About me

I run the sort of tabletop games in which I myself would want to be a player, because I believe that to be the surest way to help others have fun too. To wit, the following are elements you're likely to encounter if you book me as a GM: Worlds grounded in History and Myth: Lovingly crafted worlds that draw upon the richness of human history and folklore, using ancient and medieval Europe as a starting point, before drawing in carefully chosen themes and aesthetics from more oft-neglected cultures and eras. Risk and Reward: A game-running style that emphasizes the choice between safety and greater potential reward. That said, there is a third element in this dynamic, creativity. A creative solution might to a problem might be the best one of all. I try to make liberal interpretations of the rules to encourage creativity, a generosity that I balance out with... Deadly, dynamic combat: Though I wouldn't describe my games as meatgrinders, I definitely lean towards making my combats dangerous. But every major encounter will include thoughtfully crafted tactical dilemmas, to ensure that roleplay doesn't stop when you roll initiative. Tales of laughter and heartbreak: Were your favorite parts of The Lord of the Rings the parts where everyone stops adventuring to sing songs, or talk about pipe-weed? I try to create some spaces in my games where player characters can relax and show a gentler side to their personalities. I also like to draw upon plots and story elements from classical literature and fairy-tales, so that the stories in longer games will challenge you to both feel and think.

GM style

I put a lot of meticulous care into the design of environments and worlds, plotting out maps and dungeons with careful attention to routes, challenges, and detail, so that when players actually encounter them, I can allow them to act organically, and let challenge emerge naturally from the environment. I prefer combat to be a motivated occasion: I avoid having encounters for the sake of having encounters, and I never generate them randomly. Instead, I think of enemies as obstacles in the path of interesting objectives, obstacles for which fighting is just one possible solution. I like to draw upon nature, mathematics, philosophy, music, ancient languages, and history in the stories I tell. That doesn't mean you need specialized knowledge about any of those things to enjoy my games, just a willingness to engage with big ideas and savor the details of imaginary worlds. Of course if you are particularly interested in any of those things, you might find the game a creative way to approach them. As a final note, I find that party-based roleplaying games are at their best when the characters, rather than just the players, act like friends. Restrain the urge to have your character act competitive, contemptuous, or too-cool-for-school, and instead look for reasons why your character likes going on adventures with the others.

Games played

Game platforms used

What's StartPlaying?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters