Faye Macrae

Timezone

America/los Angeles

About Faye Macrae

You know those moments around a table when something happens that was completely unexpected and yet, somehow, absolutely perfect? Something that makes you laugh out loud, or gasp, or just... sit in stunned silence for a second? Something that nobody planned, nor *could* have planned, but which only could have been created by the weird alchemy of people talking together about something we're all imagining? Those moments are why I do this. And they're what I strive to create in my games. You can't force them, but you can build a culture of play that helps them happen! The culture I work to build at my table is one in which we can trust each other to take those flying leaps into the unexpected. When you have the firm scaffolding of a system, when the world feels like a living, breathing place, and -- most importantly -- when players all feel safe and comfortable with one another, we can get as wild as we want! In creating that scaffolding, my background as an educator has helped me teach new systems and ways of playing to people in my games. Making the world feel alive is also something I find great joy in. I have a background in theater and get through my daily life by being unnecessarily dramatic. So having the opportunity to pull out a character voice, a lush description, or a passionate monologue during a game can be the highlight of my week! But at the end of the day, the game is about the players, and as a GM I'm here to create the circumstances where those stories can shine. What will they be? Let's play to find out!

At a glance

1 year on StartPlaying

How Faye Macrae runs games

Different systems have different strengths, and I try to play to those strengths for whichever game I'm running. My strongest suits, though, are role-play, character work, and using a combination of improv and prep to weave story-threads together into satisfying moments. I like to use props, pictures, and visual aids when I can to give a sense of immersion, but I try not to lean on them too much. I also enjoy tactical play, especially when the system supports it, but deep rules crunch isn't my main interest. I'm generally of the opinion that the rules are there to support the conversation and imagination of the players, to help give structure and stakes to the story and to create interesting, meaningful choices. If they do that, then they're doing their job, but if they're in the way, I'm not afraid to make a ruling in favor of fun.