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 Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:25 pm
Hey yeah in this thread you will find all kinds of information about how saplings can make more littler saplings and such. If that's the kind of thing you're into, this is required reading.
Contents:
Post 1: intro (you are here)
Post 2: who can breed?
Post 3: how does RP affect breeding?
Post 4: what's up with these fruit types?
Post 5: where do the babies go?
Post 6: How does romance work in sapling society?
Post 7: Umm, biology?
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 11:28 am
Who can breed?
If you've read the information on Saplings in the main thread (which you totally should), you'll know that it's rumored that saplings can breed hetero-, homo-, or asexually. Whoah! However, because I don't want people just plucking any pretty-colored pet out of the gene pool regardless of gender or temperament, male x female breedings are the only non-RP'd breedings allowed. So let's break it down!
male x female pairs: Boys & girls make babies in a pretty traditional manner: by combining their DNA and adding it to the fruit of a child tree. Yeah, I know, totally normal, right? Male & female breedings result in two to four children, with the potential going up to six for roleplayed pairs in safe family/pack environments. There's also the potential for twins and, sadly, deaths (though if two owners participate, there will never be less than two children) and physical deformities. But the way those are rolled for is all very hush-hush.
Non-roleplayed couples pay a total of 7k per child per breeding. Roleplayed couples just pay 7k per owner (14k total if there's only one owner), regardless of how many children are produced. (Colorists are paid for the other children out of shop funds.)
Single males or single females: Rogue breedings may occasionally be held. These are different from asexual breedings because RP is not required. It's simply assumed that the sapling hooked up with someone of the opposite gender because he/she wanted children, but the other parent didn't stick around. These breedings result in 1-2 children at 7k each.
Male x male or female x female breedings: These breedings are only available through roleplay. The children are produced in the same manner, with the parents combining their DNA with that of a child tree. This is rather difficult, and only results in 2-4 children. The children are also more likely to look very much like one of their parents instead of a combination of both, and may have some aberrant coloration where the child tree may have had to 'fill in' some missing information. Eye color change is the most common. Male x male will produce on average 75% boys, and female x female, 75% girls. Like other RP'd breedings, these cost 7k per owner (14k total.)
Asexual breeding: These are the rarest of the rare. Generally, they occur when a female (though occasionally a male) desperately wants a child but does not want to have a rogue breeding or lives in a family pack and has no options for mates. Asexual breedings result in one to two children (if two are produced, they are generally identical or nearly identical twins). They are available only through roleplay and cost 7k.
Only adult saplings can breed. A sapling must wait until its offspring from a previous breeding are grown before breeding again.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 11:41 am
How does RP factor into it?
A couple counts as a roleplayed couple if these requirements are fulfilled:
1) each sapling has had one roleplay that was not for the purpose of building the couple. while they may both be involved in the roleplay, there must be at least one other character. also, the same RP cannot count for both saplings.
2) both saplings have had two RP's with the intent of building the relationship. this building can mean a lot of things: one in which they become friends and one in which they become lovers, or one in which they decide to become mates and one in which they decide to have a family, or even one in which they become friends and one in which they decide they're not in love, but they'd like to raise children anyway.
A full RP consists of 15 posts, or one whole page. Each post must contain at least five sentences.
These requirements exist for RP'd hetero couples and all homosexual couples. Asexual requirements are slightly different:
1) at least two RPs that have nothing to do with makin' babies
2) one RP that involves planning for the children, such as the single parent informing his/her family of the decision or asking a friend to help as a caretaker
RP'd breedings only cost 14k total, 7k for each parent. If the parents have edits, there's the possibility of edits on the children at no extra cost. These will generally not appear until the blossom/adult stages.
Because baby saplings (fruit & sprout) are rooted, they take a lot of protection and care. For this reason, couples that exist in family groups or some sort of tribe/pack (basically, any established group that isn't just them) have a larger chance of having more children and having more children that survive. Here's the breakdown:
mxf NON-RP'd couples: potential of up to four children, 25% mortality rate
mxf RP'd couples not in a group: Potential of up to four children, 15% mortality rate
mxf RP'd couples in a group: Potential of up to six children, 5% mortality rate.
mxm/fxf RP'd couples not in a group: two children produced.
mxm/fxf RP'd couples in a group: potential of up to four chidlren, 5% mortality rate
Asexual breedings can only occur when the parent is in a group and result in 1-2 children, 15% mortality rate.
Colorists are encouraged to have more fun with RP'd breedings, like adding aberrant colors, markings, and edits.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 11:46 am
What's up with these fruit types?
The plant parts of a sapling are not inherited from their animal parents, but from the child tree they are born of. A pine sapling and a birch sapling could breed in the desert, using a desert child tree, and produce children that are saguaro cactus or joshua tree or prickly pear. The plant depends not on the parents, but where the parents live.
For non-RP'd couples, it is assumed that the parents live wherever the father's plant type is native to. For instance, if the father is a pine tree, it will be assumed that they live in the snowy mountains, and the children will have the corresponding plant types. (There are some exceptions to this rule where the owners will be allowed to choose the area, such as if they plan on RP'ing later.)
For RP'd couples, the RP determines the area in which the parents live. Where is their group? Where do they tend to wander? Where were they when they decided to settle down and raise a family? The owners will be asked to declare this when applying for a breeding, and it will be checked against their RP. If the RP doesn't seem to correspond to the location, and explanation will be required (like, "oh yeah we decided that they decided that they would move to blah blah blah.")
Each climate area has a corresponding fruit stage.
Not sure what climate area your sapling is from? Ask the colorist or do a search on the plant type and its usual habitat.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 11:50 am
Where do the babies go?
Each owner from a breeding is allowed to keep one baby, except under very special circumstances that will be handled on a case-by-case basis (for instance, identical twins.)
Those who participate in a non-RP'd breeding may ask that the extra children be sold through the shop to cover the extra cost of each baby. The children will be sold for 7k each. This is the ONLY way to give away children that involves the exchange of gold.
All breedings, including non-RP, may give the children away in a variety of manners. They may choose to hold some sort of contest, or may simply declare owners. If you need ideas on what to do with extra children, contact the shop staff or post in the main thread; I'm sure people will be happy to help you think of a unique idea.
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 12:44 pm
How does romance work in sapling society?
It's really all up to the saplings and owners. ^.^ Some groups may have certain customs or rules about how breedings happen.
Breeding is not, however, generally linked to being mated. Oftentimes two saplings who are very good friends will decide to raise children. These saplings may later find mates and decide not to have children with them. Sometimes two saplings breed just to carry on a family name or genetic line.
It is also true that mated pairs breed most, though. This is usually because, while mates love each other romantically, they are also best friends and want to start a stable family or grow a family group.
Because a whole sapling family or group will often raise children as a community effort, young saplings may not feel a particularly strong attachment to their parents. While they will certainly be linked to their whole family, they may follow and be taken in by the family member most like them.
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 12:50 pm
Umm, biology?
Oh yeah, trust me, all this breeding & children tree stuff ain't magic. Trust. Me.
When two saplings decide they want to have children, they travel to a children tree in the area they want to raise their family. The children trees are very ancient, and have a very deep and wide gene pool. (That's why each tree can produce many different types of sapling.) If the children tree is in bloom, the saplings can combine their genetic material and add it to a flower of the tree. The flower will turn into a fruit bearing the colors of the new sapling baby-to-be, and that fruit will turn into a sprout. Congratulations. It's a baby sapling.
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