[Testament] In the Shadow of Sinai

[Maerdwyn]

[ooc: previous post was written last night, but the board were down when I tried to post it. When I did put it up this morning, I didn't see the two post preceding it. Avram and Tsedeq (and Asenath) are free to leave and go to the foot of the mountain before all of that happens - If so, just continue playing out that scene and I'll edit it my post to go along with it.]

 

[Tonguez]

"Enough!" Tsedeq bellows as he sees Hur about to be overwhelmed
"we go to the mountain soon ben Yisroel" he says with grit in his tone "but as the Lord is my strength I shall not let this happen!"

Snatching up his great club the Danite runs forward through the frenzied crowd pushing and heaving his way through until he can reach the side of the lone figure

"never have I rued such a day as this when the children of Israel would strike down one who stands up for Hashem - you all remain dogs and slaves!"

Fury burns in the Danites eyes, fury born of the disgust and frustration which he has felt this day

 

[humble minion]

OOC: Maerdwyn, did you ever post details of Melech's prophetic dream? A couple of recent posts have had references to it, but I can't find an account of what actually happened on any of the three threads. Is this just an oversight, or are you running it this way deliberately, for dramatic purposes?

 

[Maerdwyn]

ooc: deliberate if that's okay - more to be made clear soon . i you shoot me an email (ilistonATearthlinkDOTnet) I can fill you in sooner, but didn't want to post it publicly yet.

 

[Ghostknight]

Seeing Tsedeq run into the crowd to help Hur, Avram follows after him.

Pushing people aside, dodging between them, he tries to make his way through to help Hur, knocking stones from peoples hands as he goes.

"Follow me those who would honor Hashem- let us rescue Hur from those who knw not the meaning of love for Hashem or obedience to his word. Did we not say "Na'aseh ve Nishmah", did we not accept to follow Hashem no matter how difficult?"

He keeps this shout up, "Na'asseh v'Nishmah" as he pushes his way through the crowd.

 

[yangnome]

As the man reaches for hte gold at his feet, Caleb looks at him with discust, "Look at you, like a dog digging through garbage. Hashem has not abandoned you, you've abandoned him!" He spits in the mans direction and then turns to go find his grandfather.
******
Caleb pushes his way through the crowd of people and eventualy makes it to his grandfatehr in the center of the chaos.

the old man shoots him a look of quiet, but withering, rage. "Go! Get away! This is not your work!"

Caleb looks at his grandfather and asks, "Why, why do you turn your back on the lord like this? Why do you sell your faith to him? Has all he done for us been worth nothing to you?"

Caleb's cries are covered by the noise of the crowd...or if they weren't he wasn't able to see his grandfatehr's response. The crowd had pulled him back and tossed him around. Frustrated, confused and angry, Caleb worked his way away from the crowd. He didn't know where to go, who to talk to or what to do. All he knew is he didn't want to be present for this; it wasn't right, even if Aaron was participating.

Caleb began moving away from the crowd, his steps growing faster as he went until he was running. Anger welled up inside him and tears poured down his face. He ran away from the camp, out ot the desert. The rain started getting heavier, the noise of the rain and thunder almost drowning out hte noise of hte crowd behind him.

Emotionally exhausted he stopped and loked towads the heavens. Clouds covered the sky. He remained htere watching the rain fall, letting it cool the sweat from his face. he then turned back towards the camp and saw the crowd gaterhed around his grandfather. How is it that they can forget what you have done for us Lord? What is it they need?

Then the lightening struck the wood pire and a bonfire erupted. Caleb's heart sank as he watched the crowd cheer. he turned back and looked at the mountain, then back towards he crowd. He didn't know where to go.

[OOC: Sorry it took me so long to post. Things have been very hectic this week. I had Caleb leave the area before the fire started and before the incident with Hur. Looking at what you posted, I could only think of two things he'd do, run away from the area, frustrated, so as not to participate or be witness to what was about to happen, or two, explode with rage, similar to, or worse than what Hur did. I chose option two since Hur is already filling that role. If for plot reasons you need me present for that, I can change my post]

 

[Maerdwyn]

ooc:yangnome, Caleb is free to act as he wants to - you're fine

 

[humble minion]

ooc1: Thanks Ghostknight, I was wondering about the name thing!

ooc2: Maerdwyn, it's your call on the dream. I'm happy to let things go on as they are if you'd prefer, because Melech (with a +2 modifier) is hardly the best dream-interpreter in the world anyway. If you do want to send it to me, then my email address is humbleminionATyahooDOTcomDOTau. One other thing - I've googled, but I haven't managed to find this out - what is the 'Hik Shasu'?

ic:

As the rainstorm intensifies, Melech re-enters the camp, soaked to the skin, water trickling down his face and through his grizzled beard. Rolled up in his pack is a fresh wolfskin, and dried blood cakes his hands and Paqad's muzzle. On seeing the spiral of people in towards Aaron's pyre, he remembers the words of Hadar and follows along.

By the time he arrives, the crowd is already dense and the mood ugly. Unable to see over the press but filled with an urgency he cannot rationally explain, Melech clambers on top of a nearby boulder for a clearer vantage point. He sees the scuffle break out, and Hur pelted with rocks.

A lighting bolt cracks into the ground nearby, filling his vision with violent purple aftershadows. Dazzled, Melech blinks furiously, and for a terrifying instant his tear-filled eyes show him a crowd in which every member wears the scarred, light-skinned face of his dreams. It is over in an instant, but as his night vision returns, Melech, fearful, unobtrusively unwraps his bowstring from its protective cloth and draws an arrow.

Paqad paces whining about the base of the boulder, wary, hackles standing on end. Melech spares the hyena a glance, and hushes him with a reassuring word. A dangerous night it is indeed - even Paqad knows it. All the more reason to be careful. It would be far too easy for something terrible to happen tonight.

Laying his arrow down, though not yet replacing it in his quiver, Melech turns his attention to the crowd. He scans it for familiar faces - Hadar, Peleg and Amin, as well as the dream-face. At the same time, he looks for those people who were throwing the stones.

 

[Ghostknight]

ooc1: I realised that I have my character running around with a war cry that is incomprehensible to ayone but me in the group! A quick explanation of "Naaseh v' nishmah" (translation- we will do and then listen). The midrash relates that before God gave the torah to the Jewish people he offered it to the nations of the world- each rejected it for a different reason, at least one of the commandments conflicting with their chosen life style. When God came to the Jewish people the they answered (yep- you guessed it" "Naaseh v' Nishmah". The not so literal translation is that they agreed to adopt the whole of the torah, no questions asked - "Naaseh" and then they would seek to understand "Nishmah". However, obedience to Gods law was paramount, understanding it secondary.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Asenath looks back. "Stay here," she says to Miriam. Then she rushes out across the camp, towards the falling scaffold. What times are these, when those who defend our faith are attacked...

The Hik Shasu, I'm guessing, are the Hyksos. I've heard they were supposedly Hebrews.