derrick mcmullin's page

I have a problem with your basic assumption Power=Reward, or at least a desired life. Lets take a look at one of the most recently featured demon lords Kostchtchie. He came to power after a humiliating defeat by Baba Yaga and to this day hates what he has become. He is full of hate and loathing and even taking into consideration his power I wouldn't want his life.
The life that most of the powerful evil creatures have is not one that most people would seek after. They suffer as much or more then the people that happen to cross their path. The very nature of evil makes life not worth living, despite what it may look like from the outside.
I had in my life the chance to converse on this very subject with a man who had been one of the biggest drug dealers in SLC years after he had turned his life around and had become a family man and a devout Christian. He told me that at the height of his power he wished that he had never gone down that path. He couldn't trust anyone and even basic things that we all take for granted where denied him. He once was stabbed in the heart and was unable to seek healthcare because it had happened during a drug deal. Even years later he was dealing with issues that occurred because of his life choices.
I hope this helps

I'm willing to give Pathfinder the benefit of the doubt and assume that there's more stuff there. However, I think that we should be concerned that this poster, which is an advertisement for the game, is not putting its best face forward.

See this, language like this is problematic. It assumes racism when non exists. I get your point I truly due, but if you look at the poster and your first thought is holy heck racism I must run to the boards and make sure everyone knows that they are playing a racist game with out reading anymore then that you are placing way too much emphasis on racism and maybe need to let things sit for a while before you post.

Dude I think this is one of those step away from the conversation now before you get hurt posts. I feel the huge group of designers and fans alike getting ready to verbally abuse you for this post.
That being said I think you either are reading to much in or just not reading enough.
There are pirates because playing a pirate campain is fun, that's why the skull and shackles AP exists.
There are talking apes because the designers read Tarzan and other books like it and thought "Hey I would like to play here" not because all black people are apes
The Gnoll area I can't help you with but probably stems from the same hey this would be a fun place to play not hey lets make fun of black people.
This kind of post hurts anti-racism movements because these people are obviously trying, i.e. black "female" paladin and you start calling them racist. People start not trying when you do that.