El

they/them

5.0

(6)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

Identity

LGBTQ+

Queer

Artist

About El

My name is El, and I’m an artist and writer who loves all things TTRPGs! I started playing Dungeons & Dragons to make friends as a freshman in college, and I’ve been running games ever since. My specialties include character-focused, emotional (but still funny!) homebrew campaigns, themed one-shots, collaborative world-building, and tragic villains. I’m most comfortable with Dungeons and Dragons 5e, Blades in the Dark, and the Cypher system (especially The Magnus Archives). One of my favorite parts being a GM is getting to weave my PC’s backstories and goals into a story, so a campaign feels all-inclusive and seamless (and more easily build emotionally devastating scenes). I also love using my background as an artist to illustrate the world, NPCs, and scenes within my campaigns! Pulling inspiration from my love of fantasy, film, and games is another reason I love GMing; no two campaigns are alike, and are the sum of players and the GM’s backgrounds, goals, and favorite media. In my spare time, I also love to practice martial arts, play music, and read even more fantasy. I’m excited to play with you!

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Beginner Friendly

$20 per session

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

to make new friends! When I first started GMing in college, I ran a campaign multiple nights a week where anyone could drop in and play. It was a great way to learn and teach Dungeons & Dragons, and figure out the stories I loved to tell as a GM!

My favorite books are

My current favorites are Piranesi, the Lord of the Rings series, The Tale of Despereaux, Dracula, The Locked Tomb series, The Great Gatsby, The Left Hand of Darkness, and Hamlet (not a book but you know...)

How El runs games

My sessions are very character and role-play focused; I love to write sessions that allow for character growth and development, with just the right amount of action to keep the plot moving! In particular, I love helping my players craft inter-party dynamics, and providing my players with NPCs that challenge them and their characters. However, I’m no stranger to combat! My ideal encounter is one that pushes players to think about how to strategically move forward using their skills, without feeling like the enemy is going to TKO the party too easily. I love making my players nervous that they can’t beat a boss/enemy, and celebratory when they work together to solve the problem. My specialty is world-building and plot with my PCs in mind. I love building and adjusting plot lines around my and my player’s goals, with the hope of making a full and appealing narrative for us all to enjoy! Even with one-shots, I love using collaborative storytelling to make a mini-adventure that feels like a movie or a satisfying level in a video game. Some of my narrative inspirations include Dragon Age, Disco Elysium, Over the Garden Wall, the Dishonored series, Fullmetal Alchemist, and The Locked Tomb.

Featured Prompts

My games focus on...

character growth, complicated and sometimes messy relationships, difficult narrative choices, rewarding combat, and my players fixating on an improvised NPC.

El's ideal table

My tables are great for players of all experiences- the most important thing to me is passion for the game, your and other player's characters, and the story we will tell together. Generally, our sessions will be roleplay-heavy, with a lot of NPCs to interact with and challenges for the players to solve together. I love when my table feels welcoming to players to explore everything from very silly side quests to plot-heavy character arcs together.