Friendship

In general, your characters are going to have friends. Friends come in all shapes and sizes, so it's important to understand how they work.

We usually think of a friend as a companion. They are the people who share your journey with you, even if it's not always the same quest. You see them every day, sometimes spending most of the day with them. These people are certainly friends. But, they come in other varieties, too.

Sometimes friends are separated. They only see each other occasionally. Still, though, when they finally see each other, they pick right back up as though no time had passed. They are great friends. Sometimes, friends separated at childhood may hear news of the other and still they will go out and find their old friend.

However, friendships are not eternal. Many come and go. They begin, they live, and they die. What kills a friendship? Distance does not do it, nor does time; the separated friends show that.

Like most relationships, a friendship will usually end because of a grievance. If some problem comes up or a fight breaks out and the differences are irreconcilable, it will likely end the friendship. Although friends can fight often and fiercely, they always make up, or at least agree to disagree. Without that peace at the end of the day, there can be no friendship.

But there is more to the death of friendships than mere disagreement. Friendships can die from disinterest. When friends are separated by distance, they leap at the opportunity to see their friend whenever possible. Sometimes it means no more than a few hours, or even grabbing lunch, but it's ok. Getting to see your friend at all is a treat. If you ever stop caring, if you'd rather not spend the time or make the effort to see somebody, then that speaks to the level of the friendship. If somebody is 5 miles away and you still don't care enough to go and see them, they must not matter much at all.

The end of a friendship is not necessarily about blame. Sometimes people simply grow apart. Sometimes it just takes time to realize that you don't really have as much fun as you think you do with a person, that time spent with them is not always time well-spent.

The quality of friends, as well as the specifics of their friendship, make a great impact on the thoughts and actions of your characters. This is another small aspect of life that, although it can be ignored somewhat, will add depth and reality to your characters. It will help us understand them, feel what they feel, and connect with them.