Get to Know
Your GM
The Game Maven
I've been playing TTRPGs for about 10 years and GMing for about 4. I started out with Pathfinder, and that game is still ongoing! I currently prefer 5e for DMing, but I'm open to all different types of TTRPGs.
I try to keep a good balance—each session, and overall —of roleplay, combat, and other game mechanics (puzzles, strategy, mysteries, etc.). If I lean toward one most, it's roleplay, because I love to shape the story with my players! But combat is also story-driven and story-shaping in my games, and who doesn't love slinging powerful spells and whacking things with weapons?? Sometimes you just want to whomp some things.
The interactive play will range from theater-of-the-mind to grand battlemaps, depending on what the situation calls for and permits. As a GM, I love creating cool, interactive battlemaps for my players, so that will be my approach whenever possible! One of the main reasons I charge for my sessions is to help me afford cool sets and surprises for my players. As a player, I most enjoy the creative problem solving—being presented with a challenge, whether social or mechanical—that I have to creatively think my way through. I tend to approach games the same way for my players. Since the greatest moments of triumph come from overcoming true difficulty, I make sure to give my games real stakes, which includes letting the dice tell the story and being willing to kill PCs.
That said, all that is subject to the group around the table and what will make the game fun for each player involved. "Winning" D&D means everyone is having fun—all else bows to that—and the ultimate goal is to create a great story! I'll ask for feedback and input along the way and trust you to give it honestly to make the best play experience for all of us.
Let's get a game going!
KC, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Impeccable vibes all around! The Game Maven does not play around at playing around! Besides building a huge map and terrain and setting the mood with music and some dry ice-generated fog, she crafted an engaging and fun story that found our whole party with our jaws on the floor more than a few times. Even in the short time off a one-shot, we were able to explore our characters a bit and have a few dramatic moments. And the other quality folks at the table made for an absolutely incredible evening as well!
Michelle, Campaign &
One Shot Player
As a beginner, I felt really supported and encouraged. Every session was so much fun, and I was sad when it ended. There was a great balance of combat and role-playing and I felt that my creativity as a player was rewarded in both of those areas. I look forward to playing with her again!
Aaron, Campaign &
One Shot Player
After half a dozen sessions, I can say this has been the best DnD experience I’ve had. Maven has created an environment of fun that has me looking forward to the next session immediately after finishing the current one. I find myself immersed in the world and the stories she facilitates and I absolutely would recommend gaming with her.
Safety
These games can get real, that's part of what makes it so awesome! Sometimes games could have content or situations that could make a player or GM feel stressed out, unsafe, or otherwise not having fun. And remember, everyone's fun is the whole point! Safety tools are a way for players and GMs to communicate and check-in before, during, and/or after a game in order to make sure everyone is still having fun, and to provide the right support when needed.
Communication, Trust, and Care
The key to safety tools is communication and trust. There needs to be open and respectful communication alongside a culture of trust for these to work. As a GM, it is my responsibility establish that culture, to ensure that the well-being of everyone at the table comes before the game or story, and as a player it's your responsibility to participate in this culture, for yourself and other players!
This can be done by respecting the rules and limitations I set at Session 0, actively listening to everyone, and implementing actions when asked while not prying.
Alex, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Shige is phenomenal at bringing the world to life, to create a playground for the roleplay. Able to bring an energy that pulls us into the world and dealing with the chaos that us players bring inevitably. Its just a good old time that is consistent every session and is an event I always look forward to!
Haley, One Shot Player
This was my very first dnd session and I was very nervous. Maven put that right to ease as soon as I walked in the door!! I had more fun than I could have ever imaged, and will be back for more!
Ryan, Campaign Player
Shigé cannot receive high enough praise. She is a creative, eloquent, and caring person who brings these qualities and countless others to every session. Having played at her table for nearly a year, I am still baffled by the depth of her world, complexity of her characters, and seamlessness with which she weaves the PC’s stories together with the overarching plot. In both shorter stories and longer form campaigns, the cohesion and investment she fosters bring her worlds to life. Her combat encounters are dynamic, varied, and balanced, and, when I’m driving around during the week I regularly find myself thinking back to them, trying to figure out what I could have done differently and how those changes might have cascaded through the rest of combat and the narrative at large.
If you’re an experienced player, she will find ways to surprise and challenge you, and, if you’re new, you’ll leave her table with the satisfaction of an evening well spent, a better understanding of TTRPGs, and a single goal in mind — to return as soon as possible!
Matt, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Everything, great story, creative as hell, very easy to follow, great world building and works of art.
Finn, Campaign Player
I have wanted to start a campaign for a very long time, but I was hesitant because English is not my native language. Thanks to Shigè, I didn't experience any difficulties or feel out of place. Shigè has an excellent grasp of the game's rhythm and directs the story without compromising her creativity, even in the face of unexpected events. Her portrayals of NPCs are fantastic, truly bringing them to life. The setups she prepares for each session are incredible. I hope I get the chance to join more of her campaigns in the future!
