StartPlaying logo
game master profile header image
Josh | Brighthall Tavern

Josh | Brighthall Tavern (he/him)

5.0

(33)

LGBTQ+
Neurodivergent
Game Designer

3 years on StartPlaying

515 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Storytelling, Teacher

About me

You shove against the stiff wooden door, slowly sliding it open as it stands uncaring of your struggles. The door slowly budges and reveals a dimly lit room beyond. The crackle of a fire fills your ears and the smell of bread makes your stomach grumble. You only now realize just how long it has been since you last ate. The warmth of the fire calls you into the room as the door shuts behind you. A man sits at a table in the middle of the room. He beckons to the chair across from him and bids you to sit. The mead and bread already prepared to bring you forth as if pulled by an unseen force, unable to resist... Hail and well met, adventurer. Welcome to the Brighthall Tavern! Whether you are looking to fight a horde of goblins 20 feet above the ground on a perilous rope bridge, explore the tallest mountains, or parlay with kings to stop the coming wars.. or all of the above, I will be your guide on those journeys. My name is Josh and I have been running and playing in Tabletop Roleplaying Games for about 15 years. Over this time I have run games in a number of different systems and worlds and have gained a love for creating and crafting stories that bring joy to those around me. There is nothing quite like seeing a group overcome a particular challenge and come out the other side exhausted, but excited and ready to take on the next adventure! So, if you’re wanting to get out there and explore new worlds, battle creatures from your darkest dreams and defend the innocent from the evils of the world join me at the table and let’s tell some stories! I run an inclusive LGBTQIA+ friendly table and do not support bigotry in any form. If you are looking for that sort of thing in your games, this table is not for you.

GM Style

Game Style - I try to find a balance between roleplaying, combat and exploration (which can sometimes be hard with systems like 5e). If a group prefers one or the other though I can really focus in and make it a game about what the group wants. Combat Style - When it comes to combat I prefer fun combat to super crunchy fare. If you're looking for a gamemaster who will be an expert tactician 100% of the time.. I am not that. I try and roleplay the decisions that the enemies will make and I think I do a pretty good job of that. I like to get really into the descriptions of what is happening in combat and describe each round as deeply as I can. Voices - I'll be honest, I do my best. I'm really good at -voices- but have a REALLY hard time with accents. I'm just not very good at them and they end up sounding forced and end up causing more disruption at the table due to laughter than some scenes benefit from (some this is great and I do it on purpose). Roleplay Style - It really depends on what the group wants in this case. If the group wants to sit down and roleplay out every interaction with full dialogue I am all for it, if a group or a player would rather narrate their characters' decisions and conversations I am also here for that. We will either figure this out in Session 0 if you know what you want or we'll figure it out as we play! Strictness to System - I try and hew pretty close to RAW. That said, I FIRMLY believe in the rule of cool and will gladly throw the rules out when necessary to achieve that. I also try not to make my players roll when unnecessary. If it's a cool thing that should happen and there is no real need for stakes - sure you succeed. That said if we're in a tense deep moment there might be a few rolls to keep that tension alive. Hopefully, that fills in the details - if you have any further questions feel free to send me a message, I'm always happy to talk roleplaying games!

Game Master Reviews (33)

Proficiencies

Players say this GM is great at:

Creativity

Storytelling

Teacher

 fauxpudel avatar

fauxpudel

Played 98 sessions

What first attracted me to Josh was the lead-in story he wrote. I adore freshly baked bread. How could I not enter Brighthall Tavern with that enticing aroma wafting about? Seriously though, his game is not just about role play, the battles are epic, the shenanigans awesome, and the NPCs in town make shopping fun. When it’s time to level up, Josh checks with each person to answer any questions they have about the process. He is knowledgeable, kind, funny, and makes a safe environment for his players. My party members have already spoken out on behalf of Josh, and I agree with everything they said. We all have different play styles and different levels of experience – from extremely knowledgeable to forgets their own name. Well, maybe I’m not that bad, but he is still extremely patient with my horrible memory. A year later and we are all still excited when game day comes around. Josh goes above and beyond to make a fun and friendly game experience for the whole party. Go ahead, join his campaign. Answer the call of adventure and don’t forget to try the bread. It’s delicious and the crust is perfect.

Justin avatar

Justin

Played 70 sessions

I'm in one campaign of his and have done some one shots. If i had more time in the week i would sign up with him for more. It took me a little bit to find the right GM, but now that ive found Josh, i am set.

Jennifer avatar

Jennifer

Played 64 sessions

Sessions with Josh are relaxed and fun. He provides lots of patience and support for new players and players new to VTTs. Josh allows space for role play between party members or with NPCs, but there is not pressure to role play if that isn't your thing.

Mijati avatar

Mijati

Played 58 sessions

Josh is a fantastic GM. Every session thus far has been very exciting and well organised. He's been excellent for myself as a new player both with 5E and with Forge VTT.

Kilgannon avatar

Kilgannon

Played 51 sessions

genuinely one of my favorite people i’ve played with. Josh is creative, silly, and always helps his players be heard and seen. you can’t go wrong here, give him any setting and a month to learn it and you’ll have the best experience ever

Ikaros avatar

Ikaros

Played 42 sessions

Josh is an amazing DM that has taken the time out to walk me through and explain a lot of the mechanics of Dnd, He is a great storyteller and does awesome and funny voices. i always have a blast when playing and can't wait for my next session

What's StartPlaying?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters

  • Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.

  • Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.

  • If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.