The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

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Alethan
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The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#1 Post by Alethan »

Not all GMs are the same. Some follow the rules like a bible while others are a bit more free with decisions. One GM may expect you to post every day, or even multiple times a day, and another may only want you to post once a week! Some GMs handle most or all of the dice rolling; others allow players to roll the dice when possible.

Therefore, as a player, it is important to know what you are getting into when you sign up for a game with a GM. Below is a list of GMs on the Unseen Servant forum. Each name is a hyperlink taking you to a post in this thread that provides details on how that GM runs their games.

GMs of the Unseen Servant:
TooleyChris
wolfpack
Magnus
dmw71
Hedgeknight
thirdkingdom
Rukellian
Eulalios
GreyWolfVT
Grognardsw
Antman9
Shonuff
Keehnelf
FronkyDondo
Computer+1
Alebelly
Monkeywrench
Stirling
Mister-Kent
YamItheOnly1
Starbeard
DavetheLost
Griffith
Coil23
Marullus
Spearmint
Tamerlaine
Spartakos
Inferno
drpete
Gelatinous Q
RotFuchs
tibbius
ffilz
roryb
Valdus
BackworldTraveller
jemmus
.
.
.

If you are a GM on the Unseen Servant and you would like to be included in this thread, please fill out the following form and send the information to me (Alethan) in a PM. I will add your name to the list and post your information in the thread. In order to reduce eliminate derailing chatter, this thread will remain locked at all times.

The GMs Of The Unseen Servant Form:
Name: <Your Unseen Servant User Name Here>

Systems I'm willing to run: <e.g. B/X, BECMI, 2.0e, etc.>

Settings I prefer: <e.g. published settings, homebrew, something else?>

Games that I've run before: <Include links to previous pbp games, here or on other forums.>

The Crunchy Bits: <How you run games mechanically? Do you make all dice rolls or do the players make some? Are you by the book or use a lot of house rules? etc.>

The Fluffy Bits: <Desired mix of combat v. roleplay. Amount of backstory typically desired. What are some preferred setting elements (High fantasy/Low fantasy/Grimdark fantasy/etc.)?>

Player Expectations: <Posting rate? How important is grammar and spelling? Any other expectations?>

Selling Myself: <Anything that does not fit above or will make me want to play your game. What is FUN about playing in your game?>

Note #1: GMs, I will not be editing your submissions, so keep that in mind when you write. Put your best foot forward!

Note #2: There will be no such thread for players. The purpose of the Introductions and Welcomes topic is for players to introduce themselves to the rest of the forum. Take that opportunity to indicate your play style, if you so choose.

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TooleyChris

#2 Post by Alethan »

Name: TooleyChris

Systems I'm willing to run: BECMI, BRP, Gamma World (1sted), Open to some others

Settings I prefer: depends on the system, mostly published with some homebrew sprinkled in.

Games that I've run before:
April 2031 - A Gamma World Campaign
Silverymoon - A BRP Fantasy Campaign

The Crunchy Bits: Players are encouraged to make their own rolls and I do tend to use a lot of house rules.

The Fluffy Bits: I am a roleplaying gamer and DM. Their will typically be a fair share of action in my games, but players will be rewarded for good RP.

Player Expectations: I prefer players who can post at least once per day. (Weekends optional) I don't mind spelling errors or abbreviations OOC. My campaigns have a place for OOC chat and prefer this is used to avoid cluttering the action threads.

Selling Myself: I use Mapmaker and another 3D engine for my games so the player can see the action /RP unfold. I'm a rules light DM and have no problem helping players with no experience with the system I'm using. It's all about the RP fun with me. If you're style is purely hack'n'slash, you may have more fun in another game.
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Wolfpack

#3 Post by Alethan »

Name: Wolfpack

Systems I'm willing to run: 1E AD&D

Settings I prefer: homebrew

Games that I've run before:
Aroth
Kingdoms and Dungeon Crawls

The Crunchy Bits: Players make their own rolls and I use several home rules.

The Fluffy Bits: I believe that the story is the game and players decisions and rolls just help shape the stories eventual ending. I like for characters to have a back story so I can try to incorporate it. There needs to be a good mix of action and role play.

Player Expectations: Can vary by game but in general at least once per day minus weekends.

Selling Myself: I try to make my games more than a series of events, more a story written as the game progresses into an epic adventure. I have written several modules published on dragonsfoot.

