The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings
Landscapes evolve. Forests turn into cities, rivers change course and even mountains slowly erode. Perhaps it stands to reason then, that the landscapes of the fantastic evolve as well. In recent times, the evolution of the imaginary worlds found in speculative works of fiction appears to favour div...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Ex-centric Narratives: Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media |
| Online Access: | http://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/ExCentric/article/view/6741 |
| _version_ | 1819009646981021696 |
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| author | Dimitra Nikolaidou |
| author_facet | Dimitra Nikolaidou |
| author_sort | Dimitra Nikolaidou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Landscapes evolve. Forests turn into cities, rivers change course and even mountains slowly erode. Perhaps it stands to reason then, that the landscapes of the fantastic evolve as well. In recent times, the evolution of the imaginary worlds found in speculative works of fiction appears to favour diversity and inclusiveness, keeping in touch with wider societal trends. This transition in fantastic chronotopes is extensively chronicled in the genre of Tabletop Role-Playing Games, or TRPGs for short. The present paper aims to examine the evolution of fantastical landscapes within the very influential TRPG genre through the combined framework of narrative and cultural theories. The settings of the most successful TRPGs, Dungeons and Dragons and World of Darkness, will serve as examples. The results will provide valuable insights into how and why the worlds of speculative fiction change over time, often in response to wider societal change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:59:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21afa84684ce4008917fef1fed835dc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2585-3538 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:59:41Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ex-centric Narratives: Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media |
| spelling | doaj.art-21afa84684ce4008917fef1fed835dc32022-12-21T19:21:13ZengSchool of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GreeceEx-centric Narratives: Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media2585-35382018-12-011221822910.26262/exna.v1i2.67416161The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing SettingsDimitra NikolaidouLandscapes evolve. Forests turn into cities, rivers change course and even mountains slowly erode. Perhaps it stands to reason then, that the landscapes of the fantastic evolve as well. In recent times, the evolution of the imaginary worlds found in speculative works of fiction appears to favour diversity and inclusiveness, keeping in touch with wider societal trends. This transition in fantastic chronotopes is extensively chronicled in the genre of Tabletop Role-Playing Games, or TRPGs for short. The present paper aims to examine the evolution of fantastical landscapes within the very influential TRPG genre through the combined framework of narrative and cultural theories. The settings of the most successful TRPGs, Dungeons and Dragons and World of Darkness, will serve as examples. The results will provide valuable insights into how and why the worlds of speculative fiction change over time, often in response to wider societal change.http://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/ExCentric/article/view/6741 |
| spellingShingle | Dimitra Nikolaidou The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings Ex-centric Narratives: Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media |
| title | The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings |
| title_full | The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings |
| title_fullStr | The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings |
| title_short | The Evolution of Fantastical Storyworlds: A Study of Tabletop Role-Playing Settings |
| title_sort | evolution of fantastical storyworlds a study of tabletop role playing settings |
| url | http://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/ExCentric/article/view/6741 |
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