Chase, Campaign Player
Shigé is easily one of the best game masters I've ever played with. Her ability to open her home and her fantasy worlds to strangers and build a community where players have agency, buy-in, and laugh-out-loud fun is an absolute delight to see. With atmospheric music and sound effects, terrain battle maps, inspiration tokens, and help with sourcing custom miniatures or dice for your character, it's hard not to get swept up in the story and be on the edge of your seat every session. She truly understands the spirit of the game, able to let each player shine in the narrative and take risks to change the story collaboratively. From beginners to seasoned players, you can be sure she'll welcome you with enthusiasm and do everything in her power to make sure you're having a ball exploring the world with her.
Allison, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Game Maven is an exceptional DM who creates a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Her sessions are well-organized and creatively crafted, featuring imaginative worlds and thrilling plot twists. Her infectious energy and engaging storytelling keep players immersed and excited. Her deep knowledge of game mechanics ensures smooth and fair gameplay. She is patient and allows for learning while keeping the balance of instruction and making sure the campaign retains a good pace. Players are fortunate to have her leading their adventures.
Nichole, Online One Shot &
Campaign Player
The Game Maven is amazing every time. She takes the time to make sure her players know how things are run. She helps us to understand the world around us, really telling the tale and building the story beyond the current dialogue and movement. She sets the mood with her voices, how she handles interactions, and always has music to add to the scene. It's incredibly fun and fulfilling playing with her.
Kacey, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Shige crafts amazing and unique sessions for her players. She is highly inclusive of character backstories, encourages immersive role-playing, and cultivates a great team atmosphere for all players involved. Come for the dungeon adventures, stay for the new friends.
Amanda, One Shot &
Online Campaign Player
Shige is an amazing GM. Playing with her is like being transported to another world.
Travis, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Shigé has created a world and story that I feel so lucky to be a part of. The dynamics of her narrative combined with the role play of the group bring about a one of a kind D&D story telling experience.
Daniel, One Shot Player
In a one shot setting, the GM set the scene immediately and had our table roleplaying together and hooked on a quest! The world was immersive and compelling, so we turned the one-shot into a campaign! The GM doesn't pull punches, and always has consequences ready for the difficult decisions our characters had to make. The stakes always feel real, and the fun is always earned!
Tana, One Shot &
Campaign Player
A holistic and phenomenal tabletop experience! Sitting at this table, I got to play the exact kind of game I wanted as an experienced player, while having just as much fun as the brand-new player to my left. Inviting to all levels, great at setting the mood, and expertly paces sessions. Highly recommend!
Matt, One Shot &
Campaign Player
Shigé Clark is everything you want in a Game Master. Smart, creative, and quick on her feet, Shigé embodies all of the best qualities one looks for in a great GM. Her world building is top notch; whenever Shigé describes a new location in our ongoing adventure, I can see it clearly in my mind’s eye. When she introduces a new NPC, she becomes that character–an evil Ilithid with a voice from the depths of the Abyss, a flirtatious pirate jeweler charging 3 times the going rate for a Revivifying diamond (but with a smile and a wink that takes away some of the sting), or a down-on-his-luck Cleric with a raspy voice that she hates doing, but she does it anyway because unfortunately for her, the party adopted him into the crew. The stories Shigé weaves are incredibly engrossing, leaving all of her players anxious to see what is going to happen in the next session. She seamlessly integrates everyone’s backstories in, as if they were not only part of the story all along, but an incredibly important part of the story and not just something we wrote down in 5 minutes on our sheets as we were rolling up the characters. With a well-built party of experienced players intent on all sorts of shenanigans, Shigé manages to keep up with our ridiculousness with aplomb. Even when she tells us afterwards that she was totally not prepared for something one or the other of us did that session, we would have never known had she not told us–she makes it look so easy! She’s compassionate–when one of the PCs was killed recently after following an ill-advised course of action, Shigé, though resolute on doling out the consequences of his actions, nonetheless gave us time and space to mourn his passing in game and out. It was her first PC death and she dealt with it with professionalism; extremely kindly, yet firmly. Above all else, Shigé is incredibly encouraging–cheering us on when we do something cool and creative that works better than we thought it would, and commiserating with us whenever our dice fail utterly.
As a GM myself as well as one of Shigé’s first 5E DMs, I may be a little biased, but after watching her extraordinary GM growth first hand, I can proudly and honestly say that she’s easily one of, if not the best DM/GMs I’ve ever experienced.
Josh, Campaign Player
Shigé is an extremely skilled GM at every aspect of the game. For starters, she creates an incredibly inclusive and welcoming community, and her gaming table is no different. It doesn't matter who you are or your experience level, you'll feel safe, heard, encouraged, and engaged with the game right off the bat. Her worldbuilding is interesting, and she truly embraces the cooperative storytelling of TTRPGs by allowing players agency not only with creating their character concepts, but also with the worldbuilding so that those characters and player's vision of them fully integrates to the world and the story being told. The story telling itself is great, as she leans into genre. Perhaps the hallmark of a great GM, she is also very willing to allow for unexpected successes and failures to leave their mark on the narrative. You won't feel like you're in a book - this is absolutely a "choose your own adventure". She incorporates fun audio and visual aids like terrain, inspiration tokens, music, etc - and she does so in a way that adds to, instead of distracts from, the game being played. When it comes to combat, she has a solid grasp of the rules to keep game play exciting and progressing, and the tactics to keep it engaging and difficult.
