The Dialogue Skirmish

November 2026 round · Entries and voting open until 30 November

Anyone can describe a conversation. The craft is in letting the words themselves do the work. Write a short exchange between two voices — no narration needed, or as little as you can manage. Let each speaker want something different, let the humour or the tension rise in what they leave unsaid, and make us able to tell who is talking without being told. Your entry can run as long as you need, up to 4,000 characters (about 650 words). One entry per scribe each month, open to every rank. Here is the kind of entry we hope to see: “You're late,” said the dragon. “You're a dragon,” said Pell. “You're supposed to be asleep on a hill.” “And you're supposed to be a knight. Where's the armour?” “In the wash.” “The armour is in the wash.” “It's been a difficult month.” The dragon sighed, and a small, tired ribbon of smoke curled up from one nostril. “Do you know how many of you I have eaten? None. Not one. You all start the same way: big speech, big sword, big tragic backstory. Then I say ‘Shall we sit down?’ and we are still talking at dawn.” “That's actually why I came.” “To be eaten?” “To be listened to.” “Ah,” said the dragon, more gently. “Well. Mind the hoard. Sit anywhere that isn't pointy.”

Prize: A free week of the Archmage tier, sent to the winner by email when the round closes.