Eridan Ampora and Gamzee Makara

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1. #1Injected lorebook text

   Always on · Order 0

   A session of Sburb begins long before the players actually run any programs. The paradoxical nature of it allows it to set up certain features on a host planet that enable it to be played at all, such as the presence of each planet's First Guardian and Frog Temple(s) giving it no true origin. Before beginning the game, players will already have significant parts of their lives be involved in the game's outcomes. Every fully functioning session (that is, every session destined to be won and every Null session) will ensure certain features about itself and its players and as such, require them. Deviation from Sburb's rules appears to be integral to the game's experience, to the extent that it is often, ironically, the way that it is meant to be done. Sburb consists primarily of two different sides—the client and the server. Each runs their own separate discs of the game, and connects to the other. The server is able to manipulate the environment around the client in a matter similar to that of The Sims; manipulating the client's house and placing objects from the Phernalia registry that facilitate the basic functions of Sburb. The game requires a bare minimum of two players to function properly, each acting as each other's server and client player. Despite that, increased amounts of involved players connected through a daisy chain of clients and servers offer a greater variety of items in the phernalia registry, as well as larger amounts of build grist to work with, multiplying by 10 from the base amount of 20. The most important item in the Phernalia registry is the Cruxtruder. Opening this with great force will provide the player with Cruxite dowels, which can be used with other provided items to alchemize the player's unique Cruxite artifact; the item that ultimately allows them to enter the Incipisphere. Once opened, the Cruxtruder also provides the player with a countdown timer to indicate when a meteor will collide with their house, urging them to enter quickly. The Cruxtruder also releases a Kernelsprite — one of Sburb's most integral elements. This can be prototyped up to two times with virtually any item, though it often ends up being prototyped with the dead or doomed. Once the player enters the Incipisphere, the kernelsprite loses its kernels and becomes a sprite; a guide of sorts for the player with a deep knowledge of Sburb's mechanics. Depending on the items prototyped with the sprite, they can either be cryptic and vague, highly insightful, or impossible to communicate with. It is required that the kernelsprite is prototyped at least once before entering in order for the session to function as necessary. Once the player has successfully entered the medium, their house will be transported to their planet in the Medium. This is also the point at which their kernelsprite hatches—its kernels travelling to Prospit and Derse. This imbues many of the game's constructs with elements of the kernelsprite, including the Underlings that promptly begin spawning around the player. The player's house is situated in an isolated location on their planet, and their server player must, using the build grist provided by killing enemies, build up to the first of The Seven Gates, which allows their client to access most of their planet. Grist has a secondary purpose as materials used to facilitate alchemization through the use of the Alchemiter. This allows the player to create useful items, such as more portable computers or more powerful weapons. (Players tend to alchemize a bunch of useless shit as well). This is one of the player's main channels of advancement, as better items often require rarer types of grist from rarer enemies. This also allows for the creation of consumables. As players build up each others houses, they gain access to higher gates, which will thusly grant them access to each other's worlds; one's own second gate taking them to their server's house, the third gate to a random part of their server's world, and the fourth gate to their server's server's house, continuing onwards. The details of the gates aren't well known, and it is debatable how each gate corresponds to each location. What is evident, however, is that alchemizing tools that enable flight can more or less trivialize the act of building until later on. Over the course of this progression, the player can explore their land, meet the consorts living there, and learn about their mythos. They may also find out their own personal quest, which generally has to do with fixing a wrong committed by that planet's denizen: a player must unclog the oil in the pipes on their planet and clear the overcast sky, releasing the fireflies their denizen trapped there; another player must restore underwater life to their planet after their denizen had eaten every living thing, etc. Their denizen will be awoken at some point over the course of this quest. As the player explores and slays enemies, they will ascend the Echeladder and become stronger. They will also earn Boondollars, which can be spent primarily on Fraymotifs; special high-level moves that can be critical for success. Boondollars and the Echeladder, like the Sylladex, seem to exist outside of Sburb but are taken advantage of by it. Once a player reaches the seventh gate above their own house, it will lead them to their denizen's palace. The point of progressing gate-by-gate is to steadily gain the powers and abilities necessary to be able to fight and defeat the denizen, which guards a huge hoard of grist. This grist is meant to be used for the Ultimate Alchemy, and complete the game's true purpose. At the centre of the Incipisphere is Skaia, and at the centre of Skaia is the Battlefield. The Battlefield changes depending on how many prototyped kernelsprites have entered the session and hatched, and it can only function at the bare minimum with two prototypings. This serves two main functions, the most pressing of which being the battle between the forces of light and dark- the armies of Prospit and Derse respectively. This cannot take place without a two-tier prototyped battlefield, and will result in a stalemate without it. This battle plays out as the players progress. Prospit and Derse house the player's dream selves between each other, as well as the one of the game's most significant species, the Prospitian and Dersite carapacians. The battle between the white and black carapacians on the checkered Battlefield is likened to a game of chess—the ultimate goal being to kill the opposing side's king. The royalty of each side are aided with rings and scepters that allow them to take on the properties of the kernelsprites. The forces of Prospit are always destined to lose, however, and the Dersite capturing of the white king's scepter is what allows for the triggering of The Reckoning. The Reckoning is a 24-hour event that results in a rain of meteors from The Veil at the edge of the Medium towards Skaia. If this continues for too long, the battlefield risks being destroyed, and Skaia is prevented from achieving its ultimate goal. Skaia will attempt to defend itself using portals that will transport the meteors directed at it towards the host planet that the players originated from, resulting in the meteoric apocalypse that prompted their escape to The Incipisphere in the first place. While most of the portals redirect to the same day, many are sent to a variety of different time periods across the host planet's history. Some meteors act as seeds to plant structures like the Frog Temple far in the planet's past. While the Reckoning is at hand, the players must defeat the Black King to put a stop to it and save Skaia. Every Sburb player (with few incredible exceptions) is a paradox clone—meaning they are a perfect ectobiological clone that is destined to become the person that is eventually targeted for cloning (i.e. Alpha Players), or a descendant of a paradox clone (i.e. Beta Players). This cloning is done during sessions, and the resultant children will ride meteors during The Reckoning to their place in the history of their home planet. The Scratch is a (usually) optional event during Sburb that effectively resets the host universe back to its start. It is initiated when the session's Scratch Construct (found on the Time player's planet) with the aid of the Quills of Echidna; the Space player's Denizen. It is a lengthy and difficult process, as the game will spawn many high level underlings to prevent it from succeeding. The key difference between a pre-scratch and post-scratch sessions is that the order of paradox clones delivered deviates. Since the scratch entirely recreates a universe and its session from its beginning, the players who initiate the scratch will remember nothing of their time before the universe is reset, though naturally, with a known exception. It is shown, however, that if players escape their universe and session through some means, they will not be erased from existence with the universe they knew. Because of the way that the paradox clones are sent to different times, only one session between the pre-scratch and post-scratch session actually has to involve the creation of paradox clones, which is how void sessions are able to exist, given that they rely on their scratch counterpart to initiate The Reckoning. Between the two sessions, the one that created the paradox clones is the universe in which Sburb released as a beta, while the session that didn't is the one in which Sburb released as an alpha. This is heavily speculated to be due to weird plot shit. The pre-scratch session is intended to be the one in which cloning takes place, however a known glitch in Sburb can cause the post-scratch session to involve cloning, dooming the pre-scratch session to require scratching since it is necessary for the players involved to exist in the first place. The glitch will also result in the post-scratch host planet's first guardian being Doc Scratch. It is not known if the scratch of one session will affect other sessions from the same universe. With Skaia saved, the players are prompted to complete their personal quests and continue ascending their echeladder. At this point, players will find more out about their aspect, and often have full control over it by ascending through the God Tiers. God Tier is generally reached by maxing out the player's echeladder and then dying on their Quest Bed or Sacrifical Slab. This grants the player greater control over their aspect, and gives them the highly useful(?) Kiddie Camper Handysash. While ascending God Tiers, players stop earning Boondollars due to it both no longer being especially purposeful and because that shit is for babies now. The player's quest is deeply entwined with their mythological role. For some players, their personal quest is an integral part of beating the game. It is the role of each game's Space player, the one who brought the volcano known as the Forge into the game, to conduct their own ectobiology on the frog population native to their planet to create the perfect tadpole, which will combine with the Battlefield and Skaia to become the Genesis Frog—the ultimate goal of the game. This is done often with the help of each session's Knight. Failure to conduct proper ectobiology will result in a cancerous Genesis Frog, which can lead to a range of catastrophies. The players must fully construct their houses to serve one final gameplay purpose: The Ultimate Alchemy. Reaching Skaia, they will now function as platforms on top of which large Grist Rigs can be placed that feed Skaia from the player's accumulated Grist, allowing the Gensis Frog to mature. Assuming this is all done and the Frog is healthy, it will release the vast croak, allowing the players The Ultimate Reward. No players will have any knowledge of ANY of this before the events actually unfold, unless they are a Time player that travelled back in time or are a Kernelsprite. A Forge is a volcano that appears to be an important part of the Sburb sessions. The player living next to the Forge will eventually have to stoke it. The planet of said player seems to be designed so that the Forge will bring about massive planetary change. According to a previous Troll Blood player, this player is always the Hero of Space who is also the designated frog breeder and will be in the session's Land of X and Frogs. The forge is involved in the process of Ultimate Alchemy. After the players build up their houses and deploy their grist rigs to empty their planets' hoards into Skaia, someone must light the forge. This requires a magic ring. It may require two rings. An Appearifier is a matter transporter device found in several locations. The Helipod Base has a similar device with a different symbol and an opposite function: the Sendificator. Furthermore, a device exists that can act as both a Sendificator and an Appearifier, the Transmaterializer. Its general purpose is to teleport an object to the platform near it. It is unknown if the platform is necessary for its function, or merely serves as an indicator where the item will appear.

