Many have heard me and other members of the Paizo crew discuss our constant efforts to make the Pathfinder RPG a welcoming place for gamers of all stripes. Regardless, I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of pointing out places where we get things right (or make an honest attempt to get things right) in a professional venue. To me, that sounds like corporate bragging, and, worse, it sounds like marketing, when really it’s just people trying to be decent to each other.
That being said, I’ve had many readers ask me what Paizo products they can go to if they want to see more LGBTQ characters in Pathfinder. The answer’s a ton of places, literally dozens of adventures, sourcebooks, novels, and more.
So, for my personal reference, for your use (because if you’re here you’re an interested, charming, wonderful person), and for the guidance of those about to ask, I’ve assembled this list of 50 LGBTQ characters from the Pathfinder RPG. These are the first 50 characters who either leapt to mind or were on hand, and as such the sources and dates are skewed toward more recent characters. That also means that this is incredibly far from a comprehensive list. If you’re interested in the particulars of a character’s gender, sexuality, portrayal, role, or other specifics, I encourage you to either check out the PDF of the book in question or ask your fellow gamers on the product discussions linked with each. Additionally, at the end I’ve included a few links to past (and one future) discussions about LGBTQ topics and inclusivity in the Pathfinder RPG and the wider RPG world.
Hopefully these will be helpful next time you have a could-be gamer friend who says “I don’t know if that’s for me.” Turns out, Pathfinder’s for everybody, so come play!
50 LGBTQ Pathfinder RPG Characters
Azaz Arafe & Khelru (2014)
Lovers in the Scorched Hand
Pathfinder Adventure Path #79
Bors & Roshad (2014)
Married Members of the Iridian Fold
Redemption Engine
Dredge (2014)
Gender-Fluid Halfling Rogue
Pathfinder Adventure Path #79
Lady Sophronia (2014)
Gender-Fluid Ghost
Pathfinder Adventure Path #82
Muminofrah (2014)
Bombastic Noblewoman
Pathfinder Adventure Path #81
Vera & Xulaine (2014)
Cleric of Cayden Cailean and Sweettalker
Redemption Engine
Agrit Staginsdar & Sara Morninghawk (2013)
Prominent Couple in Trunau
Towns of the Inner Sea
Alexius Demetri & Lycio Vallant (2013)
Owners of the Heldren Sawmill
Pathfinder Adventure Path #67
Aron Kir & Sosiel Vaenic (2013)
Heroic Lovers from Kenabres
Pathfinder Adventure Path #74
Arshea (2013)
Empyreal Lord of Freedom, Physical Beauty, and Sexuality
Pathfinder Adventure Path #2, Inner Sea World Guide, Chronicle of the Righteous
Bella Belvorica & Solveig Ayrdahl (2013)
Duty-Parted Lovers in Whitethrone
Pathfinder Adventure Path #68
Cesseer of Ning (2013)
An Ukara or “battleflower” from the Suzerainty of Ning on Triaxus (Ukara renounce all outward expressions of gender and are sought after as consorts regardless of gender or sexuality)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #70
Irabeth & Anevia (2013)
Married Heroes of the Worldwound
Pathfinder Adventure Path #73, Online Discussion
Lona Orames & Duranna Alnurris (2013)
Cloud Giant Lovers
Castles of the Inner Sea
Marislova
Half-Elf Magus in Artrosa (2013)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #69
Porfirio & Dragomir (2013)
Crusader Lovers
King of Chaos
Princess Cassisoche & Lady Ilya (2013)
Princess of Irrisen and Proprietress of the Frosthall Theater in Whitethrone
Irrisen, Land of Eternal Winter
Esmerelda Darkshadow (2012)
Tragic Eldritch Knight
NPC Codex
Filario Grantsliem (2012)
Desperate Member of the Gray Maidens
Pathfinder Adventure Path #62
Herifax & Kanya (2012)
Harpy and Catfolk Lovers
Pathfinder Adventure Path #63
Mother Lanani Shabu (2012)
Halfling Tribe Leader
NPC Codex
Salty Chuzek & Dagoros Wildrum (2012)
Monster Hunters in Myscurial
