October questions answered!

Alright, here comes the QnA!

....

Was Ortega always this obsessed with Sidestep? Or is this a post-heartbreak thing?

I would say that it's for the most part a Heartbreak thing/trauma response. Before it happened, Sidestep relationships could vary from "that vigilante I work really well together," to "best friend kinda," to "oh shit am I in love?" If you combine that with the conviction that Sidestep was Hollow Ground's estranged/rebellious younger sibling who was on the right side of the law (most of the time,) and it would be a potent mix. Not obsession though, not in that way. The obsession was more with Hollow Ground, and even that was on a slightly lower level. Revenge is nice, but pre-Heartbreak Ortega didn't really let it consume their life. However, Heartbreak messed Ortega up as much as it did Sidestep. The coping mechanisms has not made things better.

I'm looking for a general idea not specifics here, How far can we push either Ortega & Argent on killing people? Would they be willing to help under the right circumstances? Would Ricardo or Julia have notably different opinions & limits?(Especially if one's Step was sexually assaulted likely for years)

Both Ortega and Argent wouldn't be needing much pushing to kill people they felt deserved it. They have both killed before in the line of duty (and from lack of control). They would absolutely be willing to help under certain circumstances, there would be no gender difference.

How did Themmy feel after Sidestep killed the Void? Were they more suspicious than others about how they accomplished it? Did they feel regret or resentment that they had no part in it?

Anathema did their best to keep a straight face and act happy about it, but secretly they were kind of destroyed. The Void was bad, they knew that, but also that was the person that had helped them survive and get a life early on. They knew the whole cult bit was bad, and that they should be able to just shrug it off, but it still hurt. Knowing that wasn't an option anymore. That a person that had once been their whole world was gone. They were relieved, sure, but also... empty. So empty.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how fucked up is the worst possible relationship variant between Sidestep and Regina? I know you can't spoil anything, but I'm really curious about the extent of Regina's manipulation.

Considering the character Regina is based on, I'd say it can be pretty fucked up. Not in the physical sense mind you, Regina is all about mental and emotional manipulation. Since it's hard to know what the scale represents I would just go with my own vibes and rate it between 5-8. So 8 would be the worst.

Would any of the RO's+Hollow Ground listen to Sidestep talk about their special interest for a couple hours? Would any of them try to scoot out of the conversation? 

Would listen intently with input: Dr. Mortum. Chen. Would listen but probably also change the subject (consciously or subconsciously): Ortega. Argent. Would listen: Herald. Sky-Raider. Would listen but try to scoot out: Hollow Ground. Dove.

Does Blaze have any siblings? What about Zephyr? 

I don't see either of them having siblings currently. Both of them feel like an only child.

Did Chen have to break up/mediate a lot in fights between his siblings? Did he have to work early to help support his family? 

Chen absolutely had to mediate fights early on. He was seen as the mature one, which made everyone very surprise when he (in their eyes) overreacted and went no-contact. He didn't have to work (apart from the odd extra work as a kid), but he studied a lot. It was expected that he would be an engineer or similar and support his family. Studies were seen as important, his family would be considered middle-class, but with bigger ambitions for their children.

How did Danny’s family teach him and his brother about what they thought they needed to know? Career wise and otherwise?

When they were young, that was the nanny's job. As they were older, that would be handled by private teachers, schools and the like. Daniel's parents weren't exactly emotionally available, they were too busy with their own lives to have much time for their kids. They outsourced that bit. Honestly, I think Daniel considers the nanny he had while growing up as more of a mother. They're still in contact with letters and phonecalls (she doesn't work for his parents anymore, she was fired when he was thirteen and they decided he was too old for a nanny) and he makes sure that she's got enough money to live a good life.

What goes through Ortegas head if the MC chooses to completely cut her/him out? (Just curious:)

Increased suspicion. There must be a reason for it, and if there is none Ortega can understand, they will make one up.

If another telepathic mind-reader tried to read Sidestep's mind, would Sidestep's powers be able to stop or lessen what the person hears?

Oh yes. That would be a direct showdown unless the other telepath was very, very sneaky. Sidestep's thoughts are very hard to hear in general, they are a telepath's worst nightmare.

How would HG take a Sidestep who takes the most after the personality of their oldest brother: the one they saw as an inspiration? 

HG would be proud.

What is it about Argent that Lord Ember likes/has a crush on? 

Style! Competence! Cool! Hot! What's not to like?

Did Lord Ember pay his ‘lovers’ to act like they’re into him? More seriously, why did he choose them? What traits is he looking for? 

