Quadrants

The four quadrants are the four different types of romance recognized by trolls, first explained through exposition HS 2392 (here.) Trolls naturally experience all four types of romance, while humans only experience a single type, cherubs experience another, and carapacians apparently experience at least two of them. However, it has been implied that humans may also be able to feel emotions from at least three of the quadrants.HS 7490 They are a frustratingly difficult concept for humans to grasp, so much so that in response to a HS 2494 (callous remark), Andrew Hussie trolls the readers by forcing us to read the troll relationship info HS 2495 (all over again,)

Karkat has HS 2296 (stated) that trolls are driven by the two primary emotions, hate and pity. However, the other trolls seem to be capable of the full spectrum of emotion familiar to humans and given the corruption of their society by outside forces and revelations about their uncorrupted society, it is likely this statement is part of the beliefs of the corrupted society and not accurate.

The four quadrants are: Matespritship and moirallegiance are part of the red romance (redrom) group, which means that they revolve around more positive emotions. Auspisticism and kismesissitude, on the other hand, belong to the black romance (blackrom) group, which means that they revolve around more negative emotions. Matespritship and kismesissitude are part of the concupiscent group, and revolve around more sensual emotions. Moirallegiance and auspisticism, on the other hand, are of the conciliatory group, and revolve around more platonic emotions.
 * Matespritship, the flushed quadrant ♥
 * Moirallegiance, the pale quadrant ♦
 * Auspisticism, the ashen quadrant ♣
 * Kismesissitude, the caliginous quadrant ♠

Trolls often form quadrangles in regards to their concupiscent relationships, which roughly translates to our human concept of "love triangles" except with more elements in the mix, thus making it more complicated.

The boundaries between the relationships are fluid. Young trolls, like humans, have to find the right balance between the emotions. Since all the Hivebent trolls are still young, they seem to be perpetually confused by the complexities of troll romance, and in some cases are far from discovering romance in any quadrant. Trolls do not differentiate HS 2628 (by gender) when it comes to their relationships - the very idea is foreign to them.

The Beforan trolls appear to share the quadrants, having made reference to both flushed and caliginous relationships among their members, and having referred to moirails, vacillation and the quadrants themselves outright. While the term "quadrants" implies a fourth relationship, auspisticism itself has not yet been confirmed in Beforan society. This article currently tends to the Alternian system until future information comes to light: differences between the two cultures may or may not arise in future updates.

Red Romance (Redrom)
These types fall under the pity hemisphere of troll emotions, and are associated with the color red. They are tied to strongly positive emotions.

/Flushed Quadrant ♥

 * HS 2576

The one most like human love/romance. Matesprits have a strong feeling of affection for one another, somewhat like a married couple. However, troll psychology being what it is, courtship can be just as violent as that between kismeses, and indeed it can flail between one and the other. It is one of the two concupiscent relationships, those that deal with reproduction, the other being kismesissitude. Matespritships's quadrant is known as the flushed quadrant.

Dad and Mom were given as examples when matespritship was described.

The term of "mate" and "esprit" (French for "spirit"), as in a soul mate. Mating fondness corresponds with the ancient Greek concept of έρως (érōs), or "passionate/lustful love."

Known Matesprits:


 * Dad Egbert and Rose's Mom, confirmed HS 2394 (here).
 * Marquise Spinneret Mindfang and the Summoner, confirmed HS 3757 (here).
 * Latula and Mituna, confirmed HS 5263 (here).
 * Aranea and Porrim (former), confirmed HS 5263 (here).
 * Jade and Davesprite (former, pre-retcon), confirmed HS 5292 (here).
 * Meulin and Kurloz (former), confirmed HS 5308 (here).
 * Alternate John and Vriska (former, pre-retcon), confirmed HS 5386 (here).
 * Kanaya and Rose, confirmed HS 5408 (here).
 * Dave and Terezi (former, pre-retcon), confirmed HS 5414 (here).
 * Jake and Dirk (former), confirmed HS 5516 (here)
 * Sollux and Feferi (former), confirmed HS 5746 (here).
 * Spades Slick and Ms. Paint, confirmed HS 6119 (here).
 * Karkat and Dave, confirmed HS 7874 (here).
 * Meenah and Vriska (former), confirmed HS 7351 (here).
 * Bronya and Elwurd (former)
 * Konyyl and Azdaja