The Disapearance of Harold the Hedge Mage
The Hunt for Istan
Isensan's secret
The Chaos Halls of Belzir
Pop goes the Meazel
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Magnus

#4 Post by Alethan »

Name: Magnus

Systems I'm willing to run: OSRIC; the Window; 3E with a minimum of splatbooks

Settings I prefer: Homebrew, loosely adapted ASOIAF, loosely adapted Greyhawk, FR. I hate "canon geeks"

Games that I've run before:
Hordelands

The Crunchy Bits: Mostly BtB with some internalized house rules and lots of room for improvisation and the "Rule of Cool"; I use critical hits and misses, so fun stuff happens on rolls of 20 or 1.

The Fluffy Bits: I like an action-oriented game, though will do my best to bring the action to life in the context of the game plot and setting. Character death happens occasionally. Try to make player fun the #1 goal.

Player Expectations: Fast moving -- at least 1x/day; Reasonable efforts to use proper grammar and spelling; Players expected to inject some color in their posts

Selling Myself:

I regularly get "fan mail" for my games from lurkers.

I run one game at a time and do not play in any, so all my attention is devoted to the one game.

My game is the most commonly posted in topic for most of my players, even those who are DMs.
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dmw71

#5 Post by Alethan »

Name: dmw71 (Dave)


The Crunchy Bits:
(1) I do like to run organized games, and am big on linking posts for easy navigation within the game.
(2) Since this will be my first time running a Pathfinder game, I will be using the rules as written except for a single house rule. As I do have previous experience DM'ing games here on the Unseen Servant forums, I do have some specific rules set up to handle that aspect of gameplay, but the rules themselves will be largely untouched. That said, if I discover something that is broken, I'll fix it.
(3) Expect me to make all skill checks rolls, unless I specifically request one from the player.
(4) I like to keep all character information hidden, so each player will have their own private forum (which will mirror the main, public forum). All character information will be stored in this private forum, which can also be used for any other requests the player or character would like to make that wouldn't be public knowledge.
(5) Just as each player will have their own private forum, they will also have their own 'campaign' set up in the die roller. The purpose of this is to keep all player rolls (e.g. hit points) private as well. Any time the GM needs to make a roll against a player (e.g. monster attack/damage), that roll will be made using the 'campaign' for that player, so only the player and GM know the result.
(6) I do not "fudge" rolls, for monsters or players. Half the excitement of the game lies in the random results.
(7) My maps suck. However, I have been exploring some virtual tabletop options which, if I can figure them out in time, should improve this.


The Fluffy Bits:
(1) When I was introduced to RPGs, I played exclusively in hack-and-slash games, and that is still where my comfort lies. I'm working to improve my comfort level when it comes to role-playing.
(2) I tend to run a more "realistic" fantasy game, where little details matter. While not obsessively so, I keep an eye on encumbrance and will check the inventory of a character to make sure they possess an item they're attempting to use. I track how long a light source has been lit, and how far the light extends. I believe mapping is the responsibility of the character/player. While I will provide a sectional map to the players marking the space that they're currently in, I do not simply provide overview maps on a whim.


Player Expectations:
(1) I believe consistency is extremely important and request a post-per-day (excluding weekends and major US holidays) posting rate from my players. This expectation may be a bit relaxed for this game in the beginning as I familiarize myself with running the game, but will hopefully become more regular as my comfort level grows.
(2) Be involved in the game. Even if your character might not actively be involved in the main action at a given moment in time, there's something they can be doing.
(3) Be considerate of your fellow players (and your GM). This includes being honest with your die rolls.


Selling Myself:
(1) I tend to be a player's DM and will typically give them the benefit of the doubt, but I do play monsters intelligently and to the best of their abilities (where even goblins and kobolds can be a challenge if played well).
(2) I am very receptive to player suggestions. If I screw something up, or if you have a recommendation for something that can be improved, let me know. I do not always implement every player suggestion I receive, but every suggestion will be considered.


Games that I've run:
(1) Adventures in Foxmoor (Completed)
(2) Resurface (LL) (Completed)
(3) Dave's 2E Sandbox (Current)
(4) Dave's Pathfinder Game (Recruiting)
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Hedgeknight

#6 Post by Alethan »

Name: Hedgeknight

Systems I'm willing to run: 1E, 2E, & 3.5E

Settings I prefer: Greyhawk (1E), Forgotten Realms (2E/3.5E), Homebrew (2E/3.5E)

Games that I've run before:
The Darnathian Prophecies
Greyhawk Adventures
Hedge's Forgotten Realms Adventures

The Crunchy Bits: I tend to be a "rules lite" DM and like the players to be involved as much as possible with game mechanics and dice rolling. Of course, as DM, I have the final say.

