diff --git a/python/dialog/npc_dialog.py b/python/dialog/npc_dialog.py
index 4a1fd44ba..389b0ad2b 100644
--- a/python/dialog/npc_dialog.py
+++ b/python/dialog/npc_dialog.py
@@ -17,10 +17,8 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
 #
 #
-# This is a simple script that makes use of CFDialog.py and that receives
-# parameters from a JSON inside the event message. Alternatively, the JSON
-# parameters, if >= 4096 characters, can be stored in a separate file.
-# Use the classical script parameter to specify relative location of dialog.
+# This is a simple script that makes use of CFNPCDialog.py and that receives
+# parameters from a JSON inside the event message. 
 #
 # An example of a map file entry is:
 #
@@ -31,103 +29,61 @@
 # endmsg
 # x 11
 # y 7
-# resist_physical 100
-# resist_magic 100
-# weight 50000000
-# friendly 1
-# stand_still 1
 # arch event_say
 # name start/sigmund.msg
 # title Python
-# slaying /python/misc/npc_dialog.py
+# slaying /python/dialog/npc_dialog.py
 # end
 # end
 #
-# An example of a JSON dialog similar to the one described in CFDialog.py is:
-#
-# {
-#   "location" : "test_grandpa_01",
-#   "rules": [
-#   {
-#     "match" : ["hello","hi"],
-#     "pre" : [["hello","0"]],
-#     "post" : [["hello","1"]],
-#     "msg" : ["Hello, lad!","Hi, young fellow!","Howdy!"]
-#   },
-#   {
-#     "match": ["hello","hi"],
-#     "pre" :[["hello","1"]],
-#     "post" :[["hello", "*"]],
-#     "msg" : ["I've heard, you know, I'm not deaf *grmbl*"]
-#   },
-#   {
-#     "match" : ["*"],
-#     "pre" : [["hello","*"]],
-#     "post" : [["hello", "*"]],
-#     "msg" : ["What ?", "Huh ?", "What do you want ?"]
-#   }
-# ]}
-#
-# For detailed descriptions of the match, pre, post, and msg formats, see the
-# ../CFDialog.py script.
-#
-# "match" is a list of keyword strings, and corresponds to what the player says
-# that the dialog will respond to.
-#
-# In the above example, the first rule is applied if the player/character says
-# "hello" or "hi" and if the "hello" flag is set to "0" (default).  When the
-# rule is applied, the "hello" flag is then set to "1".
-#
-# "pre" is a list of preconditions that identifies flags that must be set to a
-# particular value in order to trigger a response if a match is detected.
-#
-# "post" is a list of postconditions that specify flags that are to be set if a
-# response is triggered.
-#
-# All of the rule values are lists, and must be enclosed by square braces, but
-# pre and post are lists of lists, so the nested square braces ([[]]) are
-# required except that using an empty list [] is the best way to indicate when
-# the rule does not need to check preconditions or set postconditions.
-#
-# "msg" defines one or more responses that will be given if the rule triggers.
-# When more than one "msg" value is set up, the NPC randomly selects which one
-# to say each time the rule is applied.
-#
-# A relatively complex example of an npc_dialog.py dialog is given in the Gork
-# treasure room quest.  See ../scorn/kar/gork.msg in particular as it
-# demonstrates how multiple precondition flag values may be exploited to
-# produce non-linear and variable-path conversations that are less likely to
-# frustrate a player.  Refer also to ../scorn/kar/mork.msg to see how more
-# than one dialog can reference the same dialog flags.
+# see http://wiki.metalforge.net/doku.php/user:cavesomething:guide_to_quest_dialogs 
+# for lots of detail on how to use this, and look at examples in test/quest_handling
 
 import Crossfire
 import os
 from CFDialog import DialogRule, Dialog
 import cjson
 
+location = "defaultdialognamespace"
+
+def parseJSON(filename):
+    global location
+    parameters = []
+    for filenm in filename:
+        filepath = os.path.join(Crossfire.DataDirectory(),
+                            Crossfire.MapDirectory(),
+                            filenm)
+        try:
+            f = open(filepath,'rb')
+        except:
+            Crossfire.Log(Crossfire.LogDebug, "Error loading NPC dialog %s" % filepath)
+            raise
+        else:
+            Crossfire.Log(Crossfire.LogDebug, "Loading NPC dialog %s" % filepath)
+            params = cjson.decode(f.read())
+            f.close()
+        if "location" in params:
+            location = params["location"]
+        for jsonRule in params["rules"]:
+            if "include" in jsonRule:
+                newfiles = jsonRule["include"]
+                # this isn't a 'real' rule, so we don't include it, but we do 
+                # include the results of parsing it.
+                parameters.extend(parseJSON(newfiles))
+            else:
+                parameters.append(jsonRule)
+    return parameters
+
 npc = Crossfire.WhoAmI()
-event = Crossfire.WhatIsEvent()
+#event = Crossfire.WhatIsEvent()
 player = Crossfire.WhoIsActivator()
 if (Crossfire.ScriptParameters() != None):
-    filename = os.path.join(Crossfire.DataDirectory(),
-                            Crossfire.MapDirectory(),
-                            Crossfire.ScriptParameters())
-    try:
-        f = open(filename,'rb')
-    except:
-        Crossfire.Log(Crossfire.LogDebug, "Error loading NPC dialog %s" % filename)
-        raise
-    else:
-        Crossfire.Log(Crossfire.LogDebug, "Loading NPC dialog %s" % filename)
-        parameters = cjson.decode(f.read())
-        f.close()
-else:
-    parameters = cjson.decode(event.Message)
-location = parameters["location"];
+    filename = Crossfire.ScriptParameters()
+    dialogs = parseJSON([filename])
 speech = Dialog(player, npc, location)
 index = 0;
 
-for jsonRule in parameters["rules"]:
+for jsonRule in dialogs:        
     rule = DialogRule(jsonRule["match"],
                       jsonRule["pre"],
                       jsonRule["msg"],