If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons like He-Man or Thundercats, the concept of blending high-fantasy swords with high-tech lasers likely feels like a comfortable home. Enter Rigamaroll, a new genre-blending theatrical TTRPG series set in the world of Synthara. Utilising the increasingly popular Daggerheart system, the show features two distinct adventuring parties, one fantasy, one space opera, whose realities are set to collide.
The series is self-funded by creators Justin Woychowski and Matt Lowe, and features a cast of formidable voice talent including Matt Lowe (Blood of Zeus, Arcane), Joe Zieja (Fire Emblem, Marvel Rivals), Crystal Lee (Genshin Impact), and improv talents Janelle Kester, Colin Search, Sam Forbes, and Sam Van Helsing. We caught up with the team to discuss their “science fantasy” aesthetic, the unique family dynamics at the table, and why Daggerheart was the perfect engine for their 80s-inspired chaos.
The “Saturday Morning” Vibe. Reading the show brief, you mention inspirations like He-Man and Thundercats. Watching Episode 1, you can really feel that blend of sci-fi tech and high fantasy—especially when we see magenta horses and laser guns alongside swords. How did you land on this specific “Science Fantasy” aesthetic for Synthara, and was it difficult to get everyone at the table on the same page regarding the tone?
We’re very happy that you picked up on that. We really put a lot of time into making sure that the unique blend of romantic sci-fi and high fantasy were present and could be felt by the players and the audience in this captain setting.
What we are looking to achieve with Rigamaroll is to capture the imagination of our audience the way that shows like He-Man, Thundercats, and Silverhawks did so well, and harness those heroic and epic themes at the table.
We are not trying to create a “retro-show,” but recreate the feeling of discovery and wonder that these shows generated for their original audiences.
Inspired by the above, the world of Synthara was created as our playground to immerse our players (and hopefully the audience of our show) in. The players really took to the setting, especially in our pre-show sessions leading up to Episode one. Everything from the unique races, cultures, landscapes and even the way they think about “magic” within our world was designed to reinforce the overall feeling we were looking to capture.
Why Daggerheart? You’ve chosen to run this season on the Daggerheart system. It’s a bold choice given that the system is relatively new and currently in the spotlight! What was it about Daggerheart specifically that made you say, “Yes, this is the engine we need for a theatrical 80s-cartoon-style adventure”?
We chose Daggerheart for a few reasons, the first and most important being that we think it is an awesome system. The second reason is that we are embarking on a production and storytelling adventure that we really wanted to feel new to the audience. Daggerheart has yet to have an abundance of longer running Actual Plays, so we thought it would be a great fit for us and for the audience.
The “Muffin Man” Incident. I have to ask about a specific moment in Episode 1. The scene where Caldor and Rubble interrogate the squire, Lander, and threaten to turn him into a “Muffin Man” was genuinely hilarious. How much of that comedy is planned versus pure improvisation at the table? It felt like a perfect balance of high stakes and high absurdity.
Thank you! We’re really happy that made you laugh, the whole crew was rolling on the floor while trying to keep our cool when that moment happened. Although our show has a unique theatrical element to it, 100% of the character lines and decisions are their own and improvised in the moment. The players do not know what exciting / terrifying / hilarious NPCs they are going to encounter, and they are reacting to everything that is happening in real time. We are so happy with our GM (Matt Lowe) and his incredible character work that brings every NPC to life, and we couldn’t ask for better players at the table who are so captivating to watch, so present, and each one of them can honestly make you laugh one minute and then tear up the next. The whole table is so talented and entertaining.
The Benastar Family Dynamic. We don’t often see a mother-and-son adventuring party in TTRPGs! The dynamic between Amori (the accomplished Oracle mother) and Caldor (the struggling hero-in-training son) is fascinating. For Crystal and Colin: Did you discuss this family history beforehand to get that “awkward but loving” tension right, or are you discovering it live at the table?
This is such a great question because it IS so unique, and yet, in our setting I think it comes across so natural and authentic. Amori Benastar (played by Janelle Kester) and her son Caldor (played by Colin Search) are in many ways the north star to our unique world setting.
Rooting the Benastar name in our world setting was crucial in the development of Synthara, and really helped craft the early decisions we made on the campaign setting, and the character work we did with each member of the family (including “Uncle Rubble” played by Sam Forbes.)
