第二章：立足之地

有一些符号看起来狗屁不通，其实是是为了方便我自己后期输出排版用的，请忽略。

因为还在翻译中，整本书前后关联的东西比较多，一定会有很多次全书范围的译法调整。大家觉得有什么问题可以尽管指出，但是本帖的译文我就不再改了，会在最终的译文里体现。

第一节

原文句段

译文句段

a Place to Stand

立足之地

"Great King, as your emissary in Babylon, I attended the descent of Nabu from heaven to the city."

国王陛下，作为您的使者我去到巴比伦，列席纳布从天上降临此城的盛事。

"By their mighty tower he descended, the tower of fired brick that reaches to the sky."

他降临自那雄伟的高塔，火砖建成，高耸入云。

"As your emissary I approached the mighty god, and asked the boon of waiting upon him in his house, the house of the god, and it was not denied me."

作为您的使者，我上前面见那大神，并请求拜谒的他的机会，以造访他的府邸、神明的府邸。我未遭拒绝。

"And so upon the day Nabu claims, on the fourteenth day of his presence on Earth, I went to his house, with my servants bearing your gifts, and was admitted."

因此在纳布谕令的日期，在他现身于地上之后的第十四天，我去往他的府邸，命我的仆人带着您的礼物，并获准进入其中。

"I presented your greetings to Nabu, the greetings of Elam, and he did our city honor by sending back greetings in return."

我向纳布致以您的、埃兰的敬意，而他回以问候，此乃我城之荣耀。

"I spoke with him for an hour, and we drank date wine together, the wine you had sent to him."

我与他交谈了一小时，我们喝了海枣酒，也就是您送给他的那酒。

"As I spoke with him, Great King, the wine that I drank made my heart bold within me, and I asked him of what I wondered at."

在我与他交谈之时，伟大的王，我喝下去的酒使得我变得大胆，于是我向他提出了心里的疑惑。

""Mighty Nabu," I said to him, "I am a man of years as we reckon them on Earth, and I have seen many things."

"上神纳布，"我对他说，"以我们在地上的纪年来说，我算是有年纪的人了，而且我见识了很多事情。

"And when I was a young man, I saw your descent to my city, to Elam."

当我还是个年轻人的时候，我曾见过您降临到我的城市，降临到埃兰。

"But in that descent, my lord, your form was not the same, nor the sound of your voice."

但那次降临时，吾主，您的姿态并非如此，而您的嗓音亦非如此。

And so I wonder for what cause you wear these different forms."

因此我困惑于您因何穿上另一副皮囊。

"He pulled at his beard, with the fingers of his right hand."

他以右手的手指拂须。

""Bashi-ili," he said to me, "you are the ambassador of your city, and you speak with the voice of its king."

"巴希-以力，"他对我说，"你是你们城市的大使，你的声音即是你们王的声音。

"And even so, I am an emissary of the star Nabu, and I speak with the voice of its king, whose name is also Nabu."

同样的，我是那星辰纳布的使者，我的声音亦是吾王的声音，他的名字也是纳布。

"We who serve Nabu travel to your cities, in the name of Nabu, while we gain wisdom and rank, until we grow great enough to be sent to the lesser stars of heaven, or to the seven great stars that travel across the heavens."

我们侍奉纳布之人旅行至你们的城市，以纳布的名义，在此获得智慧与地位，直到我们足够优秀，可以被派去那天上次等的众星辰上，或是那七颗最高的、穿梭于天上各处的星。

And Nabu travels with us and in us.

而纳布与我们同在，常驻我们心中。

"Here among you I stand above your kings, and they do me honor, but in the heavens I am a servant of one greater.""

在这地上，我高于你们的诸王，他们向我抱以敬意；但在天上，我亦是仆从，服侍更伟大的人。"

"Great King, this may already be known to you, but your former emissaries, those who taught me to serve you, did not tell me of it."

陛下，您可能已经知晓此事，但您之前的使节、教导我如何服侍您的人，并未向我提起。

"And as with all knowledge, there may be profit in it to our city, and to the King I serve, so I would have the knowledge preserved, and so I write of it."

就像所有的知识一样，我们的城市、我服侍的王可能会从中受益，因此我将这知识献出，也因此我写下这段文字。

Social interactions are interactions between people.