The thing with money and power is that you don't always need to pay people directly to have them act like they are into you more than they actually are. I think what Lord Ember looks for more is whether they make him look good or not, then it's trustworthiness and hotness.

Amending a previous question: would Nocturne notice a forgery if it’s a near perfect replica that’s replaced one of her pieces of clothing/accessories? 

If she liked it enough. So yes for her favorite pieces, but no if it's just something she likes to wear sometimes.

Has Zephyr ever been the type to tape a stupid note on Blaze’s back to mess with him? 

I was going to say no, but then I paused and realized Zephyr might very well have been exactly that asshole.

On that note, what do they most appreciate/like about each other? What do they dislike/hate?

Blaze and Zephyr trusts each other. They know the other would risk their lives for them, and that their heart is in the right place. They have been through a lot, and have worked together/been friends for a long time. They like many of the same things, and in more stress-free times they have a lot of fun together. They both also likes friendly competition. The thing that annoys Blaze the most about Zephyr is his dedication to being "that guy (gn)" and inability to let a thing slide without being snide about it. Also the money and fame thing. The thing that annoys Zephyr the most about Blaze is that he's sold out a bit to the man and is trying to be so proper and uptight. Can't let his hair down anymore. He's changed.

Is the true Fallen Hero the friends we made along the way?

Most likely! Friendships are what saves us in the end.

Maybe it's the friends we broke along the way? 🤔

No, that's just our brains.

Who would Puzzle Box usually target for her traps? Were people able to survive them, or was it a certain-death kind of thing?

Puzzle Box had a thing for new vigilantes, and saw it as kind of a rite of passage. Her traps were absolutely survivable, but there was no guarantee it would be with your dignity intact, and without bad injuries. She respected intelligence and loved being outplayed, but always made sure to be far away when the vigilante finally got out. Cameras are great. In that vein she tended to target people she felt might be a challenge to her. Or, on occasion, people that annoyed her so she could make fun of them when they failed.

If Ortega and the puppet kissed at the gala, did Ortega feel the explosives the puppet had hidden on them? Was this just a mild suspicion or an extreme one after the whole thing blew over?

Ortega did not feel any explosives.

There’s a lot of different flavors of kill variables in the game already, but do you think there could ever be something like a “justice kill” or “necessary kill” tag in which Sidestep views their killing/killing of certain people as good? I know the attitude with agentkill is more like, “they knew what they were getting into,” but I was curious if a more self-righteous tinge would be possible. 

It's possible. Tags can always change depending on what I need them to do in game. If the discussion comes up, let's say in combat banter, I'll tag it.

Do you think we will ever get to talk to Joe about his boost in-game?

I have no idea!

Sorry if this is too broad of a question, but do any characters spring to mind immediately when envisioning someone who has (a) tattoo(s)? (Not including our Re-Gene friends or Argent, of course.)

Chen. Though I'm not sure if he have his army tattoos anymore, or if they were on one of the bodyparts he has lost. Sky-Raider has a lot, that I know. Ortega might have too.

Does Argent like live theatre? How about recordings of it?

Too many people. And I think Argent prefers movies to the theater.

How often would you say Argent goes to the movie theater to see a film versus wait for its DVD release? 

If she goes to the movie theater, it would be for a special preview. She's a celebrity, and she likes to relax when she watches movies, not have to think how she is perceived, or that she's surrounded by people.

Has Mortum published any scientific papers recently? Do they still keep up with current publications?

I would say that Dr. Mortum still publishes the odd paper under a pseudonym. They definitely keep up with current publications.

How conventionally humanoid are Porthole’s bodies? Are they mistaken as just a regular person in an armor by the general public?

Humanity is optional. Porthole likes to go weird. They might be humanoid because it's a shape this world is adapted for, but neither of them make any effort to look human. While they might be mistaken for a regular person in their biggest armors, I'd say the movement patterns ruins that illusion pretty fast.

Do the Guardians have matching uniforms like the Rangers do?

Did the Guardians have any input on their costumes or was that chosen for them? Do they each have one iconic look or a few?

There is a team look, but with more individual variations than the Rangers. Think more team logo and jacket rather than synchronized colors. A bit more x-men than fantastic four.

Always wondered, where did Steps get their original costume? Did they make it themselves? Buy the parts from a store? Is there a hero/villain costume making company?

The first costume was pilfered from various parts. Think part sports-goods, part utility. There are costume making companies, but their prices are way above what Sidestep could handle at the time. They were very much for homemade costumes, but eventually Ortega offered to have the Rangers pay for a proper one with protection and quality materials.

Have the Guardians ever done anything important? Any major villain or crisis they are chiefly responsible neutralizing? 

