Dead_One

he/him

5.0

(4)

Timezone

Europe/london

About Dead_One

# Dead_One ## Make a character. Not a character sheet. I've been running RPGs since 1980, when I discovered Dungeons & Dragons and was hooked almost immediately. I've spent decades playing and running everything from AD&D 1st Edition and 2nd Edition to modern 5e, along with Traveller, RuneQuest, Gamma World, Boot Hill, Gangbusters, Car Wars, Paranoia, Toon and plenty of other games along the way. But after all those years, one thing hasn't changed: **I care far more about the character than the character sheet.** My games are story-driven, character-focused and built around player choice. I want you to play your character, not simply select the most effective option on your sheet. If your character would do something unexpected, go for it. If you come up with a solution I haven't anticipated, even better. I build worlds rather than just adventures. My campaigns are set in my own homebrew setting, **Eorath**, a world with its own history, cultures, factions, mysteries and conflicts. The world doesn't sit still waiting for the players to arrive, either. Events happen, NPCs have their own agendas, and choices can have consequences long after the original session is over. Some of my favourite moments as a GM are when players suddenly realise that something they did several sessions ago has come back into the story, or when they completely derail my carefully prepared plans and create something better than I had imagined. ### What you can expect at my table * **Roleplay over rollplay** * A living world that reacts to your decisions * Character development and meaningful relationships * Exploration, investigation and problem-solving * Combat when it matters, rather than combat for its own sake * Improvisation when the players inevitably do something unexpected * A mixture of humour, seriousness and the occasional moment when everything goes spectacularly wrong * Rules used as a framework for the game, rather than something that gets in the way of it I'm not particularly interested in turning every encounter into a tactical exercise or stopping the game to argue over a paragraph of rules. I know the rules, but I'm happy to make a sensible ruling and keep the adventure moving. I'm also not a GM who relies on doing dozens of different voices. What I aim to do instead is make NPCs and locations feel real through description, personality, motivations and the way the world responds to your characters. ### The players I'm looking for I'm looking for players who want to **commit to a character**. You don't need to be an experienced roleplayer, and you certainly don't need encyclopaedic rules knowledge. What matters much more to me is that you're willing to engage with the world, make decisions as your character and become part of the story. If you're looking for a game where your character is more than a collection of abilities and numbers, where the world doesn't revolve around a predetermined plot, and where your decisions can genuinely change what happens next... **Welcome to the table.** **Make a character. Not a character sheet.** **Dead_One**

At a glance

1 year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Creativity, Rule of Cool, Inclusive

$25 per session

Featured Prompts

I ran my first game...

In the late 70s, shortly after discovering D&D. I've been running games ever since, through AD&D, 2nd Edition, countless other RPGs and now 5e. Apparently I enjoyed being behind the screen more than was sensible.

My favorite system of all Time is

AD&D 1st Edition. It was where I learned to GM, and its influence still shapes how I run games today. These days I'm happy to use whatever rules best serve the adventure. The system is the framework; the story is the reason we're here.

The three words my players would use to describe me are...

Imaginative. Immersive. Unpredictable.

How Dead_One runs games

Character first. Story second. Rules third. I run story-driven games where the rules provide the framework, but the players decide what happens within it. I don't believe there needs to be a dice roll for everything, and I won't let a rulebook interrupt a good scene. If you have a clever idea, tell me what your character is actually trying to do and we'll work out what happens. I like games with real choices and real consequences. The world doesn't simply wait for the players to follow the adventure I've prepared. NPCs have their own motivations, factions pursue their own agendas, and events continue to unfold whether the party gets involved or not. If you decide to ignore my carefully prepared plans and head in a completely unexpected direction, that's fine. We'll see where it takes us. Roleplay matters to me. I want you to play your character rather than simply operate a character sheet. Personalities, relationships, ambitions, flaws and questionable decisions are all part of the game. The best stories often come from what characters choose to do when there isn't an obvious "correct" answer. My games aren't combat simulators, although there will certainly be fights. Combat should have a purpose, carry some risk and move the adventure forward rather than exist simply because it's time for another encounter. I use vivid description to make locations, characters and situations feel real. I'm not particularly interested in performing a different voice for every NPC. I'd rather give an NPC a personality, motivation and something they want from the players and let the character come alive through the interaction. There's usually humour at my table, but I'm equally happy letting a serious moment breathe when the story calls for it. Most importantly, your actions matter. Something you do tonight might change what happens several sessions from now. You might make an ally, create an enemy, save someone who later becomes important, or make a decision that comes back to haunt you. That's the kind of game I enjoy running. Make a character. Not a character sheet.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Making a sensible ruling and keeping the game moving. I've been playing RPGs for decades and know the rules are there to support the game, not stop it. If something isn't clear, we'll make a call and get back to the adventure.

I prep by

Building the world, its people and the problems they're facing. I prepare locations, NPCs, factions and possibilities, but don't script the players. They will inevitably do something unexpected, and that's where the best stories often begin.

My games focus on...

Character, story and consequence. I want players to inhabit their characters, not operate character sheets. My games focus on roleplay, exploration, discovery and meaningful choices, with a living world that reacts to what you do.

Dead_One's ideal table

My table is relaxed, collaborative and story-focused, with plenty of humour alongside moments where things can get serious. I’m looking for players who want to play their character, not their character sheet. You’ll fit in well if you enjoy roleplaying, exploring, investigating, making meaningful choices and becoming invested in the world and its people. You don't need to be an expert on the rules. Curiosity, imagination and a willingness to commit to your character matter much more. I particularly enjoy players who engage with the story, take the initiative and are happy to make decisions without waiting for the "right" answer. If your character does something unexpected because it makes sense for them, I'm probably going to enjoy it. My games aren't primarily tactical combat exercises. There will be combat, but there will also be conversations, exploration, mysteries, bad decisions, unexpected consequences and plenty of opportunities to surprise me. If you want to rollplay rather than roleplay, we may not be the best match. If you want to become part of a story and see where your character takes you, pull up a chair.

Featured Prompts

If you're into ___, you're going to love my table

Character-driven stories, immersive worlds, exploration, meaningful choices, NPCs with their own agendas, consequences that can surface sessions later, and the occasional beautifully disastrous decision.

I love it when a player

Gets genuinely invested in their character and makes decisions based on who that character is, rather than what gives the best mechanical result. Even better when they surprise me with a choice I never saw coming.

My table is not the place for...

Players who treat the game as a tactical exercise or spend the session looking for the optimal move on their character sheet. If you're here to roleplay, engage with the world and help create the story, we'll get along just fine.