Michael: The Unreliable Narrator

he/him

5.0

(4)

Timezone

Pacific/honolulu

About Michael: The Unreliable Narrator

As a player… I have always found escaping into different worlds, characters, and times easy. As a child, I would pretend that I was one of the characters from the latest television show, a recent book read to me by my parents or even the saints and sinners from sabbath school. In middle school, I was often in trouble for writing strange and weird stories from the week's spelling list or challenging a teacher's assumptions about the world. I went to a boarding school in high school (not for bad behavior…the first time) and was introduced to roleplaying games. Through games like Dungeons & Dragons, Top Secret, Traveller, and Villains & Vigilantes, I could escape into fantastic worlds, be the hero or the villain, and imagine different pasts and futures to explore. As a professional… I have continued imagining different people, places, and times. I served in the military, traveled to exotic, distant lands, met exciting, unusual people, and didn't kill them. I lived in Cairo and studied the region's history, society, and culture. I developed wargames and simulations for three-letter agencies, trained personnel in information operations, and deployed to Afghanistan. I received my Ph.D. studying the role of narratives in shaping how we understand national security and have been an instructor since then. Why am I telling you all this? Because it has shaped who I am as a gamemaster.

At a glance

2 years on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Voices, Storytelling, Sets the Mood

How Michael: The Unreliable Narrator runs games

First, I am a gamemaster or dungeon master, referee, or whatever title any system uses. I make this claim upfront because regardless of an individual gamemaster's focus on combat, story, or exploration, the responsibility remains the same; provide a fun and safe space to explore different worlds and different places as somebody else. I create that space by knowing the rules, understanding the setting, and listening to what you want from the game. Second, I like a good story, but I am not a storyteller. I am the audience of your story. Is this just semantics? Maybe, but it is important because it frames the whole roleplaying experience. The setting and antagonists you face are based as much on your character’s history, relationships, and aspirations as it is on any overarching plot. In my games, you are the narrator of your character’s story. Third, I am the culmination of my personal and roleplaying experiences. And I bring these experiences to the game. This enables me to create interesting characters and places and to develop an appreciation of differences. I will respect those differences in my games and create a safe space for players. This is especially important in the types of games that I plan on running. Many have dark themes concerning the human condition, social ills, and questions of good and evil. Exploring these situations safely is critical to a great roleplaying experience. What is an unreliable narrator? A narrator that is not trustworthy and whose credibility is compromised.