Yonah Sienna (@yonahsienna)

any/all

5.0

(5)

Timezone

America/new York

Language

English

Hebrew

Sign Language (American)

Identity

LGBTQ+

Queer

Neurodivergent

Artist

Teacher/Educator

Voice Actor

Women/Femme Identifying

Game Designer

Multi-lingual

About Yonah Sienna (@yonahsienna)

Hi! I'm Yonah, a long-time player and GM in multiple different RPGs. My "day jobs" are performing, teaching, and ASL interpreting, so I always love bringing interesting and engaging characters to life and helping people understands how the game system works as we explore together. I am also a huge history and linguistics buff, so I always put a lot of thought into the world we are exploring and throw in lots of interesting "easter eggs" and other hooks about the world we are playing in, that players can choose to engage with or not. I have many years of experience running D&D 5e, but I also love some of the more more indie TTRPGs (like FATE, PBtA, World of Darkness, Blades in the Dark, Kids on Brooms, Numenera, and Eclipse Phase) and I have actually designed a few game systems myself. If you are looking to FINALLY play that indie game that's been sitting on your shelf or wishlist, or you are interested in a custom game or adventure for your event (eg birthday party, business retreat, religious event, pre-wedding stag/doe/fox party, etc) please reach out! Find me on bluesky @yonahsienna, and the games I've designed at https://yonahsienna.itch.io/

At a glance

5 years on StartPlaying

Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, World Builder

Average response time: 1 hour

Response rate: 50%

Featured Prompts

I got started GMing...

after handing my GM a backstory that was longer than the adventure hook they were working from. 😅 They asked if I wanted to design the whole region of the world my character was from, and then later, if I'd like to guest GM a few sessions. The rest is history!

My favorite books are

So many! Magic Tree House, Animorphs, Isaac Asimov, and Artemas Fowl were favorites as a kid, as a teenager I got into the book series that shall not be named (you know the one). As an adult, I've struggled to read as much, but I love some China Mievelle, Michael Criton, and other sci fi and fantasy

My favorite shows/movies are

Lord of the Rings and The 100 are my #1 fantasy and sci fi loves, but I can appreciate pretty much anything with an interesting world and compelling characters

How Yonah Sienna (@yonahsienna) runs games

I aim for a balance of the three 'pillars' of RPGs: roleplay, combat, and exploration/investigation. I bring a lot of character art, maps, and other visual aids to help create an immersive experience. I am Jewish, queer, and neurodivergent and I don't tolerate bigotry or trolling at my table. Before the game, and during session zero, we will discuss what themes we definitely want to explore (green light), which themes we might engage with carefully (yellow light) and which themes we definitely don't want to be part of the game/story at all (red light). I also use other safety tools during play to make sure no lines are crossed and the game is as fun as it can be for everyone. If you are ever uncomfortable for any reason, whether it's something happening in the game, or the way someone is behaving, I will make sure it is dealt with quickly. My motto is "games are supposed to be fun", and everything I do in my planning and running of games comes back to that motto.

Featured Prompts

I deal with rules issues by...

First, seeking to understand what the intention behind the rule is. As a game designer myself, I understand that different rules often influence and balance each other out, so it's important to fully understand a rule, so you know how and when to creatively bend or break it.

My favorite trope is...

A group of misfits grow close and become each others found family.

Rules are...

(Pirate voice) "more like guidelines than actual rules". Jk, I try to keep things consistent and fair but I'll be happy to bend things every once in a while for rule of cool.

Yonah Sienna (@yonahsienna)'s ideal table

My ideal table is engaged, and curious, and excited to play! You do NOT need to be a master of improv, tactics, or detective work to participate, just as you don't need to actually be able to fly or do magic! As long as you're engaging with the world and having fun, I'm happy.

Featured Prompts

I am for a vibe that's...

Immersive, engaging, and memorable. I hope to guide us through a game and story that will make us laugh, cry, gasp with surprise, and hold our breath to see where the dice fall.

I love it when a player

Brings me a character with an interesting tie into the world, and/or a dynamic internal struggle. This is our imaginary adventure, you don't need to play it safe! Be bold, take risks, and let's find out what happens together.

My table is not the place for...

bigotry, intolerance, or any conduct that makes the table feel uncomfortable or unsafe. We can definitely play with characters and NPCs who have prejudices *in the game world* but there are tools and techniques to prevent that from bleeding into the real world.