   Any object located in the space and time specified by the user will be transported to the Appearifier's platform when the machine is activated, as long the correct time and place are entered into the device and it does not cause a time paradox.

   Attempting to transport something from the past that would cause a paradox instead creates a "gelatinous ghost" of the object which will quickly dissolve into a pile of sludge. It is not yet known what exactly would be considered a paradoxical object, though it seems to be any object that has already been interacted with in the present time line. The nature of the gel of the 'ghost objects' is unknown. All that is known about it is that it's very unappetizing. It is possible to use the science of Ectobiology to create a clone of what you had tried to appearify from its ghost sludge, but if a perfect paradox clone of a person is created, the clone is fated to become the original being which you paradox cloned in the first place.

   The Ultimate Alchemy is an important element of Sburb. Its purpose is probably to create a new universe, or alternatively the planets or life in the universe. The session's forge may be where it is performed. A fully-prototyped Battlefield may also be required. The Ultimate Alchemy requires an extreme amount of grist, which apparently can only be obtained by killing the Denizens. A former Troll player has given more crucial steps, presumably part of the Ultimate Alchemy: the players must build their houses up to Skaia, grist rigs must be deployed upon each player's fully-built house in order to disperse their planets' grist hoards into Skaia, and then somebody must light the forge (although it is possible that this last requirement is unique to the B2 session; as the Genesis Tadpole fell into the forge, its lighting may be in order to release it and send it into Skaia via explosive volcanism, although this is just speculation). The grist serves as nutrients to mature the Genesis Frog. After this, players can claim the Ultimate Reward. Assuming a session has a player with Timetables and enemies infinitely (re)spawn (or can be killed repeatedly without stealing grist from a future kill somehow, generated by the players without losing more grist than they drop, etc.), it might be possible to gather enough grist for The Ultimate Alchemy through mind-numbing grinding. The Ultimate Reward is what awaits players who have successfully won a session of Sburb. After the necessary actions for winning have been performed, a structure resembling the session's Sburb logo appears on the victory platform. The structure has a door with a smaller version of the respective Sburb logo on it, with a doorknob resembling a dream bubble, adorned with the same narrow spirograph. The door serves as an entrance into the new universe the players have created, and it is apparently unusable if it has been structurally damaged. The door itself also might not appear right when the Sburb logo structure does, but that is currently unclear.

   The Genesis Frog is an entire universe. He is ostensibly represented by the giant frog on the Frog Temples and is considered to be the patron god of all frogs. The inhabitants of the Incipisphere have differing opinions about him. The Prospitians and Consorts worship and adore him, referring to him as ”Our Glorious Speaker", or the “Speaker of the Vast Croak”. Dersites, on the other hand, have an inborn hatred of him, using a collection of insulting and derogatory titles, which include "The Great Detestation", "King Pondsquatter", "Frogger", and the "Speaker of the Vast Joke". The Dersites' negative opinions are related to their opposition against the creation of a new universe, and to the Genesis Frog being the reward for defeating the Black King. A Genesis Frog is created anew by every successful session of Sburb. One player is responsible for breeding the frogs found on their planet to produce one with a "perfect" genetic code. We have observed this player has been the Hero of Space, assisted by Hero of Time. It is believed that a Knight was to assist the Hero of Space in their breeding quest, but this is incorrect. That frog-breeder would need to appearify the paradox slime of the frogs found on the their planet and then hunt them down themselves, forcing the Appearifier to produce the paradox slime in the first place. They would then combine the paradox slime of the frogs and produce their paradox clones. Apparently, the songs (or croaks) show the perfection (or lack thereof) of the frogs' genetic codes. A Genesis Frog contains every single instance of the universe that is within him, including doomed timelines and its Scratched iteration. All those different universes are destroyed when the Genesis Frog dies, though some of them may last longer than others before their destruction. Time doesn't pass the same for all instances of a universe within a Genesis Frog. A post-scratch human timeline could be extended to 2424.

   Dream Bubbles: Begin.

   Dream bubbles are found in the Furthest Ring, glubbed into being by Horrorterrors. The bubbles allow the players of Sburb/Sgrub who have lost a life to continue dreaming. The reality constructed in the bubbles is a combination of the memories of everyone inside the bubble accessible to any who has learned the bubble's nature. It would be quite difficult to exit a bubble to get into a new one, however someone inside a bubble can travel to another one through common points in memory, taking their own memories with them to be integrated into the new bubble. These memories mix and combine, but in general, no new memories are created. Additionally, the bubbles store the consciousness of a player who has lost their dream selves and their original selves, making them double as a form of afterlife; the player is then capable of accessing the memory of anyone else who has gained access to the bubbles. Living players, who have lost or become their dream selves, appear in the dream bubbles when they are asleep. It is in this fashion that the bubbles can be used as meeting places between the dead and the living; even those from alternate universes and doomed timelines can be found in a bubble. Furthermore, in addition to memories, the bubbles can to some extent reflect the thoughts of a player. Beyond that, the bubbles can also behave similarly to Skaia's clouds, showing things that are in some way relevant to the player. A player who has died prior to entering The Medium will not have their soul taken into a dream bubble, an event that also renders their dream self near-inaccessible as they will be located in the core of their associated kingdom's moon and will seemingly not wake up during normal gameplay. The bubbles can be physically entered. Time and space are unstable in the Furthest Ring and mastery of at least one is required to navigate it, making it difficult to actively seek out dream bubbles. While it is possible to physically enter and exit dream bubbles, the actual inhabitants of a bubble (i.e. dead and dreaming minds) are usually not capable of leaving it. Dream bubbles can be destroyed, as will be demonstrated by Lord English in due time. He also will be able to permanently kill all of its inhabitants. It is unclear if the former is required for the latter and also if Lord English is the only one able to perform these feats, though several characters speculate that it probably is a power exclusive to him. Bubbles can also be put to more unusual purposes. Smaller, miniature bubbles can be used to store memories.

   Dream Bubbles: End.

   Master Classes Section: Begin.

   The Lord and Muse are two classes considered by a kind Cherub as special compared to the other twelve classes. She states they are significantly more powerful, claims they are the most active (-7) and passive (+7) classes respectively, and implies their assignment is precluded unless strict prerequisites are met. Hussie pairs the classes together, and the kind Cherub's differentiation of them from the other classes makes coherent arguments for alternate interpretations difficult to form. The Lord and Muse's role is not canonically known. Information about these classes is especially sparse; the fact that there is only one known instance of each means there aren't any characters to cross-reference against when separating the quirks of the individual character from their class patterns, which causes interpretation to trend towards heavy flanderization. There is a modest argument for the Lord and Muse's role being: One Who Rules. It's citations supporting the Muse as One Who Rules rely heavily on interpretation, with not enough concrete examples being provided. According to the kind Cherub, Lord is the most active class (-7), and Muse is the most passive (+7).

