6.5 空中怪物（Flying Monster）

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6.5 空中怪物*（Flying Monster）
魔苟斯（Morgoth）很快认识到飞行生物可以在许多方面为他服务。因此，他开发了一堆空中怪物品种，一些为他侦查，一些为他送信，另一些则作为空军使用。还有一些只是简单的可移动乌云，遮蔽阳光，伪造夜幕，以此取悦黑暗大敌*（Black Enemy）的军队。

乌鸦/克里班（Crebain）
气候：温暖潮湿、温和、寒冷湿润、适度

环境：高山、高海拔地区、山区；裂谷、旱谷；淡水湖岸、河岸；沼泽、林间湿地；松林、针叶林；落叶林；石南、灌木；草原；坟地；废墟；岔路口、大道、小径

遭遇几率：难见

尺寸：翼展5呎

乌鸦（Crebain，单数形式Craban）是有着邪恶本性的大型黑鸦，通常是邪恶的仆从。主食腐肉，而且并不挑剔肉的死亡时间，甚至所食是否真的已死。它们会围攻受伤的生物。如果受到某些邪恶意志*（Evil intelligence）的命令，它们也会攻击落单或迷路的未受伤的旅者。它们是出色的间谍，因为它们有着敏锐的眼神并易被发光或亮色的物件所吸引。在中土的中南部（包括法贡（Fangorn）和登兰德（Dunland））十分常见，但也出没于其它地方，特别是邪恶集中之地附近。

妖兽（Fell Beasts）
气候：炎热潮湿；炎热；干旱；温暖潮湿；温和；半干旱；寒冷湿润；适度；寒冷干燥；冰冻

环境：高山、高海拔地区、山区；裂谷、旱谷；冰河、雪原；地底；火山；荒地；沙漠；松林、针叶林；石南、灌木；石南、灌木；草原；苔原；魔法区域；次元跳跃点；洞穴崖窟

遭遇几率：十分罕见

尺寸：15-25呎（身躯）；30-40呎（翼展）

妖兽是小型类龙怪物，是源自有翼龙族的可怕而恐怖的生物。索伦发现它们栖居在遥远的北方高地，于是训练它们以作为他的戒灵（Nazgûl）在空中的迅捷坐骑。

妖兽极像巨型无羽鸟，但其皮肤坚硬强韧。它们的两翼如蝙蝠般由为骨骼所支撑的膜构成。它们散发腐肉般的恶臭。它们的身体如此污秽，以至它们的血液和粪便能污染或杀死哪怕再坚韧的植物。第三纪元3019年，安格马巫王（Witch-king of Angmar）的妖兽的躯体被焚化时的烟尘毁坏了地基，以至其地原来最为繁茂的野草最小的草叶也再不能长出来。

它们除了用以为邪恶存在提供强大而无畏的坐骑外，还是健壮的飞行员和强悍的战士。

安格马巫王的妖兽
该妖兽或许是其种族中的最强者。其主人乘着它在帕兰诺平原战斗，在那里它冲击了希优顿（Théoden）的坐骑雪鬃（Snowmane），几乎将其与洛汗王【注一】撕为碎片。但是伊欧蒙德（éomund）的女儿，希优顿的侄女伊欧玟（éowyn）赶到了。她用一击就杀死了它，但之后她被它的主人戒灵之王（Lord of Nazgûl）打晕。

杜克拉克斯*（Durclax），Ardor Court的妖兽【注二】
邪恶女巫丽莉娅*（Rilia）的坐骑，由索伦赠送。该妖兽被训练为只承载丽莉娅与其部下佣兵之王*（Lord of Staves）摩瑙*（Mornaur）。杜克拉克斯饲养在中土最南方的瑙林多*（Naurlindol）丽莉娅的城堡之中。

【注一】原文为almost tore the Rohir King and his to pieces，his后应该是漏印了一词。
【注二】整件事出处不详，人名不详，地名也不详……MERP有过一本关于Ardor Court的设定集，但并无网络版

Variola

Ardor从字面上看是“王之国度”（MS和Arnor同意？偶不能保证正确= =），是中土极南部的一个小国家，盛产巨象……
回正题，如果真的按“ar + dor”这样构词的话，译成“亚多”应该就可以。

那本设定集的确到处都下不到，我找到的介绍是这样：

     Within this book is held the tale of the history of the land known as the Mûmakan and an organization of Evil known as the Court of Ardor. Also told is the story of the preparations of the Court for a cataclysm which, if it were to occur, would have dire repercussions not only for the lands of the Mûmakan, but all of Middle-earth.

     Long ago in the dim past of Ender Elven lords came to this southerly area, to a land swathed in warm mists and overgrown with wild yet beautiful trees and vines, and inhabited by all manner of creatures. It was vastly different from the forests and plains to the North, yet the Elves loved it and named it Ardor (S: 'Exalted Land'). Many centuries passed, and the Immortal Children of Eru lived in peace, until the Shadow fell upon the land and many of the strong were seduced by the clever words of servants of the Black Enemy: Morgoth. Power and wisdom were promised, if they would but perform this one task. Naive were these Elves in the Elder days, and they made oaths lightly, little knowing how heavily this would weigh upon them in the millennia to come. Eagerly they took council and formed a Court of sorts; a hierarchy of lords and ladies to effect this mission for their master. And a Darkness of spirit fell upon the land: a harbinger of the true dark which was to follow should their scheme come to fruition.

     Ages passed, and men, the younger Children, came and settled in Ardor, giving it a name in their own tongues - Mûmakan, after the huge beasts which roam the region. But Ardor still it was to the Court, and Ardor it would be again, when the eternal night fell upon all of Middle-earth.

PS：Crebain还是音译吧，毕竟不是通用语来着……
附关于这个名字的来历：

The Sindarin word for "crow" is carach or corch and the Quenya word is karko or korko. The word craban may be an adaptation of these words into the languages of the Men of Dunland.