Isles of the Shackles
Variel (2012)
Adventurer Father of Varian Jeggare
Queen of Thorns
Vonran Vilk (2012)
Former Pathfinder Society Master of Blades
Pathfinder Society Scenario 3-16: The Midnight Mauler
Aaqir al'Hakam & Emir Thalzar Gaatan (2011)
Qadira Faction Head, Raising Three Adopted Daughters with Husband
Pathfinder Society
Molly & Marzalee the Weaver (2011)
Dwarf and Ant Queen Partners
The Harrowing
Sonnorae (2011)
Creator of the Harrow
The Harrowing, Occult Mysteries, Online Discussion
Vitta (2011)
Master Thief and Lock-Breaker
Worldwound Gambit
Elias Sayer and the Tallow Boys (2010)
Head of an Organization of Gay Information Brokers
City of Strangers
Queen Illeosa & Sabina Merrin (2008)
Ruler of Korvosa and Bodyguard
Pathfinder Adventure Path #7
Cyrdark Drokkus & Sir Jasper Korvaski (2007)
Prominent Couple in Sandpoint
Pathfinder Adventure Path #1
Kyra & Merisiel (2006, 2013)
Pathfinder Iconic Characters
Pathfinder Comic, Volume 5
Inclusivity and Diversity in RPGs
Besides the characters noted above, the following includes just a few of the articles, interviews, seminars, and ongoing discussions that touch on GLTBQ topics and inclusivity in the Pathfinder RPG.
Diversity in Gaming (Upcoming; Gen Con 2014)
Paizocon: Diversity in Gaming (2014)
The Inclusive Fantasy World of Pathfinder (2013)
Know Direction: Homosexuality in Golarion Podcast (2013)
Podcast, Transgender Characters Note
Gen Con 2012: Queer as a Three-Sided Die Panel (2012)
Joe Carriker, Jeremy Crawford, Steve Kenson, and Wes Schneider
Part 1, Part 2
Homosexuality in Golarion, Paizo Messageboards (2008)
Things I approve about Solas’ plan:
Tearing down the Veil
Things I don’t approve about Solas’ plan:
Cop Worship & the Criminalization of Blackness. In this hierarchy of violence a cop’s life matters infinitely more than a black person’s life, and Americans… are expected to demonstrate sympathy with the lives of police officers. By contrast, Americans are encouraged to scrutinize and question the humanity of black and brown people murdered by police before questioning the lethal force used in otherwise non-lethal situations. This social reality illustrates how power is coordinated and wielded unilaterally, directed against the masses by a specialized minority within the population. Police repression is framed in the mainstream media in such a way that when police commit violence against black and brown communities, it appears to white Americans as if they simply are protecting white communities from black criminality. This is the active dissemination of white supremacy. From it police accrue social capital and power within a conception of black bodies that perpetuates their dehumanization and murder. Completing the cycle, racist white Americans, after participating in the process of dehumanizing black people slain by police, then offer their sympathy, material support, and privilege to killer cops. …Ultimately, cops are praised because they enforce violence on behalf of the moneyed class. They protect existing power, wealth, and the right to exploit for profit, while simultaneously appearing to exist primarily for public safety. Straddling this paradoxical position, cops are worshiped because they are explicitly and implicitly attached to the rewards of privilege under capitalism.
Gangs of the State: Police & the Hierarchy of Violence (via america-wakiewakie)
Star Wars: How the prequel trilogy mirrored and rhymed the original
how did cartoons become such a ‘kids’ thing? how did we decide as species that, as soon as we made it through 16 rotations of the earth, suddenly we’re too old for moving drawings made by really talented people? cartoons are art? and hilarious? minimal angst and unproblematic jokes? ?? zero logic. cartoons for everyone 2k15
Artwork by Doxy. They have SFW site but there be upshots, downshots and some slip ups so I wouldn’t if I were at work.
