37[M4F] [Sussex] Tall creative with dark humour seeking nerdy company

Hey there.
To sum myself up in a few lines I'd say :
I'm a bit of a nerdy creative introvert, with a love of animals, games and music looking for similar, the people who have social batteries that need a good recharge but also enjoy being out in nature and immersed in good music be that a big band or some melodic metal.

The Longer answer:

I'm based in Lancing, a small village near Brighton in the UK. I moved here about four months ago, so I’m very open to discovering nerdy, gothy, or just plain interesting places to hang out locally before I squirrel away back home.
I’m also happy chatting with people from anywhere.

Physically, I’m well groomed, shaved head, 6ft, ex chef with a stocky rugby player build. I’ve been actively improving my fitness lately with rowing and calisthenics. I’m not a gym bro, but I know what works for me and having a workout buddy would be a bonus. Big animal lover too, and seriously considering getting a cat.

At heart, I’m a giant nerd with a strong creative streak.

Nerdy interests
Gaming. RimWorld and Final Fantasy VII are all time favourites, but I’ll play most things except sports games. I also love board games, with Wingspan being a standout because of the cute birds.
Reading. Fantasy is my comfort zone, and I’m currently deep into the Red Rising series and struggling to put it down.
Mythology. Norse is my main jam, but I enjoy Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Aztec, and anything strange, ancient, or fascinating.
Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop RPGs. I do have a little dice hoard thats growing.

Creative side
Voice acting. Professionally trained.
I’ve played everything from orcs and goblins to anime roles.
Most of my income was in e learning and video narration, and I’m pretty vocal about my stance on AI replacing creative professionals. If that’s your thing beyond personal use, we probably won’t click.
Music. I sing, play guitar, and write. Currently looking for a band and I'm also collaborating with a friend on new material.
Gigs. Love them. Alter Bridge is booked, Bloodstock in August, Karnivool in May.
Writing. I write extensively for DnD, plus short stories and poetry. I was a published poet in my youth.

What I’m looking for
First and foremost, a genuine friend. Someone cool, emotionally mature, and comfortable in themselves. You don’t have to be nerdy or gothy, but it probably helps. Someone who looks after their mental and physical health and mostly has their life together. Let’s be honest, nobody has it all figured out.

If romance grows, I’m open to it, but only within the UK. Long distance isn’t for me anymore. Friendships, however, are welcome from anywhere.

There’s plenty more to me that I haven’t covered here, and some of it might be hiding in older posts if you’re curious enough to dig.