April questions answered! (Patreon)

So sorry! I forgot that I hadn't answered them while swearing about my computer. This month has been chaotic as hell, it really slipped my mind, I thought I had already done oit.

Thank you for reminding me!

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There are certain villains who forged Sidestep into the person they are today. How does Sidestep rank in their minds? 

Well, of the ones that are still alive I don't think they are really taking Sidestep seriously. Or, well, took them seriously since they believe SIdestep is dead. The ONE exception to this would be the Catastrofiend. That one always knew a lot more of what was going on than most people. Not so easy to fool.

It seems like there are more powerful mods in mid to upper tier than boosts, but in the top tier boosts start to blow mods out of the water. Are there any mods that can rival the top tier Alpha boosts? 

Yeah, but the problem is at that point they are rapidly approaching warmachines instead. There's very little human left in something that huge and powerful. Indeed, at that point they often need artificial intelligence to help manage the mods, and the line between what is a human controlling a machine, and a machine augumented by human judgement is very blurred. Add to that that these mods are classified military secrets, and it is kinda obvious why they won't appear on any "strongest" lists.

Would the 'offspring' of Sidestep's nanovores already be neutered and able to eat non-organic matter, or does Mortum have to redo it every time? 

The offspring is neautered too. The nanovores pass along their "mutation/change" so unless something unforseen happens the nanovores should be safe even if they procreate. The issue is that for mass procreation, flesh is the best source of fuel, so they don't procreate very fast. Just replenishing their numbers, no swarming behaviour.

Could Argent's nanovores teach Sidestep's how to turn into a supersuit? 

That is an interesting question. I would say technically yes, the issue for Sidesteps nanos is that they are not fast breeders like Argent's are. If that hurdge could be overcome, I can see Argent and Sidestep managing to work something out together.

How aware were the rest of the Rangers of the tension between Sidestep and Chen?

Neither of them was very subtle about it, so I think most people knew. Anathema and Ortega were the ones who were steadfastly ignoring it though...

Chen's clue goes up faster and more easily than Ortega's. Is this because he doesn't have blinders on regarding them, or is it because since he already knows the truth he is able to connect the dots better?

Both. I would say that he's also less married to his theories than Ortega are, so he reacts faster to new information instead of wanting to push it to fit his own agenda.

If it was Ortega or Themmy instead of Sidestep in the autopsy pictures, would Chen have gone looking instead of assuming they were dead? 

Hmmm. That is a good question. I would say yes for Ortega. Chen would absolutely know it might be a one way hopeless mission, but Ortega is the closest thing he has to a family. So I think there his heart would override his logic. The thing with Anathema is that they are invulnerable, so it would be hard to do an autopsy. But if we assume a pucture of Anathema's horribly mangled corpse? Hmmm. I don't think Chen would have gone looking. He would justify it as if Anathema really has died/suffered a massive boost breakdown which broke their invulnerability, they really are dead. Nothing to do, Anathema's body can't look like that and still be alive.

How does a regenerated Lady Argent think she’ll explain her new appearance and powers if the machine works out for her? What about Sidestep?

Oh she's burn that bridge when she comes to it. I think part of her thinks it wont work, no need to worry about that yet, and another part is quietly pondering just ghosting everything and going civilian for good. She's undecided, and I have some discussions with Sidestep about that planned.

Is Doctor Mortum modded? It's mentioned that they're stronger than they look and also have connections everywhere. It's also that their surgery scars are near invisible if I remember correctly.

Dr. Mortum has minor quality of life mods, some related to their transition, some to their control of their car and similar simple things. Nothing big, all of it very subtle. But yes, they are stronger than they look, but not overtly so.

I need to chase Ortega/HG around with a creepy crawly like a bratty little sibling. I think it would be very healing for Sidestep.

Sidestep really needs to heal... too bad they also have a job to do.