New prints added to the Etsy shop. All of the wood I used to build these panels seem to be made from the same tree, which is pretty cool.
Bold what applies to your character.
Absent-minded - Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.
Abusive - Characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another.
Addict - One who is addicted to a compulsive activity. Examples: gambling, drugs, sex.
Aimless - Devoid of direction or purpose.
Alcoholic - A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess.
Anxious - Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.
Arrogant - Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. Inclined to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the advances of people considered inferior. Snobbish.
Audacious - Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; braze, disobedient.
Bad Habit - A revolting personal habit. Examples: picks nose, spits tobacco, drools, bad body odour.
Bigmouth - A loud-mouthed or gossipy person.
Bigot - One who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.
Blunt - Characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion. Frank, callous, insensitive, brusque.
Bold - In a bad sense, too forward; taking undue liberties; over assuming or confident; lacking proper modesty or restraint; rude; impudent. Abrupt, brazen, cheeky, brassy, audacious.
Callous - They are hardened to emotions, rarely showing any form of it in expression. Unfeeling. Cold.
Childish - Marked by or indicating a lack of maturity; puerile.
Complex - An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear.
Cruel - Mean to anyone or anything, without care or regard to consequences and feelings.
Cursed - A person who has befallen a prayer for evil or misfortune, placed under a spell, or borne into an evil circumstance, and suffers for it. Damned.
Dependent - Unable to exist, sustain oneself, or act appropriately or normally without the assistance or direction of another.
Deranged - Mentally decayed. Insane. Crazy. Mad. Psychotic.
Dishonest – Given to or using fraud, cheating; deceitful, deceptive, crooked, underhanded.
Disloyal - Lacking loyalty. Unfaithful, perfidious, traitorous, treasonable.
Disorder - An ailment that affects the function of mind or body. (List the disorders name if they have one) See the Mental Disorder List.
Disturbed - Showing some or a few signs or symptoms of mental or emotional illness. Confused, disordered, neurotic, troubled.
Dubious - Fraught with uncertainty or doubt. Undecided, doubtful, unsure.
Dyslexic - Affected by dyslexia, a learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.
Egotistical - Characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance. Boastful, pompous.
Envious - Showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another’s advantages; covetous, jealous.
Erratic - Deviating from the customary course in conduct or opinion; eccentric: erratic behaviour. Eccentric, bizarre, outlandish, strange.
Fanatical - Fanatic outlook or behaviour especially as exhibited by excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions on some subject.
Fickle – Erratic, changeable, unstable - especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious.
Fierce - Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid.
Finicky - Excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please; fussy. Too much concerned with detail. Meticulous, fastidious, choosy, critical, picky, prissy, pernickety.
Fixated - In psychoanalytic theory, a strong attachment to a person or thing, especially such an attachment formed in childhood or infancy and manifested in immature or neurotic behaviour that persists throughout life. Fetish, quirk, obsession, infatuation.
Flirt -To make playfully romantic or sexual overtures; behaviour intended to arouse sexual interest. Minx. Tease.
Gluttonous - Given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink. Voracious, ravenous, wolfish, piggish, insatiable.
Gruff - Brusque or stern in manner or appearance. Crusty, rough, surly.
Gullible - Will believe any information given, regardless of how valid or truthful it is, easily deceived or duped.
Hard - A person who is difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand. Hard emotions, hard hearted.
Hedonistic - Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.
Hoity-toity - Given to flights of fancy; capricious; frivolous. Prone to giddy behaviour, flighty.
Humourless - The inability to find humour in things, and most certainly in themselves.
Hypocritical - One who is always contradicting their own beliefs, actions or sayings. A person who professes beliefs and opinions for others that he does not hold. Being a hypocrite.
Idealist - One whose conduct is influenced by ideals that often conflict with practical considerations. One who is unrealistic and impractical, guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.
Idiotic - Marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.
Ignorant - Lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge.
Illiterate - Unable to read and write.
Immature - Emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.
Impatient - Unable to wait patiently or tolerate delay; restless. Unable to endure irritation or opposition; intolerant.
