active adj., adv. If a SoulBond is active, you can currently feel their presence in your mind (depending on the SoulBond and SoulBonder, this may or may not mean that you can communicate with them, but you are aware of their presence, opinions, and/or influence). If you are aware of what a SoulBond is doing, thinking, feeling etc. at the current time, they are active. The opposite is dormant.
age static n., adj. related to age sliders, someone whose age is fixed at a certain point regardless of the normal passage of time. Someone may age normally up to a certain point and then become age static, or they may simply be "born" a certain age which remains unchanging. Age statics are common particularly amongst outsourced SoulBonds, who often remain at the age they were in the source material when they arrived, and don't change over time.
[--Originated by the multiple community]
alter-ego n. (also persona, avatar, and similar terms) a character who is not a SoulBond, but a representation, alternate form etc. of yourself. This might be a "version" of you through which you interact with your SBs; a persona you act out on forums, in MUCKs/MUDs etc. who has developed into a full-fledged character; a younger, older, different-gender, different-species etc. version of you (e.g. inner child, furry form); or any other character who you identify too closely with yourself to consider as a separate person in their own right. Alter-egos can become SoulBonds, and SoulBonds can become alter-egos (Riesz from Seiken Densetsu 3 used to be a SoulBond of mine who became an alter-ego).
--N.B. Not to be confused with "alter", a derogatory term that people use for others in a multiple system as they relate to one particular person in the system, assuming that one is the main or "host" and the others are lesser or "alters" (meaning alternate). See also host.
archetype n. the "model" or initial concept from which an outsourced SoulBond originates; e.g. all reality-versions of Kinomoto Sakura are derived from the original Card Captor Sakura character as created by CLAMP (even if you derived your SoulBond from fanfic, somewhere along the line they would have to have come from the original - unless they're so far removed from canon that they're unrecognisable as the original character, but that's where the issue starts getting cloudy, so we'll leave it there). "Archetype" means a similar thing to "canon", but has connotations of a source of spiritual energy or inspiration.
[--Originated by Laura Gilkey]
back n. opposite of front (obviously ^^;), the place where your SoulBonds go when they're not fronting and/or the SoulBonder doesn't know of their location, or cannot/is not interacting with them. If a SoulBond is not interacting with you, the outside world or other SBs currently, or you cannot feel their "presence" ("I sense your presence..." ^^;;), they can be said to be back. Whether "back" designates an actual place or not depends on the SoulBonds and SoulBonder.
See also dormant, front, middle space.
bishounen n. Japanese for "beautiful boy"; used to denote "pretty", feminine- or androgynous-looking male characters, usually in anime. Bishounen, though they may not always be gay, are often associated with yaoi/slash. Its counterpart is bishoujo, "beautiful girl", which rather unfairly has no such connotations of sexuality.
[--Japanese word]
canon n., adj. a character, story or world as portrayed in the original source material; e.g. in Final Fantasy 6, it's canon that Terra/Tina is half-Esper, since this was stated in the storyline. Reality-versions may adhere to canon religiously, slightly, or not at all. A fan's own personal interpretation of canon, or a fan-created variation from the canon which remains consistent within itself, is often referred to as "fanon", which is much the same thing as a reality-version.
co-running v. two or more people fronting at once.
dormant adj. A dormant SoulBond is one who you know has not left you entirely, but whose presence you cannot feel. If you are not aware of what a SoulBond is doing, thinking, feeling etc. at the current time, they are dormant. Dormant SoulBonds are usually back.
empowered adj. a type of multiple system which rejects the "survivor" view of multiplicity as a negative, disordered, abuse-created state. Empowered multiples may or may not be natural multiples, but they view their multiplicity as a positive and healthy state; they are frequently undiagnosed medically, and many (but not all) reject the concept of integration.
