December and January fused QnA!

Slowly catching up on things! Here are the answers to your questions.

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If Sidestep uses their "Don't notice me" to make someone not detect them, but someone with telepathic immunity was present would that person be able to weaken that aura? Example, step did it to Danial and Ortega was there and called attention to it, would Danny be able to see/notice step again?

It would all depend on how strong or obvious the various interactions are. Let's say it's an unfocused general don't notice me aura aimed to just have a cup of coffee in peace. Daniel and Ortega walks by. Daniel doesn't notice, fooled by the aura. Ortega notices and says "hey, there's Sidestep, let's go over and say hello." At that point Daniel might go "huh? Where?" If Ortega points out Sidestep, then Daniel will most likely see them, though there might be a moment of "are you sure it's just not someone who looks like them." If, on the other hand, it is a more active thing focused on not being seen, let's say hiding as a villain while being chased by Herald and Charge. Then Herald would not be able to see them, and might start to worry that Charge is seeing things, or worse, fighting thin air. As this might collapse the illusion eventually it would be smarter at that point to change the impression that Herald sees so it looks Ortega might be attacking an innocent civilian or something.

Since Hollow Ground is about the Art Of Coffee, on a scale of 1 to "hunt you down with a broom" angry would they be if Sidestep replaced their coffee water with hotdog water? 

Oh it would be hunt you down with a broom levels of wrath! That is cruel! Blow up the house instead why don't you, instead of making me taste that atrocity.

How would the Rangers react to a Sidestep having a completely different side they never knew about to people like their family? Possibly even the direct opposite to how they know them? Put-off? Convinced Step is lying? How would Ortega feel, since they believe they know Step best?

I don't think anybody would react in a weird way. A lot of people have different faces they only show to certain people, most of the cast have similar things going on. It's not a lie to have more sides. Ortega might be delighted or horrified depending on what they see...

If Sidestep has a fondness for taking care of Ortega, or otherwise seeing them (emotionally) vulnerable, letting down their guard/be emotionally intimate in return: would Ortega be encouraged to take those opportunities to get closer again to them? Or would they struggle to take it, given how averse they are to dropping their mask?

If Ortega will be dropping their mask, it would be for Sidestep. Being emotionally vulnerable is hard, but sometimes you need to be brave.

Would they be above using a wounded gazelle gambit to try and get more of Sidestep’s attention/affection if so?

I would like to be able to say no, believe me, I would. But It is Ortega... so they might play things up a little with a glint in their eye.

What do Re-Genes in general know about their Re-Gene nature (being stem-cell clones, how their created, etc.)? How is this information obtained?

They are told exactly what they are (in the crudest possible way), organic copies grown for combat and implanted with the memories of real people. Most have seen the growing facility in passing, it is part of where they are assessed and inducted. The Farm wants them to know they are products, not people.

How does the Farm determine each Re-Gene's special dietary needs?

They have a basic nutritious diet, and each Re-Gene's health is continually assessed to see if they need more vitamins and trace elements, proteins for muscle building, carbohydrates for power consumption, allergy restrictions, and so on. It starts out all the same for everyone, and eventually gets very specialized depending on their needs. A meal is still a similar base meal for most, the individual requirements added as a side dish style thing, or pills whether is simpler.

How fast is Zephyr?

As fast as they need to be in the book, I haven't specified. Faster than Herald's top speed is all I know for sure.

Does Zephyr have any opinion over Blaze’s choices in partners? Namely his insecurities around his sexuality?

Zephyr doesn't know about that, but would have a laugh about it if he did. Imagine getting hung up over something like that.

Does Blaze ever sass back at Zephyr when they’re being a little shit, and he’s not on the clock?

On occasion, but he's not as good at it. It's often amounts to nothing more than throwing gasoline on the fire, so it's easier to be stoic about it.

Has Blaze ever saved people from being devoured by the nanovores by burning them mid-feeding, or did he have to mercy kill them when they latched on? If it’s the former: is that where his fine control of his power came from? 

He certainly saved himself that way. I think he attempted to save people, but most ended up being mercy killings instead. This was party due to control issues, but mostly because for many the nanovores went through the mouth and nose into the lungs early on, and for the others trying to burn them off would cause third degree burns, and unless they were right at the edge of the swarm and could run or be carried away it would only be a stopgap measures as more would swarm in. I think he and Zephyr saved one or two as a tag team, with Blaze burning off the nanovores and Zephyr immediately carrying the victim away with bad burns.

Before the nanosurge, what did Blaze primarily use his boost for? 

He was a member of the Long Beach heroes. I would say it was often used for intimidating, melting things, setting things on fire, and so on. It would get many to back down and make a run for it. He also had what he called his "bulletproof aura" which was basically high level heat close to his body which would melt and soften bullets. Lead melts fast. Of course being splattered with molten lead is not nice either, but his heat-resistant skinsuit had an easier time to deal with that than the bruise and possible penetration of an impact. In a more gentle way he often used it to keep people warm, especially after rescuing or helping people who had been in the water. He was also very popular in the surfing community, hanging out near him on a cold day after having gone in the water was very comfortable.

Since Zephyr got to be a hero for money and fame, how do they feel about their fan club value being at 10?

Zephyr wants to be at the top. But you need to do some cool spectacular shit for that. They hope the Guardians will get the chance.

Which rangers feel the easiest to hardest to write? 

It depends on my mood. They are all very easy to write for me, I just need to slip into the mindset.

We are aware that while possessive Ortega doesn't equivalent to jealous, we can kinda make them be a little jealous with Dani if we push the date topic. So, is there a particular order of which Ranger Ortega would be more "jealous" of if Sidestep spend more time with them than Ortega?

Hmmm. I think Daniel is at the top of that list because of Ortega's insecurities, and the fact that they can see that Daniel might be set up to be the the next cool thing, much like they were in the past. Also, there is a slight tension between them that's not there with Argent. She's just a little gremlin, Ortega gets that. Daniel... they doesn't. Not yet. Chen would be in the middle, mostly baffled surprise that it happened.

