Note/L10N/Myths_and_Legends_Weapon2/2.4.8/Books/BookMALBru?
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<BR>Myths and Legends:
<br>Volume 5
<br> by Draskal Ratden
<br><br>
-Foreword-
<br><br>
These collected volumes are the result of my travels throughout Tamriel, where I have spent my life listening to the many wonderful myths and legends that are abundant throughout our magnificent world. Though I am no adventurer, I truly do believe many of these stories are based on fact, though how much of them is true and how much the fantastical elaboration of imagination, I cannot say, for I am just another conduit through which they shall live.
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While most of the writings I have compiled over the years have basis in confirmed fact, I occasionally encounter a mythical and highly preposterous story that, while clearly almost completely myth, is justifiable for inclusion simply because of its remarkable implications and, more importantly, description of a legendary artifact that may well have existed at one time or another. The following is such a myth, ancient and nearly lost to time, which focuses on the creation of Nirn and the taunting qualities of immortality.
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How I chanced to come upon the untainted myth of the weapon's story is a fantastical tale in its own right, but one which is entirely irrelevant to the myth itself. Though I have attempted to recreate the story without bias, it is an inevitable fact that some may find the beliefs contained within it to be antagonizing to their own, so read further at your own caution.
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- Vesper's Requiem -
<br><br>
Mundus, the Mortal plane, is a place of perpetual suffering. Those who walk upon it are doomed to mortality, to experience the sweetness of life in unison with the detestable discomforts of death, a fate the Gods who created it deemed an unfortunate mistake upon witnessing what they had invariably committed.
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Before its creation there was nothing; the imperceptible penumbra, the Mythic Aurbis, the gray center between the is of Anuiel and nothingness of Sithis, the unnatural realm in which dwelt for time without measure the aspects of immortality, the Aedra and Daedra.
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One of these beings, who became neither god nor demon, known now as the trickster and deceiver Lorkhan, convinced these original spirits to create the mortal realm, where their aspects could forever achieve enlightenment. But when they did, they discovered the world contained nothing but limitations; a sphere of unstable magic and infinite despair.
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Some of these Spirits disappeared completely, giving up all hope for Nirn. Some stayed behind, transforming themselves into aspects which would ensure the survival of the mortal realm. And some left, either to keep watch over its progress or to escape uncertain fate.
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Among these was Magnus, who had created Mundus. When Magnus left, the magic upon the plane became stable, and Oblivion, the black nothingness of the night sky, filled in the gray void, leaving holes known as stars through which Aetherius, the magic plane, shines through, the largest being the sun, or Magnus.
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Those that stayed behind deemed Lorkhan's deception cruel and cast his heart into Mundus as punishment, where no aspect of the new world may ever find it. With Lorkhan's bondage to the mortal realm, the moons, Masser and Secunda were created, the two halves of Lorkhan's flesh-divinity, contradictory personifications of the God to perpetually remind mortality of the inherent duality in all actions.
<br><br>
Sometime before they left Mundus to be inherited by the mortals and when the first primitive mortals began to appear, there existed a powerful and enigmatic wizard known only as Vesper. Seeking an avenue to obtain immortality and become one with the original ones, to live eternally in the Aetherius, Vesper spent his life obtaining enlightenment.
<br><br>
Upon discovering the secrets of the gods, he was revealed a means to obtain their power. Searching all across the ancient, barbaric lands of Tamriel, he collected rare, magical pieces of dark blue rock which had descended from the void of Oblivion. From these pieces of immortal rock, which had come from the moons Masser and Secunda themselves, he fashioned a staff, which would be forever unique in its shape and use.
<br><br>
Upon the staff's head, which was shaped like a perfect circle with a circular hole through it, and down the length of the staff, he inscribed in powerful runes his obscure names for Magnus, Lorkhan, Aetherius, and Oblivion, which he would use in his ritual to obtain immortality.
