Non-player character
From DmWiki
An NPC or non-player character is a character in a game that is friendly to the player, possibly providing assistance or advice, or possibly just there to flesh out the game. Enemy characters (sometimes called MOBs), although they are technically "non-player characters", are not usually called NPCs. NPCs have been used since the dark ages of game building to give a sense of business and life to worlds, and also to give players quests and information. Current NPCs tend to interact with players by pre-written dialogue, which can be repetitive, but it is hoped that future NPCs will be able to communicate more intellegently.
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