Does Chen panic when Sidestep books it during the kiss scene? In an "I fucked up" kinda way? Or is it something different? 

Absolutely!! He is convinced that Sidestep will never show up again, and that he pushed too hard, too fast. There's a lot of anxiety there until he runs into Sidestep again.

What made Shroud fall in love with San Fransicko?

She felt it was a city that allowed for her old-timey eccentricity.

Before HB incident what kind of stuff Ortega and Sidestep used to argue about?

That depends a lot on the Sidestep, but I think at heart of many arguments was the fact that Ortega was kinda pushy and wanted to be closer, be trusted, know the secrets. And Sidestep wanted to keep their distance and be safe, even if part of them wanted to go closer. That strain triggered many arguments I think.

what would taking numbers do to someone that’s psi-sensitive or telepathic???

Make their mind hard to read, much like for everybody else. In addition, their own telepathic talents would be... not supressed exactly, but muddled? Like trying to drive while very drunk? You can, but... yeah. Not a good idea. It feels bad, most telepaths wouldn't take them after they've done it once.

what kind of stories has ortega told herald and argent about sidestep??

Ahahah oh a lot. But it depends on the Sidestep. Not all of them would be true, as Sidestep saw it either. Ortega likes the drama more than the truth, and at the time they thought Sidestep was dead, so nobody would be hurt by stretching the truth a little.

did chen ever contribute any information to these stories???

Yes, when he could contradict Ortega.

can chen drive? if so, does he have normal pedals, or a special rig for driving without use of his lower legs (since the lack of feeling/fine motor control might make it hard)?

Chen can drive, but yeah, his car normally has a special rig (he can plug into it with the same plug he uses for his armor). He can drive normally too, but as you say, the lack of sensation makes it harder. He has to focus real hard, and it's nothing he does for fun.

would chen be a good cat dad 👀 

I think so. Probably a bit too attentive for some cats, but he would allow himself to be trapped if a cat blessed him with laying down on him.

What happens if Jake stops phasing while still inside of something?

That would be BAD. Could kill him if he didn't immediately go the opposite direction and become very hard. Then the object might explode instead.

Can you boost a tardigrade? What do you think the survival rate would be?

I don't think so, but it would be adorable. Insects and invertebrates have so far showed no sign of boosting ability.

If Sidestep full possessed another telepath, how would they perceive other people's minds? Would it be based on the body's telepathy or Sidestep's telepathy? Do you think there would be a long lasting impact on powers for either of them?

Oh that would be interesting! Could they? I'm not too sure about that. Might clash too hard. Or maybe. Hmmm. I need to think about this. But if they managed, it would be based on the telepathic powers of the body, though Sidestep might be able to utilize them better.

Why do the people around Chen keep wanting him to settle down and find someone? 

Because they love him, and Chen seems like the kind of person who needs to stop living for his job and get a life before it's too late but doesn't know how. So he needs a push.

I think this was answered already, but is the person that hired Chen and Vince to act as bodyguards the same person?

Not exactly.

How do you come up with a backstory that works for your characters after you nail down the vibes?

In bits and pieces. I never bother with a coherent one from the start, there's an episode or two, but the rest comes out as I write. I learn about them as I go along. I don't need to know all their secrets from the start.

Has Ortega had any of those Sidestep hallucinations since Step’s return?

Funnily enough, no.

Is ortega always the one who hires vera to break a romance bad guy killstep free? Or is it actually hollow. ground? Or is it someone else entirely...

It is variable, sometimes three people can pay her for the same job. Vera approves.

Is it possible for Sidestep's pain gate to be repaired/replaced? Failing that, will we have a definitive answer on what happened to it?

Technically yes, but there's a lot of scar tissue there so it would be very hard and might backfire. I mean Sidestep isn't sure what happened, but it did break in the fall from the window, and the Farm removed the remains as they operated to save Sidestep's life.

Do Shroud and/or Arde consider themselves human?