   Master Classes Section: End.

   God-Tier Garbs Section: Begin.

   Players, upon ascending to god tier, manifest an outfit based on their class. All known examples of these outfits feature hoods, of which trolls' hoods typically have buttons and holes for their horns, and their player's aspect is displayed prominently in the center of the chest. The clothing matches the aspect's palette, though the shoes' color can vary. They are regularly described by multiple characters as pajama-like. The Heir, Maid, Page and Rogue's garbs are all known to feature a front pocket, akin to a hoodie. The Prince's hood includes some sort of cloth tiara deal embedded in it. The Bard's outfit is very jester-like with a tall pointed cap and a massive codpiece. The other ones are currently unknown.

   God-Tier Garbs Section: End.

   Maid and Heir Section: Begin.

   The Maid and Heir are two classes paired by Hussie, who rates both as passive, (+1) and (+6) respectively: This places the Maid as the pair's acting 'active' class. Canon lightly supports the pairing. The pair's shared role is not canonically known. While many of the Maids and Heirs receive a lot of story focus, canon discussions about the roles are relatively sparse. There is a compelling argument for the Maid and Heir's role being: One Who Restores, or another word conveying similar meaning. There is lop-sided argument for the Maid and Heir role being: One Who Protects. It lacks citations supporting the Maid's role as One Who Protects.

   Maid and Heir Section: End.

   Active and Passive 2 Section: Begin.

   Mage and Seer are two classes paired by Hussie, respectively active (-2) and passive (+2). The pair's shared role is not canonically known. Speculation about it is broadly lop-sided, as much more is said in canon about Seers than Mages. There is a compelling argument for the Mage and Seers' role being: One Who Guides, or another word conveying a similar purpose. There is an uncompelling argument for the Mage and Seer's role being: One Who Understands. The argument is not uncompelling for want of more supporting citations: citations sufficiently support Mages and Seers having deeper understandings of both themselves and their aspect compared to players from other classes. The argument's fatal weakness is instead that additional context surrounding the citations provided and quotes used suggest this deeper understanding to be means, not purpose; that is, a more full consideration of evidence suggests that Mages and Seers gain an improved understanding as a power instrumental in fulfilling their role.

   Active and Passive 2 Section: End.

   Active and Passive 3 Section: Begin.

   Knight and Page are two classes paired together by Hussie, who rates them as active (-3) and passive (+3) respectively. The pair's shared role is not canonically known: However, the Knight and Page are discussed frequently enough in both canon and supplemental canon that speculation about what it might be can be considered more educated than average. There is a modest argument for the Knight and Page's role being precisely: One Who Serves, though the citations supporting that precision only support the Page as One Who Serves and rely heavily on a single interaction, where as the citations supporting the Knight as One Who Serves rely heavily on interpretation through the lens of a high-numbered definition of the word. All known Knights make a point of concealing their innermost selves–in part to address a fatal flaw or insecurity.

   Active and Passive 3 Section: End.

   Prince and Bard Section: Begin.

   Prince and Bard are a pair of classes, respectively active(-) and passive (+)HS. Hussie rates them both as the third-most extreme (±5) class of their type, and canon strongly supports the high rating. The Prince and Bard are one of only two class pairs whose role is canonically known. Destroy. According to a kind Cherub, the classes' role is as One Who Destroys; with the Prince directly destroying their aspect and the Bard indirectly "invit[ing] destruction through [their aspect]". While the kind Cherub is not a wholly reliable narrator and a convincing argument requires additional support; the text fortunately provides ample enough evidence to support her assertions about the Bard and Prince's role. All known Princes are deficient in their aspect. According to the kind Cherub, the Bard is considered a wildcard among the classes: They are unpredictable by nature, and equally likely to help or hinder his party, often to great effect. In extreme cases, they are "single handedly responsible for their [party's] spectacUlar downfall or improbable victory. or both!"

   Prince and Bard Section: End.

   Thief and Rogue Section: Begin.

   The Thief and Rogue are a pair of classes, active (-) and passive (+) respectively. Hussie rates the pair as the middle class (±4) of their respective types. The Thief and Rogue are one of only two pairs whose role is canonically known. Steal. According to a kind Cherub, the classes' shared role is as One Who Steals, with the Thief taking a much more selfish bend to the Rogue's robinesque approach. While the kind Cherub is not a wholly reliable narrator and a convincing argument requires additional support; the text fortunately provides ample enough evidence to support her assertions about the Thief and Rogue's role.

   Thief and Rogue Section: End.

   Witch and Sylph Section: Begin.

   Witch and Sylph are two classes paired by Hussie, who rates both as active classes, (-6) and (-1) respectively: This places the Sylph as the pair's acting 'passive' class. Canon lightly supports the pairing, with a Post-Scratch Player Troll stating that a "Sylph is Sort Of Like A Witch But More Magical" though that statement was later called "facetious". The pair's shared role is not canonically known. Canon discussions about the roles are relatively sparse. There is a compelling argument for the Witch and Sylph's role being: One Who Creates, or another word conveying a similar purpose.

   Witch and Sylph Section: End.

   Breath: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Breath are, above all, expansive. Flexible and driven, they leave an impact wherever they go. Like the breeze itself, they are able to sweep others up to carry along in their wake, but also like the breeze, they can be difficult to catch hold of or tie down. Although Breath-bound do make very good leaders, breath tends to be a very personal aspect. Often, heroism comes along as an offshoot of them pursuing their own personal stories. They lead by example, and will routinely be surprised that others look up to or feel inspired by them. They have a tendency to underestimate themselves, and not always out of poor self-esteem. They were just doing their own thing. At their best Breath-bound are motivated, adaptable, and forward thinking, but at their worst they can be volatile, avoidant, and gullible.” Breath also has connections to direction, freedom, detachment and confidence as John is very seldom at a loss of what to do next. Breath is tied to changes, as well. The Breeze is the air that Breath players can manipulate. It is heavily implied to have some level of sentience, since it stopped a previous breath player's scent from being tracked by a devilish version of Jack Noir. It is also responsible for the existence of LOWAS's mailing system. A God-Tier Breath player in the past used the Breeze to dig into Skaia's core, lift up various objects, and destroy an evil Cherub's glitches.

   Breath: End.

   Space: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Space are, as the name suggests, concerned with the big picture. They are patient, masters of the art of 'wait-and-see', and are inclined to take things as they come. That isn't to say that they're pushovers or willing to let injustice lie-they just choose their battles wisely, understanding that sometimes you have to let something burn to the ground in order to build it back better and stronger than before. To this effect, they tend to be innovators, concerned with creation and redemption. Catch them recycling the old to make the new, the fresh, and the beautiful. For the Space-bound, the journey is as, if not more, important than the destination; how they do something is as important as what they do. At their best, they are steady, impartial, and creative. At their worst, they can be detached, apathetic, and vague.” Space is one of two basic fabrics of paradox space, along with Time as its counterpart. It seems that Space has to do with the size of things and their velocity; their position in existence with regards to physics. It also ties in strongly with the aspect of creation (in contrast to Time's association with destruction and decay). Consequently, the two Heroes of Space whose sessions were observed more in depth by the narrative were in charge of the breeding of the Genesis Frog, which contains a new universe. A Space player's Land contains their session's Forge, which plays a vital part in the creation of the new universe as well. The symbol for Space is very similar to the Borjgali and is symbolic of concepts relating to the roles of heroes of Space. It also resembles a spiral galaxy. A kind Cherub has stated once that Space is a typically passive aspect with great power, falling back and hosting the stage before suddenly in some way showing "who is truly the master" and then collapsing in on itself.

   Space: End.

