It can be useful for others to know how many photographs of your children you've got stashed in your wallet/hoard to make people look at.

Wyrm's site says: “Many dragons who are mated (and also a few who aren't) have either guarded a clutch or two of eggs or protected some hatchlings against predators (yum yum)! This tag allows you to show how many hatchlings you have raised (or are raising).”

The plus/minus scale is arranged on a spectrum with no offspring in the center and increasing numbers toward either end, with one side being children that have moved out and the other being those that haven't. I'm not sure if these can be combined, e.g. O+1-2 for “I have a couple of children who have left home, but one who's still there.”

I have many of them, and none of them look like leaving yet!

I have several that haven't fledged yet.

I have a couple that have not yet left home.

I've got one still in the nest.

There's just me (and my mate, if applicable).

I had one, but they've left home.

I had a couple, but they're living their own lives now.

I've had several, all successfully fledged.

I've had many, but they've all flown away now.

I lost track long ago. If it meeps, I feed it.

I have a variable number, depending on who I'm fostering this month!

If I ever heard one was my fault, I'd faint!

Indicates exactly how many you have and that they've not left home yet.

Indicates exactly how many you have had that have flown the coop.)

Put after the O, this indicates that one is specifying one's real life offspring. For example Or- indicates “I had one in real life, but they left home.”

Put after the O, this indicates that one is specifying one's virtual life offspring. For example Ov+ indicates “I've got one on the 'net, still in the nest.”

One can use both of the above in separate tags to specify both types of offspring, but you can also use a short-form method by just putting the r and v parts within parentheses. For example Or-Ov+ and O(r-v+) both indicate “I had one in real life, but they left home; and I've got one on the 'net, still in the nest.”

Put before any plusses or minuses, this indicates that one is specifying adopted offspring. This can be real or virtual. For example Ova+ indicates “I've got one adopted on the 'net that is still at home.”