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Rowan

they/them

5.0

(23)

TOP GM

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Identity

LGBTQ+
Queer
Disabled
Neurodivergent
Published Writer
Teacher/Educator
Women/Femme Identifying
Game Designer

About Rowan

Hello lovely people, my name is Rowan (none/they); I am a teacher, professional editor, and published author who's been running tabletop games since I was 11 years old. My bread and butter is superheroes, horror, and urban fantasy, but I have experience in a large variety of systems and genres. I prefer more narrative systems over things with a lot of crunch, and highly dramatic storytelling. My stories often center around opposing institutions, religions, governments, and corruption. If you are a friendly and generous roleplayer, want to have a GM that invests in your character and enjoy constructive chaos, then I think my table might just be for you.

At a glance

5 years on StartPlaying

195 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Storytelling

$20 per session

Top Game Master

One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.

Magic Gemstone

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

For my friends at the lunch table in 6th grade. After my first time playing d&d I knew I needed to be on the other side of the screen, and we'd play silly little adventures every day, just being goofy kids.

My favorite system of all Time is

Monster of the Week. There are so many playbooks to choose from, millennia of real-world lore to pull from, and I absolutely adore Powered by the Apocalypse.

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

Usually reading comics, playing videogames, or watching tv. I love storytelling in all forms, and can never get enough.

How Rowan runs games

As a GM, I try to prioritize social roleplay and engaging stories over RAW, and there's nothing I love more than seeing a player invested in my world. According to my players, some of my specialties include: • Engaging and immersive NPCs to interact with • Writing stories where PCs and backstories matter • Improvisation and "encouraging constructive chaos" • Unique encounters that challenge expectations of new & veteran players

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

Hearing out people's arguments, and making a quick decision. If we need to change or retcon things later we can, but there's better things to do with our time than argue about the rules.

My games focus on...

Groups of weirdos taking on institutions, righting social wrongs, or finding the truth of themselves. A lot of my games involve deep conspiracies, even if it's not the main theme.

Rowan's ideal table

There is truly nothing I love more than seeing players invested in the story and world we are building. I offer text RP channels on discord to continue the story outside of session, and I love when players engage in that. I like to build a world and story with my players, and my favorite players are the ones that add to the world.

Featured Prompts

I love it when a player

Gets invested in the world we're playing in, and wants to make a character that is integrated into the lore and story we're telling together.

I think it's a red flag when players...

Can't care about the other characters in the campaign. This is a team sport; nobody should act like they're the main character.

I think metagaming...

Is basically made up, and not worth thinking about. We're not characters in a movie, we're real people, and if we're sitting around spending our energy on trying to make sure every little thing is consistent, then that feels like a waste of energy.

Rowan's Preferences

Systems

Cypher System
Indie TTRPG
Quest
Monster of the Week
Masks: A New Generation
Old Gods of Appalachia
Urban Shadows 2e
The Magnus Archives

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Theater of the Mind

Rule of Cool (RoC)

Social