Rutli Oath - Foundation of the Swiss Confederacy
Three representatives from the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden secretly meet on the Rütli Meadow to swear an oath of mutual defense against Habsburg tyranny, forming the foundational pact of t
Setting
Rütli Meadow, a small, secluded clearing on the shores of Lake Uri, surrounded by dense alpine forests and rugged mountain peaks. The meadow is lush with summer grasses and wildflowers, with the lake's waters gently lapping against the nearby shore.
Characters
Werner Stauffacher
primary
A robust man in his early 50s with a weathered face, deep-set eyes that reveal both wisdom and resolve, and a thick, graying beard. His broad shoulders and calloused hands speak of a life spent both in governance and working his lands. His posture is upright, conveying authority without arrogance.
Walter Fürst
primary
A venerable man in his late 60s, with a sturdy frame weathered by alpine life. His face is deeply lined, with a prominent nose and thick white brows over keen, blue-gray eyes. His long white beard is neatly trimmed, and his hands are calloused from a lifetime of work.
Arnold von Melchtal
secondary
A sturdy young man in his late twenties with sun-bronzed skin from working the fields, muscular arms, and calloused hands. His dark brown hair is roughly cropped at shoulder length, and he sports a short, untrimmed beard. His piercing blue eyes burn with intensity, and a recent scar runs along his left cheek—a mark from Habsburg brutality.
Schwyz Guard
background
A rugged man in his late 30s, with a muscular build honed from years of patrolling the alpine passes. His face is weathered by the elements, with a prominent scar running along his left cheek—a mark of previous skirmishes. His piercing blue eyes constantly scan the surroundings, vigilant for any sign of Habsburg forces.
Dialog
Walter Fürst
As God hears me, we stand upon this meadow not as men of Uri, Schwyz, or Unterwalden, but as brothers bound by more than Habsburg chains.
Arnold von Melchtal
Aye, and by the blood of my father's eyes, I'll see those chains broken!
Werner Stauffacher
Steady, lad. Rage melts snow too fast—floods destroy what they mean to cleanse. We must be like the glacier: patient, inevitable.
Walter Fürst
The mountain hare survives not by speed alone, but by knowing when to move. Our oath must be the rock they cannot shift.
Arnold von Melchtal
As sure as the Pilatus stands, I care not if we're hares or bears—so long as we tear out the bailiff's throat!
Werner Stauffacher
Then pledge with me now—not for vengeance, but for our children's children to herd their flocks free as the alpine wind.
Walter Fürst
By these mountains we swear: one band, one bond, until the last snow melts from the Eiger.