No.

Does Arde have plot armour? Or...

For book three.

Will Vera's romance progress at a faster pace since we're only meeting her halfway through the series?

Yeah, it will. She is also an easier person to get under the skin of.

Will Anarch-Steps have the chance to start a city-wide riot? With or without telepathy?

I'll take a note of that.

Will the Imposters have anything to say about Step's villain name?

Hmmm. Some might.

Did Ortega ever think that their hallucinations could've been Sidestep's ghost?

I don't think they ever ruled that out entirely.

The next time Ortega asks Step to stay the night, can we say yes?

You will have the option to, yes.

Would Ortega kiss Step's barcode?

Absolutely! And probably make a bad joke about it at some point...

If the villain has a bike (as per that path in Retribution), can we have a bike chase with Charge?

I do want to fit in a chase scene somewhere.

Are any of the imposters invited to Ortega's birthday?

The imposter thing will hopefully be resolved before then!

Can we bring Dr.Mortum or Vera to the party?

It would be very funny, so yeah.

Some of the Rangers are still willing to pay Vera to break out a Step that's murdered vs just breaking them out manually. I'm wondering, what's the reasoning there? Or is it a question of time passing and loss of opportunity?

It varies a little depending on the person. But in essence, the people who do the breakout immediately at the end of book two act from instinct, worry, friendship and love. They don't consider the consequences. A Sidestep which has pushed people further, done worse things, generally doesnt get that treatment. The things they did are too big for that initial panic to get over. The Rangers are angrier there, more focused on the betrayal and hurt. However, once that dies down, some might start to realize that keeping Sidestep trapped might doom them. And regardless of their crimes and how much they personally hurt, they don't want that. But, they are more aware of the consequences and can think more clearly, so they hire someone to do the job.

Will a puppetstuck Step be able to shunt the imposter back into the puppetbody when reclaiming their own? Or is a more unsavory method required in that scenario?

Ehehehe well. You'll see. But yes, you can do it without outside help if you choose.

If psychological trauma can strengthen telepathic power, can mental healing and stability weaken it?

Yes.

Is Sidestep moving in with an RO (or vice versa) within the scope of the story? Or is that headcanon territory?

I think headcanon territory, but I'm not sure.

If Julia were to get married, would she prefer to wear a suit or a dress?

Oh she could do both. Oh boy. I am really not sure. I don't think she is either. She would have to talk to the person she marries. I would say slightly more dress, because that can be a lot more dramatic and cool.

How's HRT in the fallen hero verse? Is it around the same as now, or is there any further advancements to it?

I think there are a mot more advances, haven't gotten into the details, but the medical science is ahead of our own.

In the heartbreak flashbacks- if you're able to see the woman she has green eyes, and then in the hospital they are pushing her into psychic 'depths' and such. Is there a connection with void in any of this? Sidestep had already fought void before that so surely it's not the same person but... Is it just a coincidence with the green situation? 

I would say that Sidestep is haunted by several sensations that might be adjacently tied to the Void experience though they don't think of it. The color green. The feeling of beind deep underwater. Vertigo and nausea. Things like that...

If steel fell into a large body of water, ie off the bridge, while in his full armor, what would happen?

Internal air supply going on and then he'll have to walk to shore if it is shallow enough. There is also an emergency floating device, but that makes him a sitting duck, especially as that part detaches much of the armor apart from the core.

Is Ortega planning on confiding about the, y'know, sidestep ghosts? 

I think so. But Ortega has issues with being vulnerable.

Also, how long does it take for a book to go through hosted games once it's submitted? Do they make you change things about it or is there some creative freedom? 

It takes about six months or so on Hosted Games end, though that can vary. I get a full editor report with comments, and I can decide whether I will act on what is said in it. I am more worried about the app store than Hosted Games...

Heartbreak network... What is this and what affect of it does to the city. How it connects to sidestep?

