LINKING SPECIAL EVENTS

i've been working on my interactive story a little while before i joined
and learning alot
but as i searched the interwebs and the forums i have not been able to find the subject
of linking events, as for a example when you talk to some one it triggers a event later one and if you don't talk to said person s/he doesn't show up

or where you try to go somewhere before talking to a particular npc you can't move forward to where ever you want to go

do i make multiple copies of a map with special events that trigger without a screen transition where you retain your sprite facing and have it teleport to the copie of the map

i have yet to try this even though i should test the waters but i thought i'd ask before going all willie nilly with it