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Then he waited. For decades, his life dwindled away as he awaited the only time that all of the powers would be in perfect alignment, allowing him the brief opportunity to use the staff for its purpose. Finally, when Vesper was an old, weak man whose life had been spent pursuing what mortals were never meant to have, the time arrived.
<br><br>
At that moment, when the moons Masser and Secunda, the contradicting dualities of Lorkhan, were in perfect alignment with Magnus, the largest hole in the Aetherius, creating a complete eclipse through which the nothingness of Oblivion shone briefly, Vesper raised up his staff, catching a glimpse the spectacular sight through the perfectly fashioned hole in his staff.
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And then there is nothing. The gods left, allowing mortals to fully inherit Nirn and begin their evolution, perpetually quarreling over what, in their ignorance, the gods indirectly forsake. Time flowed on, and Vesper disappeared from history. Perhaps he obtained immortality, assuming his place in the Aetherius as he always wished, or perhaps, through his own ignorance, he committed such an atrocious act that his existence was purged from all things.
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I personally choose to believe that Vesper, if he ever did exist in the first place, which is highly unlikely, did obtain massive power, but, in his frail condition, was unable to sufficiently wield it, and faced death as a consequence. But one thing is certain; if he did indeed construct such a staff, now known as Vesper's Requiem for the part it played in his demise, though it has appeared many times throughout history with other names, then it would be incredibly powerful, for it would have absorbed some of the power of immortality.
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And I do indeed believe that Vesper's Requiem, even if this myth of its creation and source of power is entirely false, was and still is a real artifact. There have been countless other stories detailing the discovery of a strange, circular staff with immense power being wielded to change history, then lost to time.
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The most recent of these stories claims the staff was used by the Nerevarine themself to vanquish Dagoth Ur. Before traveling on an expedition to Akavir, Nerevar had the staff and many other rare, priceless artifacts sent to the Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, as a sign of charity. The caravan transporting the items went missing, supposedly attacked by Argonian rebels from Black Marsh. The rebels, recognizing the value of the artifacts, attempted to return as fast as they could to Black Marsh.
<br><br>
When they neared the border, the rebels found that patrols had been raised to search for them. Rather than trying to sneak passed, the rebels traveled west along the border, hoping to go through the Valus mountains and into Cyrodil, then travel south before entering Black Marsh. Just as they were nearing the border, a group of patrol guards spotted them. After a brutal battle, the guards returned the artifacts to the museum in Mournhold, but it was discovered that Vesper's Requiem was not among them.
<br><br>
The guards also reported that the group was smaller than had been reported, so the most likely explanation is that some of the rebels, knowing their impending doom, grasped some of the weapons and fled into Cyrodil. Be that the case, they most likely found a quick death in the strange wilderness of the Valus mountains, their treasure lost somewhere with their bones, atop the mountains east of Lake Canulus where Black Marsh, Morrowind, and Cyrodil intersect.
<br><br>
Whatever the truth may be, such an artifact that was created so near to the creation of Mundus itself would be a remarkable find for anyone capable of discovering it. A double solar eclipse with both of the moons has only happened a few times in all of the established history of Tamriel, and if one could capture the crepuscular magic of the celestial cosmos in a weapon, it would be powerful indeed.<br><br>
Author's note: In my explanation of the myth of creation, I attempted to be as unbiased as possible, though I do not doubt that it may have offended some readers. But to any who are interested in learning more, I used information from the following books, all of which should prove no difficulty to find for one adamant in procuring them: The Monomyth, The Annotated Anuad, Varieties of Faith in the Empire, and The Lunar Lorkhan. Do note that these will likely not assist you in discovering Vesper's Requiem, but are simply listed for academic purposes.
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Though closer in proximity to civilized Cyrodiil than the more populous towns in the South, few tales exist of the nomadic Khajiit tribes of Northern Elsweyr. While it is occasionally a matter of scholarly debate, the fragmented accounts of Jaleel, a noted Ra Gada adventurer of the First Era, are generally held to contain the first record of these mysterious nomadic tribes and their culture.
