WHEEL SMASHING LORD 2-33 to 2-34
Chapter: 2
“It is said that the Diktate Au Vam had a pillar four hundred handspans high set in the main marketplace of the Yellow City, and guarded by a man day and night. Upon the top of the pillar was a great stele upon which was engraved his name. Below were engraved the names of some four thousand lords, each of them of great standing, with large households and many servants. Upon Au Vam’s death, it was said the stele would be shattered, and the first name on the pillar crowned as the new king, and so on and so forth. But when the pillar was ground into the dirt, or the bearers of its names no longer alive, then there were no more men worthy in the city, and it would die a true and final death.”
– Ogdo, Tellar Historian
So why did Salami Dave hold Zaid Hostage? Did he want Alison to come to him? The Demiurges knew that Zaid was the Heir of Zoss. Holding on to Zaid was a dangerous proposition. Zaid had the potential to reach the level of Zoss. Salami Dave knew Zoss as a superior.
Zaid is the possible plan B succession plan if he can be trained up right.
I’m not sure hostage is the right term. He took possession of Zaid – who was certainly a prisoner at least – from the Concordance of Demiurges likely because he was the best suited to protect the boy from others who would exploit him. And Solomon did not exploit him or make any demands on anyone as one does with a hostage, so he seems to have been the right choice.
Ever heard of the term ‘gilded cage’? Pretty sure Solomon wouldn’t have let Zaid just leave his realm even if Zaid wanted to, not that Zaid had a clue about anything anyway.
Solomon clearly saw himself as some sort of guarantor of peace between the demiurges; since “the boy” was a potential spark for war he seems to have felt that taking him himself would help prevent that.
… also, somebody else having Zaid could have meant that that somebody else might have been important in ongoing events, and might have suggest that Solomon didn’t have the power to take him. Somebody of Solomon’s arrogance can never have that, naturally.
Ha! Gay 💜