QnA for February! (Patreon)

Been a busy month, been working full time with an editing job, and working on the next demo. Glad my brain is working better again! (Also whoever is uploading Patreon content online, please stop. It is a shitty thing to do and I am judging you.

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For a friend that was wondering... since there was a response for my beard question last time, for Julia, will we be able to braid her hair or Julia braid our sidestep's hair if we are romanced to her? 

It sounds like a cute scene! I'll do my best to try to include it.

If Regina's plan for Sidestep had succeeded and Ortega had found out about, how bad would the fallout be?

Bad. But pretty much about that whole bit would be very bad because Ortega is not a forgiving person.

Third time rewording this question cause I’m bad with words. In Rebirth: sidestep is (mostly) mission focused. Understandable because of how time sensitive the upcoming gala was. In retribution sidestep has a lot more opportunities with the people they can connect to. So my question is, is revelations going to be a more mission focused type of story like rebirth or less time sensitive like retribution?

I would say that it depends a bit on where you ended up after Rebirth. The first half (resolving the puppet) might vary between a very mission focused story and a more chill one depending on whether you are the one trapped in the puppet, or a free, whole Sidestep content on letting the puppet heal in the hospital. The second half will be more mission focused, but with lots of interaction. There will be some freedom in the middle.

Second question. Do you think that those of us with East Asian descent sidesteps could do our names like Chen? Like with the surname first and the given name second.

I could have that as a choice at the start, whether you want to show the surname first or last? It's not a hard thing to code! I just need to remember to do it...

Do Re-Genes get sense memories? Like, if they smell a certain brand of coffee would they suddenly recall a memory "they" had associated with it? 

It varies. Sense memories for the things that THEY have experienced? Oh yes, definitely! Sense memories for the implanted memories? Most of the time no. They can happen, for very deeply connected/strong memories, but that is the exception. The body did not experience it at the same time as the memory happened, so they don't get the same pathways reinforced.

When Sidestep bites their cheek invading HG's mind, did any of that blood happen to fall on the table? If so, did HG notice?

No blood. Sidestep swallowed. The capture scene had some blood splattering tho, and if you lose the fight...

Would HG be more more likely to believe Sidestep is their sibling if they're a psycho murderer or a goody two shoes who saves civilians?

Don't think that would matter.

I asked before if HG would let bygones be if they and their's were hurt if it was just about business. Would HG give more leeway to a Sidestep that they have convinced themself truly is their sibling back from the dead? 

HG would give more leeway to Sidestep in that case, yes. Otherwise HG can be vindictive, though also trusts the other two to take their own revenge.

Does it even matter to HG whether their sibling was kidnapped and turned into a weapon or cloned and turned into a weapon, or are those effectively the same thing to them? 

We're gonna get into that in game.

Are there any rivals/peers that HG thinks are particularly dangerous to them and their goals? Or who would be especially useful to have on their side. 

A few yeah, but I won't get into that, because that is a plotpoint in the game.

Does 'shaken' confirm to Chen that Sidestep is a Re-Gene?

Pretty much yeah.

would the imposter take care of the rat king if sidestep is too injured to or hiding out with the rangers??

Oh yes.

how would ortega react if sidestep told them that five rat brains in a tube are their best friend??

Weirdly enough I don't think Ortega would be surprised, that does sound like Sidestep.

Hollow Ground: They could have key people under their influence, and their powers aren't inhibited by dampeners. Even if they were somehow put behind bars, a single touch and one word could see them free again.  Will No-Kill Sidesteps have to grapple with the fact that arresting HG is hugely impractical? If we team up with Ortega, are they prepared to kill HG? Or am I over thinking things?

I don't think you're overthinking things, HG is very dangerous like that. Ortega would absolutely kill HG if they thought the other choice was letting them go free, but Ortega wants to take them down and bring them to light, not just erase them.

Since the Scars Sidestep can have seem to mostly be based on real-life psychology, what do you think a megalomania Scar would look like for Sidestep?

Some would say a high arrogant Sidestep might be going in that direction... at least eventually.

If the villain becomes famous enough... do we sort of start to bring capes back into fashion if we wear one?

Ahahaha I don't know. Maybe?

When picked up, Sidestep can try to be dominating towards the Rat King but they don't really seem to mind. Why, and why does the Rat King like Sidestep so much?

Because they feel seen and understood! And eventually, liked!

I think I remember there being something about how The Farm tried to mind-wipe Step during a prior Q&A. Do you think this will be a flashback scene in one the next two books?

We will absolutely get into that.

Did anyone in the Farm help Step escape either time?

Depends on the definition...

When first meeting Sidestep face to face, did Argent see their AI-chip? What did she think it was?

Yes, and we will get into that!

Is it possible that someone know Sidestep was a regene back in the old days, but didn't say anything?

Possibly, but it doesn't really matter.

How do you think a Sidestep x Anathema couple would have been back in the day? What would the Rangers have thought of it?

I have no idea! I have only seen them as friends, so my brain doesn't go there.

Can we dance with Ortega at her birthday party? In villain armour?

Dance yes, villain armor, we'll see!

Is it more likely than not that threaded steps will break free from HG's influence, or will it be hard/rare to achieve?

I will say that would depend on how much HG's and Sidestep's plans diverge. 

For threaded Steps that do break free... can we go absolutely feral on HG? How enraged can we get? And how much of a mess can we make of them?

We'll see! We're gonna have some pretty gruesome scenes.

Similarly, after breaking the threads could Step end up reflecting on the way they use their telepathy on others?

Self-reflection? Well, I suppose some time must be the first, but I wouldn't bet on it.

At the end of Retribution, for most of the Rangers they don't seem to react super differently to a killing Step and an agent-kill Step. Will there be more of a distinction going forward, or does the difference truly not matter to them?

You have to separate an instinctual immediate reaction mixed with shock, from what a person might think and feel once they might have time to digest facts, listen to reasons, and consider options. You have only seen the initial reaction of anyone, with the exception of Argent in some paths. So yeah, things will change.

Im kind of curious about the SD's ability to cover things up, so I have a bit of a hypothetical; If a high-ruthlessness villain step who didn't have any qualms about killing was publically defeated by, say the rangers, or some other hero and was revealed to be a regene. how difficult would it be for them to cover up the fact that effectively not only are there human-passing regenes but that also one of them effectively went rogue and on this massive killing spree?

It would be very hard to cover up, because it would be news, and probably been published before the full implications would have been known. And if too many people know, then it would be hard to shut down anything.

