Post by stanzicApparati on Aug 7, 2012 11:30:24 GMT -5
Because it keeps coming up, one way or another, and the people who're really good at explaining it aren't always around. I'm pretty sure I'll get some things wrong, or at least not explain it in ways that make sense to non-trolls - but hopefully, someone else will come along and explain it better!
So. Troll romance has four quadrants (obviously). They are split along two lines: red and black, and concupiscent (sexually intimate) and conciliatory (emotionally intimate). These quadrants are moirallegiance, matespritship, kismessitude, and auspictism.
I'll deal with the conciliatory quadrants first.
Moirallegiance is in the red half of the quadrants - in fact, its representative colour is a pale, pale pink. You'll hear people referring to palerom or palefic - this is what they mean. While there is physical intimacy in this quadrant, it is purely in the form of comfort. A moirail is your counsellor, the person you vent your woes to and the person you go to for help fixing your life; they're the rock of stability in an insane world that doesn't care what you think. They're also the one person who has the right - the duty, even - to call you on your bullshit. A moirail protects you from the world and yourself - and, in return, you do the same.
I've seen moirails referred to as "soul-mates" - and that's a good word for them. They're like the other half of your soul - the parts of you that were missing and you didn't even realize until you found them. For this reason, losing a moirail is hard and - in many ways - more painful than losing any other quadrant. Some people never recover enough to be able to face the idea of finding a new moirail.
It is represented by the symbol <>.
---
Auspictism is in the black half, but it is not blackrom. Its representative colour is ash-grey. You'll hear people referring to ashrom, or ashing it up - this is what they mean. It is the only quadrant filled by three people, rather than only two. Auspictism is meant to prevent an unbalanced blackrom from occurring; if two people are blackflirting and it's just an absolutely terrible idea (say, one of them would actually kill the other, deliberately or not), an auspictice steps in to get them to settle their rumble spheres.
Unlike moirallegiance, this is not kind. A moirail will call you on your bullshit, but at the end of the night they'll still have your back; an auspictice is neutral between the two parties - they are Troll Switzerland, it is them.
This is important, because they cannot favour either of the auspictees over the other. No matter how hateable - or pitiable - either one is. Should an auspictice find that they're developing feelings for either of their auspictees, proper etiquette dictates that they inform both parties and locate a new auspictice for them.
An auspitictice is also referred to as a club or a clover, because of the symbol used to represent it. An auspictice's job is to keep the two unbalanced pairs apart - for their own good, as well as the well-being of others who might be involved; in many instances, an auspictice is called in to prevent black infidelity from occuring.
Auspictism is represented by the symbol c3<.
---
Now we move to the concupiscent quadrants!
Matespritship is the closest to what human romance would refer to as love, although true human-style love seems to span at least moirallegiance and matespritship. A matesprit sees all the worst parts of you, all the best parts of you, and accepts you anyways; they may aid your moirail in trying to help you get better, but it is neither required nor societally expected for them to do so. As a concupiscent quadrant, they are supposed to find you physically attractive; if they don't, something is probably wrong with them.
A matesprit should be kind and gentle to their partner, seeking to show them affection in a flushed manner. Matespritship is also referred to as being "flushed" for someone or redrom.
Its representative colour is red and its symbol is <3.
---
And finally, kismessitude. This one seems to be one of the more difficult ones for humans to get. Its representative colour is black. It is the quadrant of romantic hate - of rivalry and challenge. A kismesis is your equal - someone you can strive against and use as a marker for improving yourself.
Like a moirail, they point out all your weaknesses. Unlike a moirail, they actively punish you for failing to improve - usually by jabbing you in those holes you left in your armor. Physical combat is a large part of kismessitude, but not the sole part; verbal strifing is as important as the physical. A kismesis cannot actually be stronger than you, though; you need to provide a challenge - and to be challenged by them, in return. An unbalanced kismessitude is unhealthy for both sides and requires an auspictice to step in and fix the situation.
A balanced kismessitude should see both parties putting forth and winning/losing an equal number of challenges.
Should you cease to be challenging, your kismesis may try prodding you into becoming interesting again - or they may decide that they'll seek out someone who is more of a challenge, and dump you. It could really go either way, although they will dump you if they don't think you'll ever be challenging again.