I've played and GM'd RPGs for 25 years now, and I consider myself a great GM. I can honestly say without a doubt that Shigé is even better - and I can't recommend playing at her table enough
Cavender, Campaign Player
She was fantastic. She gave every player time to shine, incorporated backstories, created a really intriguing setting, and was extremely professional. She was careful to make sure that everybody was comfortable and knew how to communicate it if they weren't. And her DMing style is really engaging. She's a great storyteller. I can't wait to play at her table again.
Chris, One Shot &
Campaign Player
GameMaven hosts an awesome table that's very inclusive and allows for a lot of fun roleplaying. The space itself is quite comfortable and she puts great effort into the visual aids on the table. I enjoyed that she was able to incorporate the stories of several different and very distinct characters in an interesting way. I will definitely be coming back for another game and I would highly recommend booking a session with her.
Reed, Campaign Player
Shige is incredible to have as a DM. On top of an obvious passion and talent for bringing the game to life, her tables are welcoming, constructive places for players of any skill level, play style, and interests. She goes above and beyond to make each game unique - incorporating backstories, player-given details, and flavoring scenarios to match character strengths, weaknesses, histories, etc. It shows. 10/10
Craig, Campaign Player
The Game Maven is one of the best DMs I’ve had the pleasure of gaming with and simply runs a great table. I’ve played both homebrew and sourcebook games with her and she always has such a great handle on the story. She lets the players play but keeps a cohesive narrative for progressive gameplay. You can’t go wrong with a DM like The Game Maven!!
Levi, Online One Shot &
Campaign Player
Awesome dm. Really engages with the players to create an awesome narrative. Great for new players. Patient and doesn’t mind really explaining rules or helping with characters.
Pieter, One Shot &
Campaign Player
There are many things I could brag about here but none moreso than her story telling ability! She really knows how to create a world thats fun to enage with. A story that pulls you in and makes you feel like you're there! Usually, I can predict my DM's plans but she had several plot twists I did not see coming! She makes complex NPC's that make you want to stop whatever you were doing and just get to know the character! And above all this she lets the campaign be driven by your character's story! My game's core plot line is a beautiful mix of all our character's backstories brought into one singular point to which we drive towards! IT'S JUST SO FUN! 10/10. She is beginner friendly! Allows for a lot of creativity. Is inclusive for players who struggle with putting themselves in there. Has a great world building in her games. (Even the oneshots in my experience.) I highly recommend!
Game Maven Table Rules
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1. Old 2014 rules until new monster manual comes out
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2. "Yes-and" as much as possible! — We are creating a story together. The way to win D&D is for everyone to be having fun
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3. No evil characters, unless we're playing an evil campaign — All characters should be good or neutral aligned, and should not want to do evil or hurtful things just for the sake of them
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4. Consent for romance — If you'd like to romance a fellow PC, talk to the player first and get mutual, enthusiastic consent, or else do not attempt
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5. No persuasion rolls on Player Characters — If you want to convince a character of something, you'll have to convince the player!
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6. Everyone gets the 2014 Grappler feat automatically
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7. Players who've left a GM review get a free uncommon item or feat (their choice)
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8. Turn Prep — If we get to your turn and you're not ready, I'll give you about 30 seconds and then I'll move onto the next person and move you after them in initiative, to give you time to think and keep the momentum flowing
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9. Contested Rulings — If you don't like a ruling I made or the way I did something, I want to know! Bring it up once in-game, and if my answer doesn't satisfy you, hold it until after the session and we can discuss
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10. No Cloak of Displacement until late game (I just hate it, lol)
Oh, you're still here?
Well, here's some more, I guess...
If you love story-centric, roleplay-strong gamepIay with some kickass combat and thematic battlemaps, I'm the GM for you! I think collaborative storytelling is one of our most unique and incredible artforms, and my approach as a GM reflects that.
We're telling a story together, so your character will be integral to the world we build, and you'll have agency in your choices that will shape the story as it goes. Every voice around the table matters, and each of us should be comfortable and having fun. I work hard at understanding what excites and entertains each of my players so that everyone is uniquely prioritized and gets their moment in the sun, whatever that looks like for them!
As a GM, I love worldbuilding and lore, and creating a unique world to explore and interact with is important to me - even if that world is a pre-written, I'll always put my own spin on it and make sure my players' choices can shape and impact the narrative—*pirate voice* they're more like guidelines, anyway.
I also love to build dramatic moments, high stakes, and intriguing moral decisions for my players, in a world that has depth and nuance! You have a 12-page backstory? GIMME. You want to homebrew a cool race or class? *slides a coffee toward you* SPILL. You're new to the game and don't know what you're doing or what you want? *pats seat at table* Sit! You've found the perfect place to start!
