noktalarn

Noktalarn is a fictional term used in speculative fiction and world-building to denote a network of discrete points—nodes—that encode relationships among places, events, characters, and ideas within a narrative universe. The noktalarn lattice is designed to support non-linear storytelling by visually and structurally linking elements of the story world.

Etymology and in-universe use: The word is said to come from a fictional language where nokta means "point" and the suffix -lar marks plurality. In many works, authors describe the noktalarn as an organized repository used by scholars and historians to map cause and effect across time.

Structure and mechanics: Each node (nokta) carries attributes such as time, location, faction, and theme. Edges connect nodes to indicate relationships, with weight or color indicating strength or type of connection. Some narratives layer multiple noktalarn maps to track parallel plotlines or alternate histories.

Origins and reception: The concept gained traction on online world-building communities and in fan encyclopedias as a practical tool for managing complex plots. Because noktalarn is fictional, its specifications vary by author and project, with no canonical standard.

Related topics include graph theory, semantic networks, knowledge graphs, and narrative maps.