Alright, so everyone knows of the rubbery men. You know, those squid-looking guys who for some reason always wear green? Well my question is this: are rubbery women a thing? If they are, why haven’t they been mentioned? If they are merely a speculation in my imagination, then how does this cthulhulike race reproduce?
I always thought that this avatar: 
might be a clue to the existence of female octopeople.
edited by Xane Al-Rahibi on 12/14/2015
Rubbery Women are like dwarf women. They exist, but no one ever sees them. That’s 'cause Rubberies and Dwarves are incredibly jealous.
Now I’m going to have to write a sonnet in Praise of Rubberies.
– Mal
edited by malthaussen on 12/14/2015
When you trade Warm Amber in for regular Deep Amber you get the impression that the one you’re trading with is female.
Since they’re modeled after squids, I’ve researched their reproductive systems. I’ve spoilered my findings since it might increase Nightmares.
Basically, their genders can be determined by opening their heads since their reproductive systems are located beneath their flesh. The male’s er… business end looks like a short arm and this is stick into a certain area near the gills of the female. Females have something that looks like a cone.
As such, it’s really hard to determine their gender until they’re planning to reproduce (which, if they follow IRL squids, they can do only once!).
You can’t find the females but at least you’ll know which one are males instead. Rubbery males should develop an extra stubby tentacle near their face during that time. Persuasive Rubbery males should be changing color alot since females like this display.
If real-world cephalopods are any sort of worthwhile comparison, then the Rubberies’ sexual dimorphism might be as subtle as the pattern of suckers on their tentacles… or as great as a difference of orders of magnitude in size. But, well, there’s really no reason to assume that Axiles resemble earthly creatures of any description in any way bar the obvious. They might ultimately be genderless, and reproduce in arcane manners we can’t conceive of (if you’ll pardon the inadvertent pun.)
Ah, now it makes (a disturbing sort of) sense why you get a Tale of Terror on a rare success when viewing the Rubbery Specimen, at the carnival. "Slowly, slowly, he takes off his hat…"
Okay, sonnet in praise of Rubberies done: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic5699-a-place-for-the-arts.aspx?page=1#post121969
– Mal
Rubbery Women are a thing. For example, the one with the light green skin tone (also known as the Boneless Consort) is probably female.
A while ago, I’d come to an unfortunate conclusion about all this passing of Nodules of Warm Amber. I think the ones we get it from are male Rubbery Persons. And we give it to female Rubbery Persons. Damn. Wonder what the other types are?
Maybe that is how they reproduce… we are the go betweens of their sexual dance.
I’ve always assumed they change genders as they want, given all the flesh-sculpting.
Imagine if they sold that "service" to us honest and upstanding Londoners… The Bazaar will be flooded by even more weirder love stories that it could possibly record.
We need to set all of the important and studious people in Fallen London on this right now. THE WORLD MUST KNOW!
Imagine if they sold that "service" to us honest and upstanding Londoners… The Bazaar will be flooded by even more weirder love stories that it could possibly record.[/quote]
Given Bazaar’s pointed ignorance of Rubbery Man and their masters, plus the Mr Eaten business, among other things, it is very likely that any ~Rubbery Gender Bender~ service will be swiftly dealt with by the Ministry of Public Decency, regardless of the decency standard on genders (which is approaching "we don’t care about genders").
Well, it comes from evolving as a social species, where evolutionary success, and thus behavioural trends and the power structure, are intimately connected to who’s mating with whom. So when anyone becomes part of our societies, it tends to extend. Because on the gut level we don’t consider inter-fertility or lack thereof.
I have quite recently forayed further into the forums to the Salons and this (and the privy thread) made me laugh. I don’t know whether this is exceedingly disturbing, or a spot of light entertaining diversion.
An occurrence!
Your “Unearthing the Mysteries of the Neath” Quality is now 1
Your “Intimate of Rubbery Men (and Women)” Quality is now 1
Nightmares is increasing…
Scandal is increasing…