Romantic Characters in Fantasy Gaming
"Autumn Eladrin" by captdiablo (resized) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Characters have romantic and sexual dimensions, whether or not they've been in a relationship or engaged in sex. Even if they aren't interested in these parts of life, they have predispositions, expectations, and feelings about them. You might not be aware of these things at first, and that's okay. You might discover them during play, during discussions with fellow players, or while writing game journals. But you can also develop them on purpose, as you would any other aspect of a character.
If you want food for thought, you'll find plenty below. Something here could inspire you to make a choice about a character or have a realization about their circumstances. If you want to cover a lot of ground quickly - for a player character, NPC, or a character in a fictional story - my generator can help you!
Generate A Character's Love Life
As of Valentine's Day weekend 2026, I've started revamping and expanding my Romantic Character Generator. While it isn't 100% finished yet, it's in good enough shape to share in honor of the holiday. As always when it comes to a random generator, if something doesn't fit or you don't like a result, feel free to ignore or change it. I hope this can aid and inspire Game Masters and fantasy writers alike!
Please note:
If you like a result, highlight, copy, and paste it elsewhere to save a copy.
This generator has been assembled by a human with human-generated content.
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You can find my other random generators here.
Thanks To
Setup and some input based on the Etherium NPC Generator
Style based on Nick's Terrible Erotica Generator
Topics the Generator Covers
Sexual & Romantic Orientations
A good place to start adding layers to a character is with their internal drives. You might determine a character's sexual orientation and feel that it covers not just who they're sexually attracted to but also who they're interested in having romantic relations with. If so, that's fine. But considering their romantic orientation can help you add more nuance. The character could be sexually active but completely uninterested in romance. They might enjoy romance with only one group of people but be open to sex with other groups.
It can be good to think about how a character's sexuality has been received by others, and if you're a Game Master, you might want to think about how different cultures handle orientation. Some societies might not care at all; if you're a citizen in good standing, who cares who you sleep with? A few cultures might not have much to say so long as members produce children during their lifetime. Other societies might punish one orientation harshly, or more harshly than others. The goal shouldn't be to torment a character for their player's choice or to ridicule an orientation, but to open up new adventures for the group. Maybe the PCs can make a difference in local laws and work to change cruel customs. But if the players aren't interested in dealing with such backlash, don't include it. Some gamers have struggled due to orientation in real life and want none of that in their fantasy, and that should be respected.
Some Suggestions
Since every gaming group is different, it's best to approach your group before adding orientations to the mix. Everyone should be comfortable with orientations being available and highlighted during play. If someone has a concern, the matter should be addressed. If a compromise can be reached, great! But if people can't come to a satisfying agreement, then it's best to wait until you can find a more flexible group.
It can be easiest to introduce romantic and sexual orientations into a game through NPCs. They're visible but not in the spotlight; they're present but player characters can choose how and when to approach them. Finally, NPC relationships are examples of how romance and sex play out in the world, but players don't have to follow suit with their characters.
If various orientations are available to players, it's a good idea to clarify which ones are available in the current campaign. Having the group to decide on the options together can help ensure everyone is comfortable with them. Unless they ask for input, players should be allowed to choose their characters' orientations without interference from anyone else, just as they should with other traits. And unless they are acting in disrespectful or malicious ways, players should be given some space to figure out how they portray their character's orientations. There's more than one way to act out feelings and preferences and characters, like everyday people, experiment, experience changes of heart, and don't always conform to our expectations. When in doubt, remember: characters shouldn't be confined to narrow stereotypes and players shouldn't have their performances policed without good reason.
That being said, be careful with assumptions and jokes. If someone makes a comment that conflates a player's orientation with their character's, remind them they aren't automatically connected. If comments or jokes about an orientation make anyone uncomfortable, it's best to speak up and resolve the matter so they don't escalate or fester. And if any character is made into a caricature because of orientation stereotypes - whether they're an NPC or PC - the group could probably use a pause for discussion. What may seem harmless or fun to some is probably unpleasant for someone, and everyone deserves to feel comfortable at the game table.
Love Language & Everyday Desire
It can also be useful to figure out the ways a character prefers to express and receive affection (also known as love languages). Whether you believe there are 5 main ways people do this in real life doesn't really matter; it's a great tool for fiction and gaming. Their preferences will affect how they approach others romantically and what they expect from others who are interested in them. Stories can take hilarious or even devastating turns when characters fail to understand each other's gestures.
