Where do babies come from?

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm reminded of King Missile's biggest hit...

 

[Jack Simth]

Warning: Patently silly thread. Patent laws apply, unless wearing patent leather shoes.

Where do babies come from in the game? Specifically, there are a couple of races that seem to exist with only a single gender. How does that work?

The general case is simple; they're built that way.

For example, Satyr's are only male, and are known for chasing young maidens through the woods. Dryads and Nymphs are only female, and seem to exist merely to entice and frustrate already frustrated gamers.

There are templates for Half Satyr and Half Nymph, which can be either gender, but the Fey parent only occurs in the single flavor.

There's also the arbitrary "Half Fey" template (Fiend Folio, of all places).

One answer that could be used:
Satyrs and Nymphs are actually the same species. Very strong case of sexual dimorphism.

Dryads are formed from a specific type of Oak reaches a certain size, and reproduce as the oak does; the Dryad is not truly an independent creature.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

The gelatinous dewcap is a nearly transparent toadstool that grows nearly anywhere, though it prefers domestic fallow fields. When moonlight strikes the dewcap, its rootlike rhizomes are stimulated to swell into pale lumpy tuber-like growths.

Certain fey folk raise a a particular species of echidna, the azure spine-snuffler, which has an affinity for the ripest of the dewcap's tubers. Trained spine-snufflers can seek out the the toadstools during blue moons, and gently dig up the swollen growths in the same manner that trained pigs are used to unearth truffles.

When collected, the dewcap's pale tubers are allowed to dry in rainbow-bearing sun for a few days, before being painted by trained fey folk artisans to look like miniature bald human-folk. These freshly painted fungal tuber dolls are dressed in bonnets, bibs and booties, then dispersed to favored villagers. (Broken, withered or otherwise imperfect tubers are distributed to villagers held in lowest esteem). While the fey-folk see this as a grande joke, the human-folk inexplicably usually view the peculiar gifts as a boon.

Eventually these fungal tuber poppets take on some of the facial and personality characteristics of their new "parents". When provided a healthy diet and exercise, the human-fungi slowly expand over the course of two decades into full-fledged human-folk.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

The gelatinous dewcap is a nearly transparent toadstool that grows nearly anywhere, though it prefers domestic fallow fields. When moonlight strikes the dewcap, its rootlike rhizomes are stimulated to swell into pale lumpy tuber-like growths.

Certain fey folk raise a a particular species of echidna, the azure spine-snuffler, which has an affinity for the ripest of the dewcap's tubers. Trained spine-snufflers can seek out the the toadstools during blue moons, and gently dig up the swollen growths in the same manner that trained pigs are used to unearth truffles.

When collected, the dewcap's pale tubers are allowed to dry in rainbow-bearing sun for a few days, before being painted by trained fey folk artisans to look like miniature bald human-folk. These freshly painted fungal tuber dolls are dressed in bonnets, bibs and booties, then dispersed to favored villagers. (Broken, withered or otherwise imperfect tubers are distributed to villagers held in lowest esteem). While the fey-folk see this as a grande joke, the human-folk inexplicably usually view the peculiar gifts as a boon.

Eventually these fungal tuber poppets take on some of the facial and personality characteristics of their new "parents". When provided a healthy diet and exercise, the human-fungi slowly expand over the course of two decades into full-fledged human-folk.

 

[frankthedm]

In my D&D game Minotaurs can breed with Humanoids and bovine animals, the offspring often have traits that resemble the mother's race / species.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

In my D&D game Minotaurs can breed with Humanoids and bovine animals, the offspring often have traits that resemble the mother's race / species.

just imagining the variety of dates brought home to the parents during the teen years.

"Mom, Dad, this is Larry. He's into nose piercings!"

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"But...but...he's so...horny."

 

[S'mon]

Mermaids have Mermen.

Nymphs, Dryads, Sylphs et al are not 'species', they are Spirits of the Land.

Satyrs might be spirits, or there might indeed be female Satyrs (I have Steve Jackson Cardboard Heroes, half the Satyr minis are female), or Satyrs may reproduce by impregnating Shepherdesses. (Edit: Similar for minotaurs I guess).

Medusae, Sirens, Harpies et al may reproduce by getting impregnated by human males, possibly prior to eating them.

 

[Dandu]

Mermaids have Mermen.

So they don't need seamen?

 

[S'mon]

So they don't need seamen?

*groan*

"Must spread XP..."