I've read here before that gender impacts Ricardo and Julia's personalities and makes them appear as slightly different characters. Does that lead to any perception differences of Sidestep? For example, Ricardo perceiving M!Sidestep as being more 'okay' than F!Sidestep, while Julia would have machismo tinting her gaze less and as such see more? Or do the gender impacts on the characters stay generally self-contained.

I don't think it affects the view of Sidestep, but it might color things. Gender affects things. I haven't thought about the details though.

Will a genderquestioning Sidestep be able to officially come out in book 3?

Think so.

Are the different types of imposters actually different people, or are they the same person (Ace?) but at different stages of completion/decay? Maybe like a incomplete puzzle type of situation?

You will see in the book! 

How Herald feel when male sidestep (who is  top and enjoying the power to control) has sex with them? I really want to know what make him beg！

I think it would have taken a while for him to get used to it, it is a thrill though. Maybe nice to give up control for a little, and just be selfish for a moment.

Steel sex is two people who being treat  as tool when they can comfort each other by body touching. In the future will it be more intense?

I don't know! A lot of these scenes are explored as I write them. I don't have a blueprint of what each character likes in my head, I need to see what happens in the scene as I type it down. So I don't know what might happen in the future. I do know that Chen definitely can be more rough and tumble too.

For all Ros，what they are thinking when sidestep is top.

I think it varies depending on the vibe and the situation, but I do think the one who would put up the most challenge would be Ortega. Because that would be fun.

Will Sidestep be able to have a game ending where they hide their villain identity, scrap it and have a good ending with the Rangers/Ortega? I don't really think it would be an option, but when I play as regretful/unwilling villain Sidestep, scrapping the villain persona without revealing my identity has always been on my mind. 

Yeah, I don't see that being an issue! There is no forced reveal.

If Sidestep has a good enough relationship with Ortega, could Sidestep completely get rid of their plans as a villain and ask for Ortega for help about the Farm?

Hmmm ask Ortega for help, yes. But some of those plans still needs to be dealt with.

Can i ask you to group 16 named characters into 4 groups of 4?

Nope! 

The way we make Ortega and Steel have a rift in their friendship (if Steel has a high suspicion and Ortega does not/we convince them we arent after we get in the crash) can we do the same but the other way around? I have high suspiciousness with Ortega but none with Steel

If Ortega ever gets to the point to push the issue and try to get Chen on his side, that might happen. Alas, Ortega tends to bottle things up more.

How is HG potentially feeling about going against a mob boss Sidestep who broke their nose/hurt Nocturne and has shown themself to be capable of leading up front and not shy away from danger/threats?

Inconvenient. Might have to call in some experts.

How would you define chaotic? Liked reading your answer on lawful alignment!

Someone who feels constrained by people's expectations, and prefers to break them before they get tied down. Someone who doesn't see the purpose of laws, even when they are there to protect people from doing stupid shit. A bit libertarian. Probably a VERY hard person to be friends with unless you are in the same situation. A bit punk. A bit anarchist. Doesn't think much about consequences, or are okay with bad ones. Doesn't rely on society, and it's support. Probably doesn't work very well outside of small friend groups. Probably loses friends quickly. Private property is optional. Owns little, loses or gives it away. Few ties, ties needs laws to work. Can be very selfless and caring or very selfish and cruel. Ineffectual to get shit done, but might want to get shit done, which is a problem. 

It's so important to me: can we make Chen laugh? Like with shitty jokes n stuff

It would take shitty jokes, yeah.

Since it's possible for Ace/Puppet to be attracted to people independent of Sidestep, is it possible for Mortum and the puppet to get together at all (or at least be friends), if Sidestep that discovers that they're not attracted to Mortum when outside of Ace's body despite having romanced the doctor? (Or if Step was using Mortum?) Someone else mentioned that they shipped their Puppet/Mortum and not Step/Mortum, which really got me wondering about this, but I understand if it's spoilers.

I can see how this would work, yeah.

Would Argent prefer if she wasn’t nemeses with Lord Ember? Even if it’s only to avoid fighting him/him focusing on her as a threat? 

No, she likes hating her enemies thank you very much. They are all bastards.

How would she take a Sidestep who would go out of their way to deflect that attention off of her and onto themselves? Essentially becoming LE’s new nemesis to take the heat off of her?

Oh that would be a competition situation!

Will Ortega tell Chen (if you break the thread) (or just the rangers) about Sidestep being HG'S sibling? Especially if they have high suspicions and think they're working together?

More truth will stat coming out now, but I need to write it to see what people are willing to share. Chen will have to tell Ortega first about the thread...

Will Sidesteps that remained innocent at the end of Revelations be able to later confess to being the villain?

Yep.

Would a stomach full of nutritious food before taking the boost drug help survive it in any way? Considering it was conceived as a diet pill. 

Hmmm I would say it would be irrelevant. The absorption might be slightly slower.

When talking about Tia Elena in Ortega's home while having dinner, saying "I'm glad you didn't [tell her]." raises Ortega's clue but only if he's Ricardo. Most of the other gender differences (like M!Step hitting Julia vs. Ricardo during Regene reveal) make sense to me, but I'm interested in hearing more about this choice if possible. Why is it that Ricardo finds it suspicious but Julia doesn't? Is it about their relationship with Elena? Or does it have more to do with their gender?

I would say that Julia has a slightly tenser relationship with her mother, due to her being a woman. Ricardo on the other hand was a lot more open with her historically.

Will the asexual Sidestep have any time to talk about being asexual with partners in a poly relationship?

I'll try to fit that in!!

How well would the cast + Dr. Mortum + HG trio get along with a clone of themselves?

I don't know! But I do know that two Ortega's would be a menace to society...

Did it take a while for Danny to come to terms or come out with his bisexuality (like Ortega) or is M!Step just an exception? (Though it seems like he can see Ricardo as attractive in the poly route, so maybe not?) It never seemed like he had issues with romancing M!Step besides being inexperienced with men. Was it hard for him to ask M!Step out at all?

Danny is bisexual, he just has a lot more experience with women, and that is easier and expected. So it would have taken some time to come to terms with, especially thinking about himself that way. Not saying that it was bad, just new and slightly weird. It took courage to ask M!Step out, yeah, he was putting his heart on the line there and was prepared to be laughed at.

You’ve said before that everyone except Daniel would have a great first impression of Regina. How exactly would they react if they learned about all the horrible things she’d done to Sidestep? Would she be banned from Rangers HQ? Would anyone outright try to attack/threaten her? How would things change with a romanced RO?

Oh if they learned about Regina they would take turns curbstomp her.

Back at the ‘which armour sets do the ROs find the most attractive,’ what appeal does the functional armour have for Herald and Steel?

It is practical and not ostentatious, there's a beauty to something made for function, not form.

