That Weird Ghost

he/him

5.0

(2)

Timezone

America/los Angeles

Language

English

Identity

LGBTQ+

Neurodivergent

Published Writer

Artist

About That Weird Ghost

I’ve been a Dungeon Master and Storyteller for over 25 years. My home soil is the dark earth of the World of Darkness, but my influences are endless. I’ve spent decades analyzing the mechanics and lore of everything from Ravenloft and L5R to HOL and Mork Borg. I’m an obsessive worldbuilder. Outside of gaming, I’m a published author and have worked as a graphic designer, and I can't help but bring that creative energy to the table. I pour a lot of myself into the details because I want the world to feel real to you. I strive to create an experience that goes beyond the dice, giving players a handcrafted setting rich enough to lose themselves in and earn victories that leave their heart racing.

At a glance

Less than a year on StartPlaying

2 games hosted

Highly rated for: Rule of Cool, Storytelling, Inclusive

Featured Prompts

I became a GM because

I love storytelling. I love building worlds. Doing voices. I love getting to put something together that allows people to run away from the world for a while, to lose themselves a little bit, and more than anything to have fun.

My favorite system of all Time is

Without question White-Wolf Publishing's Storyteller System, for the World of Darkness games (and Exalted, and Aberrant). It's my "comfort zone." Also I think it's pretty intuitive once it has been learned, and easy to teach.

The three words my players would use to describe me are...

I asked the players at my current table and came up with: theatrical, devious, and...sadistic. But players also said forgiving and merciful, so take that as you will.

How That Weird Ghost runs games

At my table, story is everything. It is the end all, be all. I don't just want to run a game. I want to build a shared story, a shared world, that my table and I can lose ourselves in. I invest heavily in worldbuilding, in lore, in history. I also invest heavily in a deep Session Zero, so that when the game does start, my players know exactly who their characters are, know about the world they'll be inhabiting and the story they'll be helping to tell. I want for my players to feel like their characters have roots, and I want them to be able to inhabit their characters and the world of the story. I strive to create moments that get reactions out of my players, I want to see emotion. Joy and sorrow and rage and everything in-between. I pull hard on using sensory details, crafting the atmosphere, making my prose and narrative evocative. Also, I love using music while I run games, and invest a good bit of time and thought in curating soundtracks for them. I paint with dark colors. I lean into survival scenarios, horror elements, and high-stakes action not to punish players, but to challenge them. I believe the most profound character growth happens when your back is against the wall. At my table I want to tell a story that moves you, but nothing is free. Survival is earned.

Featured Prompts

I prep by

Doing an absolutely absurd amount of worldbuilding. I don't do a lot of hard plotting, I leave where the story inevitably goes to the players. But I want to create a massive, breathing world full of characters and choices for them to explore. And take apart.

Rules are...

There for a reason but they should never be iron-clad unless it has to do with player safety. Beyond that? I subscribe to the Golden Rule. If a rule is causing any kind of issue, it can be altered or ignored to preserve having fun and keeping the story moving.

When it comes to voices

Voices are one of my favorite things. Not every NPC gets a bespoke voice, but I strive to lean into doing them. It helps the immersion, helps cultivate a more evocative story.

That Weird Ghost's ideal table

My ideal table is a group of collaborative storytellers who understand that roleplaying is a team sport. I want players who are proactive. Players who don't just wait for the plot to happen to them, but go out and chase it. Or run from it. I am looking for players who buy into the game, the world. Players who are willing to engage with the lore, embrace the tone. If I describe a horrific monster, I want to see players actually roleplay their reactions not just check their spells. I want players who are willing to share the spotlight, also. I set up a lot of specific moments and scenes, and the best is when the party lifts each other up. I want to see inter-party roleplay and relationships develop. Most of my games have a hardcore, survivalist lean to them and things can and often do go wrong. At my table, I want to see players who can roll with the punches and see failure as a challenge and a plot twist, not the end of the road. More than anything, though, at my table we’re there to have fun. And that means a lot of things, but it more than anything means respecting each other as people, respecting our time and boundaries.

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

Deep, oftentimes heavy. Explorative, psychologically and philosophically, as well as delving into adventure. But I appreciate humor, wit. I want my players to feel emboldened to embrace the choices their characters would really make, and to think out what they're doing.

I love it when a player

Genuinely surprises me and makes me think. Does something that makes me have to question everything I've setup. But most especially I love it when a player goes all out and gets fully into their character, dives deep into their role.

My table is not the place for...

Bickering, showboating, sniping, passive aggressiveness. If you're not there to collaborate, to tell a story, to have fun then please don't bother.