Playing it neutral in the FR

[dreadnought]

Hey folks,
Anyone got an idea or two for playing a true neutral fighter in the Forgotten Realms setting?
He's an ethnic Rashemeni and former slave who fights in the Zhentian army. Or did until kidnapped and winding up in Hlondeth in prison (long story) with a bunch of good types.
He has a serious bug up his a$$ about slavery and plans to return to Zhentil Keep to wage war on the slavers.
Thing is, I've never played it neutral and am having trouble formulating responses to the "good" characters around him. Does he treat them with contempt? Ignore them?
Basically, we're all naked and in hiding with makeshift weapons trying to get out of the city. So he's forced to work with the others. But to what extent?
Well, if anyone has any thoughts, let 'em rip.
Thanks!
dread

 

[Mr Fidgit]

well, according to the description of Neutral in the PH, a neutral PC has 'a lack of conviction or bias...'. with the type of character you've described, i would make that PC LN in regards to living by his own personal code

 

[darkbard]

my thought on neutrality is that it basically comes in two types: those who seek a balance in the world between good and evil, law and chaos, who believe that without opposites and contraries, life and creativity will grow stagnant and ultimately wither and die. the second type is those who are simply apathetic, who couldn't care less about grandiose moral convictions: the ultimate moral relativist, if you will. they may be selfish or self-absorbed but they certainly make no attempt at achieving objectivity. perhaps you might begin by figuring out which of these types your warrior is.

 

[dreadnought]

Lawful, eh? Hmmmm. Perhaps. But I did omit a small detail -- he's not really interested in freeing ALL slaves, but rather those in his family who still serve the Zhents. He's more of a pure soldier type - bred to serve and attack when ordered, no questions. Now that I think about it, that does seem rather lawful, but this character isn't so much concerned about following rules, per se.
He serves Tempus, the god of war. So he believes that fighting is the logical way out of most situations.
Basically, he has his own agenda and the ends justify the means, that's my interpretation of true neutral.
Of course he does have honour so he won't stoop to murder and knows the value of friendship.
That make sense?

 

[Mr Fidgit]

Lawful, eh? Hmmmm. Perhaps. But I did omit a small detail -- he's not really interested in freeing ALL slaves, but rather those in his family who still serve the Zhents. He's more of a pure soldier type - bred to serve and attack when ordered, no questions.

this makes him sound more lawful to me now

Now that I think about it, that does seem rather lawful, but this character isn't so much concerned about following rules, per se.

remember, it doesn't have to be 'following the law' or 'the rules', but his own code of behavior

 

[dreadnought]

remember, it doesn't have to be 'following the law' or 'the rules', but his own code of behavior

True, but if you don't have ANY code of behaviour to follow doen't that sound more chaotic neutral?

 

[Mr Fidgit]

True, but if you don't have ANY code of behaviour to follow doen't that sound more chaotic neutral?

yes, but in my experience CN and adventuring parties don't work well together... (especially if there are lawful good PCs about )

 

[dreadnought]

OK, so if you were to play a true neutral fighter in a party of goody-goodies, how would you play him?

 

[Mr Fidgit]

well...as a character with an ultimate agenda, i'd be perfectly agreeable to just about anything the other party members wanted to do ("what?! an evil temple?! we will go and vanquish them!") - this way, when the time comes to put his plan into action, there's no way the PCs could possibly refuse

(and the entire time, your PC can be studying the other characters to figure out how best to approach the party about getting his 'ultimate goal' done, even to the point of lying to make the task seem more just to the good PCs in the group)

 

[diaglo]

try reading The Jewel of Turmish by Mel Odom