Silly question: during the scene where you follow Chen into the dressing room, and he slams the door in your face. Why? Why does he do that? Cause it's funny? What would've happen if it DID hit Sidestep?  No malice, just really curious about the inner workings of this man 

Frustration and impatience. He fully expected Sidestep to avoid it (it's in their name), but if it had hit, he'd be thoroughly mortified and embarrassed, he would not have meant for that to happen.

Do Herald's powers let him safely catch a falling person out of the air? Or would he need to gradually slow them to a stop to avoid hurting them?

It would depend on his skill level. At this current point in the game he would need to gradually slow them to some extent.

Has there ever been a boost that could speak with the dead?

Not to anybody's knowledge.

If Sentinel had been the one to see the photos of sidestep post heartbreak, would he have handled the situation differently than Chen? If yes, what would be different?

I would say yes. And it probably would not have ended well for the farm, or for Sentinel. Or for Sidestep for that matter, who was believed to be dead by both.

Do you think Boosting a deer with chronic wasting disease would create a zombie plague?

Nah, they'd probably just die. Though it is an interesting thought. Deer, like horses, are not exactly hardy animals.

Has Herald ever considered getting Modded?

No. It kinda scares him a bit actually. He's seen Ortega and Chen and what they have to deal with.

In a scenario where Ortega would get to see any timeline/alternate path their life could have taken, what would they choose to see first?

Ortega would have zapped that television and chosen not to watch any of them. They are not prone to wallow in that kind of nostalgia, and what-if scenarios. Better to move on and stop wasting time thinking about alternate paths. The one exception to this is Sidestep, for reasons, but they wouldn't watch anything related to that because it would hurt.

If sidestep put up the hand w the nanovores for a high five which ROs would high five them (they're not like actively using them) 

All of them. If they had self-reservation they wouldn't be in this story.

Why does Sidestep have a talent for flicking small objects at Ortega? 

How did they learn to accurately flick a bottle cap or toothpick?

Spend enough time alone in a room (cell) with nothing but a small ball to amuse you and you become REALLY good at throwing stuff, hitting stuff, and bouncing it off surfaces. If there was no ball (for punishment reasons) small stolen objects like erasers, bottle caps, toothpicks or pebbles would do instead. Nice and self-soothing.

Can we also flick objects at Ortega's head as the villain?

Not in armor you can't, it doesn't have the manual dexterity for that. Throwing, yes, flicking, no.

Is step less powerful now than they were at their escape because of the gates getting established in their mind?

Yes. 

If Sidestep ends up threaded, would Hollow Ground be able to tell if they open or close gates?

Not unless HG was specifically made aware of them beforehand, then they could be monitored to some extent, though to use their powers like that, Hollow Ground HG preferably needs skin contact.

Does Jackrabbit have a preferred weapon of choice?

Shotgun.

Is Ortega immune to Nocturne's vision blocking?

No.

what's the top 3 sidestep's haters? Is FP on it?

I will say that depends on the Sidestep. Five Pennies is not on it.

Apart from Regina/Farm and HG in some paths, Is anyone that we don't know of including sidestep in their evil big plans? 

Would Five Pennies' powers work on Sidestep?

Sidestep is not immune.

Can i put five pennies pennies through one of those commemorative penny presses? would they still work and would that piss him off

They would work, but oh boy, it would piss him off.

How did 5 Pennies come across the 5 pennies he uses?

He's had them for a very long time.

How old is Five Pennies?

Not sure, in his mid to late thirties I think.

Was Iris involved in getting the Catastrofiend into the auction?

She's a greeter and hostess, she has nothing to do with what goes on sale

And umm... does Iris have the power to scuttle around on all fours and spin her head like an owl? (Hides behind reinforced locked door)

Ahaha no. I can assure you that is not a thing she can do.

Will Sidestep be able to change rival focus with new members of the cast? Like members of the HG trio, Dove, or Skyraider?

Yes, there will be new rivalries to pick early in book four! A lot has happened, so new emotions and annoyances would have come into play.

Iris mentions a key exhibit at the hero museum.  Did the museum consider, or even advertise, any of their exhibits to be “key” or the centrepiece of the museum for the grand opening?

Nope. There was probably some famous things which were used in the ads but no single thing.

Iris's meddling aside, how were the hero and villain exhibits planned? How much was the inclusion/portrayal/relative prominence of particular figures influenced by political concerns or major donors' wishes? If I asked a random sample of experts in LD history what they thought of the museum, what responses might I get?

Honestly, most had never got a look at it yet! Remember, changes are it got blown up. If it didn't, then I think that people agreed that it was an alright museum, clearly geared towards tourists and prone to government interference and exaggerations.

Does something have to be organic for the effects of five pennies pennies to work?  Could they affect argent, given the layer of nanos, or do they require skin contact?  Could they damage or influence nanos?

I will plead the fifth and spoilers on that one.

Being nice to Iris at the auction raises your fan club score. If Iris is a fan, is 5p a sidestep geek too?

Five Pennies didn't care about Sidestep.

If Step read Ace's mind while they were having a precog vision, would Step see the vision as well?

Oh hell, that would be one bad feedback loop, think static scream on the radio, but they would be able to pick up some.

Will we have the chance to interact with other survivors of the Heartbreak incident (who aren't Rangers)?

Not sure yet.

Does Sentinel also have plot armor in B3?

Not sure yet.

Is Iris the big bad evil guy?

Nope. What makes you think there is one?

Was Iris near the HB incident when it happened? 

Nope.

What is discordant architecture?

It's a term I have personally used for a many years, but there's no definite definition of what it is. As best I can describe it, it is in some ways similar to hostile architecture. 

Hostile architecture is using design and architecture to discourage human or animal interaction and behavior. Like removing benches at waiting areas, or separating them with screwed on handles just to make sure they can't be used to sleep on by the homeless. Lining protected concrete areas near underpasses and the like with spikes, to make sure no rough sleepers will assemble. The anti-bird spikes on walls to try to prevent birds shit on buildings and the sidewalk. The ultrasound they play outside corner stores to stop teenagers to loiter there. In short, the increasingly hostile space the city is becoming to the people who are forced to live in it rather than just pass through in their cars between expensive meeting locations/store. The loss of public spaces, public bathrooms, locked parks and places to exist for free. 

I might also add the more... accidentally hostile architecture, like the skyscraper at 20 Fenchurch Street in London which melts cars with reflections, and the design of brutalist neighborhoods which inadvertently encouraged antisocial behavior and violence and had to be torn down as a result. Too bad I can't remember what the book about that was called right now. I would also toss in McMansions and their lack of architectural cohesion, the current boom of shoddy mixed-material buildings made to fall apart in a year or two, and tofu-dreg projects existing for investing and not for living.