And what would Ortega feel realizing that Sidestep doesn't exactly dislike Ortega being jealous or possessive? Besides annoyingly smug. Just to clarify, I mean Jealousy as in the fun non-toxic "puppy" version.

Ortega would like it. That would mean SIdestep appreciated and wanted their attentions.

How adept were the old rangers and hood in hand-to-hand combat? compared to maybe tech + fighter step? 

Oh boy, I am not sure entirely. I haven't thought about those comparisons. I would say that the ones I have thought about, Hood and Sentinel, would be matching a Fighter Sidestep but in different ways. Hood would be worse technically, but his powers was so integrated in how he fought that gives him a big boost. Sentinel was also technically worse but very good at spotting openings and exploiting them ruthlessly.

What was the general opinion among villains about Sidestep before their "death",

It varied greatly. Many laughed them off as a sidekick, while others swore they were dangerous as hell and never to underestimate them. Probably one of the more divisive vigilantes when it came to that. In general, villains who had encountered Sidestep understood they were dangerous, while the others made fun of them.

What martial arts would a fighter sidestep know?

I leave that up to headcanon! They would have been taught a mixture of things at the farm, not pure forms, more akin to things taught in the army.

Does Chen feel a kinship of sorts with lesbian Sidesteps? And when they're in a relationship with Julia does that ever make him reconsider being more open about his own sexuality?

I think Chen would. Especially if said Sidestep would have pined after Ortega with the Hidden Crush variable (which he might have spotted) or admitted to that after becoming friends on Rebirth. He has pined after enough straight men in the past to understand the nervousness and hesitation to bring things up in the open. It is likely he might start to open up about things at this point, as worry about Ortega's reaction is one of the reasons he hasn't brought it up before.

Is there anything else like Epilepsy that acts as a natural block against telepathy?

Not to the same extent, but there are other brain-related things that can influence things. We will be getting into one of them in game (there are already clues there).

Is there a level of infantilization that happens at the farm, like towards cuckoos perhaps? If so, would Regina have ever treated Sidestep in that way? 

Not in that way. Treating cuckoos as children might give the wrong impression. If anything they are treated as functional adults/machines early on, and assumed to be competent even when they are not.

Will it be possible to work together with the imposter, such as in a fight? 

Yep.

Will there be an opportunity in the puppet stuck route to embrace the role of Ace? I.e. deciding that they don't want to be Sidestep anymore, and wish to stay inside of the puppets body?

I know some Sidesteps will definitely feel that, but I am not sure how I will play it. I fear it will introduce escalating variables on a scale that will dwarf retribution so we will see. But rest assured, I get it.

How are intersex cuckoos handled at the Farm given that there's a very rigid gender binary cuckoos are meant to ascribe to?

Like in our real world (sadly) they are prescribed a gender to act as, regardless of what might be in their pants. No operations or anything (unless medically necessary) because nobody is expected to see a cuckoo without clothes.

In true typical younger sibling style, how does Hollow Ground deal with getting called ugly by their sibling who's an exact mirror of them? 

Oh Hollow Ground has too much ego to be affected by that.

Hood was Ortega's mentor, right? did step know him too? what was their relationship like? 

Sidestep never met Hood. But they have heard a lot of stories, and have a good impression of him as a sort of father figure to Ortega (and Anathema).

Following up on the "Rangers finding out Sidesteps true age" (no I am not obsessed, of course not) who would be team "You never had a childhood, I will show you a good one!" and who would be "Hah at least you never had a shit childhood!"

I think most of them would be "okay, good to know, let's never talk about this again because I have no way to talk about this without everything start sounding creepy. If you ever want to talk, cool, otherwise let's just pretend this never happened."

Let's say the main cast, including the non psycho murdering villian sidestep, is forced to watch a movie marathon, every single lord of the rings movie, including the Hobbit trilogy, who suffers, who enjoys?

Chen suffers but has Spoon in his lap so he is trapped. Daniel admires the physical props. Ortega snores loudly at many points during the Hobbit movies. Argent argues movie trivia with everyone, to her surprise mostly with Daniel. A small bonding moment there. Where Sidestep will fall on that scale is entirely dependent on character.

If the catfiend was sane right now, what would they think, say, do besides just munching boosts?     

Spoiler.

What's the general outlook on heroes killing villains or criminals? I know most hero universes consider it evil, and Charge took the blame for killing void I wanted to know what the whole look in killing badguys is.

It is frowned on, but also recognized as sometimes necessary. It always leads to an investigation, but just like with cops, there's rarely even a slap on the wrist. Still, the Rangers in particular is supposed to be an example of the rule of law. The biggest risk seen with heroes killing villains is that it might be an early sign of heroes snapping, it has happened before. If it happens more than once, or during not life-threatening circumstances, the sponsor of the hero might make a move to get them help. What happened with Five Pennies was a wakeup call, the line between villain and annoying civilian can be thin...

Hi!, I wanted to ask is there any point for a sidestep who’s gone on the “villain route” as in bombing the museum in book 1, killed captain blaze and basically been as murdery as possible in trying to “redeem” themselves or are they permanently public enemy number 1?

What is redemption? What is public enemy number 1? For a Sidestep like that, they won't ever win any popularity contests or be trusted as a hero no matter how good their cause might have been. Will it stop people working with them against a greater threat? Probably not, at least for some. You can't turn back the clock, but it is possible to move forward.

Oh and also how would the others react to finding out sidestep is actually this murdery villain?, especially a romanced Herald or Ortega?

That you will have to find out in game!

How high up Ortega's shit list would Sky-raider be if Ortega knew what happened to their Lambo? 

Not as high as you'd think, but he'd certainly be on there. Ortega would admire his balls though, but material possessions like that are not the way to really piss them off.

Has there ever been any significant push to have Los Diablos go back to being Los Angeles? And what’s the demonym for people that live in LD?