They have caught a few villains, but nobody important. I would say that is something the current team is very aware of. They need to score a big win eventually.

Are the Guardians allowed to kill, and have any of them killed before joining? 

I mean, it's like for cops. You're not supposed to, but if things happens in the line of duty it tends to be seen as justified. The team has different opinions of it. I don't think Bumblebee has ever caused the death of someone. I know Temerain and Blaze has. As for the others I am unsure.

How many times can an individual be Boosted? Does it have diminishing returns, or does it inevitably end with either invulnerability or death? 

There's no limit but what the body can handle. There are extremely few that manage beyond

How do you decide how queerness affects characters/what kind of queer they are? 

I mean my baseline is that everyone is queer, so my inner question tends to be how "straight-presenting" they are. And for that it tends to be a combination of how much outward pressure they are under, how much they value their own self-image/presentation, and what hangups they have with them from growing up. I very rarely make conscious decisions to create a certain "type" of character, they grow on their own accord as I write and figure them out. I tend to joke "one day I will manage to write a straight character."

How do you decide how Sidestep and other characters interact with a character's queerness?

I write and see what happens. A lot of the time it's things either me, or people I know have talked about or struggled with, and it might not land the way I wanted it to the first time around. The polishing happens during playtesting, as I try to refine what it is I want to talk about with this character, and make sure that comes across as well as it can in the text and the way others interpret it. The further away something is from me, the more I rely on playtesters and discussions with people who live that life. For example, the gendermess bisexual disaster parts I know far too well, while the more aromantic/asexual dynamics require a lot of input from people.

During the void story, there's a "New Girl" in Sentinals chapter, but during the next one Sidestep refers to the same person with male pronouns. I just found this interesting and was curious what it meant (if on purpose). 

Probably a mistake. I make a lot of them, pronouns are tricky.

During the void compound assault, Step sees the cultist placing things on a pedestal. A glass pyramid, a gold ball… Is there any connection to these and the shapes the Farm used to train Sidestep?

Nope. No farm connection.

If we start working with HG, will the puppet be allowed a place in the organization? For communication purposes or otherwise?

You gotta work out what the issue with the puppet is first, not giving any spoilers there...

And as for the Jake and Puppet flirt going on, was that something that will carry over or did it only matter for Retribution?

It's one of those variables where I saw something happening and felt I needed to tag it, but had no plans with it yet. There were just vibes, and they might lead somewhere, but it was not a preplanned event.

Does Argent have eyebrows? What about eyelashes? Body hair?

Eyebrows and lashes, yes. Bodyhair, no.

Can Argent wear earrings? 

Yes, and she does quite often.

Is Anathema always your exact gender? If your cisgender are they too? 

I like to think that it's more what pronouns Anathema uses than what gender they are. There is no stopping them from being trans, or be nonbinary but going with she/her pronouns for example.

For the memes, will we ever be able to see "fallen hero" be said in any context within the coming books?

If I can write it without cracking up and feeling like everybody should stop and face the camera.

If it’s not too spoilery, in the demo Vera can mention she’s noticed Sentinel due to the changes in the winds. Would Danny or Sky Raider also have picked up on this or is this unique to Vera due to the difference in the nature of how she flys compared to the other two?

I would say that the changes in the wind is uniquely Vera. Birds are a lot more dependent on that. Neither Danny nor Sky-Raider relies on winds in the same way.

Given Ortega just casually brings Gucci for jail breaks it made me wonder, who has the more expensive wardrobe between HG, Nocturne, Argent and Ortega?

Most expensive to least: Nocturne - Ortega - Hollow Ground - Argent.

How far could Ace’s precognition see ahead pre Shroud nomming them? It seems odd they would take certain actions, like gambling somewhere associated with Ember and getting on Shroud’s radar, if they knew it would end badly for them.

Ace would not have been able to see far ahead enough to know they'd end up in trouble eventually for playing certain venues. For Ace their precognition was very focused in the immediate, this hand, this spin of the wheel, this evening. Anything further in the future would rarely trigger, the shroud events were an anomaly. It also depends on where you focus your interest. For Ace it was gambling focused since that was where their interest was, and what they knew. For Sidestep it is fight focused, since that is what they need and know. Easier to see the things you are looking for.

Are there any characters you wish you had given a different name to? Whether because you later thought of something more fitting or cooler or because issues like the constant typos Pyschopathor is subjected to?

Psychoraptor is my favorite, what do you mean? His name is perfect. I will say that I did rename a Retribution character because of his name. Carter was originally named Marconi (after the inventor of the radio, I had just watched a documentary), and people kept saying Macaroni and eventually I felt iffy about the italian/gangster associations and changed it.