The Fluffy Bits: I get bored easily, so I like a lot of action. I like the characters moving and talking and role-playing during tense moments, combat, and preparation for encounters. This preference probably goes back to the early days of being a player. I like a brief character background (meaning 1-2 paragraphs) with some "nuggets" of info I can use and incorporate into the game. My preferred type of fantasy gaming is mix of high/low with some grittiness thrown in.

Player Expectations: Players should be able to post 2-3 times a week; more during combat. Grammar and spelling is somewhat important. If I don't know what the hell you're saying, how am I supposed to know what your character is doing? The most important factor for a player to have in my games is maturity. While it is not always the case, this typically comes with age, and it is why I normally have a minimum age requirement for my players. No whining, no drama, no verbal backstabbing will be tolerated. If your attitude is "Oh, this might be a fun game, I think I'll try it" then don't choose my game. If you commit to my game, then show up and play! My other players and I are counting on you!

Selling Myself: I'm an old-timer with 32 years of gaming experience, and 28 of those as a semi-permanent DM. I try to make my games exciting and challenging, and work with my players to incorporate their ideas for their characters.
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thirdkingdom

#7 Post by Alethan »

Name: thirdkingdom

Systems I'm willing to run: OD&D, B/X, BECMI, Dark Dungeons, Labyrinth Lord, ACKS, Swords and Wizardry.

Settings I prefer: Homebrew or Mystara.

Games that I've run before:
In Search of Adventure
Strangers in a Strange Land

The Crunchy Bits: I make all the rolls in the game including for character creation. I play pretty much by the book, but borrow and clarify when needed. I try to rely on random dice results as much as possible, limiting the amount of planning I need to do. I firmly believe the story is what happens during play, not what is planned out in advance. I also post links to almost all of my dice rolls, and am open about what is going on behind the screen.

The Fluffy Bits: I shoot for a 50/50 mix of combat and role-playing. I typically run pretty sandboxy, hexcrawl adventures. I prefer low fantasy, with plenty of pulpy elements thrown in.

Player Expectations: I shoot for a post rate of once per day from all players, with a mandatory 24-hour turn-around in combat. I do not puppet characters. Players that do not post for a certain period of time -- without prior warning -- or are unable to maintain their character sheets will be asked to leave the games.

I require that OOC comments be made either in spoilers or in the OOC thread, for longer or tangential comments. I insist that players have a basic mastery of spelling and grammar. Reading posts riddled with consistent spelling and grammatical mistakes is too much like work. I also insist that players learn to make posts that drive the game forward. Nothing infuriates me more than players who post "Dymar is fine with whatever the rest of the group wants to do." That, to me, is a worthless post and waste of space. Please, have an opinion, and be not afraid to state it!


Selling Myself: I like to think I run a pretty good, tight game. I am always recruiting new players for the waitlist, as I like to run games with decent sized parties.
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Rukellian

#8 Post by Alethan »

Name: Rukellian

Currently undergoing changes - come back later!
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Eulalios

#9 Post by Alethan »

Name: Eulalios

Systems I'm willing to run: Adventure Fantasy Game; Old School Hack; Fictive Hack; OSRIC; Swords & Wizardry; d6 from WEG

Settings I prefer: Avalon Hill's Magic Realm; the City of Foam (homebrew); Calimport (Forgotten Realms); the Vilhon Reach (FR).

Games that I've run before:
To the Tower
City of Foam

The Crunchy Bits: I like familiarity with rule set but I'm totally open to OOC discussions of how to assess an outcome. Prefer that I roll for NPCs and players roll for PCs; really liking the US DR. I post my house rules.

The Fluffy Bits: I like combat but more than that I like believable characterizations (of PCs and NPCs). {most of the following is driven by previous players, not by anything I've seen here} Don't expect to get into pitched battle with any random guardsman absent severe provocation and if you do, expect consequences from fighting with random guardsmen. Adventure and danger will arise most likely in remote places. I like what some refer to as "skirt length" backstories; want the game to be the middle of your character's life, not the culmination. Atmosphere tends to low fantasy / slice of life / veering into horror and grimdark.

Player Expectations: I like players who understand the point of roleplay is to form a team that has a great time smashing through, derailing, and otherwise overturning the obstacles that I set up. It's also nice if you can play self-motivating characters.