<br><br>
Unfortunately the entire tale was never properly preserved, though the remains still provide an interesting analysis of the often conflicting aspects of desire and selflessness within the mortal mind. Indeed, some scholars even go so far as to suggest that the Ra Gadan intended the tale to be read purely as a fable, left open to the reader to interpret for themselves. So sit back, good reader, and decide for yourself the outcome and accuracy of the tale.
<br><br>
-Valermos: The Undying Blade-
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In an age long-obscured by the sands of time, there lived a great nomadic chieftain revered as much for his charisma and leadership as for his strength. In his years as chief, his tribe flourished in the lands now known as Rimmen in the province of Elsweyr. Under his leadership, the tribe was able to successfully drive their enemies from their prized hunting lands to the east and the west.
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Many new customs were also adopted during this time as the great chief was ever a champion of justice among his people. But time leaves no life untouched and the chieftain's strength ebbed as his spirit prepared to depart for the great beyond.
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Despite his long reign as chieftain, none of his wives were able to produce a single male child. There was much anxiety among his clan over who would take on the mantle of leadership when their beloved chieftain passed on.
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Before his spirit departed this world, the chieftain passed stewardship over his tribe to Awassi, the tribal mystic. She was much beloved throughout the tribe for her beauty, kindness, and selfless deeds. According to custom, she would preside over the rites by which a new chieftain would be crowned.
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By custom, if there was no heir to the previous chief, the next chief would have to be selected from any of the tribal sons who had reached the age of adulthood during the final year of the chieftain's reign. To prove worthy of the mantle of leadership, each in turn would have to pass a test of fate or strength. If fate was not on the side of the warrior, he could win the respect of his people by proving stronger than the fate he was dealt.
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Each warrior was presented with two sealed scrolls to choose between. Though identical in their external appearances, the difference between the two was often the difference between a life of glory and a terrible death. If the warrior chose the scroll of fate, he would immediately be granted the mantle of chieftain, awarded the respect and honor of his tribe, and a daughter of the previous chief would become his wife.
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The other was the scroll of strength. The scroll of strength contained a map that would lead the warrior to a place of almost certain death. Once a warrior had drawn the scroll of strength, he was dead to the tribe.
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Only by returning victorious could he hope to be restored in the eyes of his people. But if that warrior could defeat all the horrors therein and return to the tribe carrying Valermos, the undying blade, he would be named chieftain and enjoy all the honor and respect of one chosen by fate alone. That being said, there was no living memory of the last warrior to successfully complete the test of strength. The decision to undertake the test of fate was not one to be taken lightly.
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The first of the eligible tribesmen to stand forth and accept the challenge was a boisterous young Khajiit by the name of Nokhji. He was the youngest of the eligible tribesmen, only reaching adulthood the day before the passing of the chieftain.
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Many in the tribe were perplexed by his effrontery as he possessed no combat training, electing instead to work as a manservant in the house of mystic worship. Perhaps he will be blessed by fate, they thought, for he could certainly not trust his own strength to preserve him.
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As the sun dawned on the appointed day of his ritual, Nokhji stood before his tribe as Awassi placed the two scrolls on the altar before her. As the young Nokhji advanced to the altar, he turned as the custom dictated, to kneel before the altar. But his attention was not fixed upon the two scrolls before him. His eyes were fixed upon the mystic who stood behind the altar.
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Though the scrolls were sealed long before she was born, through her powers of divination, Awassi had done what no other had done. She had possessed herself of the secret of the scrolls. She knew which of the two contained the scroll of fate and which contained the scroll of strength. Not only did she know the secret of the scrolls, but she knew which daughter the scroll of fate would select as the new chieftain's bride. It was the fairest and loveliest of the chieftain's daughters.
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Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of adoration upon Nokhji, her manservant and perhaps those glances were even returned. Though the daughter of the chieftain, she had dared to seduce Awassi's manservant. And for that, she despised the woman chosen by the magic scroll.
