Tory Kara

she/her

4.9

(20)

Timezone

America/denver

Language

English

Identity

LGBTQ+

Neurodivergent

Women/Femme Identifying

About Tory Kara

Hi everyone, I'm Tory. I'm a 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ and neurodivergent GM. I've been an avid TTRPG player and GM for almost a decade and a Pro GM here on StartPlaying for 4 years! I've always loved crafting worlds and creating cool stories. Discovering TTRPGs and how they allow you to create that way as a group, with fun people, completely changed the course of my life in the best way. RPGs are amazing and I always want to help more people get into playing. I do my best to create a gaming space where everyone feels safe and welcome. As a trans woman whose experience with TTRPGs helped me explore and find myself, giving my players (of any background) space to play with whatever, and to just feel comfortable and respected is super important to me. As long as you're kind, considerate, and want to play as a team, you're welcome at my "table."

At a glance

4 years on StartPlaying

317 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Storytelling

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

because of Stranger Things. I started looking into the game because that depiction of it seemed so fun and I watched actual plays to see what the game was like. I didn't know ANYONE who played, so I immediately started homebrewing my own world to get my friends to join. Been doing that ever since.

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

D&D 5e, Daggerheart, Dishonored.

When I'm not running games I'm...

Spending time with my partner, playing lots of video games, watching Critical Role or Dimension 20, occasionally picking up my guitar, and being a player in TTRPGs run by friends (as a forever GM, not often enough).

How Tory Kara runs games

First and foremost, storytelling is a collaborative effort. As long as I've been running games, I have always enjoyed crafting my own worlds/settings and giving them to my players to add to and make their mark on. Worlds where player/character choices can really matter and have impact, and that they can meaningfully interact with and change. Even in more linear games, I do my best to ensure there are numerous ways for a mystery to be solved or an obstacle to be overcome. Even if a game is a "railroad," there can be multiple tracks to switch between to arrive at the destination. I love when players come up with an unexpected way of going about something that makes the scenario so much better than I could have planned for. I love roleplay, mystery, intrigue, intense combat, exploration, and the occasional puzzle. I try to craft campaigns to be a mix of all those elements, so every type of player has fun and finds something to engage with. I usually try find ways to say yes whenever a player proposes something and allow for awesome memorable moments, allowing for rule of cool to take precedence without breaking the game. The rules-as-written are there for good reason, but if bending them at important times would make for a better experience/story, we'll do that. In long-term campaigns, I enjoy creating character arcs for each PC (if desired), sometimes connecting character backstories to the main plot in ways players might not expect. I love homebrewing and coming up with new things that surprise and delight my players.

Featured Prompts

If my games were Movies they'd be directed by...

If my games were video games they'd be developed by: Arkane Studios (Dishonored, Prey) Bethesda (Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Starfield) CD Projekt Red (Witcher, Cyberpunk) Remedy (Control, Alan Wake) Naughty Dog (The Last of Us, Uncharted).

My games focus on...

collaborative storytelling. Getting other points of view and people involved in the creative process is what RPGs are all about in my mind.

Rules are...

important, but should absolutely be bent if it makes for a better experience or story. The most important rule is to have fun. A game's rules/mechanics should never get in the way of fun.

Tory Kara's ideal table

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

fun, creative, accepting, respectful, collaborative, and queer.

I love it when a player

...is excited about collaborative storytelling. ...buys into the world and the game we're playing. ...creates a character that reflects the world they're playing in. ...helps and looks out for their fellow players.

My table is not the place for...

any form of bigotry, harassment, bullying, or hate of any kind. At my table we respect everyone, whatever their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability! Anyone who mistreats any other players (or me) will swiftly get removed from the group.