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[LFP] Very Experienced GM Looking to Assemble a High Quality Group and Game [Paid]

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Hey, I’m looking to recruit 2 more players for a character-focused fantasy game. Game will be Thursday CDT (GMT-5) evenings. I find the most engaging games result when players AND characters care deeply about the plot. Caring about what happens keeps players immersed inside the fictional world and it’s why the games I run are entirely customized to who the PCs are and what they care about. My goal is to have you feel, act, and react as your character would and to live inside that moment… for 3-4 hours per week. I’m searching for players who: See speaking, acting, and reacting in-character as their preferred way to play. Want to see their character and their history really, really matter - to have their character’s goals, lives, and relationships make up the fabric of the story. Are mature and respectful in how they communicate and relate to other people. Want to feel genuine tension, joy, fear, sorrow, and relief in an RPG. See characters who exhibit weaknesses and flaws to be *better characters* than those who are badasses all the time - a character can’t grow, can’t have an arc, without both weakness and obstacles to overcome. Accept that the time, skillset, and dedication of a high quality GM are valuable enough to be worth paying for. Beginners are welcome, so long as you meet the above. What I’m looking for from this game: Games that I’ve recently encountered - by joining or talking with others - have been ‘ fine but...’ and have left me with an itch to scratch - to run a really high quality fantasy game with gravitas and narrative worth - something memorable and impactful. It pains me to see so much that is ‘ok’ when the hobby is capable of being so incredible. I want to share those incredible experiences. About me: I spend 20+ hours every week reading about narrative structure, rpg theory, practicing voices/accents, and watching rpg, story, cinematography, and screenwriting video essays. I’ve been doing much of that for a decade. That's in addition to whatever games I am currently running or playing in. I’m looking to add  one very high quality game with players who can contribute to it. I’m not willing to sacrifice the quality of my games for quantity: the main complaint that I have heard about the games ‘out there’ is that they lack heart and that is absolutely what I’m seeking to avoid. I take the stories that we collaborate on seriously and find those games that I have encountered ‘out there’ to be (with one exception) below the standards I set for my own sessions. I’ve played in and run countless games. I have a protégé that I’m teaching how to GM, and in my most recent game a stranger called me a role model for how I portrayed my character. I’m charging $30/person/session(weekly) but only taking payment after the session for the first few sessions while you learn what the game will be like. During that time, you may freely leave if you find the experience to be not what you're looking for. I'll be charging $5 after  session 0. If this has piqued your interest, contact me here or on discord at Jay#2098 (case sensitive) for a free chat about what we’re both looking for. Thanks for reading.
Finally someone seeking to create something with soul! ^^ Been looking for a genuine hardcore-experience for quite some time. Let's see how it turns out!
I’ve very interested, tell me more about the game.
I'm intrigued, but I have 2 questions before I would say I'm actually interested in playing. First, what game system are you talking about running this in? That can be a real deal-maker or deal-breaker, depending on what it is. Second (related), you want players to act and react in-character: awesome! My question is if you expect those reactions to be based on basic perceptions the characters would have about their world or if you want them based on how the real world works. To give an example, in most RPGs, an arrow (no matter how accurately fired) would hurt a mid-level character, but isn't really something to fear, while in real life it would likely be lethal if it hits you anywhere in the torso or head, possibly permanently debilitating being hit elsewhere. Do you expect that character to be afraid of a random bandit with a bow? The question may seem pedantic, but its a consideration that I've found really reveals a lot about game expectations across the board.
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Thank you to those who have expressed interest, either here on in PMs. I encourage others to contact me if interested - I'm currently scheduling talks to find players who mesh well together but haven't made any final decisions yet. You ask a good question, David. It's the debate of realism vs. verisimilitude (read: realistic * within a fictional context and genre* ). My answer would be to strongly favor verisimilitude, and what counts as an appropriate response will differ by genre. A goblin with a bow isn't worthy of fear to a seasoned adventurer in a standard dungeon fantasy game, nor is a Storm Trooper with a blaster, nor is a 30ft fall to a superhero. On the other hand, a guy who looks ill is dangerous in a zombie apocalypse game, and the grade-11 bullies who threaten to take your bike are terrifying in a Stranger Things-esque game. So it depends on what genre and tone we as a group agree on. As for my vote, I prefer some seriousness in my game, particularly on the emotional side, but I think that happens organically if players care about their characters, their goals, and the NPCs. For example:  You feel the sharp point of the goblin's knife pushed against your neck. "Last chance. Tell me where you're hiding them or I'll slit your throat!" If the PC refuses, the goblin doesn't do x damage. It tears your throat out and you're going to bleed out momentarily as you choke in shock. However, you'll have saved whoever you are protecting and maybe that's worth sacrificing for - that's a decision for the PC to make. I say this not because the game is hardcore or gritty, but because that's required for the PC's decision to be consequential - for their decision to matter. Any realism or grit (or the absence of them) is in service of the story and player agency. That's my preference: the story is more important than realism. As for system, that's TBD based on what we decide. For many people, 5e may seem to be the default but I think it's worth a discussion. Whatever we use, it needs to be comfortable for everyone. As for myself, IMO anything very crunchy and rules-dense pulls us all out of the fiction and doesn't interest me.
Hello, I have sent you a request on Discord. Haveatya#6935.
I had an interesting conversation with OriJinal about the game. If what he expressed above is something you might want to be part of then I recommend you drop him a line.
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I’ll be closing the applications on Monday. I’ve had over a dozen hour+ conversations with prospective players to find 4 players who I think would gel best. I have a few excellent candidates but I haven’t yet made final decisions and am still open to applications. For more info, I’m in CDT (CST with daylight savings). I have good flexibility in my schedule but it's shaping up to be an evening game. I’m charging $30/person/session(weekly). If that seems like a lot to you, I offer the 20+ unpaid hours that I have already spent (and will be spending more) speaking with prospective players to find the right fit as evidence of my conviction and dedication to the game. I’d like to think that everyone that I have conversed with agrees that my services are worth it and that this will be a special kind of game.
Depends on day and times
It looks likely to be either Monday or Thursday evenings.
I have two excellent players signed up and am still looking for two more.