So many questions! Took me longer than I thought!
----
Would the rangers/allies have been able to stop the nanosurge without sidestep there (without the city getting fire bombed by the government)? Or was sidestep really the catalyst for stopping that disaster?
Sidestep really was the catalyst. The other alternatives would either have taken longer (disruptor field) and given a lot more casualties, or would have been more brutal (napalm/bombing a large area) and giving rise to the same. Sidestep legit saved the day.
In the Heartbreak Dream where we confront the person in the apartment when you go to - TW Suicide - ||put the gun in your mouth|| - you have the thought "At the maximum setting, it should be enough to fry your brain, right?
That was all anyone was ever interested in, anyway.
Might as well ruin all their plans.
Ruin everything. "
Is this Sidestep's trauma from the 2nd stay in the Farm altering the dream/memory about the Heartbreak Incident? A thought from the heartbreak experimentee?
It is Sidestep's trauma from the 2nd stay altering the dream.
In a previous Q+A, you mentioned we'd get a choice to decide if Sidestep killed anyone during their second escape. Would these count towards the known killer stat, or would this be a completely different stat, similar to killing the regene in Rebirth not counting towards being a killer?
It would be a different tag, not counting towards the known killer stat.
In a game where Sidestep is coaching Herald with the intent to improve his fighting, would the other Rangers who spar with Herald start to notice the similarities between his fighting style and villain Sidesteps (assuming civilian sidestep doesn't actively spar with anyone else)? If they would, who would be the most likely one to notice?
Hmmm. Probably not the villain, but definitely old Sidestep moves. It is different fighting in armor, I don't think there is much overlap there to pick up from.
This is probably spoilers but I'm going for it anyway. Will we be able to kill any of the Rangers in future books?
Yes.
I'm sure K-Pop as the current phenomenon doesn't exist in the FH universe, but would any of the characters like Gnarly by KATSEYE?
You are talking greek to me, I know nothing about K-pop or that kind of music so I wouldn't know? But Argent would try anything.
Could Rahim's migraine in retribution's epilogue be a HG thread unthreading?
Bingo!
How has the literature scene developed in the FEZ and Los Diablos? I mean things like the popularity of fiction vs nonfiction and what types of genres are more popular and commonly written. If that's too broad, can I just know how the fantasy genre is doing in this world? (Magic, dragons, high fantasy)
I think the fantasy genre is doing fine, it is a good escape from the real world. Probably one of the biggest of the genre fiction isles in the bookstore after romance and crime. The literary scene is going strong, it is cheap, and a lot harder to control. So both books, zines and comics are common for anyone wanting to express themselves outside the popular corporate narrative.
Are the gates similar to a mind palace?
Not really.
At the moment is spoiler but Im guessing a Sidestep with all their gates open would be like a heartbreak 2.0 or worse. So I was wondering.. could it be possible for Sidestep to have 1/2 gates open, boosting their power and with therapy lowering their Scar level while keeping their 'power up' from the unlocked gates and live "normally" like that? Or opening a gate is more like a immediately "you screw up" dose that permentaly affects Sidestep's power at the cost of their sanity? (Hope my question makes sense and is not spoilery 😅)
Opening the gates are not directly connected to strength, but often the incidents that cause a rise in strength also unlocks gates if that makes sense. The gates are their own separate thing and we'll explore what they do in book three.
What goes through complicated/past-lover Ortega's mind when Sidestep confessed to be the big villain, the same one who got smooched in Live TV by Argent? (In the not poly route)
Wait wait wait WHAT? You never told me you were into that.
This is more for my dumbass imagination but in the scale of 1 to 10 how weak are the ROs to MC puppy eyes? Young Ortega vs Old Ortega?
Weakest to strongest: Daniel, Ben, Chen, Ortega, Mortum, Vera, Argent.
Also.. If for some reason 20's Ortega could meet current Ortega, would they dislike each other? How would they react to each other's thoughs on Sidestep SPECIALLY 20s Ortega seeing their older version obsession with them? 👀 (( I feel like ironically 20s Ortega would be very concerned.. ))
I think they'd be alright with each other. Some questions about life choices too. 20's something Ortega would have a hard time understanding what's so special about Sidestep.
Out of topic but have you watched the series Arcane per chance? Because I can help to compare Jayvik to Chargestep now. Specially with the obsession from a tall Latino idolized hero traumatized with their partner/Sidekick death who didn't really died, came back and went insane in the name of "justice", manipulating people's mind & body for a "greater good" all while resenting the world for using their talents to create weapons/be a weapon... Just small similarities you know /jk 🥺👉🏾👈🏾
Nope! And I haven't played the game. It is on my list to watch, because I have friends that swear by it. Mostly exclaiming "women" with heart-eyes.
Regarding the cell regeneration tank we can steal in Rebirth. I assume this would be more of a book 4/ending thing, but Chen is shown to be unhappy about his mods. He appears in his mindscape with his organic limbs, no prosthetics. Could Sidestep give him the opportunity to use the regenerator, and if so, would he take it?
It is a book three thing unless I screw up the timing again! And his reaction to an offer is spoilers, because that might happen in game.
Which Revelations demo has been your favorite to write so far? Which has given you the most trouble?
The stuck in puppet one has/is giving me the most trouble because there's so many things to juggle. The funniest one has been raiding HG's mansion, but the current one I am writing is my favorite so far.
Reading through some of the QnAs, it sometimes seems like you learn about a cast member as you answer for them. And sometimes you are surprised about the answers that come up. I think it's fun to see you realize things about your characters in real time. But has that ever had a big impact on your writing, either postitively or negatively? Like have any of the cast members been rude and dropped something on you that made you have to go back and rewrite something, or to add to/change plans for future scenes? Or do you ever wished you knew something about said character back when writing one of your published pieces?
You are absolutely correct, I use these QnA's to learn about the cast members. I find it immensely boring to sit down to chart people in detail, they always end up flat and boring. I love exploring them in writing, and the QnA gives me chances to explore things I never might have encountered otherwise, and giving them more depth and color in the book. I can say that all the unexpected realizations has only been for good, even if some of them has led to more work/alternate paths. The biggest unplanned thing has been Ortega's foot in mouth disease. That was not planned, but oh boy, is it there now. Someone doesn't think before they speak.
With the turned rangers, will their new suits keep them anonymous? Or are things about to become somehow even more awkward for an unrevealed sidestep at rangers HQ?
Not sure yet!
Has Hoots always been called Hoots, or did Owl change the name when they took over to match her vibe?
Owl renamed it when she took over.
How do the Handyman and Owl feel if he got hurt during his fight with the villain and Argent flirted with the villain and let them get away?
A bit WTF, but also a bit "go get it girl" because Argent doesn't play nice with others.
What was Danny’s personal theory about what Sidestep’s power was back when he was younger, before he became a hero and had the chance to talk to anyone who actually knew Sidestep?
Mystic martial arts!! Like Kung Fu or something.
You’ve said the tesseract spaces still exist without the Void around; has anyone accidentally stumbled into one of these spaces, bit like the idea of the Backrooms?
Yes.
We’re going to get Ortega’s birthday in the next book but will we ever see anything about Step’s new unofficial birthday, the anniversary of their villain debut?
Sidestep doesn't care about things like that, so not planned.
If we had the Step crash path will we be able to look into or find out who leaked the information to the Special Directive?
Possibly.
For guilty crash Steps who outed themselves as the villain instead of Ortega figuring it out/having any evidence will there be the possibility to call them out on this in the future? Like in a ‘I only got caught because I confided in you’ way?
Oh absolutely!
Did something happen between Ben and Chen the last time they met that resorts in Ben being scared of him? Or is it just common sense for the air pirate?
Ben knows how clever Chen is and doesn't want to be found out!
How much older is Mortum than Sidestep? How about Ben and Vera?
Mortum was born in 1980, so early forties. I figure Ben is about Chen's age, and Vera is in her mid twenties.
Could Sidestep make everyone in a room perceive that there is a physically present Sidestep?
Yes.
Do Sidestep and HG look so similar that it can't be mistaken for anything but a family resemblance?
