Ryuutama

Ryuutama: Natural Fantasy Roleplaying · Ryuutama TTRPG

Ryuutama

Ryuutama is a warm fantasy adventure about the journey between towns. You take on the roles of bakers, tailors, merchants, or healers who decide to travel, keep a journal, and share meals beneath ever-changing skies. The tone is uplifting and contemplative. Challenges resemble weather, uneven paths, and curious creatures, rather than grim survival. People appreciate how it celebrates kindness, small discoveries, and the joy of arriving together.

At the table, scenes shift from planning and hiking to enjoying tea with a new friend or engaging in a quick skirmish with a bandit. It’s perfect for newcomers, families, and groups looking for a relaxed gaming experience, while still enchanting seasoned players. Suitable for 2 to 5 players, lasting 2 to 3 hours. A professional Game Master takes on the role of the Ryuujin, your gentle dragon guardian, ensuring the pace is just right. Meet our Game Masters.

How to play Ryuutama

In play, you roll two dice for most actions, one for each stat in the pair that suits the task. The size of the dice varies according to your strengths, ranging from d4 to d12. The Game Master sets a target number. Travel days follow a rhythm, beginning with a morning condition check, followed by roles such as Leader, Mapper, or Quartermaster, a travel check, potential encounters, and a camp check. Combat is swift, featuring straightforward positions and initiative.

You bring a friendly character concept and a willingness to explore. The Game Master provides routes, weather, NPCs, and gentle guidance as the Ryuujin, occasionally offering a small blessing when the story requires a nudge. A one-shot focuses on a single meaningful journey with a clear destination. A campaign encompasses many journeys, seasons, and relationships as your journal fills. Playing online is seamless; see supported platforms.

Painted fantasy RPG miniatures, including a large eye-covered monster, displayed on a wooden table.
Painted fantasy RPG miniatures, including a large eye-covered monster, displayed on a wooden table.

Common questions

Do we need to know any rules to get started?

No, you can sit down and start playing straight away. The system uses two dice for each action, based on the two stats relevant to the task. Travel days follow a straightforward rhythm with roles such as Leader, Mapper, and Quartermaster. A professional Game Master guides you as you play and manages the numbers. You only need a character concept and a sense of curiosity. New players typically feel at ease within the first 15 minutes.

How does Ryuutama differ from D&D?

Ryuutama focuses on the journey rather than just dungeon crawling. You take on the role of everyday travellers instead of monster slayers. The emphasis is on weather, routes, maps, cooking, and meeting people. Conflicts are short and not overly serious. Character development arises from shared experiences and journals, rather than from loot. While there is still structure, gear, and levelling, the rules remain light, making planning the next day and sharing meals as important as engaging in a fight.

What group size and session length are most effective?

It works best with 2 to 5 players in a 2 to 3 hour session. Four players is ideal for travel roles and table time. Smaller groups create an intimate atmosphere and progress quickly. With five, planning takes a bit longer, but the campsite scenes are more vibrant. For one-shots, we focus on one significant journey. For campaigns, sessions build into seasonal adventures and relationships.

What is the Ryuujin, and how does it appear?

The Ryuujin is a gentle dragon guardian portrayed by the Game Master. It observes your journeys, provides a nudge, and occasionally bestows a small blessing to keep the story meaningful. It is neither a party member nor a boss, but rather a quiet guide that shapes scenes and sets the tone. Various Ryuujin personalities exist, so the experience can differ slightly depending on the GM. You can browse our Game Masters to find a suitable match.

Is it suitable for children or mixed age groups?

Yes. The tone is light and relaxed, with plenty of nonviolent options and clear stakes. The maths remains straightforward, and rolling quirky dice is enjoyable. A professional Game Master tailors content to suit your ages and comfort levels, and can ease tougher rules for younger players while keeping older players engaged. If someone prefers more of a challenge, travel hazards and puzzles can be adjusted without becoming grim.

Does Ryuutama work well online?