社交互动是人与人之间的互动，

Different people have different kinds of relationships.

而不同的人有不同的关系。

"So the starting point for describing a person's encounter with another individual, an organization, or a crowd is describing that person."

所以，要描述一个人与另一个个人、一个组织或者一大群人的遭遇，就要从描述这个人开始。

"GURPS can portray a person in varying levels of detail, depending on how important a role he's going to play."

GURPS 可以用不同的精度描绘一个人，取决于他的角色有多重要。

"But whether someone is represented with a full character sheet or just a few hastily scribbled notes, he is defined by his traits - including his social traits."

但无论某个人是呈现为一张完整的角色卡，还是草草写下的几行笔记，他都是由特质定义的——包括他的社会性特质。

"In a campaign where personal encounters and relationships will play a major role, these social traits may need to be clarified, extended, or modified."

在人际遭遇和人际关系扮演重要角色的战役中，可能需要对这些社会性特质加以澄清、扩展或修改。

Social Position

社会身份

Some traits reflect a person's standing in society.

有些特质反映的是一个人在社会中的位置。

"Being an ordained priest, a lieutenant colonel, or an expensive slave is a persistent condition."

无论是正式牧师、中校还是昂贵的奴隶，这些都是持续性的情况。

"It enables some actions, and limits others, just like most physical and mental traits."

这些特质允许角色做某些事情、而限制他做另一些事情，就像多数生理类和心理类特质一样。

"For the society's purposes, this is part of who he is."

对社会而言，这就是他的一部分。

The ability to define social position unambiguously is one of the main reasons for having a reference society (p. 11).

设定基准社会（【11页】）的主要目的，就是要在定义社会身份时减少歧义。

"Rank, Status, and Wealth"

级别、地位和财富

"Social standing is defined primarily by Rank, Status, and Wealth."

定义社会地位最主要的特质是{级别}、{地位}和{财富}。

These are not completely separate; there are complex trade-offs between them.

它们不完全是割裂开的，而是互有复杂的补充和制约关系。

"In different societies, they can affect each other in different ways."

在不同的社会里，它们之间的相互作用也不尽相同。

The differences need to be carefully defined.

我们需要把这些区别细致的划分出来。

Wealth (pp. B25-26) is the simplest:

{财富}（B25--26页）是最简单的：

"It's the extent to which one is trusted by would-be investors, lenders, and borrowers, as well as control of physical resources, money, or the labor of other people (as free employees or as slaves)."

它表示的是一个人有多值得潜在投资人、债主和借款人信任，以及控制了多少物质资源、资金、或者其他人的劳动（自由雇员或是奴隶）。

Wealth ranges from Dead Broke to one or more levels of Multimillionaire.

{财富}的范围从{一贫如洗}到一级或者更多的{富可敌国}。

"Each Wealth level grants a specific $ value of starting wealth, depending on TL - whether or not the society actually uses currency."

取决于{TL}，每个{财富}等级都赋予了角色一定量的起始财富，用$表示，无论这个社会是否使用货币。

"Rank (pp. B29-30) is position within an organization that has significant social influence, or access to useful resources."

{级别}（B29--30页）表示的是角色在一个组织中的位置，这个组织需要有强大的社会影响力、或者能提供有用的资源。

This often means that the group is a branch of government.

通常这意味着这个组织是政府的一个部门。

"Rank takes varied forms depending on the agency that grants it; common forms include Administrative Rank (civil servants, diplomats, and judges), Military Rank (military and naval personnel, including those in military intelligence and security services), Police Rank (police, sheriffs, marshals, and also nonmilitary security services), and Religious Rank (clergy of a generally recognized faith)."

{级别}有不同的形式，取决于提供{级别}的机关。常见的形式有{行政级别}（公务员、外交官、法官）、{军事级别}（军人，包括军队的情报和安保人员）、{警察级别}（警察、治安官、法警、非军事的安保人员）、以及{宗教级别}（常见信仰的神职人员）。

Rank typically ranges from 0 through 8.

典型的{级别}，范围是0到8。

"Normally, individuals gain Rank by being appointed to it by their organizational superiors."

