Neutral Characters IRL: The Steady Guides

Other Character Types:

Light Types (Allies)

Dark Types (Adversaries)

Introduction

In the Game of Humans, not everyone is here to push you to your limits or cheer you on with a glowing aura. Neutral characters occupy the middle ground, providing stability, context, or minor support without directly influencing your journey. They’re the background elements that keep the game running smoothly, offering small but meaningful contributions.

Here’s the thing: we all embody one or more of these characters at some point in our lives—or in someone else’s game. Have you ever told the same joke every time you go to the coffee shop? Think about it. Whether you’ve been a bystander, an anchor, or a messenger, these roles are part of the human experience. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and it’s not about judgment or labels. Instead, it’s about recognizing these patterns to better understand your interactions with others.

Sometimes, being neutral is exactly what’s needed, and other times, it’s a missed opportunity to engage. By identifying these roles, you can decide when to step forward, when to step back, and how to navigate these interactions with empathy and purpose.

The Changing Roles in the Game of Humans

In the Game of Humans, even the roles of Light Types are dynamic. As life unfolds, someone who once played a pivotal role in guiding, inspiring, or uplifting you may step into the background, while others who seemed like minor characters may rise to become your greatest supporters. These shifts remind us that growth and connection are fluid, constantly adapting to where we are on our journey.

But roles don’t just shift within a single category—Light Types can become Dark Types, Dark Types can evolve into Light Types, and both can shift to Neutral. Life’s experiences, choices, and challenges can influence how someone shows up in your story or how you appear in someone else’s.

For example, think of your favorite teacher from school. Back then, they might have been your greatest Mentor, encouraging you to believe in yourself and inspiring you to pursue your dreams. Today, they might no longer be actively involved in your life, transitioning into the role of an Anchor or even a Bystander. Conversely, a once-supportive friend may fall into the role of an Energy Vampire or Siren, pulling you away from your goals.

On the flip side, someone you once viewed as a Troll or Gorgon may surprise you by stepping into the light, offering wisdom, inspiration, or healing in a time of need. A distant coworker who once embodied Gremlin-like chaos may evolve into a Messenger or even a Muse, helping you see the beauty in a difficult situation.

These shifts remind us of the interconnectedness and complexity of relationships. People grow, change, and adapt as life unfolds. Acknowledging this evolution allows us to embrace new connections, release old ones with gratitude, and remain open to the possibility of transformation in ourselves and others.

The Game of Humans teaches us that no role is permanent. The choices we make and the paths we take can change how we show up in someone else’s life—and how they show up in ours. By understanding that roles evolve, we can navigate life with greater empathy, appreciating the lessons each interaction brings, whether it’s from the light, the dark, or the spaces in between.

Neutral Characters and Their Roles

NPCs (Non-Player Characters)

NPCs are the background characters who populate the game and make it feel alive. They may trigger minor quests, guidance, or small boosts, but they don’t actively influence your life’s direction.

• Traits: Supportive, informative, and consistent.

• Strategy for Interaction: Engage with them for useful information or minor tasks, but don’t expect them to drastically impact your journey.

• Benefit: Triggers quests or side games. Offers context, or small boosts to help you along your way.

• Detriment: None; NPCs are purely neutral.

• Example: The random barista who tells you about a great local event or the coworker who shares a helpful tip without realizing its significance.

Lemmings

Lemmings represent the masses who follow trends or systems without questioning. They move as a group, often without considering the consequences of their actions.

• Traits: Trend-following, risk-prone, and herd-minded.

• Strategy for Interaction: Stay mindful of societal pressures and avoid blindly following their lead. Use them as a reminder to think independently.

• Benefit: Helps you understand group dynamics and the importance of staying true to your own values.

• Detriment: Following their lead can distract you from your purpose or lead to risky situations.

• Example: People who jump on viral trends or societal norms without questioning whether they align with their personal goals.

Messengers

Messengers deliver important information, insights, or clues but take no responsibility for what you do with it. They play a pivotal role in changing your path, often unintentionally.

• Traits: Insightful, observant, and indirect.

• Strategy for Interaction: Pay close attention to what they say—they might unknowingly carry the key to your next move. It’s up to you to act on their information.

• Benefit: Offers new opportunities or directions through their insights.

• Detriment: None; Messengers are neutral by nature.

• Example: A guy sitting at the table next to you that you overhear casually mentioning a job opening that ends up transforming your career.

Traders/Merchants

Traders are purely transactional, exchanging goods, services, or information without favoring anyone. They offer what you need but expect something of equal value in return.

• Traits: Fair, balanced, and resourceful.

• Strategy for Interaction: Be mindful of what you trade and ensure the exchange is beneficial to both parties.

• Benefit: Provides necessary resources or insights to help you on your journey.

• Detriment: Overpaying or undervaluing the trade can lead to setbacks.

• Example: Someone offering you a deal, a selling a product where exchange of currency is the only goal.

Anchors

Anchors offer stability and grounding, providing a reliable presence in your life without pushing you to grow or evolve. They’re constant, unchanging, and dependable, offering a sense of balance and familiarity in an ever-changing world. While they don’t actively drive your journey forward, their steady presence can be a source of comfort and reassurance.

• Traits: Reliable, grounding, and steady.

• Strategy for Interaction: Lean on them for balance during times of uncertainty, but avoid relying on them so much that you stop evolving.

• Benefit: Offers emotional and physical stability.

• Detriment: Over-reliance on Anchors can keep you in your comfort zone, preventing growth.

• Example:
Your high school janitor who’s been there for 30 years, never seems to age,and no matter what time or day, they are always there. Their constant presence brings familiarity and stability, even if you never engage deeply with them. And lets be real, may be a little creepy.

Bystanders

Bystanders are passive observers who don’t directly interact or influence the Player’s journey. They’re present in the background, witnessing events without participating or offering support. Their role is more about reflection, as they represent the choice to act or remain uninvolved.

• Traits: Observant, passive, and detached.

• Strategy for Interaction: None; Bystanders are not meant to be engaged. Instead, they highlight the distinction between active participants in your life and those who simply exist in your environment.

• Benefit: Adds depth to your environment and serves as a reminder of the broader world beyond your immediate story.

• Detriment: None; Bystanders do not impact your progress or goals.

• Example: The people in the office down the hall. You know they’re there, and you might occasionally see them when using a shared bathroom, but you never engage with them or know anything about their lives.

Referees

Referees enforce the rules, ensuring fairness and balance in the game. They represent systems of accountability, like natural consequences, karma, or laws.

• Traits: Fair, impartial, and authoritative.

• Strategy for Interaction: Stay within the rules to avoid their interference. Break the rules, and be prepared to face corrective action.

• Benefit: Ensures fairness and accountability, preventing manipulation or cheating.

• Detriment: Breaking the rules can slow your progress through necessary corrections.

• Example: A supervisor or authority figure who steps in to enforce guidelines or correct behavior when needed.

Final Thoughts

Neutral characters are the steady guides of the game, providing stability, insight, or support without actively pushing you toward growth or challenge. Whether you encounter them as an Anchor, a Messenger, or an NPC, their roles are just as vital as the Light and Shadow characters.

And remember, you’ve been these characters too. At some point, you’ve been a Bystander, a Messenger, or even an Anchor in someone else’s game. Recognizing these roles helps you engage with empathy, navigate your interactions with purpose, and reflect on how you can balance being neutral when necessary while stepping forward when it matters.

Because in the Game of Humans, every character—neutral or not—has something to teach us.