Obviously we know we’ll get some secrets coming out to Sidestep in the next book. When the revelations do start happening are there any secrets that will never come out to Step in any path/circumstance, that we as readers might still know/learn; like through the Q&A’s or side stories? I’m giving Ortega and their multitude of secrets, issues and conspiracy theories a very hard side eye

I have no idea yet! That will be up to the characters once theys tart talking. At least one of the secrets is still up in the air though. I hope to have it in book three, I really do. It's a big Ortega related one.

How would the farm handle/what is the procedure for a Regene that had a boost that made them resistant or immune to scrubbing and recycling?

Looks over at Sidestep. Uhm. Well. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. But they would be seen as a danger.

Following from a question asked a while ago about the Rat King being able to work out if Argent tried to mess with the suit, if she did how would the girls feel about this/Argent?

OH a new playmate!

Obviously Ortega is conspiracy king/queen, but who amongst the ROs is the next biggest conspiracy theorist? Or just the person who believes things that are nonsense or not true?

Sky-Raider isn't a conspiracy theorist, but he really is the type to believe some weird shit like aliens exist.

Was Ace ever lonely?

Oh yes. But not enough to change.

Without any intentional manipulation telepathic, intellectual, or emotional who of the ROs would be willing to be in a poly relationship? If it's not to spoilery or too much work to think about, it would be nice to know most to less likely.

Hmmm. Most likely to less likely: Ortega and Sky-Raider in general. Daniel - Dr. Mortum - Chen - Argent with specific people. Dove not at all.

Are the gates blocking memories?

Among other things. But are memories the symptom or the cause?

What's the rock scene like in Los Diablos?

Thriving! The whole rock/punk/underground culture is alive and vibrant. Lots of space if you don't mind the unsafer areas, and with the corporate pressure of clean media many need an outlet.

When you open a door, is it one way or two?

Depends on the (mental) air pressure difference.

Since it's that time of year, when they believed Sidestep to be dead did Ortega and their mother ever create an ofrenda for them? Or do any other Día de los Muertos celebrations for them?

I think Ortega's mother suggested it. It didn't really go over well at the start. But eventually it was a way to heal somewhat.

Via the trapped in puppet route, will there be an opportunity to tell Mortum, who doesn't know about the Sidestep/Puppet situation, that you (the puppet) were being mind controlled by Sidestep/Villain?

Oh yes. Absolutely.

Since we can already ally with HG in the demo, will we be able to share the intel we gather on Hollow Ground with Ortega in Book 3? Or is a Hollow Ground confrontation a Book 4 kind of deal

Hollow Ground is book three.

Some time ago you mentioned that we would get an opportunity to help the Rangers as a vigilante or something, just not as Sidestep... Would Chen still let you participate in this sort of thing in the "Complicated" route where you told him you know he knows that you're the villain?

I don't know yet! It's still an optional scene, we'll see who and where it fits.

Is Arde a MBO or a SCO? I remember him being called a terror beast, and Sidestep is a cuckoo. What are the nicknames for the other re-genes still stuck with the Directive?

Arde is an MBO I think. I'm not sure of the other nicknames yet, I'll add them once I come up with them.

I’m not sure if it was ever mentioned, but what is Rosie’s boost? What powers does she have?

Rosie is bulletproof and stronger than normal.

Is it feasible for a strong enough telepath to bypass epilepsy?

Nothing is impossible.

after step broke into their mansion how did that talk btw the hg trio go if step revealed their face? 

Maybe I'll write it someday and find out! It would be fun.

How would current Sidestep hold up when faced off against past versions of themselves? (i.e Pre-HB, Post-Nanosurge if there any difference between those two, and finally the Farm-era Cuckoo)

Current Sidestep would win against all other past version of themselves except one. Not gonna tell you which one!

Continuing with the topic of present Sidestep facing the past, how would they do if they had to deal with the three biggest moments that had an impact on their telepathy at their current power level? (Nanosurge, Void, HB)

Oh boy. The current Sidestep could handle the Nanosurge better, the Void about the same, and Heartbreak worse.

So what happens if there's a telepath with epilepsy, are they just immune to other telepaths, do they cancel each other out? Are they extremely overpowered? I thought about Charge as a telepath and it scared me so I gotta know 

I... hm... You know... I don't know. I need to think about this! It's a bit like trying to imagine a whale with fire powers.

What was your intent behind not revealing that Sidestep is a Regene until the second book? What do you think the story/the reader gain from learning about that later rather than sooner?