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When her manservant looked across the altar at her and their eyes met, by that power of quick perception which is given to those whose souls have joined as one, he understood that she knew which scroll would mean the difference between his glory and his death. He expected her to know. He was assured by her nature that she would never rest until she had discovered this secret, hidden to all others. The moment he looked upon her, he saw that she had succeeded and in his soul he knew he would succeed.
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Then it was that his quick and anxious glance asked the question: "Which?" It was as plain to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not an instant to be lost. The question was asked in a flash and must be answered in another. Her right hand lay on the stone altar behind the scrolls. She raised a finger and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but Nokhji saw her, for every eye in the tribe was fixed upon Nokhji as he knelt before making his choice.
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He stood and, without the slightest hesitation, seized the scroll on the right, tearing through its bindings to open it.
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It is here that the fragment ends. Only the age old puzzle remains, which fate did the scroll reveal --death or glory? Did Awassi, in her jealous hate, doom the innocent Nokhji to a fate he was not meant to burden? Or was was it the mystic's sense of selfless kindness that won the day? Perhaps it is for you to decide.
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This much is known, while the tribe and its people were lost to time and obscurity, the location of the sword has been long sought after as a means of confirming the story as historical fact or as an ancient morality tale. Perhaps amidst his exploratory accounts of traversing the Niben, Topal the Pilot may have encountered this specific Nomadic tribe along the eastern shores of the Upper Niben, as his voyage would have occurred during the approximated time of the original story. <br><br>
Adventurous explorers should take special note of any Ayleid structures located in this area, as evidence of skirmishes between the nomadic Khajiit and the burgeoning Ayleid empire has been dated back to the time of the story. Indeed, the name of the sword itself is suggestive of Ayleid origin. If the story is in fact a historical account and the blade does exist, it would likely be well protected by the remnants of the Ayleid city in which it once rested.
訳文 †
【訳文記述エリア】
<BR>Myths and Legends:
<br>Volume 5
<br> by Draskal Ratden
<br><br>
-序文-
<br><br>
母なる世界は数多の素晴しき神話や伝説に満ちている。私はこれまで生涯をかけてTamriel中を巡り、それらを聞き集めて来た。ここに連なる一連の書物は、いわばその集大成である。私は冒険家ではないが、これらの物語が事実に基づいたものであると信じている。私は物語に命を吹き込む為のパイプ役でしかない。どこまでが真実でどこまでが空想の産物かなど、語るのもおこがましい事だろう。
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私はこれまで何年もかけて文献を収集してきた。そのほとんどは確固たる事実に基づいているが、ときどき荒唐無稽で神話めいた物語に出くわす事もある。そういった物語は明らかに絵空事のように思えても、書き手の意図が明確で首尾一貫しているのだ。そして私にとってより重要な点であるが、それらの物語はかつて存在したであろう伝説のアーティファクトに関する描写に関しても筋が通っているのである。これから紹介するのはそんな神話の一つである。いにしえの、時代と共に忘れ去られつつある物語。Nirnの創造と不死にまつわる皮肉の物語である。
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この武器に関する神話を歪曲の無いまま知る事が出来たのは幸運だった。いかにして私がその好機を得るに至ったのかを語るだけでもちょっとしたファンタジーなのだが、本来の神話とは全く無関係なので自重させて頂く。神話を書き起こすに当たっては、なるべく本来の物語に忠実な形となるよう心がけたが、読者諸君の考えと相反するような箇所がいくつか有るかも知れない。よく吟味のうえ読み進めて欲しい。
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- Vesper's Requiem（Vesperに捧ぐ鎮魂歌） -
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Mundus、それは定命の領域であり苦しみの絶えぬ場所である。そこに生きる者は誰も死から逃れられず、忌々しい死への不安を抱えなつつ生を享受している。神々は自らの作品に降りかかる死の運命を目の当たりにして嘆き、この創造自体が不幸な間違いであったのだと考えた。