通常来说，一个人想获得{级别}，需要由组织中的上级任命。

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"Rank grants access to organizational resources and command of those with lower Rank (see also The Benefits of Rank, pp. 51-52)."

获得了{级别}就获得了组织提供的相应资源，以及指挥下级的权力（另见"级别的好处"，【51--52页】）。

"Status (pp. B28-29) is standing in society as a whole, not simply within a single organization."

{地位}是在整个社会中的位置，而非仅限某个组织。

Status typically ranges from -2 to 8.

典型的{地位}，范围是-2到8。

"Instead of granting direct command, Status gives more diffuse benefits: prestige, influence, and deferential treatment (The Benefits of Status, p. 59)."

{地位}提供的并非直接的指挥权，而是更为普适的好处：名望、影响力和他人的礼遇（"地位的好处"，【59页】）。

"If it includes real power, it is over people who don't necessarily have a duty of obedience."

即使{地位}包含切实的权力，受其影响的人也未必有义务服从。

People who have Wealth or Rank are often sufficiently respected to gain imputed Status (which doesn't cost character points); see Wealth and Status (p. B26) and Rank (p. B29) for rules.

有{财富}或{级别}的人通常会受到尊重，足以让他们获得推定的{地位}（不花费角色点数）；规则详见"财富与地位"（B26页）和"级别"（B29页）。

"Purchased Status (acquired directly, with character points) can come from a variety of sources, including hereditary titles or family background, education and professional standing, and cultural achievements (from "film star" to "poet laureate")."

购买的{地位}（用角色点数直接获得的）可以有各种来源，包括世袭的头衔或者家族背景、教育或专业地位、以及文化成就（从"电影明星"到"桂冠诗人"）。

"Status usually has to be maintained by paying a suitable cost of living (Visible Status and Cost of Living, pp. 18-20)."

你通常需要支付合适的生活开销来维持{地位}（"地位的外在表现和生活开销"，【18--20页】）。

The usual versions of Rank and Status both cost 5 points/level.

常规版本的{级别}和{地位}都是 5 点/等级。

This is balanced:

这是平衡的：

"Status affects everyone, whereas Rank has its full impact only in one organization - but Rank grants actual control, whereas Status grants influence."

{地位}影响每一个人，而{级别}只在一个组织内有完全的效力——但{级别}赋予你实际的控制权，{地位}只赋予你影响力。

"There are variations on both, however."

不过，两者都有变体。

"An organization that grants Rank may dominate an entire society, as in theocracies (based on Religious Rank) or military dictatorships (based on Military Rank)."

一个提供{级别}的组织可能支配整个社会，像是在神权制（基于{宗教级别}）或者军事独裁（基于{军事级别}）社会中。

"In such societies, this one type of Rank replaces Status; its cost becomes 10 points/level, it grants both its normal benefits and the benefits of an equivalent level of Status, and Status independent of Rank does not exist."

在这种社会中，这一种{级别}取代{地位}；他的价值改为 10 点/等级，提供所有常规的好处和同等级的{地位}带来的好处，而不依赖于{级别}的{地位}不存在。

"The other organizations in the setting may grant other forms of Rank, at the usual 5 points/level; this Rank may confer benefits equivalent to imputed Status (determined normally), but Status may not be purchased directly."

设定中的其他组织可以提供其他形式的{级别}，价值通常的 5点/等级；这种{级别}可以附赠相当于推定{地位}的那些好处（推定{地位}正常确定），但{地位}本身不能直接购买。

Wealth in such a society never grants imputed Status.

在这种社会中，{财富}不会提供推定{地位}。

Rank that doesn't grant actual authority is represented as Courtesy Rank (p. B29).

不提供实际权限的{级别}用{名誉级别?}来表示（B29页）。

This is commonly held by retired military officers who still use their titles socially and are treated with respect by currently serving military personnel.

很多退休的军官都有这个特质，他们仍然在社交场合使用自己的头衔，而且受到现役军人的尊重。

It costs 1 point/level.

它的价值是 1 点/等级。

"Courtesy Rank never provides imputed Status, except for the purpose of avoiding or reducing reaction penalties for Status differences."

{名誉级别}不会提供推定{地位}，除非用来避免或减少{地位}差带来的减值。

"For example, a retiree with Courtesy Rank 5 and Status 1 suffers no penalty when dealing with an angry Status 3 individual."

