商来说既是诅咒也是祝福。
Wanshi: The main commercial port of the south coast of Minkai, Wanshi harbors a well-defended naval base, built to protect the reserve of the imperial fleet from sudden raids. Like Shogokabe, the city of Wanshi bases its economy on fishing and farming rather than on commerce, and the fertile surrounding plains are put to a wide variety of agricultural uses. The best horses in the empire come from the region’s ranches, with the majority sold to support the imperial cavalry. In part because of the city’s association with the nation’s military, canny farmers along the Awahana River have turned much of their rice crop over to the production of sake. Such ventures have proven so fruitful that now hundreds of thousands of gallons of sake, sochu, wine, and medical alcohols flow down the river for sale in Wanshi every year. This practice makes the nearby hills and forest a favorite home of many tanukis (Bestiary 3 259), which prove to be both a curse and a blessing for the regional brewers.
在明海冒险Adventuring in Minkai
尽管明海是一片高度文明的土地,但它也不乏危险和冒险的机会。这里只提到了帝国中一些最声名狼藉的遗址。
Although a highly civilized land, Minkai is not without its dangers and opportunities for adventure. Noted here are just a few of the most infamous sites across the empire.
青冈(あおがいと)岛:虽然从技术上讲,青冈岛是Kinoshita家族的封建领地,但其众多的海湾和附近的浅滩,长期以来一直是Sorui湾及其他地区海盗活动的基地。虽然Kinoshita家族的年轻成员坚称,他们的家族与在他们的土地附近狩猎的海盗没有任何联系,但据说他们的赞助人Domeki要么是年纪太大无法有效应对威胁,要么是航海土匪的秘密头目。
Aogaito Island: While technically the feudal domain of the Kinoshita family, Aogaito Island, with its numerous coves and nearby shoals, has long served as a base for piracy in the Sorui Gulf and beyond. While the younger members of the Kinoshita family insist that their family has no ties to the pirates that hunt near their lands, their patron, Domeki, is said to be either too senile to effectively combat the threat—or the secret master of the seafaring bandits.
三高市(さんごし):早在几个世纪前,岛城三高市就已经沉入大海,淹没了一座美丽、艺术和科学的大都市。自那以后的几个世纪里,附近的珊瑚礁在水下废墟上长得杂草丛生,将它们变成了一个巨大的活洞穴迷宫。大量像鳗鱼一样的siyokoy居住在沉没的城市里,他们从那里袭击了明海的西海岸。传说每44年,三高市的奇异奇观就会从水中升起一天,但在一天结束时又会再次下沉。
Sangoshi: The island city of Sangoshi crumbed into the sea long centuries ago, drowning a metropolis of beauty, art, and science beneath the waves. In the centuries since, the nearby coral reefs have overgrown the underwater ruins, transforming them into a vast maze of living caves. Large numbers of eel-like siyokoys dwell in the sunken city, from which they raid the western coast of Minkai. Legends say that every 44 years the strange wonders of Sangoshi rise from the water for one day, only to sink again at day’s end.
七毒泉:这是一组神秘的温泉,与Nalinivati的一座古庙相连,据说这些刺鼻的水池里充满了来自埋在山下的七种致命的娜迦身上的剧毒。众所周知,这些泉水很难找到,据说是被寺庙神秘看门人所维持的幻术所掩藏。
Seven Venoms Springs: A cluster of mysterious hot springs connected to an ancient temple of Nalinivati, these acrid smelling pools are said to bubble with the poisons of seven deadly nagas buried beneath the mountain. The springs are notoriously difficult to find, supposedly hidden by the illusions maintained by the temple’s mysterious caretakers.
三灿:三灿是Kazunan山、Kumijinja山和Yogan山的统称,是沿着Kamifushi山和Kyojin山脊延伸的三座活火山。传说中,每一条都是通往明海地下广阔火海的通道,在那里,冥界的龙囤积着星球上最伟大的宝藏。
The Three Fires: The collective name for Mount Kazunan, Mount Kumijinja, and Mount Yogan, the Three Fires are a trio of active volcanoes that run along the spine of the Kamifushi and Kyojin Mountains. Legends say that each is a passage to a vast realm of fire deep beneath Minkai, where underworld dragons hoard the greatest treasures of the earth.
尾田(うっど):尾田是Teikoku幕府时期帝国首都,在一场战争中被夷为平地,这场战争标志着Teikoku家族的垮台和现代民族明海的崛起。在被摧毁后的几个世纪里,这座城市在很大程度上回归了大自然,导致土匪经常利用迷宫般的废墟作为藏身之地,引诱盗墓者掠夺Teikoku幕府的古墓,并成为无数关于不死士兵和暴怒统治者的传说的来源。
Uddo: The nation’s capital under the rule of the Teikoku Shogunate, Uddo was razed during the battle that marked the downfall of the Teikoku family and the rise of the modern nation of Minkai. In the centuries since its destruction, the city has largely been reclaimed by nature, leading bandits to frequently use the maze-like ruins as hideouts, tempting tomb raiders to plunder the ancient tombs of Teikoku shoguns, and serving as the source for endless tales of deathless soldiers and enraged rulers past.