It's also worth considering a character's other goals in life and deciding if they intersect with their approach to love. For instance, a character who hopes to raise their economic status could begin to prefer receiving gifts over other types of affection.
Current Relationship(s)
Is the character currently attached to someone, or more than one person? And how do they feel about the relationship(s) they're in? This information can shape social interactions and reveal sources of conflict. If a character's in a clingy relationship, their significant other might be around a lot. If the character hates it, they might be irritable when their partner won't leave them alone. If they're in some kind of sexual or romantic relationship, the character is probably going to make time to be with their partner(s), which could mean making time for a date night in the story or game session.
Duration
How long a current relationship has been going on can imply a lot of things. Characters who recently met and started dating probably don't know a lot about each other yet, whereas people who have been together for 20 years likely know most of each other's friends (or perhaps they don't; that could lead to some intriguing possibilities...).
Type
Relationships can also begin with - or take on - their own kind of disposition. For instance, they can be based on fun, passion, or friendship; they might stand out because of a major age gap or being long-distance. This can influence how partners usually treat each other and what they expect out of their interactions, for better and worse: a fun lover who only wants a careless fling may not be able to provide the comfort their partner needs after a serious loss.
Status
If a character is in a relationship, they will likely be dating, living together (which may imply more commitment than simply dating but not as much as marriage; your choice), engaged to be married, already married, or separated. Added to that is whether the people in that relationship are exclusive to each other or nonexclusive (consensually open to dating, having sex with, or loving others, depending on what they've agreed upon), or if there's cheating going on.
Condition
Bonds and interactions can shift over time, sometimes dramatically. A flourishing marriage indicates growth, lots of sharing, and plentiful interactions; not only will the spouses feel this way, but others will probably notice it, too. A marriage that's falling apart indicates the opposite: decay of common interests and not spending time together (at least willingly).
How They Feel About Their Relationship
Once you've built the kind of relationship(s) a character is in, it's important to determine their predominant feeling about their bond(s). Overall, are they happy? Let down? Anxious? This estimation adds a whole new dimension to portraying a relationship in a game or a story. It will influence how they speak about, respond to, and pursue their partner(s). It can get even more interesting if you know how their partner(s) feel and have them act accordingly, even if they're at odds (or, in this case, especially when they're at odds).
Sexual & Romantic History
History always matters; it influences what follows. The same can be said of relationship and sexual histories. Those who engaged in sex and/or romance in the past learned things in the process, for better and worse. Prior engagements can shape characters' attitudes and goals. They also involve other characters who might show up again. As a writer or Game Master, you can never underestimate the impact of an old flame, a bitter ex, or the one who got away. That person can spice up just about any scene, so it's worth thinking about how the character feels about the relationships and people they used to be part of.
Virginity & Chastity
Characters who haven't been in sensual or romantic relationships have their reasons and other activities they spent their time on, and these things are worth knowing. Virginity and chastity don't have to mean anything special in your setting or to a character's culture, but they might. How fictional people feel about not having sex is up to you, but it's worth thinking about what they say they approve or disapprove of, how they actually feel, and why. Are moral values even applied to these things in your fantasy world? Because they don't have to be unless you - and your group, if you're gaming - want it that way.
When it comes to tabletop players, there's a wide range of feelings about abstaining from sex and they can be quite strong, so it's best to treat these issues with care and respect. If a player wants their character to be asexual or aromantic, that could be their way of signaling that they're not interested in those elements in a campaign. It's best to make sure they're comfortable with sex and romance in the game. If they are but don't want to partake in it with their character, see if that works for the group. Unless it makes someone uncomfortable and they won't compromise, there shouldn't be a problem. An abstaining character is a character; as long as they have their reasons for being in the story and find their way to fit, there's no reason to leave them out.
A Word of Warning for GMs
Game Masters, please avoid regularly threatening, torturing, or killing NPCs the PCs care about - including those in their backstories - unless players have given their blessing first. Few things embitter players faster or longer than a GM destroying and tormenting beloved NPCs. And let's be honest: you may be considering it because you're uncomfortable with those NPCs or what they represent, not because you want to up the stakes or make a more compelling story. If you really don't want to run romantic or sexual elements in a game, just say so. If portraying PCs' lovers makes you uncomfortable, be honest about it with yourself and the group. You might consider trying one or more of the options suggested here before deciding how you feel, but it's better to step back from the topic than to make others regret playing at your table.
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