Jenna

she/her

5.0

(5)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

French

Identity

LGBTQ+

Queer

Neurodivergent

Published Writer

Artist

Women/Femme Identifying

Multi-lingual

About Jenna

Hi! Call me Jen. I'm a Montreal-based professional writer with an academic background in European history and folklore. So it should come as no surprise that when I joined a virtual DnD group during lockdown to help pass the time (and take my mind off of The Horrors), I was instantly hooked. Real-time collaborative storytelling -- with its dumb jokes, awkward fumbles, and breathtaking character moments -- is my JAM. And befriending so many people through DnD who are the same flavour of nerdy as I am has been such a gift. I'm less interested in crunchy game play and fight mechanics, and more interested in character-driven stories and interesting world building. When I GM, my main goal is to create a fascinating world and then empower the characters to navigate challenges and further their stories however they see fit. I LOVE it when I'm surprised by how players react to a conflict I've set up. Since enabling player creativity is the priority with me, I prefer to use Theater of the Mind, with visual aids as needed (town maps, castle floor plans, character portraits, etc.) Fights are not tracked down to the square foot -- if a distance is reasonable to cross in a single move, I'll allow it. To me, game mechanics and world building useful frameworks for telling a story and having fun -- and in those aims, they can be bent a little if The Vibe demands it.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Rule of Cool, Storytelling

$20 per session

Featured Prompts

I started running games because...

I was frustrated with my GM at the time, who I felt often forced players to conform to the story he wanted to tell, and prioritized mechanics over character arcs. Clashing with his style made me realize I had my own GM'ing philosophy/sensibility, and I should take a crack at it myself!

People are always surprised when I tell them

I'm trained in multiple martial arts! (My basis is in Kung Fu and JuJitsu.) This is part of why I love a GOOD movie fight -- one in which the choreography reveals character.

How Jenna runs games

I like to GM games that focus on character-driven narratives and allow players to explore the kinds of worlds we nerds all grow up fantasizing about: Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest, the Ancient Greece of myth, the Tolkien-esque high-fantasy worlds we all know and love, etc. I use my academic background in European history and folklore to inform the world building, but only insofar as it improves immersion. Anything that makes game play less fun is altered or scrapped. My conflicts are always a combination of internal and external. While combat mechanics are less important in my campaigns, players will have to employ strategy and character psychology to navigate challenges. Conflicts are also tailored to the characters. For example, I'm not going to present the character with mobility issues who's separated from the party a conflict that involves running up a flight of stairs. (Unless they're the sort of character who would convince a bystander to give them a piggyback ride...?) Similarly, I'm not giving the character with -2 intelligence a gauntlet of riddles. Obstacles should be challenging, but possible to overcome. I generally prefer to run Theater of the Mind games, supplemented with maps and portraits as needed, to allow the players total freedom to explore the world.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Hearing out the players. I'm a bit of a "rules lawyer" myself, so if my players can make a compelling (or hilarious) case, I'll generally let their characters get away with it. That said, any rules pre-established for player comfort/safety are non-negotiable. No pushing other players' boundaries.

I once ran a session...

At the request of my players, I once had a jukebox musical session! I gave the players individual prompts and they submitted songs in advance. Each player got a chance to make a pivotal decision in the encounter before I played their song. I wasn't sure how it would go, but we all had a blast!

When it comes to voices

Less is more. I naturally change my tone, cadence, and word choice between NPCs, but it's rare that I "put on" a voice. Generally when I do, it's for comedic effect.

Jenna's ideal table

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

I love when players navigate an encounter in a totally unexpected way. Once, one of my bard players chose to take his own kidnappers out for an ale rather than fight. He was eventually rescued from the tavern when the warlock threw a pigeon and the cleric started a bar brawl. I was THRILLED.

I think min/maxing...

is a waste of storytelling potential. Like people, characters naturally have weak points, and the possibility of failure can add a lot of comedy or suspense to encounters. I also believe in letting failures further the plot and gameplay -- they're not roadblocks at my tables, just deviations.

My table is not the place for...

players who want crunchy gameplay or to metagame. Playing strategically with logistics in mind has its appeal, don't get me wrong. But I run games in which character, story, and player enjoyment come before everything else. Game mechanics and equipment are background supports -- not the focus.