As the other concupiscent quadrant, this one does lead to, um, sex. In other words, your kis isn't just ripping your clothes off because you're embarrassed about being naked out in the open - they're ripping them off because they want to see you with your clothes off.
It is represented by the symbol <3<.
So. Troll romance has four quadrants (obviously). They are split along two lines: red and black, and concupiscent (sexually intimate) and conciliatory (emotionally intimate). These quadrants are moirallegiance, matespritship, kismessitude, and auspictism.
I'll deal with the conciliatory quadrants first.
Moirallegiance is in the red half of the quadrants - in fact, its representative colour is a pale, pale pink. You'll hear people referring to palerom or palefic - this is what they mean. While there is physical intimacy in this quadrant, it is purely in the form of comfort. A moirail is your counsellor, the person you vent your woes to and the person you go to for help fixing your life; they're the rock of stability in an insane world that doesn't care what you think. They're also the one person who has the right - the duty, even - to call you on your bullshit. A moirail protects you from the world and yourself - and, in return, you do the same.
I've seen moirails referred to as "soul-mates" - and that's a good word for them. They're like the other half of your soul - the parts of you that were missing and you didn't even realize until you found them. For this reason, losing a moirail is hard and - in many ways - more painful than losing any other quadrant. Some people never recover enough to be able to face the idea of finding a new moirail.
It is represented by the symbol <>.
---
Auspictism is in the black half, but it is not blackrom. Its representative colour is ash-grey. You'll hear people referring to ashrom, or ashing it up - this is what they mean. It is the only quadrant filled by three people, rather than only two. Auspictism is meant to prevent an unbalanced blackrom from occurring; if two people are blackflirting and it's just an absolutely terrible idea (say, one of them would actually kill the other, deliberately or not), an auspictice steps in to get them to settle their rumble spheres.
Unlike moirallegiance, this is not kind. A moirail will call you on your bullshit, but at the end of the night they'll still have your back; an auspictice is neutral between the two parties - they are Troll Switzerland, it is them.
This is important, because they cannot favour either of the auspictees over the other. No matter how hateable - or pitiable - either one is. Should an auspictice find that they're developing feelings for either of their auspictees, proper etiquette dictates that they inform both parties and locate a new auspictice for them.
An auspitictice is also referred to as a club or a clover, because of the symbol used to represent it. An auspictice's job is to keep the two unbalanced pairs apart - for their own good, as well as the well-being of others who might be involved; in many instances, an auspictice is called in to prevent black infidelity from occuring.
Auspictism is represented by the symbol c3<.
---
Now we move to the concupiscent quadrants!
Matespritship is the closest to what human romance would refer to as love, although true human-style love seems to span at least moirallegiance and matespritship. A matesprit sees all the worst parts of you, all the best parts of you, and accepts you anyways; they may aid your moirail in trying to help you get better, but it is neither required nor societally expected for them to do so. As a concupiscent quadrant, they are supposed to find you physically attractive; if they don't, something is probably wrong with them.
A matesprit should be kind and gentle to their partner, seeking to show them affection in a flushed manner. Matespritship is also referred to as being "flushed" for someone or redrom.
Its representative colour is red and its symbol is <3.
---
And finally, kismessitude. This one seems to be one of the more difficult ones for humans to get. Its representative colour is black. It is the quadrant of romantic hate - of rivalry and challenge. A kismesis is your equal - someone you can strive against and use as a marker for improving yourself.
Like a moirail, they point out all your weaknesses. Unlike a moirail, they actively punish you for failing to improve - usually by jabbing you in those holes you left in your armor. Physical combat is a large part of kismessitude, but not the sole part; verbal strifing is as important as the physical. A kismesis cannot actually be stronger than you, though; you need to provide a challenge - and to be challenged by them, in return. An unbalanced kismessitude is unhealthy for both sides and requires an auspictice to step in and fix the situation.
A balanced kismessitude should see both parties putting forth and winning/losing an equal number of challenges.
Should you cease to be challenging, your kismesis may try prodding you into becoming interesting again - or they may decide that they'll seek out someone who is more of a challenge, and dump you. It could really go either way, although they will dump you if they don't think you'll ever be challenging again.
As the other concupiscent quadrant, this one does lead to, um, sex. In other words, your kis isn't just ripping your clothes off because you're embarrassed about being naked out in the open - they're ripping them off because they want to see you with your clothes off.
It is represented by the symbol <3<.