No, because there are people who really look alike and are unrelated as well. You need the pre-disposed mindset to make the connection, otherwise it is just a "huh, they remind me of someone."
When Sidestep first enter to speak to HG do Jake and Nocturne clock the family resemblance too?
Yeah, but not above a faint curiosity.
How long did HG believe their sibling was still alive before giving up?
For years. HG thought they had been disappeared into the prison system.
How often did Sidestep say something completely innocuous that Ortega interpreted to be a concealed confession about who they really were?
Too often. Ortega likes to interpret reality their way.
What are some practical tips for consistently writing and for actually finishing a piece of work? How did you develop your writing process?
Writing often, short and to a deadline. Back in the early 2000's I was a part of a Livejournal thing called "LiveJournal Idol," which was a writing/posting competition based on those singing competitions so popular at the time. Basically like a hundred and fifty people or so signed up, and every week we were assigned a subject we would write/post about on our Livejournal. All the constestants, and everyone else who wanted to, then went in and voted on which piece they liked the most. At first there were like the top 20 you voted for, then top 10 and so on as the number of contestants dwindled. The challenges were very different, the subjects could be specific or very vague, consisting of a single word like "coprolite" and you had to figure out what to write about it. I tended to write short stories, sometimes poetry, or little non-fiction treatises of various subjects complete with pictures and graphics. Sometimes we had to team up with a writing partner and write matching/cooperative posts, and other things to switch things up.
The main thing was that this was writing every week or more, at the time we were down to the top ten it was faster, and the final writing duel was writing five posts in a week. The first time I entered I came in second, the other two times I had to break off before the end due to other writing engagements. But it was SO USEFUL. This was where I became a writer. I had to write regularly, finish things even if they were only meh (and hope they carried me through) and interact with others. Read a lot of their stuff, talk to them, be open and sociable and try to make people read my stuff. Sell my writing so to speak. If it wasn't for that competition I wouldn't be the writer I am, seriously. Having no choice and a deadline helps so much.
I also did nanowrimo, and serialized fanfiction books that updated often. In other words I wrote a LOT and tried to write fast, and not care too much if it was perfect. Quantity rather than quality. And the thing is, with that, quality comes. You find your writing style. LJ Idol let me experiment with form, that's where I wrote my first weirder pieces, where you can find the DNA from in FH. Writing serialized fanfiction made me love cliffhangers, and the screams of tortured readers as I shifted POV and left them hanging at a crucial scene. Maybe it wasn't just a writing schedule, but an interaction with readers. Before that it was online forum roleplaying, which was very similar, write a lot, interact with others, write more, write more interesting, write weirder. Eventually words became second nature and my brain became rewired to think in prose. And, all of these things were "low stakes," I was not planning to publish, I never counted on winning anything, I just wrote for the joy of writing. For having people go "what the hell, where did that come from?"
Maybe that's what I'm discovering again after 2020 and the trying times, real life issues, health stuff and burnout that came afterwards. Rediscovering the joy of creating these weird and wonderful little things. Writing because I want to make myself laugh. Writing because it is a challenge to stitch things together, to have fun again.
Have fun when you write. Go weirder than you thought you could. Read things you never planned on reading. Find yourself. It might not be where you expect to.
In the book 2 when we fight for regeneration machine with Lady Argent I remember i can like bring her to our mind world and talk it out once but now i can't seem Trigger again can you give a hint?
Oh I am the WORST person to ask about that. I would recommend asking on the Choice of Games Forums (https://forum.choiceofgames.com/) or Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/hostedgames/). I get lost in my own games.
When sidestep is in hospital when book 2 ended, i can't help but wonder Ortega motions a plan ... after ... just sidestep is forced to tell him about their real identity without choice and Ortega think most times was they have said wrong and need to get it correct for his plan??? he didn't seem care about sidestep.... condition much.... compare to Herald. I am not saying he is heartless just weird.....in the whole reading i didn't think there something wrong but in the end even Steel and Lady Argent seem more Sensibility ..?
Ortega reacts passionately and harshly. Often acts before they think. The immediate reaction was strong and born out of a sense of betrayal, and also of feeling foolish for believing something else for so many years and never asking. Ortega might be angry at Sidestep, but that is nothing compared to how angry they are at themselves.
Ortega....you answered in the last Q&A he kinda blame everyone for what happened in his mind a little and sidestep hunt him like ghost so when he seems sidestep after all years? Did he .... somehow feel resentment to sidestep when we said we are retired and never want to be part of the game again? He see.....at edge and the obsession of HG ...more like he gives himself a reason to ...... keep on ? Put all his anger and hate to a target that he can hate without guilt? How much time he is wearing his mask when he is with sidestep?
Ortega is almost always wearing a mask. And yes, it hurt a LOT to hear that Sidestep just retired and wanted nothing to do with the heroes or Ortega. In fact it hurt so much that Ortega assumed that was a lie, and something else was behind it. Like family pressure. And you are right, HG is giving Ortega a reason to keep hating, and Ortega fuels that because it is easier than facing all their other issues.
Did .... Heartbreak change people mind somehow? I can't help but notice..... Steel Ortega and sidestep really avoid remember what happened back then and had left deep scar because of that?It ....is like a nightmare or something you cannot remember the details because brain protect you from the horrors but it keeps flashing back? They seem having deep trouble about what really happened? For what can be sure is seem sidestep jumped out window and chen called the air support?
Yes. Heartbreak changed/scarred/affected people's minds. We will get into what really happened on book three, when people (finally) talk.
So, I've been reading some things in the Patreon and I am becoming increasingly freaked out with Ortega. It seems to me that they're quite insane already, just very good at masking. My question is: how far can this go? Is there a possibility that Ortega will become one of those unhinged yandere types, that will lock Step up somewhere claiming it's for their own good? I'm wondering if Ortega's nagging fear of Step leaving to never be seen again can evolve into that extreme if they're pushed enough. If not that, what about stalking? Ortega has made more than one joke alluding to that in game already.
How bad can Ortega get? The answer is that I don't know yet. Ortega is volatile, and I need to write out what happens in game to see how they react.
Still on Ortega, what would the Rangers have done if they had really been hallucinating Sidestep in that diner, and Ortega just showed up to the HQs alone?
Yeah, put on medical leave and make sure they actually go to their therapy sessions this time. And maybe medication.
Speaking of those pesky hallucinations... Were they mostly like "Yep, Ortega, it's me Sidestep, I am alive after all!" or were they more "You killed me, I hate you and hope you burn in hell"? Or even maybe just talking normally as if Sidestep never died and they're still friends?
The latter. At least at the start. It was the normalcy that was so disturbing, because until Ortega remembered that Sidestep was gone, everything was fine. But the moment that doubt crept in, things turned darker, like the latter one.
First of all, <3. I hope things are looking up for you and your family.
My mother is recovering slowly, it was a BIG operation, but so far so good. Hopefully she'll be back to more of her old self come autumn, that was at least the pace the doctors thought.
Are there any story variations that people have taken their sidesteps down that have surprised and delighted you?
Oh so many! I am very surprised how many enjoyed playing total losers (affectionately). I didn't expect that.
Second. There are definitely some interesting narrative tricks that are unique to choice books. Things like having choices that can never be chosen to emphasise being trapped, or that you cannot say the things you wish to.
Yes, I wanted to make the reader/player to feel as constrained as Sidestep does, fighting the text like Sidestep fights their own brain, trying to decipher themselves bit by bit.
I also get the vibe from your writing that often your sidestep might be thinking all of the things written as choices, and the one you choose is just which of the conflicting instincts prevails. Is this something you do intentionaly? Or just a fun interpretation?
It is more or less intentionally? I like to think all of these books are all the variations of Sidestep, I don't add things just because it should be there (anymore). I am also delighted when my playtesters suggest new options that fits perfectly with Sidestep, just a Sidestep I never thought about.
Lastly; Are there any specific times you used the code to tell the story in a clever way that you are especially proud of? You should be proud of all of it but I'd still love to know the moments your proudest of!
I like the always grayed out choice of being unable to wake up from the nightmare. That was my first realization that hey, I can have fun with this!
Okay I need to know, Was HG little bit annoyed if Sidestep ignored the dress code for the meeting?
