minor-npcs
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Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite minor character?
Everyone knows the major characters in WoW -- Thrall, Jaina, Varian, Garrosh, Vol'jin, Tyrande, Illidan, Moira, Sylvanas, Shandris... well, you get the idea. There are a lot of major players! But there are even more minor characters, when you think about it. All those named NPC questgivers, chatty city citizens, or profession trainers. There are lots of memorable characters among these small fry. Asric and Jadaar come to mind, for example. Also Chromie, the world's greatest bronze dragon-gnome. There's that jerk who strolls around the mage district in Stormwind, claiming that there are free drinks to be had at the Blue Recluse (LIAR). And who could forget Cro Threadstrong and the Fruit Vendor? Or Griftah? Hakmud of Argus always makes me laugh. Nonetheless, I think my all-time favorite minor NPC has to be Astromancer Darnarian (perhaps more appropriately titled Sasstromancer Darnarian), from the old Shattered Sun Offensive dailies. Grumpy Darnarnian gave you a quest to attune a magic crystal so he could keep travel open between Quel'Danas and Shattrath, and he wasn't shy in letting us know how ungrateful we adventurers were for his efforts, either. Don't you know how hard it is to create and maintain a portal? Who do you think he is, Scotty? No, I will NOT "beam you up" at the drop of a hat, thank you very much! Do you have a favorite minor NPC, quest giver, or vendor? Who is it and why? Tell us all about it!
The Daily Grind: What NPCs stick in your memory?
I'm not fond of a lot of the storytelling on display in the Prophecies campaign of Guild Wars, but I have to admit that, against all logic, I was happy when Gwen showed up again. I joked about her, I complained about her uselessness and her irritating habits, but the fact that she turned up alive again always tickled me on some level. When I think about the game, I think of her, and her trials and tribulations stuck with me long after Prince Rurik had all but vanished into memory. In an MMO with any sort of story, some NPCs are going to stand out to different people. Even beyond the signature characters of a game's box art, incidental figures wind up getting embedded in the consciousness of players. Maybe it's one of the recurring heroes in the City of Heroes tip missions, or perhaps it's one of the more amusing mission NPCs in Star Trek Online. Whatever the reason, what NPCs stick in your mind regardless of their importance or lack thereof? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
