Caleb | The Gentle GM

he/they

5.0

(15)

Timezone

America/phoenix

Language

English

Portuguese

Identity

LGBTQ+

Cosplayer

Game Designer

About Caleb | The Gentle GM

I offer: 🏳️‍🌈 A welcoming, inclusive play style 🔥 Player-focused flair and action 🧭 Open-ended storytelling following player cues 🎭 In-game action, horror, awe, and comedy ⚖️ Settings with themes of justice and transformation 📆 Over a decade of game mastering experience 🖋️ Know-how with dozens of systems Even in the midst of death-defying adventure or bone-chilling horror, I aim to be a warm and welcoming game master. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC players can expect respect at my tables. I've run games for children, seniors, and all ages in between. Safety tools such as the X Card are always part of my table. I suffuse hope, respect, and warmth into every session I run. That's why I go by the Gentle GM. At thirteen, three of us huddled around the Dungeons & Dragons 3e starter set, laughing at a natural 20 to breakdown a door with the fighter's head. In high school, I found the Call of Cthulhu rulebook and made investigators, still clueless how to actually play. In 2014 with the launch of D&D 5e and Call of Cthulhu 7e, I committed to running these games and an old love sparked brilliantly to life! I've since taught dozens their first TTRPG! I'm an inveterate game dabbler. If you're curious if I run a particular game, just ask! I'm up to the challenge to try something new you're excited to play. I run games full-time. You can expect preparation and dedication at my table. Local cafes and bars also host my game sessions and workshops. My newsletter and itch page also share game design reflections and projects. Images are used with permission from James' RPG Art, https://jamesrpgart.com.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

24 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Teacher

Average response time: 2 hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

Because I was inspired by a podcast, Gamers with Jobs. I recruited friends and ran with it! The game worlds feel endless and I love helping players encounter them with dynamic life and vibrant color.

My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be

Basic Roleplaying/Call of Cthulhu - The elegance of the basic mechanics continue to charm me. Heart & Spire - Cheating with two, but these games tell some of the most incredible stories. No Dice No Masters/Belonging Outside Belonging - Just incredible community building and whimsy.

My favorite books are

Children of Time, Adrian Tchaikovsky - I absolutely adore this sci-fi series. Labyrinths, Jorge Luis Borges - An all-time favorite author of strange, elegant stories. The Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold - A loving ecological biography of the landscape around the rustic farm and homestead.

How Caleb | The Gentle GM runs games

I lead with gentleness, respect, calm, and patience. One player wrote, "Caleb was the first GM I ever met, and he set a very high bar! He is knowledgeable about more TTRPGs than I even knew existed, and creates such a welcoming, inclusive environment for players. His thoughtfulness really shines through in the games that he runs, and as a nervous new player his patience and (dare I say it?) gentle guidance really put me at ease!" In my games, I am adaptable, curious, and flexible. Adaptable: I always want players to have a choice in my games. That means being nimble and prepared for the unpredictable. This is the player characters' story after all! Curious: As a science nerd and lover of a good story, I want every corner players explore to feel like it is connected to the rest of the world, often with its own rabbit hole to explore. I'm always asking myself, "What can I do that is going to excite my players?" Flexible: I want the spotlight to be on the player characters. I follow you as you discover and test the limits of the game world. As one player put it, "When you sit down to play a game at one of his tables, you feel like you interact with the world and story better than I have felt anywhere else... it's like being given the keys to your dad's classic car on date night."

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Making a call, then looking into it later. Rules are there to (generally) support a balanced game, but the game and story momentum comes first. Rules do sometimes need reinterpreted by the group for the best play experience.

If my games were Movies they'd be directed by...

Guillermo del Toro. I love big weird creatures and settings, creeping feelings of dread, splashes of horror, and cosmic implications. Del Toro also shines with the small-scale fantasy and fabulism that I adore.

When it comes to voices

I try to give body language, tone, and diction cues to characters. I tend to stand when I'm running game so I can put more of my body into the performance.

Caleb | The Gentle GM's ideal table

I've had players say that they meet the best people through me, and that sets a high bar! I seek out respectful players and foster character vulnerability. This often means I'm specifically making space for LGBTQIA+ players, racially diverse players, and players new to the hobby. I've also run great games for families

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Delivers support to their fellow players, making an opportunity for a "team up" ability, offers a hug or shoulder to cry on (in game), or details a bit of shiny treasure, making it all the more unique. Seeing players build relationships through character and play is incredible.

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

Quarterback on each other, when one player instructs another what to do in the scene and at the table. Player consent and player character control are big deals for me.

My table is not the place for...

Quarterbacking players, bias, or manipulation. I always use safety tools at my table so everyone has shared control. I expect players to give others a chance to take their own action. More than any of that, I want my table to foster respect, especially for marginalized groups.