Adda Guppi
The king's mother and a devotee of Sîn
Adda Guppi is the mother of Nabonidus and the grandmother of Belshassar and Ennigaldi-Nanna. Her authority predates many of the men at court.
Born in Harran, she remains devoted to the moon god Sîn. For her, religion cannot be separated from politics or family memory.
She was instrumental in her son's rise. Since then she has learned to read loyalties, favors, and silences as others read omens.
Belshassar seeks her approval, and she knows the weight of that longing. She need not raise her voice to influence his decisions.
She shelters Zohra, her great-niece, and sees in her a way to watch and guide the prince. Her protection is not selfless.
Zohra recognizes her intelligence and fears that the matriarch has already anticipated every move she makes.
Adda Guppi does not see Zohra as a sacred successor. She sees someone useful within a family and an empire she is trying to keep under control.
The Legacy of Adda Guppi
Mother of Nabonidus and grandmother of Belshassar, Adda Guppi has made patience a lasting form of power.
Her faith in Sîn guides her choices, but her way of serving him runs through people, alliances, and offices.
She takes Zohra in without ceasing to use her. Between them lie kinship, admiration, and a distrust that never disappears.