Selling Myself I have a bizarre (and apparently NSFF, so I'll tone it down) sense of humor. Um. What else? I like to write poetry and I like to read everything. My favorite authors include Tolstoy, wildbowpig, Rowling (A Casual Vacancy, moreso than Harry Potter), R.E. Howard (no longer severely under-rated), Hemingway (everyone says this, but seriously), Lieber, Cherryh, Peter Watts, Gaiman, Pratchett, Lev Grossman (the arch narration gets stale), Dunsany, Cabell, Bradbury, Heinlein, Brust, King, Palahniuk, Pynchon, Kerouac, Yeats, Hesse (transl.), Lorca, Borges, Garcia Marquez, and many others.
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GreyWolfVT

#10 Post by Alethan »

Name: GreyWolfVT

Systems I'm willing to run: AD&D 2/2.5e, Fallout PnP

Settings I prefer: Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, DragonLance, RavenLoft, Al-Qadim, Oriental Adventures, GreyHawk, Home Brew.

Games that I've run before:
Terrible Trouble at Tragidore (2e)
Others not PbP all Home Brews

The Crunchy Bits: Namely AD&D 2e as I am a bit newer to the 2.5e parts. Typically character made with 4d6 drop lowest, re-roll lowest stat or anything below a 8. Some house rules but mainly by the book rulings.

The Fluffy Bits: Character back stories not required but it adds to the role-play, I like to have a good mix of humor, battle and role-play. I am not all hack and slash. I like to sometimes mix things into settings i.e. pull spelljammer parts into a normal D&D setting, or cross over something from another setting or even mix mid-evil with futuristic technology.

Player Expectations: Posting rate of at least 1-2 times a day not counting weekends. Spelling not a big issue, grammar not a problem I make spelling errors and typos myself. If I need clearification I'll PM the same can be done by a player to myself.

Selling Myself: Kickback have fun that is what this is all about let your imagination take hold and play.
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Grognardsw

#11 Post by Alethan »

Name: Grognardsw (Bill)

Systems I'm willing to run: 1e, B/X, OD&D, LL, OSRIC

Settings I prefer: Homebrew and modified published material. I draw from classic fantasy literature.

Games I’ve run before:
War Is Hell: The Palace of the Silver Princess and its evil counter-campaign The Evil That Men Do
The Keep on the Borderlands

The Crunchy Bits: Games run by-the-book mostly, creativity encouraged, not many house rules. Players roll their dice unless they vote otherwise. Yes on criticals and fumbles.

The Fluffy Bits: Current milieu influences are Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard, HP Lovecraft, Fritz Leiber, authors of DMG Appendix N. Story is important, twists and sense of mystery is nice. Plot-driven action is frequent as that seems to drive post volume though ideally it wouldn’t have to be that way.

Player Expectations: Preferred post rate every 1-2 days. Role-playing and backstory appreciated, rewarded and worked into the adventure. Spilling an grammer is importent. Have fun.

Selling Myself: I like sunset walks on castle ramparts, romantic tavern dinners, big breastplates, high charisma, group play... For PbP: Like many, I played heavily 1979-1990, stopped, came back to it a few years ago. I'm (hopefully) creative. Like to surprise, if such a thing is possible with you jaded folks. ;) Use infrequently seen monsters and challenges. Open minded to player ideas. Descriptive and heavy on pictures. Old school graph paper maps often provided. Snack and mountain dew served. Adding players soon, inquire within.
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Antman9

#12 Post by Alethan »

Name: Antman9 (Marc)

Systems I'm willing to run (in order of preference):
(1) House Rules (1E/2E/Other Mashup)
(2) OD&D
(3) Outbreak Undead


Settings I prefer:
Dungeon crawls are my meat and potatoes. I’ve grown bored of the political setting where men plot and rise up against men in the age old battle of will and power. Yawn, I say. I live and breathe the political and competitive rule of men every day in real life. In D&D I try to throw in a healthy smattering of settings, including dungeons, to keep gameplay fresh. This includes all the strange and wonderful creatures I can find, not just bandits and evil clerics. This is Dungeons & Dragons dadblast it!

Games that I've run before:
(1) Savage Tide Adventure Path (adapted for AD&D) (Non-PBP)
(2) Homebrew PBP
(3) Various AD&D Modules


The Crunchy Bits:
I run a simple Homebrew Core Rule Set that I have been developing for some time now. I playtested the rule set on tabletop and PBP for over a year. Rules are light and roleplaying encouraged. I allow the players to roll their own dice as much as possible. Players in my world are encouraged to think outside the box. The rules are used as an outline, the framework if you will, for the more import roleplaying aspect.