Yes. Yes they were.
Do Re-genes have any tales or stories that they share with newly decanted re-genes?
A lot. That's how they get socialized on that end of the spectrum. I haven't come up with any though.
Did Arde start planning something big only recently or at least few years back?
Hmmm. I would say a few years back.
How did Mortum and Ben became friends? Through business?
A bit like Mortum and the puppet, through business and work, and then at various parties, and then some hanging out. They like each other.
Malin, have you watched Mickey 17? Definitely worth watching, if you haven't!
I haven't yet! It is on my (miles long) watch list.
Does Daniel have enhanced hearing like Sidestep suspects he does during the gala? What about lung capacity to deal with higher altitudes?
No enhanced hearing, but Daniel does tend to wear various communication devices when he's "on duty" which he considers himself to be at the gala. You know, little things like ear-plug transmitters and the like for communication purposes. He has no permanent mods, but uses similar things as equipment, like the goggles with lots of visual aids that he uses while flying. However, he does have a very good lung capacity, in the same way that he is more durable and resistant to temperatures than the average person. Just baseline boost enhancements that helps his body deal with the strain of the boost powers. I would say that his lung capacity would be comparable to people born and living on the Himalayan plains. However, when he flies high he needs supplemental oxygen, and his suit is insulated.
What did Mortum think of Enhanced before they became one? What about heroes and villains (pre their own villainy career)?
Mortum believed (and honestly partly still does believe) that they are compensating for something. Like people wanting to climb mountains or jet-skiing. Taking stupid risks for little reward. Of course once Mortum found themselves in dire need of money to continue their career, that little reward became important, and the reasons for crossing the line to villainy and the like was more understandable.
Was the United California fire rescues when Daniel was Kestrel, Kinetik, or Herald?
I would say that was back when he was Kestrel, that was one of the things that put him on the radar to be offered corporate sponsorship.
Is Mortum's weird diet a result of their life as an academic and prioritising their work and/or did this start when they went to university?
Yeah, this is pure university diet continued into adult life.
Starting HRT can change your taste, so did both Mortums have their food tastes change when they started HRT? For example, did Mirlene start craving pickles? (Known effects of taking spiro, an androgen blocker, is craving salt and a lot of transfeminine people are known to eat pickles such that it's become an intracommunity meme/stereotype)
You know what? I honestly did not know this! I need to think about it, but Mirlene with a pickle jar and a tiny fork is very much in character.
Did they get any boost cravings after being boosted?
Mortum would say nothing major, but the truth is that they need a lot more energy than before, and coincidentally there is a lot of energy-rich fat in cheesy greasy pizza...
Did Luis get any weird cravings when he started T?
I wouldn't say cravings, but he did start to eat a lot more meat and protein. That did also coincide with working out more and building muscle, so it might be connected.
What about boost cravings for him?
None. Just like with Mortum, just a higher need for energy. He's got a bit more of a sweet tooth though, I can picture him with those super-rich smoothies.
What are Mortum's favourite TV shows or genres?
TV? The Mortum in my head just shook their head. They listen to radio more, easier to do while working. Though I will say they have a soft spot for history, both documentary and drama. They never studied it, but watching things like that makes them feel like they are learning something while being entertained.
How good is Mortum at the evil villain laugh?
Did a canned recording in their suit, that shit's embarrassing you know. Still, gotta live up to the stereotype.
Before he went to SF did Ember do anything significant in LD aside from getting Sidestepped?
I mean they were an active and rather successful villain, but I don't think they did anything particularly memorable. You know, solid B-list, hero fights, robberies, blustering statements, good villain laugh.
What are your character inspirations for Mortum?
Honestly I don't think there's anything specific. Like all characters, there's a bit of me in there, the me that did manage to get a PhD and continue on to research. Huh. I am trying to think of anything, but I guess the thing with being a voracious reader is that in the end everything gets fused together in a mass in my head so it becomes hard to to figure out where the parts might have come from. I don't make characters by taking traits/fusing/mixing up other characters. I make them to fulfill a role in the story. The closest thing would be fitting certain tropes, though I am not an expert in that.
How many trans and or non-binary villains are there in Los Diablos and the West Coast? Openly trans/nonbinary? Are there differences between the trans/nb villain community and the trans/nb hero and vigilante ones?
I really have no idea! But I imagine that when you get the option to reinvent yourself on that level, transing your gender is just part of the package. Some might be open with it in the good old "queer as in fuck you" attitude, while others have left their old self and body behind for good and are happy in their new identity. I don't think there is a difference in that between the heroes and the villains, anymore than there is a difference in sexuality or hair color. This is part of the human experience.
More broadly, are there differences between the villain queer community vs the hero and vigilante one?
I think the more interesting question is what the similarities are. The civilian life is where it gets more complicated, because there's a greater chance that villains and heroes might frequent the same clubs, organizations and bars. What do you do as a queer vigilante when you suspect that really cool bartender at your local gay bar might actually be the supervillain who you fought last week? Is it worth ruining your local community to bring them to justice.
Any chance of using a hose on lord ember?
Sure! Might try it on an oil fire too. Live dangerously!
We know there’s back alley doctors, engineers, etc. for villains & shady vigilantes but are there back alley therapists as well?
Oh boy. This question stumped me, but I think the answer is that there is. They are called bartenders.
Between Argent and Mortum who comes up with the best Halloween costumes?
I can't pick sides there, either of them would never forgive me. I need that showdown now.
Since there's a bit in the code where you could mess up telepathically making Argent friendlier to you in the minddive scene if your subterfuge was <50 (which isn't possible), did you originally start with lower than 50/50 telepathy in Rebirth while you were writing it, or have opportunities to let subterfuge go lower than 50 (like for force, although this is an edge case) until it was cut?
I need to adjust that. Yes, I did originally start lower, because of the traditional start low and build up. I later changed it because I wanted to give the impression that Sidestep wasn't a newbie, but already an experienced telepath. Forgot to adjust that value.
Also, were there initially more and smaller % increases and decreases for sidestep_reputation given there are checks for 25 and 15 rep and you can currently gain rep in intervals of 10?
In general, there's really not much difference between a check of <=30 or <25. I originally had many lower % increases, but, especially with fairmath, those small increases really amounted to nothing, so I upped the value of many of them to actually show a proper difference in game.
Are weird/sci-fi bullets a thing & if so are they common? For example in Shadowrun there’s Stick-N-Shock rounds which are essentially mini super tasers.
Oh yeah! Absolutely!
We know there’s a lot of swordsmen but are there archers as well? Are they also common or more rare? Do any of them use the fancy trick arrows or are they all exclusively normal ones?
Oh boy. There must be archers out there, surely, I can't believe I have overlooked this vital niche in superhero tropes. Most would absolutely use trick arrows. Damn. Why didn't I give the Handyman a bow. That would have been so in character.
Considering the 2007 animated movie Rataouille likely doesn't exist(because the Big One disrupted Hollywood in 1980), what does the Rat King think about a hypothetical movie where a rat effectively mentally controls a human to success?
I think it would be a bit like wish fulfillment in a way? Cool, we're not alone? We can help people by controlling them!
Can Chen grow a beard?
Yeah, not as thick as Ricardo's, but he can. He doesn't like it though, because his scars makes it rather patchy, and he hates the feeling of hair on his face.
What's Mortum and Argent's opinion on drag and drag shows?
Just another form of self-expression. I think both of them appreciates the theatricality of it all, of becoming something more.
Are they interested in Met Gala style events and assessing peoples outfits?
Oh hell they would bond complaining about boring men's outfits wouldn't they.
Hopping off my previous question about how much surface area Shroud needs to successfully drain someone. You say a fingertip counts as a nibble, but is the opposite true, more surface larger than hand size increases the draining flow? Could you make Shroud "choke" on her food by hugging her?
I love these weird questions! But in this case I would say spoilers. Because wouldn't that be an interesting thing to try in game?
Where was ZaZa born and where did he grow up? How did he come to Los Diablos?
ZaZa has refused to speak about his background to me. The others I know moderately well, but ZaZa? International man of mystery.