I think there has been a lot back east, may of the people who were evacuated from there in the days after the Big One still calls it Los Angeles, and lobbies for it to be returned to that name. But, as it is currently not under US control, there is no way to do so. In fact, the name has become sort of a symbol of the free western territories, a way to show that they are now independent and no longer part of the country that they (rightfully or not) felt abandoned them. There are movements in some of the other cities to rename them too, but it hasn't gained enough traction to make it happen. I do not speak enough Spanish to make up a good demonym, feel free to suggest one!

when sidestep checked finch's office for bugs, did finch charge the standard hourly rates while she's standing there watching them scour the entire room top to bottom? or was this a "breaks into the office after-hours and checks" sort of deal?

Ahaha oh that is the funniest visual yet. Sadly, Sidestep did it after hours. While they were certain they could have manipulated Dr. Finch into not remembering anything strange, if there really had been cameras they would have picked them out, and Sidestep couldn't risk being spotted on a live feed. This was a simple break-in and scan operation, not in armor, but masked. As they didn't find anything, they didn't have to stage a burglary as cover.

At this point, would it be possible to remove all of Ortega's mods with him being able to live afterwards (even if paralytic)? Or has he been so modded that the only option would be to turn off his generator and hope he makes it through?

I mean... most likely yes. But it's complicated and the quality of life might be debatable. Downgrading the mods to simpler, safer ones would probably be the best option, and most likely what has come up with the Ranger's medical staff if retiring has been discussed. The spine is manageable, but at this point there's a lot of neural integration to control the generator which still has unknown long-term effects.

Alcatraz island is somewhat infamous for its history as an island prison and it's supposed hauntedness. What is it's current status in FHR's more esoteric setting and after Big One devastated the West Coast? Is it still in use as a prison? Did Lord Ember add a fake volcano and uses it as his secret base?

Oh it is the "official" Lord Ember base! Not with a fake volcano though, and in reality it is not his real base. He just uses it for vibes, and as a magnet for heroes out to prove themselves. It is heavily fortified and home to some of his lieutenants who have problems fitting into normal society due to eyecatching mods or boosts.

Does Spoon try to eat birds? Like pigeons for example?

Eat? No. Chase? YES!

How long was Heartbreak boosted for before they escaped?

Not sure exactly, I would say maybe a year or two?

Is the Mortum gun vacation the most damaged the Catfiend has ever been?

Yes. That damage went deep.

Would Mortum’s Gun have ever killed the Catastrofiend, on a long enough timescale?

Yes. Hmmm. Shit. Maybe? No. I would still say yes, but with an asterisk because honestly... maybe I am just hoping that would work.

What would happen if Mortum's Gun was just shot at the ground?

As part of the "aiming system" for the gun includes a "focus," it would depend. Let me explain. As you activate the gun and aims it at something there is an "autofocus" function that locks onto the object it is aimed at before pulling the trigger. This is to determine the outline of the object it should "remove." This is generally controlled by an algorithm able to guesstimate things like whether it is a human, what is a car and what is the ground and so on. If needed, one can go into the settings and control this manually. Dr. Mortum had it hooked up to their visor at the time so they had full control of the teleporting parameters, but the gun does a decent job on its own. The big issue is that, just like with autofocus, objects which as not easy to discern or focus on will be hard to pick out. Aiming it at a safe in the wall might remove either the door or the safe, it's a coin toss which. That's when the manual setting comes in. So, to get back to your question, it would depend. If there is an object on the ground it can pick out and focus on, like a rock, an ice-cream wrapper, it might just pick up on that and remove the object. If you set the focus manually you can remove parts of the ground. In general, the wider the area, the more shallow the depth.

Alright, in the spirit of Christmas, if I forced the ROs to choose between a sexy Christmas sweater or ugly Christmas sweater, which would they pick?

Oh this is surely a trick question, whether a Christmas sweater is sexy or ugly depends on the wearer, not the sweater. Sorry, Ortega took over the keyboard to answer that question.

What are the most common powers people gain from boosting?

Generally heightened physical abilities. Faster, stronger, more durable. They are the least likely to kill someone during the change, and as many who take the boost drugs suffer from various ailments where they feel it's worth a shot to try something as risky as this, that also heightens the odds.

Can Hollow Ground thread animals? If so, what kinds?

No. Animals don't understand them. Not even dogs.

Does Elena's ranch have a name?

Probably but I have not come up with one yet!

Did Catastrofiend ever hire henchman or was it always a one (iron) man band? And if yes how badly did the henches regret their life choices?

I think it didn't hire henchmen, but it did work with others early in its career. It wasn't known as bad to work with then, but things have escalated since then.

Would HG fixate as heavily on Sidestep if their younger siblings was still alive, but Sidestep was still cloned from their sibling's genes? How would they treat Sidestep who is clearly their blood, but without the hole in the family that their sibling left? 

No. Not as heavily. There would be markedly less trauma of being the only one left. However, they would still see Sidestep as family, even to the point of arguing with their younger sibling "Look, it's not bad a deal having an evil twin. Why not try to get along?"

Does skyraider dye his hair at home or get it professionally done? If at home does he do it himself or have a friend help him

Oh this is a home job. He does it himself.

Was Mortum trans in the original book, or was this a change made when Fallen Hero became an IF?

As there was no romance with Dr. Mortum in the book, I had not even thought about that. But since writing the book made me run headfirst into my own gender issues to the point of going oh fuck, I don't think so. However, just like with Ortega, the Dr. Mortum in the book was a different person than the one I discovered as I wrote the game. If I remember correctly his name was Eric Arsenaux, and that might give you a hint of what the rest of that character was used for. Unlike Ortega our current Dr. Mortum was not taken from another book in progress. Fun unrelated fact, my partner's unpublished comic script which originally was the inspiration for the writing experiment that became Fallen Hero had a trans woman being the love interest of the main character, so in a vague way those vibes have been there from the start.

Sidestep says in chapter 24 that the nanovores' original function was as medical units, was this something they found out during their second Farm stay given you said sidestep interfaced with the nanovores back in the june qna?

No, this wasn't something unknown. I wouldn't say well known, but the Rangers certainly had access to that information. Sidestep most likely learned about it during the first briefing of the Nanosurge, if they didn't know it before.

