Neutral alignment in game

[threshel]

There is a definite "balance" element to the druids in my game. Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos all want to reshape the world into their own image of perfection that doesn't allow room for the full array of perspectives to thrive. Nature is interested in variety and survival and the spirit of the world is best served by diversity in the sense that bio-diversity (which extends into alignment) makes life on a world more durable and resilient. In fact, the druid was warned by the spirit of the world not to get too carried away with exterminating the evil humanoids because they provide a natural pressure against the expansion of humans into all areas of the world. Basically, think about what happens to nature when you have all rabbits and no wolves or all wolves and no rabbit.

We, sir, are in perfect agreement.

J

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Some free form thoughts - might not all make coherent sense...

Does neutrality exist as a power in the game world? I would have to say yes. Others here have stated things, probably better than I can, about balance. There are forces trying to maintain a balance, but they are not noticed as much. Forces of Good/Evil/Law/Chaos are powerful forces actively and openly working to achieve their ends and they let everyone know it. The forces of neutrality work without calling attention to itself in a direct way.

As a comparison, look at political ideologies. Who do you hear about the most? People who are strongly left-wing or right-wing tend to be more outspoken. They see things as black and white, as us and them. They heartily proclaim their superiority while stomping upon the other side. They invoke passionate and emotional responses. People who sit in the middle on the other hand, have a tendency to want to quiet the emotions, the rhetoric, get past the provocation and just make things happen.

This is how I see the forces of neutrality. They want to pull together the good and evil, not to make everybody a happy family, but to make things work, to make things happen. They do not need things to be in "perfect balance," there is a lot of wiggle room, as long as things continue to happen they are satisfied. They do not call attention to themselves and their work for two reasons:

1) The majority of people sit somewhere in the vast grey area, the Forces do not need dedicated followers in droves to push their philosophy upon the world, it just is the natural state of the world. It has to be forced to the extremes, but will natually gravitate to the middle, or somewhere near it.
2) It is boring. How many people scream and holler that we need more moderation? How exciting is that?

Perfect order = no creativity, no innovation.
Absolute chaos = no systems, no civilization
Pure good = those darn chipmunks from Bugs Bunny cartoons, "After you." "No, no after you, I insist." Nothing gets done for fear of hurting someone or taking something away from someone else.
Pure evil = complete selfishness

 

[John Morrow]

This is how I see the forces of neutrality. They want to pull together the good and evil, not to make everybody a happy family, but to make things work, to make things happen. They do not need things to be in "perfect balance," there is a lot of wiggle room, as long as things continue to happen they are satisfied.

This is pretty much what I meant by "pragmatic". I don't see Neutral people, along either axis, as being ideological. As you put it, they simply want things to work out OK without being forced into an ideological corner. In fact, I might argue that a desire for "wiggle room" is another possible aspect of the Neutral alignment.