Questions are Answered! (Patreon)

Alright, answered your questions for the month. Enjoy! The ones for the latest demo are at the end, behind a spoiler warning.

Could sidestep make more puppets on their own? What they did carter in one route is kind of similar to what happened to the puppet and if they could improve this proccess could they make someone braindead while leaving their nervous system intact?

I think that theoretically Sidestep could do this. In practice, the act of erasing someone's mind and personality so thoroughly is more tricky than it looks at a first glance. One of the hardest things would be that to erase the mind Sidestep needs to perceive it, which means that they will also remember parts of it. And what is remembered is never truly gone, so a resurgence, even if partial, would always be a risk.

If so, could sidestep begin collecting heroes, villains and in general powerful boosts/mods to use as puppets?

Again, extremely theoretically maybe, but considering that heroes and villains tends to have very strong self-images in the first place (you don't go that route without an inflated ego) it would be nearly impossible. Even the mist ruthless of Sidesteps would have dismissed this as not worth the risk and effort. It's a bit like... could you build a F1 car from scratch if you had access to a garage and tools? Yes, theoretically you could. Practically? Not likely, even if you are a gifted car mechanic.

And in the context of the 'viewing humans as dolls' metaphor, would they be called 'action figures'?

I chuckled. That's a good one.

Will we...get a chance to make Ortega jealous...on purpose?

I think some Sidesteps might be petty enough for that, yes. Ortega is not above jealousy.

Have any of the Rangers ever stumbled upon someone about to boost themself? If so, did they try to talk them out of it? Did it work? (Or, if they haven't; would they, if they found themselves in that situation?)

I don't think that either of them have. It really is an interesting question, I think all of them would try to talk the person down because of the risks involved. It's a bit like talking someone down from a rooftop.

Will there be any opportunities to start a poly romance in book 3, if you didn't initiate it at the end of book 2? (Ex. Flirting with Daniel and Ortega, and having dinner at Ortega's house, not able to properly confess feelings for Daniel) Additionally, will we get to see a little more of how the poly ROs feel for each other?

Yes, you will. My plan is to have options to do that in every book, I don't want to lock paths as much as I can get away with. And I don't plan to have this option tied to a particular ending, though the timing of where it lands will obviously vary. And while I will stick to Sidestep's viewpoint (other than in epilogues) you will get to see the RO's interact more, and what kind of vibe they have together. I really, really enjoy writing the poly (and friendship) interactions.

If it's not a spoiler, what did Armadillo think of Cuckoos and escapees before their escape? How did their feelings change (if at all) post-escape?

We will get into it in game, but I think I can reveal that Armadillo didn't have much interaction with Cuckoos beforehand, as they were a solid combat model. Their view was very basic, they saw cuckoos half as teacher's pets, but they also felt that they were very lonely, and that was kinda sad. No change of those emotions yet, but Sidestep might change that.

If Sidestep got temporarily turned into a rat, would their range/telepathy scale with their size? Would they have access to rat telepathy frequencies like the Rat King, or is a multi-rat-brain set up necessary for that kind of telepathy?

Oh boy, that is an interesting question. We have already determined that rat brains ARE capable of telepathy, and that it is slightly different from human. I will say Ratstep's power would not adapt to their size but remain the same. It will be slightly different, but as you guessed, some of the rat-king shenanigans requires five linked brains to offload certain things to.

...Unrelated, but how would Ortega feel about a very small animal climbing onto them?

Mmmm you know what? I don't think Ortega would like that. Does Ortega dislike mice and vermin? Huh. Have I found a weak point at last?

Would Step's regene tattoos carry over at all if they got transformed into an animal (any animal)? Would it depend on the animal (like turtles vs sphynx cats vs frogs etc)?

Yes, they would. But whether they were seen would vary. For a turtle, the tattoos would show on the shell only if it was a soft-shelled variety. For hairy animals, the pattern would be seen on the skin and there would be no hair growing on the pattern. It is tied to the skin.

Is there going to be a way for Step to possibly reach an Omega boost classification without opening all 9 gates, or will that be the sole prerequisite?

The gates have nothing to do with reaching Omega level, it is more that gates tends to open during the same situations that might cause telepathic growth.

I have a Theory about Step. Could it be that at the Farm they tried to delete their Memorys and failed. And that was what made them Curios about Sidestep. Because it would explain why there Memory is that damaged.

I think we can say that is a very good theory which contains a lot of truths.

Will it be at all Possible for Step (primarily no kill Step) at the end of Book 4 to be like "I want to try and mend things with the Rangers and turn themself in , and stand Trial like Steel wants. (Maybe go to Prison)

I haven't decided all the endings of book four, but that has been one of the ones I have been playing around with.

In the same line of Thinking, will it be Possible for Step to join the Rangers or be a Hero again, maybe open as a re-gene as a sort of im Sorry tour. (Sort of to show the world Re-Genes are not so bad and quite nomal.

Also an ending that is on my possible list.

At the end of Book 4 will Step and the Ro be able to adopt.

I think at least I want an option to talk about that, once everything has died down. Some Sidesteps would want to finally be able to begin a life.

Did Locus encounter the same fate than the other missing telepaths or something else happened to her ? Did she agree to be where she is right now ?

Hmmmm. Tangentially related, but not the same. She is not happy with her current circumstances at all.

