Helena Real
she/her
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Helena Real
Hi! My name's Helena (she/her) and I'm a Chilean trans writer, editor, and translator, and I was a professional GM for Magpie Games Curated Play Program for 5 years. I've been playing and running RPGs for 25+ years. I’m also the co-designer of Dungeon World 2, and I’ve designed TTRPG materials for various games and systems since 2015, including 7th Sea, Bluebeard’s Bride, Urban Shadows, Avatar Legends, Witch: Fated Souls, and Umdaar, among many others. I also authored two Fate Worlds: The Way of the Pukona and Ngen Mapu. Pukona won the "Best Setting" award at the 2019 Indie Groundbreaker Awards. I also received the 2020 IGDN Diversity Sponsorship.
At a glance
4 years on StartPlaying
$20 per session
Featured Prompts
I got started GMing...
in 2001 with AD&D 2nd Edition in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting (Taladas, especifically) because none of my high school classmates wanted to be the GM! 😅
My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be
Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA), Fate Condensed, and Basic Roleplaying (BRP).
My favorite system of all Time is
Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA)!
How Helena Real runs games
I love fictional drama, presenting players with moral conundrums, and playing in fictional worlds that are inclusive and diverse. I do my best to portray NPCs vividly, do voices (as much as I can), and use music and other audiovisual support to make the experience as memorable as possible.
Featured Prompts
If my games were Movies they'd be directed by...
John Boorman (fantasy), John Carpenter (horror), Neil Jordan (urban fantasy), and Ridley Scott (science fiction).
I prep by
following a slightly modified version of SlyFlourish's 8 Steps of Lazy RPG Prep: 1. Review the PCs 2. Create a strong start scene 3. Outline other potential scenes 4. Prepare important NPCs 5. Write 10 secrets and/or clues 6. Develop fantastic locations 7. Consider rewards 8. Imagine a great ending
My games focus on...
what the PCs do, the consequences of said actions, and the emotions generated by them.
Helena Real's ideal table
People who are engaged and feel connected to their PC and the game we're playing together.
Helena Real's Preferences
Systems
Themes
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Sandbox / Open World
Combat Lite
Puzzle / Mystery Focused