I'm honestly not sure exactly what you are talking about here?

If our mind strength reach to a impossible level, could we unlock some hidden power using opinions of mind power? Sidestep can see and interact into other people mind no other could do. Can we also create moster and nightmare in our mind which make them alive for help us control mebe even break other mind like puppet. Using other as our puppet? I see it possible since thare is sidestep scar exists.

Eheheehe this is indeed possible. Sidestep has the potential to become truly frightening.

For Manipulations if it reaches impossible level,can we change people mind , thought, personality without they notice? Like the feeling, we can just make someone can only feel positive to something and the negative will not be feel or think to control other only could feel and think the things that sidestep allowed ? Since red string of HG showed a excellent way of Manipulations of sidestep can do as their power is stronger than HG,I think they can do better than HG did.

Oh yes. Sidestep's biggest issue has always been making things last for a long time, in the short term they can rewrite people extensively. The one thing Hollow Ground is a lot better at is making things last, and integrate themselves into people's minds (the threads). Sure, they need to top them up eventually, but they still last a very long time for telepathic modifications.

The big difference is that Sidestep generally forces and pushes the mind into the shape they want. Misdirects, changes connections and so on. Sidestep does it TO someone's mind. So they need the skill and power to make it happen. Hollow Ground on the other hand uses the other mind against itself. HG suggests a feeling, or a course of action, and the other mind bends itself to do so. HG doesn't need the power, the mind they thread do. Thus, if the suggestions are closely enough aligned with the mind in question, the hold can be very strong. In a way, HG is better with strong minds, Sidestep is better with weaker ones.

Because from what I've (probably) picked up, does Physcopathor know the HG sibling? Or his wife? 

Hmmm I would say no. Know of, probably.

In the 4.2 path I see sidestep can control the impossible number of people with ratking help.How much people can sidestep control now?

It would depend on the people and the situation and Sidestep's power. If the people are already in synch, like a military unit or a marching band, Sidestep can control more of them.

Is the Dreamweaver doing things to us / our puppet behind the scenes? 

Not gonna tell you that!

Approximately how many pairs of cowboy/girl boots does Ortega own, if any at all?

Oh how big is Ortega's walk in closet... I would say at least six pairs, including one ostritch skin.

When you make a new character in retribution, you get to manually select all the major choices (scar, motivation ect.) but what about minor variables? Are they randomised or are there default ones? 

Some are default, some are deduced from the major choices, some are randomized. In general, all minor flags for doing rare stuff are not implemented. You get the vanilla flavor.

So if Ortega's mods are dangerous/potentially life threatening to them currently, hypothetically, what would a healthy resolution for them be? Minor adjustments with no real change to them? Lowered or no zappy powers? Would a full de-modding be needed and they wouldn't be able to walk again? Would they ever consider the latter if that was the case?

The biggest issue is the generator, the rest is spoilers.

Sidestep wasn't the only lost friend at Heartbreak, will we ever get a chance to talk about Anathema with Chen/Ortega?

We do need an Anathema talk, yeah...

Would any of the ROs wear Sidestep or the Villlain merchandise?

Argent already does. Herald probably has Sidestep merch in his closet.

How hard is it to acquire numbers and talodine? Can anyone just grab those at a drugstore? Prescription? Go though the uh right channels, if you will?

It's not drugstore stuff. Can't be prescribed. It's more military/company stuff so you need to know someone. Of course, everything trickles to the black market eventually.

If the accident never happened, and they managed to gain access to it, would Ortega have taken the gamble with the boost drug? (Bonus what would their powers be?)

Hmmm I don't think so. Ortega likes to defy the odds, but those were too bad, and they were not that desperate.

Do we know for a fact that Anathema is actually dead?

Sidestep thinks so.

Will an innocent step be able to willingly confess to being the villain while recovering at the ranch/ranger apartments?

Yeah... I can see that.

