The Adventure Zone
In August 2014, a recording of the McElroy family playing Dungeons & Dragons aired as an experimental episode of their advice podcast My Brother, My Brother and Me. Justin McElroy needed to cover for his paternity leave, so he recorded a session using the newly released Starter Set for fifth edition D&D. The module was The Lost Mine of Phandelver, which served as the basis for the first few sessions. That single episode became the seed for what would become a separate biweekly podcast later that year.
Griffin McElroy took on the role of Dungeon Master for the show's first campaign, titled the Balance Arc. The campaign ran from August 2014 until Episode 69 in August 2017. During this time, the family explored a global war on Faerûn catalyzed by seven powerful magical artifacts known as Grand Relics. These relics compelled their wielders to wreak havoc and destruction, creating a narrative about the Bureau of Balance seeking to collect them before they caused total chaos.
The production relied heavily on specific musical choices to set the tone. Déjà Vu by Mort Garson from the album Ataraxia: The Unexplained served as the primary theme song during the Balance Arc. Griffin McElroy also created original compositions to enhance the show's production value. By 2016, the popularity of the campaign had grown enough that a graphic novel adaptation was announced. This adaptation began running in 2018, with each volume covering one quest from the campaign.
Following the conclusion of the Balance campaign in August 2017, the McElroys decided to work on smaller experimental arcs. They used other game systems to give themselves time to develop their next overarching storyline. Three experimental arcs aired from October 2017 to March 2018, with the show temporarily moving to a weekly schedule to get to a full second campaign more quickly.
Clint McElroy ran Commitment using the Fate system, while Griffin McElroy handled Amnesty and the first four episodes of Travis's Dust arc using Powered by the Apocalypse. These arcs took place in worlds separate from those explored in previous campaigns, though elements have crossed over since. With the conclusion of these experimental arcs, the McElroys announced that Amnesty would be Season 2.
Travis McElroy confirmed his role as Dungeon Master for the upcoming Graduation arc in a SyFy Wire interview. A trailer for the campaign released on October 18 announced a return to the Dungeons & Dragons system. The fantasy themed campaign ran from the 31st of October 2019, to the 15th of April 2021. It centered around a school for heroes and villains called Hieronymous Wiggenstaff's School for Heroism and Villainy.
The arc received mixed feedback regarding Travis's performance as DM. Reviewers cited his lack of experience as
a Dungeon Master, as well as the very high number of non-player characters. Travis considered stepping back from the show around the 20th episode, but decided that would be unfair to those who were invested. Critics noted the heavy exposition and lack of player agency compared to previous seasons.
There were few live shows during the run of Graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. None of these made use of Graduation's Nua setting. Instead, a series of new campaign settings were used in virtual live shows. These minor campaigns included Fur with Erika Ishii, Hootenanny, Inheritance, Just Us, Mercer with Matt Mercer, and Lords of Crunch.
Before the finale of Graduation, Griffin McElroy confirmed in an interview with Brennan Lee Mulligan that the fourth season would also be played in the Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition system. The campaign's name, Ethersea, and a brief trailer were released on the 3rd of May 2021. The series is set in and around the submarine city of Founder's Wake for which Griffin drew inspiration from sources including The Eternal Darkness: A Personal History of Deep-Sea Exploration by Robert Ballard.
A special primer episode was released on
October 12 for the Maximum Fun Block Party. Justin recommended Ethersea while Griffin recommended Balance and Clint recommended Amnesty. The McElroys hired Rachel Jacobs to handle post production of the series rather than editing it themselves. This allowed them to switch to a weekly rather than biweekly schedule starting July 8.
The family began a limited return to live shows during the pandemic. Performances occurred at Emerald City Comic Con in 2021 as well as live and virtual remote shows. These used a variety of systems and settings, with some returning to the Hootenanny continuity seen since 2019. The Fancy Takes Flight Tour ran from March to July 2022, featuring several Adventure Zone performances across the United States.
The first graphic novel adapting the podcast's main storyline, Here There Be Gerblins, was released in July 2018. The book was written by the McElroys and illustrated by Carey Pietsch. It quickly topped New York Times' best-selling trade fiction list, becoming the first graphic novel to do so. A sequel adapting Murder on the Rockport Limited was released on the 16th of July 2019.
Subsequent volumes followed a yearly release schedule through 2023. Petals to the Metal arrived on the 14th of July 2020, while Crystal Kingdom
published on the 13th of July 2021. The fifth book, The Eleventh Hour, came out on the 21st of February 2023. For the launch of the sixth book, The Suffering Game, the family produced original artwork demonstrated on an episode of The McElroy Family Clubhouse.
First Second books announced that February that the seventh volume, Story and Song, expected in 2025, would be the final volume. The first five volumes became New York Times Bestsellers. The family also auctioned off art from the sixth book to support the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.
The podcast has been downloaded hundreds of millions of times since its inception. One of the creators, Justin McElroy, stated that it has a following among younger and LGBT+ demographics. It holds a 4.9 rating on Podbay and a 5.0 rating on Apple Podcasts. The show sold out dozens of live shows since 2014.
Patrick Rothfuss described the Balance arc as possessing some of the finest storytelling he had ever experienced in any genre. The Mary Sue called Amnesty uniquely compassionate, based on connection and hope. Comic
Book Resources praised Dust for delivering a tight mystery while maintaining familial humor distinct to the gameplay.
The Adventure Zone is credited alongside Critical Role with the Dungeons & Dragons renaissance that began in the mid 2010s. It influenced later shows in the actual play genre such as Dimension 20. Travis McElroy commented that the worldbuilding in Tiny Heist was so well thought through that it was basically like a big playground.
Common questions
When did The Adventure Zone podcast first air?
The Adventure Zone podcast first aired in August 2014 as an experimental episode of My Brother, My Brother and Me. Justin McElroy recorded the session to cover his paternity leave using the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set.
Who was the Dungeon Master for the Balance Arc campaign?
Griffin McElroy served as the Dungeon Master for the Balance Arc campaign from August 2014 until Episode 69 in August 2017. This campaign explored a global war on Faerûn involving seven Grand Relics.
What dates did the Graduation arc run during Travis McElroy's time as Dungeon Master?
The fantasy themed Graduation arc ran from the 31st of October 2019 to the 15th of April 2021. It centered around Hieronymous Wiggenstaff's School for Heroism and Villainy.
Which graphic novel adapting The Adventure Zone became a New York Times bestseller?
Here There Be Gerblins was released in July 2018 and quickly topped the New York Times best-selling trade fiction list. It was written by the McElroys and illustrated by Carey Pietsch.
When was the Ethersea campaign trailer released for The Adventure Zone?
A brief trailer for the fourth season named Ethersea was released on the 3rd of May 2021. The series is set in and around the submarine city of Founder's Wake.