What's the difference in capability between, say, 70% Subtle Manipulations with Telepathy, vs 80%, or 90%? Is it mostly vibes based, or are there specific things a 90% might be able to do over, say, an 80%? Same for Force of Mind.

Mostly vibes based. I tend to have cutoff points for certain stunts, usually 70 - 75 - 80 with the odd one higher than that. It is less what Sidestep can do, but more if they have the focus, finesse, or power to defeat what particular problem that is in their way. Even the lowest telepathy Sidestep has access to the same playbook as the highest (so far), they just wouldn't be as strong a user. There might be particular talents coming in the future, but I will most likely handle this as tags/flags instead of tying them to a number.

Sorry if this has already been asked, but do you have any idea when Book 3 will officially be released?

No idea. It is as impossible to predict as the world. I am finally progressing at a pace I like after like two years of life chaos, so that is good!

On Lady Argent's route, if we choose the murderer/killer path and stick by it, are we destined to get dumped and end up alone or will it still be possible for us to stay together?

It won't be an easy ride, and Sidestep most likely will get dumped, but it's not impossible to clear that hurdle depending on what happens. People are corruptible.

Will there be a poly romance between Lady Argent, Dr. Mortum and our dear Sidestep? (I can't help falling for Lady Argent! When shes so persistent at her job chasing us lol)

I can see that happening. They'd go well together! Haven't written it yet, but they'll get ample opportunities to interact in book three.

During book three will there be a cough cough conversation between Mortum and Sidestep about Lady Argent or vice versa when Mortum finds out about our dates with Lady Argent. Or when Lady Argent finds out that the scientist thats helping us is also our romantic partner? Oh man that'll be a fun conversation to see come undone.

Awkward conversations are so fun to write! So. Yes.

Will it be possible to get Lady Argent to help us with Catastrofiend in Dr. Mortums lab?

This is just the first draft, I am considering alternative paths too, and Argent is one of the options on the table, yes.

Why in puppetcrash puppetstuck path with hight puppet individuality we are unable to deny working for The Villain ? The puppet never said for who they work with, but when we wake up Ortega strangely knows and we can't call out their (potential) bluff.

I need to go and doublecheck that, to see what variables trigger it. It sounds strange, but it is also a complicated scene that needs some digging into.

I'm stuck writing a section of my fanfic even though I have a pretty good idea of what should occur. How do you deal with writer's block?

For me, there are usually two cases of writer's block. One is that I might simply be burned out, and there are too many things going on in real life to be able to focus, everything feels overwhelming. In that case, the only cure is doing something completely different that is NOT writing. Rest. Read. Clean the entire house. Work in the garden. Whatever. And, this is important, setting a time during which you are not allowed to write. A week. Two weeks. Whatever. I need to give my brain permission to not wake up every day and enter writing angst mode. I often make a note in my calendar that tells me that this day I can start writing again. If it's still an issue after that, the problem might be number two.

The second reason is that my subconsciousness has spotted an issue with the story I have not realized yet. Something is off, but I can't name it. This was a HUGE block at the start of Revelations for me, which eventually lost me so much time, deleted text, and the entire revamp of the start to the fusion plan. Even if you think you know where to go next, that might not be the right way to go. One trick to get past that is something I often use: Write a future scene instead. Jump ahead to something you really have looked forward to. Once you do that, you might realize that there are things that needs to happen to get to this point that you hadn't accounted for and you need to adjust your plans. Or you might realize that the intervening scenes weren't really that interesting and can be condensed down a lot, or even handled in a timeskip/flashback.

A third reason, which I don't really get these days but which was bit at the start, is that I was afraid of the transition from super cool idea in my head, and bland, uninteresting scene on paper. I was afraid of ruining the vision I had by trying to make it reality. The only way to go through that is to write and allow yourself to be shit. You will hate your scene more than the reader will, because you have spent so much work on it and knows it doesn't measure up to your idea, but the reader will have no idea. They will only see what is on the page. Trust them.

How often do you get asked about writer's block?

It happens. I think that is one of the things writers struggle with the most, it feels so easy in our brains but to get it out on paper is scary at times!

How many clones can Joe sustain at one time? If there doesn't seem to be a hard limit, what's the maximum number of them he has produced?

Every clone takes a lot of effort. He can handle three (including himself) on the regular now, but has on occasion split himself in up to ten copies. However, at that point they grow a lot weaker, and can only be used for diversions.

Can Joe decommission his clones remotely or do they have to be killed for that to happen? Do their bodies remain after they are decommissioned, or do they somehow disappear/evaporate/etc? Can he re-fuse with his clones?

He can decommission them, which would count as reabsorbtion. No need for touch, it will happen automatically if he loses concentration or falls unconscious. This will also happen if they are killed. They collapse into clear slime which then evaporates into smoke, which takes about a minute. The smoke smells sweet, the slime is non-toxic.

I don't know if this has been asked already but I have to ask... Has Joe ever tried hooking up with his clones? If no, is it out of a lack of interest/curiosity in doing something with "himself", or because he views them platonically/as family.

Oh the classic "would I fuck a clone?". The answer is no. Joe is one of the straight ones out there. He sees them as himself.

When ortega talks about being the last resort for a telepath that could pierce numbers and sidestep has over 3 gates they have a strong reaction. does this mean sidestep with over 3 gates can pierce thru numbers?