See also survivor.
fangirl n., adj. a term often used disparagingly to refer to people (mostly female) who practice and superficially flaunt soulpuppetry. (In the wider anime community, simply refers to a female, often obsessive, fan of anime; contrasts with fanboy.)
front n., v. (to front, fronting) as a noun, describes the "window" through which you and your SoulBonds look at the physical (Earth) world, the place at which one stands to have bodily control; the position of seeing things through the body's eyes and being interactive with the physical world (as opposed to being in a soulscape, in their own worlds/other worlds, or "back"). Also designates someone who is doing this currently (Mary and Jake are front). As a verb, designates the state of being front (Rei is fronting; Spike can front now). Depending on the SoulBonding relationship, "to front" can mean to co-inhabit "front space" alongside the 'Bonder (co-fronting), or to "operate" the body independently of/instead of the 'Bonder. The latter is the generally accepted usage in the multiple community, and the context in which it is used on this site.
--N.B. Other terms for fronting include "being out" (Emeraude is out), although some multiple communities dislike this term, as it implies that everywhere people go when they're not interacting with the Earth world is "in" - i.e. inside the body/mind and therefore less real.
[--Originated by the multiple community]
See also: back, middle space.
frontrunner n. a term for whoever is fronting. Can also be used as a "job description", as in "the main frontrunner", the one who's out most or much of the time.
[--Originated by the multiple community]
guests n. pl. (also visitors) SoulBonds who only stay for a short time, then leave.
See also: permanent.
host n. the multiple or midcontinuum equivalent of a SoulBonder. The host is the "main", "original" or "first" person in the system; the one who usually or always fronts. Many multiple systems have members who all front equally, and no one identifies as being "head" or "main"; thus, they do not have hosts, and (rightly) dislike this term being used. However, some systems do identify as having hosts (or centres, or main frontrunners, or whatever they may choose to call them). In the Otherkin community, host is a collective noun meaning a multiple system, as in "a host of angels".... which to be honest is just confusing, but hey.
[--Originated by the multiple community]
lil n. (also little) A child or young person in a multiple system (frequently used in plural: "the littles"). Often seen as derogatory and connected to the survivor community, and many systems don't use it.
[--Originated by the multiple community]
masks n. pl. (also facets, aspects) The slightly different "modes" that the average person switches between in their daily social life, e.g. the mode of parent when with children, the mode of "one of the boys" when with friends, the mode of professional when at work. "Faceted" or "aspected" refers to having these masks or facets to one's personality (most people do, but not all). Related to the concept of the continuum.
median n., adj. a term derived as an alternative to midcontinuum, defined as a system centred around one "fire"; a person who is the creative and energetic source of the system, often the "head" or "caretaker" and often (but not always) the one who usually fronts, and without whom the system would probably cease to exist. "Median" usually implies that the other people in the system can front.
midcontinuum n. the state of being somewhere on the continuum between SoulBonding and multiplicity; the crossover line is usually when SoulBonds begin to front, and/or develop stronger, more "real" presences or personalities, though midcontinuum is a state that may not necessarily have anything to do with SBing. Many multiple communities dislike the use of this term.
[--Originated by the Vickis]
See also: continuum, median.
Further reading: Our essay on midcontinuum
middle space n. a state of existence which is neither back nor front; a SoulBond may be able to communicate with you and you can sense their presence, but they are not in control of the body. It can imply any position from "slightly behind front" to "just within shouting range".
[--Originated by La Senza Fine]
See also: back, front.
Otherkin n. sing. or pl. a person, including a member of a multiple system, who is not human in race or identifies as other than human in race. "Otherkin" is usually used by people who are distanced from the world or time they feel they originated in, and so is not usually used to refer to non-human SoulBonds, who are frequently fully aware of their home worlds and/or can return to them.
[--Originated by.... well, Otherkin, I guess]
Further reading: otherkin.net
reality-version n. (RV, r/v; also settai) A SoulBonder's reality-version (or "settai") is their personal interpretation of an outsourced character, story or world, or the "version" of that character who lives with them. Reality-versions can be very close to canon, or drastically altered, or anywhere in between. It is basically a way of saying "In my (or my SoulBond's) version of their reality, such-and-such happened".
