public class Character {

    private String name;
    private char gender;
    private List<String> inventory = new ArrayList<String>();

    public Character(String name, char gender, List<String> inventory) {
        this.name = name;
        this.gender = gender;
        this.inventory.addAll(inventory); // Is this a good idea?
    }

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public char getGender() {
        return gender;
    }

    public List<String> getInventory() {
        return inventory;
    }

}

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Character coolKid = new Character("Cool Kid", 'f',
                                          Arrays.asList("just", "testing"));

        System.out.println(coolKid.getInventory());
        // returns [just, testing]

    }
}

return Collections.unmodifiableList(inventory);