The only thing that I can really do with my character while I wait for Dawnguard is to become friends with the entire world. I've already done all of the quests in the game - except for the "evil" factions - so the only thing that I can do is to drop items and become friends with the people who have no quests. Unfortunately, most people don't react to dropped items. I've only managed to become friends with Aerin through this method.

Is there a list of NPCs who will react to dropped items? I doubt that there is, but certainly something in the code is allowing some NPCs to respond while others don't.

Wow I never even heard of this. I have had dropped items handed back to me (thus encumbering me again), but no mention of it making the person like me more.

How does this work?

Don't know making friends isn't really on top of my priorities list seei g how I olay those "evil" factions. Try uesp if its not there I have no clue

If they ask to keep it, and you say "yes", it increases their disposition towards you and they start using the friendly introductions, like "It's so good to see you again, friend". I've read that it even counts as a favor done for the sake of becoming thane.

Well that is interesting. But sorry I've never heard of a list of people that do this.

Wow I never knew about this. I've had gaurds yell at me before for doing it, but I've never had an npc ask to keep it.

I'm surprised I've never encountered this. I've dropped items infront of NPC's before but never seen any of them pick it up and give it back. There are only two things I've had happen when dropping an item infront of an NPC. Once a guard told me not to leave that there, and the other in the general goods store in Whiterun told me "One mans trash is anothers treasure". I dropped three torches in his shop and they are still there burning.

I can't remember who it was exactly, but someone among the Companions in Jorrvaskr, not a Companion himself, asked about a dropped item. I'm going to guess that it was Brill. Sorry, I wish I could give you a more precise answer, but it was in my previous round of Skyrim.

I also checked the wiki but I couldn't find a section related to this topic.