Here are a variety of Monologues for Actors and Voice Actors from a Fantasy setting, suitable for practicing Character Work, DnD (Dungeons & Dragons), Voiceover, or other vocal skills. Feel free to record and post on social media!
Whisper, Kenku Shadow Puppeteer, Raspy, Enigmatic, Unsettling:
“(Cocks head, beady eyes glittering) You’ve wandered into the wrong shadow-play, my curious little birds. (Rasping chuckle) Oh yes, Whisper knows all about curiosity – it’s a hunger that gnaws at the mind, a yearning to unravel the secrets that skitter just beyond the candlelight’s reach. (Flexes taloned fingers) But sometimes, those secrets bite back. And the price of knowledge? It’s paid in blood and sanity, a coin pouch that grows lighter with every step into the dark. (Sidles closer) Whisper has seen it happen, oh yes. Bright-eyed adventurers, so full of vim and vinegar, so eager to peel back the veil and glimpse the writhing truths beneath. They come seeking fortune and glory… but all they find is madness, a giggling, chittering thing that scrabbles behind their eyes and nests in their souls. (Grins, a slash of midnight in an ashen face) And now, little birds, now you’ve blundered into Whisper’s shadow-realm, where every flicker conceals a grasping horror, and every breath draws the clinging miasma deeper into your lungs. Will you fly away, flee back to the safe, sunlit world of surface concerns? Or will you linger, and let Whisper spin you a tale that will haunt your every waking hour? (Chuckles darkly) The choice is yours, little birds. But choose quickly – the shadows are always hungry, and Whisper’s puppets grow eager to dance…
Zephyra Brightcloud, Aasimar Cleric of Joy, Chiming, Radiant, Blissful:
“(Beams a dazzling smile) Oh, happy day! Blessed am I to be graced by your luminous presence, my most cherished friends! (Clasps hands over heart) Truly, the Everlight smiles upon our meeting – for is there any greater joy than the serendipitous crossing of kindred paths? (Twirls gaily) Ah, but I sense a shadow upon your hearts, a burden that weighs heavy on your shimmering souls. Speak to me of your troubles, my dears – for in the sharing of our sorrows, we may find the strength to transmute them into purest jubilation! (Lays a gentle hand on their shoulders) For that is the very essence of my calling, you see – to be a beacon of hope and mirth in a world too often draped in melancholy’s shroud. To chase away the gloom with laughter’s silvery peal, and to kindle the flames of joy in every bosom I encounter! (Eyes sparkle with mischief) And ohhh, what a myriad of delights we shall unleash upon the world, you and I! Songs and dances, feasts and festivals – a riotous cascade of merriment to lift the spirits and gladden the heart! (Throws arms wide) So come, my friends! Let us cast off the shackles of sorrow and embrace the boundless rapture that is life itself! For every moment is a precious gift, and every breath an opportunity to fill the world with light and laughter! In the Everlight’s name, let joy reign supreme! Huzzah!
Grix Ironfang, Hobgoblin Warcaster, Clipped, Analytical, Ruthless:
“(Narrows eyes, assessing) Interesting. I did not anticipate encountering a band of outsiders so deep within our territory. (Drums fingers against spellbook) Your presence here raises questions – questions that demand answers. Expedient ones, if you value your continued respiration. (Begins pacing) Let us dispense with the usual pleasantries and cut to the heart of the matter, shall we? You are intruders. Trespassers. Unknown quantities in a carefully calibrated equation. And if there is one thing I cannot abide, it is variables that refuse to balance. (Lip curls) Normally, I would simply eliminate such variables – a quick, clean stroke of the blade, and the equation resolves itself. Neat. Tidy. Efficient. But in this case, I find myself… curious. (Stops pacing, fixes them with a piercing stare) You’ve penetrated our outer defenses, evaded our patrols, navigated the labyrinthine tunnels of the Deep Forge. All to stand before me, unbowed and unbroken. Why? What drives you to such lengths? What secrets do you carry that could warrant such risk? (Smiles thinly) I intend to find out. One way or another, I will have my answers. And depending on their shape and texture, I may even permit you to leave here with your lives. (Fingers crackle with arcane energy) But first, let us see if your minds are as sharp as your blades. I will have the truth from you – or I will peel it from your smoldering corpses. Make your choice, intruders… but choose wisely.
