History Main / ImpartialPurposeDrivenFaction

* The Silent Brothers from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. They don't take part in the disputes of the Clave and Downworlders, instead devoting their time to writing all of it down.

** The Iron Bank of Braavos, the most powerful banking institute of the known world. It will lend its money anyone as long as they pay it back, if a noble house doesn't pay their due, the bank will stop all transactions with said house, and pay another house to get eliminate of them. The Banks has a much more dreaded reputation, as [[MagnificentBastard Tywin Lannister]] dares not cross them. [[StupidEvil Cersei]] [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Lannister]] however was foolish enough to not pay the kingdoms dues, as such the Bank cancels all its deals with Westeros plunging the realm in debt.

** According to previews, the eponymous organization of the upcoming ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' is supposed to be this as well. The newly-reformed Inquisition has no allegiances and is beholden to no authority except its own. Its only purpose is to restore order to Thedas in the wake of numerous different conflicts and disasters, repair an enormous breach in the Veil, and hunt down those responsible, by any means necessary.

* The Greybeards in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are an AncientTradition of monks who believe in enlightenment through mastering the dragon magic (thu'um). Because of that, they are above any and all power plays, despite every one of them being a PersonOfMassDestruction. This puts them in opposition of the Blades, the former PraetorianGuard of the Empire and an ancient order of dragon slayers, who believe that the Greybeards are wasting their abilities [[spoiler:as well as the fact that their leader is a dragon]]. The Greybeards aren't happy that one of their former students, Ulfric Stormcloak, used the Thu'um to kill the High King of Skyrim as the prelude to his rebellion.

* The Greybeards in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are an AncientTradition of monks who believe in enlightenment through mastering the dragon magic (thu'um). Because of that, they are above any and all power plays, despite every one of them being a PersonOfMassDestruction. This puts them in opposition of the Blades, the former PraetorianGuard of the Empire and an ancient order of dragon slayers, who believe that the Greybeards are wasting their abilities [[spoiler:as well as the fact that their leader is a dragon]].

** The Iron Bank of Braavos, the most powerful banking institute of the known world. It will lend its money anyone as long as they pay it back, if a noble house doesn't pay their due, the bank will stop all transactions with said house, and pay another house to get eliminate of them. The Banks has a much more dreaded reputation, as [[MagnificentBastard Tywin Lannister]] dares not cross them. [[StupidEvil Cersei Lannister]] however was foolish enough to not pay the kingdoms dues, as such the Bank cancels all its deals with Westeros plunging the realm in debt.

** According to previews, the title organization of the upcoming ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' is supposed to be this as well. The newly-reformed Inquisition has no allegiances and is beholden to no authority except its own. Its only purpose is to restore order to Thedas in the wake of numerous different conflicts and disasters, repair an enormous breach in the Veil, and hunt down those responsible, by any means necessary.

** The Iron Bank of Braavos, the most powerful banking institute of the known world. It will lend its money anyone as long as they pay it back, if a noble house doesn't pay their due, the bank will stop all transactions with said house, and pay another house to get rid of them. The Banks has a much more dreaded reputation, as [[MagnificentBastard Tywin Lannister]] dares not cross them.

An organization whose non-political purpose takes complete precedence over power-plays and diplomacy. Where most factions are interested in increasing their power by building alliances, TheCode of these people mandates to either avoid contact with others completely or accept any help unconditionally without taking any obligations. Their neutrality is often safe-guarded by their purpose being beneficial to everyone in long-term.

In DarkFantasy, this organization often takes form of TheOrder whose superhumanly enhanced members defend PunyHumans from monsters. Although "ThouShaltNotKill (Humans)" may be included in TheCode to enforce {{Pro Human Transhuman}}ism or at least stave off TranshumanTreachery, FantasticRacism often plays a role in the interaction between regular humans and their NotQuiteHuman defenders, especially if the transformation makes them half-monster[=/=]HalfHumanHybrids, gives them a SuperpoweredEvilSide, or infects them with TheCorruption. Attempts to exploit them as [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman a sub-human shock troops]] and outright SuperHumanTrafficking may be common dangers.

** According to previews, the titular organization of the upcoming [[DragonAgeInquisition Dragon Age: Inquisition]] is supposed to be this as well. The newly-reformed Inquisition has no allegiances and is beholden to no authority except its own. Its only purpose is to restore order to Thedas in the wake of numerous different conflicts and disasters, repair an enormous breach in the Veil, and hunt down those responsible, by any means necessary.

