> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kai-yan.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Node Connections

> How characters, locations, items, clues, and status components take effect through connections, and which relationships are exclusive.

## Relationships are not prose

The editor uses connections between nodes to decide who appears in an act, who holds an item, and where a clue comes from. Writing “the letter belongs to Lin Zhou” in the text does not create a relationship; only the matching connection on the canvas does. Confirm the connections before writing the prose.

There are two kinds of connection: an **exclusive relationship** can have only one target at a time, and changing it replaces the old connection; an **additive relationship** can connect several targets at once. Do not swap directions just to pass a check—if your intent does not match the table below, change the story structure instead.

## Connection table

| Connection                    | Purpose                           | Rule                                                     |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Script Entry → Act            | The first act after the entry     | Exactly one                                              |
| Act → Act / Branch / Ending   | The act's main-route exit         | Exactly one per act, choose one kind                     |
| Branch → Act / Ending         | The branch's routes               | Two or more                                              |
| Character → Act               | The character appears in this act | Additive; the same character may connect to several acts |
| Location → Act                | The act takes place here          | Additive; the same location may serve several acts       |
| Item → Character              | The character holds the item      | Choose one of two; exclusive with Item → Act             |
| Item → Act                    | The item sits in this act         | Choose one of two; exclusive with Item → Character       |
| Clue → Act / Character / Item | Where the clue comes from         | Choose exactly one                                       |
| Intelligence → Act            | The intelligence's reveal act     | Exactly one                                              |
| Status component → Character  | Whose status this tracks          | Exactly one; the protagonist can be the target           |

## Changing an exclusive relationship

Item ownership, clue source, intelligence reveal act, status binding, and the main-route exits of the entry and each act are all exclusive. When ownership changes, replace the old connection with the new one; do not keep both, and do not simulate a replacement by disconnecting and reconnecting.

A character appearing in several acts, a location serving several acts, multiple branch exits, and clues, intelligence, and items each pointing at the same act are additive—they do not replace one another.

## Common connection mistakes

* The Script Entry connects to several acts, or to none;
* An act has no main-route exit, so a route stops halfway;
* A route never reaches an ending;
* Intelligence has no reveal act, or a status component has no bound character;
* An item is both held by a character and placed in an act, or a clue comes from two sources;
* The prose already puts a character on stage or transfers an item, but the canvas has no matching connection.

Connections, required fields, and image specs are three different checks: this page covers connections, [Required Fields and Blockers](/en/create/editor/required-fields) covers fields, and image specs live on their node pages.