Neutral may work!Just realized something:
I think true neutral is a farce. How can somebody be true neutral on everything. Even Spock chose sides.
Neutrals do not choose either side...
But who says there are only two sides, and you have to decide for one?
In a given moment, neutral are those that do not choose a side relevant to that given conflict. To be Neutral most of the time means sticking to a side that rarely interferes with most human(oid) conflicts.
The Neutrality is most often connected to Druids. The bearded wise men of the forest, you know. But it is not true they choose no side: they are on the side of the Nature.
What principles do you stand for? Yeah, trees, grass, Mother Earth, blah, blah. But will you fight with us or with them? Neither? Stupid Neutral.This way we come to a (somewhat political) definition of Neutrality:
To be on a side most people do not recognize as a side, or do not care for enough, and have values alien to most people's values.
Let's have a kingdom, a fantasy one. Let's see a few threats such a kingdom could possibly change:
- A half-brother to the current king emerges, and wants to usurp the throne, claiming to have the right to rule. Obviously, some groups may support him, to possibly gain more influence, or simply to create chaos in the kingdom for another uses. Some groups will support the current king, some may not care.
- An orcish horde descends upon the lands, wants to loot and pillage everything (Go Orcs!). Many will support the kingdom, not wanting such neighbours. Some may (secretly) support the Orcs, to get a piece of that kingdom, quite possibly want to defeat them Orcs, once they did their job. Few would stay neutral, perhaps they have problems of their own.
- A mighty necromancer with his undead army wants to claim the whole kingdom. Again, some support the king. And again some will support the necromancer, seeing his strong principles (lawful evil) as a guarantee for his promises, never liking the soon-to-be-undead king.
Who would stay Neutral in all these conflicts?- Some have serious problems of their own. Still, they may at least verbally declare their support.
- Some have a truly important job to do, not to be interfered with these petty earthly things.
- Some don't see any big difference between both sides. Both will cut down trees, so why care?
- Some don't put much value in either side, and not threatened by any.
- Some don't see any possible improvement from joining a side.
- Some do not trust anyone.
- Some are detested by everyone.
The druids and their Nature. The wizard from the Violet Tower and his magical research. A city in a good defensible position, with strong militia, many times tried to be occupied from all possible sides. The five villages in the Border Zone. Followers of a strange cult. The cannibals from the Hungry Moors.
Thus, it is not true neutrals don't have a side, it is just hard to convince them to join some.