Not specifically, but there are reasons for that reaction. And we are rapidly approaching the point in some cases where Sidestep will be able to pit themselves both against numbers, and Ortega's static, just like they navigated dampeners in book two.

How does Daniel normally carry Ortega when flying them to and from Elena's ranch? Piggyback, princess/bridal carry, something else?

I will resist the urge to picture Ortega riding Daniel like a surfboard. I think piggyback is best for Ortega's pride.

how does Herald actually propel himself around, if his powers are more about gravity manipulation than your classic concept of Flying?

He's basically falling forward (adjusting his personnal gravity field). This is also why his top speed matches terminal velocity speed for a falling object.

does arde need to take calcium supplements in order to keep their carapace healthy/strong?

Oh yes! Calcium and keratin.

does arde undergo a molting period?

At first, as he grew. Not since he reached his full adult size, unless he has undergone severe carapace damage.

does arde bugkeep as a hobby? do they specialize in something (beetles, isopods, mantids, etc.) or do they keep a wide array?

No, Arde doesn't like to keep things trapped. They do feed bugs around Dove's hideout though, and likes to arrange little environments for them to live happily in.

Is it red meat specifically that Daniel craves because of his boost or just meat in general?

Red meat is better, but meat in general. Liver especially. He can afford it, but it does cause conflict with some of his non-meat eating friends, so he tries to not do it around them.

What nutrients in the meat make him crave it?

Basically proteins and iron, classic muscle building stuff. Plus a lot of trace minerals and amino acids that he needs in high doses. He's got supplements to help, but there are a lot of minor things that are hard to get perfect. He's getting his bloodwork monitored on the regular, to see if he misses vitamins or trace minerals.

Has a military/federal/corporate/otherwise political person/entity ever had an LD ranger assassinated or have attempted to assassinate them? Not counting Chen.

Yes.

Does Arde take any interest in Vera’s pigeon keeping?

Yes. Arde loves the sounds they make.

Daniel says that the few potential Ranger recruits post Heartbreak (aside from him and Argent of course) that passed the security checks were denied by Chen since he gets final say as the Marshal. What made Chen refuse them? Was it even Chens decision or is that just what Daniel believes?

Daniel doesn't know the exact truth there. But Chen did refuse a few of them that he saw as obvious military infiltrators.

Which Rangers have tried to recruit new members and what did they see in their potential candidates?

I think Herald has made a lot of suggestions, but not all of them were even interested. Ortega also suggests some, but runs into similar issues with legitimacy. Both of them see similar things, competent people who would be an asset to any team, whom they like, and they feel has the right attitude.

are there any candidates that chen rejected that ortega would’ve taken on?

One or two, yeah. Ortega is less suspicious. Or, one can see it as a way to keep your spies close so you can figure out who they are working for. Ortega is a risk taker, Chen is not.

Could you see yourself adding future opportunities to get into it with Herald if you have a tense/ negative relationship with him? Like, the text thus far trends toward the reasoning behind hating Herald always being something to do with jealousy or that he's 'everything you could have been,' so, any plans to revisit the issue (especially with a Step that's rejected him for training) and have more options as far as what one's problem with him really is?

When I write arguments, they come when it feels right in the text. I want to have many options to confront people, and I hope that I get something similar to this in this book. Hard to predict though.

Ortega takes credit for killing the Void to shift attention away from Sidestep, how did they say it happened? How did they explain the lack of a body?

Void's powers were weird, their body dissolved into shadows and goo. Ortega is a good liar, and it's not uncommon that powerful boost bodies suffer a catastrophic breakdown on death. Some more volatile powers even explode.

What's the situation with stray cats and dogs in Los Diablos like?

Very common. Many pets were abandoned after the big one, and both cats and dogs can thrive in this climate. There is a sort of natural balance between dogs, cats, rats, possums, raccoons and coyotes. They are all urban creatures to a varying degree, some are doted on by humans, others are victims of extermination attempts. Any form of vermin control is very haphazard. Rabies is a danger, and the occasional case often leads to a renewed hunt for vermin.

Cats: In general there is a divide between people who appreciate stray cats, or see them as a problem. The former feed strays, build them shelters for the cold season, and see them as an ally against mice and rats and smaller vermin. There are more moderate organizations that work to neuter adult cats and capture kittens for adoption, trying to keep the population from exploding, while still using them for pest control. As a contrast, others attempt to exterminate all non-native animals, cats included. They are concerned about the cats' effect on the local wildlife, especially the bird population. They tend to trap and remove, and while many of them love cats, they see them as indoor pets only. With both feral dogs and coyotes being natural enemies of cats, the city is not overrun, though some areas have proper cat-colonies.

Dogs: After the Big One, there was a massive problem with roving packs of feral dogs, the descendants of the ones who were abandoned in the ruins. These were a danger even to humans, and some say that the early years of Los Diablos rebuilding was only possible after those packs had been dealt with. These days the strays are fewer, and seldom roam in large packs. They are still a danger in the outlying areas and the surrounding hills, but most communities try to deal with them.

How long is Sidestep's Farm code/designation? We know that they tend to be 2-4 letters followed by 6-8 numbers with longer ones being for the newer/later generations, so would Sidestep be an early gen one with a shorter code?