Thank you for this question! Now let me rant. If you tell someone something upfront, they make a decision how to feel about that based on their previous experiences and knowledge. If I had led with Sidestep being a Re-Gene, people would see everything else after that filtered through that lens. And as Re-Gene was just a word at that point, they would see it filtered through things like clone, android, artificial intelligence and whatever media they had consumed with it lately. The reader would already have a viewpoint they would filter Sidestep's internal mess through. I wanted the reader to have as blank a slate as possible when interacting with Sidestep's thought process, and having Sidestep be assumed to be a human was something I saw as essential to that.

In a similar way, I also have withheld other pertinent background information, like what the threat is, what the Farm is, a lot of other things that informs why Sidestep is doing the things they do. This isn't to be mean or mysterious (though I play that bit up online), it is to make sure the reader have no ability to judge whether Sidestep is justified or not yet. I want the blindness to facts there because I want people to interact with the feelings, with the angst, the rage, the guilt, everything simmering around in there. I want people to feel, not think.

A writing question. How do you approach writing an unreliable narrator (such as Sidestep), and would you have any advice on it?

Stay in the character's headspace at all times when writing. Make sure to have other people surround the character that won't call them out on it, but will on occasion act in ways that can make the reader question the truth of what the main character thinks. Have the discrepancies be small at the start, on occasion slightly larger. Eventually there might come a point where the reader realizes the truth, but that point will come at different stages in the story for everyone. I think the main thing is to not do any "nudge-nudge wink-wink" with the audience. Trust the reader, don't pander to them. They will figure it out. Or not.

What is the difference in how Ortega views a Sidestep that has seemingly lost their telepathy vs a Sidestep that still has powers? I found it interesting that during an argument in Rebirth, Ortega describes the former as looking "bleak", but the latter as "empty".

I think it is Ortega projecting a lot on how they would feel about loosing their powers on Sidestep. They have a hard time understanding that it might be a relief in some ways, and see it as Sidestep having lost something intrisic to them.

Roughly how ethical are the world governments? I'm so curious since I've been following real world politics since before I could talk(my mom was a political junkie). The thought of any of our actual leaders having access to superpowers or gene splicing is terrifying.

There are no ethical governments. There might be ethical people in politics, but I very much doubt they get very far. I am a cynic at heart. There might be governments and politicians that genuinely wants what's best for people, but the issue is that at that point they are very far removed from what most regular people actually need, and too wrapped up in what the people with money rely on.

So how hard is it to get Argent to cut you? Cause that's only ever happened once in my playthroughs. Also how hard or easy is it to manipulate the main cast, I'm looking for a general idea not specifics. Where'd be the fun in knowing what buttons to push?

I would say it is hard. It is one of the achievements that fewest people have got if I look at the steam stats (2.7% in Rebirth, 6,1% in Retribution). She tries to keep control. Manipulating people is easier, but staying at arm's-length emotionally while you do it might be harder.

Minor question about argent's nanos: do they differentiate between types of meat (mammal, bug, fish ect.) or as long as it's meat it's fine?

Human is best, after that pork, then mammal.

How's the music scene in the FHverse? Both underground and mainstream. Is it similar to ours or have new unique movements popped up because of the rise of mods and boosts? 

I would say that it is similar to ours in most parts.

So we know Ortega theorizes about why step doesn't want their face photographed, but do they theorize about why step doesn't show skin?

Shy and self-conscious. It's not that unusual, though Sidestep takes it to the extreme. Many people got phobias and hangups.

You've said more paths are gonna be added to the pupstuck demo we got. Are you gonna update the same post with the new stuff or will the next batch have a separate post?

It looks like the one I am working on next will slot into this one. But not sure. I have two alternatives, just not sure if one is worth the work.

In paths where neither Herald nor Steel interrupt Argent when she's carving up Step's face in the hospital-- how do the Rangers find out what happened? Do they check the camera footage when the nurse finds Step covered in blood the next morning? or did they find out sooner than that?

Argent told a nurse on the way out of the hospital to go check on Sidestep, so they got help pretty quickly. But yes, they find it out by checking the camera. Argent made a point not to delete that footage, she's willing to stand for what she did.

How well do you think the main cast members would do in Marvel or DC?

I think everyone would fit in nicely.

Who among the cast has the most creative subconscious when it comes to nightmares? Everyone has pretty bad traumas, yes, but whose nightmares are straight out of a horror movie rather than, I don't know, more realistic ones (in-universe). 

Argent. By far. Though Herald has some interesting visual ones.

What are the telepath ratings? Locus was referred to as an alpha level telepath, what is required for the levels? And what level is Sidestep now?

There is no specific requirement other than public consensus. All the boosts are so variable, even a thing like "telepathy" can be very different between people. Sidestep is Alpha going on Omega.

