In defence of the topofocal approach to story development - Worldbuilding as an aid to narrative creation and the expansion of Elysian Drop Troops lore

<p dir="ltr">The British literary critic and author M. John Harrison defines Worldbuilding as an ‘attempt to exhaustively survey a place that isn’t there’. Worldbuilding is one of the most important aspects of genre fiction and is an undeniable factor in the success of the 40K universe, which is appropriately recognised for the scope, depth and detail of its universe. However, has this approach to the ongoing development of the gaming system and published output, which the Swedish fantasy scholar Stefan Ekman defines as ‘topofocal’, become too important? Particularly in the case of Black Library, does it prioritize environment and location over other narrative functions such as plot and character? These questions are currently being debated within genre fiction, but the consequences extend far beyond critical analysis, having a real and ongoing influence for writers wishing to not only work within the existing Warhammer IP but to usefully expand on it. With reference to my work on the audio drama trilogy ‘Scions of Elysia’, ‘Renegades of Elysia’ and ‘Martyrs of Elysia’, I will investigate how a broad range of concepts associated with Worldbuilding, such as the employment of the ‘outside-in’ or ‘inside-out’ approach to framing a narrative, can be used without limiting the storytelling process. I will also explore how the extension of geographical locations, the development of social frameworks and political systems helped shape the story arc for the series while enhancing, rather than undermining, character and plot development.</p>