True Neutral Alignment in Dawn of Others | World Anvil

True Neutral Alignment

True Neutral characters don’t like to take sides. They see Good, Evil, Order and Chaos as restrictive perspectives and none of which are right. They are relative. What is considered Good in one situation and society, could be considered Evil in another.    Because of these beliefs, True Neutral characters are pragmatic and independent in their decisions and actions. Rather than choosing the path which they feel they should take according to society or laws, they can make up their own mind.   What they choose is likely to be driven by their own personal motivations. For example, they might be motivated by gaining knowledge of the arcana, becoming a master of the broadsword, or even in being a passive observer of life who minimizes their involvement in events.   However, they may lean more towards one particular alignment for a while if their adventure takes them that way. For example, if they are supporting a party of Good characters trying to rid a region of a controlling ruler, their decisions will likely align with Neutral Good during that time. But once that goal is accomplished, they return to making True Neutral decisions again.   There will be times when a Neutral character has to make a choice between siding with Good or Evil, perhaps casting the deciding vote in a party. In these situations, they usually side with whichever decision they will gain the most from. Generally, a True Neutral will follow the rules and favour Good over Evil, but only because it makes their life easier and they may be rewarded for it, not because they are obliged to by their morals or ethics.   Neutral characters don’t believe in upholding the rules and laws of society, but nor do they feel the need to rebel against them. They will follow orders from people in authority, but only if it suits them. If that authority tries to get in their way, or is disrespectful, they will not follow them.   A True Neutral character takes a very balanced view of relationships. They will show respect to people who respect them, harm those who harm them, and be kind to those who show them kindness. This means they will help and defend their allies, and hinder and take out bad guys. If someone is in need and they don’t know them, a True Neutral character will weigh up if helping them is worth it or not. In their everyday life, they don’t get involved in the lives and business of people they don’t know. Because a True Neutral character considers the immediate and long term circumstances of every situation in relation to their primary motivation, two True Neutral characters may act very differently in the same circumstances.   A True Neutral character may also change their minds if a situation changes. For example, they will usually keep their word, but if circumstances change and it’s better for them to break their promise then they will.   Likewise, they will not usually use poison, but they will do if they think it is the best action at the time. The same with betraying allies, they will, but only if lives are at stake.   In a physical encounter, True Neutral character will eliminate others but only to defend themselves or their allies. They will not go on a rampage because they don’t take pleasure in harming others and aren’t motivated to spread Evil. In fact, they will avoid promoting Good, Evil, Order or Chaos whenever possible and get annoyed by the zealots who do.   True Neutral characters may take pride in their independent thinking which allows them to make completely impartial decisions without feeling like they must act in a particular way.   On the negative side, True Neutral characters can come across as apathetic and indecisive. They can be frustrating to work with because they don’t want to commit to any side.
Neutral. (N) is the alignment of those who prefer to steer clear of moral questions and don’t take sides, doing what seems best at the time. Druids are traditionally neutral, as are typical townsfolk. -5e Basic Rules, Chapter 4: Personality and Background

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