Accession of Flann Sinna as King of Mide
Flann Sinna, a descendant of the powerful Clann Cholmáin dynasty, is being inaugurated as King of Mide (Meath) at the ancient Hill of Tara. The ceremony involves sacred oaths sworn on the Lia Fáil (St
Setting
The Hill of Tara, an ancient ceremonial site with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. The inauguration takes place on the raised earthen mound known as the Forradh, surrounded by smaller burial mounds and standing stones. The grass is lush and green, dotted with wildflowers.
Characters
Flann Sinna
primary
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late thirties with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes. His reddish-brown hair is neatly trimmed, and his beard is carefully groomed, signifying his royal status. His skin is weathered from years of outdoor leadership and battle.
Abbot of Clonmacnoise
secondary
A tall, gaunt man in his late 50s with a deeply lined face and piercing blue eyes. His white hair is tonsured in the Celtic monastic style, with a prominent forehead and a long, straight nose. His hands are large and gnarled, accustomed to holding prayer books and staffs of office.
Chief Poet
secondary
An elderly man with a long, white beard that reaches his chest, his face lined with wisdom and years of reciting verses. His deep-set eyes gleam with intelligence, and his posture, though slightly stooped with age, exudes authority. His hands are expressive, with long fingers that seem to dance as he speaks.
Tribal Chieftain
secondary
A broad-shouldered man in his late forties with a weathered face marked by battle scars. His thick red beard is streaked with grey, and his piercing blue eyes survey the ceremony with cold intensity. Muscular arms bear intricate Celtic tattoos depicting wolves and serpents.
Royal Guard
background
A broad-shouldered warrior in his late 30s, standing at 6 feet tall with a muscular build hardened by years of combat. His weathered face bears a faded scar across his right cheekbone, and his dark brown hair is cropped short in the warrior's fashion. His piercing blue eyes constantly scan the gathering for threats.
Dialog
Chief Poet
By the sacred stones of our ancestors, let the Lia Fáil cry out for Flann Sinna, son of Máel Sechnaill, whose blood runs true as the Boyne flows to the sea!
Flann Sinna
As the oak stands firm against the wind, so shall I stand for the people of Mide—by the laws of our fathers and the strength of my sword arm, I swear this oath.
Abbot of Clonmacnoise
Dominus custodiat te... May the Lord shield thee as He did the shepherd boy David—let this chrism bind thee to justice as the olive binds to the branch.
Chief Poet
Hear now the prophecy of the ancients: A king who rules with mercy shall find the land yielding like a mother to her child, but the unworthy shall wither as barley in frost.
Flann Sinna
Let no man say I took this kingship lightly. The weight of Tara is upon me now, heavier than the shield I bore at Magh Femin.
Abbot of Clonmacnoise
Sicut erat in principio... As Patrick drove the serpents from Éire, so may this king cleanse injustice from his halls. May the saints bear witness.
Chief Poet
Let the chronicles record this day—when the land itself trembled not with fear, but with the turning of fortune’s wheel!