   Time: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Time are fighters, full stop. Their lives are often marked by struggle, not so much because fate has it in for them, but because they are fundamentally incapable of just accepting things as they come. They value action over passive acceptance, even if that may not be the wisest or safest choice. Don't try to tell a Time-bound to sit still and look pretty. They are very goal-focused, and tend to value the destination over the journey, and you won't find them making that journey in any traditional sort of way. To quote cheesy posters found on many a guidance counselor's wall-"impossible is just a word". If you need a miracle, they are who you call. At their best, the Time-bound are empathetic and relentless problem-solvers. At their worst they are ruthless, defensive, and impulsive.” Time is one of the two basic fabrics of paradox space, with its counterpart being Space. It is associated with the Timetables, time travel and exploits, and timeline maintenance in general. The Hero of Time also has a feature installed in their personal world in the Incipisphere: a large structure that will obliterate the game session and reboot it by rewinding everything to long before the game starts in an event known as the Scratch. It is a last resort, and would (ideally) result in better starting conditions if the players' session is doomed. However, this is not always the case. According to Doc Scratch, (and true throughout the comic) there is a Hero of Time in every successful session. A God-Tier Time player was once able to temporarily freeze a rampaging Jack Noir in time. In addition, the Time aspect appears to have some sort of connection with death. Time players also seem to have a loose connection with technology.

   Time Section: End.

   Mind Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Mind are-you guessed it-the universe's great thinkers. But don't for a second think that means that they have all the answers. They are very concerned with remaining rational, and they have such a firm hold on the constant conjunction of their thinking that it's easy for them to see the multitudes of the choices laid out before them, which often leaves them frozen and unable to act. That said, when a Mind-bound finally launches into action, they can execute a plan with unbelievable grace and precision. Their identity is fluid-it can change from day-to-day, from thought-to-thought, from interaction-to-interaction. Remaining logical is more important to them than building up a solid foundation of "self." At their best they are great innovators, architects, and creators. At their worst they can be nasty, inflexible, and indecisive.” The Mind aspect seems to be related to thoughts and decisions of individuals and the consequences of those decisions. Heroes of Mind also seem to be able to communicate with the otherwise-undetectable "dream splinters" that dreaming players create in dream bubbles. Mind seems to be the antithesis of Heart, given that it is associated with logic, reasoning, action, decision-making, in contrast with Heart's association with motivation and emotions. The Mind aspect may also be associated with the concepts of karma and justice.

   Mind Section: End.

   Heart Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Heart are very concerned with their favorite subject: themselves. It wouldn't be a stretch to call them 'self-obsessed', but not necessarily in a negative way. They simply want to understand the one thing we all are stuck with for our entire lives, i.e. our own minds. Forging an identity is extremely important to the Heart-bound, and every decision and action goes toward building a coherent narrative of their own story. That isn't to say Heart-bound don't care deeply for their friends and allies; they just have a tendency to assume that everyone is as concerned with identity as they are. They are excellent at putting on and taking off masks as the situation calls for them. At their best, they are competent, imaginative, and steady. At their worst they can be overbearing, inflexible, and cold.” A kind Cherub has once stated that the Heart aspect is comparable to "Soul", or essence of being. Heart is associated with emotions and intuition, and may also be associated with motivations and inclinations to do things. This contrasts with Mind's association with action, and Heart has been speculated to be the antithesis of Mind. Furthering this, Heart may also have something to do with feelings, including feelings of attraction. This also fits into the theme of splintered selves. When talking to a devilish Cherub, a previous Heart player has stated that "I splinter, but I don't break"; however, this could just have been a figure of speech. Heart, Mind, and Life powers are similar in that they connect with an abstract life force, although Heart concerns the soul, Life seems to affect a different bodily life force, and Mind connects to an abstract force that those with the right genetics can see, is somewhat tied to life and death, and lets one see various things by focusing on other lifeforms. This metaphysical model shares structural similarities with a traditional Japanese division of the self into a body, a heart, and soul energy documented in classical literature such as the Nihon Shoki and referenced in contemporary media including the Kingdom Hearts franchise. However, there is no official concept that corresponds exactly to heart from the Japanese model, and the Heart Aspect is involved with the soul.

   Heart Section: End.

   Hope Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Hope are driven first and foremost by their convictions. They do right for right's sake, and are quick to come to the aid of anyone they deem to be experiencing injustice. That said, their views of the world can be quite black and white, so what they see as the "right" thing may not always be the universally accepted view. They put great value in the power of the imagination, the ability to dream up a better and more beautiful future. If anyone could dream a better world into existence, it would be one of the Hope-bound. They may sound like all sunshine and rainbows, but they aren't adverse to a little destruction, especially if they think they can replace it with something better and more just. At their best, Hope-bound are positive, caring, and warm. At their worst they can be narrow-minded and selfish.” Hope seems to embody both its literal meaning and certain holy powers. Continuing this, Hope may mean believing in a future where struggle is needed to defend one's principles, but where one can ultimately survive through relationships with others. This is in contrast to Rage's connotation of belief in a fatalistic future. It also represents positive emotions that often come in seemingly bad situations, with Rage often associated instead with negative emotions that get in the way of seemingly good situations and neither approach being inherently better or worse.

   Hope Section: End.

   Rage Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Rage are bringers of chaos. They possess great contempt for lies or false ideas, including the stability that false ideas can impart. To them, the true is far more important than the good; they would tear down a system just to destabilize it if, by their reckoning, it is built on faulty premises. Often the Rage-bound prefer anarchy to any of the alternate forms of civilization, which they believe to be riddled with lies and foolishness and obedient masses. They are bringers of confusion and doubt, and they can be frustratingly difficult to convince otherwise when they have attached themselves to an idea. If they sound dangerous, they are. The Rage-bound tend to be most volatile and unpredictable of the aspects. At their best they are original, revolutionary, and fearless. At their worst they are cruel, uncompromising, and vicious.” The Rage aspect is an antithesis of Hope, tied to negative emotions and rage. A former Bard of Rage player was able to enter a berserk mode, presumably by channelling his anger. This mode greatly increased his strength and allowed him to do massive damage to the Black King during the trolls' fight with him. Also, as he entered this rage, he was surrounded by a purple lightning effect which turned red in his sobriety. While Hope is tied to "aura" and energy attacks, this aspect may have an effect on brute strength. The Grand Highblood, who would by logical association be a Hero of Rage, is the largest, most physically powerful Troll seen so far, almost matching an Imperial Drone in sheer physical stature. Rage can also deal with sanity or madness.

   Rage Section: End.

   Blood Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Blood draw their strength from bonds, from the trust and camaraderie that blooms among a group of people who all share a single vision. Blood-bound are absolutely leaders, but they inhabit more of an inspirational role than a commanding one. They are prophets, rather than generals, giving others the strength and motivation to keep fighting. The Blood-bound can dispense excellent advice even when their own lives and interpersonal relationships are disasters. They can be very "do as I say, not as I do" types. A Blood-bound can often be found on a sinking ship, forcing an endeavor forward with sheer stubborn force of will. No matter how bad things go, a Blood-bound can always count on friends and allies. At their best, they are charismatic, uplifting, and magnetic. At their worst they can be sullen, unkind, and set-in-their-ways.” Blood is a more abstract aspect, linked to relationships including friendship, unity, attachment and obligation, such as the word is used in "blood brothers". The Rage players were different in that they primarily used the blood-related concepts of troll society to advance their own goals rather than actually believing in them, and had more active and direct roles in shaping the spirituality-focused parts of Paradox space. Unlike the Blood players, they actually followed various religious beliefs, but after certain points in their lives, these beliefs were primarily ones they came up with themselves rather than institutionalized theology similar to the religious beliefs that affected the Blood players' lives. Two previous Blood players exhibit similarities to two previous Rage players, primarily due to their shared involvement with religion and ancestor myths.

   Blood Section: End.

   Life Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Life are the universe's healers. They are concerned with the betterment of themselves and those around them, as well as the onward march of positive progress. Deeply empathetic, they have an intuitive understanding of other's suffering and the best way of righting those wrongs. If you're poisoned, chances are the Life-bound have something for what ails ya. This applies to both physical and mental suffering, though it might not be a cure you'll like. They also have the tendency to put other's needs before their own, which never ends well for anyone, because the Life-bound can grow bitter if they feel their own self-care has had to be shunted aside. At their best, they are great listeners, caretakers, and nurturers. At their worst, the Life-bound are passive aggressive, and pushy-they're certain they know best.” The Life aspect is connected to some kind of innate "life force" of living beings. Life players displayed the ability to heal teammates by repairing grievous wounds, and even resurrecting themselves. Being described as Sea Hitler, the Condesce was the one who upheld draconian laws on Alternia that have resulted in the cost of countless lives. As an interstellar conqueror leading an army of murderous troll adults she took billions of lives. On Earth she drove humanity to near extinction. But being a Thief of Life, the Condesce was only able to take lives - her attempts to extend the life of Mituna and, later on, to revive her race (giving life - the exact opposite of her role) by atoning for her past and attempting to create a better world by hijacking Sburb sessions failed.