Two letters, seven numbers. I might change my mind later.

Did you read 'The King in Yellow'?

I never managed the book, no. Been playing a lot of Cthulhu scenarios concerning it though. Some really good!

How does it feel for Dove to be in pigeon for? Does it affect how she thinks and feels things? Does she gain the ability to see more colors in pigeon form, and if so, does she miss it when she reverts back to a human form?

She has pigeon senses while in that body. And that includes eyesight, smell and hearing, as well as other, more bird-like senses. She misses some when back in human form, but wouldn't give up her sense of taste for anything. She likes being in pigeon form, she would say it makes her feel safe to be part of the flock. She still thinks like a person, but she doesn't always react like one. The body influences the mind too.

Does Elena have any nicknames/endearments for Ortega?

Oh she does, but I need to come up with them first...

Also is there such thing as telepathic spoofing or dummy minds? Like some tech/biotech that would be "readable" or convey messages to a telepath

An interesting thought! I will remember this suggestion...

When trying to convince Sidestep to try therapeutic casts, Ortega says they used one when they broke their arm a few years back. How did they break their arm? Or are they just lying to sell Sidestep on the idea lol

Ortega did break their arm! Parried a punch from a villain they should have dodged, and broke both bones in their lower arm.

Do Vera/Ben/Mortum know that sidestep stopped the nanosurge/void? Who knows the truth vs the official narrative? Will their reactions to learning the truth be in the game or are those conversations out of scope for b3/b4?

All three knows that Sidestep stopped the nanosurge I think. As for the void... I don't think either of them knows.

Who is Regina outside of the Farm and her career? - Hobbies? Favourite colour? Drink of choice? What's her family and social situation like? Did she always dream of throwing on a labcoat or was this an unexpected pivot into... questionable passion? Any (possibly not) fun facts?

I have intentionally not thought about Regina in a setting outside the laboratory because I haven't wanted to risk humanizing her in my head. So all of this is blank, she only exists as Sidestep sees her for now.

I have a very important question following up on the last one; if Regina would have a preference, would she prefer the bachelor, the bachelorette, or bachelor in paradise?

All of them are trash!

Could Dove break into Argent's apartment?

Oh boy. I... I am not so sure about that. I think she might, but it would take an extraordinary effort (and some specialized equipment). But it is more honest to say that she can't (and oh hell she hated me saying that).

What enhanced classification are the laser dolphins' boosts and mods?

That actually varies more than people think. Some are only lightly changed, while a few select are full alpha level boosts, or type A mods. Most don't even have the laser, but it only takes a few in a pod to give them that reputation.

What do their mods do?

Classified. Very classified. Some of the lasers are mods. Others are not.

Could Sidestep (or another telepath) convince themselves they’ve got health issues from the telepathic bleedover of other peoples’ bodily needs/issues?

Oh yes. That is what shields are for. The worst people being around are people trying to quit smoking.

If Daniel dogsits for Spoon at his own place, does he have to use the floor entrance when he brings Spoon home because of Spoon being too wiggly to fly with, or has he managed to figure something out?

He takes the floor entrance most of the time. Spoon is hard to predict when flying.

Is Spoon well-behaved at Ortega and Daniel's places?

I would say so, yes. But spoiled.

Hypothetically speaking, if Sidestep had managed to physically knock out Void instead of Voiding her what would Ortega have done considering they were supposed to kill them?

Zap. Or stab. There are options. At that point Ortega would have had no qualms.

Given pigeons haven a notorious reputation for being terrible nest builders, how messy is Vera's room/house?

Arde helps with that.

Does Dove name her pigeons?

Of course! They are individuals.

Does her dad?

Yes, but he doesn't always remember the ones that are not his favorites.

What would you say are the main differences between the outside vs friendless scars, given they often overlap? Why were they made two different scars, rather than just folding friendless into outside?

Like many scars, they share some bits. Originally it was just a single one, after all. I would say that the main difference is that Friendless is more active. Sidestep 'choose' to cut away connection and people for reasons that felt right at the time. You need to have friends in the first place to lose them. An active choice to stand apart. While Outside is an inability to connect, because Sidestep has forgotten how. More of a passive, maybe they never had it in the first place. Out of phase with reality.

What does Dread Reactor and the pod of laser dolphins think about each other? Rivals? Stay clear of each other? Allies?

They don't. Staying clear.

What's the typical height/weight/build of terrorbeasts? Do they still appear fairly human or are most modded/enhanced to the point of resembling or matching the catfiend in terms of nonhuman appearance?

Extremely variable. While some might look almost human, they are made up to be terrible creatures with costumes and weapons in order to fit the bill. Most are modded if needed. They need to be able to scare people, either on sight, or by having powers that induces the same effects. In general, the more human/normal looking a terror beast is, the more fearsome are its powers. The Catastrofiend would be the ideal, but that is also expensive. Most never go that far.

How would Ortega act Sidestep yelling at them with their entire full name? First, middle and last

Instinctive freeze.

can we fit rat king's robot body with taste receptors? they deserve to enjoy blueberries and pancakes and every sweet rat treat

An interesting challenge!

Bouncing off of that if I, a human being, were to eat one of Rat King’s nutrition tablets what would it taste like?

Probably a bit like a cross between hay and a vitamin pill.