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この創造以前には何も存在せず、世界の周縁に存在するMythic Aurbis（AnuielとSithisの虚無の中間に位置する混沌）の特異空間ではAedraとDaedraが不死の区別なく長い時を過ごしていた。
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その中にひとり、神にも悪魔にもならず、後にトリックスター・詐欺師として知られる事となる存在があった。Lorkhanである。彼は定命の領域を創造すれば永遠の悟りを得られると言って原初の精霊たちをそそのかした。かくして精霊達は創造を行なったのであるが、出来あがった世界には永遠の悟りどころか制限ばかりが目に付いた。この世界を包む魔法は不安定で、絶望は尽きせぬものであった。
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精霊たちの中にはNirnを見限って完全に姿を消した者もいれば、残留して定命の領域での生存に適した形に姿を変えた者もいる。またある者たちはNirnを離れていったが、その動機は発展を見守る為か不確実な運命から逃れる為かで分かれていた。
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Among these was Magnus, who had created Mundus. When Magnus left, the magic upon the plane became stable, and Oblivion, the black nothingness of the night sky, filled in the gray void, leaving holes known as stars through which Aetherius, the magic plane, shines through, the largest being the sun, or Magnus.
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Those that stayed behind deemed Lorkhan's deception（ごまかし 嘘 幻想 詐欺） cruel（むごい ひどい 無情な） and cast his heart into Mundus as punishment（罰として）, where no aspect of the new world may ever find it. With Lorkhan's bondage（束縛） to the mortal realm, the moons, Masser and Secunda were created, the two halves of Lorkhan's flesh-divinity（肉体の神性）, contradictory（相反する） personifications（化身） of the God to perpetually remind mortality of the inherent（生得の 特有の 生来の） duality（二重性） in all actions.
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Sometime before they left Mundus to be inherited（遺伝による 系統をひく） by the mortals and when the first primitive（原始的な 原初の 太古の） mortals（人間） began to appear, there existed a powerful and enigmatic（得体の知れない 不可解な 謎の） wizard known only as Vesper. Seeking an avenue to（〜への道） obtain immortality and become one with（〜と一体になる 一心同体になる） the original ones, to live eternally in the Aetherius, Vesper spent his life obtaining enlightenment.
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Upon discovering the secrets of the gods, he was revealed a means（手段） to obtain their power. Searching all across the ancient, barbaric lands of Tamriel, he collected rare, magical pieces of dark blue rock which had descended from the void of Oblivion. From these pieces of immortal rock, which had come from the moons Masser and Secunda themselves, he fashioned（〜を創る） a staff, which would be（仮定法） forever unique in its shape and use（形状と用途が特異）.
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Upon the staff's head, which was shaped like a perfect circle（真円） with a circular hole（円形の穴） through it, and down the length of the staff, he inscribed（刻む 掘る 銘記する） in powerful runes his obscure（ぼんやりとした 目立たない 曖昧な） names for（呼び名） Magnus, Lorkhan, Aetherius, and Oblivion, which he would use in his ritual to obtain immortality.
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Then he waited. For decades（何十年も）, his life dwindled away（少しずつ少なくなる） as he awaited the only time that all of the powers would be in perfect alignment, allowing him the brief opportunity to use the staff for its purpose. Finally, when Vesper was an old, weak man whose life had been spent pursuing（追求する） what mortals were never meant to have, the time arrived.
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At that moment, when the moons Masser and Secunda, the contradicting dualities of Lorkhan, were in perfect alignment with Magnus, the largest hole in the Aetherius, creating a complete eclipse（日蝕） through which the nothingness of Oblivion shone briefly, Vesper raised up his staff, catching a glimpse the spectacular sight（目を見張る光景） through the perfectly fashioned hole in his staff.