We know there are techniques non-telepaths can practice to shield their minds against intrusion. Are these more active defenses (like "do this if you think a telepath is listening") or passive ones (like "practice this form of mindfulness until you do it automatically")?

I would say both. Whichever one works best depends on the person.

If Ortega saw the autopsy video, would they have seen somebody or something else that they could imagine being the subject instead of sidestep?

No.

Does Sidestep have any physical scars from when the tapes Chen saw were recorded? (cw medical) Since you've said they weren't autopsy scars, is it more like vivisection? open chest surgery? keyhole? Or is there self healing tattoo shenaniganry at play? 

I would say more like open chest surgery scars.

If Sidestep was mind controlling someone, and that puppet body got nabbed by Mortum's teleportation gun, would Sidestep be able to leave their puppet body from within the gun's cage?

Ahaha noooope.

You've mentioned a couple times that you're too much of a metalhead to detail everyone's taste in music, which makes me wonder: are there any characters whose taste would overlap with yours? Or who you think would get into metal if you introduced them to it?

I always saw Chen as being a bit into metal/rock as a teenager.

What did the Rangers(or whoever approves the Rangers' budget) think about Argent's extremely specific and likely very expensive accommodations?

Oh there are ways to hide that if you know who and what to speak to...

How does 5P track his five particular pennies? Does he have a 6th sense that leads him or his followers to them?

Yes, he has.

Who did the Void think was more beautiful: Sidestep as Sidestep was killing them, or Ortega? If they had survived the Void lore snippets, would they have switched their obsession to Sidestep? 

Hmmm.... obsession yes, but not in a good way. If Ortega was an angel, Sidestep would be a devil.

If the Void were to return, could Sidestep romance them?

Hell no.

Just to be clear, aliens will not be involved through book 4 right?

No aliens in this world.

Is the Void lost through dimensions and hanging out with aliens?

No aliens.

How did the Void train their powers, or was it all instinct? Could they have manifested new uses for it with further practice or Boosting?

Instinct and exploration. They could have continued to grow all the way to Omega level if they had the time and the inclination.

Is the Eternal Queen of Britain Boosted or naturally immortal?(You answered that there's no known prominent boosted politicians) 

Well, there is always advanced medical technology too... which they claim is the secret.

I know people are excited to reveal everyone's dramatic plot secrets to each other—but more importantly, can we tell Daniel how many of his coworkers gave us the "you'd better not hurt him" spiel behind his back? Because I feel like he might not appreciate that.

Ahaha yeeah. Hmmm. Danny might also see that in a positive light, as in they care about him.

Could there have been a poly between the Void, Sidestep and Ortega?

No. Hell no. Please don't make me think that.

How did the greater Nanosurge swarm visualize or feel Sidestep stopping them? Was this different than what Argent's swarm felt or saw? Did Argent feel or see anything?

It was very different from what Argent's swarm felt and saw. Sidestep was pure command and control, very frightening. Argent's swarm felt that, and that was one reason they clung to their new host so tightly.

Does Sidestep specifically have physical scars on their body resulting from or matching the incisions pictured in the autopsy photos found by Chen? 

I would say yeah. But Sidestep has a lot of scars...

What would the Void think about Argent, especially if they learned about her nanos?

Fascinating. Frightening. Better off dead.

So last month, you answered that the Void thought they should've ended things after boosting, did the Void want to be killed? 

Hmmmm it's complicated. At one time yeah, but that changed.

Spoilered due to being a morbid question and totally ok if not answered but due to the nature of Anathema's acid powers did they ever have to dispose of bodies for the Green Sky? Those that didn't survive the Void blood?

Yes.

Why does Argent enjoy fighting so much? I'd assume that it would make her chronic pain & control issues worse but it seems like one of the few times where she seems consistently happy. Is that the nanovores influencing her?

I would say it is one of the moment when she feels the most in harmony with the nanovores, they are working together like a well-oiled machine. SHe is distracted from everything else and highly focused. For her, that adrenaline is freedom.