Was Regina present when Sidestep was first decanted?

No, her interest came later.

We know Regina studied at MIT but where was she born/raised? (Is the real reason for the initial Herald hatred in Rebirth due to her also being from Massachusetts & Step detected the Masshole in him as well?)

I think she's a New Yorker.

Green Sky decided not to try & recruit Regina prior to her joining the SD because of her ties to the military. Would it be a spoiler//irrelevant to ask what exactly those ties were?

She's worked for them as a contractor on various projects.

I’ll go ahead and bite the bullet on this one, in a previous QnA you said Regina often uses her sexuality as a way to further her goals. Based solely on appearance could Regina be considered conventionally “hot”?

Yes, she would.

Is there anyone in particular on the laser dolphin's most hated list?

OH yes. And you have heard their name in the story more than once.

Have the laser dolphins ever taken shots at Ortega's sunken lamborghini?

Ahahaha that would be funny, but they prefer live prey.

Regarding Arde trying alcohol, you said Arde thought there were "better drugs". What drugs have they tried?

Oh drugs were a staple at the form. For sleeping, for focus, for staying up three days in a row, and so on. Their favorite was always Pervitin, but they don't feel the need to do drugs on the outside. Here they get to sleep and eat when they want to. Smokes some weed occasionally.

Is there translation tech/mods in the FH setting? If so, how advanced are they?

Yes there is, I would say they are on the scale of a classic google translate. Works better for some languages than others.

Does the non-existance of the Omegaverse mean that the stupid alpha wolf study and the resulting even more stupid alpha male bullshit is nonexistent in FHR?

You know what? I am perfectly okay with erasing that study from existance, especially since the scientist has also walked back his claim and said his results were misunderstood (as far as I know).

How many of the Rangers are known internationally?

A handful or so. Most are not.

So how big of a piece of flesh does the Catfiend need to start regenerating from? Say, burger patty sized?

I don't think a lowest size has been estimated, I think the worst damage was with 25% or so of the body remaining.

Is Dread Reactor amphibious?

Yes.

Could Mortum ever be at risk of having their PhD rescinded? If so, how mad would they be about it?

Mortum is above such civilian/legal/academic concerns (they would be absolutely furious).

When and where was Mortum born?

I'll leave is as vague as I have left it before.

How did Ljungstrand and Jansen first meet?

Book club. They are both history nerds.

I've noticed while codediving the demos that the scar level (not type) isn't really a thing excepting one instance in the 4.2 demo with Hollow Ground. Was that because you cribbed the code from the Retri moray scene?

Yes, exactly right. I should remove the scar level from that scene too.

Is the scar level not being touched (yet) just because of the demos being more scaffolding and something to add in later, or more because of imposter-related reasons?

The latter.

If the former, will Sidestep's scar value changing be a thing in Revelations pre-imposter resolution, while either puppetstuck or selfstuck?

Scar levels might still change, but it will depend a lot on certain... spoiler things.

How does Mortum handle getting sick?

Badly. They are a bit of a whiner, though usually nobody else sees it.

How many times has a catfiend eaten another catfiend?

Now see, THERE is the real smart question! Glad to see someone's paying attention.

Does analog horror exist in the FHverse? What does/would Argent think of it?

I think so, at least a variant of it. It fits the do-it-yourself aesthetic of Los Diablos very well. I think Argent is a fan.

Same question as above but for ARGs (Alternate Reality Games)

I don't think so, the internet is not as big a part here, but I dunno. Might be out there, just on a smaller scale.

Anyone out there using their boost powers for porn? If yes, weirdest example that comes to mind?

If a thing exist, people will use it for porn. However, I will not answer the question and risk my Patreon rating. Use your imagination, weird is in the eyes of the beholder.

What does Vera's mum do for work?

She runs a small clothes store.

Will trans Sidesteps that are staying at the Ranch or with one of the Rangers have a chance to talk to them about that during the stay (if they didn't know beforehand), given that it'd presumably be near impossible to remain stealth in that scenario?

It is planned, just haven't been in the headspace. It's an intense thing to write.

Would Argent or Mortum ever attend a fashion show?

Oh yes. Would and have.

Can Arde drive?

Passably.

are the more reality-bending powers (like ace’s precog and danny’s gravity bending) Boosts that’ve started occurring relatively recently, or is it more likely that powers like those have occurred before and simply went unrecognized for what they are?

The latter.

Would Arde be okay with a Sidestep trying to subtly or not so subtly copy them? Either subconsciously or deliberately?

That would be kinda creepy.

Is the farm aware of the void space?

Not under that name.

If so, do they have any particular interest in it?

I wouldn't say that they don't.

Has Steel ever gone up against a chess themed villain? Was he/would he be annoyed or amused at such a villain?

Of course. It's not an uncommon theme, especially in gangs.

A common joke about X-Men’s Cyclops is that his mind is so disciplined & organized that it makes him wildly attractive to telepaths. That made me wonder how do the RO’s rank against each other in terms of mental discipline/orderliness?

There is nothing as an orderly mind. How would one judge that? Sure, Chen got walls and boxes and doesn't let his emotions run him, but there are also layers of shields and lies and half-truths. Daniel's mind is flowing, with few shields or boundaries, and filled with strong emotions, but it is also more in harmony with itself. Argent is deeply disciplined and controlled, because she needs to keep all her reactions in check all the time, and be aware of her body as well. Mortum remembers and catalogs, running three trains of thoughts at the same time, lever losing track of any threads. What is discipline? What is order?