Known flushed crushes:
 * Eridan for Feferi, from HS 2467 (here).
 * Eridan for Nepeta, from HS 3321 (here).
 * Kanaya for Vriska, from HS 2343 (here). (May only be formerly, as she planned to HS 2387)
 * Nepeta for Karkat. from HS 3438 (here) and HS 7874 (here).
 * Vriska for Nicolas Cage, from HS 2787 (here).
 * Tavros for Jade, from HS 3056 (here).
 * Equius for Aradia, from HS 2226 (here).
 * Vriska for Kanaya, from HS 3543 (here).
 * Vriska for John, from HS 3856 (here).
 * Gamzee for Tavros, from HS 3986 (here).
 * Sollux for Gamzee from HS 4085 (here). Sollux's crush vacillates between flushed and caliginous, possibly due to his dual nature.
 * Jane for Jake, from HS 4226 (here).
 * Roxy for Jake (former), from HS 4156 (here). This was subsequently dropped out of respect for Jane.
 * Roxy for Dirk, from HS 5752 (here).
 * Jack for PM, from HS 4313 (here).
 * Jake for Aranea, from HS 4927 (here).
 * Cronus for Meenah. from HS 5308 (here).
 * Jasprosesprite^2 for Jane, from HS 7650 (here).

Possible matesprits or crushes:
 * Karkat and Terezi (formerly), from . (They started developing one, but Terezi has broken it off HS 4692 (due to Karkat giving) mixed signals.)
 * Karkat for Jade, from HS 2852 (here)and HS 4101 (here) (possibly unrequited)
 * Latula and Porrim (former), from HS 5263 (here).
 * Kankri for Latula.
 * Lil Seb for from HS 6022 (here).
 * Roxy and John, from HS 6455 (here) and HS 7492 (here)
 * Roxy and Calliope (shown to be on what appears to be a date in the Snapchat updates, although it may not have been one as Roxy was eager to also invite Jane)
 * Roxy, Jane, and Calliope (Roxy has stated that she finds both HS 7512 (Jane) and HS 7683 (Calliope) to be attractive.)

Chat version:

/Pale Quadrant ♦

 * HS 2204

Moirallegiance is a process that occurs between a troll and their "moirail" (also informally known as a HS 4096 (palemate)). It is a form of guardianship, but it isn't simply about being platonic soul bros forever: see Andrew's comment. They are a protector of their moirail's heart. They keep each other grounded.

A troll is compelled by fate to watch over their moirail and keep them in line. Despite the platonic appearance of this role (as we currently understand it) to us humans, trolls consider it a type of HS 2341 (romance). Moirallegiance may also entail pacifying one's partner, like what Nepeta does for Equius and Karkat for Gamzee. Moirallegiance may translate (roughly) to our human concept of "love for best friend" which contains no intent for reproduction.

It is one of the two conciliatory relationships, the other being auspistice. As it is a redrom, it is linked to pity in the same way that black romance (blackrom) is linked to hate.

Moirallegiance is a portmanteau of "moira" (fated) and "allegiance." This kind of relationship may be most similar to the Greek concept of φιλία (philia), or "brotherly love".

Known moirails:
 * Feferi and Eridan. (Formerly)
 * Nepeta and Equius.
 * Kanaya and Vriska. (Formerly)
 * Gamzee and Karkat. (Formerly, pre-retcon)
 * Kurloz and Mituna.
 * Horuss and Meulin.
 * Terezi and Vriska. HS 7500
 * Xefros and Dammek
 * Kuprum and Folykl.

Possible moirails or platonic crushes:
 * Draconian Dignitary and Jack Noir.
 * MSPA Reader and Chixie Roixmr. (Implied)
 * Eridan for Karkat.
 * Tavros for Gamzee

Chat version:

Black Romance (Blackrom)
These types fall under the hate hemisphere, and are associated with the color black. They are tied strongly to negative emotions.

/Ashen Quadrant ♣

 * HS 2343

An auspistice is a "facilitator" of some sort between a pair, mediating interactions between them and keeping their relationship functional. Auspisticized pairs include Spades and, and Vriska and Tavros, all of whom have been shown to be potentially caliginous to some degree, as the emotions between two auspisticized trolls are similar to those of kismesis but are interfered with by the auspistice. Unlike the other quadrants, ashen feelings have only been shown and have HS 5414 (suggested to be) only felt by the auspistice and not the two parties in the mediated relationship. It may be permissible for a troll to be involved in more than one ashen triad at a time, according to Karkat's suggestion that he auspisticise between Rose and Kanaya in order for Kanaya to auspisticise between Terezi and Gamzee. This comment may also indicate that a couple can be auspisticized even if they were not entering a caliginous relationship.

