My name is James Santiago Rowley. I’ve been nerdy since I was young, and interested in art of all kinds and how that art affects those who engage with it. I’m especially interested in the structures of these works: what makes them tick and how to best use what they’re especially good at. I’m an avid reader of novels and comics, watcher of anime, movies, and television, and a player of games from board games to video games to tabletop role-playing games.
I graduated from UCLA with a major in English and a minor in Classical Civilization. Through my academics I gained an intimate knowledge of how to best structure arguments and how to write well, but I especially learned how stories work. I focused especially on epic poetry of the ancient Mediterranean and medieval Europe, and the wits of the 18th century such as Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope.
Outside of academics I held multiple positions in clubs. At UCLA I was the President of the Pokémon Club for three years and tripled our weekly membership by incorporating more of the Pokémon TCG into the club. I was the Screener of the Japanese Animation Club and did in-depth research on what to show in club.
I’ve been playing tabletop role-playing games since I was in middle school, and as such have been playing in and running campaigns for the past decade. I’ve played D&D, Pathfinder, Blades in the Dark, Savage Worlds, and many more.
I was one of the first RPG Masters of Enigma, the oldest Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Gaming Club at UCLA. I coordinated its RPG events and introduced systems other than Dungeons & Dragons to players. I grew its dying West Marches campaign into an active game with over 40 concurrent players.
I’ve also worked with Fabletop Productions on their tabletop role-playing games, having given feedback on The Dread of Night and was the Editor for their second book, Agents of Fate.