Mia said she thought of herself as a war correspondent when she was younger. Did that affect how she saw heroes & villains (IE 2 opposing forces both made of complex people instead of the simple Good vs Evil) or was she already not buying into the status quo’s narrative?

Yeah, that did affect things. She wasn't ready to leap to one conclusion, and wanted to see people's varied viewpoints. She saw heroes doing bad. Villains doing good. They're all people.

We know Psychopathor is one of the old staples but do you have names for the hero & villain with the longest known careers?

That would probably be some of the ones that were active in the seventies, but I don't have a list or anything. (The Immortal Queen is neither a hero nor a villain).

Could Dove and Arde have been able to extract a crashed Puppet from hospital? Narratively I understand why Sky-Raider was sent for crashed Puppets and guilty Steps to introduce him early, but in light of the 1.2.1 conversation where Mortum is scandalized by the implication of sending him after imposterpuppet vs the 3.1/4.2 rescue it's very funny that Mortum comes across as a hypocrite lol. ("Oh, no, I wouldn't send him after ${puppet_name}." The scandalized look on ${mhis} face makes you realize ${mhe} didn't have the same qualms about you.)

I didn't include Dove/Arde in Retribution as the book was ballooning, and Sky-Raider was easier to deal with. But Mortum is a bit of a hypocrite at times...

Having said that, in hindsight, would you have Mortum send Vera after the Puppet in the puppet crashed endings and Ben for Sidestep or kept it the same because it's a case of trusting Ben more with it?

It's more a case of me not wanting to introduce more characters at that stage!

Maybe it was asked before, but if we give regenerator to Argent in the Guilty ending to prevent her from harming us, will we get a chance to return it back? Alternatively, if we loose our eye, will we be able to restore it with regenerator?

The regenerator plotline I will write as a single thing and insert it into the demo once it has fused correctly. It will be simpler, I think. As to whether it can restore an eye... doubtful, but who knows?

Could Mortum be convinced by a Puppet/Sidestep they're on good terms with to levitate pizza slices once they know about their telekinesis?

That would be hard work.

In an old ask you said that in high school Chen was good at sports, especially baseball, do you have a concrete idea of what other sports he played? & what about positions?

I know way too little about sport.

Does Armadillo watch TV/movies? If so do they have any favorite genres?

Happy family shows/movies.

Has Ortega ever been on reality TV? Anything from a simple guest host to a The Bachelor(ette) style show centered around them

I think short things like guest hosts, or a celebrity contestant on Let's Dance, and small things like that. Not the center.

Is there any other concrete info about Argent’s family that you could share? Like names or more on her past relationships with them?

Not yet. I have not invented them in detail. Just vague.

do the rangers carb-load before major events? like, was there a giant pasta dinner the night before the void attack?

You bet. Well, except Chen.

Are there any plans by you or the mods to migrate elsewhere because of Discord's future photo ID requirement policy?

I am aware of it, and looking into it. The problem currently is that most places were overloaded/not able to keep up capacity. And, since things are changing, being put off, walked back, it is hard to know what it will be. If it will be. The whole "we will infer your age from your activities" does a lot of heavy lifting. I am not married to discord as a provider (I generally prefer old message boards) but the age verification thing is spreading like a plague and I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire. It is fucked, that's what it is.

Has Mortum ever tried or succeeded making a power armor suit that requires a magical girl dancing/posing sequence to equip?

No. That's... why... why would anyone do that? What people do is their own choice, you can do the pose voluntarily you know.

Does Julia's shorter hair get in the way (eg. for fighting) since she can't tie it back anymore or is it a non-factor?

On occasion it tickles her face, yes. She sometimes uses hair clips, or a hair band when training to keep it back.

Did Julia have her braid/keep her hair long in her teens?

Yes, she had long hair until after Sidestep's death.

So on the topic of mecha, are there any Megazord style ones that can combine into bigger mecha?

While I DO love combiners, I don't think so. That is just not practical, unless it is for toys.

Both Sidestep and Hollow Ground have lived on Ortega's head rent-free for many years, but which of them has the bigger house?

Sidestep has a fucking mansion.

We know Atlantic City took over its niche but what is post-Big One Las Vegas like?

Bright. Crowded. Artificial. Has a LOT of old west-coast themed things, because now those are exotic and gone. Hollywood inspired rather than a pyramid, and so on.

Are there any other big/interesting cities in the FEZ besides the ones already mentioned (LD, Portland, San Diego, SF, & Seattle) that no ones asked about?

Probably, but I haven't thought about them!

How would non-neutered nanovores respond to vegan meat? And since they function in the ocean to some degree can/did they target fish as well?

Vegan meat is meh, but functional as a last resort. Fish is fine, but they don't function well in water. They travel on the surface there, using surface tension until they can get airborne again. Can form a kind of film on water, but doesn't dive. They're not swimmers.

Were there any notable cultural/political changes in Canada caused by the influx of Americans moving there after the Big One?

