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As I mentioned on another thread - the term NPC came out of RPG games like Dungeons & Dragons, etc before video games.

Here’s my response on how an NPC would interact with a D&D group of players:

That was one type of NPC (other poster was talking about a dwarve attacking a group of players...really more a monster than an NPC). Others were characters that were used to ensure the story kept going the way it was intended. So maybe - you save the princess from the dungeon, but she adamantly refuses to leave until you retrieve her necklace.

The party discusses amongst themselves and says “sorry princess not worth our lives for a bauble.

She states “I cannot return without it or she will not be able to marry her prince charming as it represents her dowry. Besides it’s just sitting on the table in the long hall.”

The party confers - “nope not worth it”

She says “I can get you each 100 platinum and a magic item of your choice (DM note: up to 1 level above current character level)”

Party confers (DM note: any thief in party is awarded 10 gold from all other party members due to increased proximity occurrences) - “ok let’s go”

Party enters long hall (DM note: Princess gets lost at least twice enroute) and is set upon by 2 trolls, 5 goblins, and a pack of kobolds. Necklace if picked up by anyone other than princess will deliver an electrical shock of 5 hp. Princess will hinder any party member in a direct line between her and necklace as she attempts to retrieve delivering a -1 chance to hit and -1 Armor class. If she is able to place necklace on all monsters fall asleep.

Princess will remain with party until exit from dungeon. Party incurs a -2 penalty to hide and move silent skills. Every 4th turn party will lose a turn while waiting out princess temper tantrums and self-pity displays.

THAT is a good D&D NPC... If they aren’t named they are just monsters. An NPC is either a named monster who has lines or a character who drives the story in a direction.

An NPC is either a named monster who has lines or a character who drives the story in a direction.

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Late in replying, but love it how NPC = MOB = Monster or Beast (hat tip to ichabod1 for explaining it as a gaming term) = all those screaming leftists who have to be told who to hate and who to oppose and what to believe.

Trust the Plan. Trust Trump. Trust Q & QTeam.