November QnA (Patreon)

Will we learn about the rest of the world? While there are few passing mentions, I'd be curious to see what the hero/political situation is in, say, Europe or Asia?

I will probably not go into detail in the books since it's not the focus of the story. There's another project on the backburner that might go into politics in detail, but the timing of that is uncertain.

To sum things up, the world is in the grip of a cold/proxy war, but between four loosely affiliated/competing sides instead of two. 

The Soviet Union still exists, with a massive influence on most of eastern Europe. The Berlin wall never fell, but it's softened. Communism is still a thing, but it's not as hardline as it used to be. There are plenty of famous Heroes there, almost entirely mod-based, and sponsored and put in service by the state. It's a big propaganda project, and the USSR leads the world in mods and mobile armor tech.

China is dominating eastern Asia, but their communism has diverged vastly from what's in the USSR. Nominally they are allies, but the rivalry is great, and they have been on opposing sides in proxy wars where their spheres of influence overlap. There is less focus on Heroes here, boosts and mods exist and are used, but they aren't really something that ends up in the headlines with codenames or suits.

The EU is the weakest of the four superpowers but has been growing in influence. As they are a union between independent nations, they can be fractured, which also enables them to switch positions fast. They walk the fine line between working with the USSR in Eastern Europe and having traditionally friendly relationships with the US. Their biggest rival is China, as they both are ambitiously extending their influence in the various African nations. Heroes exist, but like in China, most of them are not as ostentatious as their USSR and US counterparts. Most end up in public service or working for various multinational companies.

The US still has a powerful influence in south and central America and is vying with China over southeast Asia. The Free Territories are the hotbed of Heroes (and villains), but they are prevalent in all parts of society. They have a more significant proportion of boosted Heroes than the other superpowers and more independent operators than is typical. 

Of course, the rest of the world doesn't neatly fit into the various spheres of influence. There are strong regional powers, like India, Nigeria, Japan, and Turkey, which walk their own paths, independent of the superpowers.

Will there be more Vernon in the future?

Yes, you might get to meet him in book three.

If the Rangers + Mortum were mythical creatures/monsters/etc, what would they be?

I am so bad at things like that, I honestly have no idea. The only thing I suspect is that Sidestep might be a chupacabra...

When Ortega and Sidestep first met, did sidestep immediately assume/know that they are epileptic, or did Sidestep come to a different conclusion (that Ortega was taking numbers/something else entirely)?

Sidestep's first reaction was that they must be taking numbers; that was what they had experience with. It took some time before the secret slipped out.

Speaking of numbers, does it do anything fun if a telepath takes it, or does it just make them harder to read to other telepaths?

The latter, it doesn't affect the outgoing power.

Since Marshal Hood's powers seemed to be about controlling earth, did his powers cause any damage or accidental deaths when they first activated? 

Yes, it did cause damage. Quite a bit of it. No accidental deaths, but there were injuries.

What was HG's childhood/youth like? 

You might find out in book three, but they had a large family with several siblings; they were the second oldest. Single mom, no dad. No money either, but ambition. The crime empire was a sibling affair from the start; their oldest brother got it started.

Did Jake leave any family or friends behind in the Philippines? If yes, Is he still in contact with them?

Yes, he did. He was in his teens when he left, but he still sends money back to his family. He haven't been back though, it's all letters and phones.

Is Lord Ember aware of Shroud's hidden identity?

Lord Ember is aware of a lot of things.

What on earth is going down in texas?

Business as usual. Texas wasn't severely affected by the big one, and the oil business is booming. One of the most influential states in the union.

Does Sidestep memory control people into thinking they show up at work at their cover job?

That depends on how ruthless they are, but it's probably happened.

What type of music do the rangers + Mortum like?

Once again, don't ask me about music; all I know is metal. That's for your headcanons.

Which December holiday do each of the 5 ros primarily take part in?

Christmas is a significant cultural event, so they're all involved in that. There's a lot of PR work that goes on around that time, so they are kept busy. Especially Daniel. Ortega tries to drag the willing ones to Christmas with their mom and various other relatives at the ranch, and that's usually Chen, and sometimes Daniel. Argent always volunteers for duty around the holidays; she grows wistful and moody at that time and prefers to drown herself in work. Daniel celebrates Hanukkah, but he tries to not make a big thing of it, it's a melancholy time of the year for him. Like Argent, he's got nothing against drowning himself in work, though it tends to be more of the volunteer kind. Often at hospitals. Dr. Mortum is one of the organizers of the unaffiliated underground villains' Christmas party, so they are busy that season.

How is Julia's name typically pronounced?

The Spanish way is the right way, but the English form is typically used in English speaking media. She's gotten used to it over the years.