sa pron. gender-neutral pronoun; e.g. "sa went to the store", "sa's books are here". The gender-neutral equivalent of him/herself is "saself". Commonly used when a person's gender is unknown, unclear, the person prefers to identify as gender-neutral or not specify a gender, or when referencing a general audience or group in the third person; saves using terms like "s/he" and "him/her", and avoids embarrassment if someone is not sure of a person's gender. IOHO, far preferable to "sie", "hir" and other such terms, but we're biased. ^^ ::wave "Go Kati" flags:: slash n., adj., v. as a noun or adjective, fan fiction involving same-sex relationships between characters (who many or may not be homosexual in canon), e.g. Kirk/Spock, Heero/Duo. Slash often denotes male/male fiction but can also be female/female. As a verb, to pair up two characters of the same sex in fan fiction or fantasy (e.g. to slash Heero and Duo). SoulBond n., v., adj. (SoulBonding; SoulBonded) If you don't know what this means, what are you doing here? Go back to the basics page. ^^;;; SoulBonder n. the person, usually born in the physical body and usually the one who fronts all or the majority of the time, who connects with characters either created or existing in such a way that they become SoulBonds. soulscape n. (also mindscape, headspace, headworld, inner world, other world, etc.) A personal world or place, created by or belonging to the SoulBonder, in which sa's SoulBonds live and/or communally interact, both with sa and each other. A soulscape can be anything from a room in a house, to a whole mansion, to a city, to a country, to a planet, to an entire universe. Many people have more than one soulscape depending on their SoulBonds. Some people many have no soulscape at all, and interact with their SBs simply within themselves (in blackspace/greyspace/whitespace/whatever), or in the SoulBonds' own individual worlds and timelines. soulpuppet n. (soulpuppeteer, soulpuppetry) A character who exists within a person's mind/body/soul but who does not have independent will or consciousness; sa is merely "puppeteered" or played with in the imagination for entertainment, and is not usually taken seriously by the puppeteer. Soulpuppetry is often seen as a derogatory term, since it is often connected to people who claim to be SoulBonders but merely "collect" popular characters and act their antics out on forums and mailing lists as a form of attention-seeking, not really believing what they claim. Soulpuppets are often bishounen, and soulpuppeteers are often "fangirls" (a derogatory term used to mean obsessive female fans of anime); however, many bishounen SoulBonds are not soulpuppets, and many SoulBonding "fangirls" are not soulpuppeteers. Similarly, though soulpuppetry often features in combination with yaoi/slash, characters who have yaoi/slash stories or connections are not always soulpuppets. Indeed, the connection between soulpuppetry and bishounen/yaoi has made life difficult for many SoulBonders who genuinely have gay or bishounen SoulBonds. Many soulpuppeteers do not believe in SoulBonding, though it could be possible for the two to coexist (and SoulBonds could possibly even have their own soulpuppets). (Karl: Wheehee! I'm playing kissy face with Sephy and Vincent! ::smoosh smoosh::) source n. the place where an outsourced SoulBond came from, e.g. if you SBed Hermione from Harry Potter, her source would be the Harry Potter novel(s) (or movie, or game, or whatever it was you watched/read/saw that caused you to SB her). SoulBonds may be derived from multiple sources (e.g. some of their traits may come from an anime, some from a manga, others from fan fiction written about them etc.), but their source is usually defined as being the series in general (e.g. Ryoko's source is Tenchi Muyo, which may cover the OAVs, any of the TV series, the manga etc). stereo-SoulBonding v. the SoulBonding of the same character by two (or more) people. The SoulBonds themselves may be very similar or very different people, but are derived from the same source (e.g. you and your friend both SB Ryoko). "Stereo-SoulBonding vibes" are what a SoulBond might get when they encounter another reality-version of themselves; confusion, denial, discomfort, etc. yaoi n., adj. similar to slash but not necessarily implying fan fiction, yaoi denotes homosexual male relationships, usually in anime. Unpronounceable by most people (who don't speak Japanese), though I'm led to believe "yowie", no matter how groanworthy it sounds, is the closest approximation.
[--Originated by Kati D'Esprit]
[--Originated by the Star Trek fanfiction community, c. 1970s; named for the "slash" separating characters' names]
See also: yaoi
[--"Soulscape" originated by Celes Chere of the Eclective; other terms of various and unknown origin]
[--Originated by Mooncalf]
[--Former term originated by the JFW; latter by Laura Gilkey]
[--Originated by the anime community; acronym for "yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi" which means something along the lines of "no point, no climax, no meaning", but I can never remember]
See also: bishounen
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