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And then there is nothing. The gods left, allowing mortals to fully inherit（相続する） Nirn and begin their evolution, perpetually quarreling（絶え間ない諍い） over what, in their ignorance（無知なままで）, the gods indirectly（間接的に） forsake（見放す 見捨てる）. Time flowed on, and Vesper disappeared from history. Perhaps he obtained immortality, assuming his place in the Aetherius as he always wished, or perhaps, through his own ignorance, he committed such an atrocious act（残虐な行為 非人道的な行為 ひどい行為 不愉快な行為） that his existence was purged（追放される 粛清される） from all things.
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I personally choose to believe that Vesper, if he ever did exist in the first place, which is highly unlikely, did obtain massive power, but, in his frail condition（虚弱な状態）, was unable to sufficiently（十分に） wield（行使する） it, and faced death as a consequence（結果として）. But one thing is certain; if he did indeed construct such a staff, now known as Vesper's Requiem for the part it played in his demise（死の際に）, though it has appeared many times throughout history with other names, then it would be incredibly powerful（信じられないほど強力な）, for it would have absorbed some of the power of immortality.
<br><br>
And I do indeed believe that Vesper's Requiem, even if this myth of its creation and source of power is entirely false, was and still is a real artifact. There have been countless other stories detailing the discovery of a strange, circular staff with immense（莫大な 計り知れない） power being wielded to change history, then lost to time.
<br><br>
The most recent of these stories claims the staff was used by the Nerevarine themself to vanquish（打ち負かす） Dagoth Ur. Before traveling on an expedition（遠征） to Akavir, Nerevar had the staff and many other rare, priceless artifacts sent to the Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, as a sign of charity（慈善 施し 寄進）. The caravan transporting the items went missing, supposedly attacked by Argonian rebels（反逆者 謀反人） from Black Marsh. The rebels, recognizing the value of the artifacts, attempted to return as fast as they could to Black Marsh.
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When they neared the border, the rebels found that patrols had been raised to search for them. Rather than trying to sneak passed, the rebels traveled west along the border, hoping to go through the Valus mountains and into Cyrodil, then travel south before entering Black Marsh. Just as they were nearing the border, a group of patrol guards spotted them. After a brutal battle, the guards returned the artifacts to the museum in Mournhold, but it was discovered that Vesper's Requiem was not among them.
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The guards also reported that the group was smaller than had been reported, so the most likely explanation is that some of the rebels, knowing their impending doom（先々の運命 差し迫った破滅の運命）, grasped some of the weapons and fled into Cyrodil. Be that the case, they most likely found a quick death in the strange wilderness（荒野 荒地） of the Valus mountains, their treasure lost somewhere with their bones, atop（〜の上に 頂上に） the mountains east of Lake Canulus where Black Marsh, Morrowind, and Cyrodil intersect（交差 横断）.
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Whatever the truth may be, such an artifact that was created so near to the creation of Mundus itself would be a remarkable find for anyone capable of discovering it. A double solar eclipse with both of the moons has only happened a few times in all of the established history of Tamriel, and if one could capture the crepuscular（薄暮の 薄暗がりの） magic of the celestial（天国の 素晴らしい 空の 最高の 神々しい） cosmos（宇宙） in a weapon, it would be powerful indeed.<br><br>
Author's note: In my explanation of the myth of creation, I attempted to be as unbiased（無作為の バイアスのない） as possible, though I do not doubt that it may have offended（機嫌を損なう） some readers. But to any who are interested in learning more, I used information from the following books, all of which should prove no difficulty to find for one adamant（非常に固い 断固とした 不屈の 一徹の） in procuring（入手する） them: The Monomyth, The Annotated Anuad, Varieties of Faith in the Empire, and The Lunar Lorkhan. Do note that these will likely not assist you in discovering Vesper's Requiem, but are simply listed for academic purposes.
