Forum: Story Ideas

Neutral MC

b-a-n-d-i-t_1 🚫
Updated:

Hi,

a while ago I read a fantasy story that was dropped afaik by the author (Undead by NineKeys at royalroads). The MC started out in a Lit-RPG setting as a lowly undead (zombie level 0/1) and by surving started to evolve (gaining levels among other things), probably going in the the direction of lich.

I found the idea behind a neutral character, with a drive to survive, a really nice change compared to the typical MC in many of the best stories on SOL, where the MC is typical hero and do-gooder . Sure from time to time he kicks some bad boy/villain ass but overall, he 's not much more than a feminized, docile pet, first thinking about what his environment and society might think.

It doesn't have to be fantasy setting, though in the above case, it was unique and interesting compared to the usual fare on gets served in that area (think Baldurs Gate or Tolkin).

True evil on the other hand, usually has to do with psychopaths/sociopaths plus a dose of narcissism and well above avg IQ.

(Before) Prohibition might work well as a background and setting.

If you played the RPG Pathfinder Kingmaker, the Goblin partymember was hilarious, in his quest to become an "neutral/evil hero".

Or some drow (mercenary guild) or human assassin characters (not Drizzt) from the forgotten realms would be a good starting point.

A secret agent also comes to mind.

Such a lead would open many options imo.

Replies: Vincent Berg awnlee jawking

Vincent Berg 🚫

@b-a-n-d-i-t_1

Basically, aside from your short list of suggested genres, you're talking about 'conflicted heroes', in short, good people who do bad things, or conversely, bad people who do good things, which is essentially a staple of fiction. When stories become tedious, it's because they become too stereotypical, and you know precisely how the stories likely to turn own. By having a conflicted character, they go in a random direction, in keeping with the underlying personality. Granted, in most cases they end up coming back to their core principals, but this works especially well when both the protagonist and antagonist are conflicted, so both have their good and bad points, and each bobs and weaves and the circumstances dictate.

Personally, I tend to go for the 'conflicted hero', who 3/4 of the way though the story, when facing an impossible task, begins to question their assumptions. Because of that self-reflection and doubt, they eventually rediscover themselves and uncover an new way forward (i.e. not so much a 'conflicted' hero, and someone unsure they can in fact succeed.

Replies: b-a-n-d-i-t_1

b-a-n-d-i-t_1 🚫
Updated:

@Vincent Berg

"you're talking about 'conflicted heroes', in short, good people who do bad things, or conversely, bad people who do good things"

Nope, nope, nope - no "fallen hero" type or something like that, let alone the female lead who turns him back to the path of a do-gooder, gag.

Well might be that my grasp of english isn't good enough, but hero ≠ MC in my book.

awnlee jawking 🚫

@b-a-n-d-i-t_1

You might like to try 'Chances Are' by Stultus.

AJ

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Forum: Story Ideas

Neutral MC

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