The Fluffy Bits:
I play each and every creature and NPC as if they were individuals, each one thinking and acting according the their pathology and current setting. I try to keep a healthy selection of settings and creatures to keep the action moving along. I always have two or three loose plot threads floating throughout the campaign, allowing the players to move about as they please. My campaigns are typically a combination of dungeon style combat with a bit of story mixed in—everything has a purpose in my world, some more important than others. My adventures tend to be a combination of commercial modules (as a framework only, when I use them), my own hand drawn maps, and my own stories (sometimes modified from other sources). I want everyone to have new/original material to enjoy.

Player Expectations:
I expect players to think more about their character’s persona and backstory than their stats and bonuses. I prefer to see a well thought out character consisting of personality, quirks, likes, dislikes, strengths, flaws, things of this nature. I try to discourage the typical black and white stereotypes.

I ask that players consider their character’s actions, and their own for that matter, with the group in mind. There is no Good or Evil, only choice and consequence.

For my forums I only ask that players think about posts from their character’s point of view, to give it their best at roleplaying, and leave their personal opinions at home. When we are in the game forum we are in a fantasy world not a philosophical (or any other) debate club. I am open to ideas from players but will not debate a point. When I have made a decision and posted it I am done.

Post rates for my forums typically run about once a day, sometimes more when I have time. Once every 24 hours is acceptable if that is all a player can manage. I try to post more often when I can, some days are better than others.


Selling Myself:
Well, now that we have the serious stuff out of the way let’s get to the fun stuff. I really enjoy DM’ing. A lot. I love creating the world and watch it grow as players interact with it. When the players are having fun, I’m having fun, and when they’re not, I change things until they do. For me the world of D&D is about “We” not “I.”

The player's character persona, backstory, and how they play their character are the most important aspects of the game for me, and having fun of course. I am always open to suggestions and criticism—I welcome it.
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Shonuff

#13 Post by Alethan »

Name: Shonuff

Systems I'm willing to run: AD&D 2nd Ed (with houserules) RP heavy

Settings I prefer: Homebrew AD&D (Realmsesque world)

Games that I've run before: A few good campaigns here ( check the closed games)

The Crunchy Bits: Unseen die roller, and I usually will make random rolls for players for things they may not notice if they fail.

The Fluffy Bits: Need strong roleplayers, not ROLLplayers. I like a good backstory and usually work with most every character concept and help tweak it to fit my world..i despise min maxers and power gamers.

Player Expectations: Posting rate is once every few days (now), expect lots of speech and be able to read. Spelling your posts isn't that important, but please make it resemble a form of english

Selling Myself: i'm fair.. i'm inventive, i will write you into a damn great story, and anyone whos played in my campaigns will sing my good points for me. you'll never be bored in my world.
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Keehnelf

#14 Post by Alethan »

Name: Keehnelf

Systems I'm willing to run:
Labyrinth Lord, D&D 3.x, Burning Wheel, Torchbearer

Settings I prefer:
Primarily homebrew (see fluffy bits, below)

Games that I've run before:
No PbP (this is an exciting time of learning!) but lots of FtF: OD&D, AD&D, 2e, 3.x, Werewolf, Rifts, Heroes Unlimited, Call of Cthulhu, Earthdawn, The Burning Wheel

The Crunchy Bits:
I am not a rules lawyer, and how closely I adhere to the rules depends a lot on the system. For Burning Wheel games the fluff of the game is a consequence of following the system so I'm a lot more of a stickler there. For D&D/clone type games things are sometimes a bit faster and looser as I play an amalgam of a number of systems on occasion, picking and choosing what works well depending on my players' needs. I try to document all my house rules or oddities (not too many). With regard to dice rolling--I am a referee, so I roll on behalf of the world and you roll on behalf of your character.

The Fluffy Bits:
I am a big, BIG fan of emergent story. That is, the tales that emerge when we set up circumstances around a set of characters with strong motivations and then we allow the rules of the game adjudicate what happens from there. My games are sandbox-y, with lots of overarching "plots" running through them that the PCs can engage or disregard at their whim. In the past I've found that one of the hooks I provide is usually more compelling to a group than the others and they tend to relentlessly pursue it because they then feel invested, but I neither encourage nor discourage this kind of play. The main theme underlying all of my games is "history" in all its various forms. This ranges from the "grand march of history", the tales of nations and rulers and wars, to really exploring the legacy that each individual character (including NPC) leaves behind in the game world, to exploring how the actions of the PCs affect, play into, perpetuate or come into conflict with historical forces or patterns that have existed in the game world. I get most excited about geeky small things like when characters are concerned about their reputations within a town/society/kingdom, or when a bard or other PC comes up with an interesting retelling of their adventures to share with the NPC populace. That said, my fantasy worlds are always strongly "post-apocalyptic" (where did all these ancient ruins come from?) but usually don't involve much, if any, sci-fi content.

