All of the towns in a video game are full of them—those silent, looped nobodies walking the same cobblestone path. You see them once, or at most twice. They say something like “It’s not safe outside the walls,” and then they disappear into the haze of background code. But what if we put them in the limelight they never received? What if they counted at last?
With Dreamina’s AI image generator, you can do just that. It’s time to envision fictional worlds within fictional worlds, where tavern masters, cryptid trackers, and haunted seamstresses at last receive their due. These aren’t mere side characters anymore. They’re your new muses—and they’ve been waiting a long time to be discovered.
Citizens of side quests: build lives for invisible characters
Let’s be real—main characters are overstated. Everyone wishes to be the chosen one, but the plot is where the background residents are. They are the ones who have witnessed 100 hero storylines pass and yet still manage to arrive at their shop on schedule.
Little careers that merit lore
- •Weather archivist: Documents every peculiar thunderstorm in town, believes the clouds are whispering. Always has a whiff of ozone about them.
- •Potion shelf restocker: Sits at the alchemist’s guild but doesn’t actually brew—just restocks bottles by hue. Subtly substitutes ingredients to alter results.
- •Inn lobby ghost: Didn’t even know she was dead. Been folding towels for 43 years and is very proud of the guest ledger.
- •Carousel mechanic: Lives under the carnival. Speaks in riddles. Might or might not be half-machine.
These types of characters are born to be told in pictures. Bring them to life with Dreamina’s image generator in haunted taverns, libraries under moonlight, or fantasy bazaar with crooked awnings. They don’t require game mechanics in their world—just fine lighting and bad hats.
Clothing glitches and questless eyes: details that make them memorable
There’s a certain type of character that was made to be overlooked. They’re off in the background. Their attire is one season behind. They look at you with an intensity that feels too long or not at all. That’s precisely the kind of vibe you’ll want to tap into when creating forgotten NPCs.
Design quirks to bestow them digital soul
- •Static textures of clothing: Imagine low-res patterns that don’t quite wrap around, such as flowers spreading across a cloak sleeve.
- •Looped motions: Sweeping always, chopping carrots always, pretending to water a plant that’s obviously fake.
- •Uncanny eyes: Either totally blank or way too detailed. A look that suggests some broken code—or a deeper knowing.
- •Accessories without context: A monocle that doesn’t magnify. A violin they never play. An empty cage with no door.
Dreamina makes it simple to lean into these illogical inconsistencies. You can create characters that are nearly real, like they were chopped from a late-90s RPG, never fully loaded, never fully completed—but endlessly captivating.
The town that catches up with you: NPC networks and local drama
Background characters don’t usually live in isolation. They work in groups, reliving tales you weren’t supposed to know. That’s where the game gets interesting—when you wonder how they all fit together. What’s the town rumor? Who’s dating whom? Who used to witness the protagonist do something horrible?
Collective lore and visual world-building
- •The knitting ring: Three elderly villagers who sit outside the shop each day, knitting mysterious runes into sweaters.
- •The clockmaker’s guild: Five interchangeable NPCs with identical lines. Players consider it a glitch, but perhaps it’s a cult.
- •The barkeeper’s basement: Nobody ever goes downstairs. There’s a locked door with no key in the game. But you can imagine what’s behind it—and create the art for it.
Use Dreamina’s tools to craft matching visuals throughout your characters—consistent lighting, background locations, even identical glitch patterns. You’re not creating one forgotten NPC. You’re creating an entire forgotten ecosystem.
Fake logos for fake businesses that feel real
Once your characters have homes, occupations, and hidden lives, they’ll require signs—symbols that indicate they belong. With Dreamina’s AI logo generator, you can create logos for each fictional business they operate.
Need a logo for the “Rotwood Lantern Repair Co.“? Or a sigil for the inn operated by reanimated taxidermists? Develop branding that’s old, mysterious, and just beyond player access. This is where you go completely meta—designing visual elements for shops that never open, guilds that never accept members, and potions that do nothing.
The logos give it depth, even if they’re just sewn onto a pixelated apron or painted weakly on a stone wall in the background. They proclaim: “This place matters. You just never noticed.“
Sticker archives of lost data
One of the most enjoyable things to do with forgotten NPCs is immortalize them as sticker packs. Make your glitchy vendor ghosts and static farmhands into collectible companions with Dreamina’s sticker maker.
Sticker ideas to get your pretend NPCs popular
- •Idle animation stickers: Freeze your characters in mid-action—sweeping, yawning, or confused.
- •Dialogue bubble cutouts: “I once met the sun.” “Don’t talk to the mayor.” “This stew…knows things.” Add mysterious text overlays to enrich the lore.
- •Error code aesthetics: Create stickers that resemble corrupted sprites, visual glitches, or missing texture placeholders with faces.
You can accumulate them by town, mood, or glitch level. Or compose your own fantastical game guide that lists off each character in the manner of an old-timey sticker album.
Conclusion
Imaginary towns are fueled by forgotten NPCs. They’re the ones who witnessed the hero’s quest and rolled their eyes. They flip on the lights, whisper warnings, and sleep when nobody’s playing. Dreamina allows you to bring them back—bugs and all—and create the stories that never were coded. They’re not simply characters. They’re alternate finales, secret bosses, and lost saves to be discovered. So go on. Make background the foreground. Your villagers are waiting!