Based off the epilogue scene between Blaze and Zephyr, is Temerain the Celia he's telling Zephyr to bother, or is it a different person? And if it's the latter, what's Temerain's name? 

Yeah, that is Celia!

Was the mayor before Alvarez called Lehmann, or Geoff Hansen?

I don't think I have ever decided on an official line of mayors and their names, but you might get one eventually.

Would Mortum's powers fall under Delta or Gamma classification?

Is getting a TBR more or less mandatory to reach Alpha level, or are there exceptions to this where you can immediately start out with Alpha level powers/train them up?

Mortum would be a very low Delta class or a high Gamma class. It could go either way. I'd say low Delta. I would say that in 60% of the cases a Traumatic Boost Reaction is needed to get to Alpha level. Boosts can immediately start with them, but at that level the chances of survival is a lot lower due to their powerful nature. Some can train their powers to Alpha level, but it would depend on the nature of the powers. You can train control and refinement, but you can't train raw power. So if you are close to Alpha level it might work.

Is telepathy in this setting mutually exclusive with telekinesis?

No. But neither are they connected. I don't think I have a classic telepathy/telekinesis boost yet, but there's no guarantee they can't exist.

Does the Farm have a different name for the Heartbreak Incident? Or do they call it that?

That has become the official name.

How did Sentinel come to realize he was trans?

Through years of living it. The line between butch lesbian and trans man was something he lingered on for quite a while before settling on what felt the most natural. He would have transitioned earlier if he hadn't been in the public eye as much, but there came a point when he just was 'fuck it' and decided to go for it. I think the tipping point was when he realized how good it felt when people didn't recognize him and called him "sir." That it felt right.

So what happens if Ortega gets a really hard punch to the gut with that reactor of his?

It is one of Ortega's weaker point, but the reactor is in no danger of being damaged. However, it is a hard object in a soft body, and getting it jostled will hurt. In their skinsuit there's no issue as it hardens with impact, but out of it that's a vulnerability.

How many times has Anathema had Void blood? I think you've said they've taken the boost drug several times after they got their invulnerability powers, so was getting the acid powers before or after they escaped the cult with Hood? 

Anathema was given the Void blood sacrament on the regular. Most of the time it did nothing, but eventually the acid started working. That was during the stay with the cult, and many of the underground tunnels in the compound were carved by Anathema with their acid powers.

Has non secret identity boss Sidestep edited their crew's memories to make them think they've seen their boss and the puppet in a room at the same time?

I will leave that to how ruthless of a Sidestep you have, but I can say that they have definitely dissuaded stray thoughts on the subject.

After Heartbreak, did Ortega start seeing ghosts of Sidestep before their generator upgrade or only after?

Before.

Is Owl a boost? If so, what are her powers, and why did she take the boost drug? 

Owl is a boost! It's mostly heightened senses based, but there might be other things too I won't detail just yet. She has not let anybody know why she took the boost drugs.

Have you ever read Parahumans/Worm or at least know about it? Nest in the July 2022 qna seems like a reference to Wildbow's Skitter 

I have no idea what that is! But looking it up, I am intrigued! Looks like it was written around the same time I did my Supervillain Writing Experiment in the good old Livejournal days.

What were Sentinel's thoughts on Ortega replacing Hood as Marshal? Whatever they were, did he keep those opinions to himself or did Ortega know/suspect?

Sentinel understood why Ortega was picked, and did not oppose it. However, he did not promote it, and was one of the people warning that it might be a good idea. At the time he didn't think Ortega was mature enough to handle it, and had a few very open arguments with Ortega about it. This was no secret, one of the reasons why Sentinel was not picked was that he tended to speak his opinions a bit too loudly and caustically for most people. After a year or so, Sentinel admitted that he had misjudged Ortega and that they'd been the right choice.

After learning that Sidestep had survived the Heartbreak Incident, did Mortum have any theories about their faked death and why it was covered up so thoroughly?

Oh yes. Oh my yes. You will most likely learn about them in game.

How would Mortum describe their sexuality and how does their gender identity interact with it, if at all? When did they realize they were trans? 

Mortum knew they were bisexual before they transitioned. They had never seen a love life as a priority, and while I am not sure they'd see themselves as demisexual, that fits pretty good. Work comes first, but when they fall, they fall hard. Mortum realized they were trans during their college years. A new setting. Living among strangers. All sorts of new things to explore. Seeing lived examples. University support groups. All things to make them aware that it was an option, and once they had thought the thought that was it. It took years from realizing to transitioning though, like most personal matters it was less of a priority than work. It was only when they had an (in their eyes) stable job as a researcher that they dared to start explore those parts, which led to a collapse of their romantic relationship at the time and a lot of nasty fallout.

When did Mortum start medically transitioning? And presumably since they're using implants for their HRT, are these implants of their own make, since they're used to modwork? 

In their early twenties. The implants are not of their own make, there are much more skilled people for that.

Was there strange psychic/haunted vibes at the Heartbreak site before Project Stripes began?

I mean... a whole lot of people died during the Big One. The whole city has haunted vibes.

Could Anathema eat a bomb?

Technically they could melt it in acid and drink it. They can't bite through or chew metal. They could eat C4 though.

Could Anathema have eaten the nanovores and stopped them that way?

I mean... Huh. I think the issue would be catching them. You'd need some sort of Anathema filter-feeding whale or something for that.

Herald hasn't even figured out his own fighting style, how do the other rangers expect him to fit into a ranger team fight with a villain? Does Herald expect to go along with other's plans or does he have his own idea of what he should be doing?

A lot of Herald's team utility comes from being a flier. Argent and Charge are the main hand-to-hand combatants, while Steel manages long-range combat and communications. Herald tend to focus on civilian rescue and scouting/aerial observation. He's a good shot though, and can do long-range combat if needed. A lot of the talk of "not having figured out his combat style" is more like "have not figured out how his combat style would fit in with Charge and Argent." Charge and Argent work very well together, function on the same wavelength and are able to make each other better in a fight. Both Herald and Steel are outside that dynamic, bringing other things to the team than the ability to throw a punch.