In sum, I like curious players with ambitious (or at least self-motivated) characters who will engage with the world and help everyone in the group create interesting stories together, who understand that change is a part of growth and that characters shouldn't be all charted out in your head from the beginning of their career--opportunities and challenges will both arise that can influence a character's development and part of good storytelling is adapting to and embracing those developments.


Player Expectations:
I'm new at this format but I would expect a post a day on average from each player, with hopefully one post on the weekend, but that's not hard and fast.

Selling Myself:
My games are meaty--if you're engaged there is a lot to discover and do, and I guarantee that your engagement will be rewarded in the fiction if not mechanically. I try to pack fun set-pieces, challenging encounters (puzzles, combats, etc.) and difficult moral/ethical/social conflicts into all my games so you as players find yourselves engaged on multiple levels. I will meet you where you are in terms of desired story type (though I will not hand out goals on a platter--you will need to fight for them), and I will support you in your use of the system as needed.

As a teaser:
My last three face-to-face campaigns involved, in reverse order, a quest by a group of elves across orc-infested wilderness to plant one of the last surviving mallorn saplings in appropriately fertile ground before it withered and died (The Burning Wheel), a pitched battle against a pack of rabid giant weasels that slew half the party (Labyrinth Lord), and a dungeon delve to bring a chaotic evil gnome apothecary to justice before he could perform a demon-summoning ritual immediately beneath the most populous city in the land (3.5e)--part of the lead-up to this confrontation involved a cunning plan to dress up as ghosts and convince a group of gnomes to admit to the authorities that they are not, in fact, dead and had simply been camping.

So I have a bit of range.
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Alethan
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FronkyDondo

#15 Post by Alethan »

Name: FronkyDondo

Systems I'm willing to run: 1st Edition AD&D (Maybe some Unearthed Arcana)

Settings I prefer: Greyhawk; homebrew

Games that I've run before: None online!

The Crunchy Bits: I usually stick to the rules, but I have a few house tweaks. I figure a combination of DM and players for die rolls. i'd like to leverage the tools on this site (the macros, e.g.)

The Fluffy Bits: I like a mix of hack and slash. But seriously, I like 50% H&S, 20% puzzles, with rest being exposition, setting and role play.

Player Expectations: Posting rate should be daily at least. you don't have to be super-involved (hourly), but if there are some players that want to go,faster, that's alright with me.

Selling Myself: I am into the golden age of D&D: AD&D 1979-1982. So modules from that period are my inspiration: classic crawls like A1-A4, G1-2-3, D series, S1-4. For rules, I prefer original DM's guide, but I'll consider parts of Unearthed Arcana. I like the ability generation methods I.-IV. I allow most classes (Monks, Bards, Assassins), alignments, races - no Half-ogre - maybe Drow. No Cavaliers.
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Alethan
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Computer +1

#16 Post by Alethan »

Name: Computer +1

Systems I'm willing to run: 2nd Ed.

Settings I prefer: I prefer to run homebrew but I borrow and take from many existing sources.

Games that I've run before: I am currently running Mud, Blood and Pain.

The Crunchy Bits: 2nd edition is the only way to play in my opinion. I therefore run 2nd edition games with some House Rules. I prefer that DM rolls are hidden and secret and I expect player to understand that this is a game where decisions can lead to bad ends for characters.

The Fluffy Bits: To me D&D is about Role Playing. I expect players to really get into their character and fully flesh out their characters background, personality, skills, family and everything else. I hate premade characters. I hate characters that have no personality. I hate hack and slash. There should be a reason your character acts they way it does. In real life people dont always get along and that is ok. Imagine all your co workers in real life being armed. Then imagine them all being faced by a dragon. Would you get along with them all?

Player Expectations: Ideally I would like a post a day but I understand when real life gets in the way. Currently my game is running slowly since we are in the summer. Thats fine so long as my players are happy.

Selling Myself: Everyone likes different flavors of ice cream. The flavor of my games is dirt, dust, sweat, tears and blood. Sugar, fairy dust, and happy thoughts are not allowed.
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Alethan
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Alebelly

#17 Post by Alethan »

Name: AleBelly

Systems I'm willing to run: BECMI and clones, OSRIC

Settings I prefer: home-brewed sandboxes, with a few bits of published material thrown in

Games that I've run before: I've run a face-to-face BECMI with my son (and occasionally other relatives) for several months.