Impious - Lacking piety and reverence for a god/gods and their followers.
Impish - Naughtily or annoyingly playful.
Incompetent - Unable to execute tasks, no matter how the size or difficulty.
Indecisive - Characterized by lack of decision and firmness, especially under pressure.
Indifferent - The trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally, remaining calm and seeming not to care; a casual lack of concern. Having or showing little or no interest in anything; languid; spiritless.
Infamy - Having an extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act that affects how others view them.
Intolerant - Unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion and narrow-minded about cherished opinions.
Judgmental - Inclined to make and form judgements, especially moral or personal ones, based on one’s own opinions or impressions towards others/practices/groups/religions based on appearance, reputation, occupation, etc.
Klutz - Clumsy. Blunderer.
Lazy - Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.
Lewd - Inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious. Obscene or indecent, as language or songs; salacious.
Liar - Compulsively and purposefully tells false truths more often than not. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly.
Lustful - Driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires.
Masochist - The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally abused. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.
Meddlesome - Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner, given to meddling; interfering.
Meek - Evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness.
Megalomaniac - A psycho pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
Naïve - Lacking worldly experience and understanding, simple and guileless; showing or characterized by a lack of sophistication and critical judgement.
Nervous - Easily agitated or distressed; high-strung or jumpy.
Non-violent - Abstaining from the use of violence.
Nosey - Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. Offensively curious or inquisitive.
Obsessive - An unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone.
Oppressor - A person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures, to keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.
Overambitious - Having a strong excessive desire for success or achievement.
Overconfident - Excessively confident; presumptuous.
Overemotional - Excessively or abnormally emotional. Sensitive about themselves and others, more so than the average person.
Overprotective - To protect too much; coddle.
Overzealous - Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.
Pacifist - Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes. (Can double as a merit in certain cases)
Paranoid - Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.
Peevish - Expressing fretfulness and discontent, or unjustifiable dissatisfaction. Cantankerous, cross, ill-tempered, testy, captious, discontented, crotchety, cranky, ornery.
Perfectionist - A propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.
Pessimist - A tendency to stress the negative or unfavourable or to take the gloomiest possible view.
Pest - One that pesters or annoys, with or without realizing it. Nuisance. Annoying. Nag.
Phobic – They have a severe form of fear when it comes to this one thing. Examples: Dark, Spiders, Cats
Practical - Level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative. No-nonsense.
Predictable - Easily seen through and assessable, where almost anyone can predict reactions and actions of said person by having met or known them even for a short time. (Somewhat. He’s predictable in personality, but in regards to battling, he’s not.)
Proud - Filled with or showing excessive self-esteem and will often shirk help from others for the sake of pride.
Rebellious - Defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.
Reckless - Heedless. Headstrong. Foolhardy. Unthinking boldness, wild carelessness and disregard for consequences.
Remorseless - Without remorse; merciless; pitiless; relentless.
Rigorous - Rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.
Sadist - The deriving of sexual gratification or the tendency to derive sexual gratification from inflicting pain or emotional abuse on others. Deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from cruelty.
Sadomasochist - Both sadist and masochist combined.
Sarcastic - A subtle form of mockery in which an intended meaning is conveyed obliquely.
Skeptic - One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.
Seducer - To lead others astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt. To attempt to lead or draw someone away, as from principles, faith, or allegiance.
Selfish - Concerned chiefly or only with oneself.
Self-Martyr - One who purposely makes a great show of suffering in order to arouse sympathy from others, as a form of manipulation, and always for a selfish cause or reason.
Self-righteous - Piously sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic. Exhibiting pious self-assurance. Holier-than-thou, sanctimonious.
Senile - Showing a decline or deterioration of physical strength or mental functioning, esp. short-term memory and alertness, as a result of old age or disease.
Shallow - Lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious.
Smart Ass - Thinks they know it all, and in some ways they may, but they can be greatly annoying and difficult to deal with at times, especially in arguments.
