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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/46021
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I'm of the opinion that a story should stand on its own; any worldbuilding that is _necessary_ for the plot and story to function should be part of the story. However, at the same time, the world I write in is an extensive, fully-realised world which has lots of little details which, if taken note of, give the story a little bit of extra context.

The story I'm writing covers a woman born and raised in a mage cult. Her understanding of the world is considerably limited, racist, and toxic; her entire journey is about shaking these shackles and becoming a better person.

Everything strictly _necessary_ for the story will be included; the outwardly animalistic and non-magical nature of orcs that causes the protagonist's cult (and therefore the protag) to be racist against them, the cult's racial hierarchy, how magic works, the protag's backstory of being crap at any remotely covert work due to killing a nobleman the first and only time she attempted it, et cetera, et cetera.

However, there's plenty of stuff which, while obliquely referenced, aren't strictly expanded upon, merely remarked upon as part of the world. 'The Crown' or 'the Royal Electorate' as an entity that rules the kingdom the cult is within, the Houses of Sinhelios (the noble family who the protagonist stabbed the heir of as part of her backstory) and Sandspark (a goblinese family mentioned as being liege lords of the Ground's Scar Mining Colony, an area investigated by the cult), mentions of cities such as Godswater and Parakos, et cetera.

My question is, for the sake of satisfying reader interest, would it be worthwhile writing an appendix summarising certain inessential worldbuilding entities that's entirely optional for a reader to peruse?

I think an analogous example would be how George RR Martin does it in _A Song of Ice and Fire;_ if I recall correctly, _A Dance with Dragons_ has summaries of the Houses Frey, Florent, Hightower, and Velaryon, all houses that, while their specifics may become important later, aren't particularly elaborated upon or are strictly necessary in the story thus far.

Original score: 11