   Life Section: End.

   Doom Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Doom are fate's chosen sufferers. It may not sound like an overly pleasant aspect to be aligned with, but it does come along with great wisdom and empathy. The Doom-bound understand that misery loves company, and they are ready and willing to provide said company. The Doom-bound won't fix you; they aren't healers. They are commiserators, aware that sometimes the only thing you can do for a person is let them know that they are not alone in their suffering. They are not the advice friend-they're the friend you go to when you need to vent about a rough day at work. They are not necessarily noble martyrs, either-the Doom-bound can become quite irate about their lot. At their best they are wise, kind, and non-judgemental. At their worst, bitter, resentful, and fatalistic.” Doom is related to futility, rules, restrictions, fate and it is the antithesis to Life. Visually, the symbol is reminiscent of the shape of The Tumor, and the super-god known as Andrew Hussie has connected the object to so-called "doomed sessions". Continuing its connotation of death and fate, Doom can also mean sacrifice, with a post-scratch Doom player Troll sacrificing one of his half-ghosts to get the trolls to the Green Sun, and a pre-scratch Doom Troll player sacrificing his mental well-being to save his friends from an unknown threat.

   Doom Section: End.

   Light Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Light are the universe's knowledge-seekers. They are, above all, driven to learn and understand. They are great alchemists, able to take multiple sources of information and synthesize them into something useful. They are scholars and researchers, absolutely dedicated to knowledge for knowledge's sake. They are the ultimate students, and although that might conjure up the image of people sitting around peacefully waiting for knowledge to be brought to them, that couldn't be further from the truth. The Light-bound will go after knowledge with a fierce intensity that others may find distasteful. They aren't overly concerned with laws or norms, either. They often take rules as simple suggestions, instead searching for loopholes or work-arounds. At their best, the Light-bound are resourceful and driven. At their worst they can be fussy, pedantic, and insensitive.” The Light aspect is equivalent to "fortune", and involves power over luck and fortuitous outcomes. Two heroes of Light have been able to see into magic cue balls. This may also mean that Light could mean "knowledge", in the way that it contrasts with the Void aspect. It could be knowledge, not as in information, but more so awareness, the opposite of Void's obfuscation. Alternatively, Light players may possess some degree of control over light itself, or at the very least, an enhanced detection of bouncing light rays (references to making opaque objects permeable to light exist). Another relation to Light seems to be that Light players are easier to sense from a great distance throughout paradox space, as implied. Light players have also shared a fascination with history and discovery. This behavior properly parallels the Void aspect obscuring information and being ignored. It is possible that most planets for Light players are aquatic. The Light Aspect is similar to Prometheus's role in Greek mythology, as a previous Light player's rebellion against fate eventually led to her being made grimdark and later becoming an alcoholic and a pre-scratch Light Troll player's rebellion against Lord English led to her final death. The god Helios, often simply called the sun in translations,[5] had important roles in ancient Greek culture and various intepretations from important figures like Plato, Aeschylus, and Sophocles, who likely believed that his power represented something different and more powerful than traditional Athenian religion. Similarly, the symbol for Light has appeared in seemingly unrelated contexts very often: for example, the Denizen Yaldabaoth, associated with players whose stories had Platonic symbolism, has it for a head. Light's various connections to fortune is similar to how Prometheus thinks of the sun/Helios in Aeschylus's work.

   Light Section: End.

   Void Section: Begin.

   “Those bound to the aspect of Void are the universe's secret-keepers. The unknown doesn't scare them-where others might see emptiness, they see potential. A blank page, an empty canvas, that's what the Void-bound live for. They value mystery and the unexplained, and are not particularly bothered by not having all the answers. Where others might be compelled to go out and seek answers, the Void-bound lean more toward casting doubt on what is already considered fully understood. They don't take much on faith and would rather live in a state of confusion than believe something that might be untrue or bow to intellectual authority. After all, in order for something new to be built, the old, rotting foundation must often be razed. At their best, Void-bound are wise, intuitive, and vibrant. At their worst they can be dismissive, indecisive, and apathetic.” Void is associated with "the essence of lacking, or nothingness" and "the obfuscation of knowledge", or its "outright destruction". It seems to enable players to act without being seen or noticed, as evidenced by Darkleer's apparent ability to hide a magic cue ball from Doc Scratch. Void's attack power is likely comparable to but weaker than Hope. The Void symbol is described by Hussie as a hollowed out Space symbol. All known Void players have created a "void" around themselves to distance themselves from the world. The Void aspect is related to the Furthest Ring, which has been referred to as "the void".

   Void Section: End.

   Prince of Heart Section: Begin.

   Just as the Prince class described and the Heart aspect described, the Prince of Heart would be a Destroyer of Souls, allowing the Prince to extract souls from others if they were to awaken their powers and/or harm their with lightning powers.

   Prince of Heart Section: End.

   General Troll Info Section: Begin.

   Basically all trolls use typing quirks in their usual language and while typing, and their husktops allow them to "Troll" beings across time and space, and their culture is so vast, they have completely run out of unique names for movies, with the movie titles recently just being complete recaps of the story. Despite their very advanced culture, there are no known Trolls with less or more than 6 letter first and last names.

   General Troll Info Section: End.

   Alternia is the home planet of the Trolls, located in Universe A. It has two satellites; a green moon and a pink moon, the latter of which seems to be accompanied by a much smaller pink satellite of its own. Before the scratch it was known as Beforus and had only a singular pink moon. A Troll that once inhabited Alternia once said, "ALTERNIA? AS IN, ALTERNATE? ALTERNATE TO WHAT. TURNS OUT IT IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO A PLANET CALLED BEFORUS! THE PLANET WHICH CAME BEFOOOORE US. HAHAHA! GET IT?". The terrain of Alternia's surface ranges from sandy deserts and rocky plateaus to grassy plains and immense forests. Alterniasia is a region likely located on Alternia and presumably sharing some similarities with Earth's Asia, with an equivalent or similar area called East Beforus existing pre-scratch. The surface of Alternia as seen from space is based on satellite photography of the coast of western Siberia, flipped upside-down with the Kara Sea and Novaya Zemlya visible to the south. The BLISTERING ALTERNIAN SUN is dangerous to trolls, and as expected of any bright star can lead to blindness if stared into. Though, Jadebloods are uniquely suited to its rays, however, and are even capable of becoming rainbow drinkers who, alongside shadow droppers, feast on the light. Though even early dawn's rays are enough to cause severe sunburn and blistering, the lusus naturae are protected from it by their white coats which "reflect light, or somethin' to that effect." Also epidemic on Alternia is acid rain, which is bad for a troll's skin and corrosive enough even to dissolve a less hardy creature down to their bones. Alternia's histories across the scratch are defined by the appearance of a series of key meteors. On Beforus, only one Frog Temple is known to have arrived, landing on the planet's pink moon. This meteor was followed by those carrying a Fuchsiablood and the rest of her group of 12 trolls, who influenced Beforan society leading up to the arrival of a newer Fuchsiablood and the rest of their descendants. The newer Fuchsiablood and her teammates found the game Sgrub (the descendant title to Sburb) within the pink moon's temple, incidentally destroying Beforus in the Reckoning. These Heroes subsequently initiated the scratch, allowing Alternia's timeline to come into being. On Alternia, two Frog Temples arrived, one in a desert and the other in an exposed cavern. One of these Temples contained the infant Doc Scratch, who went on to influence Alternia's history, such as through the outer god Gl'bgolyb and his time-travelling Handmaid, to create a violent troll race almost unrecognizable from those who lived on Beforus. Doc Scratch's meteor was presumably followed by the pre-scratch Fuchsiablood's, who became his puppet and the tyrant of a galaxy-spanning Alternian empire, and then by those of the rest of the alpha trolls. Pupated trolls live on the Alternian surface in house-like structures called hives, separated into various rooms called blocks.

