Harlen

he/him

5.0

(11)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

Disabled

About Harlen

Our games are personalized and backstory driven, with the characters written right into the main plotline of the story. This is collaborative storytelling at its heart, and as a GM there is nothing better than seeing the PCs take a concept and run with it on their own. What you'll get from me is over forty years of experience, a detailed world fleshed out with custom maps and relatable NPCs, and an over arching plotline that will take your character's wants and needs fully into account. The world will move around you as you adventure, bringing side quests and tangential stories right along with it.

At a glance

4 years on StartPlaying

56 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, World Builder

Average response time: 24+ hours

Response rate: 100%

Featured Prompts

People are always surprised when I tell them

that I was an offshore commercial lobsterman for many years, and have thousands of hours at sea. I also worked deck on charter boats, draggers, and scallopers.

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

according to a Discord query, "Engaging", "passionate", and "inclusive". That being said, all of my players are super nice.

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

playing a lot of guitar and giving in to my lifelong obsession with music. There is very little, in the way of music, that I do not enjoy listening to.

How Harlen runs games

As the host of a collaborative storytelling event, I have (for a variety of reasons) a general rule of saying "yes" to our players as often as possible. I love those moments when the shared experience aspect of the game shines through, and people's plans all come together. I also really appreciate the unscripted chaos when a group takes a completely unexpected direction, and I have to RP on the fly. But what I really love is the light in a player's eyes when they first figure out what is really going on!

Featured Prompts

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

Mel Brooks! The games always start as deep and mysterious as the Mines of Moria, and the players always end up channeling Monty Python in the end

I once ran a session...

in an abandoned barn, deep in the New England woods, that got so intense we had to camp out for the night because we were too afraid to hike back to our car with all the noises in the dark...

Rules are...

a great place to start.

Harlen's ideal table

My ideal table includes a variety of personalities, all of whom enjoy laughter, storytelling, and comaraderie. All the better if there is a newbie or two in the group!

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

stress free, light hearted and inviting. This is collaborative storytelling, imho, and everyone should feel free to share their ideas.

I love it when a player

has an epiphane and breaks the mystery wide open! Or, gets deep into their character's backstory and has a mind blowing call-back later in the campaign. But, I really love it when a player has fun and is engaged at the table!

My table is not the place for...

hate speach, or degradation of any kind.