The Crunchy Bits: Rolling the dice is part of the fun of the game, so I like players to roll their own (always linked via the dice roller). Exceptions are instances where the character wouldn't know their chances of success (for example, looking for secret doors, hiding in shadows, etc). I'll perform these rolls. The wilderness areas I create are hex-based, with their own random encounter frequencies and strength of monsters/humanoids based on location. I do not scale the difficulty of these regions based on party size/strength. The party should try to find out about areas before entering them...

The Fluffy Bits: I enjoy both combat and role-play. I like well-developed characters and seeing how they react in tough situations (for instance, risk TPK or leave a critically injured party member behind). Player conflict, if done constructively, is perfectly OK in my game.

I want the players to feel as if their actions leave an imprint on the world. My games won't be simple marches through a dungeon. There will be some of that, but they will hopefully also make alliances, cause disturbances in the monster ecosystem, and other things I haven't even thought of. These will all have tangible impacts on the world they explore (even if they don't always see it play out in real time). My campaign will be fantasy-based, but I will pull from medieval history and mythology of the area to get some ideas.

Randomness plays a big role in my game. In real life and in RPGs, randomness can very occasionally lead to very interesting circumstances. I will plant my own plot hooks, but like to overlay them with randomness. I really enjoy crafting stories around some of the anomalies that pop up this way.

Player Expectations: Roleplaying is important. I think the best games spring from those that have well-developed characters, including a fleshed out background with clear motivations and goals. I like sandboxes, and the more a player puts into a character, the more control they have over the events in the worlds I create with the players. I also hope players will push back if they think I've made an error or done something unfair. A successful game is one in which we work together - I don't see myself as an adversary to the players, but I do want to offer a challenge to them.

I expect players to be able roll with the punches, and to be able to accept consequences for bad decisions. If you want to play invincible, always heroic characters, I'm probably not going to run a game you'd like.

Selling Myself: I've been told I'm very open to feedback. I want to work with you to create a rewarding and enjoyable game. If you think a house rule isn't working, or that things are too crunchy, I'd like to know. I may not always change things to your liking, but I'll give it a fair listen…I can promise you that.

On a more mechanistic level, I understand numbers and probability theories really well (I use them in my day job). I'd like to think I'm pretty good at predicting the probability that something will be successful…and the variance in that likelihood, and translating that into a dice roll. I know most folks aren't interested in that level of crunchiness, but I'm always happy to explain why I do things a certain way.
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MonkeyWrench

#18 Post by Alethan »

Name: MonkeyWrench (Ben)

Systems I'm willing to run:
Dragon Age, D&D 1e, AD&D, OSRIC, Starship Troopers, Only War (40k)

Settings I prefer:
Homebrew, mostly involving sandboxes. I don't really like following modules, I really just want them for their maps, which I then change and use for something completely different.

The Crunchy Bits:
I prefer characters to roll the dice for any actions that could cause failure, some things are better left to roleplaying it out though.

The Fluffy Bits:
I like to mix both RP and combat, expect to be drawn into character dialogue as well as getting mixed in to the local settings, but don't think that there wont be swarms of stuff needing a good killing. I don't like to go easy on my players either so don't expect easy fights, and if their are expect little in reward and the battle was most likely a set up for something really crazy.

Player Expectations:
Expect to have fun, The battles will be challenging and hopefully the story will be engaging. Every character the player meets will have a reason for being there and a story of their own to share, if the characters feel it necessary.

Selling Myself:
I play to have fun, just as much as the players. I don't try to kill the players or steer them into any direction I want. I give the players choices and let them decide where their characters would go, I reward solid roleplaying and awesome ideas, don't be afraid to think outside of the box, it's risky but if it works it always pays off. I improvise about 95% of any campaign I run and I like to stick by the "rule of cool" I find that if the players find stuff cool and are able to influence things with their actions then they are going to invest more into the setting, I welcome it all. I am not above outright making stuff up if it fits the setting/story and I think it will have a beneficial impact so don't hesitate if you think of something to add that would be awesome, most likely I'll agree with you!
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Stirling

#19 Post by Alethan »

Name: Stirling

Systems I'm willing to run: <1st ed D&D>

Settings I prefer: <good old fashioned RPG fantasy. Medieval castles, dark dungeons, a wilderness of far horizons where dragons sleep on mountains of gold & undead rise from the tombs. I recently created a 'wild west' setting for a D&D campaign and having run a successful tabletop campaign through it I would like to transfer it online to run a version of it PbP. The campaign will be set in and around the town of Honeywell,, a growing frontier town on the fringes of the 'Brave New World' of dry prairie, blossoming settlements and 'monument valley' wilderness, a blazing desert, ancient cities crumbling to ruin where mysteries, gold, relics and dragons remain to be discovered and the 'gods' dare to be challenged. >