The cast has a lot of bilinguals. Who amongst them have bye-lingual moments the most? (eg: forgetting a word in one language only to remember in the other one, switching between languages and not noticing etc etc) (As a bilingual myself i had to ask!)

I would say Ortega. Though I don't write it out, I imagine the talks with Sidestep might shift back and forth between Spanish and English depending on the subject.

will we able to joke about our regene nature in future books? (Eg: "what are you, five?" "Jokes on you I've never been five!")

Sidestep is a troll, once the cat is out of the bag and the world has not crumbled, of course they'd use it.

How do the members of the HG and Ember syndicates express their membership? Is it pure trust in stating your membership? Secret handshake? Badge or token? Coordinated uniforms like Team Rocket from Pokemon?

I would say that Lord Ember absolutely is the type to be into coordinated uniforms. Not sure if it's for everyone, but he absolutely has that kind of ego. Hollow Ground on the other hand would be a lot stealthier. Probably a combination of knowledge/trust (they're big on the whole family thing) and some kind of secret handshake type deal. Not good advertising yourself if you're trying to remain a myth you know...

If sidestep and ace were playing poker and both were cheating with their respective abilities, who would win?

Ace. The easiest way for them to win would be to never even look at the cards and play blind. Sidestep would have nothing to go on then.

Would the Rat King's telepathy work on AI?

Nope.

When Argent is scrubbing Sidestep from the Ranger's and Memorial's systems do you have an idea of what Argent does when soft to get that extra SD reduction? Is it just because she starts before Ortega asks her? Or does she risk a more in person confrontation where she tells the doctors it's classified like the puppet can?

It's a combination of acting quickly with damage control, and some judicious hands-on confrontation with important individuals. Also, she can make sure all the security camera footage is lost quite easily...

What would happen if Vera transformed from pigeon to human in an enclosed space? Would she get squished or break the container based on its durability? Can she stop and revert her transformation in progress?

It would be based on the durability, she'd crack a glass container or a birdcage, but have issues in a small concrete room. She can halt/reverse her transformation, though there might be issues with "breaking" in the middle. Better than the alternative though...

Is Argent's speed and strength just generic physical boosts from her TBR or just the nanovores?

I would say about 50% from the nanovores for the speed part, and 90% from the nanovores for the strength part.

If the Farm hadn't picked up Sidestep off the sidewalk during HB, would they have gotten killed in the airstrike that followed? 

Most likely.

How resistant are the cast + HG to close relationship / romanced Sidestep (sibling Sidestep for HG) to their puppy dog eyes?

Most resistant to least: Argent, Herald, Hollow Ground, Dr. Mortum, Ortega, Chen. Not sure about Dove and Sky-Raider yet!

The curiosity is finally too much for me, in the HG visit demo what was HG about to say to Terrifying Step here before deciding not to? 

"That could be de..." ${hghe} @ihgsv hesitateslhesitate} a moment, reconsidering whatever comment $(hghe} had planned. “You know what, I'm not going to comment on that. The fact that you want to be a nightmare creature says enough."

I... I don't remember. I really don't. Right now just pick what would be funniest.

This question originates from hilarious shenanigans but now I'm genuinely curious: Has anyone that took the Super Hero Drug gotten a super powerful Booty? I.E. a Booty Boost? Booty centered powers? 

Only tangentially. I can see several physical powers (sprinting, attractive, etc) that might lead to a powerful ass.

Is the Canadian province of Alberta still rat-free? What are the Rat King's thoughts on its anti-rat sentiment? 

In the interest of rat supremacy, I don't think Alberta is rat-free anymore. Also, what an interesting fact! I had no idea that was the case!

When Shroud drains someone, does the drain time differ between people? Do stronger Boosts take longer? Could she stop in the middle and let the person recover?

Yes, the time differs, and boosts or people with more physical stamina takes longer (gives more juice). Technically she can stop halfway, but it's very hard for her. A bit like breaking a suction seal, it takes effort. And, most of the time, she doesn't have the will to. She's always hungry. Other people could get her off her victim, but again, it would take force. Most of the time the victim can't do anything, it takes a rare person to be able to act while she's absorbing. If interrupted, the victim would eventually recover, but if it had been going on too long they might lose part of themselves permanently.

Do electric vehicles exist in fhr? If so would argent own one?

Not outside enclosed indoor areas like factories and stuff. There's not the infrastructure for it. Gas is easier that way. As for Argent owning one... please note how many times she has been stuck in traffic while riding cabs...

