First Defenestration of Prague
A furious Hussite mob, led by preacher Jan Želivský, storms the New Town Hall in Prague, confronting the Catholic town council. The mob demands justice for the Hussite martyrs and religious reform, es
Setting
The grand council chamber of the New Town Hall in Prague, a high-ceilinged room with large windows overlooking the town square below. The chamber is filled with the tension of the Hussite mob that has stormed the building. The wooden floor creaks under the weight of the agitated crowd, and the air is thick with unrest.
Characters
Jan Želivský
primary
A gaunt man in his mid-30s with a wiry build and intense dark eyes that burn with religious fervor. His sunken cheeks frame a prominent nose, and his unkempt brown hair falls just past his ears. His beard is short but untrimmed, giving him a wild appearance. His hands are calloused from both labor and clutching scripture.
Town Councilor
primary
A middle-aged man of slight stature, with a pale complexion and thinning gray hair. His face is lined with the stress of his position, and his hands tremble slightly from the tension of the moment. His eyes dart nervously between the mob and the Guard Captain.
Hussite Rebel
secondary
A burly, middle-aged man with a weathered face and a thick, unkempt beard. His sunken eyes burn with religious fervor, and his calloused hands grip a makeshift weapon—a farming tool repurposed for battle. His muscular frame suggests years of hard labor, and a fresh scar runs across his right cheekbone.
Guard Captain
secondary
A burly, middle-aged man with a weathered face, a thick beard streaked with gray, and a prominent scar running from his left eyebrow to his cheekbone. His broad shoulders and muscular build suggest years of military training. His eyes are sharp and alert, constantly scanning the room for threats.
Young Clerk
background
A thin, pale young man in his early twenties with ink-stained fingers and a perpetually nervous demeanor. His light brown hair is tousled from frantic movement, and his wide eyes dart about the room in fear. His slight frame suggests a life spent hunched over documents rather than physical labor.
Dialog
Jan Želivský
Behold the vipers in our midst! These men who feast while Christ's poor starve! Shall we tolerate their corruption any longer?
Town Councilor
Good people, if it please you, let us discuss these matters with cool heads, as befits servants of Holy Church...
Hussite Rebel
Cool heads? When their fire pits burn Hus' followers?! Cast them out as Christ cast out the moneylenders!
Jan Želivský
So it is written! 'The wicked shall be dashed against the stones!' Let God's judgment be done this day!
Town Councilor
In nomine Patris— mercy! You condemn your own souls!