But, all that is real world and physical, a degradation of the city as a place for people. If we go more weird, which is where I like to go, we enter the world of liminal spaces. The Denver airport, the way some ruined buildings draws you to your doom, and the infrasound of rumbling highways and gas-pipes buried underground. The ways that architecture can make you feel ill at ease, the uncanny valley for houses. The stairs slightly wrong. The windows too close together. Odd angles that might hide things you can't see. 

Discordant Architecture is hostile architecture for the mind and soul. 

Did sidestep have blueprints to the museum prior to the attack? if so were they the original ones or the ones altered by iris?

Sidestep did steal the blueprints. They would be the ones altered by Iros.

Aside from the way it was built was there any other reason that specific site was chosen to become the museum?

It was in a not-yet reclaimed and renovated neighborhood, and Mayor Alvarez want the city cleaned up to bring in some good tourism.

So you've answered in the past about muppet versions of the rangers... have there ever been muppet versions of villains? or other rangers associates/vigilantes aside from sidestep? 

I mean I can imagine that must be the case! One of the villains would probably be Psychopathor. I can 100% see him as a muppet. 

What's something each RO would not be caught dead wearing? (General answers (like "a dress") and hyperspecific ones (like "this one fanartist's 'improved redesign' of their villain costume") equally welcome.)

Oh boy. I really have no idea. I don't see any of them as being completely against stuff? Well, hmm. I do think Chen would avoid feminine stuff, because that would make him very self-conscious about his body. Not color necessarily, but more the cuts and flimsy materials. Ricardo in contrast wouldn't pick a dress to wear for everyday life, but would absolutely wear a dress to a party as a dare and rock it. Probably like it a bit, people would be looking at him, and he does have nice legs. I would say Vera would never wear a uniform, but she has, repeatedly, to sneak into places. Work is work. I also would say Argent wouldn't be caught dead wearing crocks, but then I realize that a pair of pastel pink ones kitted out with cute accessories might be acceptable with a pair of cute dungarees. 

I was having a conversation last night about the differences between fallen hero heroes and DC hero's and one was I've never heard of fallen hero heroes or villains zipping though the city on grappling hooks or running across the rooftops like they do in DC or marvel. So how do the heroes and villains of this world get around?

I mean, the rooftops are generally a lot further between in Los Diablos, New York is pretty cramped and tall in comparison. Earthquakes, you know? I think it's mostly cars, bikes and powers.

Do you think there will ever be more scenes where sidestep can fire a missile launcher?

Yes. I like blowing things up.

So apart from the HB site and the museum is their any more Eldritch Loci within Los Diablos?

Oh such a loaded term... I won't say I agree with it, but if we do the general vibe of it I would say yes. 

Does HG actually prefer their coffee black, or do they just think it would hurt their image to ask the villain invading their house for milk/sugar?

Ahahahahah oh boy. I can see it going either way there, let's keep this a secret for now.

What kind of coffee machine and coffee does HG have? Are they like… into the Art of Coffee(tm)? Do they use a shitty $20 drip machine cause they’re secretly cheap?

The Art of Coffee (tm) all the way. Probably a lot of it impulse bought.

What coffee do Jake and Nocturne prefer? Does Hg judge their choices?

Jake doesn't really like coffee. Nocturne wants her strong and spicy, she likes mixing in some cardamom with the grounds and then adding milk and sugar. HG doesn't judge.

Do HG and Ortega own the same robe.....

It would be funny, but no.

Could HG's power make people who are receptive, hallucinate memories?

Easily.

How is HG gonna explain this (what they think their lil sibling is broke into their home in the middle of the night blablabla) to Nocturne and Jake

Oh that will NOT be easy. Might write it some time for fun.

When was the last time HG cried? Did they cry after their lil reunion with Sidestep if some sibling feelings were involved?

Hmm. I don't think HG is a crier. They feel more like someone disassociating and staring into empty space for a while.

Now that we're officially trespassing can we claim our room in HG's villa

Nope!

Would HG get along with the rats? Could they communicate at all? Could HG thread the rats by sticking a finger in their housing?

HG could not thread the rats, no touching the brains! I think HG could communicate them with the rat king the same way as Psychopathor did. They are both psi-sensitive, and thus the girls can initiate an exchange of information with them, but there is no feedback or mutualness as it is with Sidestep.

Not as a canon route of course, we have more than enough of those, but as far as headcanon goes— would Armadillo be open to ~ romance ~ (with Step or otherwise)?

No. I don't think so.

If Five Pennies' pennies get destroyed, how many souls get released?

Do souls exist at all?

What color is HGs robe?

I would say they have a variety, this one was probably a soft, creamy grey.

Could Hollow Ground solve a rubik's cube without help?

Yeah, but it would take a while.

Have there been experiments with trying to lessen the dosage for the boost drug? Like split it between 2 people to try and up the survival rate?

Oh yes. The survival rate does increase with lower dosage, but not at the same pace as the powers induce are lowered. So you might get a 10% higher chance of survival, but 50% less power.

If psychic/telepathic residue can become a sort of consciousness attached to a place ala the HB site, what kinds of ways can it manifest? Are there any recorded histories of these spaces, or are they kind of viewed as “liminal” spaces as we do in our lives? 

Yeah, spaces like that are known. Most call them haunted, weird, spooky, liminal, or other things like that. Not all pick up on it, but to those that do it is creepy as hell. There's probably groups looking into this, just like people looking into hauntings and keeping track of places where that happens in real life.

Is there a threshold for how much of the boost drug you can ingest before it takes effect? Like if you consume 4 grams your fine but the 5th one will start the boost lottery? And if so, what happens when the amount ingested remains below the threshold? 

There is probably a minimum dose when nothing much happens and the body just clears the drug, but what that is depends very much on the individual. In animal research (it's unethical on humans) it has been shown that most animals on low dosages never show any boosting, though many suffer kidney and liver damage, or premature death which might be seen as a failed boosting attempt, though with less obvious causes of death than normally would be the case. If the dose is low but enough, the actual boost will generally be a minor one, though not always. 

How does HG feel about smoking? Do they, or does/did anyone close to them, smoke? Do they not care, dislike it, not mind as long as it's not where they have to breathe it…? (Does their opinion change if you're doing it with their sibling's face?)

Smoking is pretty much as common as it was in our world in the 80's. I think Nocturne smokes a lot, Jake smokes some, and HG doesn't smoke tobacco, but other things needed to relax. 

