Emil

he/they

5.0

(16)

Timezone

America/denver

Language

English

About Emil

I’ve been running TTRPGs for 20 years; from heavy, math driven systems, to more fiction forward style games. That experience has taught me one thing: rules only exist to support player fun. I’m happy to lean into tactical fights, high melodrama, or total chaos, depending on what matters most in the moment. Every session is a collaboration, and I get genuine joy from watching players bring their ideas to life and leave their mark on the story. Outside of the game, I am a teacher. That probably shapes my understanding of fairness, and why I care so much about finding your own voice. No matter your experience or background, my table is a safe, welcoming space to learn and explore. So, if you are worried about being a little weird, or not knowing exactly what to do. Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Let’s roll some dice and make some bad decisions

At a glance

3 years on StartPlaying

243 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Storytelling

Average response time: Under 1 hour

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

My favorite books are

Watership Down: Wrecked me as a kid. I thought I was ready. I wasn’t. In the Dream House: Queer and full of sharp edges. Not rainbow wrapped or brand safe. The Black Company: Everything’s broken, but the mess makes sense. There’s comfort in a world I recognize.

How Emil runs games

I run my games hot. Combat explodes. Social encounters are feral and dangerous. Expect big swings and off the wall set pieces from me, because I put my whole heart into every session. I want you to play my games like a stolen car. Push the system, commit to your choices, and trust your teammates to catch you if things get out of control.

Featured Prompts

I prep by

I prep by building worlds that remember what you do. I sketch relationships, map consequences, and leave space for surprises. My notes are full of motives, secrets, and shifting alliances. Enough structure to feel real, enough give to follow where you lead.

Rules are...

The rules are... a good place to start. I do my best to keep things fair and flowing. If something important or weird comes up, we pause and figure it out. Otherwise, I focus on earning trust in my judgment calls so players have the freedom to get creative and push boundaries.

Emil's ideal table

Some of my favorite table moments aren’t big battles or epic plot twists. They’re human choices that ripple outward. I love when players notice each other’s stories. Or form a weirdly intense relationship with the grotesque little fly-devil dungeon janitor. Or when an aerial combat turns into a desperate challenge to ride on top of the evil dragon mech. Rules matter. They’re the magic circle we agree to live inside. But the moments I remember most aren’t about perfect tactics. They’re when the rules become a shared language we use to explore something unexpected. When mechanics support character choices, and those choices leave a mark on the world. One of the best parts of DMing on StartPlaying is getting to meet so many different kinds of players and seeing how each one solves problems in their own specific way. In almost every game I’ve run, there’s been at least one jaw-dropping moment so bold, so clever, so completely unhinged that it ripples outward beyond the session and reshapes my world across all the campaigns I run. My ideal table is full of players who treat each other with respect, stay curious, collaborate freely, and aren’t afraid to do something strange if it feels true. Those are the groups that make the stories you keep talking about years later.

Featured Prompts

I think metagaming...

Metagaming? Sure, just don’t be a jerk about it. Your character probably understands how a fireball works. What matters is keeping the game fun, surprising, and collaborative. No spoilers, no telling other people how to play.