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<br><br>
Though closer in proximity（近接 近傍 近いこと） to civilized Cyrodiil than the more populous（人口密度の高い 人口の多い） towns in the South, few tales exist of the nomadic（遊牧民の） Khajiit tribes of Northern Elsweyr. While it is occasionally a matter of scholarly debate（学術的な議論の的に）, the fragmented accounts of Jaleel, a noted Ra Gada adventurer of the First Era, are generally held to contain the first record of these mysterious nomadic tribes and their culture.
<br><br>
Unfortunately the entire tale was never properly preserved（適切に保管されていない）, though the remains still provide an interesting analysis of the often conflicting aspects of desire and selflessness（欲望と無私無欲） within the mortal mind. Indeed, some scholars even go so far as to suggest that the Ra Gadan intended the tale to be read purely as a fable（寓話として）, left open to the reader to interpret（説明する 解釈する 通訳する） for themselves. So sit back, good reader, and decide for yourself the outcome（結果 成果） and accuracy（正確さ 的確さ） of the tale.
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-Valermos: The Undying Blade-
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In an age long-obscured by the sands of time, there lived a great nomadic chieftain（族長 首領） revered as much for his charisma and leadership as for his strength. In his years as chief, his tribe flourished（栄えた） in the lands now known as Rimmen in the province of Elsweyr. Under his leadership, the tribe was able to successfully drive their enemies（敵を追いやる） from their prized hunting lands to the east and the west.
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Many new customs were also adopted during this time as the great chief was ever a champion of justice among his people. But time leaves no life untouched and the chieftain's strength ebbed（衰退する 引く） as his spirit prepared to depart for the great beyond（あの世）.
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Despite his long reign as chieftain, none of his wives were able to produce a single male child. There was much anxiety among his clan over who would take on the mantle（役割 責任） of leadership when their beloved chieftain passed on.
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Before his spirit departed this world, the chieftain passed stewardship（職務 地位 管理） over his tribe to Awassi, the tribal mystic（神官 巫女 シャーマン）. She was much beloved throughout the tribe for her beauty, kindness, and selfless deeds. According to custom, she would preside over（〜を統括する 主宰する） the rites（儀式） by which a new chieftain would be crowned.
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By custom, if there was no heir（庶子） to the previous chief, the next chief would have to be selected from any of the tribal sons who had reached the age of adulthood（成人した） during the final year of the chieftain's reign. To prove worthy of the mantle of leadership, each in turn would have to pass a test of fate or strength. If fate was not on the side of the warrior, he could win the respect of his people by proving stronger than the fate he was dealt.
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Each warrior was presented with two sealed scrolls（封印された巻物） to choose between. Though identical（寸分違わない 同一の） in their external appearances, the difference between the two was often the difference between a life of glory and a terrible death. If the warrior chose the scroll of fate, he would immediately be granted the mantle of chieftain, awarded the respect and honor of his tribe, and a daughter of the previous chief would become his wife.
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The other was the scroll of strength. The scroll of strength contained a map that would lead the warrior to a place of almost certain death. Once a warrior had drawn the scroll of strength, he was dead to the tribe.
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Only by returning victorious（勝利を得て） could he hope to be restored in the eyes of his people. But if that warrior could defeat（打ち負かす） all the horrors（恐怖） therein and return to the tribe carrying Valermos, the undying blade, he would be named chieftain and enjoy all the honor and respect of one chosen by fate alone. That being said, there was no living memory of the last warrior to successfully complete the test of strength. The decision to undertake（請け負う 着手する） the test of fate was not one to be taken lightly（軽々しく）.
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The first of the eligible（有資格者） tribesmen to stand forth and accept the challenge was a boisterous（陽気で騒がしい 乱暴な がさつな） young Khajiit by the name of Nokhji. He was the youngest of the eligible tribesmen, only reaching adulthood the day before the passing of the chieftain.
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Many in the tribe were perplexed（当惑した） by his effrontery（厚かましさ） as he possessed no combat training, electing instead to work as a manservant（男性の従者 使用人 召使い） in the house of mystic worship（シャーマンの神殿 祈祷所）. Perhaps he will be blessed by fate, they thought, for he could certainly not trust his own strength to preserve（保存する 〜を守る） him.