Can Dove lay eggs in pigeon mode? Are they edible? Is it cannibalism to eat them?

It is best for everyone concerned if Dove does not lay eggs in pigeon form. But it would be no more cannibalism to eat them than it is cannibalism to [insert very nsfw analogy here, use your imagination.]

If dove gets sick with something that only infects pigeons and turns human, does the bacteria/virus transform with her to adapt to humans or is it just 'cured'? What about the reverse? If she has a cold, will her pigeon have a that same strain of cold?

Dove can cure herself of most things by shifting shapes. It does not travel with her. However, some things will still be infecting here as she turns back.

Where did you get the avocado emote from? I added some trivia about it in your wiki page entry but I haven't been able to track down the original

I have no idea! It was uploaded as part of a set on the original Fallen Hero fanserver I was a part of (but did not organize.) Then people used that to make new variants.

If Argent accidentally allowed her nanovores to eat too much and ended up with a bit too many, how would she handle that? Would she leave the excess ones at home to just vibe while she's out and about?

Oh she would not dare. But you might get headlines wondering if she put on weight. Sometimes she retires some early to get longer hair too.

Does Mortum have any favourite cheeses? (aside from pepperjack) 

Probably, but Mortum is no connoisseur. I will say that they prefer hard cheeses, and that Parmesan makes everything better.

Has HG ever personally killed anyone or have they always been the type to have someone else do it? & how often does the HG organization as a whole take the blame/credit for things they didn’t actually do?

Oh Hollow Ground has killed people. It's just not something they do often. And taking credit for others hard work is commonsense, building a reputation is hard work. Shortcuts are smart.

Between Armadillo & Shroud, who would you say is happier with how their life is going?

Armadillo.

Locus's telepathy is like reading books, Sidestep's is very imagery focused, what does the Rat King's see , or feel in the case that they were bound too young to have much visual bias? 

The Rat-King is very spatially oriented I would say. One of the most important senses for rats are their whiskers, which helps them navigate the world. Since they were changed before they could use their senses much, all of their senses have been rewritten to be interpreted through telepathy. Sidestep feels the Rat-King's senses as akin to a radar, picking up shapes and movent in all directions. When they compliment Sidestep's own telepathy this fuses into a seamless whole, but while under dampeners only the Rat-King's senses remain, as a radar to help them navigate in the static storm. The Rat-King has grown fond of all Sidestep's telepathic senses, and enjoy a visual spectrum they never even knew existed before, as well as piggybacking things like tastebuds.

what are the RO's and sidesteps character archetypes?

I mean that would depend on what kind of a list of archetypes you are talking about? I'm not that well versed in things like TV-tropes and other stuff like that. But I will say that when I build the first draft of characters I tend to pick two general archetypes, as I see them, and mix them together. I then add a hidden third one for some spice. But the way I view characters is so vague... I mean Herald would be something like "naive rich trust fund kid" combined with "actual goddamn hero who tries to do the right thing" and hiding "family trauma." Argent would be "sexy, deadly, stabby" combined with "secretly a big nerd" and hiding "always in pain, always in control." I don't remember what I started out with anymore, that's just useful for the first draft. Then they start to grow into people.

Can HG initiate threading with multiple people at the same time (ex. Jake & Nocturne group hug)? And if so can it be with different commands “you can trust me & you have nothing to worry about”?

Yes and yes!

Is Sidestep able to stop someone else from being threaded as it happens? Or would they have to wait until afterwards to yank it out of whoever’s mind?

If they are inside the mind in question at the time, yes. And that would be easier than to break it later.

Does the boost drug work in a way that’s beyond science? Like does it come from some sort of higher dimensional source? (Considering Void blood and the inter-dimensional nature of Voids powers)

Beyond current science? Yes. Beyond any science? No. There is no magic, only things we do not understand yet. And which we might never understand.

What is the extent of how much Cy can access the memories of HG’s younger sibling?

Almost non-existent.

What did HG’s parents do?

Their father ran a criminal gang/organization. Though one could argue this was during the time where there was no law on the west coast, so was it really criminal? Their mother was essentially a housewife, emotional rock, mother.

Will we see a Re-Gene rebellion? 

Now see that would be big spoilers.

What kind of details, if any, does Ortega share about what's going with Step after Step turns up alive with each of the rangers? Things like thinking about inviting them to the gala, where they're hanging out or worries about Step's emotional state or financial position.

Oh that is a tough one. I think the Rangers ask more questions than Ortega is ready to answer. Mostly because they're still in emotional turmoil. Ortega shares bits and pieces, but very, very little. And yes, this annoys and worries everyone.

In what order did Ortega want to contact Steel and Argent after the crash when Step was in the car? Did it play out the way they wanted? Does their ordering change when it's the puppet and does Herald get some nugget of info? 

Hmmm. In general it would be Argent first to control information. Also Ortega would know Steel would be all over this immediately anyway. If it's the puppet, it would be Steel first. Ortega would trust Steel to inform Herald, he's the Marshal and Ortega is hurt. If it was the puppet, Steel would be the first choice. And whether it played out the way Ortega wanted would depend on the run. The outcomes can be very different.

What was the Rangers' initial reactions to hearing about the crash? Especially if romanced?

Oh fuck.

Has HG ever considered getting double Boosted? Maybe when their last sibling died? 

No. They know the odds and is not that much of a risk taker.

Was Anathema and Sidesteps funeral separate or part of a larger mass funeral for the Heartbreak victims?

Separate. They was a mass memorial service later where they were also mentioned, but that was not a funeral.

Did Vernon attend the funeral as part of the press or did he sneak in? 

He was part of the press at the time.

Is the opening of Retribution on the promenade at Long Beach? Which beach was ground zero for the Nanosurge exactly? 

The coastline changed a lot in the Big One, some beaches were washed out, others were added to, and some disappeared entirely. But it would have been around where Manhattan beach is now.

What was Ortega thinking when Herald throws them across the room during the reveal?