Soft-hearted - Having softness or tenderness of heart that can lead them into trouble; susceptible of pity or other kindly affection. They cannot resist helping someone they see in trouble, suffering or in need, and often don’t think of the repercussions or situation before doing so.
Solemn - Deeply earnest, serious, and sober.
Spineless - Lacking courage. Cowardly, wimp, lily-livered, gutless.
Spiteful - Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite; vindictive person who will look for occasions for resentment. Vengeful.
Spoiled - Treated with excessive indulgence and pampering from earliest childhood, and has no notion of hard work, self-care or money management; coddled, pampered. Having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or over-solicitous attention.
Squeamish - Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted.
Stubborn - Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bull-headed. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute.
Superstitious - An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear from an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.
Tactless - Lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others.
Temperamental - Moody, irritable, or sensitive. Excitable, volatile, emotional.
Theatrical - Having a flair for over dramatizing situations, doing things in a ‘big way’ and love to be ‘centre stage’.
Timid -Tends to be shy and/or quiet, shrinking away from offering opinions or from strangers and newcomers, fearing confrontations and violence.
Tongue-tied - Speechless or confused in expression, as from shyness, embarrassment, or astonishment.
Troublemaker - Someone who deliberately stirs up trouble, intentionally or unintentionally.
Unlucky - Marked by or causing misfortune; ill-fated. Destined for misfortune; doomed.
Unpredictable - Difficult to foretell or foresee, their actions are so chaotic it’s impossible to know what they are going to do next.
Untrustworthy - Not worthy of trust or belief. Backstabber.
Vain - Holding or characterized by an unduly high opinion of their physical appearance. Lovers of themselves. Conceited, egotistic, narcissistic.
Weak-willed - Lacking willpower, strength of will to carry out one’s decisions, wishes, or plans. Easily swayed.
Withdrawn - Not friendly or Sociable. Aloof.
Zealous - A fanatic.
From The Character Therapist
Hey guys, I’m getting a lot of asks about the same things, mostly questions about how to make comics, how to “break into comics” (haha, oh dear), working with publishers, that kind of thing. I’ve done some blogging on many of the subjects, so instead of repeatedly replying in private with links to those posts, I’m going to do a master post thingie with links to all my blogging about how I work. Hopefully some of you will find some helpful nuggets in there! I remember when I first started trying to transition into making comics for a living, and there wasn’t much information about that online. I spent a lot of time wailing about it on a locked livejournal. XD But anyway, I hope my blogs help a wee bit.
Disclaimer: these blog posts are all based on my own personal experiences as a cartoonist, and the advice therein might not work for everyone. The most awesome thing about comics is that there is no one way to make them, nor is there one direct route into becoming a full-time cartoonist. The more pro cartoonists I meet, the more it drives home how different our methods and origin stories are.
Anyway, here you are! (With all of these, scroll past the placeholder image at the top of the post.)
1) How I make my comics, start to finish (traditional penciling)
1A) How I make my comics start to finish, now with digital penciling!
2) Finding the art tools that are right for you.
3) Working with collaborators.
4) Acting in comics.
5) The financial reality of a full time cartoonist.
6) Making a successful graphic novel pitch.
7) Adapting a prose novel to comics, part 1.
8) Adapting a prose novel to comics, part 2.
9) Very simple tips for drawing a comic that will be published.
10) Working with editors from a cartoonist’s perspective.
10) b) Working with editors from an editor’s perspective (by my First Second editor, Calista Brill).
11) On “Drawing Styles.”
12) Dealing with discouragement (this is probably the most popular thing I’ve ever written XD).
13) On Comic Conventions.
14) On Being a Pro and Finishing that Comic When You Don’t Want To
15) How I Write My Comics
Okay, I think that’s it! Whew! The remainder of the Friends With Boys blogging archive is here. It has some other bloggings that aren’t advice-related (mostly ramblings about comics I like), if you’re interested. If you have any other comic-related subjects you’d like me to blog about, feel free to drop a suggestion in the ask box.
I hope this was helpful. Share and enjoy!
Updated 08/12/15