Sawyer McKay
he/him
5.0
(4)
Timezone
Language
About Sawyer McKay
I’m a husband and dad with a full life still squeezing in a few rolls of the dice. There’s no magic quite like the “sub-created world,” as Tolkien puts it, and one of my great pleasures is spinning immersive RPG experiences from the threads of player agency, imagination, and raw probability. A friend introduced my roommates and me to D&D 5e during my freshman year of college, and I’ve been hooked ever since. After running a couple 5E campaigns, I eventually fell in love with the old-school scene. These days my system of choice is Shadowdark, which I appreciate for its accessibility, grit, and excellent fit for play-by-post gaming. Play-by-post is now my exclusive format because it offers flexibility for busy adults while also playing to my strengths as a writer with a slow-cooker imagination.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: World Builder, Inclusive, Storytelling
$15 per session
Featured Prompts
My favorite books are
The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, Lions of Al Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, Piranesi by Susanna Clark, The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro; just to name a few.
People are always surprised when I tell them
I'm a huge metalhead. Ask me for some recommendations!
When I'm not running games I'm...
Playing/collecting Union Arena and Pokemon, reading a doorstop fantasy novel, or just hanging with the family.
How Sawyer McKay runs games
Some of my GM hallmarks are: - Immersive worlds that blend the believable and the strange. - Emergent stories shaped by meaningful player choices. - Go-anywhere sandbox exploration. - Atmospheric, actionable descriptions. - Creature features! - Reliable game pacing
Featured Prompts
I prep by
Making liberal use of random tables and letting the Muse guide me.
My favorite trope is...
"Fragile power," a character who's immensely powerful, but has some debilitating condition that makes you think, "Just imagine if they were at full strength!"
Rules are...
Useful tools but poor masters.
Sawyer McKay's ideal table
I like a table that takes the game "seriously," by which I mean engaging with the game world on its own terms. The world doesn't operate on cartoon logic. Choices are meaningful. However, that doesn't mean I expect the table to be four to six Daniels Day-Lewis (this is the correct plural, like "attorneys general") never breaking character. On the contrary, I like to keep the mood relaxed and open. Wisecracks and shenanigans welcome and encouraged. Players who follow their curiosity, take initiative, and honor the sanctity of the shared world will fit in perfectly.
Featured Prompts
I am for a vibe that's...
Mythic or folkloric, where the world often operates on strange logic, like in an Arthurian story.
If you're into ___, you're going to love my table
Gritty fantasy tinged with melancholic beauty
I love it when a player
Treats the secondary world as if it's a real place and seeks to make their mark on it.
Sawyer McKay's Preferences
Platforms
Game Mechanics