If there's no longer telepathic staff at the Farm (the same way the missing telepaths and psi-sensitives have, as you've said), are telepathic Re-Genes still being deployed or being rerouted to being kept on-site for... other means?
They are kept on-site.
Are they intentionally making more telepathic/psychic Re-Genes after the Core began to fail?
It's hard to intentionally make certain boosts, but they sure are trying.
What is the split of telepathic Re-Genes being designated cuckoos, onsite Re-Genes, or bluegene SD deployment? Are they more weighted towards being cuckoos and onsite Re-Genes, not being as useful in combat?
It has varied a bit. It used to be mostly a cuckoo thing due to it being so useful for their purposes, with the odd bluegene for combat communications. Now it is mostly on-site staff.
When did Daniel begin looking into the Heartbreak incident in earnest? Was it only as a Ranger, or before?
It was since the start, Sidestep died there! But he didn't get the resources to get anywhere until he became a Ranger.
Has Herald ever flown in a T-pose to intimidate or make fun of someone?
I think someone asked him to do that as a joke, and he felt so embarrassed he never did that again.
How long had Nazar been working with the Rangers and Step before realizing/being told Step was a telepath? Or did he know from the beginning? Steps telepathy was useful for communicating in his ash form but did he have any reservations about Steps telepathy esp when in his normal form?
It took a while. Sidestep wasn't open about their telepathy for a long time. He did suspect something was up since Sidestep was so very receptive to his thoughts and actions even when he couldn't speak. He just wasn't sure what it was until after the Nanosurge. He feels a little bit self-conscious about it, but recognizes the usefulness. He trusted Sidestep not to prod, and keep their mouth shut about anything they picked up that was personal. This was easy because Sidestep was so private.
Is this still true in regards to the henchs & crews ethnicities? Bo-Ukrainian, Nehal-Persian, Pelayo-Mexican, Rosie-Black/Latina/White, Ward-Irish, ZaZa-Greek
Yeah. Though I would clarify that these are ethnicities, not nationalities, and like for many US citizens there's a lot of mixture in there that doesn't get acknowledged. Bo, Nehal and Rosie are born and bred in the US/west coast. Pelayo is a Mexican citizen (whether he sees himself as hispanic or latino is unclear), Ward is a Canadian citizen, and ZaZa is unknown.
Are the Sullivans of Irish descent? If so, as an old money family, how did they manage to accumulate wealth with the anti-Irish sentiments in the States? Was it slightly better in the FH world for them than ours?
The Sullivans are of Irish descent. However, the old money portion of them is not. The family is a fusion of new money (post WW2, the Sullivan side) and old money. Daniel's grandmother was old money, and married into the Sullivans after a row with her family, bringing with her breeding, contacts and traditions that the rest of the family embraced. Also, bear in mind that the anti-irish sentiment didn't preclude irish immigrants becoming rich and powerful. The Kennedy's were from Ireland. As long as you got money, many things can be overlooked.
Would Mortum be interested in a power swap scenario with Sidestep’s telepathy? Or even experience what Step’s telepathy is like for a day?
Maybe for scientific curisoty, but it feels like such a nightmare.
Does Mortum talk to themself while working or talk to their projects?
On occasion. Sometimes that helps.
Considering Ortega is under the impression that step is HG’s sibling, how does Ortega feel on them never having revealed or gave hints to HG’s identity?
Admirable family loyalty. Ortega gets it.
Will precognition become a visible bar on the stat page for puppetstuck characters, similar to telepathy (after a certain point in the story) and will it be added in future demos for playtesting purposes?
Yes. The puppet stat screen will look different from the normal one.
Imagine something wild (but not Heartbreak lvl wild) is going on outside of Mortum's lab. How long could they hold out before they need to venture outside to resupply?
I would say about a month or so.
Being a stealth trans person, does Mortum feel any kinship with the trans/nonbinary hero and villain community (Sentinel, for example, you've said in 2022 that Mortum saw him as "brave" and "an inspiration"). Do they have connection with the wider trans community? If they don't, does Mortum wish they had more connection with them?
This is one of Mortum's regrets. They never really had much interaction with the trans/queer community back when they started to transition. Now they wish they had done things differently, but at the time they were obsessed with the idea of stepping back from the world and not returning until they had their new, perfect, identity in place. The rejection they experienced when first revealing these thoughts hurt them badly. It was a self-protective measure.
One thing I've found interesting is that Mortum hasn't told us their name so far, which is a little odd for the routes where they show us more of their lab, let us know how to get there, and the access codes to get in. What is Mortum's reasoning for not telling the Puppet their name? Do they not consider Mirlene/Merle Abelard to be as much their name as Dr. Mortum, having used it very infrequently?
Yeah. For all extents and purposes, Dr. Mortum responds more readily to that name. And once again, it is a small measure of protection. Mortum thinks that what the puppet likes about them is the supervillain side, the genius scientist. To pull back the curtain on that and reveal their real name might ruin the illusion. Once again, a self-protective measure. Dr. Mortum can handle what Mirlene/Merle can't.
Related, is their not telling us their name yet because of Retribution's latter half being split and becoming Revelations, or because you reassessed how they'd behave?
It hasn't come up naturally in the story. Dr. Mortum is more cagey about it than I expected.
Do people (aside from Sky-Raider and presumably Halabi) know their last name is Abelard? Or is this as secret as their first name?
It is as secret. Very few knows it.
What would happen if Shroud touched someone as they were getting Boosted? Can Shroud poke someone while they're getting Boosted to immediately stack a TBR?
Oh you know what? That's a really interesting experiment! Not to get a TBR, but with controlled bleeding of excess energies Shroud might be able to make the boosting process a LOT safer, and prevent runaway boost reactions.
What would happen if Shroud touched the Puppetstuck Imposter?
Nothing good.
Would Shroud touching Sidestep have the same “something very bad” effect after the crash?
You know what? Probably not.
Regarding various interactions in Rebirth with Mortum and Ortega:
1a) Sidestep's sexualexperience variable being "aro" means Mortum never flirts with the Puppet (and also removes the option to flirt with them at the start), like they can sense Sidestep is disinterested in romance or sex - is Mortum picking up on a bleedover of an aro/ace Sidestep's aversion to flirting through to the Puppet? and two follow-ups;
That's the way it works in my head.
b) What was the intent behind making aro/ace Steps not having Mortum flirt with the Puppet, and being unable to flirt with Mortum during the introduction?
I had playtesters at the time be very uncomfortable with being flirted with, even if given the option to turn it down. They picked aro/ace not to have to deal with things like that. So I removed that option after their suggestions. As I am not part of the aro/ace community a lot of how I handle those things have been dependent on playtesters identifying as that. And, just like with certain other things (like Latinx being the term used, and then that term being shunned) the community has evolved and changed a lot over the years. And I have got a lot more playtesters and viewpoints. Would I do the same today? No. I'd give people the choice, even if said choice might make some people uncomfortable. A lot of how I handled the sexuality labels in Rebirth was very clumsy, both because it was my first game, not very comfortable with complex programming, and because it was a thing "everyone else was doing at the time." Like the good old "play as X,x or y" in the sales text.
For the Rebirth update, can this be changed so the Puppet's interactions aren't limited by Sidestep's sexuality, so the Puppet can flirt with Mortum here even if Sidestep is aro/ace? It would track better with the puppet individuality stuff, as well, with the Puppet having a different sexuality to Sidestep's, accounting for aroallo Sidesteps or those who use flirting as a means to an end.
That is planned, yes.
Mortum's a lot more open about their bisexuality than they are about being trans, and has a flamboyant persona, but they're also a very cautious person. Do they usually flirt with their clients, regardless of gender, and have a reputation for this (and thus known as bisexual) such that it's not commented by Sidestep, or is this more an oversight from adapting the original novel scene with M!Mortus and F!Puppet/Ace?
Mortum is a lot more open about the bisexuality. They have no trauma attached to that, it is a part of themselves that they are more comfortable with. I always assumed they flirted with a lot of their clients, though they never expected this to lead to anything like it did with the puppet. This was on contrast with Ortega and their hangups, which are commented on.