   General Troll Romance Section: Begin.

   Quadrants are the four different types of romance recognized by trolls. As humans are socialized to expect their single type of romance, a concept that can be defined by a single symbol (<3), so are trolls on both Beforus and Alternia conditioned to strive for four distinct types. Humans are shown to be able to have pitch and ashen feelings and cherubs are naturally inclined only towards kismesissitude. They are a frustratingly difficult concept for humans to grasp, so much so that in response to a callous remark, Andrew Hussie trolls the readers by forcing us to read the troll relationship info all over again, "BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK." The quadrants primarily exist to facilitate the complicated reproduction of trolls. "When the IMPERIAL DRONE comes knocking, you had better be able to supply genetic material to each of his FILIAL PAILS." Therefore, having a stable matesprit and kismesis is a matter of life and death for trolls. Because of these high stakes and the frequency of lesser feuds that might encroach on exclusive kismesis relationships, auspisticism is a necessary quadrant to prevent widespread infidelity and death. Likewise, moirallegience exists to prevent violence and death, though it is not related to the other quadrants. These needs explain why all four quadrants are described specifically with the word "romance." Humans, due to their only means of reproduction being heterosexual, usually feel strongly about finding a matesprit and often have a strong belief in true love. (This description is of course not as black and white due to the varying nature of humans' sexuality and gender expression, but for the purpose of explanation it is simpler to leave it at that.) Therefore, trolls feel equally strong about having relationships of both red and black nature, because it correlates directly with their reproductive habits.

   General Troll Romance Section: End.

   Moirallegience Section: Begin.

   Moirallegience, also called moirallegiance or sparingly moirallegence, is one of the four quadrants recognised in troll romance. It is a form of red romance, like matespritship, and is a conciliatory quadrant like auspisticism. Moirallegience is represented by the diamond (♦ or <>) symbol and a pale red color; as such it is known as the pale quadrant. Moirails might also be informally referred to as palemates by outsiders to the troll race. As red romance, moirallegience is rooted in strongly positive emotions. Karkat Vantas describes the emotions behind moirallegience as "MYSTERIOUS FORCES" deriving from pity, which is in his words are themselves "JUST THE TONED DOWN VERSION OF [...] HATE," the emotion central to black romance. Though moirallegience may be compared to the concept of a soul mate, it has a more specific social purpose. Put bluntly; “The purpose is to pacify a partner who is dangerous. It's not all about being platonic soul bros forever.” That being said, moirails still feel some form of love or affection for each other, and in many cases, especially for young trolls, it can be unclear whether a relationship is a moirallegience, merely a bond formed between an acquaintance, or romantic intentions of a more flushed nature. While it would seem apparent that the more violent troll benefits the most from having a moirail to pacify them, it is possible the more hot-tempered of the two might benefit their moirail by providing physical protection and/or a deterrent to any would-be nuisances.

   Moirallegience Section: End.

   Auspisticism Section: Begin.

   “When two trolls are locked in a feud or some otherwise contentious relationship, one can intervene and become their AUSPISTICE. The auspistice mediates between the two, playing the role of a peace keeper, preventing the feud from boiling over into a fully caliginous rivalry.” Auspisticism is one of the four quadrants recognised in troll romance. It is a form of black romance, like kismesissitude, and is a conciliatory quadrant like moirallegience; uniquely among the quadrants, it involves three parties rather than just two. Auspisticism is represented by the club (♣ or o8<) symbol and an ashen gray color; as such it is known as the ashen quadrant. Like the names of the other quadrants, auspisticism plays on the term soulmate; an auspice is an omen or sign, while an armistice is a cessation of conflict between two or more parties. Thanks to their bellicose nature, feelings of a negatively-driven nature are much more common between trolls than positive feelings; because a troll can only have one romantic kismesis, auspisticism exists to prevent these lesser feuds from erupting into full-blown caliginous affairs. There may also be circumstances where "Two Parties [...] May In Fact Be Perfect For Each Other", but the chaotic nature of the caliginous quadrant could threaten the stability of the rest of the two trolls' relationships. Such a scenario could also call for that kismesissitude to be replaced with a placating auspisticism. The troll responsible for mediating between the two platonic rivals is the auspisticing party, who is said to auspisticize, and is called the auspistice; if there is a name for the other two members of such a relationship, it is not known. Though preventing caliginous infidelity is an important social purpose, auspisticism is "Generally Not Regarded As One Of The More Emotionally Fulfilling Quadrants [...] And Can Be Quite Laborious To Maintain"; it is even implied that the "Conciliatory Romantic Feelings" associated with the quadrant are felt only by the auspistice toward the other two parties, who otherwise feel only for each other. Because of this unique setup, however, it is technically possible for one troll to be involved in two separate auspisticisms, albeit in different "roles".

   Auspisticism Section: End.

   Kismesissitude Section: Begin.

   “When a pair of adversaries delve into this quadrant, they become each other's KISMESIS. As one of the concupiscent quadrants, it plays a role in procreation as well. There is no particularly good human translation for this concept. The closest would be an especially potent arch-rivalry.” Kismesissitude is one of the four quadrants recognised in troll romance. It is a form of black romance, like auspisticism, and is a concupiscent quadrant like matespritship. Kismesissitude is represented by the spade (♠ or <3<) symbol and a pitch black or "caliginous" color; as such it is known as the caliginous quadrant. Like the names of the other quadrants, kismesissitude plays on the term soulmate; kismet, from Arabic qismat, means 'portion' or 'fate' (as in the fate one has been "portioned"), while a nemesis, from the Ancient Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis, is someone's archenemy or polar opposite. As such, your rival in a kismesissitude is referred to as your kismesis (plural kismeses). As a form of black romance, kismesissitude is the strongly negative [side of troll emotions]. A mutantblood would refer to the specific feelings associated with kismesissitude as "HATE", in contrast to the more tones down feelings of "PITY" which fuel mating fondness. As a concupiscent quadrant, the pitch feelings associated with kismesissitude are also closely associated with sex and reproduction; kissing is considered an appropriate show of physical affection between kismeses, though more teeth and blood are to be expected than in a typical lovesnog. Alongside material from a matespritship, genetic material from a kismesissitude must be supplied when the imperial drone arrives at a troll's home with his two filial pails, failure to comply resulting in swift execution. Beyond this, little is known about how kismessitude is practised or what purpose it serves, and it is difficult to compare to anything that can be easily understood by humans. Conflicting feelings may be a key or at least common component of a kismesissitude. Importantly, caliginous feelings should not be thought of as completely taking the place of hate in troll society; trolls, like humans, also experience various forms of "platonic" hatred, and apparently have little difficulty differentiating between the forms. Because of the vitriolic nature of trolls, however, lesser black feuds - or "ashen" feuds - are quite common, and run the risk of erupting into caliginous affairs; the ashen quadrant exists to mitigate such risks. There may also be circumstances where "Two Parties [...] May In Fact Be Perfect For Each Other" as kismeses, but the chaotic nature of the quadrant could potentially destroy other parts of their life, such as their other relationships; such scenarios may also call for the kismesissitude to be replaced with a placating auspisticism. Despite being deeply alien to humans, kismesissitude, like its red twin, is actually easily recognisable by some other species as analogous to their own forms of romance or reproduction. Cherubs, like humans, associate only one quadrant with reproduction, but theirs are "exclusively [black]", with their mating ritual involving violent conflict between the two "kismeses". Carapacians are also known to practice something that, to trolls, is a dead ringer for kismesissitude. The torrid, simultaneously erotic and antagonistic relationship between Jack Noir and the Black Queen is given as a prime example.

   Kismesissitude Section: End.

   Matespritship Section: Begin.