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As the sun dawned on the appointed day of his ritual, Nokhji stood before his tribe as Awassi placed the two scrolls on the altar before her. As the young Nokhji advanced to the altar, he turned as the custom dictated（習わしに従って）, to kneel（跪く） before the altar. But his attention was not fixed upon the two scrolls before him. His eyes were fixed upon the mystic who stood behind the altar.
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Though the scrolls were sealed long before she was born, through her powers of divination（占い 予言 予知）, Awassi had done what no other had done. She had possessed herself of the secret of the scrolls（巻物の秘密を知っていた）. She knew which of the two contained the scroll of fate and which contained the scroll of strength. Not only did she know the secret of the scrolls（巻物の秘密を知っていただけでなく）, but she knew which daughter（どの娘が花嫁になるのか） the scroll of fate would select as the new chieftain's bride. It was the fairest（最も美しい） and loveliest（最も愛らしい） of the chieftain's daughters.
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Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of adoration（崇拝 あこがれ 愛情 礼拝 敬愛 の眼差しを向けていた） upon Nokhji, her manservant and perhaps those glances were even returned. Though the daughter of the chieftain, she had dared to seduce Awassi's manservant（ずうずうしくもAwassiの召使いを誘惑しようと）. And for that, she despised（毛嫌いしていた） the woman chosen by the magic scroll.
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When her manservant looked across the altar at her and their eyes met, by that power of quick perception（知覚 認知） which is given to those whose souls have joined as one, he understood that she knew which scroll would mean the difference between his glory and his death. He expected her to know. He was assured by her nature that she would never rest until she had discovered this secret, hidden to all others. The moment he looked upon her, he saw that she had succeeded and in his soul he knew he would succeed.
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Then it was that his quick and anxious（心配げな） glance asked the question: "Which?" It was as plain（平易な 明らかな 単純な） to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not an instant to be lost. The question was asked in a flash and must be answered in another. Her right hand lay on the stone altar behind the scrolls. She raised a finger and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but Nokhji saw her, for every eye in the tribe was fixed upon Nokhji as he knelt before making his choice.
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He stood and, without the slightest hesitation（臆面もなく）, seized（むしり取る 捕まえる 奪取する） the scroll on the right, tearing through its bindings（封を切って） to open it.
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It is here that the fragment ends. Only the age old puzzle remains, which fate did the scroll reveal --death or glory? Did Awassi, in her jealous hate（嫉妬に狂った嫌悪）, doom the innocent Nokhji to a fate he was not meant to burden? Or was was it the mystic's sense of selfless kindness（もしくは無私無欲の優しさ） that won the day? Perhaps it is for you to decide.
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This much is known, while the tribe and its people were lost to time and obscurity, the location of the sword has been long sought after as a means of confirming the story as historical fact or as an ancient morality tale（道徳物語）. Perhaps amidst（〜に囲まれて 最中に 〜の渦中に） his exploratory（探検の 調査の） accounts（記事 報告 ） of traversing（〜を超える 行き来する 矛盾する 横断する） the Niben, Topal the Pilot may have encountered this specific Nomadic tribe along the eastern shores of the Upper Niben, as his voyage would have occurred during the approximated（近似の 近い 時代の近い） time of the original story. <br><br>
Adventurous explorers should take special note of any Ayleid structures located in this area, as evidence of skirmishes（小競り合い いざこざ 小戦闘） between the nomadic Khajiit and the burgeoning Ayleid empire（新興のAyleidの帝国） has been dated back to the time of the story. Indeed, the name of the sword itself is suggestive of（〜を連想させる） Ayleid origin. If the story is in fact a historical account and the blade does exist, it would likely be well protected by the remnants（残余 残党 生存者） of the Ayleid city in which it once rested（休む 休養する）.
