Rowan

they/them

5.0

(23)

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 mt table might just be for you.

At a glance

5 years on StartPlaying

179 games hosted

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Creativity, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

My 3 systems I'd bring to a desert island would be

Monster of the Week, Quest, and Masks. I could run games in these systems forever. They are all very simple to learn, and leave so much up to player creativity.

My favorite books are

Urban fantasy and magical realism are my favorite genres. I love anything by Anna-Marie McLemore; they're stories are so heavily queer and beautifully emotional. I seek to emulate those feelings within my own games.

My favorite shows/movies are

First off I love anything superhero, but my favorite show has to be Supernatural. The found family, the questionable writing, and the absolutely wild lore draw me in deeply.

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 once ran a session...

Of Monster of the Week, where a printed copy of "My Immortal" was integral to saving the day. I've also run a session where a daughter cradled her dying father in her arms, forgiving him for his faults as she sobbed. At my table, you can expect a wide variety of experiences.

Rules are...

A great framework, and I appreciate a well thought out system, but this is a game, and the point is to have fun. As long as we're not being game-breaking absurd, let's get weird with it.

When it comes to voices

I'm not an expert at accents or anything, but I can still vary my tone, pitch, cadence, etc to give each NPC a unique sound. I am most frequently complimented on my varied and in depth NPCs.

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 think metagaming...

Isn't real. If you're at my table, we're making an agreement that you won't be an asshole. And so long as you're not an asshole, I trust you to play the game the way that's fun for you. Please, share information with your team, I love to see it.

I think min/maxing...

Is completely fine. A lot of the games I run are not that crunchy, and not super condusive to min/maxing, but if that's how you have fun, then go for it!

My table is not the place for...

Those who want to play out their creepy power fantasies or think they're the main character. This is not only a safe place, but a collaborative one; everyone will have opportunities to be in the spotlight, and nobody is more important than another.