Carolyn
she/her
5.0
(19)
Timezone
Language
Identity
About Carolyn
As an instructional designer by training, I am deeply passionate about bringing players into this incredible hobby and making tabletop roleplaying accessible to everyone. I pride myself on breaking down the aspects of D&D that can feel intimidating or confusing... providing them in manageable, bite-sized pieces so you can focus on the fun without the overwhelm. My ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between complex game systems and great, collaborative storytelling. Whether you are stepping up to the virtual table for the very first time or you are a seasoned veteran looking for a highly supportive environment, I work hard to ensure every player feels confident, empowered, and ready to shine from session one.
At a glance
Less than a year on StartPlaying
10 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Creativity
$10 per session
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Featured Prompts
I became a GM because
...I fell in love with collaborative storytelling. There is nothing better than creating a living, breathing world and watching players shape it with their choices. I started GMing to build organized, immersive spaces where everyone gets to be the hero of a shared adventure.
People are always surprised when I tell them
...that I am relatively new to DMing! My background as a jazz musician makes me a natural at improvisation. I lean heavily into the 'yes, and...' philosophy, riffing on your creative choices to build an amazing story.
When I'm not running games I'm...
...spending time with my husband and three kids, playing board games, cooking, or prepping for my next D&D session!
How Carolyn runs games
My GMing style is rooted in my education background... I focus on clarity, inclusion, and a patient, supportive approach. I lean heavily into emotional roleplay, fully committing to the personalities and motivations of my NPCs to pull you into the story and raise the narrative stakes. For combat, I design custom, cinematic encounters with dynamic hazards, but I treat rules as a framework for creativity rather than a strict barrier. I am always rooting for my players and gladly reward out-of-the-box thinking. Ultimately, I strive to create an immersive, ensemble-driven game supplemented by visual aids and audio where everyone gets their moment to shine.
Featured Prompts
I deal with rules issues by...
...prioritizing the story. If a rule is unclear in the moment, I make a quick, fair ruling to keep the action flowing rather than digging through books. We can look up complex issues after the game. I treat the rules as a flexible framework, not a rigid barrier.
My games focus on...
...collaborative storytelling and meaningful player agency. I build atmospheric, reactive worlds where your choices have real consequences, ensuring every character shines. Above all, I prioritize a welcoming, relaxed table where you feel empowered to take creative risks.
Carolyn's ideal table
We play live on Roll20 and Discord, using custom maps, visual aids, and audioscapes to build an immersive world. Combat is cinematic and heavily homebrewed with dynamic hazards and ticking clocks... so the narrative never stalls. It is a balance of deep, emotional storytelling and a relaxed, laugh-out-loud atmosphere. We might cheer a massive critical hit one minute and sit in dead silence over a tragic ghostly reunion the next. We take the stakes seriously, but never ourselves. My table is for you if you're... A Story-Driven Empath: You love deep lore, interacting with NPCs, and genuinely care about the world. A Creative Tactician: You prefer dynamic, out-of-the-box problem solving over standard hack-and-slash combat. A Collaborative Cheerleader: You love hyping up your party members and working together to unravel dark mysteries.
Carolyn's Preferences
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