Original casts · Practical layouts
Character relationship chart examples
A useful chart does more than connect every name. These original examples show three different ways to arrange a cast around the question the story or campaign needs to answer.
Example 01 · Mystery
The missing heir
The absent person sits at the centre because every visible relationship changes how the disappearance is interpreted. Solid lines show known ties; red dashed lines show information the investigator has not connected yet.
- Use direction for who suspects whom.
- Connect every clue to the person who can reveal it.
- Keep the hidden answer legible to the writer without exposing it in a player or reader version.
Example 02 · Fantasy politics
The glass succession
This chart uses faction boxes rather than a central protagonist. It is built to answer one question: what happens when the current ruler dies without a recognised heir?
- Black lines show official obligations.
- Red lines show private support that contradicts public loyalty.
- People should be added where a faction needs a face, messenger, or decision-maker.
Example 03 · Tabletop campaign
The quiet door
The party sits at the centre because the map is a session-prep tool. The sealed door is included as a node because several NPCs want something from it, know something about it, or are paid to keep it closed.
- Rewrite lines after each session instead of preserving obsolete notes.
- Add NPCs only when they can act or reveal something.
- Create a separate player-safe version before sharing.
Build a chart from your own cast
Open the editor without signing up, place the characters who matter, and label the relationships that create pressure. You can rename or remove every part of a template.
Open the free editor