And building off that do the nanovores have any affect on her personality that shes aware of & if so is she worried about becoming a completely different person without them?

I think she worries about it, but at this point, how can she be sure?

Are there other similar entities to Dread Reactor out there? Like a UFO like big ugly and fat B52? Or a stupidly large tank?

Probably. I kinda want some weird big landcrawler monstrosity in inner Mongolia who escaped military control or something.

Is there any extra funky shit going on in this timeline’s Bermuda Triangle as opposed to ours???

The Bermuda triangle is always funky. Good place for a villain base.

Also, I’m fascinated by the politics we’ve seen so far on a federal level. Will we get to learn more about the initial human rights violations case in Panama that was glossed over before GeniTech moved west? How did they manage to win that case?

I might get into it one day when my head is wired towards politics again!

Will we ever attend one of Mortum's villain Halloween parties? or perhaps as a lore/pov story?

Probably more a lore story, but we'll see.

Did Ortega tell the other Rangers(like Steel or Sentinel or even Ashfall) how Sidestep killed the Void? Or were they also kept in the dark and only given the official story?

Only Ortega and Sidestep knows.

A few things about Project Stripes—

Firstly, you said a few years back that 1) Argent got her technopathy from Project Stripes, and 2) Project Stripes has something to do with regenes. Are those things still true?

Yes.

Secondly: does Project Stripes have anything to do with the Core?

Nope. Nothing at all.

Does the Green Sky cult also revere Mods? Or do they only exalt Boosting for transhumanism? 

Only boosting!

How horned up would the Void be for the Catastrofiend?

Not at all. That's an abomination.

Could a Sidestep that's got voideyes wear contacts to hide the eye colour change? Would they show through?

They can wear contacts, no issues.

Between Ortega and Chen who would you say is more ruthless?

Oh boy. I really don't know there. They both have it in them to be bastards, but also have soft sides. Maybe Ortega by a hair...

I know what the timeline says but text in the books themselves seems to contradict and the exact times seem kind of vague (intentional?) so ...approximately how long was Sidestep stuck being tortured at the farm after HB?

Not sure exactly, a couple of years. I never intended to detail it, the timeline came afterwards.

As part of cuckoo training was Sidestep kept informed when it came to pop culture references? Or were they super lost when anyone quoted anything post-escape? If so, did anyone pre-HB notice and try to remedy this?

Only what was needed for the job, so they would be lost most of the time. Anathema absolutely noticed (like seeks like) and did their best to get them up to date.

When it comes to flirting, is Benjamin shy, awkward, smooth, forward, cautious, something else? How about when he's flirted with? Does he get shy if someone's flirting is very forward or risqué?

I need to write it before I know it, but he's very confident in his own body.

Sidestep's mug in Ortega's place, was it the only thing Ortega had to remember Step? If it wasn't did Ortega lose any of the other when the couch was slain?

I would say one of the important ones. There are a thing or two more, but with less symbolism.

What would Nocturne/Jake have done if they found that HG was killed by Sidestep, who telepathically adjusted the aims of the formerly mind controlled guards so that HG was caught in the crossfire? 

Either collapsed from broken strings, or done their best to kill Sidestep.

Are there mods that telepaths/other psychics can control remotely? Like a hand that can be manipulated by a boost power rather than by attaching it to the arm via the normal modding procedure.

Hmmmmm I think not yet.

How often does Ortega think about Elyise?

When the nightmares come.

Did the Nanosurge gain anything other than numbers and mass from eating people? Is there a critical mass where it becomes more intelligent or gains/absorbs Boost powers? Or was it pure gray goo through and through? 

There are critical mass developement points where they start to act with more cohesion/intent. They can't absorb powers though, and I am not sure intelligence is the word to use.

How common is it for people to end up with identical boosts? Has it ever happened before?

