Dungeons and Dragons is a game that brings people together. It’s a way for friends, family, and complete strangers to sit around a table or behind their computer screen and create a shared story. Whether you want to slay the dragon or go off on your own quest and have the dungeon master ad-lib it all, D&D is – at its core – a game about fellowship.
It also has a huge online presence with shows like Critical Role, The Adventure Zone, and Relics and Rarities. It’s shows like that and Wizards of the Coasts’ annual streaming event that has paved the way for Lost Odyssey: The Book of Knowledge. The charity event features Deborah Ann Woll in the dungeon master seat and benefits the Autism Society of America. The players will be Matthew Lillard, Satine Phoenix, TJ Storm, Kate Welch, Xander Jeanneret, and a mystery unannounced character.
We’ve written a lot about the show in the past and are looking forward to it. So much so, that we reached out to the event directors behind the DM screen, Rob Miller and Douglisio DiMuccio, to get a little more information before Friday’s show.
NS: How did Lost Odyssey come about?
NS: The live show is being turned into a documentary, what led to that idea?
NS: What was the process for choosing Deborah as the DM?
NS: How will it stand out from shows like Critical Role or Wizards live-streamed events?
NS: What was it like working with Wizards of the Coast?
NS: What can we expect from future Lost Odyssey events?
What we’re doing doesn’t just stop at the event. Lost Odyssey is a kickoff. For the next two months, once the event starts, we have our charity campaign on Tiltify that’s going to be running from November 15 through January 15. Throughout that whole time, you can donate and you will be able to look at different rewards available from all of our different sponsors.
We wanted to have an event that was sort of hyper theatric in a big theater setting that lets all of the world sort of see what this community can do when it rallies together and Deborah took that up and ran. The game is absolutely perfect for a theater setting and we’ve been absolutely blown away by [Deborah’s] vigor and approach to something like this. She’s a natural-born storyteller. I take that back, she’s a practiced storyteller, not natural born. She’s good at what she does and cares about what she does. She’s a huge reason that this whole thing is becoming what it is.”
Roll20 came onto this very early on. The cause was very near and dear to their hearts. They came on and supported us in a way that literally made this whole thing possible for the Autism Society. I will say, look forward to some Lost Odyssey materials coming out for Roll20 in the future.”
We are going to be having videos play in the theater that are intercut throughout the game that aid the players along their way. We have a secret guest player with a big theatric reveal. We are kind of treating it like if there were a theater tech team and effects designer for a stage show.
Deborah’s making us hardpressed to think about anyone else DMing. We are open to the idea of Lost Odyssey possibly being a different DMed or different charity-driven event every time we do it.
No matter what year of Lost Odyssey we’re doing, if it becomes annual which it’s looking like it will, we’re always going to be looking these streaming personalities from the D&D world to be playing their iconic characters in the game. We think audiences are so used to that by now, especially with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, of these known names and known stories sharing a universe and coming together. Lost Odyssey is exactly that. We want some of your favorite adventure heroes from some of your favorite myths all sort of coming together in this one lost story that they are all a part of.”
NS: Where can fans watch the event on Twitch and Tiltify?
NS: Is there anything else you would like to share about Lost Odyssey?
You can check out the final trailer for Lost Odyssey below.
I want to thank Rob and Douglisio for taking the time to speak with The Nerd Stash. They have a passion for storytelling and you can expect to see their dedication when the documentary releases in 2020.
Lost: Odyssey: The Book of Knowledge will be live Friday, November 15 starting at 7:30 pm PST.
