Rachel

she/her

4.9

(22)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

LGBTQ+

Queer

Neurodivergent

Women/Femme Identifying

About Rachel

Hi, I'm Rachel, also known as Talons. I'm a queer neurodivergent mess who has been running games for 6+ years, with tons of experience in Lancer, Pathfinder 2e, and D&D 5e. I have been running multiple campaigns here on Startplaying consistently since early 2023, and all of them are still going strong with happy players! I am unwilling to tolerate bigotry of any kind and will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to keep my games a safe place for my players. AI generated content is not allowed in my games. I am here to tell stories and celebrate creativity. Generative AI has no place in creative spaces. If my tables are full or you're looking for something a little different, consider checking out my friend: https://startplaying.games/gm/gmaletheia

At a glance

2 years on StartPlaying

348 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Voices, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

back in early 2016 with D&D 5e. I ended up running multiple campaigns that lasted over a year each in it before eventually being introduced to Lancer and PF2e.

My favorite shows/movies are

Jurassic Park, Claymore, Durarara!!, Django Unchained, Inglorious Basterds, Black Lagoon, Chainsaw Man, etc. I tend to watch more old anime than a lot of newer shows, though some more recent ones like Frieren, Dandadan, and Dungeon Meshi have made an impact recently.

When I'm not running games I'm...

usually playing RPGs, like Pillars of Eternity, Dragon Age: Origins, or modded Skyrim. Building characters and exploring worlds is one of my favorite things to do in games. I also enjoy MMOs like World of Warcraft, RuneScape, and Guild Wars 2.

How Rachel runs games

I do my best to give each NPC a unique voice and feel within the narrative. While running Lancer I tend to run the combats with a focus on the tactical side of the game when in mech combat, and lean into my strengths with voicing characters and improv when it comes to the narrative side of play, while staying true to the intent behind the narrative of the modules I'm running, as well as Lancer's setting in general.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

making a ruling in the moment, and doubling back to find the answer after the session. I value consistency in the rules a great deal, but when something comes up that I'm uncertain about, I tend to rule in the players favor in the moment and clarify it after the sessions done.

I prep by

building out the world, and knowing what can happen instead of worrying about what will. Sometimes my players throw me a curveball and I'm forced to improvise, but that just leads to amazing moments where the players really see what the world is, not just what my plans say they're supposed to do.

When it comes to voices

I try to give each character their own unique sound and identity. I have a fairly wide range, from deep gruff dwarf to high pitched chaotic child, or a classic southern drawl, and plenty more.

Rachel's ideal table

As a queer and neurodivergent woman myself, my tables are first and foremost catered towards inclusivity. I never want a player from any background to feel excluded, so long as they're respectful to everyone else, and here to have fun and tell a story together. I prefer for my games to have a chill vibe where everyone is enjoying themselves and having fun. Stressful sessions can happen when the tensions rise as the story demands it, but they shouldn't be the norm (unless a particular story calls for it.)

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

engages with the world and truly tries to embody their character as a person within it. Some of my best sessions I've run have been with tables full of players like this where I barely needed to speak up as they carried whole scenes between one another. I love being able to facilitate that feeling.

My perfect party mix is

interested in the worldbuilding and roleplay more than anything. Combat is great, and I love it, but especially in fantasy games, I love it when we can go sessions without rolling initiative because the story and world carry the session on their own.

My table is not the place for...

bigotry of any kind, tasteless jokes about topics like war crimes or other horrors of the sort. Players comfort is my top priority in games, and I have no interest in running for anyone who does not respect that.