The Prodigal

Joppa, 70 B.C. Farmers and humanitarians Eli and his two adult sons Joram and Micah are devout followers of Jehovah, who, to Hebrews, is considered the one and only God in a general society that believes in more than one God. Eli has arranged for still single Micah to marry neighboring farm girl Ruth, who Micah admires but admits he does not love despite planning to go through with the marriage. That changes when Micah sees a woman to whom he becomes infatuated: Samarra, the High Priestess to Astarte, who, with Baal, are considered in many circles the most notorious of Gods in being that of the flesh and not of the soul. Micah plans to travel to Damascus where Samarra lives to pursue her. Initially disowning him for this decision, Eli instead provides Micah with half his inheritance to live in Damascus, the other half waiting for him whenever he returns home both physically and emotionally. That pursuit of Samarra is also in the knowledge that she is only one of the many women and other priestesses of High Priest Nahreeb, a tyrant who rules Damascus, its citizens who cannot remember the nature of a free society. Questions become how much Micah is willing to "spend", both in his finite money but arguably more importantly spiritually in disavowing of his faith, in his want of Samarra, especially as her material wealth is all in service to Astarte. Nahreeb has his own thoughts on the matter as his goal is to ruin Micah in Micah earlier having freed mute Asham, one of Nahreeb's slaves who became Micah's friend and trusted companion.