Nate
he/him
5.0
(3)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Nate
Welcome, (potential / known) Friend. Shall we have some fun? My goal is to foster immersive, collaborative storytelling where we "work" and play and have fun together. I prefer role playing mysteries, investigations, politics, crimes, capers, and intrigue, more than constant combat. But sometimes you gotta fight. I run worlds that are not too different from our own, but with a twist. Expect a bit of sci fi, or speculative fiction -- or perhaps an alternative historical fiction -- leavened with a heist, a mystery, or maybe the supernatural, the occult, something magical, or some conspiracies, a secret society... or the "unknown" seeping in from the corners, whether a High Fantasy setting, or a gritty realistic Noir. YOU are a critical part of what makes the magic happen. I bring the kitchen and some ingredients. But we are cooking together. I strive to ensure each player feels heard, understands their agency, and has a genuine impact on the unfolding narrative. If you want some real time or offline coaching about your character, or game mechanics, we can add that to the experience, as well. I don't home-brew systems. I have very few house rules. That said, we are telling a story, not figuring out a math equation. And we should feel eager to be at the table. If something feels "off," or we encounter a "grind," I want us to address it together, fix it, and get back to the good stuff. So if that means adjusting RAW in a way that helps, that is an option. Gaming is a collaborative, creative outlet for me -- and a favorite context for social interaction. We are here to have fun together. Shall we go? You and I? While we can?
At a glance
2 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Sets the Mood, Creativity, Inclusive
$19 per session
Featured Prompts
I started running games because...
it can be incredibly immersive.
My favorite shows/movies are
Blade Runner, Alien & Aliens, Vertigo, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Sleep, Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Third Man, Star Wars, The Cabin in the Woods, and The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1978 radio series) when thinking about TTRPG analogs. (No Koyaanisqatsi TTRPG yet!)
When I'm not running games I'm...
... probably out walking the dog.
How Nate runs games
If you join a paid session with me and you don't enjoy it, or feel it was not worth the price, just let me know. I am happy to refund my fee. (Please do this within one week, otherwise it is a more challenging process.) Why do I do that? Because I want everyone to feel good about this fun stuff. Peace be with you, even if you opt out of playing at my table. My passion for TTRPGs extends all the way back to AD&D (now called "1e"), Traveller, and Top Secret -- and I thought it stopped back there, too, like my old subscription to Dragon magazine. But then it came back around a few years ago. I "graduated" from a decade of enthusiastic board game playing -- and back into Table Top Role Playing Games. And now I am learning the GM side of the dance, as well. I gravitate more toward the Call of Cthulhu lineage, where storytelling, role playing, and solving mysteries, are often more important for character success (or, at least, survival) than hit points, armor class, and leveling up. (Don't get me wrong. I still play some D&D, and other relatively combat-heavy systems, too. I'm just not someone that emphasizes the "action economy.") I enjoy extended adventures and campaigns. I also love a well constructed one shot. It's a great way to expand one's horizons, learn new games -- and meet new players, new tables, and new GMs. Much of the success of a table is ultimately the responsibility of the Game Master, but the players make or break those efforts. We work together to keep things fun. I strive in every session to help each player feel engaged and involved in the story in a meaningful way, so that the collaboration part of the story telling is as easy as possible. But no one should feel obligated to participate more than they like, or in ways they don't enjoy. Boundaries will be respected. If you feel like you cannot play the way enjoy, please let me know so that we can find a mutual solution. My players should enjoy each session. For example: Their characters may be in danger, but the players themselves can be confident in a deliberate awareness of lines and veils. And I try to foster a table where each player character can shine. Inclusivity, safety, and respect are at the heart of my table. Just because your character is having a panic attack is no reason you, the player, should, too (unless that is what you like, in which case, you do you.) And just because your character may be marginalized in the game world in some situations (or not! we can put that kind of thing off limit, as well) -- or in current story beat -- doesn't mean you, the player, need to take a back seat. Let's find the interesting stuff together and make it as engaging as you like. Finally, I strive for a decolonised table, including LGBTQ+ allyship. If that's not your vibe, peace be with you.
Featured Prompts
I deal with rules issues by...
addressing them at the table, when possible, to seek a consensus about how to resolve the issue. This might result in an agreement to house rule something in a way we agree upon if none of us know or can readily find the RAW.
Rules are...
tools to lend coherence to the game world, help define mechanics, and create a shared reality.
Nate's ideal table
I'd rather make less "progress" in the story than fail to give every player character some time and space to do their thing. This means sometimes the rest of us, including me, will be supporting other player characters who are in the spotlight for a time. We are all actors and we are all audience members. We are each readers as well as writers. No one gets the spotlight all the time. No one is required to be in the spotlight when they don't want to be.
Featured Prompts
I love it when a player
attempts things I (and the adventure module authors) didn't anticipate. I don't mean trying to break the game. I mean fully engaging with the narrative world, and exploring novel ideas and approaches....perhaps even helping to build specifics in the world that contribute to the immersion.
I think it's a red flag when players...
feel obligated to participate as much as other players. Everyone should get the opportunity (and support, if that helps) to participate extensively. But it's also okay to sit back and enjoy the story and be a supporting actor rather than a co lead, if that's where your head is at, today.
My table is not the place for...
roleplaying sexual violence, animal cruelty, child harm, torture, sex, racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, addiction, mental illness, suicide, and most PVP violence. System-specific exceptions exist: Call of Cthulhu uses an Insanity mechanic. Mothership uses Stress and Panic. Etc.
Nate's Preferences
Systems
Game Mechanics