NPCs with Purpose: Creating Side Characters That Feel Real

A good story is nothing without an engaging cast. While your main characters might get all the glory, and your supporting characters get the spotlight moments, it’s the background characters, the innkeepers, merchants, and chatty townsfolk, that breathe life into your world.

In video games, we call them NPCs (non-playable characters), those delightful weirdos who sell you potions, warn you about nearby monsters, or mumble something vaguely prophetic before you move on to your next quest. They’re the spice in your storytelling stew. Without them, your world might still exist… but it’ll taste pretty bland.