I need to create a kind of timer or something similar in a quest. The player has responsibility for an NPC. After a period of time after taking responsibility I want a topic to be activated on the NPC allowing the player to move to the next stage, finding something for the NPC. Gradually the player will rise in the NPC's standing.

I'm guessing that you'd want a day timer for this. Perhaps something like the following:

float StartDayshort TimerBegin GameMode	 if (GetStage myQuest == 10)        if (Timer == 0)            addTopic MyNewTopic ; something to kick it off with. In this case, it told the player to come back in 7 days.            Set StartDay to GameDaysPassed            Set Timer to 1        endif        if (Timer == 1)            if ((GameDaysPassed - StartDay) >= 7)                setStage myQuest 15		    endif	   endif    endif...end

That's just an outline, but hopefully it will get you started. That's a quest script, btw.