   “When two individuals find themselves in the flushed quadrant together, they are said to be MATESPRITS. Matespritship is the closest parallel to the human concept of romance trolls have. It plays a role in the trolls' reproductive cycle, just as it does for humans.” Matespritship is one of the four quadrants recognised in troll romance. It is a form of red romance, like moirallegience, and is a concupiscent quadrant like kismesissitude. Matespritship is represented by the heart (♥ or <3) symbol and a flushed red color; as such it is known as the flushed quadrant. Like the names of the other quadrants, matespritship plays on the term soulmate, with -sprit likely deriving from the French word esprit, meaning 'spirit' or 'soul'. The suffix -ship denotes a special state or union between two people or entities (such as a relationship or friendship), from which derives the term shipping; interestingly however, on Alternia the concept of shipping involves not just matesprit ships but the other three quadrants as well. As red romance, matespritship is rooted in strongly positive emotions. The specific emotions behind matespritship are sometimes called "MATING FONDESS", which may be most readily recognized by a human as feelings of 'love'. Also like human romance, flushed feelings are closely associated with sex and reproduction. As such, alongside material from a kismesissitude, genetic material from a matespritship must be supplied when the imperial drone arrives at a troll's home with his two filial pails, failure to comply resulting in swift execution.

   Matespritship Section: End.

   “Adventure motivates Rust Signs more than anything else. They crave new experiences, the wilder and farther-from-home, the better. They are confident and energetic, ready to face the unknown. This dynamism makes them great leaders, but it can also make them foolhardy. Often, they don't posses the level of caution they should for someone so willing to jump into new things. Their willingness to trust can get them into trouble, but they are also incredibly resilient. Their ability to bounce back from trauma and injury leaves them as the toughest sign class on the spectrum. Rust Signs make great friends and traveling companions, but they also can be selfish and quick to anger. If what they deem to be an acceptable level of "excitement" isn't happening around them, they have a tendency to try to stir some up. They love the drama. They have incredibly high expectations for themselves and for romantic partners. If someone doesn't live up to these, they may deem them not worth their time. If they aren't careful, Rust Signs can end up in a cycle of excitement, followed by crushed expectations, followed by a quick recovery and new flush of excitement.” The rust blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes. It is the lowest caste on the hemospectrum, succeeded by bronze. The rust blood caste can also be called the burgundy blood caste.

   “Bronze Signs have a warm and generous disposition, but you might not accuse them of it the first time you meet. They have a tendency toward being withdrawn and slow to open up with new people. This can make them come off as arrogant and cold, like they think they are too good for everyone, although the reality couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, they crave validation and companionship. They are very open-hearted, but if a Bronze Sign decides to dig their heels in, it can be like talking to a wall. More so than any of the other sign classes, Bronze Signs have a marked love of creature comforts. They crave stability and safety, and if they have the means, their homes will be full of beautiful things. Some might accuse them of being hedonistic; they would probably just claim to know what they like. As lovers they can be quite needy, wanting assurances that the affection they feel is reciprocated. Maybe because of this, they have a particular affinity for animals. Don't try to break a Bronze's Sign's routines-they'll resent you for it, even if oftentimes they are too polite to say so.” The bronze blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes. It is the second lowest caste on the hemospectrum, preceded by rust and succeeded by gold.

   “Gold Signs are the reigning geniuses of the sign class spectrum, and chances are they know it. Witty and widely read, they enjoy conversation and debate, even when that conversation gets a little one-sided. They can come off as preachy, and they have a tendency to railroad, just driving into their interlocutors with the force of their intellect. Their arguments make perfect sense to themselves, but not always to those around them. Gold Signs are interested in a wide variety of topics, so they tend to be Jacks-of-all-trade, and can have trouble dedicating themselves to just a single hobby or career. They have a tendency to be high-energy, and can stress people out, including themselves. Their anxiety is such that they often need quite a bit of time alone with their projects. They can talk circles around most people, and they aren't afraid to use their intelligence to manipulate others to get what they want. They are good at making money, and also good at spending it. They aren't great financial planners, tending toward impulse purchases. In romance they lean toward partners who can keep up with them, both with their intellect and their energy, which can both be hard to match.” The gold blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes. The third lowest caste on the hemospectrum, it is preceded by bronze and succeeded by lime.

   “Lime Signs are tumultuous, bringing great emotion and creativity to their endeavors. They are resolute in their decisions; if they are going to do something, they do it. They have a tendency toward melodrama, especially when they feel passionately about something, and their bad moods are loud and usually difficult to conceal. Hiding their feelings does not come naturally to them, so many Lime Signs cultivate a hard outer shell to hide the passionate, caring person inside. Lime Signs tend to have a large group of friends-they draw people to them with allure and the promise of excitement, and are usually unaware that they are doing it. They tend to focus on their own flaws, rather than their good points. Although they are exceedingly kind and empathetic individuals, many Lime Signs posses a mean streak. If you catch them on a bad day, they can be incredibly vicious. But it they take care to use their power for good, they make very loyal companions. Romance is extremely important to Lime Signs, and when they fall, they fall hard. They don't take rejection well, and a breakup can send them into a tailspin requiring an extended period of recovery.” The lime blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes, preceded than gold and succeeded by olive.

   “Olive Signs are, by and large, incredibly agreeable people. They are generous and enthusiastic, ready to offer help to anyone who needs it. Luck plays a large role in their lives; Olive Signs have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. And even in the case that their luck goes bad, they can ride rough patches out without falling too far into depression or hopelessness. That said, Olive Signs are most comfortable with things that they are familiar with; new places and ideas often alarm them, resulting in a dogmatic insistence that their way is the right way. They can be quite bossy and domineering, although that usually comes out of a genuine belief that they know best and can help the ones they care about. They are extremely faithful friends and lovers, ready to drop everything and go into helper mode. However, if their trust is breached, there's no going back. No one can hold a grudge like an Olive Sign, and they aren't afraid to just pick up and leave if they decide something isn't working for them. Romance and companionship are extremely important to them, so even if they get hurt, their hearts remain open.” The olive blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes, preceded by lime and succeeded by jade. It will, or already has, soon gone extinct.

   “Jade Signs are the zodiac's caretakers. Intelligent and steady, they are excellent organizers and planners. They are detail-oriented, and can tend toward perfectionism, never satisfied with their endeavors. If you hire on a Jade Sign, be prepared for an excellent product, but also no peace until that project is flawless. They are fussy and particular, which can cause friction with those around them, although a Jade Sign holds no one to as high a standard as they hold themselves. Since they are shy with strangers and slow to open up, Jade Signs can often come off as timid or doormats, when really they just prefer to come at conflicts in a less combative way. Naturally loyal and loving, they make wonderful doctors, parents, and caretakers, whether they are taking care of people, pets, or plants. In relationships, they can be slow to open up, and need someone willing to be patient enough to go at their pace. If all of this makes Jade Signs sound soft and nurturing, they are, but keep in mind that they can also be fiercely destructive if those they care about are threatened. It takes a lot to make a Jade Sign snap, but if they do, take cover.” The jade blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes, higher than olive and succeeded by teal. Jade bloods are assigned strictly to serving the mother grub in the caverns, hatching the young and proliferating the "8rood", and during at least the Dolorosa's time were forbidden from visiting the surface. Those working in the caverns are sometimes called Auxiliatrices (singular Auxiliatrix). A jade blood can also be selected and raised by a virgin mother grub; however these cases are so rare as to elude documented precedent.

   Land-Dwelling Highblood Section: Begin.

   “Teal Signs are natural charmers. Social and flirtatious, they are great at parties and public speaking events. Even though they aren't afraid to use their many engaging qualities in both personal and business ventures, they have a strong moral sense. Right and wrong are very obvious to a Teal Sign, and it can frustrate them that others don't see the world the same way they do. Their idealism can make them strong defenders of justice, but it can also result in them being incredibly let down. Their strict adherence to procedure can lead to errors in judgement; they can be gullible and too quick to trust. They have vibrant imaginations, and enjoy fiction and roleplaying, and often those games will resemble the lives they want to be living. Deep down, they often long for a hero, someone they can idolize and count on, with the smarts and charisma to keep up with them. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to get involved with people who are very obviously wrong for them out of a desire not to be alone. Many Teal Signs are better off being single, at least until someone really extraordinary comes along.” The teal blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes, preceded by jade and succeeded by blue. Teal bloods are a caste of civil servants whose typical roles include tasks as menial as "petty expeditions to plaster seizure notices on gam8lignant property." Among these civil servants are the legislacerators, who were at one time employed by the subjugglators as bounty hunters tasked with bringing criminals to justice, but were later "CONF1N3D TO STUFFY COURTBLOCKS 4RGU1NG C4S3S B3FOR3 H1S HONOR4BL3 TYR4NNY" in a role more similar to that of a lawyer. A "sluggish choler8ear" or "8rainless squawking spleenfowl" would both be lusii typical of a teal blood. Tealbloods are often found at Alternian libraries called bookhives.

