How to Understand Homestuck Quadrants.
Perhaps you’ve come across references to Homestuck and its mysterious “quadrants” while browsing social media. If you haven’t read Homestuck, it’s completely normal to feel lost—especially if you were already puzzled when you first encountered the concept of “shipping.” Terms like redrom and blackrom can sound like total nonsense at first. Keep reading to learn what these quadrants mean and how relationships in the Homestuck universe actually work.
Part1 Understanding Quadrants

Step 1: Know the Basics
In Homestuck, the term Quadrants refers to the four types of romantic relationships experienced by the trolls, the comic’s primary non-human species. Unlike humans, trolls do not have a single concept of romance. Instead, their relationships are divided into four distinct categories.
These quadrants are commonly visualized as a square divided both horizontally and vertically, creating four separate relationship types, each with its own emotional logic and social function.
Reference:
- Homestuck Troll Romance Overview
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Quadrants

Step 2: Understand the Horizontal Division — Redrom and Blackrom
The first and most fundamental division is between Redrom and Blackrom relationships.
- Redrom (Red Romance): Based primarily on positive emotions such as affection, care, and emotional closeness. This is the closest equivalent to human concepts of love and friendship.
- Blackrom (Black Romance): Based primarily on negative emotions such as rivalry, hostility, resentment, and competition.
Both types are equally valid forms of romance in troll society.
Reference:
- Redrom and Blackrom Explained
https://mspaintadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Quadrants

Step 3: Understand the Vertical Division — Concupiscent and Conciliatory
The second division separates quadrants into concupiscent and conciliatory relationships.
- Concupiscent quadrants are considered more overtly romantic and play a direct role in reproduction.
- Conciliatory quadrants are more stabilizing and often platonic in nature, serving important emotional and social functions within troll society.
This division explains why not all troll romance resembles human romantic expectations.
Reference:
- Troll Social Structures
https://www.homestuck.com/info

Step 4: Understand the Flushed Quadrant — Matespritship
The first quadrant is the redrom concupiscent relationship known as matespritship, symbolized by the heart <3.
This quadrant most closely resembles human romantic relationships, as it is based on positive emotions and contributes to reproduction. However, matespritship differs from human romance in motivation. Rather than idealization or admiration, matesprits often feel mutual pity and a strong desire to help and support one another.
A matesprit relationship is driven by empathy and shared vulnerability rather than infatuation.
Reference:
- Matespritship Explained
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Matespritship

Step 5: Understand the Pale Quadrant — Moirailegiance
The second quadrant is the redrom conciliatory relationship known as moirailegiance, symbolized by the diamond <>.
For humans, this is often compared to the idea of a soulmate—but in a deeply platonic sense. Trolls are naturally aggressive, and some are especially volatile. A moirail’s role is to emotionally stabilize their partner, preventing destructive behavior and maintaining social balance.
Those in a moirallegiant relationship seek self-improvement by learning from each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Reference:
- Moirailegiance
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Moirailegiance

Step 6: Understand the Caliginous Quadrant — Kismesistude
The third quadrant is the blackrom concupiscent relationship called kismesistude, symbolized by the spade <3<.
A common misconception is that kismesises simply hate each other or constantly try to kill one another. In reality, kismesistude is built on intense rivalry. While hostility is present, so are respect, admiration, and fixation.
A troll competes with their kismesis because they perceive them as a genuine equal or threat. The relationship thrives on mutual challenge, and without that competition, it quickly collapses into resentment.
Reference:
- Kismesistude
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Kismesistude

