Quadrants

The word Quadrant is the colloquial shorthand that refers to the relationship system within Alternian society. There are four different kinds of relationships within troll society: Matespritship, Moiraillegiance, Kismesissitude, and Auspisticism. Each of these four relationship types can be categorized with two different adjectives: Red romance, black romance, concupiscent, and conciliatory.

These relationship types are also referred to by the shorthand of flushed, pitch, pale, and ashen (following the order in the above table). The contrast between Concupiscent and Conciliatory is that of function within broader society. Concupiscent relationships are based around reproduction and creating the next generation. They're the sex relationships. Conciliatory relationships are based around pacification and soothing others. Though humans would see these relationships as platonic, to trolls they are as romantic as any other kind of relationship. The contrast between red romance or "redrom" and black romance or "blackrom" is that of the expression of romance. To keep things simple, redrom is based around pity and blackrom is based around hatred. All Quadrants grant a flat bonus to trolls that are in a relationship.

Matespritship
Matespritship, also referred to as the flushed quadrant, is a concupiscent quadrant and is the most analogous to human romantic love. Out of the four quadrants, Matespritship is one of the two quadrants that a troll is forced to fill by the time they turn 10 sweeps old (along with Kismesissitude) in order to avoid exile by the Empire. Matespritship is associated with pity— seeing another troll's vulnerabilities and loving and accepting them regardless. Your Matesprit should be a person that makes you genuinely happy to see and spend time with, someone that pushes you to be the best version of yourself solely to prove that they deserve that from you. This quadrant's keywords are infatuation, adoration, and passion. Trolls with an ongoing Matespritship have the [Passive] Move Matespritic Admiration, making them immune to the [Charmed] condition while they are in a healthy matespritship.

Moiraillegiance
Moiraillegiance, also referred to as the pale quadrant, is a conciliatory quadrant that is most analogous to the human concept of "soul mates" but in a "platonic" way. Your moirail should be a troll that you trust with every aspect of yourself. A bond of moiraillegiance is a bond of trust— trust that not only will your moirail be with you at your lowest, but that they will help you as well. No two moiraillegiances look alike, but the most common expression of pale affection is a feelings jam; heartfelt sharings of emotions while nestled in a pile of comfort items. Pale relationships are flexible by nature, so you could see two moirails having a once-a-wipe feelings jam or being up for late-day panic calls or going out together to break things as stress relief. This quadrant's keywords are trust, compassion, and tenderness. Trolls with an ongoing Moiraillegiance have the [Passive] Move Moiraillegiant Advice, allowing a Moirail to pap you into submission if you are targeted by an [Emotion] condition (i.e. [Enraged] or [Scared]) as a [Lengthy] action.

Kismesissitude
Kismesissitude, also referred to as the pitch or caliginous quadrant, is a concupiscent quadrant that is rooted in hatred. This hatred is not "human hatred" though: It, instead, is like a very potent arch-rivalry. There are many qualities about your Kismesis that are admirable and respectable; but there's something about them having these qualities that just grinds your fucking gears. A healthy Kismesissitude is as stable as a Matespritship. There are a lot of different ways that Kismesissitude manifests. Maybe you just like goading them into verbal arguments for the thrill. Maybe you want to challenge them to do something that you know will improve their skills. Maybe you just love to annoy them and want to see them blow up! No matter what, you enjoy the company of this person and you enjoy fighting them (and winning) even more. This quadrant's keywords are challenge, intensity, and loyalty. Trolls with an ongoing Kismesissitude have the [Passive] move Kismesisstic Rivalry, granting you 1 special [Hold] at the start of an encounter. Using this [Hold] deals +1 [Verbal] damage to your kismesis and switches your [Talented] and [Inept] scores to mirror your Kismesis', becoming [Talented] in what they're [Inept] in and vice versa. This makes you lose your normal [Talented] and [Inept] rolls. If this would make you [Legendary] or [Godawful] at something, you instead get 1 [Boost] or 1 [Drag] respectively.

Auspisticism
Auspisticism, also referred to as the ashen quadrant, is a conciliatory quadrant that is based around mediating troubled relationships. It is the most confusing type of troll romance for humans to understand because the love is towards the relationship itself rather than simply just the people in the relationship. An Auspistice is essentially the great neutralizer. Is your relationship too intense? One person's too clingy? Both of you are too anxious when you're apart? You won't stop trying to genuinely fucking kill each other? Maybe an auspistice is needed! Auspistices are broadly here to solve the problems in a relationship. Trolls who are serving as an Auspistice have the [Passive] move Auspisticized Camaraderie, making [Manipulation] rolls [Talented] against other members of the relationship. The other members of a relationship also receive a buff when they have an Auspistice...
 * Matesprits: Get a +1 [Buff] on +PLC rolls.
 * Moirails: Get a +1 [Buff] on +RAS rolls.
 * Kismessises: Get a +1 [Buff] on +GRT rolls.
 * Vacillation: Benefit from all applicable relationship bonuses with each other.

Vacillation
I know, you saw vacillation on the previous bulleted list and got REALLY confused, yeah? Vacillation is what happens when trolls have feelings that shift between different quadrants. This could be red-pale, red-pitch, pale-pitch, what have you. Vacillating is not fun both from the mental health standpoint and from the "You need a babymama or we exile you" way. Sometimes these vacillations result in relationships that have aspects of multiple quadrants but settle broadly into one. Most of the time, however, these relationships remain volatile and terrible. You still get a [Passive] move from this, though! Trolls who are currently in vacillation get the [Passive] move Vacillating Uncertainty! At the start of a thread, choose one half of the two vacillating quadrants to benefit from; you gain its benefits, but you do not gain the other quadrant's benefit.

Fake Dating
Dude, how is there more stuff here? Why are the romance mechanics in this game so fleshed out? Well, why are you playing a Homestuck game, buster? Sometimes, people pretend to be in a relationship. Maybe it's to guilt someone, maybe it's so you don't get immediately exiled because you don't pull. Either way, Fake Dating is a major trope within Alternian society and every troll will probably see it at some point in their life. Trolls who are Fake Dating get the [Passive] move Fictitious Feelings, allowing you to take the benefit from a quadrant with another troll that you are not dating, with their consent, as long as people believe your relationship is sincere. A successful PROBLEM SLEUTHING roll might reveal the lie; this grants you and your "partner" 2 [Boost].

Breaking Up
Breakups are an inevitable part of life, especially when you can have somewhere between 1 and 5 partners at a time, and that's only following the most traditional style of quadrant-filling! Sorry you broke up, hope this debuff helps you feel better. Trolls who have broken up recently get the [Passive] [Hook] move Breakup Blues, making +PLC moves towards your ex [Tier Down]. Any negative emotion effect you would gain from your ex is heightened.

Making it Work
If you have read this entire article, I am so sorry, I feel really bad. But, you are probably wondering: How the fuck does this work? Do I have to roleplay making out with my friend because I hate them? Do I have to be a fucking creep about this? Well, here's the fun part: the book does not say! At no point does the book clarify who the relationship needs to be with, so please argue with your DM. Judging by the text of the abilities, only Matesprits can really be played without a (N)PC being your partner. Technically vacillation also works, but, like, you would have to choose Matespritship as your vacillation every time. I am not the author, but I believe it is the intent of the book that all relationships in this game are supposed to be between Players' Trolls. Again, argue with your DM if you really want that breakup debuff with your troll's ex-boyfriend who goes to another school, but that's how I read it.