索引：【神器目录】
简介
| 鲍的象牙链Ivory Chain of Pao | |
|---|---|
| 基本信息 | |
| 【等 级】 | 神器Artifact |
| 【物品 类型】 | 奇物 |
| 角色关系 | |
| 【战 役】 | FR／Kara-Tur |
| 【创 作 者】 | 鲍大师Master Pao |
| 【相关 角色】 | 黑豹Bauhei，九仙The Nine Immortals，铜魔特若斯Copper Demon of Tros，猴头Monkey |
| 【简 介】 | “鲍鲍，我要鲍鲍！”——贝恩·血蹄，于半人马娘 鲍的象牙链Ivory Chain of Pao 又名 缚魔绳Demon Binder 或 锁魔链Demon Chain，由48个小人链环手牵着手组成，每个小人都对应了一位在世的英雄，据说所有英雄离世后，它也将崩溃。（不过考虑到这件神器已经有数千年历史，所以其中有不少英雄应该已经升仙或以其他方式续命）。它的起源非常古老，故事非常曲折。 |
2e<Book_of_Artifacts.p046>鲍的象牙链Ivory Chain of Pao
鲍的象牙链Ivory Chain of Pao
这件神器的外观非常独特，它是一条链环被雕刻成张开双臂的男人的象牙链。每个链环都被雕刻的异常精巧，以至于每个人的手指都与下一个紧紧相扣。与金属链不同，这条象牙链的链环并不是闭锁的，应当是可以一个个解下来的。然而，鲍的象牙链 并没有任何要解体的迹象。鲍的象牙链 大约有12呎长。
This artifact is highly distinctive in appearance, an ivory chain whose links are carved in the fashion of men with arms outstretched. Each link is cunningly made so that the hands of one figure interlock with the next in line. Unlike metal chains, the links here are not closed loops and it should be possible to unhook individual links. However, the Chain shows no indication of falling apart. the Chain is approximately 12 feet long.
历史History
鲍的象牙链Ivory Chain of Pao 在东土有着漫长而多彩的历史，但西方的贤者对此几乎一无所知。此处所述的是东方学者所熟知的故事的高度浓缩版。只有那些与东土有联系的西方贤者才会知晓这个故事的只言片语。
The Ivory Chain of Pao has a long and colorful history in the lands of the east, but is virtually unknown to western sages. This is the tale, highly abbreviated, as it is known to those eastern scholars. Only those western sages with contact to the distant oriental lands would know any bits of this tale.
鲍的象牙链 的早期历史非常模糊。传统上一般认为它是在 易山小仙the Lesser Immortal of Mount Yei 鲍大师Master Pao 在 红土时代the Age of Red Earth 所造，并赠予了集体统治帝国的 九先皇the nine First Emperors。据说，鲍的象牙链 象征着他们的团结和他们带给所有文明人（也就是帝国）的和谐。
The early history of the Chain is very vague. Common tradition holds that it was fashioned in the Age of Red Earth by Master Pao, the Lesser Immortal of Mount Yei, and given to the nine First Emperors, who ruled the empire jointly. The Chain, it is said, was to symbolize their unity and the harmony they brought to all civilized people (i.e. the empire).
不幸的是，它带来了悲剧。在 九皇the Nine 统治下第七年的一个晚上，一位大胆的小偷溜进了金库偷走了 鲍的象牙链（有些人说这位盗贼受到了 恶作剧之主the Lord of Mischief 猴头Monkey 的启发，其他人则说是某位邪神的影响）。在不久后，随着一个新邪教崛起对 诸帝the Emperors 发起挑战，帝国南疆的动荡异发剧烈。
Unfortunately, it brought tragedy. One night an audacious thief slipped into the treasury and stole the Chain in the seventh year of the Nine's rule (some say this thief was inspired by Monkey, the Lord of Mischief; others, by an evil god). Shortly thereafter, turmoil grew in the southern realms of the empire as a new cult rose to challenge the Emperors.
也正是在此时，九皇退回了天庭，将帝国交给了 第一皇朝the First Dynasty。随着南方邪教的不断壮大，皇帝开始寻找摧毁邪教的秘密。最后，他和他的诗人兄弟南下挑战了这个邪教。
It was at this time that the Nine Emperors withdrew to heaven, leaving the empire in the hands of the First Dynasty. As the evil cult in the south continued to grow, the emperor sought the secret of its destruction. Finally he and his poet-brother went south to challenge the cult.
