Carapaces are more similar to trolls than they are to humans. Carapaces have quadrants and all four are part of a normal love/sexual life.

On the contrary of trolls who need to fill both the flushed and caliginous quadrant to be allowed to contribute to the “incestuous mix of DNA”, the carapaces reproduce on a male/female basis, like humans do. They need to be in one of the concupiscent quadrant for this.

Due to nature of both quadrants, the chances to conceive are way higher in a matespritship than in a kismesissitude. In fact, the violent nature of the caliginous quadrant makes it almost impossible to conceive a baby during caliginous intercourse.

Long ago, the quadrant system was accepted by every carapace and jealousy between those sharing a partner was a rare thing.

The notion of marriage was foreign to them. They used to live in groups and to fill their quadrants how they wanted. However, when humans started to raise themselves above carapaces, things changed.

They created religions and with them, a new social order. Humans had no quadrants and therefore, they were considered as obscure and gross concepts. They imposed their concept of marriage upon the carapaces. After a while, they were expected to get married as well. Since humans didn’t get the quadrants, they clung to the only one they had almost complete understanding of: matespritship. It was the closest concept to human love so they made it their own and forced carapaces into marriage. Other quadrants became taboo.

Under the human principles, the concept of infidelity made its way in the carapacian mentality. A carapace could now be jealous of his partner’s kismesis. This led to a few problems between carapaces but they were often contained by the need to hide their quadrants.

Even though all the carapaces have to follow the social order imposed to them, they are relatively free. Some of them get married but also have quadrants on the side. Humans let them be, mostly because they don’t know or care about the populace.

The King and Queen, even though they are the most important figures of their kingdom, were no exception. The human nobles expected them to get married and be faithful. However, when the regular citizens could live their quadrants in peace, royalty had no such freedom.

Constantly watched by the humans, the King and Queen had no possibility to fill their quadrants. In fact, most rulers became frustrated by this and simply had secret affairs.

To be found guilty of such a debauchery would have been the ultimate dishonour.


A note on moirallegiance and auspisticism:

These quadrants are often dismissed as “not romantic”. Humans don’t understand the importance they have for the carapaces. Moreover, since they do not involve sexual intercourse, humans don’t consider them as conflicting with marriage. Therefore, they are not considered as cheating. The guilty quadrant is the caliginous one. (Carapaces can still be jealous of the moirallegiance and auspisticism their partner might have, though. A good example of this would be how the Black King was jealous of the Black Queen’s pale crush on Dirk)



The arrival of the trolls: a new conflict arises.

When the trolls were first introduced on Derse and Prospit, it wasn’t long before the knowledge of the alternian quadrants system was known. Similarities between the carapaces and the trolls were undeniable.

However, the trolls didn’t have the restraint carapaces were forced to have. For them, there was no reason to hide their quadrants. The older trolls, still bitter from the lost of Alternia, refuse to submit to the human institution of marriage. This might be seen as an act of rebellion against the destroyers of their home planet; to shove their quadrant in front of the authority every time they can is a sort of provocation. The more peaceful trolls tend to just be secretive about their personal life. No one has to know.

As for the young trolls, most of them have been influenced by carapaces, trolls, or both. Their conception of quadrants really depends of the individual.

The carapaces who were forced to hide their true nature during all that time were astonished to see one could live freely with his quadrants. Some were disgusted by this display of quadrants. Others started to question what humans shoved down their throats all those centuries ago. This tension only adds up to everything already happening in Skaian territories.