举例来说，一个{名誉级别 5}、{地位 1}的退休人员，在与一个{地位 3}的怒汉打交道时，不会受到减值。

"Status always grants respect, or at least cautious treatment; but some people's Status includes actual, direct, political power - for example, the ruling class in an aristocracy."

{地位}总是会带来尊重，或者至少是谨慎的对待；但有些人的{地位}包含了实在、直接的政治权力——例如贵族统治社会中的统治阶级。

Such power is treated as Rank in the state itself as an organization.

此时我们把国家本身视为一个组织，把这种权力视为这个组织中的{级别}。

"Purchase Feudal Rank equal to Status, at 5 points/level; be sure to take imputed Status from Feudal Rank into account in figuring the total cost of Status."

你需要购买等于{地位}的{封建级别}，5 点/等级；注意把{封建级别}推定的{地位}包含进总的{地位}中，以此来计算{地位}的总价值。

"In a democracy, elected officials may be defined the same way, with a combination of Political Rank and Status; see the examples below."

在民主制社会中，民选官员也可以用同样的方法定义成{政治级别}和地位的结合；见下面的例子。

"When aristocratic titles cease to grant actual power, but are still regulated by strict formal rules, as in a peerage, this can be treated as Courtesy Rank equal to Status."

当贵族名头不再赋予实际权力，但贵族之间仍然受到礼教的严格制约，可以用等于{地位}的{名誉级别}来体现这种名头。

"Either Rank that replaces Status, or Status that's accompanied by Political Rank, can grant the right to control subordinate organizations that have their own forms of Rank (Converging Rank, below)."

无论是取代{地位}的{级别}，还是与{政治级别}绑定的{地位}，都赋予你控制下级组织的权利，这些组织也有自己的{级别}（"级别叠加"，【见下】）。

Example:

例：

"Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States, had Filthy Rich [50], Political Rank 7 [35], and Status 7 [20] (including +3 imputed Status from Wealth and Rank)."

富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福，美国总统，有{异常富有 [50]}、{政治级别 7 [35]}、和{地位 7 [20]}（包括来自于{财富}和{级别}的+3推定{地位}）。

"As president, he was commander in chief of the armed forces and gave orders to generals and admirals with Military Rank 8."

作为总统，他是武装部队的总司令，向{军事级别 8}的将领下达命令。

Example:

例：

"Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, had Administrative Rank 8 [80] and Multimillionaire 3 [125]."

"约瑟夫·斯大林,苏联共产党总书记，有{行政级别 8 [80]}和{富可敌国 3 [125]}。"

"In his Soviet Union, Administrative Rank replaced Status, and there was no imputed Status from Wealth."

在他的苏联，{行政级别}取代{地位}，而{财富}不提供推定{地位}。

"He directly controlled the NKVD (the Soviet Union's internal security force), whose directors had Police Rank 8."

他直接控制内务人民委员部（苏联国内治安部队），这个组织的指挥官有{警察级别 8}。

Example:

例：

"Henry VIII, King of England, had Feudal Rank 7 [35], Multimillionaire 1 [75], and Status 7 [15] (including +4 imputed Status from Wealth and Rank)."

亨利八世，英格兰国王，有{封建级别 7 [35]}、{富可敌国 1 [75]}和{地位 7 [15]}（包含来自于{财富}和{级别}的+4推定{地位}）。

"Late in life, he made himself the head of the Church of England, placing him above the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, both Religious Rank 7."

晚年时，他把自己任命为英国国教会的首脑，高于坎特伯里和约克的大主教，后两者都是{宗教级别 7}。

Example:

例：

"Victoria, Queen of England, had Courtesy Rank 8 [8], Multimillionaire 4 [150], and Status 8 [25] (including +3 imputed Status from Wealth)."

维多利亚，英格兰女王，有{封建级别 8 [8]}、{富可敌国 4 [150]}和{地位 8 [25]}（包含来自于{财富}和{级别}的+3推定{地位}）。

"As queen, she reigned but did not rule; her direct control was limited to the palace staff, while the Prime Minister was the true head of government."

作为女王，她在位而不统治；她能直接控制的人只有王宫的员工，而首相才是政府真正的领袖。

Balancing Status and Rank