I wouldn't say there were any notable ones. There was a lot of sympathy at first, then a lot of strain as everyone realized people just wouldn't go back to where they came from any time soon. Add to that the fact that the northwest of Canada was also affected by the tsunami, around the Vancouver area, and things were tense for a while. The cultures weren't too different though, and these days it's hard to tell the difference. Some claim that the US refugees brought some go-getter attitude to Canada, while others credit them with the spread of Californian cuisine, but others thinks that is overrated. People were not that different.

So.... did Sidestep's second escape happen before or after Ortega's apartment got blown up and Chen's assassination attempt?

I genuinely don't know, I have left it vague on purpose. But they are not connected, if that is the implication.

How did Mortum go about blackmailing the W. A Bank

Mortum had some compromising information on an executive there, and used that to plant a virus within the computer system of the bank.

Was this their debut scheme, or was it one of their later plans?

I wouldn't say it was their first, but it was pretty early on. Money was needed for bigger investments in equipment.

Given that Mortum believes in the concept of multiverses, if one Mortum somehow popped into another Mortum's dimension after an experiment gone sideways, how would the two Mortums handle it? Wary and territorial or delighted about there being another them (just of a different gender) to nerd out with?

Delighted nerding out about the differences and theorizing what might have caused what.

What does Mia make of Mortum? And vice versa?

Mia thinks Mortum is polite and smells good. Mortum thinks Mia's got guts, and will NEVER let her close to their lab.

How many friends did sidestep have/ could have had? (minimum to maximum number)

I genuinely have no clue yet.

Does the US have a restriction on tonka beans in the fhr universe like they do IRL?

I don't think so. They are not banned!

Was the reason the Farm wanted Heartbreak's victim's heads intact because it was somewhat infectious? Or did they just wanna study a victim?

Hehe good question. Maybe you will learn it in this book.

Has Vera’s dad been to therapy about his experiences during the Heartbreak incident? If so, is he one of the patients related to the HB incident Finch helped in the past?

He has, as a firefighter, he needs to stay on top of his mental health. I don't know if it was Finch he spoke to, it might very well have been.

Does Vera's dad have a name yet?

Nope, haven't settled on one. Some characters takes some time.

Are there any lines that you can't see any canon version of Sidestep, no matter how evil, ever willingly crossing?

I leave that to headcanons. My only rules are not angering Apple.

Will Sidestep ever get to throw Ortega's car in the sea?

No plans for it, but the sea is useful for throwing many things.

Has anyone ever dredged up one of Ortega's sunken cars and put it near their property or Rangers HQ to make a statement?

I think there are a lot of salvage operations near the shoreline where the risk of dolphin-death is less, small-scale, people scavenging. Those cars are probably stripped for parts, or sold before the rust had a chance to show.

if anathema had taken numbers, would they experience any of the negative effects that came with it?

No. But it would also not work.

Do Steel's parents keep up with the news about him? Or do they not know/care?

They do.

Can you tell us more about your urban fantasy WIP Thief of Nightmares that Iris (and Five Pennies' iteration as the Beast) came from?

The hook was basically about a cast of three people brought together to fight the rise of the beast. One of them was who would become Iris (who had been allied to the beast but switched sides), one was a genderqueer dreamhopper/psychic called Devlin (who I stole some stuff from for Sidestep, the literal thief of nightmares), and the third was a grumpy old gangster/occultist from the seventies who had defeated the beast once back then at great cost and was now just a foul-mouthed pensioner wanting nothing to do with it. It would deal with urban legends, nightmares, and a city slowly descending into madness.

Do you have any info about Portland's founding Marshal, the Immovable Bear, or is he just an interesting name?

Just loved the name. And I see him as an actual bear.

Does Merle self identify with flamboyancy the way Mirlene does as slightly butch leaning?

Yeah, I can see that. They are both stylish.

Does he ever struggle with dysphoria (either bodily or identity-based) from being openly bi and/or more flamboyant than the average man?

Oh yes. Some days are labcoat and tie days. Trying to ignore that he has a body.

Has the Puppet met both Rosie and Bo, or only the hench we pick at the start of Rebirth?

Not sure yet, I had plans to have a cameo about what the other one is doing in Revelations, we'll see if I can fit it in.

What are Dove and Sky-Raider's entry numbers in Mitchell's files on villains?

No idea yet. Kinda high, Dove's is higher than Sky-Raiders.

Do you have any more info about Flashback, the villain with electricity powers that Ortega called the pretender?

I saw him as a cross between Booster Gold and Electro.

Was he another mod, or a boost? And how did his powers work?

Mod, but most of his powers were in the suit.

What was/is his enhanced classification?

Probably B.

How long had he been active at the time?

Maybe a year?

Is he still around?

No, his suit broke down. He's currently in jail.

We know that Sidestep is revealed to Sky Raider and Dove, but does that also include their Re-Gene nature if your legs aren't broken?

No. Don't think so. Mortum wouldn't tell needlessly, that shit is private.

What does Mia make of Herald getting her injured (though not heavily) when he barrels into Sidestep in the rob gala path, given the small hit to the Rangers rep that it causes?

Not again. She is not surprised, it happens a lot. No hard feelings.

Do you think Ortega would've spiraled the same if Anathema had been just the one to die in Heartbreak?

Not even a little. Which sounds cruel.

Was Anathema a Los Diablos native or were they born elsewhere?

I think they were a California native at least, but probably born in a smaller community, not the city.