Step 7: Understand the Ashen Quadrant — Auspisticism
The fourth and final quadrant is the blackrom conciliatory relationship known as auspisticism, symbolized by the club c8<.
This is the most complex and unfamiliar quadrant for humans. It is the only troll relationship involving three individuals and does not follow standard rules of exclusivity.
When two trolls begin developing caliginous feelings that could lead to a destructive kismesistude, an auspistice may intervene to mediate or separate them. This can be done for many reasons—existing relationships, social stability, or personal motivations.
A helpful analogy is two children arguing while a teacher steps in to prevent escalation. In troll terms, that mediator is acting auspistically.
Reference:
- Auspisticism
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Auspisticism
Additional Reading:
- Homestuck Relationship Symbols
https://www.homestuck.com/info/relationships - MSPA Wiki: Troll Romance
https://mspaintadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Troll
If you want, I can also:
- Condense this into a beginner-friendly cheat sheet
- Rewrite it for SEO optimization
- Adapt it into a wikiHow-style page layout
Part2 .Understanding Transgressions
Below is a fully rewritten, polished English version of the content, with improved clarity, corrected terminology, and added outbound links and references. All content is English-only.

Step 1: Look Back — Understanding Transgressions
That completes the overview of all four quadrants. The most confusing aspect of troll romance is transgression. In troll society, it is not unusual for relationships to shift from one quadrant to another over time.
When left unmanaged, transgressions can lead to chaotic infidelity and emotional instability. However, when navigated successfully, they can result in complex and meaningful emotional growth that is unique to troll culture.
Reference:
- Quadrant Dynamics Overview
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Quadrants

Step 2: Comprehend Concupiscent Transgressions
Transgressions most commonly occur between the concupiscent quadrants: Matespritship and Kismesistude. These quadrants involve the most volatile and passionate emotions.
It is rare for two trolls to experience perfectly mutual flushed and caliginous feelings at the same time. More often, one individual develops caliginous feelings while the other experiences flushed emotions. In response, one party’s emotional alignment may shift to mirror the other’s.
Sometimes these feelings alternate repeatedly—occasionally in harmony, and other times in conflict. If either participant already has both a matesprit and a kismesis, this instability can result in intermittent concupiscent infidelities until emotional alignment stabilizes.
Under extremely rare circumstances, four individuals may each occupy both concupiscent quadrants simultaneously, flipping in perfect synchronization. This rare structure is known as a Quadrangle.
In a Quadrangle:
- Person A and B are flushed
- B and C are caliginous
- C and D are flushed
- D and A are caliginous
When the emotional polarity flips, the entire structure reverses in unison. A Quadrangle represents a perfectly balanced romantic system in troll society, but it is exceptionally fragile—one brief infidelity can collapse it entirely.
References:
- Concupiscent Quadrants
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Matespritship
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Kismesistude

Step 3: Comprehend Redrom Transgressions
Another relatively common transgression occurs between the two redrom quadrants: Matespritship and Moirailegiance. While less complex than concupiscent transgressions, these shifts can still be emotionally significant.
Typically, both participants begin a moirallegiant relationship with pale feelings. In rare cases, one moirail may develop flushed emotions toward the other. This shift can result in three possible outcomes:
- The flushed feelings remain unreciprocated and eventually fade back into pale.
- The second party becomes aware of the flushed feelings and reacts negatively, rejecting the possibility of matespritship.
- The flushed feelings are returned, transforming the relationship into a matespritship—this is the rarest outcome.
Transgressions from flushed back to pale are equally uncommon and follow the same process in reverse.
References:
- Moirailegiance Explained
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Moirailegiance

Step 4: Comprehend Blackrom Transgressions
Transgressions between the blackrom quadrants, Kismesistude and Auspisticism, are less intricate than concupiscent shifts but occur far more frequently.
When a caliginous relationship becomes excessively destructive, an auspistice may intervene. In this scenario, the ashen role emerges after the kismesistude has already become established. The auspistice attempts to mediate and prevent further damage.
However, ashen relationships themselves often transgress into caliginous ones. If the auspistice lacks commitment, competence, or emotional investment, they may be forced out of the relationship entirely, allowing the remaining two individuals to become full kismeses.
References:
- Auspisticism
https://homestuck.fandom.com/wiki/Auspisticism - Blackrom Relationships
https://mspaintadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Troll
Additional Reading
- Homestuck Relationship Symbols
https://www.homestuck.com/info - MSPA Wiki: Troll Romance System
https://mspaintadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Quadrants