Fight Pirates🚀Romance Aliens👽Explore Planets🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Internet

Computer

Headphones

Microphone

Discord

Roll20

“Roleplay Heavy” games place the focus on the story, the characters, and the world they live within, and tend to lean hard into the various roleplaying elements of the game. These games will frequently find the party talking with NPCs, exploring the personal elements of their backstories, or even having emotional moments around the camp fire. 

Roleplay Heavy

“Combat Heavy” games emphasize the combat mechanics within their systems over roleplay or puzzle solving. There are frequent and longer battles with enemies and a greater emphasis on tactical game play.

Combat Heavy

“Theater of the Mind” uses little to no visuals for scene settings and combat. Instead, the narrative imagery comes from the Game Master’s descriptions and character action and movement comes from Players’ descriptions. 

Theater of the Mind

“Rule of Cool” emphasizes creative story beats over sticking to a system’s rules as written. Players have the ability to push the limits of the rules or even break core rule mechanics at times if the Game Master thinks it is interesting, fun, or cool enough.

Rule of Cool (RoC)

Games that are ran “Rules as Written” emphasize realism and stick to the letter of the rules, allowing players to explore creative solutions while still operating under a consistent rule set. Players have the ability to utilize the rules in creative ways to create awesome characters and moments in the game.

Rules as Written (RaW)

In "Sandbox" or "Open World" games, players are given a tremendous amount of freedom to pursue their stories without the restrictions of a more linear game style. Players are encouraged to explore and engage with the world, and find their own story as they do so. These games offer the players the opportunity to help drive the narrative, and allow for the story to evolve organically through the choices they make.

Sandbox / Open World

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

☄️Space Western with a Custom Ship!🚀 Dominate the Galaxy! 🌌

Scifi

Sci-fi

Wacky

Space Western

Comedy

After the game ends, check-in with the group and talk about how you all feel. Have an open way for the group to decompress and encourage each other to practice self-care.

Aftercare

Intense games can cause feelings to bleed over into life outside of the game. Being open and honest of where the game ends, what feelings are the players versus bleed, and having discussions can lessen the stress of bleed.

Bleed

For long games or stressful content, having built-in breaks allows the group to stay focused and process content. This time can be used for bio breaks, conversation, or any other necessities.

Breaks

Debriefing is a way to reflect on the game. Identify possible issues, highlight the good parts, and work through potential emotional bleed.

Debriefing

The Deck of Player Safety (DOPS) allows players to anonymously signal any topics they want to avoid during a session. DOPS uses a deck of cards with potential topics that may come up during play, as well as an "Anything Goes" card. Players pass the cards of topics they want to avoid, or the "Anything Goes" card, face-down to their Game Master. The Game Master then shuffles the cards, and reviews the topics with the Players.

Deck of Player Safety

Lines and Veils set the boundaries of the games. Lines are hard limits for content the group doesn't want to participate in, this means that content will not be in game, referenced in game, or alluded to. Veils are soft limits, meaning that when the content arises it might be mentioned, but not described, or it could mean that when the content shows up, it results in a “fade-to-black”.

Lines and Veils

This checklist is used to set expectations and content boundaries before the game starts, and allows players to select from multiple existing triggers, or add their own.

Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist

Open-Door is an assurance that anyone in the group can take a break from the game for their own safety and well-being without judgement. This should be made clear to the group.

Open Door

Session 0s are used to start the game, opening up with communication, setting expectations, and discussing any safety tools that will be used at the table.

Session 0

Stars and Wishes are used to reflect and discuss feedback in a positive way. Stars are used for things that participants enjoyed in the game. Wishes are things that participants would like to see in the future. Both players and the GM can express their stars and wishes to make the game better.

Stars and Wishes

X, N, and O Cards are check-in tools. X-Cards are used to indicate that a participant is uncomfortable with the current content, often resulting in a change, rewind, or skip of the aforementioned content. N-Cards can be used by participants if they feel content is heading towards an X card, often resulting in a change or a “fade to back”. O-Cards are used to check-in on the group and ensure that everyone is comfortable continuing with the content.

X, N, and O Cards

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️LGBTQIA+ Friendly, Safe Space, and Beginners welcome! I am happy to teach and assist new players every step of the way! 

Hello, I'm Leaf! I'm a neurodivergent voice actor, GM, fantasy writer, and I make DnD/RPG content on Youtube/Twitch under the handle aStoryofaLeaf. 
I have a background in theatre during High school and film production during college, so I approach my games in a very thematic way. I have  been a GM & player for several years, and long before I had anyone to play DnD or TTRPGs with, I was an avid worldbuilder, storyteller, and writer for 17+ years. I've always loved collaborative storytelling and I believe that TTRPGs are the best medium for that, so as soon as I started playing DnD 5e with friends, I was hooked!

I strive to run games that are compelling, inclusive, dramatic, comedic, & above all fun! Player agency and providing a safe space for my players to tell the story they want for their characters are very important to me. I want my players to experience gut busting laughter, heartbreaking drama, unsuspected shock, terrifying suspense, and any other cathartic emotional release that they seek. My games are PC-centric, unique, and tailormade to bring the PCs into the larger narrative. I specialize in sandbox open-world style games.

✉️ Feel free to send me a message with any questions!