Lily Ford
she/her
5.0
(3)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Lily Ford
Cheers and Well Met: I'm Lily (She/Her/Hers) I'm a teacher-turned-nurse and freelance editor who's been playing D&D since those Red Box days--and DMing just as long. Most of my in-person games are with children and teens or adult beginners (I do parties! Ha!), but I've really started to love the flexibility and awesome new experiences present in online platforms and virtual tabletops. My DM style is a healthy mix between RP, combat, and all the Other Things adventurers can get up to; I've learned to embrace the chaos. My games are big on character creation and setting introductions because I think players have more fun when they've got a reason to care. I am ALWAYS excited to introduce new players to the D&D world, and I try to make sure my table is a place where everyone can feel comfortable. As a lesbian with a neurodivergent child, making spaces for diversity is important to me. Most of my current D&D games are 5e (2014 & 2024) played through a combination of Roll20 & Zoom.
At a glance
1 year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Inclusive
Featured Prompts
When I'm not running games I'm...
running a hospital as the In-House Supervisor of a Level II Trauma Center or teaching the next generation of nurses the absolute joys of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and mathematics!
How Lily Ford runs games
I'm more of a "character-driven story" type of DM rather than a "plot trumps all" DM. This means I like to lean toward the Rule of Cool, and I try to build situations and scenarios where heroes can shine. I'm not opposed to published modules and find them quite useful, but I also love to homebrew different worlds. Railroading players isn't my thing, and improv is probably my strength, so I really mean it when I say I've learned to embrace the chaos! I do a few voices, here and there. I try to incorporate some relevant background music. Maps are available as often as possible, and I like to provide pics of places and people relevant to the game because I think visuals are important. My first two campaign sessions work like this: We do a Session Zero, come up with our ground rules, and introduce our characters. Toward the end of the session, we'll probably have a small puzzle or combat encounter just to get our feet wet and learn a little bit more about the world/setting. Session One is then organized like a one-shot. The goal is to help players sink a little further into the game's setting and, hopefully, a little more fully into the personality and playstyle of the character. I'll introduce a bit more role-playing and have characters and players interact with each other and/or important NPCs. It's also likely the characters will visit a few significant destinations. Session Two (our third meeting) begins the campaign in earnest, usually picking up from the conclusion of Session One's story. Prior to Session Zero, I try to touch base with each player and talk about the character they want to create and how that character might fit best into the setting. If the player is brand new or really struggling with Character Creation, I'm always happy to schedule a session to help someone create a character they can be excited about! For one-shots, I provide pre-made characters or let players create their own.
Featured Prompts
When it comes to voices
I really do try, but I won't pretend to be a professional. I have a slight accent in real life, so many of my characters wind up sounding vaguely Irish.
Lily Ford's ideal table
My table is low-key and tries hard not to take itself too seriously. Players who are down for some terrible puns and don't mind when the DM gets a little lost in her own descriptions will fit in just fine.
Lily Ford's Preferences
Systems
Game Mechanics