I got to wondering who Chen radioed during HB, using an old and presumably retired authorisation (Arc 4) from a fairly secret task force - not using Ranger authorisation codes - to call in an airstrike on technically not-US soil within minutes.  I know there’s a base nearby to LD, but I’m squinting at the old authorisation codes on top of the quick response.

Was there a prior plan in place not unlike the nanosurge?  Or is there a presence from task force arc near LD?  For any other reasons..?

Ehehe oh there are indeed emergency plans in case the shit hits the fan that includes the military. Chen knows... things. 

Prior to the official discovery and therefore regulation of the hero drug, how common were the chemicals involved in synthesizing it?

I have no idea! I don't think common at all, this was a new weird thing, not mixing old stuff and getting lucky.

Is there any way Five Pennies can “replace” one of his coins if it’s lost?

Who knows? I do, but I am not telling you.

What does it feel like to be an organism contained in Mortum's fun gun?

Not good. Not good at all. The lucky lose consciousness immediately, others go mad.

Would Anathema have degraded in Mortum's gun the way the Catastrofiend did?

Hmmmm. Hmmmmm. Edge case. I'd say maybe, not in the exact same way though.

Does the Mortum gun operate like a Pokeball (i.e. one captured person at a time)

Yes.

Between the catastrofiend’s first appearance on the villain scene and its lengthy disappearance when it got gun-napped, were there any prolonged periods of inactivity?  Was its transformation from human into…I’ll just gesture to all of it…gradual or were there any sudden major changes in physicality?  Like when did it get the blade arms?

Oh yes there were prolonged periods of inactivity. Some was probably due to mod-work rehab, others due to living high on ill-gotten gains.

What does Cornelius Vaughn aka Zombie General get on the telepathy scale? 

He's nudging Omega level too.

Can a single Boosted individual manifest two or more powers?

Yes. Some of them might be related, others might look completely different.

Who's the oldest known Boost?

I have no idea! Might be in their seventies by now?

Is Bonnie Belle inspired by One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy?

Nope, I never really had any knowledge of One Piece before the Netflix stuff. It's more from old stuff, like Bugs Bunny and Plastic Man.

So in a bit of lore it looks like a specific brand/manufacturer of boost drug is mentioned. What are the most well known manufacturers? Are any considered to be better/more likely to result in powers instead of death than others? 

At this point, it's more like any other illicit drug, you have NO IDEA what you are actually getting. There are no official manufacturers, any names are more street-names than anything else. For a while "Philippine-Green" was popular and had a good reputation, but then everybody started to imitate the distinctive green look and the reputation tanked as a result. The boost drug is often mixed with other, cheaper drugs to dilute it. This has given rise to the rumor that the boost drug isn't that lethal at all, it just doesn't always work. In those cases, it was probably other chemicals the user injected or ate instead. Some say that the greater survival rate of boosts in out-of-laboratory settings is due to these other drug impurities meaning a lower initial boost level, as well as other drugs like opioids helping suppress lethal reactions of the user. Yet others claim that it's those drugs that kills people, and the government is just trying to keep the boost drugs from the street to keep the people down.

...Does the farm source boost drugs from any specific manufacturer?

They make it themselves.

Did the Void have any plans beyond recruiting Ortega and dominating the west coast? Were they going for world conquering or making a move against "the things in the deep"?

The Void was a cult leader, they wanted to grow the Green Sky into a regional power.

If a Sidestep without aphantasia were to possess a body whose original "soul" had aphantasia, would Sidestep not be able to visual mental images? Would a Sidestep with aphantasia possessing a body without aphantasia spontaneously be able to have mental images?

Sidestep would have the same level of imagination as they would normally have, the host body would not affect that.

Will Ortega get to meet the Henchmen in revelations?

Oh yes.

How long has it been since Armadillo was decanted?

Not sure. They are probably slightly younger than Sidestep but not much.

Could the core be considered a mod?

At this point, yeah.

How viscous is the solution Re-Genes are decanted from? Do they get gooped? Slimed? Just wet?

I would say slimed is the right consistency. Wet but slightly stickier and slicker. It is water soluble, so a gentle wash with soapy water is an early step.

2 questions about the threat step says is coming:

Do they come from the same realm that Ljungstrand believes consciousness to originate?

Are they the original or a copy?

Nope and not relevant.

Did Sentinel have anything to do with the rain that suddenly catches Sidestep off guard in the first HQ visit in Retri? The "you rarely watch the skies" line got me curious.

Oh that line is indeed there for that reason, though Sentinel is innocent when it comes to the rain. I just wanted to establish that Sidestep rarely looks up.

How will Sentinel's motivations of being in LD change if the rangers know that sidestep is a regene?

Spoilers.

Will we be getting the old ranger's reactions to being a regene? Like Sentinel and Pyroclast?

Sounds likely.

Regina refers to Sidestep as her prize project. Excluding the factors of regene survivability, financial costs, and time, will she able to confidently replicate the same "experiment" to cut her losses and create a new "sidestep (aka prize project)" again?

At this point, she's shit put of luck when it comes to that.

Did Sidestep fulfill Regina's hypothesis, or did they make an unexpected detour that led to an even more desired outcome - kind of like how the mouldy petri dish led to the discovery of penicillin?

Sidestep is the mouldy petri dish!

Which does Regina believe influences development more - nature or nurture?

Nurture.

What does Regina do in her free time?

Ahahaha free time? Such a funny concept.

A fair number of regenes seem to have escaped. Is this in any part due to the failing core?

I'd say partly, yes.

Are there five pennies for Five Pennies, in the same way that there are five rats for the rat king?

Yes.

How old is old enough for HG to start calling someone old person?

I would say 50-60 probably.

Ward's modded arm with the claw, is it just the hand, half arm or full arm that's replaced?

I always saw it as the full arm, with shoulder prosthetics like Chen has. The claw can be detached, but the shoulder remains. And yes, Ward could have a normal arm, but chooses not to.

Romantically speaking, I know Chen will step aside if he notices something between Step and Danny. Could we perhaps persuade him to reconsider in the future?

I honestly don't know. If Sidestep has broken up with Danny, maybe. I need to see how people react, I didn't know Chen would do that until I wrote him.

There's a lot of architecture featuring geometric shapes with hard angles. Are there any with "smoother" shapes, e.g. spherical/ buildings with rounded parts?

No, I see Los Diablos as angular.

What are your opinions on the Las Vegas SPHERE?

Discordant architecture if I ever saw it! That shit is nightmare fuel.

Via the 1.2 demo, After they left Step to sleep,  what was Pelayo and Ward's conversation like on their way back home after learning their Boss was a Re-gene?

Maybe I will write it one day!

Are we ever going to see Step to Villain Persona Plushies as fan merch? There's no way they don't exist... 