Not identical, but they might look similar. There are many fire boosts, many strength and durability boosts etc. But not more identical than people are.

how's carter doing, in cases where sidestep left him alive but slurped out the info in his brain?

Probably still in a psychiatric ward somewhere recovering.

Would Ortega have been more pushy and nosey into Step's background if they hadn't tinfoiled themselves? Would they have been able to find something out from a source other than Step if the had kept digging?

Possibly. But that is neither here nor there.

So far we know four types of regenes: cuckoos, SCOs, MBOs, and Terror Beasts. Are these the only standard types for operatives or are there more?

They are all I have needed for now, there might be more in the future!

How much of the Void's behavior was their original personality vs whatever their powers were at the time of their death?

Powers do influence personality, so I would say at that point Void was deeply changed, but they were still them.

Is the SD going to be more or less suspicious depending on who broke us out, especially for the guilty routes?

Hehe someone noticed I had not added suspicion stats yet... Not going to tell you!

We've asked before what the Catfiend would taste like to Shroud, but what would Shroud taste like to the Catfiend? Would she be "tastier" if recently fed?

OH YES! Turducken.

Any other named characters that have destroyed/damaged Ortega's cars?

Not that I know right now.

If Sidestep were to die at the Heartbreak site, how would their death impact it?

Spoilers.

Is Argent's original and weaker technopathy really naturally occurring? Or did she develop it from trace exposure to the Boost drug, like from tampered water supplies?

Project Stripes. Nothing natural about it.

Does sidestep have any lasting physical damage from the fall itself, besides scars? Like nerve damage or back pain?

That depends on the Sidestep. Some might live with chrinic pain, some might have healed fine.

Since Halabi can address a Middle Eastern puppet in Urdu, whereabouts in S(W) Asia/North Africa is she from? 

She's from the USA, of mixed Syrian/Indian heritage.

How different is the tornado situation in Fallen Hero America? Would their frequency and location of tornado valley change due to all the near apocalypse events that shaped the landscape? If so, has LD been hit with a tornado? (All assuming natural tornados only) 

I would say that it is slightly less than in our world, due to a colder atmosphere over all, which would lead to less energy. I don't think there's been a natural tornado in Los Diablos.

Would have any of the rangers die in the og book(Don't need or want details. If that is still too spoilery then it will be my bd question for this year when the time comes) 

Yeah. The person who Chen replaced did. Though I hadn't written the end, which is where the person who Ortega replaced would have got it or not.

What would be the Farm's procedure if an escaped cuckoo was found to be in the public eye? Like if Sidestep's face had gotten published alongside the Rangers in the old days?

Extract as soon as possible. Then find out who might know... and take measures.

Are there any Regenes copied from living people's DNA? Or does the Farm only use dead donors to minimize potential mishaps if a meeting occurs?

Oh living DNA is used frequently. No qualms there.

When they take samples, do they kill the people they're grabbing DNA from? Is that how the HG sibling died? 

Unless it is necessary, they don't kill people. HG's sibling's death is spoilers.

There's information on the hero drug that mentions that it has a 95% death rate, but what percentage of those is due to their body failing directly because of the drug and what percentage is due to them getting powers that kill them (like the "power" of turning all of your blood into sand whenever you blink, or the "power" to turn all of your DNA into gold)?

I would say about 60% body failing outright, either immediately from a heart attack or system shock, or after a few weeks of suffering, with like advanced cancers, immune system breakdown and shit. The remaining 40% would be from incompatible powers, some of them might live longer than others (like fire powers with little protection), but they would die pretty soon.

Is it more common for regenes with telepathy of some form to try to escape?

I would say yes, they would be more aware of the outside world and options.