Thaelar Shadowcloak, Shadar-Kai Gloomstalker, Whispery, Melancholic, Nihilistic:
“(Melts from the shadows) You walk in the land of the dead. Breathe the air of the forgotten. Tread upon the bones of the lost. (Slow, mournful sigh) There is a weight to this place, a heaviness that seeps into your marrow and chills your soul. Can you feel it? The aching absence, the yawning void where life once flickered and danced? (Shakes head slowly) Of course you can’t. The living are blind to such things – they skitter and scurry about their mayfly lives, never stopping to contemplate the cold, patient reality that waits to claim them all. (Meets their gaze, eyes like shards of onyx) But the shadar-kai… we understand. We embrace the darkness, wrap ourselves in sorrow’s sweet caress. We know that in the end, all things fade and crumble, all light gutters and dies. (Sad, wistful smile) It is the way of the Shadowfell. The way of entropy, of unbecoming. And it is beautiful, in its terrible, aching fashion. A beauty that pierces the heart and leaves it bleeding. (Reaches out, brushes a cold finger along their cheek) You have the stink of destiny about you. A great and terrible fate, woven into the tapestry of your souls. It will unravel you, in the end. Leave you tattered and spent, a husk of withered dreams and broken promises. (Lets hand fall to side) But you know this already, don’t you? Deep in your secret hearts, where the shadows gather and whisper. You know the price that glory demands… and you have already begun to pay it. (Nods slowly) Go then, chase your fates. Dance your merry dance in the flickering candlelight. But remember, when the flame sputters and the darkness closes in… Thaelar will be waiting, to welcome you home.
Sayler Swiftwind, Aarakocra Horizon Walker, Airy, Philosophical, Cryptic:
“(Drops from the sky, landing lightly) The winds of change are blowing, wanderers. Can you feel them? The subtle shift in the currents, the whisper of distant storms on the horizon? (Cocks head, eyes like whirling vortexes) Many are the paths that lead to the edge of the map, beyond the borders of the known and the comfortable. Paths of danger and discovery, of wonder and woe. And it seems that fate, in her infinite and inscrutable wisdom, has chosen you to walk them. (Smiles enigmatically) I have seen it in the patterns of the clouds, in the swirling dance of leaves on the wind. Your coming was foretold, your steps ordained by powers beyond the ken of mortal minds. (Spreads wings wide) But fear not, for you do not walk alone. The spirits of the air are with you, watching, guiding, guarding. They whisper secrets in the rustling of branches, leave signs in the flight of birds. You need only learn to listen, to attune yourselves to the music of the spheres. (Voice takes on a dreamlike quality) For there is a great tapestry being woven, a grand design that links us all – from the mightiest dragon to the humblest sparrow. A pattern of breath and blood, of song and silence. And you, wanderers… you have your own threads to spin, your own colors to add to the weave. (Eyes refocus, piercing and intense) So go forth, and follow the winds where they may lead you. Embrace the unknown, dance with the tempests, seek out the wild and unfettered places. For it is only in the uncharted reaches, the blank spaces on the map, that true destiny can be forged. (Leaps into the air, hovering) The winds are rising, wanderers. Spread your wings… and fly.
Gurd Stonebrow, Dwarven Runeshaper, Gruff, Stern, Unyielding:
“(Scratches beard, eyes like flint) So. Ye’ve come to the heart of the mountain, seekin’ the wisdom o’ the stones. (Nods slowly) Aye, I can see it in yer eyes – the hunger fer knowledge, fer power. The same hunger that’s driven countless before ye to beat upon my door, demandin’ answers to questions they scarcely comprehend. (Sighs heavily) Ah, but the stones dinnae give up their secrets lightly. The knowledge ye seek, it isnae the sort that can be handed out like sweetmeats at a feast. Nay, it must be earned. Forged in the crucible o’ sweat an’ struggle, tempered in the fires o’ dedication an’ sacrifice. (Fixes them with a stern gaze) The path o’ the runeshaper is a harsh an’ unforgivin’ one. It’ll test ye, in ways ye cannae even begin to imagine. Strip away yer illusions, yer comfortin’ lies, ’til naught remains but the cold, hard truth o’ what ye are. (Voice drops to a growl) An’ make no mistake, that truth ain’t always a pretty one. Ye’ll stare into the abyss, an’ ye’ll see the ugliness that lurks in yer ain hearts reflected back at ye. Ye’ll be forced to confront the darkness, the weakness, the secret shames ye’ve hidden away fer so long. (Leans forward, eyes blazing) An’ if ye dinnae have the strength, the courage, to face that darkness an’ overcome it? Then the stones will break ye. Crush yer minds, yer spirits, ’til yer naught but dust in the wind. (Leans back, crosses arms) So. Knowin’ all that, are ye still determined to walk this path? To take yer first steps into the unknown, an’ let the stones judge yer worthiness? (Nods grimly) Then speak yer vows. Kneel before the altar, an’ let the rites begin. But mark me well, younglings – once ye set foot upon this path, there’s no turnin’ back. Ye’ll see it through to the end… or ye’ll be forever lost to the darkness. The choice is yers.
