I have a new character, who’s probably going to be named Asla, and her thing is that she has no sense of a moral code. As in, the concepts of right and wrong don’t exist in her head. The best way I find to explain it is she only has two emotions: pleasure and displeasure, and she doesn’t think of long term consequences. If she wants to do something, she will do it, and if she doesn’t feel like doing something, she won’t do it. This is especially evident in if you ask her a question, she won’t answer until you become annoying about it. Anyway, any advice or thoughts on how a character like this could work? She is also not human, which explains her lack of emotions.
Hmmmm, I'm gonna pull DnD alignments into the mix. Specifically, how I interpret Chaotic Neutral because that seems to be the best fitting for your character:
Lawful Neutral: usually follows some sort of personal code or ideal instead of the laws by the kingdom without being wilfully harmful or helpful to their surroundings.
Neutral Neutral: just…. doesn't take sides…. at all.
Chaotic neutral: often borders on Evil alignments because these people only follow their own moral code and do whatever seems interesting to them regardless of how it affects others. the best example here would be the traditional fey from Celtic mythology who could literally ignore physics and logic if they decided that one fatal hit would kill them but another one would heal them.
To make a character like this work and to keep it consistent, rather than going by pleasure and displeasure, make sure her motivations are very clear. Once these are made to be as solid and hard as a diamond you will simply have to ask with every action she could undertake whether or not it benefits either one of these motivations.
Huh. Very interesting to think about. Thing is, her motivations are pleasure and displeasure. I really don’t know how else to think of it. I guess…food and entertainment? She is a very basic creature, bordering on just being an animal.
"The best example here would be the traditional fey from Celtic mythology who could literally ignore physics and logic if they decided that one fatal hit would kill them but another one would heal them."
I heard that one!
I'd say, if she's without morals, maybe try to stay as far away from making her childlike. She might end up seeming like she needs someone to show her what's right, and it seems like that isn't the direction you want to take her.
Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread! Your help is greatly appreciated, and I will take all of these suggestions into consideration as I write about her.
Huh. Very interesting to think about. Thing is, her motivations are pleasure and displeasure. I really don’t know how else to think of it. I guess…food and entertainment? She is a very basic creature, bordering on just being an animal.
then maybe just make three lists for yourself to keep track. one list for things she likes and associates with pleasure. one list for things she dislikes and one list for things in the middle. you can start out simple and just add things while writing your first draft. then once you're done you can maybe find a pattern or it will simply become easier for you to say this is something when would (not) do.
That’s a perfect idea! Thank you! I was really struggling as writing her is extremely difficult and takes a lot of thought, this should make it easier!
My advice: Think of things you would want to do but know not to (ex. Robbing the store for those books you saw earlier). Edit for what genre you're doing. See if there are immediate consequences (since she doesn't think long term, she probably briefly weighs pain/prize in this example). If you use this strategy make sure to stay away from making her care about people or interacting with people as little as possible (she may not see the point of interacting with them).
This still may be too human, I myself am going to be trying some of these people's techniques for moral codes.
Oh wow advice just keeps pouring in. Between this thread and my sister I think I’m getting a lot of info on how she should work.
Don't give her more advice, people. This character is legit creepy already.
She literally eats fingers. both her fingers and other people's fingers.
She doesn’t eat her own fingers, just her own blood…actually, now that I think about it she probably would if she was hungry enough.