What would happen if Shroud touched:

a) the Imposter

Om nom, tasty.

b) a 9 gate Sidestep 

Turn, run, scream, die.

c) catastrofiend

All you can eat buffe of rancid shrimp that will give you the runs.

d) Ortega

Om nom, zap.

e) locus

Om nom, tasty

Will we get a second chance to dethread Chen if we failed previously, especially since we can dethread Jake in the 4.2 demo?

Oh yes.

How did Mortum take being ignored by people when busting the puppet out of the hospital? Weird? Fascinating? Wrong? Was there a difference in reaction between subtle and forceful?

Fascinating. Mortum realizes the possibilities. I think they had to avoid people walking into them more with the forceful approach.

In puppetstuck ask-Argent-to-check-on-Step's-body ending, we see Argent use her powers to contact a "Project Manager" > is PM the pseudonym she uses for Step? or is the PM a different person? 

A different person.

Can I get a lore snippet that's the Void's pov of their death? 0u0

Oh boy can I even write that?

What would the person who deployed the Nanosurge think about Argent's colony of nanovores?

Absolutely fascinating.

Re: the lore post. Has Danny taken his suspicions to anyone else on the team? Has he spoken to Chen, given he seems to talk to Chen about step quite often?

Not yet.

Is Marek one of the people aware of Sidestep's return to LD?

No.

How difficult is it for Chen to wrangle Spoon into a sweater? Does Spoon sit still or is he wiggly?

I think Spoon is wiggly when he is not sleepy. Gotta pick the right moment.

Could Void blood be used as the genetic template for a Regene? Or is it too unstable for that? Would a Regene clone of the Void inherit some of their weirdness? Or even be a vessel of their reincarnation? 

Huh. I... am not sure. It is... yeah. Look. You gave me something to think about.

Will Mortum get to meet their armour up and walking about with a little rat-brain assistance? How fascinated would they be?

Absolutely delighted and enthralled.

Addendum: How terrified would Mortum be that Step has left a colony of nanovores in the care of rat brains without adult supervision? 

Sometimes you need to do these things. They are neutered after all.

Has there been any research or progress in Unboosting people?

Not that I have decided on yet.

did sidestep ever so briefly clock the voids “that’s so hot” moment whilst in the process of murdering them?

No.

What does the current world trade economy look like? Is there much/any exchange going on between countries that don’t share land borders?

It is not as globalized as our economy, it is more like it was in the sixties, with the majority of trade being with neighours and within the same power block.

What's the current banana flavor like

The banana epidemic happend in the FH world too. We have the same second-rate bananas.

Are there any other Regenes or handlers/Farm staff who still think or wonder about Sidestep specifically and if so, why? Did Sidestep have any help with either of their escapes or were they always carefully planned, one-person shows? Were they unaware they had help?

Yes, but all of that is spoilers!

Argent at the auction can tell villains she needs to bring them down without killing them. Is this a challenge she feels she has set herself to accomplish by herself? Or is there a reason why she doesn't think getting the other Rangers to pummel villainstep 4v1 would work the way she wants?

Oh this is her challenge!

What is Spoon's favorite dog toy?

A really chewed up soft toy, mostly used for Chen to pull at so they can have a tug of war.

How would the Rat King feel about Snowball?

Intimidated.

Can we call Hollow Ground a hypocrite for getting angry we tried to invade their mind, when they regularly do the same to others? 

Sure!

Does HG name their fish?

Only the big ones.

Is Boosting more or less fatal for animals than humans?

About the same.

What does the TTRPG scene look like in the Fallen Hero universe? Are there more/less superhero themed ones to ours? 

Less. I mean how many sports themed ttrpgs are there?

How would Psychopathor react if he saw the girls in a robot body?

Surprised and kinda proud.

Would a true generally intelligent AI be perceptible to telepathy? What would it feel like to technopathy?

It would not be susceptible to telepathy. Technopathy might work similarily though.

What is HG's favorite species of fish? Or second favorite, if the first favorite is a moray 

Oh that's not his favorite, that's just impressive. I would say that puffer fish are adorable.