Greetings

define greetings for <person> holds the rows that fire at the edges of a conversation rather than inside it — the opening and the parting. The boundary rows are first time:, on return:, and on leaving:, which cover the three moments every recurring character needs.

on return can be narrowed by how long the player has been away: on return, again so soon: for coming straight back, and on return, after days: for a real absence. The runtime decides which applies from elapsed story time, so the author writes both readings and never schedules them. A bare on return: catches whatever the narrowed rows do not.

The repetition rows count askings rather than absences: asked once:, asked again:, and asked many times: let a character notice being pressed. This is what turns a stock greeting into a character who reacts to being pestered — and it is worth authoring even when the reply is short, since the alternative is the same opening line forever.

define greetings for Will Kemp
  first time:
    phrase kemp-sizes-you-up
  on return:
    phrase kemp-nods
  on return, again so soon:
    phrase kemp-twice-in-an-hour
  on return, after days:
    phrase kemp-wheres-been
  asked again:
    phrase kemp-persistent
  on leaving:
    phrase kemp-turns-away
end greetings