Stephanie
she/her
4.9
(7)
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Identity
About Stephanie
Oh! Hi there! I’m a queer woman, a military veteran, and a lifelong devotee of shared storytelling. While I used to channel my creativity into poetry, my true passion is building living, breathing narratives that transform and adapt based on the choices you make at the table. To me, tabletop gaming is the ultimate form of community and creation—no campfire required. When I'm not behind the DM screen, you can usually find me volunteering or staying active with my pomsky. Gaming for a Cause: I am proud to share that 100% of the proceeds from my games on StartPlaying are donated directly to a local organization to help families afford summer camp for their children. When you play at my table, you’re directly helping a kid experience the magic of camp! My GMing Experience I’ve been rolling dice for a long time. My journey began in the late 1980s, and I spent most of the 90s deeply embedded in the intricate worlds of AD&D (2nd Edition), alongside a memorable few years spent LARPing Vampire: The Masquerade. After a hiatus, I jumped back into the hobby in 2020. I am an incredibly active player and a dedicated Dungeon Master, having continuously run and played games since the day I first started. Today, I primarily focus on D&D 5e and the new 5.5e/2024 rules. Whether you want to face down cosmic horrors or cause chaos as a tavern cat, there is a seat at my table for you. Let's roll some dice and make a difference!
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, World Builder, Inclusive
$10 per session
Featured Prompts
I became a GM because
I became a GM because I love bringing living stories to life! There is nothing better than collaborative play, watching players overcome epic challenges, and diving into the creative planning and development behind the scenes to build a world you'll love to explore.
When I'm not running games I'm...
When I'm not spinning cosmic webs or running games, you can usually find me out on the trails hiking with my fluffy pomsky companion. To balance out, I love centering myself with some yoga, or diving into video games with my partner.
How Stephanie runs games
My ultimate goal as a GM is to create a living story where your choices matter and consequences exist. I tend to set my campaigns in gothic, dark, gritty, and grim worlds. If you sit at my table, you can expect: a) Monsters feel like genuine threats—dangerous, unpredictable, and terrifying. b) You will face tough, complex choices where there is no easy or obvious "right" answer. c) I love splashing in elements from dark video games, horror movies, and suspenseful cosmic entities. I regularly rewrite and reshape official modules to reflect these eerie, atmospheric themes. Combat at my table is more than just a hit or a miss. I focus on describing the visceral feel of the battle, and I constantly invite you to join in, take the narrative reins, and exercise your own creative agency during the fight, during soliloquies, or just part of the story! !! However !! When it’s time for a break from the gloom, I turn the tables completely! I absolutely love running lighthearted, joyful one-shots or mini-campaigns where you play as kittens in a world packed to the brim with paw-ns (puns!) and meowgics.
Featured Prompts
I once ran a session...
That I built entirely from scratch based on a player's back-story! I worked alongside them to co-create and approve the general arc—keeping the best surprises hidden. We then played a dedicated, high-stakes one-shot exploring that exact piece of their history, permanently weaving it to the world.
My games focus on...
Gray moral choices and meaningful consequences where your decisions truly shape the world. I love wrapping these tough dilemmas in rich layers of cosmic and gothic horror, creating tense, atmospheric stories where the line between right and wrong is beautifully blurred.
Stephanie's ideal table
Who Fits Well at This Table? This table is built for players who want to be active co-creators of the story. You will fit in perfectly if: Diverse & Inclusive Players (🏳️🌈 Welcome!): My table is a safe, welcoming, and celebratory space for players of all backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, and experience levels. Diverse perspectives make our collaborative storytelling infinitely richer! You Love Character-Driven Narratives: I don't just run static adventures. I love taking your character’s backstory, personal goals, and history and weaving them directly into the main plot. You Enjoy Gray Moral Dilemmas: If you prefer complex, challenging choices where there isn't always an obvious "right" answer, you'll thrive in my games. You Want Your Choices to Matter: Actions have reactions. I run games where decisions have real, campaign-shaping consequences that respect your agency. You Value Collaboration: We are here to tell an amazing story together. I foster a highly supportive, welcoming, and safe environment where everyone gets their moment in the spotlight and players lift each other up.
Featured Prompts
If you're into ___, you're going to love my table
Spooky, cosmic horror and gritty, survival-focused adventures.
I think it's a red flag when players...
Constantly meta-game instead of staying in character, or when they act disruptively because they want to be the sole "main character" of the adventure. Collaborative storytelling is a team sport, and everyone at the table deserves an equal chance to shine and help shape the story!
Stephanie's Preferences
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