NPCs talking to NPCs - is the DM going crazy?

[Tonguez]

DO you as a DM ever have a situation where you have two NPCs talking to each other as well as to the PCs?

say the King and his chamberlain

or the argumentative old man and his harridan wife (who break into arguments whilst the PCs stand by)

or Tweedledee and Tweedledum

how do you handle it? How do you differentiate who is talking? and do you ever feel just a wee bit looney?

 

[Raven Crowking]

I tend to summarize things like that, although in some cases, I will use narration.

"'Go forth, then, and seek the emerald!' No sooner does the man speak than the Raven asks, 'what about the guardian?' The man looks shamefaced a moment, then says..."

 

[Ambrus]

Sometimes I find it necessary to do it simply to remind them that the NPCs are only stating their own opinions rather than some kind of meta-campaign truth. Players who are stuck listening to a single NPC deliver his spiel seem to readily accept that I'm delivering a plot hook and don't bother to imagine that the NPC's statements are colored by his own experience and motives and might simply be wrong or misguided. Having two or more NPCs passionately state opposing or differing viewpoints helps bring the uncertainty of what they're saying back into focus; leaving it up to the players to figure out what their characters should do for themselves.

When switching between NPCs I simply assume different postures or speaking style or precede it with an action the NPC takes: "The Chancellor, unhappy with the Baron's opinion, stands and desperately pleads with his liege."

 

[Crothian]

Ya, I do it. I role play the parts but always make sure that when I switch to a new character I tell the players so they can follow along. I do try to include the PCs though as much as I can.

 

[DonTadow]

Ya, I do it. I role play the parts but always make sure that when I switch to a new character I tell the players so they can follow along. I do try to include the PCs though as much as I can.

Unless its important for me to role play out both parts in front of the PC, I'll summarize it. If it becomes important I'll keep it brief and use different voices.

I know how it is to be a player and have one player try to dominiate a conversation, imagine if its the dm doing it with himself.

 

[Peni Griffin]

Indirect discourse and action tags are your friends in these cases. You'll have to play be ear which speeches should be made verbatim in character; when you have two players interrupting eachother but conveying important information in the dialog, use whatever dodge you can - different voices (even hokey ones), handpuppets, transitional action tags: (i.e.: He's getting into this speech, waving his arms around and declaiming, while the chamberlain looks more and more like he's sucking a lemon, until he can't stand it anymore and breaks in: "And then we all die. Your Majesty, we discussed this. Your feelings are admirable, but we must be practical."

 

[kenobi65]

I know how it is to be a player and have one player try to dominiate a conversation, imagine if its the dm doing it with himself.

Agreed. I've "had a conversation with myself" when absolutely necessary, but too much of it and the players become totally passive spectators, which I deem a bad thing.

 

[Nifft]

Sometimes, when I know such a thing is coming up, I'll print out "screen plays" and have the players each take a part, reading those parts aloud. They seem to enjoy that. Also, they sometimes remember parts, which is different from when I talk.

Cheers, -- N

 

[JohnnFour]

Some tips here:

http://www.roleplayingtips.com/readissue.php?number=78

 

[sniffles]

We call that "GMasturbation".