Vykos

any/all

Timezone

Australia/sydney

Language

English

Identity

DMs Guild Writer

Streamer

LGBTQ+

Queer

Voice Actor

About Vykos

I am a veteran DM with over 25 years of experience. I run a story and character-driven LGBTQIA+ friendly game, where your choices drive the story and have lasting impacts upon the world. I also love introducing new players to what I consider to be the best hobby in the world. I'm an Australian elder millennial nonbinary D&D content creator, writer, and amateur voice actor known for my improv work and sense of humour during games. I make D&D lore videos for YouTube, write homebrew content and adventure modules, and I specialise in the deep lore of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. I also have a degree in medieval history with a minor in classical languages, specialised in the history of heresy, crusades, and witchcraft. In short, storytelling and worldbuilding are my passion. I do everything I can to negate the barriers to entry and ensure everyone has fun regardless of experience or ability. I started out playing D&D as a way to make friends long before "nerd culture" was mainstream, and since then I have shifted focus towards using D&D as a way to provide cooperative storytelling for more contemporaneously marginalised groups. In recent years this has been queer and trans audiences, and I am very interested in expanding into using D&D to provide socialisation for elderly and disabled people. In summary, my years of experience have seen D&D consistently provide a way for people who are marginalised and excluded from society to make meaningful connections telling stories where they get to be the heroes they want to see in the world. As our world gets increasingly isolated by technology and reactionary by divisive politics, this purpose becomes a social imperative. I hope I get to see you become the hero in your own story.

At a glance

1 year on StartPlaying

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

The same year Matt Mercer did. Unlike Mr. Mercer however, I use charisma as a dump stat.

My favorite books are

The Outsider by H.P. Lovecraft, Dune by Frank Herbert, and The Curse of the Wise Woman by Lord Dunsany.

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

Studying history, making lore videos for my D&D YouTube channel, and acting as a servant to my three hungry axolotls named Erasmus, Augustine, and Bede.

How Vykos runs games

I like to describe my DMing style as rules and maths-light, story and roleplay-heavy. I fully embrace the collaborative storytelling element of the game, and I love empowering players to tell the stories that they want to tell. Whether that's action-packed dungeoneering, high-stakes intrigue, unveiling dark mysteries, or character-driven drama - I got what you need! I like to say that there are two types of sessions, encapsulated within the name of the game. Dungeons are linear puzzles in enclosed spaces, which are ideal for one-shots, for goofing around, and for building confidence. But the other type - Dragons are found at the climax of epic branching stories stretching from one side of the world to the other. Both have their own art, and both can be deeply rewarding. But the latter requires trust and cooperation between parties in an unwritten agreement to tell that story. I believe that this is the holy grail of gaming, and when it happens, it's pure magic. Otherwise, I'd say my style is to weave semi-historical analogues into fantasy worlds, and drag injustices into the light of storytelling for their defeat in the safe spaces of gaming. All my greatest memories in this hobby are of seeing people become the heroes of their own stories. I hope I can tell such a story for you.

Featured Prompts

My games focus on...

Branching, immersive, and emotional storytelling where I am the party's number one fan trying to write their fanfiction while the dice try (and sometimes succeed) to kill us.

Rules are...

Rules are subject to the demands of the story, and not the other way around.

When it comes to voices

When I do really deep voices, I have to turn off my noise-cancelling software. Otherwise it will mute me, apparently not recognising my voice as human. To be fair, dragons aren't meant to sound human, so I guess... mission failed successfully?

Vykos's ideal table

I love a table where everyone is invested in everyone else's stories and try to life one another up to be their best selves. Within this broad category, my favourite players often (but not always) fall into two groups. The first are new players who are completely open minded about the experience and thus are going to embrace the fun and cooperative elements at every turn. They are invested in having a good first experience, and this makes it so much easier to give it to them. The second type are veteran players who will use their storytelling experience to create scenes to include other party members - often out of thin air - and cheer on the other players from the sidelines. It makes my job so much easier if everyone is already having fun before they even reach the planned material. My ideal table would be a mix of these two groups, who are dedicated to acting as a team and supporting one another's stories.

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

I love a cooperative table, where intercharacter conflict remains firmly within the comfort zones of all players, and is part of a larger story arc regarding their evolving relationship.

I think it's a red flag when players...

I find it hard to work with players who only want to tell their own story or who eliminate the opportunity for character growth. This is a cooperative game where you have to be flexible in adapting your demands to the party dynamic and meeting people halfway.

I think metagaming...

Metagaming is complicated. Using information your character doesn't know to their benefit is unequivocably bad. But cooperative storytelling involves a social contract, where we all explicitly agree to work together as a team, and this will sometimes require a suspension of disbelief.