Foundation of Cîteaux Abbey
A group of monks, led by Abbot Robert, is establishing the foundation of Cîteaux Abbey in a dense Burgundian forest. They are marking the site with freshly cleared land and beginning simple wooden str
Setting
A clearing in the dense Burgundian forest near Cîteaux, where a group of monks is establishing the foundation of their new abbey. The site is marked by freshly cleared land, with tree stumps still visible and the beginnings of simple wooden structures.
Characters
Abbot Robert
primary
A tall, gaunt man in his late 50s with a deeply lined face, piercing blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed white beard. His posture is slightly stooped from years of prayer and study, yet he carries an air of quiet authority. His hands are calloused from both labor and the turning of prayer beads.
Brother Stephen
secondary
A sturdy man in his late 40s with broad shoulders and calloused hands from years of manual labor. His face is weathered but kind, with deep-set brown eyes and a closely cropped tonsure. His beard is neatly trimmed, showing flecks of gray.
Novice
secondary
A young man of about 18 years, with a slender build and close-cropped brown hair in the monastic style. His pale complexion suggests recent arrival from an urban scriptorium rather than field labor. Wide blue eyes betray his youth and eagerness.
Woodcutter
background
A burly man in his late 30s with sun-weathered skin and calloused hands, his muscular frame honed by years of labor. His dark brown hair is streaked with gray and tied back with a leather thong, while his beard is short and unkempt. Piercing green eyes peer out from beneath thick brows.
Dialog
Abbot Robert
Deo volente, this ground shall be sanctified by our labors. Brother Stephen, see that the cloister aligns with the rising sun, as the Rule commands.
Brother Stephen
The foundation trench is laid true, Reverend Father. These oak beams will bear the weight of our choir for generations, God willing.
Abbot Robert
Not grandeur, but humility we seek here. Let the hewn stone be rough as our souls before God's chisel.
Brother Stephen
See here - we'll notch the joints thus, without iron. The forest provides all we need if our hands are patient.
Abbot Robert
When the bell calls us to Vigils, let its sound carry no farther than these cleared fields. Our silence is the mortar between these stones.