正是在那里，他们发现 黑豹教the Black Leopard cult 高阶祭司 南宫季Nan Kung Chi 拥有 鲍的象牙链。这位祭司用它捆住了这个邪教的大豹魔，并迫使它服从自己的意志。借助他兄弟的智慧指引，秦帝the Emperor Chin 一矛击碎了 鲍的象牙链，从而终结了黑豹教的恐怖。
It was there that they discovered that Nan Kung Chi, the high priest of the Black Leopard cult, had the Ivory Chain. With it the priest had bound the great leopard-fiend of the cult and forced it to his will. Guided by the wisdom of his brother, the Emperor Chin shattered the Chain with a single stroke of his spear, thus ending the terror of the leopard cult.
许多人宣称这使 鲍的象牙链 的力量迎来了终结，但鲍大师比众人想象的更为狡猾。据说，鲍的象牙链 随着其中一个链环的分离而消失了，但这只是为了稍后的自我重塑。这个说法肯定是真的，因为 鲍的象牙链 陷入了另一个重大事件——铜魔特若斯Copper Demon of Tros 的陨落。如果说人们对黑豹教知之甚少，那么对铜魔的记录就更少了。众所周知的是，这只怪物在帝国的西北部崛起，夺取了几个省份到自己治下。几十年来，它以绝对的权威和恐怖统治着这些国家。最终这只邪魔变得太过恐怖，皇帝呼唤来英雄们帮助他收复失地。斡迈Wo Mai 和他的同伴们，效忠于他们的皇帝，承担下了这个危险的任务。目前还不知道他们是如何推翻铜魔的，但公认的说法是，鲍的象牙链 在将铜魔捆绑住并带回朝廷方面发挥了重要作用。在那里，它被关押进了 斡迈的橡子Acorn of Wo Mai 中。
Many would have assumed this to be the end of the Ivory Chain's power, but Master Pao had been more cunning than that. It is said that the Chain vanished with the parting of a single link, only to later reform itself. This must certainly be true, for the Chain figured into an another great event—the fall of the Copper Fiend of Tros. If little was known of the Black Leopard Cult, even less has been recorded of the Copper Fiend. It is known that this monster rose to great power in the northwestern reaches of the empire, seizing several provinces for his own. These it ruled with absolute authority and terror for many decades. Finally the horrors of the fiend became too great and the emperor called for heroes to help regain his lands. Wo Mai and his companions, loyal to their emperor, undertook the dangerous task. It is unknown just how they overthrew the Copper Fiend, but accepted stories say the Ivory Chain of Pao was instrumental in binding the creature and bringing it back to the imperial court. There it was imprisoned in the Acorn of Wo Mai.
在这一伟大事件之后，鲍的象牙链 从所有历史记录中消失了。一些学者说它被磨成了灰尘，然后被用来铸造困住铜魔的 斡迈的橡子。还有人认为它一直被留在皇家宝库中，直至 海朝the Hai Dynasty 在 六世皇帝the Sixth Emperor 出兵入侵邻国时灭亡。据说，入侵舰队在一场大风暴中沉没后，它（连同六世皇帝）也随之消失。当一位受雇于已亡的先帝、名曰 欧若可O'Rourke 的异域航海家找回它时，故事才得以继续。他很可能将它带去了西土——又或者他并没有这样做。
After this great event the Chain dropped from all accounts of history. Some scholars say it was ground into dust and forged into Acorn that holds the Copper Fiend. Others think it remained in the imperial treasuries until the fall of the Hai Dynasty, when the Sixth Emperor went to invade a neighboring land. There it was supposedly lost (along with the Sixth Emperor) when the invasion fleet sank in a great storm. The story continues that the Chain was recovered by a foreign navigator named O'Rourke, who was in the employ of the dead emperor. It is quite possible that he carried it back to the lands of the west—or perhaps he did not.
战役使用Campaign Use
鲍的象牙链 对于一场普通冒险来说，并非是一件特别强大的神器。它的力量只能影响外层位面生物，所以除非有这样的生物出现在战役中，否则这条链子只能算一件有趣的奇物。不过，如果出现了强大的外层位面生物的威胁……
The Ivory Chain of Pao is not a particularly powerful artifact for common adventuring. Its powers only affect outer-planar creatures, so unless these figure into the campaign, the Chain is going to be nothing more than an interesting curiosity. However, should a great outer-planar threat appear....
DM应该围绕着 鲍的象牙链 的力量展开冒险。显而易见的可能性是，一些可怕而强大的东西闯入了 主物质位面the Prime Material 世界，需要 鲍的象牙链 来压制它。虽然这个点子不是特别新颖，但如果执行得当，这条情节也可以非常令人兴奋。
The DM should build the adventure around the Chain's powers. The obvious possibility is that something awful and of great power has broken into the Prime Material world and the Chain is necessary to overcome it. While not particularly original, this plotline can be quite exciting if well-executed.
