I understand it's been a common practice in our own history, for instance following a peacy treaty, to exchange groups of nobles in order to stabilize the peace. These people are hosted at courts, treated with respect and serve to enhance understanding between the cultures while they also function as hostages. This is how I picture the exchange between Ravenland and Alderland following The Divide. I haven't expanded on who these people were though since this was 1200 years ago. In some yet unpublished material you will however learn that the elven hostage to Alderland more served as councellors and actually interfered in politics when things went bad – not that it helped.The background material mentions hostages a few times but doesn’t really give much context, who were the hostages, why were they left behind etc?
OK, thanks! I'll take note.The term is fine, I think there just needs a small addition to say that each side left kin as a sign of good faith, or something like that.
Maybe call them “willing hostages”, exchanged as part of the peace process?OK, thanks! I'll take note.The term is fine, I think there just needs a small addition to say that each side left kin as a sign of good faith, or something like that.
I believe ”hostage” should be fine as long as we clarify what this was about. (Actually I write my texts in Swedish and the English translations are done by others)Perhaps „Special Guests“?
Earnestly the term hostage is correct and was used as such to describe these persons. The were also named Menschenpfand - couldn’t find the correct English term.
Human pawn?Perhaps „Special Guests“?
Earnestly the term hostage is correct and was used as such to describe these persons. The were also named Menschenpfand - couldn’t find the correct English term.