How to contact NPCs?

[Maina]

More than once now, I've had a character need or desire a conversation with an NPC that either doesn't have a visible name (An old, weary herbalist or something along those lines) or does not operate in civilization, making npcmail not an option for getting in contact as I have no name to mail and/or they have no way to receive the mail.

I remember reading that request, think, ritual, etc are not intended to be used to request an NPC be animated by a GM.

Is there any established method for contacting these sorts of NPCs?