Is Argent's strength dependant on how many nanovores she has in a given part of her body? If so, does she have them move around relevant parts to boost her ability to do a certain task? (eg more nanovores to her legs when she needs to make an extra far jump, or more to her arms when she needs to throw something extra hard)

Yes, that is happening, and but it's usually not more noticeable than bulging muscles as people exert effort and so on.

This has been asked about fighting ability a few times but I don’t think it’s ever been asked about tactical ability, how do the Rangers + Fight/Tac Steps stack up in that regard?

That's a little bit more spoilery, but I would say that in order from most tactical to least it's something like: Chen/Sidestep - Ortega - Argent - Herald.

How does Argent feel about movies like The Matrix or Terminator where a core part of the plot revolves around the machines uprising and getting into a war against humanity?

The Matrix doesn't exist in this universe, but she does love the Terminator! She's not worried about a machine uprising, she, if anybody, would be aware of their limits. Cool effects though!

What are the Rangers' reactions to learning about low presentation, tunnel base Sidestep having a ton of funds(without Sidestep revealing the source of said funds is crime)?0

Chen: "Some people are really committed to the gremlin act." Argent: "Bro (gn), you live like this?" Herald: "Is this the opposite of a hoarding problem?" Ortega: "I knew it was bad. Just not that bad."

Do the Rangers get paid more or do the Guardians?

The Rangers does.

Does Porthole have any admirers? They sound gorgeous. What’s their presentation stat like?

I would say that Porthole has admirers! Their fighting armor is less elaborately decorated (repairs), but style is important. I think their presentation stat would be near maxed out.

What would Porthole(brain in a jar) think about Rat King(brains in a jar) and vice versa?

Spoilers.

Does the villain get auto reveal as a telepath on the puppet path since it seems like the imposter is trying to use Step's powers even if they are doing a poor job

I only have one single Impostor variable for the puppet right now, so at the moment, yes. Whether that's still true in the future we'll see,

Will there be a chance to have a similar experience with Steel when it comes to removing the HG thread in the future, for those with a positive relationship but didnt trigger the option in retribution? (Forgive me if it's been asked before)

Yeah, probably. I see no reason to time-lock it, there just needs to be enough trust.

What would Porthole's jamming tech feel like to a technopath like Argent? 

Glitchy stroboscope.

Did Temerain ever have a different name in her vigilante career or was she always Temerain?

She was always Temerain.

Does Bumblebee ever feel bad compared to Herald? I imagine being the worse flyer on the worse hero team would hit her self esteem.

She's not the worse flyer, she's a different flyer! She thinks she could outmanouver him easily in a game of tag.

Did Porthole lose/discard their organic body by choice? Is their brain boosted?

Spoilers.

Did Heartbreak gain their initial telepathy from Project Stripes?

Yes.

What is Arde's everyday style of dress?

Basically coveralls.

Are Lord Ember's fire powers touch based? Or can he throw it/start random fires?

He can throw fire/do the flamethrower. Think napalm.

Do you think Julia would of had a quince? And if yes, did Elena manage to get her into a dress? 

Julia was not averse to dresses. She could and still will dress up! She was averse to the expectations of how she was supposed to act in them... I don't think she had a quince though.

i know there's a way to ruin hollow grounds relationship with jake but can we ruin their relationship with nocturne too?

I mean... I don't think it can be done, but if I write and it makes sense I won't be against doing it! It's not written in stone or anything.

Was Ortega's modding a product of the bionic and cybernetic division of Project Stars/Stripes? Was Ortega's father aware of Project Stars/Stripes?

Ortega's father was aware of Stars, not Stripes. And I would say it's tangentially related, but not within the scope of the program.

How exactly did 5 Pennies react to the museum getting blown up?

FUCK!

With enough practice, could Argent be able to freely transform and reform her body at will without worrying about losing control of her nanovores, or is that beyond her potential?

In theory, yes. In practice, her fear of losing herself would put a stop to that.

How many TBRs has Sidestep been through?

Depends a bit on your Sidestep. I would say four that I count. Some people might say three, others more. It's not like it's a known science with clear boundaries. Not every trauma is a TBR. And not all TBR's are [REDACTED].

If Argent tells the villain to stop killing is she surprised if they actually seem to listen & does she regret not doing it sooner? & has anyone else considered that there might be a correlation between the bridge fight & the villains behavior?

Argent doesn't do regret (at least she tries not to do that). She's just glad it worked. As for if anybody has picked it up... depends on how closely they study the villain. So it will vary depending on the run.

Are new nanovores built/assembled or does the swarm lay eggs that quickly hatch and mature?

I would say it's more like cell division, they assemble copies of their internal structure, and then splits in two.

