[Testament] In the Shadow of Sinai

[Maerdwyn]

Part one: Vayitparku

The blackening sky and terrible heat match the mood in the main camp perfectly. Moses has not yet returned, has not yet come down out of the mountain, and some have been openly grumbling about it for days. The Egyptian and Hikaukhausut hangers-on (now called Erav Rav or, "The Mixed Multitudes" by most of the Israelites) are openly circulating through the camp, selling various charms and potions against the ill omens the approaching storm was supposed to portend, and some of the people are openly buying them. Indeed, Aaron's and Hur's leadership has weakened alarmingly in the past weeks.

In fact, the two men have just finished meeting with some of the more vocal rabble rousers, and to those who saw them after they emerged from the tent, the two leaders looked depressed...defeated, perhaps. Now, Aaron is at the center of the camp, arranging a number of stones in a large circle. He moves slowly, as if hindered by age, but refusing all offers of help and all requests for explanation. For his part, Hur has taken up a great bronze axe, and is chopping wood at the communal woodpile.

By contrast, the other participants in the meeting emerged from the tent in considerably brighter moods. They gathered their families to them, and spoke to them quietly, their eyes their eyes filled with hope. Then the groups disperesed, and began talking with the people. Especially, it seems, those who were known to have purchased charms.


**************************
In a tent on the outskirts of camp, Paqad sits bolt upright in the tent, startling Melech and Naarah out of their sleep. It is still mid afternoon, and the early summer heat is still oppressive. The sun, which had been blazing when they'd lain down to nap, is now mostly hidden behind swiftly gathering, dark clouds. Naarah scowls at Paqad, saying, "Must it sleep in the tent, Melech?" before turning over and falling back to sleep.
Paqad looks agitated - though not at Naarah's words. Instead, he looks off in the distance, toward Thubal's tents. Three young men are approaching from that direction, their faces solemn. For a moment Melech is sure that one must be the man from the dream he just woke from...but, no...he recognizes them from the main camp... he can't immediatey come up with their names, though... brothers...a "good" family....

A minute later, the men arrive at the tent, smelling very faintly of Thubal's tannery. The oldest smiles a reserved, but mostly genuine smile at Melech, and says "Hello, Hunter! We bring you news that cannot wait until eveing. I am Hadar ben Tzuriel, and these are my brothers, Arel and Peleg." They stand politely, clearly waiting to be asked in.
***********************

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Superstitious Egyptian dogs, thinks Asenath as she passes by the foreign amulet-merchants. Then, No. I mustn't be so hateful. It doesn't please the Lord. She touches her hand to her forehead momentarily and walks on, the Egyptians speaking accented Hebrew behind her. She had recently returned from one of her excursions into the land promised her people, and she was weary. She made her way to her mother's tent.

Flicking aside the tent-flap, she ducked as she entered. She greeted her mother and Miriam where they sat on the floor. She sat down beside them, eating, listening to her mother.

"I can't help it sometimes, Mother. I try, I try to get rid of my anger, but it is hard. Those Egyptians in camp don't help, either. Preying on the superstitious and weak of faith..." she trails off. A blank look overtakes her mother's eyes when she mentions the Egyptians, as often happens.

Without another word, she finishes eating and lays down to sleep. Seeing her lay down, Miriam does also. Naomi sits up for a long time, humming tunes from her childhood. Then she goes to bed, too, and Asenath falls asleep.

Home, she thinks. Whatever else happens, I'm home now. She smiles to herself and hugs Miriam close to her.

 

[humble minion]

Melech blinks in momentary surpise. It has been some time since anyone has sought him out, especially in such a civilised manner.

"Be welcome in my tent, sons of Tzuriel" he says formally. He steps to one side to allow them to enter. "Please excuse my wife. She is weary and I would allow her to rest."

Melech draws an improvised curtain of rough cloth across the tent, partitioning off his and Naarah's bedrolls. Their quarrel about Paqad and his sleeping habits is an old one, and can wait another day.

He sits down crosslegged on the hide floor of the tent, and invites his visitors to do likewise.

 

[Tonguez]

Tsedeq stood back and watched with great anguish upon his face as he stood by and watched Aaron struggling with his circle of stones
"what does it mean?" he asked of those around him "why does he refuse our help?"

The warrior could feel himself become flushed hot with anger at what might have forced the brother of Moses to such a state 'the Erav Rav and their charms" he scowled 'and these who conspire against the God!' he looked up at those emerging from the tent

As his fist clenched tight into a whiteknuckled fist the warrior turned at with a deep scowl that reproved any approach he stormed out through the camp looking for something to break...

 

[Ghostknight]

Avram wanders about the camp. In disgust he looks at the Egyptians that have come with them. Seeing one selling amulets, with the sun of Ra upon it, his anger over comes him, he turns to the amulet merchant, shouting at him in Egyptian

"DOG, surely you saw the defeat of your mighty Ra! He was overcome by the God of the Israelites, who slew the firstborn and drowned your mighty armies in the sea! Yet you befoul this encampmnt with your filthy amulets!"

