Wanderhome

Wanderhome – A Pastoral Fantasy RPG of Traveling Animal-Folk and Changing Seasons

There are fantasy games filled with battles, dice, and endless combat encounters. Wanderhome is not one of them. Instead, Wanderhome is a fantasy RPG about journeys through grassy fields, mossy shrines, and sleepy towns where the sunsets are the most beautiful you can imagine. It is about the warmth of companionship, the bittersweet nature of change, and the whimsical magic of a wholly original fantasy world.

Designed by Jay Dragon, Wanderhome RPG invites you to step into the shoes—sometimes literal, sometimes pawed or clawed—of traveling animal folk who roam the land of Hæth. Along the way, you might meet a leporine mail carrier whose moth companions deliver letters to distant hamlets, a kindly farmer who knows the stories of the small and forgotten gods, or a little lizard with a big heart and a mysterious past. The world filled with gentle wonder opens itself to you with every page, every turn of the season, and every mile of the road you walk.

This is a family friendly game with the soul of a fairy tale and the depth of an epic journey. It welcomes children, adults, and everyone in between to sit around the table and build a story together.

A Wholly Original Fantasy World

From the opening pages, you’ll step into the world of Hæth, a fantasy world unlike any other. Wanderhome is a game filled with lush lavish descriptions of grassy fields, buggy livestock, and floating mountains that drift lazily across the horizon. There are mossy shrines to the forgotten gods, each one a relic of an earlier age, now tended by crafts folk and wanderers.

The cover art—with its lonely fox riding under starry night skies—gives just a glimpse of the beauty within. Every illustration in Wanderhome RPG is a work of art, contributed by a dozen artists whose styles range from cozy and pastoral to evocative and mysterious.

This fantasy RPG thrives on the mythological language of other games while crafting something wholly its own. There are great dragons who slumber in distant caves, lost souls who wander in search of meaning, and small gods who might offer blessings or riddles to those who visit their sacred places. And yet, despite these grand elements, the game's theme always comes back to ordinary people—or animal people—living life in a changing world.

The Heart of Wanderhome: The Traveling Animal Folk

In Wanderhome, you and your friends take on the roles of animal folk—each one distinct, memorable, and full of possibilities. The game mechanics encourage you to build a character as unique as your imagination will allow.

Perhaps you’re:

• A tamarin who dances with small and forgotten gods.

• A shrewish merchant riding a patchwork clockwork machine from village to village.

• A stag beetle who tends to grassy fields and watches over fluffy shepherd flocks.

• A praying mantis poet composing verses for the beautiful sunsets that stretch across the horizon.

• A leporine mail carrier who braves wind and rain to deliver messages, always accompanied by moths.

• A little lizard whose mysterious past slowly unfolds as the seasons change.

The near endless number of combinations means that every session of Wanderhome RPG is different. With each new character, you bring another thread to the patchwork clockwork machine that is your story.

The Flow of the Game: How Wanderhome RPG Plays

Unlike many fantasy RPG titles, Wanderhome does not use dice, combat systems, or hit points. Instead, it focuses on storytelling, character development, and shared imagination. The game mechanics are easy to learn, making it the best family friendly game for those new to role-playing as well as veterans looking for something refreshingly different.

The story unfolds in seasons. You may start in the warmth of late summer, travel through the bounty of autumn, rest during the cold stillness of winter, and awaken to the blossoms of spring. Wanderhome asks you to consider how your characters change as the seasons change—and how the world filled with villages, fields, and forests changes alongside you.

Players create prompts and respond to one another’s ideas, weaving together a narrative tapestry. There is no single “winner” in Wanderhome RPG—the joy is in the journey itself. However, the game is full of thrilling possibilities and unexpected turns. One day you might encounter a slobbering god at a crossroads; another, you might help a kindly farmer prepare for a lily rebellion festival.

The Visual and Artistic Experience

The visual presentation of Wanderhome is as much a part of the game’s charm as the storytelling. The cover art sets the tone immediately—a lonely fox traveling under starry night skies, illuminated by fireflies. Inside, the pages are filled with rich illustrations of animal folk, grassy fields, and small and forgotten gods.

Each scene draws you deeper into Hæth:

• A gecko's pocket filled with trinkets from far-off lands.

• A fluffy shepherd leaning against a fence, watching the clouds drift by.

• A shrewish merchant haggling over the price of silk in the village square.

• The silhouette of a floating mountain against the light of a setting sun.

The collaborative work of a dozen artists ensures that every page is a piece of visual storytelling that enriches your play.

Wanderhome as a Fantasy RPG for All Ages

One of the defining qualities of Wanderhome RPG is its accessibility. While it has the depth and richness to satisfy long-time fantasy RPG players, it is also the best family friendly game for newcomers and younger players.

There is no violence or gore—no overly graphic depictions—making it a safe choice for gaming tables where younger children might be present. The game instead leans into light hearted adventure, playful merriment, and moments of beautiful sunsets shared between characters.

Because of its straightforward concept and collaborative style, Wanderhome is also perfect for groups of like minded friends who enjoy slower-paced, thoughtful games. Whether you are a group of seasoned role-players or simply people who enjoy telling stories together, Wanderhome offers a space where imagination takes center stage.

Thematic Inspirations and Tone

The tone of Wanderhome RPG is inspired by silly horror films (without the horror), good horror films (without the scares), and pastoral literature akin to the works of Brian Jacques. It blends whimsical fantasy with grounded, relatable emotions.

Imagine a fantasy RPG where instead of hunting monsters, you’re sharing tea with a bitter king who has lost his way, or mending the fence of a kindly farmer before the first snow falls. Picture beautiful sunsets, mossy shrines, and starry night skies as recurring motifs in your adventures.

Wanderhome’s narrative style encourages players to explore many worlds within Hæth, from bustling towns to the lonely road between them. The game hints at countless stories—your group decides which ones you’ll tell.

Creating Stories Together

The collaborative nature of Wanderhome RPG means that the game resides not in a set of fixed events, but in the imagination of its players. There is no game master dictating the plot. Instead, you share the responsibility of building the world and deciding what happens next.

This makes Wanderhome both structured and open-ended:

• Structured because the game mechanics provide prompts and guideposts to keep the story flowing.

• Open-ended because the choices you make can take the story anywhere, from ordinary people fixing a wagon wheel to lost souls seeking redemption under the light of the most beautiful sunsets.

Why Wanderhome Stands Out Among Fantasy RPGs

While there are countless fantasy RPG titles on the market, Wanderhome stands apart for several reasons:

1. Wholly original fantasy world – You won’t find orcs, elves, or dwarves here. Instead, the animal folk of Hæth bring fresh perspectives to storytelling.

2. Family friendly game – Safe for children without losing depth for adults.

3. Seasonal storytelling – The passing of seasons change adds emotional resonance and narrative depth.

4. Lavish presentation – With contributions from a dozen artists, the book is as much an art piece as it is a game.

5. Collaborative mechanics – No game master, no dice—just shared imagination.

The Journey Awaits

Wanderhome is more than just a fantasy RPG—it’s an invitation to slow down, notice the beauty in the world, and connect with others through shared storytelling. It’s about savoring the smell of rain-soaked earth, watching fireflies dance in the twilight, and learning the stories of those you meet along the way.

When you sit down to play Wanderhome RPG, you’re not just playing a game—you’re taking a journey. And like all journeys, it will change you in ways you can’t predict.

Step into Hæth. Meet the animal folk. Watch the seasons change. Discover the small and forgotten gods. The road is waiting—will you walk it?