Zephyr Swiftblade, Elven Bladesinger, Melodic, Graceful, Deadly: “(Pirouettes, blades flashing) Ah, so you fancy yourself a swordmaster, do you? (Laughs musically) How quaint. How… mortal. (Flows into a fighting stance) You think you know the dance of steel, but you’ve merely stumbled through the steps like a clumsy child. (Blades whirl in a dazzling pattern) I, on the other hand? I am the music made flesh, the poetry of razor and blood. (Moves faster than the eye can follow) Each parry a sonnet, each riposte a rhyme. I do not simply wield my blades – I conduct them in a symphony of death, a performance that will leave you breathless… and lifeless. (Suddenly behind them, blades at their throat) But worry not, little mortal. Yours will be a beautiful death, a final aria sung in crimson and silver. (Whispers) Now, let us dance the last dance… and pray your skill is a match for my artistry.”
Grim Ironjaw, Half-Orc Berserker, Guttural, Savage, Brutal: “(Spits on the ground) You got a lot of nerve, comin’ into my camp uninvited. (Cracks knuckles) Didn’t your momma ever teach you it’s rude to barge in on a body without askin’? (Grins, all tusks and menace) ‘Course, maybe she did… an’ you just didn’t listen too good. (Reaches for massive axe) Well, ol’ Grim here, he’s gonna teach you a lesson. One you ain’t likely to forget… assumin’ you live long enough to remember it. (Roars, eyes blazing) See, out here in the wilds, there’s only one law: the strong survive, an’ the weak? They end up in my cook pot. (Charges forward, axe raised high) An’ right now, you’re lookin’ mighty weak to me, city boy. So why don’t you stand still, an’ let Grim show you what real strength looks like? (Brings axe down in a brutal arc) This is gonna hurt you a lot more than it hurts me…”
Sestra, Changeling Shadowdancer, Sibilant, Hypnotic, Otherworldly: “(Materializes from the shadows) Well, well… what have we here? A little lost lamb, wandering so far from the safety of the flock? (Tilts head, eyes shifting colors) Or perhaps a curious kitten, sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong? (Chuckles darkly) Oh, but I do so love the curious ones. They make such delightful playthings… for a time. (Begins to circle them) You see, darling, you’ve stumbled into my web. A pretty little fly, all wrapped up in secrets and lies. (Runs a finger along their cheek) And now that I’ve caught you… whatever shall I do with you? (Smiles, sharp and predatory) I could drain you dry, leave you a withered husk for the crows to peck at. Or I could keep you, my pet. Mold you, shape you, until you forget where you end and I begin. (Leans in close, eyes boring into theirs) Would you like that, sweetling? To dance to my tune, forever and always? (Laughs) Oh, who am I kidding? You won’t have a choice. (Shadows coil around them) The moment you stepped into my world… you were already mine.”Zephyrus Stormwind, Aarakocra Tempest Cleric, Booming, Zealous, Commanding: “(Lands in a gust of wind, wings spread wide) Hear me, o wayward souls! Heed the clarion call of the Tempest, whose fury I embody and whose message I bear! (Slams staff against the ground, unleashing a thunderclap) Too long have you languished in ignorance, blind to the storm that gathers on the horizon! Too long have you huddled in false comfort, deaf to the hurricane’s righteous roar! (Eyes flash with lightning) But no longer! For I, Zephyrus Stormwind, have come to shake you from your complacency, to rattle the cage of your stagnation until you are free! (Wind whips into a frenzy) The Tempest demands change, my flock! It demands upheaval, a scouring of the old to make way for the new! It demands that we rise, take wing, and brave the gale! (Extends a hand, palm crackling with electricity) So I say to you now, brothers and sisters – will you fly with me? Will you embrace the storm, let it remake you in its image? (Voice drops to a whisper) Or will you cower in your nests, and be swept away like so much chaff on the wind? (Thunder rumbles overhead) The choice is yours… but choose quickly. For the Tempest waits for no one… and neither do I.”
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