July Challenge: The Mage’s Regret
Theme: Dramatic Monologue
Inspiration: The world of Skyrim
Tone: Reflective, weary, powerful in restraint
Voice: Suitable for any gender or vocal range
Script
(Wind sighs through the tower, faint crackle of fire)
I remember the first rune I carved into the stone.
My fingers bled, my breath turned to frost, and still I believed power was worth the pain.
They say the College seeks wisdom.
But power is what we chase, isn’t it? Even now…
(A pause. A quiet exhale.)
Look at these trembling hands.
So much magic, and still, I can’t heal what I’ve ruined.
If you’re listening—whoever you are—
bury my staff deep in the snowdrifts of Winterhold.
Let it freeze. Let it stay lost.
Maybe then, some fool won’t follow my footprints.
Notes from the Mob
For this first challenge, our focus was on tone and restraint — telling a story through quiet emotion and subtle sound. Performers explored how breath, space, and atmosphere can carry just as much weight as the words themselves.
Each version was unique, but all shared that same haunted stillness of a mage confronting the cost of power.
