Southwind (he/him)
5.0
(6)
2 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Creativity, Rule of Cool
About me
I am a professional game designer and developer with a passion for writing, and tabletop roleplaying games. My story is like many others, having discovered Dungeons and Dragons at a young age, I became engrossed in this fantastical world of make-believe. I devoured every novel I could find, and soon began writing my own stories for my friends to experience. Those first adventures were a little rough, but over the last 25 years, and hundreds of adventures across every genre, I've managed to figure out a thing or two. I have turned to StartPlaying in the hopes of guiding new groups of heroes and villains on fantastic adventures, terrifying tales, and thrilling mysteries. It's not enough simply to entertain, I wish to build memories that people will laugh about and reminisce on for years to come.
GM Style
I am first and foremost a storyteller. Weaving a stong narrative, flavorful descriptions, NPCs with depth, and a reactive game world, I aim to create a game players can get lost in. More importantly, I'm not just trying to tell MY story, while the players are simply along for the ride. The best stories are the ones we build together. At the end of a session, I usually leave the party with a question on how to proceed, and then build my next adventure around that decision and their actions during the current session. In this way, not only the story, but the entire world shapes itself around them. I tend to shy away from maps and minuatures, and prefer to use colorful descriptions that fire the imagination. Where as some games would have you walking through a dungeon, mapping out every hallway and room, I believe simply montaging the boring bits, and jumping straight into the action. Finally, although I love to prepare mountains of content ahead of time, years of having players do the unexpected have honed my improvisation skills to a keen edge. When things go completely sideways, I have been known to improvise almost entire adventures, with the players having no idea I'm making it all up as I go.
Game Master Reviews (6)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Storytelling
Creativity
Rule of Cool
Cactus Jack
I played numerous games with this GM across numerous systems, and everytime was great. This was the Fist GM I finished a 1-20 level campaign with, and we had people come and go throughout the story and he made sure everyone had parts of the story deal with them and their backstories worked into the grand plan. I became a GM from learning from him, and was always able to ask him questions to help me along my journeys.
Mitch
From the fun quirky characters that appear in his adventures to gripping dungeon encounters, there is never a dull moment with Southwind. He is always encouraging and building upon the antics your group will inevitably get up to, with every adventure having tons of life in it. Running with this DM has been by far the most fun TTRPG experience I've had!
Lindsea
To begin with, Southwind has the comedic timing of a stand-up comedian. Their one-liners and witty quips kept the table in stitches. What sets Southwind apart is his ability to craft a rich and engaging story. From the first session, it was clear that this was not just a dungeon crawl, but a fully-realized world with its own characters, politics, and conflicts. The players were given agency to make their own choices, but the consequences of those choices were always well thought-out and meaningful. I must mention Southwind's infectious enthusiasm for the game. Every session is filled with excitement and energy, making it impossible not to be fully invested in the adventure. It is clear that they love what they do, and that passion is contagious. Southwind is an exceptional dungeon master who has provided me with some of the most hilarious and memorable gaming experiences of my life. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a DM who will take their game to the next level, and leave them in stitches while doing it.
Hemic
very very detailed and easy going, will play on player strengths and weaknesses as well as make the story interesting and immersive. Doesn't have a problem explaining rules, situations or other questions that come up from new players. Energetic and clear talking / story telling. 10/10
craig
Is knowledge of the game was very in depth and he used it well to adapt to our teams sometimes preposterous manouvers. His story telling really get you involved!
Raynul
Southwind is a wonderful storyteller, and usually includes the players in the world-building, often asking us what the name of a tavern or npc was instead of telling us. The way he describes a room, or the action in combat really helps you picture it in your mind. He always has a way of making your character feel like the star of the show, even when juggling a half-dozen players.
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