Andrew explains that if the mediator does a poor job or is uninterested in keeping the peace, the two might delve into more torrid emotions, as stated above. Without auspistices, widespread black infidelity is guaranteed. It is one of the two conciliatory relationships, those more platonic to humans, the other being moirallegiance.

Auspistice is a portmanteau of "auspicious" (fortunate, promising) and "armistice" (truce.) It may be analogous to the ancient Greek concept of αγάπη· (agápē), or "selfless love," since the auspistice doesn't get anything out of this directly. It also aptly sounds like asbestos, for its sound absorbing and flame resistant nature.

Known auspistices:
 * Kanaya between Vriska and Tavros. Yet it failed, because she was too worked up on her own feelings to grasp the situation and now it's all gone down the slime tube.
 * Nepeta believes Jade to be auspisticizing between Karkat's past and future selves.
 * <span style="color: &amp; #35;e0e0e0"&gt;o<span style="color: &amp; #35;2ed73a"&gt;c Scratch between <span style="color: &amp; #35;000000"&gt;o<span style="color: &amp; #35;2ed73a"&gt;wman and Spades Slick, as seen HS 3858 (here.)
 * The Courtyard Droll (apparently) between Liv Tyler and the Wizardly Vassal, HS 3683 (here). The text does say he "mediates between the two bickering parties" and to top it off, the eyepatch he makes for Liv Tyler is a club badge.

Known potential auspisticisms and ashen crushes:
 * Kanaya between Rose and The Noble Circle of Horrorterrors. An aborted auspisice. Aborted specifically because Rose informed Kanaya she was auspisticizing through her remarks, and Kanaya would HS 2730.
 * Terezi believed Eridan was asking her to auspisticize between him and Sollux in Alterniabound, but she knew Sollux did not want to be in a relationship with him.
 * Feferi also rejected what she perceived as Eridan's ploy to get her to auspisticize between him and Sollux in Kanaya: Return to the core.
 * Kanaya between Eridan and Vriska. Eridan attempted to get Kanaya to auspisticize between him and Vriska, claiming that as she's she should be interested, but she rejected him.
 * Kanaya felt the compulsion to auspisticize Gamzee and Karkat as seen HS 4085 (here), but Karkat paps her, stopping her as seen HS 4085 (here).
 * Kanaya also feels compelled to auspice between Karkat and Dave as seen HS 4721 (here), though it has not yet been addressed again.
 * Rose, between Terezi and Gamzee as seen HS 5414 (here), as Rose believes the kismesissitude between Terezi and Gamzee could potentially unstablise Terezi's relationship with Dave, and Gamzee's moirallegiance with Karkat.
 * Jade, between Bec Noir and PM in HS 8087. Unfortunately, PM got annoyed and punched Jade

Chat version:

/Caliginous Quadrant ♠

 * HS 2296

Kismesissitude is what a troll feels towards someone known as their kismesis. It is linked to hatred, and it is necessary that both parties feel equal, balanced hatred towards each other. Not any kind of hatred will do, since there is such a thing as platonic hatred amongst trolls (similar to the human concepts of hatred and platonic love). In other words, kismesissitude seems to be based on a mix of hatred and sexual attraction. As it thrives on a rivalry between two trolls, defeating or killing your kismesis is discouraged, since obviously there wouldn't be a relationship anymore. However, despite the stronger hatred aspect of the relationship, in order for a kismesis to last there must be some level of respect between the those persons involved; the tension in kismesissitude relies not only on hatred and annoyance of ones more irksome aspects, but also a level of admiration for their more positive aspects, as explained HS 7490 (here.)  It is one of the two concupiscent relationships, those that deal with reproduction, the other being matespritship, and it has been shown that like with matespritship, HS 3855 (kissing is considered an appropriate expression of kismesissitude). Andrew says that the most appropriate human concept that is somewhat synonymous to kismesissitude would be "potent arch-rivalry". From what we know, it seems like kismesissitude is like a couple that hate each other, but stay together willingly.

It has been speculated by Karkat that humans may also be able to feel kismesissitude.HS 7490

Kismesis is a portmanteau of "kismet" (fated) and "nemesis."

