---
title: "Glossary — the words Storywright uses"
description: "Plain definitions for every term Storywright uses — Drafting Table, Story Arc, Player Journal, Recap, Briefing, and the rest — in one place."
last_updated: 2026-07-31
---

# Glossary

Plain-text Markdown mirror of [https://storywright.io/glossary](https://storywright.io/glossary).

The words Storywright uses, defined once, so nothing in the app or a briefing reads like jargon.

**The short answer.** Storywright uses a small, consistent vocabulary across the app, the manual, and every player briefing — this page defines each term exactly once, so you can look one up mid-session instead of guessing from context.

**Weave**
The view that shows how the people, places, items, factions, events, and Story Arcs in a World connect.

**Strand**
One thing shown in the Weave — for example, a Character, Place, Item, Faction, Event, or Story Arc.

**Thread**
A connection a GM draws between two Strands in the Weave. A Thread can stay private or be revealed to players.

**Drafting Table**
The GM’s cabinet of linkable people, places, factions, items, and lore.

**Entity / item**
One record in the Drafting Table, such as a person, place, faction, item, or piece of lore.

**Session Tracker**
The in-game surface that pulls up tonight’s objectives, likely NPCs, and locations, with one-keystroke search.

**Story Arc**
A story chapter tracked as active, upcoming, or complete across many sessions, linked to what it touches.

**Player Journal**
A rich-text journal entry written by a player and shared with the party, kept private, or shown only to the GM.

**Character goal**
What a player’s character is chasing; surfaced quietly to the GM to weave in and pay off later.

**Recap**
A session summary drafted from the GM’s linked notes, then edited, approved, and published by the GM.

**Briefing ("previously on…")**
The player-safe pre-session read for a game night, built from the GM’s published recap and shared prep card.

**Visibility**
The reveal controls that decide whether an item or Thread stays behind the GM screen or can be seen by players.

**GM (Game Master)**
The person running the campaign — the only paid seat. Players are free on every plan.

**System-agnostic**
Ships no rules, stat blocks, or dice, so it works with any tabletop RPG system.

**VTT (virtual tabletop)**
Map / token / dice software like Foundry or Roll20. Storywright is not one; it sits beside it.

## Related

- [Manual](/manual.md)
- [FAQ](/faq.md)
- [Sessions](/sessions.md)
- [Full site index](/sitemap.md)