Do mods like Chen's and Ortega's have an impact on their life expectancy? 

Yeah, most likely.

Speaking of life expectancy, what is it for the average person in the world of Fallen Hero? We've seen how our current medical advancement has dramatically increased human life expectancy here in the real world. From what I can tell, Fallen Hero is leaps and bounds ahead in medical technology, so do people live longer on average as well? 

Not on the west coast. The thing that mostly affects the increase in average life expectancy is infant mortality, and that is currently higher than it is today due to environmental damage and the cost of healthcare. The thing is, it doesn't matter how good medical tech is if you can't afford it/have access to it.

How old does the Eternal Monarch of Britain look?

Like a pleasant old gramma.

What is each Ranger's biggest fear? Asking for a villain. 

Ahahaha nice try. Not gonna tell you.

What was it about Ember that made Argent trust him once?

He can actually be surprisingly charismatic before he loses his cool. I know I'm dragging him here, but he wouldn't have reached the place is if people didn't feel inspired to follow him.

If, theoretically, an organ was somehow transplanted into Anathema's body, would that organ eventually become invincible?

Yes.

How thorough/specific is the regene languages vocabulary? Like would “housecat”, “mountain lion”, & “tiger” all use the same signs or would there be some form differentiation?

I think they would be used with modifiers like: smallcat, bigcat, stripedbigcat and so on. Only the things they experience often and in everyday life would have separate core words.

Where did the idea for terrifying armor emitting infrasound come from?

The theory that the bad vibes of some haunted buildings could be explained by infrasound from traffic or wind in certain structures.

Jumping off this quesiton... if you somehow got one of Anathema's organs in you...is that organ still invincible?

No.

Who among the cast give the best massages?

Ortega. Good hands.

Has Sidestep thought about a boost with super senses seeing through their armor?

Yes. They've taken care not to confront boosts they know have those powers. They're not too common in the city though, the sensory stimulation there tends to drive people a bit nuts.

Out the nebulous pool of escaped Regenes, which would you say has the most ambitious or biggest plans for their future? Are there any with greater goals than Sidestep?

Sidestep is the top there. No contest.

Theoretically, could Thief-step(perhaps with HG backing) amass enough money to buy out the Farm as an operation? What would be the cast's reaction to such a purchase? What would Regina's be? 

Nope. Not even theoretically. It's not a public operation that would be for sale any more than the CIA would be.

How do horror movies impact Argent in relation to her vores? Can they be dangerous? A needed challenge to help her get them under control?

Apart from helping her be a bit less sensitive to gore, there's really nothing deep about Argent's love of horror. She just likes the genre.

If Blaze cries and he’s using/recently used his powers, do they evaporate upon hitting his skin? Does he save money on things like kettles and heaters by boiling the water/heating the room himself?

Yeah, I think the tears would evaporate then. And I wouldn't say he saves money by boiling water himself, it's just quicker, and it helps him with control.

if chen saw hollow ground on the street (with ortega not having told him about tinfoil ) what would he assume their relationship to sidestep was? another regene or genetic donor?

Someone who looks like Sidestep? Hmmm... I think he would assume coincidence, genetic donor, or another regene from the same batch. It would be impossible to say for sure, he'd leave all options open.

Does the Rat King get offended if Sidestep picks "Rat King" as a villain name? 

No.

Are there fake boosts? People who say their boosts let them talk to the dead or make them psychic or something because they want to scare folks? 

Oh yes!

Do Rangers get off days?

Yeah, but there's always one of them on active duty.

Could Step possess an animal?

Not fully, no. But control lightly (suggest) and briefly hooking into their senses, yes. It would depend on the animal, and the sensory issues might be troublesome as Sidestep would have no way to properly interpret things like scent-profiles and such. It would mostly be vision and audion.

How are boosted or modded villains handled in small towns away from the major cities? Is that under the rangers jurisdiction? 

It's not Ranger's jurisdiction except in Nevada (Dave does what he likes and is always on the move). They might be called in to handle big problems though. Normally it's local heroes or vigilantes who deal with that.

could the nanovores lock onto pycroclast while he's in ash form? would they follow the central part of the ash/largest part of ash/what?

Nope. He'd be uninteresting to them.

Does Argent's form shift around while she sleeps, or is it stable?

It is stable. Even in her nightmares. She's quite proud of that, she put up cameras to check.

How would Mortum react to losing a street race against Nehal?

"Merde. Losing to a five year old..."

Does Spoon like his pj's? What's his favorite? 

Whichever is the dirtiest/longest since it was washed.

Does he have any of those ones that resemble the stegosourus?

That looks cute as hell, so Chen must have bought one.