Being able to tease Ortega about Argent being "a friend" in the cafe scene makes sense for Ricardo but feels a little jarring with Julia in the instance where Sidestep doesn't know she's bi. Since you've said you often default to Ricardo, was this an oversight, and can this line be tweaked for continuity reasons in the update?
That bug is already fixed! Just need to fix the rest of the update so I can get it out there.
Do The Guardians have a catchphrase like The Rangers?
They are fighting over one, but can't agree.
When did Mortum make their iconic multifunctional glasses they’re always wearing, and what was the cause/reason?
Those glasses is a bit like knitting to Mortum. Whenever they are bored, need to think about something, they start tinkering with and trying to make a better pair of glasses. I think this goes back a long way, even to the university years. It is a very handy piece of wearable tech you can have without being obvious about things.
Has their eyesight always been relatively the same, or have they had eye surgery or mods to correct things in the past?
They had eye surgery in the past, mainly because wearing goggles and glasses at the same time is annoying. Yet they liked the way they looked in glasses, and it was a habitual thing. Might as well make them functional in other ways.
Is their work (and to a lesser extent ageing) affecting their eyesight?
A bit. That often happens, but not to a massive extent.
Do you have any particular way you envision the glasses frame and style?
No, it varies depending on the mood.
What inspired you to give them glasses?
Glasses are cool and gives people personality. Why yes I am wearing glasses, why do you ask?
What part of Haiti was Mortum born in and grew up in before they moved from the countryside to Port-au-Prince?
I haven't decided in detail, we'll see if I ever need to. But it was inland, not seaside.
Mortum can offer the Puppet wine with the cheese they keep in their lab's fridge, so what wines does Mortum prefer?
I am tempted to say rosé, but the only people who would understand that joke are not into Fallen Hero. So I think it varies depending on what it is served with. Mostly white, which goes better with nibbles and cheese, but a good red wine in a restaurant is nice too. They are not a wine snob.
Do you have any details about the situation where Sidestep was nearly caught in a mudslide when they were working with the Rangers, and was trying to reach Sentinel to save them? (mentioned in chapter 23 when Sidestep is drugged and trying to escape Parkfield)
I assumed it was in the hills to the east of Los Diablos, there are a lot of ash deposits there that can become unstable in heavy rain.
Our cast gets access to a time machine. The machine works as follows:
1) You can only travel to the past
2) You can only visit locations that you have been to in your lifetime
3) You can't interact with your past self
When and where would they travel?
Mortum would say that is a lame time machine and pick it apart for parts and try to figure out how to make a better one. Going to the past you know is useless.
Ortega would use it to go visit some nice bars that has now since shut down.
Argent would go home and look wistfully from afar.
Herald would go back east just to walk around the old neighborhoods.
Chen would not use it.
Dove would use it to scout out locations she'd only seen briefly to pick up new details for future heists.
Sky-Raider would go back to some really nice beaches in southeast asia.
Will there be any more RO’s?
Not in the plans.
When Mortum says the last time they made a decision while being emotional that Sky-Raider had to help them dump a body in Lover's Triptych, were they referring to Vitruvian?
Yes.
If Mortum had a do-over, still knowing about what Vitruvian was like and what he'd do to them, would they still work with him?
Sigh. Deeper sigh. Yes.
Does Hollow Ground take off all their rings every time before they wash their hands?
Not always.
Do San Francisco villains think they’re better than LD villains since they have to deal with a Rangers team that’s like 50 people strong instead of 4 people & a receptionist? Is there an vice versa opinion with LD heroes having to deal with more problems than SF heroes?
There is a city rivalry among the villains and heroes, yes. However, a difference between Los Diablos and San Francisco is that Los Diablos have a MUCH higher population of vigilantes and independent heroes. One might see the hero scene in LD as more fractured than in SF, but the number is about equal.
How many labcoats does Mortum own, and do they have some for wearing exclusively out of the lab?
A lot. Lab coats gets worn out fast. They do have some fancy ones just for style and wearing out, yet.
(Sorry, this might be too specific) What happened at the auction after thief-Sidestep sneakily stole the regenerator and/or the gun beforehand? It must have been something significant if the press (with Mia writing an article about it) and the Rangers (Charge specifically) heard about the commotion, which involved Shroud — "Lord Ember’s lieutenant", I believe that was the phrasing in the game. I doubt the auction staff reported the missing item(s) to the police... So, what was it?
Essentially, if only the gun was stolen, there was a showdown between Shroud and Oryx/Argent over the Regenerator. It went off much like in the book, but without Sidestep being there. If the regenerator was stolen, the fact that it was absent from the lineup and it's entry skipped drove Shroud into a desperate rage where she lost control. Oryx/Argent stepped in to stop her, cue a similar fight.
You've said in the past that Marshals have 5 times the regular Ranger salary, but for financial status/money in their bank account, you answered Chen's status is comfortable, compared to Argent and Herald who are wealthy. So for the discrepancy;
1) Is Chen donating his money somewhere? Or his mods requiring upkeep that isn't covered by being a Ranger? Military restrictions?
Chen is doing three things that makes him run out of money fast: Donating to local veteran services. Sending a considerable amount of money back to his family. Mod upkeep is expensive, and he spends a fair bit of his own dollars on things he might not want the Rangers to know about.
2) If Chen is donating to charitable causes, are these for veterans, youth homelessness, especially among queer children/teens, or animal shelters?
The veteran services are the ones that are the most expensive (health services for mods aren't cheap), but he donates to animal shelters and some queer shelters as well.
3) Are Argent and Herald supplementing their incomes with sponsorships to surpass the average Marshal pay?
Absolutely. That's where most of their money is made. Also, Argent can easily "make" money on the side.
Which ROs prefer to be little spoon vs big spoon when cuddling?
Bonus(es): the polycruel, tina & teddy, nazar
While most varies depending, I think some have more set preferences: Little spoon: Argent (in her dreams), Tina. HG. Big spoon: Daniel. Ben. I think the others do either.
Did the SF Rangers ever help out the LD team in the interim between the HB incident and Herald joining, since they had only 3 members for 5 years (and only Sentinel in the immediate aftermath until Chen was recovered, since Ortega quit), and SF had plenty to spare?
Yes. They worked closely together in the aftermat.
Clarifying question from last month, the leadership choice is the one where you disarm the policeman and then tell the other cops to restrain him, and they obey you. ( #No time to lose; I disarm him before he can pull the trigger.) Since the reasoning is that their reputation is about how the media (and the public) perceives them, should this choice increase reputation?
Nah, not a big enough event for that. There are only a very few set spots where that goes up, and there already is one in that scene I think.
Did Anathema's invulnerability extend to their own immune system ie. could they have developed an autoimmune disorder? Or cancer?
A good question. Most likely not.
What were Chen's first few days/weeks with Spoon like?
Stressful. Happy. A great learning curve.
How long has he had him now/was it 2018 or 2019 he adopted Spoon?
I prefer not to say, as that might make it possible to infer how old Spoon is, and thus how long he might live. Spoon is immortal within the scope of the book.
Since Mortum began medically transitioning during their academic career, how did they find the difference in how they were treated by gender? From being seen as a man to a woman for Mirlene, and vice versa for Merle?
A HUGE difference. They had not expected it to be that big or brutal, the underestimated the issues everyone else would have with their decision.
For the average Ranger how hard is it for them to quit? Is it like a standard job where they can quit at anytime, the military where they’re there until their contract ends or they’re fired, or something more complex? Does it depend on whether they want to retire as a hero completely or if they want to remain a hero just not a Ranger?
It depends. If Herald wanted to quit, he could do it without issues. The Rangers have no wish to keep people who don't want to do the work on board. The issue is that for people like Che, and especially Ortega, the perks gained (mod upkeep, medical) are so vital they have a strong incentive to stay. Like sticking to a sucky job in the US just because you have healthcare. And Ortega's teach doesn't belong to them, but to the military. So it might need to be removed. The same goes for Chen, but his mods are a lot easier to replace with civilian variants.
Something I’ve always wondered but kept forgetting to ask is how did the USSR manage to make it to the 2020s? & did the split between China & the USSR still happen?
