There’s no shortage of 'tips' and 'rules' for Dungeon Masters (DMs) or Game Masters (GMs). From YouTube to official material, everyone has their lists of “musts” and “nevers” for running a good tabletop role playing game (TTRPG). Yet, these resources rarely delve into...
The GM TIM
What It’s Like to Play at D&D in a Castle: A Chronicle of Magic, Dice, and Adventure
Have you ever seen real magic? Pure, unfiltered magic unfolding before your eyes? That’s what D&D in a Castle is all about—mixing a medieval castle, an epic adventure, and a spectacular group of players to create something unforgettable. D&D in a Castle isn’t...
Why Son of a Trickster Took My Breath Away: Reflections on Healing and Understanding
Like many with colonial ancestry I have to work to understand the generational trauma of Residential Schools and the systemic mistreatment of Indigenous people. It’s still new to consider such things in public. The last residential school only closed in 1996, and I...
Decolonizing Your Tabletop Games: A Journey of Learning and Unlearning
I am writing this blog post from the unceded lands of the Hul’qumi’num (Halkomelem) speaking peoples. This acknowledgment is essential to my own process of decolonizing. It reminds me of the ongoing realities of colonialism that persist in the spaces I (we) inhabit,...
The Unbroken: Eye-Opening TTRPG Inspiration from Power, Rebellion, and Consequences
Let’s dive into the first book of the season: The Unbroken by CL Clark. I chose this novel initially because it had great reviews and the premise intrigued me—a guard from a conquered nation going back to her native country and being confronted by the rebel cause. It...
How to Run a Great Session Zero for Your TTRPG Campaign: A Quick Guide for GMs
What is a Session Zero? A Session Zero is hands down the best way to kick off a long campaign. This pre-game session lets you, as the GM (or DM if you're playing D&D), set boundaries, establish expectations, gather story ideas, and work with your players to create...
The Tim Game: A GM’s Tool for Building Strong Connections in RPGs
There are few things more satisfying to me as a GM than having a group that meshes well, providing you and the other players with content and fun. These are small things that bind the group together: shared histories, in-character comments said in jest, in-character...
Arlington Road: This Thriller Made a Bold Movie in 1999
It was a move that didn't pay off. Was it a bad movie? No. It wasn’t two hours of slogging through nonsense, despite scenes that went on too long or felt pointless. The ones that were meant to make you feel things, did a good job. The movie deals with “do you really...
The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek: 42 Essential Episodes for Beginners and Longtime Fans
There is so much I want to say about Star Trek. I love Trek. Heck, I love it so much, I created my own series (new season and cast annouced sooooon)! I sit at my keyboard, and my brain just starts gushing. It's wild—WILD—that a show from 1966 spawned what it did. The...