当然，没有人规定必须如此。没有人说过主物质位面世界必须被威胁。玩家角色们可以因为各种理由而进入到了外层位面，在那里他们将需要 鲍的象牙链 来俘获某些强大生物。或许它是某道强大法术的必需品（这反过来又将阻止对战役世界安全的另一项威胁）。又或许，任务来自某位狡猾巫妖的 指使术geas，或是向某位高阶祭司支付的服务费。这支冒险队甚至可能只是为了给某位强大的领主留下深刻印象而做出如此危险的事情。一位伟大的国王、哈里发或皇帝肯定会高度评价，那些仅仅是靠着一条象牙链就将强大邪魔折服作为献礼的英雄。
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. There is nothing that says there has to be a threat to the Prime Material world. The player characters, for various reasons, could journey to the outer planes where they would need the Chain to capture some powerful being. Perhaps it is needed for a powerful spell (that in turn stops a different threat to the safety of the campaign world). Perhaps the task is a geas imposed by a cunning lich, or payment to a high priest for services rendered. The group even might do something this dangerous simply to impress a powerful lord. A great king, caliph, or emperor would certainly think highly of heroes who presented a powerful fiend humbled by a simple ivory chain.
此外，由于 鲍的象牙链 可以被拆开，所以发现它的这项简单任务可能会变得异常复杂。DM可以慢慢地引进这件神器。冒险队可能会在宝藏中发现其中的一个链环。后来，他们又找到了其它的，且从未得到任何解释。只有在找到相当多链环时，他们才能找到 鲍的象牙链 功能的线索。
Furthermore, since the Chain can be taken apart, the simple business of discovering it can become quite complicated. The DM can introduce the artifact slowly. The group might find a single link as part of a treasure hoard. Later they could find others, never with any explanation. Only after a considerable length of chain is gathered might they find clues to the Chain's purpose.
力量Powers
祈唤。鲍的象牙链 的使用方法有两种，要么作为整体使用，要么作为单个链环使用。当整条 鲍的象牙链 缠上某个外层位面生物的手腕、脖子、脚踝或腰部（或同等部位）时，该生物将自动被 异界誓缚bound。被誓缚的生物将绝对服从于 鲍的象牙链 所有者的命令（下命令时，必须握住它的一端）。虽然它看上去脆弱不堪，但被誓缚的生物完全无力对抗 鲍的象牙链 的力量，并且除非在主人的命令下，否则这只生物也不能使用自身的力量。
Invoked. The Chain can be used in one of two ways, either as a whole piece or by individual links. When the whole Chain is wrapped around the wrists, neck, ankles, or waist (or the equivalent) of an outer-planar creature, that creature is automatically bound. Bound creatures must obey absolutely the commands of the owner of the Chain (who must hold one end of it when giving these commands). Although it seems extremely fragile, the bound creature is utterly helpless against the Chain's might, nor can it use its powers except at the bidding of its master.
如果知晓扭曲滑动图形的正确方法，就可以解开相连的链环。一旦整条 鲍的象牙链 断裂（有48个链环），它将完全丧失异界誓缚的力量。每个链环都可以投掷到一只生物上，施加 圣言术holy word 法术的效果。被掷出的链环将立即消失。
If one knows the right way to twist and slide the figures, the links can be unlocked from each other. Once the whole Chain is broken (there are 48 links), it loses all power to bind. Any individual link can be thrown against a creature, with all of the effects of a holy word spell. Links hurled instantly vanish.
诅咒。当被用来捆绑生物时，鲍的象牙链 有5%的可能性将断裂并立即消失。新获得自由的生物通常非常渴望以可怕且富有想象力的方式向他们曾经的主人复仇。此外，外层位面生物将派遣凡间代理人对抗 鲍的象牙链 的持有者。
Curse. Each day that the Chain is used to bind a creature, there is a 5% chance it will break and vanish instantly. Newly freed creatures are usually quite eager to extract revenge on their former masters, in horrible and imaginative ways. Furthermore, outer-planar creatures will send earthly agents against the Chain's owner.
建议的销毁方法Suggested Means of Destruction
❖以一种秘密方法连接每个环链，使环链的手不相碰触。
❖ A secret method of joining each link so that the hands do not touch must be used.
❖每个链环都匹配了一位在世的英雄。当他们全部去世，鲍的象牙链 将会崩溃。
❖ Each link matches a living hero (or heroine). When all are dead, the Chain crumbles.
❖它必须被送给一位 象神elephant-god，他将打碎象牙。
❖ It must be given to an elephant-god, who shatters the ivory.