Dungeons & Dragons
For the past five years, I’ve been the Dungeon Master of an original long-form Dungeons & Dragons 5e campaign that blends narrative design, visual world building, and collaborative storytelling. This homebrew world has grown into a custom setting I’ve developed and run continuously since 2021: a gritty, jazz-tinged world inspired by 1930s America, where magic is nearly extinct, and power lies in the hands of corrupt politicians, underworld bosses, and fading legends.
I build each session with care, writing lore and prepping encounter material to support a player-driven story. The world is one I designed from scratch, drawing inspiration from my favorite video games, books, and films. It's a setting where actions have consequences, stories evolve with player choices, and the tone blends fantasy realism with high-stakes emotion.
This map was created for an attempted jail break scene. I researched jail design through photos and building plans I found from the 1930s, then used Dungeon Scrawl to create my own jail, being sure to include as many relevant details as I could to distract and split my party as the enemies tried to escape.
An outline of the grounds of an abbey located in the heart of the realm's capital city of Agisul.
A quick outline of an Agisul Police Station and the street in front of it, for a shoot-out scene with mafia boss minions.
A CEO's office and adjacent receptionist area in the northern, snow-covered city of Cryotacyre.
Added my own notations and key to a map I found online. (This is not my original work.) This is the DM's version of an underground noble family crypt, where I outlined traps, loot locations and secret doors.
A custom stat block for a particularly despicable mob boss.
A custom stat block for a significantly stronger Night Hag.
A custom stat block for a stronger displacer beast that would act as a pet for my Night Hag.
A custom stat block for the iron golem guardian of a secret underground temple. I took inspiration from the Steel Watcher Titan in Baldur's Gate 3.
A custom stat block for two iron golem knights of a secret underground temple. I took inspiration from the Steel Watchers in Baldur's Gate 3.
Over time, my DM style has grown to balance structured planning with flexible improvisation. I’ve learned how to guide narrative arcs while giving my players space to shape their characters' stories. Several started with little to no tabletop experience, and it’s been rewarding to watch them become confident storytellers in their own right.
My process often includes visual worldbuilding and digital design:
Maps: Regional and location maps created in Inkarnate and Dungeon Scrawl
Graphics: Image editing and layout in Photoshop
Notes & Prep: Lore tracking and game planning in Notion and Evernote
Early Homebrew Notes
Early Homebrew Notes
Early Homebrew Notes
It took a while for me to create a unique symbol for a secret religious organization in my homebrew.
An early sketch of an underground temple my players would explore.
A mock-up of an underground temple my players would explore.
This was my way of keeping track of what my players saw on a bomb they needed to defuse. I took inspiration from the video game "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes."
This was my way of keeping track of what my players saw on a bomb they needed to defuse. I took inspiration from the video game "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes."
The outline of a map I designed for a Disney Princess one-shot I created for friends.
Draft of a fantasy tavern menu for my brother's Strixhaven campaign.
Draft of a fantasy tavern menu for my brother's Strixhaven campaign.
Draft of a fantasy tavern menu for my brother's Strixhaven campaign.
Draft of a fantasy tavern menu for my brother's Strixhaven campaign.
In addition to the ongoing campaign, I’ve occasionally run one-shots for my friends and played in other short campaigns. I’ve begun to explore and learn about other TTRPG systems such as Lancer, Cyberpunk RED, Brindlewood Bay, Mothership, Dread, and Mythic Bastionland. I’m also interested in trying out smaller, one- or two-player TTRPGs, such as Alone on a Journey. These experiences have helped me grow as both a storyteller and a designer, deepening my understanding of tone, pacing, and world building across genres.
My party, The Crowbars. Beginning four years ago at level one, the group has grown into level 16 adventurers.
From left to right: Eddy Spade, A-17, Kit Todd, Lily Hollow, Mikkael Darski, Meera Howland, and Naomi Valdi
Art by demekiiart/Daniela Sanchez