Hello, and welcome to Queer's Fiction, where we discuss queer historical media.

I'm Jace.

I'm Alice.

And today we're discussing the history of queer representation in tabletop role-playing games.

Before we begin, I'd like to acknowledge the Bunawong-Bunwarang people of the Kulin Nation

as the traditional owners of the land on which we record this podcast and pay respect to their elders past and present.

We recognize them as the custodians of an oral history tradition far older than this podcast.

We also have some content warnings for this episode.

They include mentions of sexual acts,

sex work, sexual fetishes, homophobia and transphobia, including fictional instances of both homophobic and pro-gay violence and discussion of HIV AIDS. If any of that sounds like

something you don't want to listen to, please feel free to check out one of our other episodes.

So let us begin by setting the scene. The room is illuminated.

As soon as you said that, I was like, you're just going to be like, you walk into a tavern.

Yes, yes you are.

The room is illuminated by light of a provocative scarlet hue.

The air is musky, smoky, honey sweet.

I didn't sign up for a sexy world play session.

But I'm in it. Honey sweet. I didn't sign up for a sexy world play session. But a minute now.

A luxurious carpet of thick black fur covers the floor, and in the center of it is a pedestal which has a golden bowl affixed to it.

The four walls are adorned with lurid reliefs of men, women, and other creatures locked

in all manner of sensuous embrace.

An unseen voice speaks as the party of adventurers enters.

...