I mean they probably do exist! Maybe we'll get to see some fan-merch in book three, the fanclub will come more into play.

Not that Sidestep would ever want to, but if they ever needed to or tried to……. Would their blood work akin to Void’s for boosting Ortega someone?

Nope.

The quality of the Boost dose seems to increase the likelihood of survival, but does quantity increase the fatality rate? Does it increase the strength of powers granted if one survives?

Quantity increases chance of death, but also greatly increases the strength of power. The two are connected.

Was Chen's suspicion of sidestep more immediate or gradual? What were his first impressions of step, suspicion or not? And his attitude towards vigilantes that aid the rangers in general?

I'd say it was more immediate, at least if we count that as within the first three meetings or so. Chen is mistrustful against vigilantes in general, he's seen too many that was in it just to get to beat people up with a clear conscience.

In Hood's flashback, we saw that Boosting can be done via injection or by imbibing it. Could it be administered as an aerosol?

It breaks down real fast in the presence of oxygen though (pills are coated). A nasal spray miiiiight work.

What colors do you associate with Heartbreak, the Nanosurge, the Void and the Catfiend?

Heartbreak: Deep red. Nanosurge: Greyish purple. Void: Tornado green. The Catastrofiend: Mustard yellow.

any chance for puppetstuck mcs to change their appearance? if these are changes that end up a little closer to the og body, do you think they might be commented on 👀

Oh yes, that is in the original book! (and actually the scene that made me stop writing it due to brain distress)

we know that ace (and presumably other boosts) can undergo a traumatic boost response when shroud eats them. does shroud get the benefits of said TBR in her consumption, or does she get the benefits of the original power level? does shroud benefit from eating more powerful boosts, or do all boosts give her the equal amount of energy? 

Boosts has a variable energy, but it is less dependent on the power level of the boost than of the type of boost. Physical boosts like strength, regeneration and the like are a lot more filling and juicy.

In playthroughs where Ortega thinks the MC is in hiding from Hollow Ground, where do they think a wealthy MC is getting that money from? Do they think the MC is still able to leverage their former insider knowledge/connections somehow, that HG has managed to get their hooks back in them, that maybe they were wrong about the MC's mysterious "enemies" being code for their big bad sibling...?

It is a combination of "hmmm have they reconciled?" "maybe the enemies were someone else all along, like enemies of HG?" and "looks like someone has stopped hiding, that can't be good." It will vary, Ortega is looking into it.

For the "It's been a long journey" transition crowd - or those with Steps whose gender-affirming experiences diverge from the written canon in book 2 - would it be possible to get something like an option menu toggle for surgery and hormone flags in the future?

Possibly, depends on the timeskips I think.

Did Void blood have any effect on animals?

I would say... probably not. Maybe.

How did the void discover their blood had these interesting properties?

The cult existed before Void, and some would say The New Flesh has returned to their roots. Partaking of boosted blood and flesh as a sacrament been going on for a while.

Is whether we'll be able to ally with the puppet ever locked at the end of book 2?

No locks.

The heartbreak experiment had nine of white walls. What difference would it make if it has the usual four walls, or more than nine (e.g. twelve walls)?

Wrong vibes.

I think you commented once Nocturne and Jake would have different relationship bars/systems/whatever orange thingy that goes up and down. Have you thought about the different status? Like, deadly enemies/ siblings-in-law/friendly rivalry?

Not yet! That happens as I write.

Retribution lets you opt out of some puppetstuck endings regardless of PCV by ditching the puppet's body early, but not vice versa with your own body. Is that purely a player convenience feature, or are there in-universe reasons the MC can pull it off in that direction but not the other way around? 

The puppet body is a puppet body, you can't just abandon your own to certain doom and discovery that way. Sidestep wouldn't do that.

Which ROs would be best/worst at teaching what they do to a layperson? Which would like/dislike it most?

Hahaha no idea! Truly not something I think about.

What are Mortum's hot takes on what's wrong with academia, aside from the obvious things any jaded ex-academic can tell you?

The lack of focus on base research, it might not pay off in the short run, but it is needed if you want to go somewhere new. Can't just focus on what can be monetized and that the investors think sounds neat.

Has 5 Pennies ever had any involvement with Void or the cult? Has 5p ever come into contact with Void in any way?

I would say probably not.

What does HG and Nocturne think about five pennies

They don't.

How does Hollow Ground feel, personally, about their public image? Do they enjoy the way they're seen, only care insofar as it serves their purposes, feel privately uncomfortable with aspects of it…?

HG has spent a lot of time trying to curate their public persona of mystery and legend. They're pretty happy with it.

How did Five Pennies discover he holds powers over these specific 5 pennies?

Since he was boosted.

How good is everyone's sandwich making skills?

I think Argent and Daniel are good, Ortega and Vera is medium, everyone else is basic. Mortum is... not good.

Will Step get opportunities to give/get hugs from Armadillo?

OOoh I am not sure hugs sit well with Sidestep. We will see if we get that character development.

Was Mortum involved in any groups or clubs during school?

No.

Who, if any, of the ROs or characters would be most likely to play rugby?

Ortega. Sky-Raider.

When Armadillo escaped the farm, did anybody help them? Or they crawled their way through the desert just like sidestep

Spoilers.

What's the hardest compromise Armadillo has had to make between security and quality of life?  Would they change their lifestyle much if they no longer had to hide, or would they stick with more or less the setup they have?

I feel that they might stick with it. This is someone who has grown up within very strict confines, I think the vastness of the world scares them.

Imagine Sidestep making HG indisposed instead of thirsty. What would have happened had they ambushed HG in the bathroom

More dignity lost. More things to unsee for Sidestep.

What was the time Armadillo has been the most terrified?

The first day after the escape when the adrenaline dropped.

When was the last time Mortum took care of some like they're doing now with a broken legs sidestep? How do they feel about it? (in the cases in which they actually care about sidestep and they know the truth about the puppet) Are they kinda fucked up happy they're gonna spend more time with them and meet the real "them"?

I think this is the first time in a LONG time, normally Dr. Halabi handles that. But yeah, kinda fucked up happy might be an apt description for certain scenarios.

What are Hollow Ground's top Things I Wish I'd Known Before Becoming A Mob Boss?

I honestly think they were pretty well informed beforehand. I can't think of anything right now.

Will we ever get an opportunity to heroically save Spoon?

Dunno if I wanna endanger Spoon.

Did nonbinary HG ever consider just presenting themselves as cis in professional contexts? (…For that matter, did female HG ever weigh the pros and cons of passing as male?)

Nah, they like being who they are, what else is the use of power?