He hits the tray of amulets to the ground, looking at everyone around him, speaking in his accented hebrew.

"Have we learned nothing from Moses and Aaron? Are we not to have faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Ya'akov? Have you forgotten the miracles we so recently saw?"

He stands there, his face flushed from hs shouting and anger at the reckless, disobedient behaviour around him!

 

[Maerdwyn]

Near the center of the camp.

Tsedeq sees the confrontation between the two Egyptians. The angry one was his taskmaster just a couple years ago. The other he has never seen before. He can't understand the words, but the content is clear enough. A small crowd begins to gather arond the spectacle, and its mood its mood turns ugly as the amulets are dashed to the ground.
When the ger addresses the crowd in Hebrew, several look chastened, but someone (neither Tsedeq nor Avram can see specifically who) calls out: "We have not forgotten, but we have been forgotten!" Another, this one a young, burly man of perhaps fifteen: "We have been faithful, but Moses and his God have abandoned us here!" A few others, including two children, scrabble to the ground, grabbing up some of the spilled charms. Aaron must hear what is going one, but continues with his work. Some of his sons and grandson's are about as well, and they seem strangely unwilling or unable to intervene.

****************
Melech's tent

The visitors smile and sit, attempting to limit their looks of discomfort. "Melech, on behalf of our family, I would like to apologize for the treatment you and your family have sometime received from us, and others, in the camp. For our part, and our father's, we think that must change, especially given the importance your skills will take on in the coming months. You know, of course, that Moses is missing? And that neither Aaron nor any of the priests can answer when we ask where he is." If Melech tries to speak, Hadar rasies his hand: "Please, let me finish!" he says, still smiling.

[ooc: merely pausing a second in case Melech want to speak up during Hadar's speech.]

 

[Ghostknight]

Continuing in his accented hebrew, ignoring the darkening mood of the crowd, Avram shouts on in hebrew

"Forgotten? Is not Aaron in the camp with us, are not the clouds of Hashem's glory still over the mountain? It has been forty days- so what? How long did you wait to get your freedom from the slave masters so that forty days is suddenly an age? Hashem has brought you out of Egypt, he calls out to you to wait while he gives his holy law to Moses, and you complain that it is too long?

Stay faithful to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Stay faithful to the Sons of Israel who are now Hashem's chosen people!"

He looks around, trying to find some support in the crowd, for someone that would add the wieght of the word of one of descendants of the sons of Israel to his words!

 

[Tonguez]

He looks around, trying to find some support in the crowd, for someone that would add the wieght of the word of one of descendants of the sons of Israel to his words!

and he finds his support in the large Danite Tsedeq.

Moving forward towards the confrontation Tsedeq first looks in disgust at the two Egyptians. But then when the former taskmaster speaks up in hebrew to defend the faith of his forefathers the Danites disgust turns to anger at his own people and he steps up to the Egyptians side

"Woe to my people!" he bellows "when the foreigners have more faith than we ourselves can muster!. Though born an Egyptian this man is my true brother, a true descendant of Yisrael!
ma’aseh avot siman l’banim* - Our ancestors were lead by Hashem, just as Moses is now lead by Hashem. Who are you to question the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to place your ridiculous faith in trinkets scattered in the sand!"

(ooc *well thats the extent of my hebrew something like The Ancestors are a sign for the Children...)

 

[Maerdwyn]

A number of those gathered around Avram look shamefaced at his and the Danite's words, and a few begin to slink away (some still holding their charms),

But as the first of the coming storm's thunder rolls through the camp, the young man who had spoken before (Tsedeq recognizes him as Amin ben Simeon) cries out, "Who are you to say the clouds on the mountain are Yahweh's glory, master [<sneering>]? Will you whip us if we question you, as you did at when you made us build the temple to Ra-Horakhti?" He looks around at the crowd. "Are there not clouds about us now, just as on the mountain? Is Yahweh here then, or on the mountain? Or is he not in the clouds at all -- Are they just storms? How will Yahweh protect your families from the lightning that streaks down upon us, from the beasts in this strange wilderness, from hunger and thirst, when he has gone from us, taking our protector, Moses, with him? We need gods who will stand with us always!" He holds up an amulet, before the crowd. "He says Ra is lower than Yahweh! But I say it is better to have Ra here, among us, than to have Yahweh on the Mountain! Better to have Ra here than not have a god at all!"

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Roused by a commotion from outside, Asenath leaves the tent and finds a number of her brothers arguing amongst themselves, the charms the Egyptian was selling scattered on the ground. One of the Israelites was holding an amulet.

"We need gods who will stand with us always!" He holds up an amulet, before the crowd. "He says Ra is lower than Yahweh! But I say it is better to have Ra here, among us, than to have Yahweh on the Mountain! Better to have Ra here than not have a god at all!"

"How dare you!" she shouts. "Doubting your faith, the faith of your fathers and grandfathers and great-grandfathers before you, abandoning it to accept the false gods of these Egyptian dogs? Phaugh!" She spits on the ground. "Ra take that!"