Emotional: Oh shit I fucked up bad. Rational: This is new. This is interesting. I have underestimated him.

Will monster tagged steps ever be forgiven?

It depends on what happens moving forward. It's not impossible, especially as that tag can happen for relatively minor things due to shock. Also, sometimes things can be forgive, but that doesn't necessarily make it impossible to move forward.

What kind of relationship does Ortega hope Step has with HG? If being a regene is not revealed. 

Estranged.

We know the Farm has dampeners and numbers as precautions against telepathy, but if its not too much of a spoiler, what precautions do they have against other, more volatile boosts?

Spoilers. But rest assured that Re-Genes with volatile powers are kept very secured.

Is Re-Gene in fighting (especially among the combat/terror beast variety) an issue? How does the Farm handle that?

Of course it is. There's always tension. It, and rivalry, is encouraged to a point. Just as long as it doesn't affect work.

Does a Sidestep who doesn't have lingering green eyes know their eye color changed when they ingested Void blood? Did Ortega tell them?

I think Ortega would have told them.

Will sidestep's base ever see visitors beyond henchmen in future books?

Most likely.

Since Step returned has Herald being pushing Steel and Ortega for more details on them?

Oh yes. Incessantly.

Considering Heralds skips on Physio, Argent lies to the X-Ray machines, Chen lies to therapists, Ortega regularly goes walkabout and Step avoids hospitals in general, is there anyone in the extended cast who doesn't have a hang up on health care?

Dr. Mortum! Sky-Raider.

Can entering Void spaces like the Tesseract displace you in time like traveling to the past or future?

No. Time might -feel- wonky, but not to that extent.

Actually, do Void spaces like the Tesseract still exist without the Void being "alive"? Are they still traversable? Or are they locked off now that Void blood is hard to access and grant the right perspective?

They still exist. It's finding them that's the issue.

When he was in melee instead of creating tornadoes was Sentinel more of a fighter or a tactician? And what was his fighting style like?

Fighter. His style was efficient, the lest effort for the most effect. Ruthless.

What would the regenerator do to the Void?

Probably nothing.

Will probably get an avocado for this, but was Catastrofiend part of Project Stars? Was Cavalier (as Soldier 71)? 

Catastrofiend is spoilers, but I think at this point it's no secret that Cavalier was Soldier 71.

Who's the Anders mentioned in Mortum's Truth Hurts?

Nobody that has come up in game yet, and most likely won't.

In Rosie's Mitchell entry, Joe says he liked Rosie's sister Gemma and seems to know her somewhat well. Has Gemma worked for Joe, or just met him?

She's worked for him. As will Rosie in those paths when she's not recruited.

Was there any intended symbolism with the bridal store of the Chapter 1 intro, or was it a choice made for imagery?

Just imagery. Mannequins have always creeped me out.

how do pilots/air traffic control deal with fliers and vice versa (non-beaconed)? what's the closest major airport to LD? how much air traffic is at that airport? (how many bwoooshes can a step expect to hear in a day?) 

Official fliers, like Herald, has a transponder beacon. They are not supposed to fly higher than 200 ft (61m) without activating it, but in practice most use the downtown skyscrapers as a visual guide and uses it when they go above rooftop level. There is a lot unlicensed drone traffic as well as fliers close to the ground, which is a danger. Collisions do happen, helicopter travel is not exactly safe. There are known helicopter routes nicknamed "flyways" most unlicensed fliers try to stay away from. The small airport is located well outside town, and as air travel is much less common than in our world the airplanes are seldom involved.

Did Lord Ember move to San Francisco because it spoke to him (Francis)

That's a good pun, but no.

Can we tease him about it irregardless about his actual reasons

Dragging Lord Ember should be a national pastime.

What kind of relationships was Oretega hoping would happen between Herald and Argent, and Sidestep after Step resurfaces and helps out the rangers? You know after the shock wore off.

Friends and teammates. Ortega wants the good old days back.

has ortega's flirting with villains ever gone beyond banter/kisses?

Ortega doesn't kiss and tell.

Ortega, when Sidestep reveals Regene status, wants to figure out the people involved for when Sidestep wants to do something about them. Considering Ortega gets upset with killing Steps, is this Ortega rationalising their next revenge plot when they're done with Hollow Ground? Or does Ortega not expect little darling Step to want to kill them?

At that point Ortega doesn't know anything, they are just operating on angry instinct. No time to think yet, just gather information for later.

Why does Argent mentally refer to Steel by his given name rather than Steel or Chen in the Bad day. Good day. story?

Not sure it's a story as much as me experimenting with how characters think of each other in their head.

Forgive me if it’s already been asked, but when did Chen realize he had a crush on Ricardo? Fairly early on in their friendship, or later? 

Oh that was fairly early, Ricardo is a hard man to ignore.

For world building reasons completely irrelevant to contemporary history, what are some of the biggest super corporations in the FEZ? What are their products? And who are their evil CEOs?

I don't know yet, but you will eventually. Working on something.

Since Ben sees himself as a sky pirate does he have his own Jolly Roger? And does anyone ever find it strange he’s based out of California in a Neo-Wild West era but chose “sky pirate” over “sky outlaw”?

A flag on a flying armor is a BAD idea. But there is a skull and crossbones emblazoned on his chest armor. And you know? I bet there already was a villain called "Outlaw." Besides, Ben likes pirates.

Will it be possible to choose Mortum as a rival in book 3?

Considering what happens in some endings? Oh yes.

Is anathema immune to HG’s brand of tactile telepathy?

No.

What's Ben's nickname for Merle since Mirlene is Belle?

Doc. Much to Dr. Mortum's chagrin.

Do all combinations of Ortega and Mortum have the car race go the same way (ie. Ortega asking Mortum out for dinner?) or would this only happen between Ricardo and Mirlene?

Ricardo and Mirlene, or Julia and Merle. It would have taken longer for the others, the barrier to asking is higher even if the interest was there.

Does Mortum's telekinesis always need them to see the object they're affecting for it to work, or does this only apply at the microscopic level? 