Okay how much can we actually get Nocturne to like us. Like. Can u give us an example

I don't know yet! You need to interact more together before I can judge that.

How does your average member of HG's organization think HG and Nocturne met?

I don't think they ponder about that too much, how many go around wondering how your boss and their significant other met? Why care?

Would HG consider breaking into our house (with guards and shit) out of pettiness after this? Or is that stopping too low for someone so snob like them and they would send someone else instead and film it 

Oh I am not going to tell you that!

When Vera was a kid, what did she want to be when she grew up? Have her feelings significantly changed since then?

I think she wanted to race pigeons professionally at one point, then being a fireman, and also possibly a teacher. And yeah, things change, you take a look at the real world and realize that it cares little for dreams. Only for putting food on the table.

Has HG ever been part of an aquascaping contest?

No, I didn't even know they had contests for that. I don't think HG is the competing type.

I know it's been a while since rebirth but considering steel's immediate reaction to sidestep being alive was telling them to stay away from the rangers—why did he tell them that? did he think about that later in terms of step's relationship in retribution (avoiding, hanging out, etc). Does he feel guilty about it, or did he just not expect them to listen to him in the first place?

If Chen has become closer to Sidestep, he does feel guilty about it. But his initial reaction was that there was something suspicious about it, and that whatever the reason was, it would hurt Ortega and the Rangers. A spy? A threat? He knew what he saw, Sidestep shouldn't be alive. It is only after considering what it might mean that he starts to come around.

Adding onto the above question, will there be an opportunity to call Chen's remorse bullshit (true or otherwise) considering his first reaction was to tell Step to stay away?

Giving Sidestep opportunities to start arguments and push away people? Sounds likely.

For Steps that manage to build fanclubs, will we get to buy/get our hands on some of the merch? Will any of it be "offical" through major retailers or is it mostly on an individual seller basis?

Oh there is no IP protection for villains... as for the rest, I am not sure.

Were 5P's pennies originally normal pennies, but "altered" during 5P's boosting process to become special?

Close enough.

Some Sidesteps are true leadership material. Since Sidestep has the habit of influencing everyone they meet, would it be potentially possible for Sidestep to influence HG to have more leadership? 

Oh yes.

Is Arde gonna be Vera's wingman (gn) if she tries to pursue Sidestep? (Or Sidestep's wingman if she's hard to seduce, who knows)

Oh Arde is so lost to all that, I'm not sure they'd get how to wingman...

will there be opportunities... to give our cape to ROs beside Argent... either in B3 or rebirth update?

Dunno!

Did Sentinel develop any strong opinions towards Sidestep post final Void confrontation? Were there any concerns about them after it, especially if their physical eye changes were permanent and in the wake of their sort of power shift?

I think there was a degree of tension at the start, but Sidestep is so genuinely prickly themselves that Sentinel quickly brushed that off. He was more worried about Ashfall...

What was the feeling HG got if arrogance <30 when step dived into their mind?

I won't get into that. What HG experiences is spoilers.

Even though HG is a touch based  telepath, they are still a telepath, and they've proven to have some kind of control in a telepathic intrusion, since they were able to save sidestep. How does this work for them?

Like everything telepathic it is a question of will and visualization. 

Is HG educated in anything? Apart from the arts of being a kingpin and a wonderful and dotting big sibling, of course 

No formal academia. Nocturne is the one with the education.

Has Regina ever cared about the kingpins of the west coast? Could it potentially be a matter of interest to her ?

Only very tangentially. It's not been very relevant to her business yet.

If each of the ROs and HG's polycule had to pick a cause/charity to make a donation to, what would they pick?

Jake would send money back to his family, HG might gift some to the Aquarium to get Tina in a better mood, Nocturne would probably pick whatever would be most politically advantageous for the moment.

Has iris ever been an "anchor" to a "kite"?

Now that is one of the most leading questions I have seen here yet, good job. No answer though ;)

Has there ever been a shapeshifting boost with mods? If so, how did that work out?

That is NOT a good or feasible combination. 

What's the pettiest recurring argument/disagreement between Vera and Arde?

Hmmm I think Arde genuinely doesn't get why Vera takes the risks that she does when she could settle down and have a good life.

Did Anathema stop shedding dead skin cells / stray hairs after becoming invincible? Did their nails stop growing as well?

Hm.... I would say nails stopped growing. Hairs wouldn't fall out/break. Dead skin cells... probably not. Anathema wouldn't leave much on a crime scene.

How's Ortega's sidestep scar doing after a faker ending? Any changes, better some ways worse in others?

Ahahaha. Ouch. I would say it varies.

If the rangers+mortum were fantasy creatures, what would they be?

No idea! Danny wants to be an elf though.

In the past you mentioned Ortega has drunkenly kissed every member of the Rangers; what was each of their reactions during/after and what differences were there between Julia v Ricardo?

Okay that sounds like a fic I need to write eventually. Like... four kisses and a slap.

How would Nocturne and Jake have reacted if (demo snippet spoilers) they woke up while step was visiting HG in their home? 

No idea because it did not happen.

Does the HG trio have movie nights together? Who choses the movie and who complains? Who get asleep the first?

I do know that HG falls asleep first. Nocturne probably picks the movie, and everyone is wise enough not to complain.

Nocturne, Jake and HG were sleeping tangled when Sidestep arrived. Who was being sandwiched?

HG tends to be the middle of the sandwich, though it can vary.

What would each RO say is the best and worst thing about their job?

Oh boy. No idea. I think that would vary depending on the day.

How would Mayor Alvarez's constituents (the ones with actual voting power) rate her compared to her predecessor? How would the disenfranchised populace?

So far I think it is a cautious thumbs up from most. She's worked hard on trying not to step on too many toes. However, whenever have someone in power been liked by those who have none?

Can Sidestep wrap themselves like a burrito affectionately around HG's mind? // more telepathic interactions 

Look, morays are not the most cuddly, that's all I'm saying.

What's the first thing Ortega would want/do if step could access their mind

See if they could beam thoughts back.

Can we extend that question to the rest of the RO's?

No idea there! Whenever someone says all the RO's on a question, my brain tends to blank because it is a long list. If you really want an answer, pick a person. Less chance of my brain getting bored and overwhelmed by sitting and pitting down yet another long list of stuff I had not come up with before but needs to come up with now. I don't have all the things about people written down somewhere to copy and paste, I rely on my brain being inspired by the question and providing me with an instinctive answer. An overly broad question short-circuits that, and I don't come up with anything.

how would you paint the LD political scene? is there a lot of community activism, and how satisfied is the general populus with the current system? is there anything in particular that the general public really wants to see a change in?

