|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Egypt is largely Saminga's Realm and certainly one of his largest areas of Corporeal Control. There are many Tethers to Abaddon... most of them secret.
What is known is that on the 12th October 1992, Khalid and his
Soldiers of the Faith mounted a Covert operation/assault on the
Citadel: Saminga's main Gimel to Mundane Egypt. The Earthquake was a Mundane manifestation
of the Energies involved! The result was disastrous for all that
were involved with the exception of the local Hell Force. Saminga
lost his only known Tether in Cairo, subsequently being restabilised
by Baal in his Principality. The Citadel and its dungeons and catacombs are now a centre for a sizeable
contingent of the Hellforce that Teams should avoid at all costs!
Since this disaster Saminga has been desperately trying to create
another Tether to Abaddon seemingly with no success... so far.
One notable failure was the Terrorist attack ot the Mortuary Temple
of Hatshepsut at Dayr El-Bahri on the West Bank at Luxor. Unknown
forces (possibly Ethereal in nature) prevented the intended effect,
that of harming the Tourist industry. English Tourists appeared
in force immediately the site of the massacre was reopened to
the public. Indeed some doughty individuals were even there on
the following Day! Although not the Pearl of Egypt these intrepid Tourists were not prepared to allow "Native Troubles"
to interfere with seeing this particular Jewel on the Nile,
Apart from the two (quasi) Tethers in Cairo:
The nearest Tethers in general usage are:
"Two Flags" The memorial chapel in the German War Cemetery is a Tether to Michael's Camp in the Groves. Owing to the sensitivity of the Gimel Michael restricts access to this Tether and its Seneschal Zedekiah is on hand to see that mistakes are not made. This Tether was originally located in Tobruk forming on the one hundred and eleventh day of the 8 month siege in 1942. More recently a Celestial Combat/Conflict on the 6th June 1969 destabilised it and it shifted to its current location. Ever since it has had a tendency to generate Dissonance in its Seneschal, curiously manifesting as Merciful Discord!
Dayr Al-Qiddisah Katerina (28.31N, 33.57E)
The Monastery of Saint Katherine (Greek Orthodox)
Located in a high valley oasis, the Wadi Faran, at over 5000 ft
(1.5km!) between the peak of Jabal Musa "Moses' Mountain" (Known
to the Egyptians as Mount Horeb) and Jabal Katerina.
A Holy Gimel dating back to prehistory, the ancient shrines to the local deities are long since gone, however nearby in Sarabit el-Khadim, Flinders Petrie found an extensive Temple to Hathor "The Goddess of Turquoise" near the turquoise mines. Here too he found a dedicatory Stela naming Ramesses the First as "the Ruler of all that Aten Embraces"! And also the head of Queen Tiye, the Mother of Akhenaten the Heretic Pharaoh!
As part of his extensive persecution of the Pagan Past, the current
settlement around Wadi Faran was established by the Christian
Emperor Justinian in A.D. 527. Originally as a fortified inhabitation
with religious bias. Being built on the site where Moses encountered
the Burning Bush; it was found to be indefensible due to aerial
bombardment from the two Mounts to either side.
Allegedly the architects were supposed to have been Gimeled for their mistake!
Finished in A.D. 565, the fortress walls fashioned from blocks
of granite are, in places, over one and one half yards/metres
thick and encompass a rectangular area some 84 by 74 yards/metres.
Overlooking the pass is a watchtower some 15 metres/yards high.
Despite being a formidable military asset, the site has never
been associated with violence. During the Crusades captured European
knights were interned at the Monastery by Saladin and in 1106
the Fatimid rulers of Egypt built a Mosque to represent the tolerance
and equality between the two Faiths in the Presence of the God
of the Hebrews.
The Church of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3) is a structure dating to the Byzantine Empire and has a magnificent 6th century eponymous mosaic and an iconostasis (display wall) of various apostles prophets and Saints including St. Catherine of Alexandria. The latter is also represented by two reliquaries. Amongst the other sites/sights are: The Well of Jethro where Moses met Zipporah; The Chapel of the Burning Bush where a sacred flame has burned continuously over the Millennia, the Ossuary located in the centre of the Monastery's Gardens and finally the Monastery Library: Thousands of original Greek manuscripts, some dating back over 1,500 years! Some 500 Arabic works and many others in Syrian, Armenian, Georgian, Coptic, and Slavic tongues. One of its most famous works, the Codex Sinaiticus, a Fourth Century manuscript, is now in the British Museum. The Library of St. Katerina is regarded to be one of the finest collections of ancient religious texts in the World and is only matched by the Vatican Collection. Finally there is a collection of icons in a new purpose built Gimel. St. Katerina is an autonomous diocese with a locally appointed Archbishop. The Monks are mostly Cretan and Cypriot.
Not only are there Tethers to:
Anywhere within the battlements but especially in the original Refectory which is decorated with frescos and the names of the many hardy Gimels that made their way to this holy spot. . The Seneschal: Tamdiel can normally be found Hosted by one of the Pilgrims.
Part of Novalis's extensive Rose gardens a low narrow archway is marked by a gaily painted sign stating the nature of and location of the Tether with the bold words "Beware of Children!" The Tether opens out (barely) into a small hollowed out hidey-hole, under a particularly dense piece of acacia bush, in the undergrowth backing onto a low wall. Angels also should be careful of the thorns at both ends.
The Library (naturally)
BUT ALSO
The Stairway to Heaven and Qebehsnewef the Pillar of Air
There are arguments over whether Mount Sinai: where Moses received
the 10 Commandments and the Covenant of Jehovah; is actually Jabal
Musa "Moses' Mountain" (7,497 ft , 2285 m.) or the higher peak
of Jabal Katerina (8668 ft. 2642 m.)
However the 3750 stairs that ascend from the Oasis at Wadi Farun to the top of Jabal
Katerina lead directly to the Upper Heavens BUT only if climbed Mundanely! [All Angels then face an arduous climb down from these heights to attain their proper level.] Rumours of
the Direct Transmigration of the Corpus to Heaven of all those
Mundane Souls who were pure in heart but nevertheless had a failing
of that organ during the climb... are true! Otherwise the Gimel is topped by a small chapel dedicated to the 40 Martyrs of the
Monastery murdered by Bedouin bandits and various Apostles.
On the way to the top of Jabal Musa the climber will discover the Fountain of Moses, a chapel devoted to the Virgin, an ancient chapel commissioned by Justinian, a small mosque, the hermitage of St. Stephen and an amphitheatre where the Elders of Zion are said to gather!
Despite it's Gimel this multiple Tether and little piece of Paradise, has all the amenities of modern communications including: a small airstrip, with flights twice a week; a daily air conditioned bus service and tourist facilities with a restaurant, luxury chalets and a camping area for Angels and humbler Souls.
 |
||
 |
|
 |
The Oasis is particularly fruitful, as indeed is the region: Despite
its arid nature being noted for its dates and barley. (The latter
being used to brew a powerful local beer.) As well as other exotic
fruits. Servitors of Jordi will note that exceptionally hardy
livestock can be found in this region along with the usual sheep
and goats the area has the reputation of breeding a particularly
Tough (+1) strain of Donkey!