Dialogue scenes

Many scenes will be dialogue scenes, scenes where one or more PCs are talking to an NPC, and that's the extent of the action.

It's easy to fall into "just talking," where you all are inhabiting the PCs and NPCs and just play-acting, seeing how they respond to each other. It's fun, and it's a chance to give your characters life and to let things breathe. But be careful! It's also easy to let dialogue scenes drag on and meander without purpose.

Like all scenes, good dialogue scenes have a purpose. There's a reason that you (or your players) have initiated this conversation, between these characters. The PCs are trying to accomplish something; you're trying to convey something; there's a question that needs answering; there's a conflict to resolve—or escalate! Keep the reason for the scene in mind, even as you're portraying the NPC(s) and speaking in their voice(s).

Try to stick to the core loop! Establish the situation—the time and place, the NPCs involved, the tone and gist of the conversation—and then make a soft GM move. Have the NPC ask, "So, what can I do for you?" Or, have them say something provocative and give the player a chance to respond. Or, step out of character and say how the NPC is acting nervous, or how they look unwell, or how there's a strange new idol on their hearth that wasn't there before. Ask, "What do you do?" Go from there.

Remember to be honest and generous with the truth and detail. When you make a GM move (soft or hard) via an NPC's voice, step out of character and be explicit about the implications of what you just said. If you intend to portray an NPC being shifty and nervous, deliver their lines and then say, "He's being shifty and nervous." Don't assume that your players will properly interpret your portrayal.

Keep an eye out for players triggering moves during dialogues. If you (as an NPC) put up resistance and the PC persists, they just triggered Persuade. If you ask the PCs a pointed question and they straight-up lie, they're probably Defying Danger. If the PCs have special moves that kick in during a conversation (like Under Your Skin or Up With People), ask the player if they want to use them.

When the purpose of a scene has been resolved, or when the dialogue starts to fizzle out or swirl, wrap up the scene. Step out of character, transition to the next scene, move the spotlight, and/or shift into loose play.