* The Jedi Order from ''Franchise/StarWars'' wants to be this, and sometimes manages it. Most ages of peace and prosperity occur when the Jedi are completely neutral, refusing to take political sides (usually acting as mediators in conflicts) except against any enemy using the Dark Side of the Force. However, they are often drawn into conflicts in both the movies and the EU. The movies present the worst case scenario so far; functional destruction of the Jedi Order. The EU, however, tends to do three things to them when they get involved in politics; massively knock down their numbers to a mere fraction of what they were, push them back to their positions of neutrality and semi-religious protection against the Dark Side, and then proceed to become very conservative, controlling as much of the order as possible. The last one is usually because their political meddling is a result of them giving a lot of freedom to their members; as opposed to the highly oppressed Jedi appearing in the movies, certain periods of republic history had active Jedi be land owners and even reigning monarchs, sometimes with families (usually justified as a political duty). There was, infact, a 400 year period in which the leaders of the Republic (Supreme Chancellors) were all Jedi without exception.

* The eponymous witchers in ''TheWitcher'' series were invented to kill the monsters that invaded the world after the [[CataclysmBackstory Conjunction of the Spheres]]. Although they have no universal code of conduct, taking sides is bad for their business, so most avoid it. The entire Blood of the Elves saga spans from the fact that the witchers (Geralt in particularly) get involved in the power-play around [[MacGuffinGirl Cirilla]].

* The Federation of ''StarTrek'' are supposed to be this, but are such a large organisation that they are forced to be active participants in galactic politics. The Prime Directive states that the Federation may not interfere with the internal affairs of non-Federation cultures, and that they may not make any form of contact with, or interfere with the development of, pre-Warp civilizations. However, individual Starfleet officers have broken, bent or re-interpreted this rule when they see fit.

* The Greybeards in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are an AncientTradition of monks who believe in enlightenment through mastering the dragon magic (thu'um). Because of that, they are above any and all power plays, despite every one of them being a PersonOfMassDestruction. This puts them in opposition of the Blades, the former PraetoriaGuard of the Empire and an ancient order of dragon slayers, who believe that the Greybeards are wasting their abilities [[spoiler:as well as the fact that their leader is a dragon]].

* The sworn brothers of the Night's Watch in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' exist solely to defend the realms of men against the Others (and wildlings beyond the Wall, but they are secondary). This means that they-- officially at least-- leave all political ambition and allegiance behind and will take help from anyone they can. In practice, of course, this is more easily said than done, and stories and legends would indicate that this has been true for pretty much the Watch's entire history.

* The sworn brothers of the Night's Watch in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' exist solely to defend the realms of men against the Others (and wildlings beyond the Wall, but they are secondary). This means that they leave all political ambition and allegiance behind and will take help from anyone they can.

* Technically, the Jedi Order from ''Franchise/StarWars'' becomes this without an EvilEmpire to fight, such as during the prequel trilogy, when their sole purpose is upholding the Republican law. However, when the Jedi allow themselves to get entangled in the Republic politics, it becomes their undoing.

* The Greybeards in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are an AncientTradition of monks who believe in enlightenment through mastering the dragon magic (thu'um). Because of that, they are above any and all power plays, despite every one of them being a PersonOfMassDestruction.

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In the third to fifth edition of ''Warhammer40K'', the [[RobotWar Necrons]] exist only to kill all organic life in the universe and never interact with them in any other way. One of the more hilarious moments in 40K canon happened when a Tau world was under attack by a [[BugWar Tyranid]] fleet. A Necron armada appeared and slaughtered the Tyranids, then made planetfall. The Tau sent a delegation to their saviors, ready to embrace them into the Greater Good. The Necrons slaughtered the delegation and the rest of the planet.

In DarkFantasy, this organization often takes form of TheOrder whose superhumanly enhances members defend PunyHumans from monsters. Although "ThouShaltNotKill (Humans)" may be included in TheCode to enforce {{Pro Human Transhuman}}ism or at least stave off TranshumanTreachery, FantasticRacism often plays a role in the interaction between regular humans and their NotQuiteHuman defenders, especially if the transformation makes them half-monster[=/=]HalfHumanHybrids, gives them a SuperpoweredEvilSide, or infects them with TheCorruption. Attempts to exploit them as [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman a sub-human shock troops]] and outright SuperHumanTrafficking may be common dangers.

OddJobGods and their followers occasionally fall under this, as well. As does the TimePolice that is more concerned with dealing with ClockRoaches or preserving the time stream than good and bad.

* The History Monks of ''{{Discworld}}'' are mostly concerned with fixing/protecting time and space, as well as patching up {{Continuity Snarl}}s and do not interfere with business that doesn't concern time travel. In ''Discworld/NightWatch'', Lu-Tze is even called out by another monk for helping Vimes (though he got away with it), and in the only other book where they feature prominently, they avoid contact with any factions they aren't already fighting.

* In the sixth edition of ''Warhammer40K'', the [[RobotWar Necrons]] exist only to kill all organic life in the universe and never interact with them in any other way. One of the more hilarious moments in 40K canon happened when a Tau world was under attack by a [[BugWar Tyranid]] fleet. A Necron armada appeared and slaughtered the Tyranids, then made planetfall. The Tau sent a delegation to their saviors, ready to embrace them into the Greater Good. The Necrons slaughtered the delegation and the rest of the planet.

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