Oh yes, China and the USSR are counted as two different, if often allied power blocks, just like the USA and the EU. And I would say the main reason the USSR managed to survive is less disastrous economic and educational decisions by certain leaders (no Lysenko for example, or changing the course of rivers), and an absence of globalism in the rest of the world. This meant that the difference was less obvious at a glance. Isolation preserves many things.
how complete does a piece of technology have to be for argent to be able to communicate with it? is she able to interact with a mock circuit running on a bread board or something like that, or does it have to be more complex? and can she interact with pieces of tech that are works in progress (but still functional)? if so, how would the interaction change as the circuit progresses?
It needs to have a certain level of complexity, and it needs to have a function. This precludes many work in progress things. She can work with as simple things as a normal radio (changing the channel). But a lot of the time it is not changing the way the machine works, is more like supressing/activating certain parts. Like having a metal detector NOT beep, or turning off a camera.
How did Ortega react to learning Chen lost his legs during the HB building collapse?
Guilt. That was pretty much Ortega's bread and butter at that point.
Would Nehal manage social media for a high fanclub Villain?
Only part-time, she's too restless to be stuck with that for long.
Was Argent introduced to Owl by Ortega?
Yes.
Will Argent still have her chronic pain issues if the regenerator works (on a sliding scale of working, of course)? I like the idea that the regenerator isn't a magic cure for all her issues and that at least some things will linger
Even healed scars sometimes hurts, I imagine things will linger.
Is Mortum's fear of alligators from their time in Florida?
Yep.
Mortum's usually very good with checking in about physical contact with the Puppet and Sidestep; what's the reason for them being so attentive?
They've been in situations where they had to suffer unwanted physical contact and don't want to repeat that.
Are they sometimes prone to overstimulation from touch?
On occasion, but that's mostly by texture.
When they were younger, what Mortum want to be when they grew up?
A priest.
Is Jemma Lee related to Norma Lee?
No. It is a common enough name.
How did the first meetings for streetwise Puppets go with Rosie or Boris, since it isn't detailed like it is for techsavvy ones?
I don't know yet.
When Ace warned Joe about the hotel being a fire hazard and not to stay the night, did they cause the fire like he suspected?
Nope. It was pregoc.
Was it to cover their tracks while gambling, or to spite the hotel for having a rigged roulette table?
Nope. It was bad wiring.
Why'd they bother warning him to begin with?
Joe is likeable.
Was Halabi involved in boosted organs/bodypart transplants when she moonlighted on the less legal medical side of things? Mortum mentions a friend who's been involved in a few operations like that, and Mortum's not really someone who has many people they call friends so...
Yep. One of the reasons why she quit that life.
Has Halabi encountered any New Flesh members?
I don't know. Probably not.
What happened with Halabi's marriage if Mortum says she went straight and started a family, but ended up estranged from her spouse?
Sometimes you think that working too much/risky business is what's causing the strain in a relationship, but then you get all the time and security you want together and you realize that the issue were the two of you all the time.
What did Chen think of Sentinel? Chen seems to distrust people he doesn't have a good read on, did he feel like he knew Sentinel or just trusted him to get the job done?
Hmmm. I think Chen saw Sentinel as one of the old guard, which made him both a role model and slightly scary. Sentinel was too old and too experienced for Chen to feel like he could complain about how he got the job done.
Was Heartbreak originally tried to be used on the Core the Farm keeps talking about?
Related, at least.
What was the reason for Nehal running away from home?
She wanted a different life than what her family wanted for her.
Mortum says they only build things that interest them, so why did Mortum charge less for the power suit than Sidestep expected, especially for those that were poor and barely scraping enough money for themselves and the Puppet's upkeep? Was it because of the unique opportunities with getting to work with the nanovores and the Rat King that made them lower the cost?
ABsolutely! The rat-king was interesting but the nanovores sealed the deal, Mortum would have paid to work with that. Don't tell Sidestep.
halabi worked with villains for a while before switching sides to helping out the heroes. with that in mind:
1) did halabi work under an alias before switching to working with the heroes? if so, is it a name weve come across in the books so far?
She was probably nameless to most, only known as Doctor.
Did she need to answer for her gap in resume when signing up to work for the memorial hospital? if so, what did she answer?
A private clinic. These things can be faked, even for the extensive research. She came highly recommended, mainly because she had performed illegal operations for upstanding institutions/people who now felt they needed to back her. She was still too useful to eliminate.
Is halabis former partner aware of her more,,, checkered past?
Yes, absolutely.
What is halabis relationship with the rest of the rangers? does she work more closely with them than others working in the memorial hospital, or is she just part of the rotation of staff that helps out from time to time?
She's part of the staff, she has featured more than others in the book due to her place in the plotline, there are a team working with the Rangers.
In a route where herald gets his leg broken, whos the worse patient in halabis opinion– ortega or herald?
Ortega. Herald is nice and polite.
And one last silly one, does she complain/gossip about the rangers to mortum? if so, how does that contribute to mortums opinion on them all?
Oh she absolutely does! That's where Mortum hears a lot of juicy gossip.
What's Halabi's sexuality?
I would say demi/sapphic.
So does Mortum make jewellery for custom order? Say for example, facial piercings? 👀
No, but that is an interesting thought.
Do you have any particular way you envision Bo in terms of his appearance?
No. Short hair is the closest. I'm a bit face blind, I don't visualize people's faces much. Looking at them is weird enough.
In her Mitchell file Rosie mentions she mentions getting tattoos & piercings, how does that work with her bulletproof skin?
Oh there are tattooers with special equipment for that! That's part the fun.
Do you see any paths where any unBoosted characters we know might end up trying to Boost within the scope of the games, for any reason? Any Boosts who might try to double (or more) Boost?
Not planned at the moment, but never say never.
Does Mortum keep their hair the same or change it up?
I think they changes it up.
Is there any circumstance Chen would be willing to do a Rangers swimsuit/pin-up/similar photoshoot? eg. for a charitable cause?
Yes. He's not fond of it, but not shy about his body. It's others that has the issues, not him.
If asked outright would Ward and Pelayo ever admit to having/had a thing? How different would their responses be?
Ahaha. Their responses would be different alright, but who denies it would shift I think.
Would Ardie have an opinion on a Sidestep who could pick them up in their strength armor?
KInda thrilling! That doesn't happen often. Please let me down now.
Does glitter stick to Argent? It usually sticks to humans because of sweat, but she probably doesn't have sweat like normal skin does. If I glitter bomb her, what happens? Other than me dying.
Glitter only sticks to Argent due to static electricity. So, not most of the time, but in the bad circumstances she can attract both dust and other things.
If Mortum was taught by the Puppet or Sidestep to cook, would they have any chance of improving, or are they doomed to use the microwave for ungodly culinary creations for eternity?
It's not about lack of knowledge, it's about lack of caring. They don't mind the microwave. If someone cooks for them they'd happily eat it.
What is the state of fertility/conception/IVF treatments in the setting (for non-boosts)?
Accessible and good, at least on the west coast. It's a lot more restricted back east.
Are babies that are grown in a vat for the whole gestation period a thing?
It is possible, but not ideal. Like premature babies, the absence from the mother can have effects on growth and the immune system. It is however done when a pregnancy would be dangerous to the mother, or when the mother is rich enough not to want to be inconvenienced.
Does sibling-level Hollow Ground have an opinion on a thief Sidestep handing them lint and buttons and six coins from their pockets as part of their percentage because they donated all of it to charity?
"I don't think you understand how crime works..." Deep sigh.
The Puppet can use Mortum's glassess' night vision function at the auction, so do Mortum's glasses have a retinal scanner or other kind of biometric lock to ensure other people can't access all of its functions?
No, it's mostly that you have to know how to use them. Nightvision engages automatically without light, but knowing how to control the car is a whole thing. Nobody would just stumble on those meny options, and they wouldn't have the implant needed. The glasses are an interface as much as anything.
kind of jumping off the other question, are particularly weird or esoteric way of manifesting powers (like you need to clap three times to start a fire, or eat beef before you lift a thousand pounds) common? considering that instinctive panicked reflex making powers go haywire is responsible for a not insignificant amount of deaths during boosting, are people with this sort of “safety” on powers considered more likely to survive?