Do you know how you're going to handle a male or genderqueer Sidestep that's currently flirting with Chen that ends up questioning their gender -> being femme presenting/a woman later down the line? Since the gender lockouts for Chen's route (at least in Retri) is that Sidestep can't be a woman, or too femme presenting as a nonbinary/genderqueer Step (I'm well aware of the long discussions had around if Chen would be an RO and/or genderlocked given his backstory), would the same conditions sort of apply here, or would there be more nuance since they'd be in a relationship already?

I genuinely have no idea. That is the danger of allowing so much choice, edge cases like this I have no answers for until I write them, or decides not to go there.

If the cast of FHR was in a Muppet movie, who would be the singular regular live actor amidst the muppets?

The objectively funniest one would be Ortega, because Sidestep muppet would be great.

Do our crew/hench have plot armor in books 3 or 4?

3 yes. 4 no.

Has there ever been a boost with a Music Meister level of ability?

Not exactly, but I think there has been boosts who have been using music to influence people's emotions.

So the Catastrofiend can rotate its head backwards like an owl, but is it also the same 270 degrees of motion, or can it do a full 360?

I would say 270 due to skin stretch issues otherwise.

How does it... do that?

Spinal modifications. It is useful in a fight.

Did/does it have any hair?

It had hair. I think it is worse if it still does. Bad hair.

Are its green eyes from ingesting Void blood?

Ehehehehehehe

Did it get its extra eyes from modding, boosting, or both?

Both.

What other languages do Ben and Vera know (aside from ASL for the latter)?

Vera speaks Spanish, Arabic and a bit of French. Ben speaks Spanish, and a smattering of Malay and Cantonese.

Will there be a path down the line where you can talk with Arde about the Farm?

Yes.

Did sidestep call the farm-staff curse words they picked up? I find the idea of sidestep randomly calling regina a bitch hilarious.

Hilarious, but oh no. That's grounds for punishment. Some Sidesteps probably did anyway.

How much does Chen contemplate picking up smoking again with the stress of a low rep Rangers and/or keeping his being allied to a known to him villainstep secret?

Only every day.

How dangerous is it for Ortega having broken ports/emitters? Would they still be able to use their powers if one was damaged, or would the emergency shutdown system prevent them from using it?

Very bad. The emergency shutdown system would prevent use. It can manually be overridden if you know how, not that Ortega would ever do a reckless thing like that...

Does this depend on the location of the damage? eg. spine ports being damaged vs hand port/emitters or arm ports?

Yes, but less location and more the number of them. Minor damage can be rerouted.

RECENT DEMO SPOILERS

Could Dove have recognized Heartbreak like Argent, since the Salehs lived near the exclusion zone?

Possibly, yeah.

Could Dove recognise pre-Nanosurge Ximena?

Possibly, yeah.

Did they know each other/interact directly?

Not directly/closely.

Does Dove break into every potential recovery location or just the one Step’s in? (IE If Step is recovering in Herald’s apartment does she still plant the bug at the ranch offscreen?)

Oh I am NOT going to tell you that!

Is Armadillo nearby during her appearances?

Depends. Not at the ranch, but at the others.

What year did government officials decide they needed countermeasures for the telepath Ortega was talking about? And did the telepath in question ever find out about/suspect it?

I wouldn't say it was a concern only about a single person, though it was one incident in 1989 that prompted them to rethink their telepathy strategy and actively forge countermeasures to deal with psychics. There had been powerful people with mind-bending powers since the seventies, and they had always been viewed with suspicion. Ortega was neither the first, nor the last one dragged into these various attempts to control people like that. In fact, both talodine and numbers were born from similar worries. The telepath in question never knew.

And what were Ljungstrand & Regina doing careerwise at the time?

Ljungstrand was working for the military at the time, I think Regina was still in elementary school.

Did Ortega ever think about the possibility of their secret anti telepathy role being invoked towards Sidestep pre heartbreak? Like maybe after they showed traumatic power breakthroughs after Nanosurge/Void or something. If so, was it just a passing thought Ortega shook off, or something they genuinely feared could be possible/demanded?

Not after the nanosurge, because that was such an obvious one-off, and Sidestep saved the day. After the Void though... that thought did strike Ortega's mind. Which is one reason they lied about who killed Void.

Does Vera spill all the juicy gossip she can potentially learn during the break in to Arde or does she keep it to herself?

Oh she spills it all!

Did Vera see Steps tattoos during the break in or were they covered?

Covered.

Does vera see/experience anything when sidestep dives deep in her mind?

Spoilers. But if she does, she gives no indication in the routes where Sidestep doesn't faint.

Ortega makes a lot of promises that Step is safe with them, that they wont let the Farm take them again, especially when staying at their place or their moms ranch. Is that conviction shaken a bit with Vera's break in? It could have gone a lot worse if Vera was anyone else. Does Ortega see Steps situation a little more realistically now or do they still doggedly believe they can protect Step no matter what?

We will get to that in game, but yes. Ortega has got a bit of a wakeup call.

Since Dove is a Sidestep fan, how much of a fangirl is she?

Not the wearing merch kind, but she has some clippings and an old poster.

Has she watched any of the films they're depicted in?

Some, as a lark. They weren't very good.

What does she think about the media's depictions of the Heartbreak incident?

Lies, but that is better than the truth.