   “Let's not mince words: Blue Signs are the ones to watch. Of all the sign classes, they have the potential to do the most good, but also cause the worse harm. They can be incredibly effective, and also incredibly destructive. Tell a Blue Sign this and chances are they would agree with you. They are magnetic and adaptive, able to adjust how they present themselves in any situation. They have a mask for every occasion. They are obsessively dedicated, willing to throw themselves into work, play, and everything in between. Because of this, Blue Signs are highly valuable allies and friends. However, they are very selective when it comes to who they let into their inner circle. You could be best friends with a Blue Sign and still never truly know them. They are powerful and successful, but they also tend toward jealousy. They often resent those they see as more well-positioned than they are. A well-adjusted Blue Sign is fantastically competent and inspiring, but a Blue Sign at their worst is a force for chaos. In love they can find themselves having to choose between their ambitions and their relationships, often with great difficulty.” The blue blood caste, also called cobalt or cerulean, is one of the twelve troll blood castes, preceded by teal and succeeded by indigo. Members of the blue caste "[s]ometimes" have abilities that allow them to access the minds of others in ways that can be "terri8ly invasive if a8used", ranging from mind reading to outright mind control. Many members of the caste also have mutations relating to the eyes and pupils, possessing more or less than one pupil on each eyeball, or in extreme cases fully formed additional eyes. Like the eye mutations prevalent among members of the gold caste.

   “Indigo Signs are the enthusiasts of the sign classes. Friendly and cheerful, their optimism is contagious. Being around a well-adjusted Indigo Sign is always a good time. It's hard not to be drawn into their excitable orbit, just like they are drawn in by anything and everything that piques their interest. And those interests are liable to change at any time. Indigo Signs will often surprise their friends and family by declaring they are no longer interested in what just last week they were claiming was their jam. If you catch an Indigo Signs in a philosophical mood, they can be unexpectedly poignant and introspective. A downside of all this jovial enthusiasm is that Indigo Signs often don't know their own strength. They are known to be careless, both physically and emotionally, their conversations punctuated by jostling elbows and tactless comments. They don't usually mean to offend, and are often shocked to find out they upset anyone. When this happens, they can dig their heels in and insist they did nothing wrong. In romance, Indigo Signs need partners who can keep up with their expansive personalities, as well as forgive them for the occasional hurt feeling or two.” The indigo blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes, preceded by blue and succeeded by purple. While indigo bloods lack the psychic abilities of the castes immediately above and below, some freaks among them instead possess remarkable and uncontrollable strength, with a former Troll Player able to launch objects great distances with a single punch, and leap great distances comparable to those reached by trolls of a much higher caste in a single bound. Indigo bloods are capable of becoming ruffiannihilators or archeradicators, the latter being perhaps the most noble echelon the imperial forces have to offer. "K" sounds are common in the names of indigo bloods, with "Zahhak" and "Codakk" being particularly similar. Many indigo bloods' names also contain double letters.

   “Purple Signs are the workaholics of the sign classes. Ambitious and driven, they have a very specific path in mind to reach the pinnacle of their field, and will work tirelessly toward it. However, if their practical brains convince them that their goal is unrealistic, they may be slow to trust anyone with the secret of their true desires. They are often very funny, their wit veering toward the dryly macabre. Their fatalism can be incredibly humorous or terrible, depending who you ask. Purple Signs are usually the people who will say out loud what everyone else was thinking but was too nervous to mention. They are very stubborn, and once they've made up their mind about something, whether it be a restaurant choice or a political affiliation, it is difficult to change. They have trouble admitting they were mistaken, and also that they are upset. An oft-repeated phrase of the Purple Signs is, "It's fine, don't worry about it." They will let arguments fester rather than face them head on. In love they tend to be strictly monogamous and fiercely devoted, ready to pledge themselves to a person the same way they do their goals-utterly, and without reservation.” The purple blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes and the highest land-dwelling blood caste, preceded by indigo and succeeded by violet. Purple bloods are referred to both as highbloods and as subjugglators. The role the Highbloods serve is both religious, waging sectarian war against the Signless and continuing to oppose his followers after his death, and political, acting as the leaders of the land dwelling castes, self-governing but able to be influenced by Her Imperious Condescension thanks to the constant threat of her lusus. They were also responsible for the dispatching of legislacerators to deal with criminal elements, possibly until their confinement to courtblocks. The wearing of juggalo-like clown paint and practice of a strange clown-based religion are presumably connected with these roles. The Highbloods were at least at one time led by a troll referred to as the Grand Highblood. The highest land dwelling caste, purple blood is a relative cool purple in comparison to the warmer-toned violet. The chucklevoodoos are a common ability among subjugglators that allow them to psychically amplify fear, such as by manifesting puppets inside the dreams of targets. Most purple bloods have long, curved horns, often resembling those of a goat or other ungulate. Barzum and Baizli's horns are shorter than those of other known purple bloods, but still display the signature curve.

   “Violet Signs are the universe's eccentrics. Forget marching to their own drummer-Violets built their own drum, and it's probably weird. A good deal of this is natural, but they also have a distinct bent toward contrariness. They are the sorts to give the popular thing a pass. Personable and outlandish, they are ready to make friends with anyone, although if they aren't careful their 'game for anything' attitude can come across as clingy or desperate. When their feelings are reciprocated, however, they are very loyal friends. Politics and humanitarian causes are often very important to Violet Signs, and they will turn their considerable inventive energy into a sort of noblesse oblige, happy to offer their nontraditional approaches to help others. At their very best Violet Signs are artistic and inspired, but they tread the fine line between genius and maniac. Too often their more esoteric interests can come across as perverse or untoward, and they can have a hard time holding their tempers, especially if they feel that they are being belittled or ignored. Intelligence is enormously attractive to Violet Signs, and often an intellectual connection is necessary for them to be attracted to a prospective partner.” The violet blood caste is one of the twelve troll blood castes. The penultimate rung on the hemospectrum, the violet caste is higher than purple and succeeded only by fuchsia. This caste has been referred to as PURPLIER than purple and as royal blood, a distinction it shares with fuchsia.

   “Fuchsia Signs are the final of the sign classes, fittingly, also the most enigmatic. Possessing a strong imagination, they have an otherworldly quality to them that draws others in. Often, it has more to do with what they don't tell you than what they do, giving them an air of mystery that would more than likely perplex a Fuchsia sign if you told them about it. They aren't usually trying to be alluring-they're just lost in thought. Highly emotional, Fuchsia signs are sensitive and anxious, and tend to spend a lot of time worrying-about the world, the future, and what others think of them. They are artistic and talented, but can suffer from crippling bouts of depression, holding themselves to impossibly high standards. They have rich fantasy lives, and can get so caught up in daydreams that they sometimes forget to actually do things. Many Fuchsia Signs have trouble with follow-through, and it can take a lot to kick them out of their inertia. As far as romance goes, they need partners who are willing to put in the time to go at their pace, and who can handle how sensitive and emotional they can be.” The fuchsia blood caste is the highest caste on the troll hemospectrum. Fuchsia blood is a deep red-purple color.

   Fuchsia bloods have an unparalleled lifespan of hundreds of thousands of years, or perhaps millions. Inversely, only two fuchsia bloods ever inhabit the empire at one time. Only female fuchsia bloods are known. Her Imperious Condescension acts as the empress of the Alternian empire, with her descendants acting as heiresses expected to challenge her for the throne upon reaching maturity. The Condesce and her heiress both share a bond with Gl'bgolyb, which can be swayed toward either party depending on the empress and heiress' physical proximity to the monster. Gl'bgolyb is essential to the empress' control over the empire, allowing her to manipulate the castes below her with the threat of psychic annihilation.

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