Discovering more about the Benastars (including Amori’s legendary father Rendor) is something we have given a lot of attention to, and we hope the audience really enjoys what we have in store for them.
Matt’s “Heat” Mechanic. Matt, as the Game Master, I noticed you using a very specific recurring phrase/mechanic in the first episode: “Heat”. It seemed to ramp up the tension immediately every time you said it. Can you tell our readers a little about how you use this to pace the episode? Is it a homebrew rule or just a great way to keep the players sweating?
We use a variety of fun tricks to ramp up tension throughout each episode. Matt’s ability to paint with words, our unique sound design to keep the audience’s emotions where we want them, and even some fun homebrew mechanics that happen behind the screen.
Production & Theatricality. The show bills itself as a “Theatrical TTRPG Actual Play”. The production value in the first episode—from the lighting to the sound design—is quite high. How does the “theatrical” aspect change how you approach a session compared to a standard home game? Does the cast feel more pressure to perform “in character” continuously?
Thank you! We put a lot of effort, thought, and energy into this show. We do it because we love RPGs and are all professional creatives, actors, musicians, producers, designers… etc. We are creating Rigamaroll to tell a full story, with developed characters, moments of laughter, excitement, sadness, a beginning, a middle, and maybe some day an end. Our fun theatrical take on the Actual Play genre is definitely something we were very excited to explore, both to try something new, and also to be able to help the audience “catch up” or “remember” what they may have forgotten along the way.
Theatrics aside, once our players sit at the table, it’s their table. They are actually playing the game and the ones in the driver’s seat. I think there are great moments of in-character and off-character interactions, and that’s what any great RPG table should have.
The Mystery of the “Old Power”. Without entering spoiler territory, Episode 1 sets up a distinct conflict between the “Light” of Bright Mount and the “Old Power” (or “All Power”) that Caldor accidentally unleashes. It feels a bit darker than a typical cartoon! Are you aiming to deconstruct those old tropes of “Good vs. Evil,” or are you embracing them wholeheartedly?
From our character’s POV the “All Power” (or magic in our world) is definitely a terrifying concept. Myth and legend has left the good inhabitants of Synthara with nothing but fear of the All Power and those able to wield it… So as you can imagine, as our first episode opens on young Caldor discovering he can touch it, manipulate it, this realization propels our narrative forward in really exciting ways. Whether it’s actually good or evil… Well, watch and find out!
Voice Acting & Tabletop. Your cast is stacked with incredible voice talent, with credits ranging from Arcane to Genshin Impact. How does that professional voice acting background influence the way you play? Do you find it easier to separate “player knowledge” from “character knowledge” when you can literally switch voices?
We think that a great player, whether on screen or not, looks to dissociate who their character is and who they are as a player. We are grateful to have such an amazing cast. We have screen actors, voice actors, improv stage actors, we really have it all, and they are all wonderful people to play with.
The World of Synthara. The teaser mentions we might see things like “dual-wielded laser guns” against “vicious orcs”. For the gear-heads and world-builders reading this: What is the weirdest or most fun piece of “magi-tech” we can expect to see the party use (or run away from) in future episodes?
We have a lot of really fun things cooking to showcase throughout this season of Rigamaroll. We’ve got everything from high powered space rifles to cursed giant dwarven axes! But I think our favorite “magi-tech” creation has to be our campaign frame’s unique ancestry (an Aggrenoid) which comes to life in GENE-3 (played by Samuel Van Helsing). He’s all the tech you could ask for with a “magical” life force that makes him truly fascinating to watch.
What’s Next for the Party? At the end of Episode 1, our heroes are fleeing Bright Mount on those distinctive magenta horses, heading for Goodrich to find a wizard. What can viewers expect from the next leg of the journey? Are we looking at a road-trip movie vibe, or something more perilous?
One of the keys to Rigamaroll’s narrative is how our two completely different player parties (Fantasy and Space) interact with the world, asynchronously affecting the story and setting of Synthara. You can expect a very different experience from each party, as the Fantasy team, familiar with this world, looks to learn more about the All Power and potentially save Caldor, whilst the Space team explore what makes Synthara special, and in so doing, may uncover a much larger plot and the forces at play here due to their extensive travels.
With high stakes, high production values, and a cast clearly having the time of their lives, Rigamaroll is shaping up to be a unique entry into the actual-play landscape. You can follow the colliding realities of Synthara on their social channels now, or tune in to see if the party survives their own “heat”.
