Start Playing Games

I am immersed in preparing to run Oh HELL No! – my take on the D&D campaign Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus – through Start Playing. Our first session is this coming Sunday. I am already having so much fun preparing with my players, many of whom I am collaborating with to create custom options for their characters. 

Highlights include:

  • an Arcane Tarot Sorceror;
  • a Werecat; and,
  • a Ghost Player Species

More on these options in future posts.

In order to have games listed in the general search as a Game Master, Start Playing requires at least five player reviews. I asked some of my past players for their feedback on me as a Game Master and I was really pleased and moved by their responses. As of August 21, 2025, here are seven player reviews:

Timothy Reynolds has always been an absolute joy to play with. My group has been playing with him for a couple of years now and he is always so much fun to be around! He creates an immersive and fun experience for players and works with everyone to make the game as fun as he can for all parties involved. He is also incredibly easy to work with when it pertains to rules and regulations, you can always inquire with him about whats best to next do or what would make most sense in the situation and finds the best solution for what were doing. All in all, Timothy has always been an amazing Game Master and I am continuously honored and excited to play with him! I highly recommend choosing him if you’re looking for an easy, all inclusive DND experience.
— Seamus F

Timo is a fantastic GM. He brings enthusiasm and a deep love for collaborative storytelling that sets a welcoming tone for any table- without overwhelming or intimidating beginners. He gently encourages new players to explore their creativity, giving them ample opportunities to develop their character, improvise fun moments, or simply give flavor to their choices. The game flows from lighthearted and comedic to profound, mystical, or emotionally resonant, depending on how deep into roleplay and lore his players want to go. Timo’s ability to adapt is part of what makes his GMing feel seamless. It’s hard to tell what is prepared beforehand and what was improvised on the spot. His quick wit and willingness to dive into whatever unexpected rabbit hole the players follow makes the in-game world feel ever moving and alive. He is clearly practiced at improv and acting, creating a safe, playful space where characters can take big swings and be met with support. His NPC voices are super fun, he has a grand collection of minis, and he rewards creativity- whether its a pun, a bold character choice, or imaginative improv moment- with inspiration. He has a lot of expertise playing TTRPG’s which makes for a good time for players with any and all levels of experience.
— Charlotte R

Been playing with Timothy for 40 years. He’s great at working with people, developing interesting scenarios and cool NPC’s. He thinks in detail about the long arc of the campaign and the minutia of each encounter, and allows the characters to be themselves. He’s a trained actor, so he’s a terrific storyteller. Makes amazing minis and set-pieces. Kinda the perfect GM, IMHO.
— Michael F

Timothy runs a great game! You can expect someone who provides a very entertaining and fun experience. Be prepared to hear great voices and experience unique stories. He knows the rules and is also willing to bend them to allow something awesome to happen. A very creative individual so expect the unexpected!
— Scott K

Timothy is a master of creating deep, fascinating game worlds. He richly describes the scenes and brings the characters you encounter to life, and it feels like every door could be opened to reveal a story. I’m continually impressed by how naturally he expands the world as the player characters explore it. Further, he is unafraid to create homebrew items, monsters, abilities, and character classes to harmonize with the larger story of the campaign and the individual stories of the player characters. Over several years I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing his GMing in short-form and long-form games, as well as co-DMing a short game arc. He is incredibly creative, both a deep planner and someone skilled at improv. Whether a one-shot where all the players are vampires, or a campaign where a group of unlikely companions finds themselves somehow responsible for saving the world, he crafts a beautiful experience for his players.
— Amalia H

One of the most inventive DMs I’ve ever had for D&D. Frequently crafting interesting new options for us players and designing amazing set pieces and challenges. Also a great grasp on the system and good at managing to keep a game flowing along nicely. Infinitely creative and brings a real storytelling flair to his games. Always
— Garrett F

Not all DMs can elicit such laughter, fear, sadness, and triumph from their players as Timothy. I spent many wonderful years in a homebrew game of his, and he helped guide me from the total dnd n00b that I was to the hey-I-think-I-actually-know-what-I’m-doing player that I am today. The settings and characters he creates feel very much alive, and he is extremely thoughtful when it comes to incorporating player backstories throughout the entire game. I think fondly of those adventures as much as I do any real life memory.
— Lydia B

~ ~ ~ 

Once the Avernus game gets rolling I will be running more games on Start Playing. And keep an eye out for new releases from Midnight Moth Publications.

The Hanged Man in Retrograde Mercury

I am waiting on the Dungeons & Dragons 2024/2025 rules update to be released by Wizards of the Coast into Creative Commons, so that I am able to legally publish my 3rd party creations for 5th edition D&D. WOTC announced they would release the material in “early 2025”, “weeks after” the release of the updated MONSTER MANUAL, which came out in mid-February, following the 2024 releases of the updated PLAYER’S HANDBOOK and the updated DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE. To date, there has been no release of the 2024/2025 rules update into Creative Commons, and, as of this writing, no indication as to when specifically the material will be available there. It could happen tomorrow, or in a month, or in two months, or ..?

Consequently, the previously announced publication date of March 30th, 2025 for THE ADVENTUROUS VAMPIRE is no longer viable and its release is now TBD. 

My response to the delay is to use the time by creating more: the more material of my own I have at the ready, the more I can publish when the updated material is made available in Creative Commons. 

Thus: 

• I am at work on the art and editing for THE ADVENTUROUS FOOL.

• I have updated the text and am working on the art for the GREENLING Species.

• I am at work on developing THE ADVENTUROUS RUDESBY, which includes an update to 5th edition of a class I developed (but never released) during the controversial and turbulent days of 4th edition D&D, originally called the Vulgarian. 

Saturn, Neptune, Mercury, Venus in Pisces. Photo by Timothy McCown Reynolds (c) 2025