Yes, they need the visual

Did Mortum use their powers on the Puppet to pull them away if they spotted Charge at the gala, or was it just their own strength? 

Good spot. It was a reflexive use. I doubt Dr. Mortum even noticed it happening.

Have they ever had any instances of using their telekinesis accidentally like when they've gotten emotional, for example, the business/frosty epilogue with Hollow Ground and the pencil? 

Another good spot! That was another case of it being used.

I swear this question makes more sense with context. But is Vitruvian bisexual

Yeah, he was.

Do all terror beasts have such highly visible boosts like Armadillo?

Many of them do. Not everyone. A highly visible boost like that increases the chance they will be picked for that training, even if additional modding is needed to make them dangerous enough. The visual impact is part of the role.

Could Step possess their armour alongside the Rat King and just leave their body passed out in a corner somewhere?

Most likely not.

How does Ortega initially imagine how Argent and Step become close? Like the two touch-avoidants awkwardly standing in a room together until they talk to each other? Them getting into a sparring match and bonding over trying to beat the crap out of each other?

Look. Ortega gets Argent. Ortega gets Sidestep. Of course the two of them would also get each other, it just makes sense in Ortega's eyes.

How does an armor spotter recognize a particular designer's tech? What's Mortum's signature that makes their work recognizable to others?

I have no idea! I can barely tell different cars apart, but some people are really good at it!

Are Argent's three pupils a reference to the caput mortuum symbol, given that the nanovores are kind of associated with decay and her hair being made of dead/inert nanovores? 

Nope. I just like the visual.

When you're writing the code, how do you come up with the label names for the scenes, and do you sometimes write them in anticipation for codedivers? Do you have any favourite label names yourself? (some standouts to me are: thisisfine, wtf, nerd, touchnope, frkout, nopenope and anxiety)

I write most of the labels for myself, sometimes to remind me what the scene is supposed to be about when I am writing another of the scenes first. If a label has a very bland name or a number, chances are it is something that needed to be split because another scene would connect at that point and I just picked the first word that came to mind. I don't think I have any favorites, probably the last one that made me chuckle. They are all spur of the moment and in most cases quickly forgotten.

How did Halabi and Mortum first meet? 

Probably at a conference.

When Mortum first appears in Rebirth, Sidestep says they suspect their French accent is "an affectation" - is this because Sidestep's unfamiliar with Haitian accents, or is Mortum deliberately putting it on, or something else? Also, why did Mortum go for a Southern accent in particular when Ortega drops by? 

Sidestep is unfamiliar with Haitian accents. Also, Dr. Mortum spent their student years doing their best to sound more "proper European french" in order to be more respected in scientific circles. The reason why they pick a southern accent is because they think it's easy to fake. Are they good at faking it? Doubtful.

Whereabouts did Mortum study and do their PhD at? 

University of Florida.

When did Mortum move to the Free Western Territories/Los Diablos?

I would say around 2005 or so but I'm not sure exactly.

Are there any hero TV realities in the FH world?

Oh yes. But I have no names.

How did Anathema take Hood's death?

Badly. That was the closest thing they had to a father figure.

Will we get a chance to help Mortum improve their mental shields as a way to reconcile their anxiety about Sidestep reading their mind? I don't think they could rely on using numbers and dampeners forever, right?

That is definitely a path to walk. But the trust needs to be there.

When was the Los Diablos University established? Anarchist Sidesteps set up Argent as the university's Women's Studies Inspirational Leader award recipient, and Herald wears an LD University hoodie in Chapter 25, so it seems to be doing well enough.

It is doing quite well! It was one of the first joint projects after the governing council of Los Diablos was set up. Not exactly sure when, but it was quite early on. Everyone involved is invested in it, the companies need educated staff and joint research projects.

Does Zephyr know of Blaze’s sexuality? If so, how do they feel about his insecurities around it?

Zephyr has no idea!

If Mortum underwent a TBR, what would their powers look like?

Depends on when and how. The specific situation matters a lot.

Does Mortum have a scar from being stabbed by Owl and where did she stab them? What was the situation this happened in? 

I haven't detailed it yet! That will come out in game.

Did Mortum wear something to hide their face as an active villain, and if so, what did it look like? Also, how did their arm tentacles on their suit work? 

Oh yes, they wore a helmet. The arm tentacles were wrist based and worked mostly to interface with electronic systems.

You've confirmed a couple of times that the call in the frosty/business associate Mortum epilogue was with HG, but you've also said that Mortum's threads work in such a way that they don't remember meeting HG. Can you expand on why Mortum has HG's number and takes calls from a person they've never met?

Hehehe. I think the way to phrase it best is that Dr. Mortum knows HG, but not as "Hollow Ground." They do however know they work with Hollow Ground's organization. An alternative identity like that can be quite useful for someone who needs to rely on subtlety. Hollow Ground has two separate ones, each of them for a particular purpose. The one Dr. Mortum is aware of is seen as an upper level henchman working for Nocturne. Dr. Mortum is too valuable as an active part of the villain community, HG wants access to them. But they also don't want their face connected to Hollow Ground. The other... is big spoilers.

... how would Mortum react to Sidestep or the Puppet having the same name as them? (Merle/Mirlene) 

What a funny coincidence.

Did Mortum have bootleg merch when they were active as a villain, and if so, how would they react to the Puppet or Sidestep bringing them some?

I don't think they had much, and they would have no nostalgic connection to it.

Is the Farm interested in capturing the Catfiend? Is its DNA viable to make Regenes, or is its DNA too degraded from all the Boosts?

The Farm would love it, but not for Re-Gene purposes. The DNA of a normal boost is already too degraded, the Catastrofiend would be useless.

Would Argent invite Sidestep to an event/function as a guest when soft? Would they invite villainstep to crash it as a date? 

Most likely not on the first. Far more likely for the second.

Does Hollow Ground only contact Mortum in the Rebirth epilogue with a business/frosty relationship? 

Yes. And there are reasons for that I won't say.

