Are there any NPCs in Skyrim your character would call a "true friend"? If so, why?

I find it hard to find friends for my character to make her not feel that alone in this massive world, but since you can't really talk to them except in quests once its kinda hard.

You can get married, and they call you "true friend" after you finish one quest for them, or choose a dialogue option they approve of.

Bethesda actually managed to simplify the dialogue wheel in Oblivion.

oddly enough cicero is the only NPC who feels like he is a true friend. i wont spoil the quests, but basically he is the only character who you have to really build trust with by helping him in more than one isolated occasion and who ends up actually owing you something.

I would say any of the adventurers you can pick up as followers would be true friends. I understand the dialog is lacking but friendship is built from experiences together. Having traveled through dungeons and ruins and completing quests and such really can form a bond.

Also, the female Orc smith in Markarth keeps giving me books. Not sure why.

I would enjoy it if there were some form of randomly generated dialouge for dungeons, food at a tavern or even the weather

Yeah, I especially love this particular dialogue: "Hello, my love! Back from some adventure I suppose!"

"Yes my dear, I bravely downed a gallon of ale at the tavern with a few true friends"

Not really. TES characters are usually flat and two dimensional. I really like the game but my two sons both abandoned it both saying "I don't care about one person in this world. They're all cattle" And of course, if you don't care about anyone, it's hard to care about events. Something Bioware and Rockstar really get better than most, especially Bethesda.

That said, I find if you really RP your character, you can care enough about him/her to keep interest in the events.

My char married Mjoll and that interaction is halfway decent. Mjoll is pretty likeable for an Elder Scrolls char. She's a good spouse and fun to travel/explore with (plus she's an effin beast in combat).

This, again. I really like your posts today!

LOL!

This.

Specific NPCs that come to mind are Aranea Ienith, Kharjo of the Ahkaris Khajiit Caravan, and Illia the Imperial Spellsword.

The only person that I can think of is Hadvar. I always got a feeling of comeradeship from him whenever he turned up on a mission, which is more than what I've got from most NPC's. Pity that he just sits around in riverwood's tavern aimlessly now.

I guess Falk Firebeard at the blue palace would also count.

All the guys a punched the crap out of in a brawl.
"You've been a good friend to me. That means something."

Yeah, I never understood that.

The Khajiit. No matter my character build, they are just super nice to me no matter what.

Paaranthurax or whatever his name is

my sword, it never leaves me and it never betrays me.

The only example I can think of so far is the Housecarl, but she is very snarky when I ask her to do something, so it feels more like enslavement.
I'd say my only true bro in the Elder Scrolls is Miaq. Oddly enough we always manage to share some bizzare experiences together in each game.