Seigmeyer (However you spell it) Was awesome as well. His story is so sad too...

Not a single person on this list doesn't have a sad story. I wish Dark Souls 2 had interesting characters, the Rotten and the Lost Sinner have interesting stories, and so does Vendrick, but that's about it. No NPCs are very special, or even memorable.

I liked Lucatile, the Rat King, and Benhart, but I see your point. And people are still digging around as we speak to make sense of the Dark Souls 2 world. We don't have as good an understanding about it as we have with the original. But still, I see your point. XD

You probably only like them because they were the only people that consistently helped you, and you met them at several points in the journey. Neither of them were super special, Lucatiel was going hollow and Benhart wanted to kill stuff, and had a replica sword he thought was special. Meanwhile Solaire was special because he was the only person truly happy and content in a very sad and broken world, Sigmeyer had a funny set of armor and the only reason he kept from going hollow was that he had honor, and he lost some of it every time you saved him. Tarkus was the 1st of the Undead to make it to Anor Londo, but he fell to his death on the infamous rafters, but left his summoning sign beforehand to help others make it to Anor Londo.