Absolutely. Ryuutama features straightforward rolls, collaborative journals, and quick maps that work seamlessly for video calls. We can facilitate it on popular virtual tabletops or with a camera and a whiteboard. You can expect user-friendly character sheets and minimal setup. If you're curious about the tools we support and how online tables appear, check out online play platforms.

Booking Form


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Illustration of a dragon perched on a rock, with wings spread and detailed line art, similar to a dragon from lotr.

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Genres you can play in Ryuutama

  • Cozy

    Heartwarming, low-pressure tales centred around tea, neighbours, and little pleasures. Imagine Stardew Valley with pals, where mild…

    View genre: Cozy
  • Whimsical

    A whimsical fantasy where logic takes a tea break and kindness is the answer to every problem. Imagine Alice in Wonderland, filled with…

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  • Wilderness

    With boots on the trail and maps in hand, you face miles of uncharted terrain before reaching safety. Picture the Fellowship traversing the…

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  • Rural

    Comfortable fields, muddy boots, local drama, and harvest festivals. Imagine Stardew Valley with mysteries at the hedgerow, family ties…

    View genre: Rural
  • Pirate

    Salt spray, creaking decks, and cutlass duels as you pursue treasure and rivals across treacherous seas. Swashbuckling adventure…

    View genre: Pirate

What players have to say

  • Tom was brilliant! He was really great with the kids and very patient with his explanations. It was a wonderful evening and definitely worth doing again! The children asked the next day when we would be doing this again.

    Danny

  • First of all, I want to say that Sebastian was really great as a DM. For his first run as a booked DM, he did an excellent job. The 3 stars refer to the following: 1. We were disappointed that the adventure was labelled a One Shot yet wasn't a complete story. Discovering that there are two more parts wasn't very positive for us, as it meant there was no satisfying conclusion to the story. 2. As new players, it was difficult for us to understand the English character sheets in such a short time. In German, it would have been much easier. Even receiving the character sheets a few days in advance would have been helpful for preparation. 3. More guidance would be beneficial. Especially for beginners, a more linear one shot would have been preferable. We wasted a significant portion of the adventure time doing unnecessary things because we didn't fully understand how the game worked. Overall, I think the StoryForgers concept is really good and I see a lot of potential in it, especially for introducing new players to D&D. I hope you don't take my feedback the wrong way but see it as honest criticism. Best regards, Mario

    Mario

  • Bryan was exceptional. We had a group with varying levels of experience, and he managed to keep everyone engaged and involved. His positive attitude made the game enjoyable for all. I really appreciated how he could clearly explain what was needed from our less experienced players while keeping our more seasoned players on their toes with his deep knowledge of the game. Everyone in our party had a fantastic time thanks to Bryan.

    Jeremy

  • Dayron was fantastic. Well-prepared, punctual, and had a brilliant sense of humour.

    Corey

  • Dayron was fantastic; he provided a brilliant experience. Thanks!

    Casey

    The Merry Meeple

  • The game was really engaging. I got a game as a present for my boyfriend, who is very keen on it, and he was very pleased and appreciated Leonardo's professionalism. I don't have much experience with DnD, but I found the game to be quite straightforward and enjoyable.

    Marina

  • Baptiste was an excellent GM who adapted well to our group and helped us progress in this one-shot. However, there was one issue with the character sheets provided, as they were not complete or clear. Some of the French translations were rather approximate. For instance, our cleric was missing spells, including a healing spell, even though they were meant to have some.

    Pierre

  • Rachel was fantastic; my daughter and her friends left the game saying it was the most fun they’d ever had, and my daughter wanted to sign up for another session with her straight away. She was friendly, and her approach let the players fully immerse themselves in the game by giving them control over how they wanted their actions to unfold. I would definitely work with her again.

    John

  • A nice and clear first experience with D&D. Amber was able to explain and guide the game effectively, allowing us as players to quickly get into the flow and focus on the story. Collaborating with my colleagues to devise attack routes was an enjoyable activity and provided great insights into each other's characters, thought processes, and differences. Overall, I found it to be a very enjoyable session.

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

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