Honestly, that makes sense. A lot of what kills people during the boosting process is lack of control. People more prone to rigid rituals might have a greater chance of surviving due to already being pre-disposed of thinking of life that way.
Why does the San Francisco Rangers team have such a large roster anyway?
A lack of independent heroes and vigilantes in the city, and the fact that San Francisco at this point consists of several cities grown together with Oakland, San Jose, Freemont and Stockton all going under that umbrella. There is another reason, but that is a spoiler.
Why did Pelayo send his commanding officer to the hospital?
Did something he disagreed with.
We know Chen was sent there in the past while he was in the Army but what’s going on in FHverse’s Southeast Asia?
What's the situation in South Asia like? (not just India but the subcontinent)
Haven't detailed it yet, plan to do it in the future. But we know that the Philippines is the other large area of boost drug use/production, so it's wild.
An old ask mentioned Argent likes to talk during movies, is there anything specific she likes to talk about? Would she join in with Mortum in being that type of nerd & talking about scientific accuracy/possibility if they watched movies together?
She talks more about trivia and the film style, but she would absolutely nerd out with Mortum.
Will there be more opportunities for Argent to permanently scar/injure Sidestep in the future? For the people who want to collect at least one scar from her per book 🤭
Most likely!
Did HG have any time/inclination for tears immediately following pupcrash mcstuck demo where they see sidesteps face and become convinced their sibling is alive? or are they not a crier and were more focused on a. getting pants and b. figuring out a way to best unethically source some of sidesteps blood?
Spoilers.
how many gates does sidestep need to open for the catfiend to think they're a little fucked up?
I would say fourish, depending on the situation three to five.
What’s Argent’s teeth situation? Are those still her natural teeth or nanovores? And if they’re still normal does she do anything special to keep them from getting knocked out or is she fine with dentists like the rest of The Rangers?
Those are mostly her teeth! Though they are coated with nanovores too, which is why they occasionally can look sharper, bitier. They're protected like the rest of her.
If someone snapped spaghetti in half in front of Blaze how upset/mad would he be?
The deepest sigh. Now start discussing what is the right kind of Carbonara, that's where the passion comes.
What do you consider the difference between the anger motivation vs revenge motivation?
Anger is more primal, a way to get frustration out immediately. Anger and hate towards everything, the world, yourself. Using it as a drug.
Revenge is colder and more planned. With specific targets and goals. Anger might be a part of it, but it's not the driver.
To clarify, do prosthetics with sensory interface connections to the nervous system (Chen's civilian hands, for example) count as skin contact for the purpose of HG's threading, which seems to want connection to the nervous system?
No.
Would there a difference on if the threading succeeded between the civilian hands vs his work hands?
No.
If it's not spoilers; 1) What did the original Hollow Ground die of? 2) When did the current HG take over from him? 3) Was that before or after declaring as kingpin in 1999?
1 is spoilers. 2) I would say around 2006 or so, but that might change. 3) It was after declaring as kingpin.
Is Dread Reactor nuclear powered? If anything in a pre-atomic setting is nuke powered, it's gotta be the turbo submarine AI, right?
Hehe bingo. Dread Reactor is one of the few atomic creations in this world.
LA has a lot of good restaurants and many people care about the culture of food there, how does LD compare? Are there many privately owned restaurants or are most gobbled up by the corporations? Are there many that cater to the Enhanced, either through necessity of things like increased caloric intake, the need for privacy and lack of stigma (like Hoots) or even especially durable plating and utensils?
Not that Sidestep would know, I think that the food scene is still vibrant. It is still a melting pot of peoples and cultures, and now that culture include boosts and mods. There are specialty establishments, and a lot of places working within the limitations of the food supply. After all, everything is not available as easy imports here, a lot needs to be made locally, which makes for a unique food culture.
What's your opinion on the sacabambapis? The most beautiful fish?
I LOVE THEM! Everyone who does not know this jovial fella, do yourself a favor and do a picture search for it. It is a delight, and I have their face saved as a reaction image.
We know Chen hates taking stairs while wearing the heavy armor configuration but is it because it’s actually cumbersome or is it just a space issue? If he falls on his back how hard is it for him to get up without help?
Oh he can get up, the issue is space, and past experiences with bad stairs. Most are not made for that weight.
Does Ortega feel bad for calling sidestep a fake copy and a monster in the guilty ending? Would they apologize or would they think it was justified?
Spoilers.
Who's faster in the air, Sentinel or Herald (assume a straight line point to point race with no obstructions here)? Of them, is either faster in air than Zephyr or Trailblazer are on land?
Sentinel, though Herald is quicker over short distances due to acceleration. I would say that Sentinel is faster than the landlubbers, while Herald is slower than both.
Is True Crime a popular genre in the FH world?
Yeah, and it is as close to reality as it is here (not that much).
Since supervillains exist has media coverage of serial killers become less sensationalist (giving them special names, interviews, etc.) or is it a Batman type of deal where there’s super serial killers?
More of the latter.
Have there been many instances of amateur detectives claiming someone is a villain & it resulting in an innocent person getting harassed? What about the opposite where they’re actually right?
Oh yes, things are just as complicated as they are today.
Was there ever a big crackdown on organized crime in US or have they maintained/increased the influence they had before the 80s? Are they present in other parts of the FEZ besides California?
They have maintained the incluence in the west, but there was a big crackdown in the east. The emergency protocols post the big ones allowed a lot of goverment overreach.
And to lighten things, does D.B. Cooper exist in the FH world? Was he a boost?
Why not? It's a cool thing, and everyone thinks he was a boost.
is argent's technopathy limited to processes that the tech was specifically made to do? Or does she have the flexibility to make machines do things they are theoretically capable of, but weren't actually designed for? could argent make a calculator play doom?
That they were specifically made for, or close enough. No doom calculator sadly.
Do the attendees of Mortum's Halloween parties tend to wear costumes or their villain suits to the event? Is it only villains or anyone on the other side of the law? How much of it is a party vs how much of it is networking?
Most wear costumes, some wear villain suits because they're like that. Mortum grudgingly allows it. It is mostly villains and villain adjacent, the purpose is mostly fun, but some treat it as networking.
Has HG, Nocturne or Jake been invited to these parties?
Yes. They all went.
Did Jake come to the US after the Heartbreak incident, or before? You said he wasn't present for the Nanosurge, and he took the boost drug to escape from his boss in his teens, which was he was 16, so it being 2010-2011 is the best estimate I've got
That's a good estimate!
How long did it take for Jake to get to Los Diablos? Did he stop off in other coastal cities before getting to LD or was it a straight shot there from Puerto Princesa?
The ship landed in Mexico, Manzanillo to be exact. He went north by hitchiking and sneaking rides on trucks, which was easy with his powers.
If he was present for the Heartbreak incident, what did he think?
I don't think he realized the danger, it was yet another disaster.
Is the Farm aware of the regenerator prototype's existence?
No.
How excited would HG be if they were an uncle/aunt/etc and what would they be like as one?
Presents! Presents for everyone! (cue Oprah gif)
Did Ortega gift Sidestep a mug first, or did Sidestep gift Ortega a mug first? Who started the horrible birthday card trend?
Sidestep started the birthday cards as a joke. Ortega gave Sidestep a mug first.
Since sewing is a thing in the military for practicality purposes, are Re-Genes taught to sew? Either the regular ones or just cuckoos?
No. They are not deployed long enough for that to be an issue, and the fabric of their uniforms are too techy for that.
Is it just part of first aid training which they presumably get?
That would be the closest thing, but it's more stapling and taping than sowing really.
As the person in the main cast with the messiest handwriting, what kind of writing styles/signatures does Dr. Mortum have? How many times have they quickly scrawled something down and then come back later having to decipher what the fuck they actually wrote?
Mortum regularity writes notes they can't decipher.
What would be Mortum's perfect date night?
Mortum doesn't know yet, but it would requre at least three weeks of planning.
when Hollow Ground breaks their threads, is the verbal cue for that the opposite of their original prompt (say the original prompt is “you should be happy” versus you should be sad), permission (you can feel however you’d like) or an actual statement of “you are no longer mind controlled” or something of that ilk?