Known kismesissitudes:
 * Jack and the Queen. Andrew stated "troll players could immediately place it as a dead ringer for kismesissitude." Even in the form of <span style="color: &amp; #35;000000"&gt;o<span style="color: &amp; #35;2ed73a"&gt;wman, the Black Queen continues to taunt Spades Slick.
 * Eridan and Vriska, until Vriska broke things off.
 * Karkat believes he might be his own kismesis. The only opponent he's ever really felt strongly about were his past and future selves, who he has spent most of his recent time on Trollian arguing with, even after meeting the kids. According to Terezi, he has become obsessed with arguing with his past and future selves.
 * Marquise Spinneret Mindfang and Orphaner Dualscar, until Dualscar ended the relationship.
 * Terezi and Gamzee (pre-retcon). During Openbound, Gamzee stated that they were in the shadows about it, since he believed Karkat would most likely want to kill him if he found out. HS 5937 (This) discussion between Karkat and Dave proves this belief wrong however; he had known for a long time and, while he severely disapproved, was purposefully not taking action. Finding her half-naked and covered in Faygo, however, Karkat attempted to convince her to break it off, while Terezi confessed that while she is incredibly unhappy with the relationship, she finds herself unable to break it off because the very things she finds infuriating and repulsive about him are what makes him so irresistible and alluring as a kismesis.

Known caliginous crushes:
 * Eridan for Rose. He solicits her, citing what he perceives to be similarities between the two of them as reasons why they would make a good rivalry: noble blood and diabolical theatrics. She blows up his computer, which seems to only exacerbate his feelings towards her.
 * Karkat for John, as shown in HS 2626 (Act 5 Act 2). Over time, the feeling changes to this human emotion called friendship.
 * Gamzee for Dave, as shown HS 4031 (here). (Or possibly for Insane Clown Posse, after seeing their video.)
 * Terezi and Vriska have developed a rivalry that several characters explicitly recognize as a potential kismesissitude; Nepeta includes it on her shipping wall.
 * Peregrine Mendicant for Bec Noir as shown HS 4315 (here).
 * Sollux for Gamzee as shown HS 4085 (here). Sollux's crush vacillates between caliginous and flushed, possibly due to his dual nature.
 * Eridan for Sollux as shown in Alterniabound, although Feferi dismisses it as a ploy to lure her into auspisticing in order to pull her and Sollux out of their flushed relationship.
 * John and Terezi as shown HS 7490 (here) and HS 7699 (here).

Possible caliginous crushes:
 * Damara for Meenah.
 * Equius for Gamzee, from HS 2221 (here) and HS 3431 (here).
 * Konyyl for Skylla, and vice versa.

Chat version:

Quadrant Vacillation
Quadrant vacillation is the tendency for relationships to switch or flicker back and forth between different quadrants. Due to the complex nature of troll romance and its volatility, it is not uncommon.

Matesprit/Kismesis double reacharound.
Often in quadrant vacillations one party will have red feelings while the other one has black feelings. Usually one party will adjust their feelings to match their partner's emotions, but this is not always the case. This sort of relationship volatility is one of the reasons why auspisticism is an important part of troll culture.

Vacillation from black to red is often drawn from the feelings of respect and admiration that are the other half of spades-type emotions (the first half being just hatred). As Karkat puts it, HS 7490.

Possible matesprit/kismesis double reacharound pairs include:

Double reacharound pairs may correspond with the ancient Greek concept of μανία (mania), or "highly volatile/obsessive love".
 * Sollux's two-colored crush on Gamzee. HS 4085
 * Equius and Aradia.
 * Vriska and Tavros.
 * Karkat and Terezi. HS 4713
 * Jack Noir and Peregrine Mendicant.

Group Vacillation
Due to the multiple relationship types and the demands of troll society, trolls form groups and chains of Matesprits and Kismesises. A quadrangle is the simplest complete form of such a group of relationships. It consists of four trolls with two Matespritships and two Kismesissitude between them. If one pairing in a relationship group swaps its relationship type, it can force all other relationships within the group to swap as well.

Possible Quadrant Vacillations include:
 * Karkat and Dave with Terezi (proposed by Karkat but rejected by Dave, pre-retcon). HS 4713

Friendship
A troll disease which spreads among groups if not carefully controlled. Equius says that in troll language, the word for friend is exactly the same as the word for enemy, even though both words are said separately in HS 2221 (this conversation), which he has with Gamzee right afterwards, and Terezi specifically mentions the concept of HS 1524.

Friendship corresponds with the ancient Greek concept of φιλία (philía), or "love between peers," which humans inexplicably believe to be a good and powerful thing. As a prank, John refers to it as an emotion in a HS 1667 (conversation) with Karkat, but HS 1394 (later) (from Karkat's perspective, earlier from his own) insists that it is not.

Aradiabot refers to Karkat as being her friend in Alterniabound, and many other trolls appear to have amicable relationships with one another.