Gabriel Olive

he/him

5.0

(18)

Timezone

America/sao Paulo

Language

English

Portuguese

Spanish

Identity

BIMPOC

Hispanic/Latinx

About Gabriel Olive

Forget random dungeons. My tables are for players who want their choices to have weight, to feel the ripple effects of their actions in a world that feels truly alive. My background in Social Sciences and Public Administration means I build worlds with depth. ⚖️ Real Consequences: Expect intricate political webs and NPCs driven by realistic motivations. Your decisions will have tangible, cascading consequences that permanently alter the world. 🏛️ Systemic Depth: You won't just clear a dungeon; you might destabilize an entire economy or spark a diplomatic crisis. We'll explore how power operates and how history is shaped by the choices of a few. 🌎 An International Storyteller As a Brazilian Game Master, I bring a unique cultural perspective to my storytelling, and a professional approach I've shared with players at events like GenCon's Portuguese track. The narratives we build are infused with a different rhythm and a global flavor. I am fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, and I foster a diverse, international community at my tables. If you are a player who craves exploration with real stakes and wants to see your character's legacy written into the fabric of a believable world, then your seat is waiting.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

42 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Inclusive

Average response time: Under 1 hour

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

with running casual games for friends, but a lightbulb went off while I was studying social science in college. I realized I could use real-world principles of politics and society to build game worlds that felt truly alive. That became my obsession: crafting deep, consequential stories.

My favorite shows/movies are

Andor Arcane Avatar: The Last Airbender & Korra Game of Thrones Breaking Bad One Piece

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

I asked my players, and they landed on Organized, Communicative, and Immersive. I love building worlds that feel real enough to break, presenting challenges that respect my players' intelligence, and then seeing their choices send real, lasting ripples through the story.

How Gabriel Olive runs games

My games are living worlds designed to challenge you intellectually and creatively. I believe the best stories emerge when your choices have real weight, and my style is built around three core pillars to ensure that happens: 🎭 Deep Roleplaying We will make your character's backstory the heart of the story. Expect emotionally complex NPCs, nuanced political dilemmas, and a narrative that will genuinely challenge your character’s beliefs and motivations. 🗺️ Consequential Exploration This is more than finding treasure in a dungeon. Discovering a forgotten piece of lore or a hidden location can shift political alliances, unravel a mystery, and change the entire course of the campaign. ⚔️ Narrative-Driven Combat Fights aren't random; they serve a story purpose. Expect dynamic, challenging encounters that push you to think tactically and creatively. Every victory feels heroic because every battle has a meaningful impact on the plot.

Featured Prompts

I once ran a session...

...where a player was sentenced to death, but the party didn't draw swords. They bribed the executioner and used illusion magic to fake the beheading in front of the entire city. I live for rewarding that kind of brilliant, out-of-the-box thinking.

I prep by

weaving your character’s goals and backstory directly into the main plot. I then design NPCs, their ambitions, factions that will remember your actions and shift their strategies based on your reputation. The result is a living world where your decisions create tangible, lasting consequences.

My favorite trope is...

The Necessary Rebellion. My favorite stories are about good people forced to act when they can no longer tolerate a corrupt and failing system. It's less about fighting a single 'dark lord' and more about making difficult alliances and dealing with the messy consequences of upending the old order.

Gabriel Olive's ideal table

We always start with a quick 10-minute check-in, just chatting about life, our week, and what’s been going on. I truly enjoy playing with people I get to know, and I’ve noticed my players feel the same. After that, we ease into the session. One player takes the lead on a recap, with everyone else jumping in to help fill in the blanks. Then we’re off! Everyone already has their sheets open and we dive right back in from where we left off. The session itself? It’s full of meaningful choices, unexpected discoveries, and long-awaited secrets finally revealed. The kind of game that keeps you thinking long after it ends. When the game ends, I like to take a moment to check in with everyone. We talk about each person's favorite moments from the session, the moments that stood out. Then, we share what each player is excited to see next. It’s a great way to align expectations and build anticipation. It also helps me tailor the next game to what really sparks joy for the group. As for the players I love players who take notes. I sprinkle clues and hints for future arcs right from the beginning, and nothing brings me more joy than watching players connect the dots and spin wild theories about the story.

Featured Prompts

I think metagaming...

is a tool that makes the game richer. I reward player knowledge: if you know trolls hate fire, you're right. But my worlds have their own history and secrets. You might find this region's trolls have adapted. My goal is a world that feels both logical and surprising, where discovery is the reward.

I think min/maxing...

Is awesome, when done in good taste. Just min/maxing for the sake of breaking the game is a fun thinking exercise, but not as part of an actual adventure. While at the table min/maxers can use their skills to bring life weird and fun character concepts.

My table is not the place for...

Bigotry, and close-mindedness. Let's be clear: this is an inclusive space. We're here to tell amazing, complex stories together, and that only works when everyone feels respected and safe. Bigotry, racism, and homophobia have no place at my table. Simple as that.