Caldeum was once the proudest city in all of Kehjistan, the trade capital of the entire world. Caldeum was never seen as the heart of the empire, even though it rivaled Viz-jun, and later Kurast, in size, and those who called Caldeum their home liked it that way. Even when the Mage Clan Wars erupted, the battles were never tolerated to affect trade in Caldeum, for while politics and magic may be important, trifling with trade is a serious matter. Let Kurast see itself as the center of the world, they would say. We'll keep our free exchange of goods, currency, and ideas, thank you very much.

作为世界的贸易中心，卡迪安是Kehjistan王国里最值得自豪的城市。卡迪安在规模上与维兹郡以及之后兴盛起来的库拉斯特相比虽然毫不逊色， 但她并不被看做是帝国的中心。然而视卡迪安为故土的人们更喜欢她现在的样子。即使是当魔法师战争爆发时，卡迪安的贸易往来也并没有受到影响。因为政治与魔法两者固然重要，但忽视贸易会带来更严重的问题。“让那个堕落的库拉斯特去做它自以为是的世界中心去吧，在卡迪安这里我们依然保持着通畅的贸易往来，以及思想的自由交流”，视卡迪安为故土的人们这么说起，言语中带着讥讽。

But the pride I once held in this great city has become tarnished and dull. In looking back on it all, now, I would have to say that this rot infecting our city started when a good number of Kurast's nobles fled their homes and took up residence in Caldeum. I have heard all the horrific and unbelievable rumors as to why they fled their great city, but the reasons did not concern us. It was their attitude that held our concern. As relief at being safe from whatever drove them here faded, their mood changed to entitlement and then, ultimately, to arrogance. They had no trouble demanding their "rightful" place on the trade consortium council governing our city, and they were prepared to use their wealth to hire the mercenaries needed to see their ambitions through.

如今回首往事，我心中那份对于卡迪安的自豪感已染尘埃，变得暗淡。必须承认卡迪安城的衰败起始于大批的库拉斯特贵族逃离家园来到卡迪安定居之时。关于那些库拉斯特贵族为何离开那座伟大城市，所有的那些恐怖传说以及不可信的传闻我几乎都有耳染，但真正引起我们关注的不是他们逃离的原因，而是他们逃亡到卡迪安之后态度的转变。当他们在卡迪安生活变得安定，那些迫使他们背井离乡的种种原由逐渐被时间所冲淡，这些贵族的丑恶嘴脸显现出来，开始变得专权起来，最终傲慢无礼、不可一世、蛮横跋扈。这些逃亡贵族在统治着城市的贸易联合理事会中想要取得他们所谓的“正当”地位不废吹灰之力。而且他们准备运用他们的巨大财力招募佣兵，暨以为他们的野心服务。

I was initially dubious when the emperor of Kehjistan emerged to confront this quickly deteriorating situation. But the charm, leadership, and intelligence that he brought to bear as he quickly resolved the conflict between our council and the Kurast nobles were nothing less than masterful. When the people fully supported him in his role as our emperor, I saw this achievement as nothing short of a miracle. Though we had always been part of the empire of Kehjistan, and therefore under his rule, we had always behaved as if we were a free entity, beholden to no one but ourselves. It truly seemed at the time that catastrophe had been averted, but now it has become all too apparent that it was merely hidden beneath a thin veneer of civility.

Kehjistan之王Hakan刚刚开始接手处理这个急剧恶化的局面时，我起初对他的能力心存疑虑。但是他快速有效地解决了库拉斯特贵族与我们法师议会之间的纷争。Kehjistan之王所表现出的非凡魅力、领袖群伦的能力以及无穷的智慧，完全就是圣君明主。人们全体拥护王在帝国中的统治地位，帝国的丰功伟绩简直就是一个奇迹。尽管我们一直都是Kehjistan帝国的一部分，服从于帝国的统治；但是我们一直享受着自由，忠于自我。当时人们曾经认为自己已经躲过了灾难，然而现在大家发现，那场灾难并未远去，只是被帝国繁华的外表所掩盖。而今，这外表已经如一层薄薄的木片，一捅即破。

This veneer began to shred when Emperor Hakan became ill. His influence started to wane, and the mood in Caldeum changed with his health. As he got worse, so did our once fair city.

当Hakan王身染恶疾之时，这块薄薄的木片也开始碎裂。Hakan王的影响力迅速削弱，卡迪安民众的心情随着他的健康而不断变化。他的病情加重时，我们美丽的城市也随之生病了。

When he died and his ineffectual child heir took the throne, Caldeum began to circle the abyss. Our list of ills seems never-ending: the state of our downtrodden and the slums they are forced to live in, our incompetent leadership, the reemergence of the intolerant Zakarum, and their quarrels with our mage class...I could go on for pages.

当他过世之后，他那年幼无能的继承人接替了他的统治，卡迪安开始堕入深渊：不知名的恶疾越来越多；被他统治的人民都成为被压迫的对象，他们还不得不被迫搬入贫民窟；统治开始变得越来越苍白无力；偏执的Zakarum议会再度出现，他们对我们法师阶级万般刁难……诸如这般，书卷难尽。

It is all too much for one to bear, really.

任何一个人都无法堪此重荷！