I would say there is a LOT of community activism, certainly more than in the US today. It's a legacy of the lack of government control and support, people have to take care of each other. I don't think anybody likes the current system, but nobody can agree on what should replace it. 

What headcanons have your crew developed about their boss's face, assuming you haven't revealed it? Do they have different assumptions about the age/ethnicity/gender/distinctive scars/etc. of the person under the mask? (...is there a betting pool on that too?)

Hmmmm... there might be a betting pool about that. Absolutely! And lots of assumptions. It will vary depending on the Sidestep of course. And this is NOT something they would admit to Sidestep's face.

Does the big threat that Sidestep is concerned about change based on factors like HB choices, villain career or future book 3 flash back choices?

Not really, just some flavors at most.

Alright, since someone isn't brave enough to ask, I'll bite the bullet: How many did you sacrifice to the dark gods to make sure the auction scene worked through the spaghetti code?

Oh that was a big bunch of playtesters! I provided them with special action shortcuts to bring them there directly, and then let them loose. Some were absolutely invaluable (Frost, you're the greatest). I will never write complicated code that way again, apparently my brain has limit to its RAM.

Does the farm vaccinate regenes? If yes, are there any they don't receive? 

Oh yes! For everything that would be reasonable, so some get more than others.

Is genetic manipulation common, either cosmetically or practically? 

Not really. It is still too hard to pinpoint exactly what does what in combination with each other. With the exception of eliminating/treating certain well-known genetic mutations, this is still in its infancy.

Generally speaking, what happens to the DNA of a boost (beyond being "unstable")? (Is cancer more common within Boosts?)

It varies depending on the boost. But yes, cancer is more common.

Does a piece of 5P "exist" in the five pennies, hence allowing his consciousness to "manifest" in an otherwise ordinary object - much like how lingering psychic "scars" cling to (and sometimes manifest as visions/hallucinations/whispers in) the heartbreak site? 

Spoilers! Not going to explain the details of a power that you have yet to fight!

Did Iris have a hand in designing or building the void cult's compound? 

No.

Is Iris invited to Ortega's birthday party? If not, will she invite herself?

She is not, and that is above her paygrade.

Does Mortum have a favourite brand for their equipment? Like Dewalt or Metabo for their drills? Or are they more into custom tools? 

Mortum strikes me as a custom job nerd.

There's been talk of tensions between Los Diablos's and San Francisco's main criminal empires. Are those two the biggest players in the field right now, or are there West Coast crime lords with a similar/greater amount of influence who just aren't involved in HG and Lord Ember's current slapfight?

I would say they are the biggest players. Seattle is kept under a tight leash, and is the most "law abiding" and Portland is very fractured in comparison.

How often do these sorts of conflicts cross city-state lines? If my local crime startup makes it big, will I need to worry about competition from neighboring cities too?

In general, most things stay within the city.

On the subject of "no two FH characters agree on what genre the story is": what genres do Sky-Raider, Vera, and Armadillo think they're living in?

Sky-Rider is an action movie, like the Fast and the Furious. Vera is a political heist movie with flavors of modern Robin Hood, and Armadillo.... hmmm. Not sure there. 

What color are Iris's irises?

I haven't decided on her looks in detail yet, so not sure.

You've mentioned that the non-Ortega Rangers weren't originally planned as romance options. Was most of their individual content in Retribution also not originally planned (training Herald, teaming up with Argent as the villain, getting Chen to open up about what he knows, etc.), or was the possibility of romance the main addition?

I will say that the core of the story was always intended (training Herald, Villain and Argent competition for the regenerator, Steel sharing his suspicions/what he learned) but the content got expanded and deepened because of the romance. Funnily enough, the biggest addition that came from the romance was Spoon, because I needed an in to get Chen to open up.

Can Argent's bones or organs be damaged through her shell? Or does she need to be shanked in her sleep?

They can, she is not invulnerable.

Are nanovores shielded against microwaves?

To an extent, yes.

I swear this isn't a wild guess - is our telepathic tracker's code T36 then?

Ahahaha I will tell you the truth. I have not sat down and determined the telepathic code. It's not important, the result is.

How would teenage Mortum have felt about the prospect of a career in/adjacent to villainy?

Eh, pretty close to working for the military.

How much does local media coverage of FEZ heroes/villains differ from national media coverage? Are LD's most (in)famous figures also the ones a New Yorker is most likely to hear about, or do the main US states see a different picture?

Oh it is very different. The coverage in east coast media is a lot more critical. They probably hear more about the villains back there than the heroes and vigilantes.

What tasks does Dr. Mortum procrastinate on most, and what do they do instead of doing those things?

Mortum goes for a drive. I would not say it is a specific type of task, often the procrastination comes from not being sure about something, and they deal with it by driving fast and long distances. They trust their intuition and subconscious, and if they procrastinate, something must be wrong somewhere. The trick is figuring out what.

Would precognition help Step be a better cook in puppet's body?

Depends on the level!

Out of the ROs, who could keep a worm alive for the longest?

I do not understand this question.

And then could we have a tier list for how long each of them could take care of said worm?

Are worms hard to take care of? But seriously, most earthworms are not native to north america, and are hurting the forests a lot. So don't let them out.

and who would love wormstep the most? 🥺

Wormstep? Oh this is a discord thing! Sorry, I am ignorant of where this is going and why! Personally though, worms is one of the few animals that really gives me the creeps, even when I had to learn all their latin names in school. Ugh. 

More importantly: if the MC asked each RO these questions directly, who would stare blankly vs. not miss a beat before launching into a heartfelt speech vs. rack their brain for boosts with worm-transformation powers?

They would probably be as confused as I am, with the possible exception of Argent. Don't ask me why, she just strikes me as someone who would know.

And what about HG? 🥺

Also confused about worm related shenanigans.

Does catastrofiend have merch and if so, what's the general vibe/design?

Oh the grimace I made. No, the Catastrofiend does not have merch. No. Hmm. Okay, people do make t-shirts probably. With a very black metal/horror feel to them.

How does Mortum know the puppet is not psi-sensitive or a telepath?

Gooooooood question. Not gonna answer it.

In book 2 the branching was done very well where the different jobs went on the same missions with slight changes. How difficult was it planning missions all jobs would be involved in? And how will this be handled in future books? What will happen if you come up with a cool mission where it only makes sense for one of the jobs to take part?

Ough. This is the hard part. It takes SO MUCH time to write and plan for the amount of words it. I often have to go back and change, rewrite and scrap stuff entirely. I can't have a cool mission for only one profession. Seriously. If you ever think that it looks like the book is not moving forward, chances are I am sitting and fighting with something like this, trying to make it flow and open enough for other paths to connect later.