Worth a shot, but when Mortum invites the Puppet to the gala in Chapter 7, they get very heated talking about "so-called heroes" wearing masks for "vanity [more] than function and then apologizes for ranting about "personal business". What are they referring to?

Dr. Mortum knows a lot of villains. And almost everyone has a horror story of how bad some heroes can be, how selfish or nasty, or stupid and vain. They don't have a high opinion of heroes, nor of their motivations to become something like that. Corporate stooges or bullies the lot of them.

Do Owl and Handyman live above/behind Hoots or nearby?

Nearbyish.

In the Rebirth epilogue Ortega believes that the Gala attack would of turned out differently if they were younger. With everything else being the same would they be right or is it just wishful thinking?

Ortega without his suit would absolutely be a better fighter when they were younger. Not sure if it would have been enough, but it's not an inconsiderable difference.

What is Vitruvian's last name?

I have no idea yet.

Does/Did Mortum dress up for the Puppet if they're visiting the lab as friends/dating/etc early into the relationship? 

Oh absolutely! You don't let your hair down early in a relationship. That takes time and trust.

Do they have anything else they wear while working in the lab, aside from cargo pants and t-shirts? 

On occasion shorts/skirt. The occasional polo shirt or sweater. Comfortable things that doesn't shed too much fiber.

Do they believe in getting dresssed for working from home (since they live in their lab), or are they sometimes doing work in their pajamas with a labcoat ontop?

Oh 100%. Sometimes you get an idea right in the morning and can't be arsed, and then it's soon nightfall again.

What does Mortum usually wear to bed and how do they prefer to sleep?

I think Mortum traditionally would have been a pajama person, but if together with the Puppet might come to realize that skin to skin contact is nice.

How badly is Mortum's sense of time messed up by being in an underground lab most of the time, and is the panoramic view projected on the giant screens in their bedroom they use instead of windows an attempt to mitigate that slightly (and how does that work with Mortum being a night owl?) 

Time of day is relative unless you have appointments. The screens in the bedroom are synced to the outside day and night and is there to help ground them. However, since it's screens, they can turn them to the setting they want if needed.

Do they use the screens for anything else, like watching films?

On occasion, yeah. But I think mostly nature scenes.

Do they use a sun lamp or vitamin D supplements to compensate for lack of sunlight? … is this the reason why they like cheese?? Because they're vitamin D deficient? 

Mortum do have a strict vitamin regiment, but does spend time outdoors as well. They do their best to take care of their health. Besides, you can get some nice sunshine driving a cabriolet on one of the scenic, winding roads.

Where/who does Mortum get their clothes from, since they're bespoke/tailor made and not off the rack? Do they measure themselves and give their measurements to someone, or do they go in somewhere to have their measurements taken? Is their dislike of shopping retail related to when they first began socially transitioning? 

Mortum has a tailor for fancy clothes and a personal shopper simpler things. It's easier, they hate shopping for personal clothes. And yes, that is related to their transitioning. It's cramped, awkward, nothing fits right and they feel watched.

In what ways do hero and villain fanbases act differently? Like, do they have different etiquettes in their respective spaces? Do they butt heads often?

Hmmm. Knowing online life, I think it's more different between different spaces than it is between sides. Many are fans of both.

You've said in the past the burning hair smell is a stress scent for Sidestep, and those usually accompany when Sidestep triggers a traumatic memory, followed by a seizure throughout the books. Did Sidestep have functional/non-epileptic seizures before the Heartbreak incident, or only after? 

It's happened since the Void.

do you forsee any massive telepathy stat increases happening in revelations/closer to the level that rebirth offered?

I won't rule out both big increases and decreases depending on choices.

Would Mortum be able to lift Sidestep/catch them if they were falling with their telekinesis?

Not from a distance, but if they touch Sidestep it would help hold their weight.

If the Rangers had a game like Marvel Rivals, who would each Ranger main? Who, besides Ortega, would be egotistical enough to main themselves?

I really have no idea.

Given that Hood also had tattoos that he found, at best, distasteful, but still kept them, what would be his advice to Sidestep about removing or keeping their Regene tattoos, if he had known them? 

I think Hood would have said "Make sure you understand what they are, and why you are keeping or getting rid of them. WHat purpose they serve. And if you are removing them for the sake of others and of yourself. The important thing is to make an informed choice."

Does Herald have any genuinely good memories of Josh?

Oh yes. Many.

For Sidestep self-assigned birthday reasons, do you have a specific date for the villain debut?

Nope!

What is the normal amount of telepathic nonsense Ortega and Steel expect from Sidestep?

That varies too much between Sidesteps to detail here.

What does Steel feel about talking to Step in public places about hard topics considering he can be there when someone stabs themself with a fork?

Look. So many things about Sidestep are complicated and weird, but that was a first. On the other hand, he has also seen veterans doing strange and self-destructive things when Sidestep has not been around, so he feels guilty for being suspicious.

What is Sentinel’s birth date? How about Anathema’s?

I have not decided yet! We'll see if I do their Mitchell files, then I will decide.

Does Argent still use the sewer bases she had before she became a Ranger?

No, that's gross.

You've said in the past Mortum is surprisingly good with farm animals and would know a lot about them and has ridden horses a long time ago in the past, did they grow up on/near a farm/ranch before their mother sent them to Port-au-Prince?

Yeah, Mortum spent their childhood on a farm..

Was Steel ever worried about Step being interested in a particular boost or tidbit of info back in their hero days? As in, what could the government be interested in with this?

Oh yeah. Ironically enough Steel often calls Ortega a paranoid overthinker, but in some cases they are too alike.

How willing would Ortega be to abandon their tinfoil theory going off only Herald's word?

It would need supportive evidence.

Is it Emberfall, or Emberstorm for Lord Ember's previous alias before he became the San Francisco kingpin? Emberstorm's used in the books, but Emberfall only seems to appear in QnAs and the 4.2 demo

Since I obviously messed up there (not uncommon), I would say that it went from Emberfall --> Emberstorm --> Lord Ember once he had established himself on top in San Francisco. Francis full name might technically be Lord Emberstorm, but it was shortened fast.