It doesn't have to be verbal. It's more of a mental relaxation, like a hand letting go of an object.
Was HG's younger sibling killed in juvenile detention and then taken by the Special Directive (opportunity), or were they specifically killed so the Special Directive could have their body (target)?
Opportunity.
For family pathed Sidestep, would HG bring them to the graves of the rest of family(if they exist)?
Yes. Whether that's in game, I dunno.
This question was kind of already asked back in 2020, but is the story about HG's name that Sidestep gave entirely bullshit, or was there an element of truth to it (a. being the eldest brother's/original HG's origin, b. the turf he took over being on unstable and badly damaged land, c. stopping the quakes with geokinesis)?
A and C.
What does Jake think Hollow Ground's powers are? Some sort of telepathy (just not used on him), geokinesis, something else, no boost at all?
Jake keeps those thoughts to himself. Somehow he doesn't worry about it.
What’s robotic technology like? Is it more advanced or did it take a backseat to cybernetics?
I would say it is more advanced, it's been hand in hand with cybernetics, though the AI/autonomous machines that are reputed to exist are massive in size.
Besides the Bone Yard and occasionally HQ, are there any other particular places Chen likes to take Spoon?
He probably have a regular route in the neighborhood they go every day, so Spoon can meet his favorite people, catch up on smells, meet dog friends, and try to chase that squirrel.
What was Ortega's reaction when they saw Sidestep's fridge shelf at the HQ? Lady Argent's? Herald's? Was it different if Sidestep visits often, helps the Rangers or stays away from them? Did Ortega/others know who organized it? Have they spoken to Chen about it?
I think this is one of those cases where everybody assume that it was Ortega who had done it, and Ortega was like... wtf? Who? But they couldn't admit to not having thought about it first so they couldn't ask.
Did Hollow Ground undergo mental training against telepaths, or is it their boost/powers that make their mind hard to read? How strong are their mental shields?
No. What defenses they have are due to their powers, which wouldn't be activated until they knew what the issue was.
Would Hollow Ground worry about a Sidestep who presents as very poor? Would there ever be a chat about it with anyone on presentability with anyone? (I.e. bringing up that they're doing well off or offering help to those with no-so-good presentation?)
Hmmmm I need to think about that. HG would do something, the question is what.
Where was Enrique buried? I'm guessing Elena would visit, but does Ortega ever visit his grave?
Not sure exactly, but I figure somewhere in Texas, near his parents.
What is the most embarrassing car related story of the cast?
Herald crashing Ortega's car because he was handed the wheel but don't know how to drive very well.
(It's the 26th of May) What does Ortega like to get for their birthday? (Not necessarily the upcoming fortieth - any birthday!) Do they have types of presents they prefer? Anything they don’t like receiving? Are there any past birthdays or birthday parties that were especially memorable or important to them? As you can probably see here, I'm craving for any Ortega's birthday lore you'd like to share!
I haven't settled on that yet, but since the birthday will happen in Revelations, all the secrets will come out then!
How do the guards at HG's residence treat Jake? As a colleague/personal bodyguard who has to stay close to HG all the time? As someone superior, like the head of house security? As someone they also must protect?
A bit like a combination of bodyguard/head of security. Jake has made sure they know he is not the one that needs protection.
In Ortega's POV lore post "Restart - Rewind." you mentioned their "non-existent therapist." But in one of the later Q&As, you wrote that "Ortega prefers not to talk about their Sidestep hallucinations. Especially not with their therapist." So what's going on with their therapist? Do they actually have one? Or is it more of a "You can't talk to a therapist if you don't have one (wink wink fingerguns)" kind of situation?
Ortega had a mandatory assigned therapist after the Heartbreak incident, both after the events, and before coming back. These meetings were mandatory, as part of their being cleared for duty. Ortega doesn't see them as their therapist, just another hoop to jump through. They have never gone to a meeting that wasn't mandated by the job.
Was Ljungstrand the consultant brought on board for storing analog memories and creating telepathically programmable memory circuits, as mentioned in the Re-Gene creation and production lore post? (this is for wiki citing purposes, since it's good to have a clear answer)
Yes.
Does Sidestep know what usually happens to the threats the SD are called in to deal with if they're captured alive?
Yeah. Experimentation, research, or delivered on to other interested parties.
American special operatives love to write books about things even when they're told not to, has anyone ever tried to write a book about their their time in the Farm/SD? Did they live through the experience?
I think someone tried to do that, didn't last long, retracted it as fiction and retired soon to a quiet life in the countryside afterwards.
What university did Regina go to & what did she study?
MIT, and I have not decided on the details.
In Rebirth, when Sidestep visits the Rangers HQ for the first time, you mentioned systems that can detect Boosts or Mods. I can pretty much understand scans for Mods, but could you please explain more about the technology that scans for Boosts?
Basically scanning for obvious biometric changes, like differences in body temperature, density, and various aberrations. It doesn't catch all boosts, but can pinpoint some common things. Neither Sidestep nor Herald would register, but for example Lord Ember would (body temperature).
What are Ortega and Steel's favorite things to do together when hanging out?
Just having a drink and talking, maybe playing chess or walking Spoon.
Was Herald a positive influence on Ortega's situation with Sidestep before Sidestep returned? Providing a more positive outlet on Sidestep mourning than talking to Steel, Pyroclast or the like?
Party yes, but partly also making it harder to forget.
You said Brainiac 2 was your favorite hero, who's your favorite villain?
The Fury (from Captain Britain).
with dr mortum able to reprogram the nanovores to eat inorganic matter, would argent theoretically be able to do the same with her colony? or is that outside of the realm of her technopathy(/not possible due to another reason)?
It is outside the realm of her tecnhopathy, because that was a thing they have not been programmed to do.
What happened to Psychopathor after the fight with the Rangers — the one Sidestep kept dreaming about? Was he arrested and sent to jail, or did he manage to get away from them?
He was arrested, but broke out soon afterwards.
So the Special Directive was (officially) formed in 2005, but Sidestep, who was part of the cuckoo program which is part of the SD, was decanted in 2002. So,
1) Were they pre emotively making cuckoos for the SD before it was formed?
The SD is just the formalized open-facing team of the organization. All the other things went on earlier, but as black-ops, unnamed and without title, often directly connected to the military back since the 2000's. So the cuckoos were decanted for those things. A bit like airplanes were in use long before there was an airforce.
2) How old is the cuckoo project? Regular bluegenes debuted in 2000, but those were the military kinds and much more visible. Were there cuckoos working alongside the US military?
The cuckoos were made at the same time, so about the turn of the millennia. The only thing that separates a cuckoo from a bluegene is the skin color and work description.
During Mia's interview in Retribution, when she asks about the reasons for becoming a villain, the choice "Not many legal ways to get a better life" gives a drop in HG's reputation. What is it about this reasoning that they don't like?
It's not really that impressive to have a criminal career just to make a living. Not showy enough for HG to take notice or be impressed, the villain sounds like just another jobber. Like... if someone gave you a well paying legal job you'd give this up?
Did Mortum tell Sky Raider exactly who he was breaking out of the Rangers hospital in that route (like their villain name) or did they just tell him it was a friend?
They did not tell Sky-Raider Sidestep's secret identity.
Will it be possible to gift our cape to the other rangers/ros?
Who knows? If they should find themselves naked, it might be a thing.
Does Mortum have plot armor until book 4 like the Rangers do?
Yes.
do vera and benjamin like their dates casual and fun or formal and fancy?
I think both are more casual.
If, in another timeline, Ortega managed to catch HG and say to them something to the effect of "This is for your sibling, Sidestep", what would have been their reaction?
Utter confusion.
Is the date in the Mitchell entry Argent's actual birthday, or the fake one?
The fake one.
Does Sidesteps fanclub & infamy affect their crew/henchman in any way? If it does how do they feel about it?
I don't know yet, but probably.
in text, you seem to switch between using italics for emphasis and bold for emphasis. how do you decide when to use bold/italics? is it just vibes based?
Bold are an exclamation, sort of like !!!. Italics are subtler, and why they are used can vary between the scenes.