Nathan

An excellent improv workshop! First, Salman knows his stuff! He clearly is both experienced and knowledgeable, explaining concepts well and with examples, and demonstrates with effortless skill without being intimidating. He also creates a comfortable environment for participants. It had been years since I took an improv workshop or did any proper improve games, but he provided a space where I could set aside any nerves and jump right back in, along with the right encouragement and permission to stumble or fumble without feeling too self-conscious or at all judged. He asked up front what each participant hoped to gain from the workshop; it felt great to be heard in this way, and feel like I was getting something real and valuable for myself. He was also able to achieve this despite a group with a diverse set of backgrounds, experience, and desired outcomes. Feedback was valuable as well, and nicely tailored for each participants (not something I would always necessarily expect from a group setting; a great bonus!). He was also respectful of participant's identities, both demonstrated this and making it real through gentle but clear corrections to misgendering. (Also, in the session I was in, all proceeds were going to charity. Nice to learn from someone who is willing to devote his time and money to a worthwhile and important cause!) Looking forward to another when I get a chance!

Nors has been a Loremaster for The One Ring for some time, and it shows! He knows what he is doing with both the world of the Middle-Earth and the system. One of the most impressive things is his prep: before bringing an adventure to the players, he runs through adventures first on his own using the Strider (solo) rules. As a result, he gains a good idea of the story along with how it looks from the players side. While his planning is serious, at the same time he is perfectly able to present things on the fly. He also has worked to put together a group of players that are serious about having fun, starting with committing to a schedule and being on time, and to creating fun characters and stories together.

Patient with someone who has been away from both TTRPGs and the Edge Star Wars system for awhile. Knows his stuff and is well prepared, clearly with a story in mind that is challenging, fun, and intriguing. He puts in a lot of work with the story and features beforehand, and plans ahead to include all characters' storylines/backstories in the campaign, including with invoking Obligation/Duty as appropriate. At the same time, he's good at coming up with an engaging encounter on the spot. Recommend!

Kris is an excellent Gamemaster/Loremaster! I have joined him for three different campaigns, which should be a strong testament to how much a enjoy and recommend his games. With The One Ring (TOR) he uses his good understanding of the system, experience as a GM, and knowledge of Tolkien to present, manage, and lead great game sessions for you, whether as a newbie to game, or long-time player. He is helpful to you if new to the system, walking you through character creation easily, explaining everything clearly, and showing great patience when you are still learning. He not only knows the rules and game concepts, but is also able to explain them to you understandably. At the same time, while he follows them faithfully, he makes things aren't so restrictive as to prevent you from exercising creativity, and just having fun. His knowledge of the lore helps enrich your experience without making you feel confused, out of place, or talked down to if you don't know as much about Middle-Earth. He creates an engaging and deep story for you to delve into, while at the same time being able to open up the epic world or quickly adapt or create for you in a "sandbox" style. You will also certainly meet interesting and differentiated NPCs along the way, which gives you the comfort and opportunity to engage in roleplaying as you feel able or see fit. You also will find that his descriptions of the scene, landscapes, and locales really bring to life the world and the idea of "theater of the mind" for you as a player. Last but not least, if you have particular concerns about safety and inclusivity, he fully embraces tools to help ensure it, and brings a deep level of respect to you as a person and a player, no matter who you are, how you identify, or what you bring to the table, bar none.