Games that I've run before: <as a DM, nothing on this forum but I DM'd when dwarves were still classes and the 'red box' set was brand spanking new. I play several characters online and would DM in a similar style, full of role--playing characterization, fun, adventure, heroic exploits and epic failures. >

The Crunchy Bits: <I prefer to start off 'by the book' so we all sing off the same hymn sheet initially but like to add house rules as we go, for example I think 1st ed tones down some weapon damage, and limits some race/class abilities but these are minor variations. I enjoy creating extra spells for clerics and mages so that they are not bored with meditating on the same daily lists and reward good role playing with bonus XP and 'gucci' enticements. I try to play logically even though it is a fantasy game but encourage the extra-ordinary to happen. You are the story heroes after all!! I expect the players to roll all dice via the forum roller so we are all accountable and let the dice of doom fall where they may. Role play over roll play. So what you wanted to be a rogue but only have 8 dex..? just role play, adventure limits are within the frame of the mind not the numbers on the dice. having siad that one of my favourite D&D quotes is 'all things are possible to him who believes and to him who rolls high enough!'.>

The Fluffy Bits: <I encourage encounters but not every encounter has to be combat and characters should role-play their heroes in every situation. Character actions usually dictate combat reactions and if you hack and slash first before you ask questions then hack and slash will be what you get. I like to keep all back stories in the context of the campaign setting and have created races and people groups who inhabit the setting. For example any character may be any dwarven race, hill, mountain,gully even duergar but all drow are seen as 'evil' outsiders and not welcome in the settlements. I like to think that heroes may under several transformations in their adventuring lifetimes, that infamous rogue coming to faith in religion, the warrior proving quill and staff mightier than the sword, the ranger going full on nature and turning druid. >

Player Expectations: <I would expect a reasonable amount of posting, perhaps two or three times a week especially so if we are in a combat scenario. Certainly once a week minimum just to keep things ticking over. I will NPC characters rolls and actions if people do not post in enough time. I don't like when people just disappear but appreciate life sometimes creeps into gaming and a short note of any absence is just respectful and could make all the difference to the DM and other players. That said I don't want to rush players. I also don't enjoy people only writing 'my character agrees with that' or 'Fred' will just follow the group'. >

Selling Myself: <I enjoying creating a wide and expansive fantasy setting for your heroes to adventure, wine, dine, love, fight, live and die by the sword or spell. Some of you adventuring farm boys may even live long enough to gain those levels from which retirement beckons and a rocking chair on the porch is your lasting throne. Not sure what else to say but invite lurkers and lookers to read through the campaign setting and if, like a fish you take the bait, wiggly maggot that it may be, then go ahead grab those 4d6's and enjoy. Thank you for reading thus far, Stirling. >
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Mister-Kent

#20 Post by Alethan »

Name: Mister-Kent

Systems I'm willing to run: SineNomine games (Stars Without Number, Other Dust, Silent Legions being my favorites), Goblinoid Games (Labyrinth Lord Basic or AEC, Mutant Future), D&D 5th Ed., Call of Cthulhu 6th Ed., The Window, Cinematic Unisystem, most OSR games

Settings I prefer: any sandbox, homebrew space opera, Gothic-weird fantasy, modern-day urban fantasy/horror, supers

Games that I've run before:
Dungeonesque, Labyrinth Lord Gothic Fantasy
On The Perimeter, Stars Without Number space-sandbox

The Crunchy Bits: I play mostly by the book with a few house rules, mostly adding character options or some fun toys to gameplay. Players roll their own dice.

The Fluffy Bits: I'd say heavy on the roleplay, slightly less on combat. I prefer "unfolding backstory"--that is, a few solid paragraphs to start, with more to be decided/revealed as the game progresses. I enjoy social intrigue and interpersonal interaction, plus elements of horror and dark comedy.

Player Expectations: A decently-sized post, a small paragraph, at least every other day. Good spelling and grammar definitely encouraged and appreciated.

Selling Myself: I love incorporating player ideas and suggestions. I enjoy making quirky, highly-interactive worlds with meaningful choices and diverse and layered NPCs. The best part of any game is the part the GM and players invent together. I'm also very visual--I love maps and sketches of PCs and NPCs, and sometimes comics if I have the time.
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