Conversation threads

A thread is a conversation a character carries across turns, scenes, and days until it reaches its end. define conversation <key> for <person> holds an ordered list of beat: rows and exactly one conclusion:. Each beat is one move; the thread remembers where it got to, and picks up there next time.

about "…", "…" names the topics the thread claims while it is active, and opens when <condition> gates it from starting at all — so a thread can wait for a grievance to be aired, or for a night to pass. A beat can carry its own gate too (beat, when <condition>:), which holds that step until its moment comes rather than skipping it.

The transition rows say what happens at the edges. on parting: is the line when the talk drifts away and the thread parks; on resuming: is how it is picked back up; on refusing: is what a blocking thread says when you try to talk about something else. Strength works as it does for exchanges: a passive thread parks politely and waits, a blocking one keeps steering back. Omit on refusing: on a blocking thread and it simply re-serves its current beat — the character says it again, word for word, which reads as someone who will not be deflected.

<key> is concluded is a condition any row can read, false before the conclusion fires and true after, and it persists across save and restore — so the rest of the story can know the matter was settled.

define conversation the-defection for Will Kemp, blocking
  about "the rose", "the offer", "henslowe"
  opens when the grievance was discussed and the-blow-up is stale
  beat, when the-blow-up is not fresh and the-blow-up is not recent:
    phrase kemp-hears-the-rose
  beat:
    phrase kemp-names-his-price
    then asks the-offer
  on refusing:
    phrase kemp-holds-the-thread
  on resuming:
    phrase kemp-takes-it-up
  conclusion:
    phrase kemp-concluded-sworn when Will Kemp is sworn
    phrase kemp-concluded-cooled
end conversation