When people make movies based on real superheroes, how much input does the superhero have? does the hero get any royalties off the use of their image? (and a follow-up - if royalties and image licensing is a thing, does that mean that Sidestep could theoretically have got money off movies based off them that's just accumulating somewhere)

It varies. If it's a corporate-sponsored hero, the corporation is often part of funding the movie, and they veto everything they don't approve of. In those cases, it's not even the hero that owns the trademark, that's all corporate. If it's government based (like the Rangers), then there might be royalties for image use and the like. Same with famous enough vigilantes that have a real name they can use to collect them.

Sidestep wouldn't get any royalties; they have a secret identity and thus no way to collect or challenge in court. Vigilantes are fair game for moviemakers, though there's always a danger of a nightly visit if the subject in question is unhappy with the result.

Many movies tend to avoid real (living) heroes, it's easier and cheaper to do knock-off stuff that's similar to but legally distinct from the real deal.

Oh! Also, I was curious - how exactly are hero costumes designed and produced? Is it in house designers / do they get a marketing or branding agency or anything like that? And do the rangers have a social media manager?

ALSO, more marketing related questions, do the rangers (or other superhero teams) have in-house marketing or PR management, or do they engage an external agency? And what's the process of onboarding a new team member / creating a new superhero identity like?

The Rangers have a big media team that handles their image and that of the various members. It's personal assistants, voice coaches, stylists, personal shoppers, and everything you can think of. This is where most scandals are stopped or mitigated before (and sometimes after) they reach the media.

Hero costumes are made and designed in many ways. There are several famous manufacturers (who also use the tech for advanced sportswear and the like) and many independent designers. There are marketing agencies, too; every part of the process has been monetized.

Whether it's in-house or independent consultants vary. Most of the Rangers stuff is in-house since there are several Ranger teams, and they all use the same core organization.

The most crucial part of bringing in a new member is the security vetting and psychological/power profiling. Once that has been okayed, then it depends on the former identity of the hero. Some just need an update and a new costume; others require a complete reinvention (a corporation might own their trademark, for example). It's a process, and one in which the hero in question only has limited input.

Are the skinsuits worn by heroes bulletproof? If so, how damaging are bullets when in one? If not, how do heroes avoid being shot since guns seem somewhat available?

Skinsuits are bulletproof, to a point. A standard skinsuit can handle small arms fire and edged weapons. Bruising might still happen. Rifles and high-velocity weapons pose a problem, and most skinsuits have increased protection and armor over vital areas to help protect against that.

Pelayo and Ward were part of WolfPack, but what were Nehal and ZaZa doing before they joined mob boss Sidestep's crew?

Nehal was a driver for a group of robbers, who had an unfortunate encounter with the law before she was recruited.

ZaZa was a merc/assassin for hire.

Is there any connection with Lord Ember and Lady Argent having rather similar name beginnings, or is it just coincidence? 

It's no coincidence.

What kind of kingpin is Lord Ember? Does he stay in the shadows as much as HG does? 

Lord Ember is a lot more flamboyant; he does not stay in the shadows. He relies more on brute force and personal presence to get his will across.

Do nanovores have any weaknesses?

Their "hover" system, if we call it that, don't let them reach great heights, maybe ten feet at the most. They are most efficient in high concentrations; thus, things like a strong wind can limit them (but also spread them). They can be damaged by things like acid, electricity, and heat, but if they have access to organic matter, they can heal/regrow/multiply the swarm fast if you don't get them all. They are not hurt by water, but they don't penetrate to any great depths, just the top few inches at the most.

Is there anyone Spoon could be introduced to that he instinctively may not like/would instantly make Chen dislike the person if Spoon doesn't?

The Catastrofiend. Spoon would be five blocks away the moment he catches a whiff.

How do the rangers + Mortum drive?

Ortega drives fast and reckless but is good enough to pull it off. Especially on a bike. Chen drives carefully, but if need be, he can do as wild shit as Ortega. Argent drives, but to get from point A to point B, and prefers if someone else does. Daniel can't drive. Mortum loves to drive and have the best quality/most tinkered with vehicles of everyone.

How are the people working at the Farm (not the people running the show, but handlers/ trainers and scientists and such) taught to think about regenes? Are most of them unaware that regenes are sapient on any level?

Like tools and lab animals, the staff is carefully vetted for empathy before being assigned to the Farm, and every aspect of life there is focused on making sure that nobody mistakes Re-Genes for real people. People are reassigned if they have shown signs of bonding with their subjects. They are aware that Re-Genes are intelligent, but it's just a program, like an AI.

Where is the Farm located? 

Nevada.

What are the different tattoo colors for Re-genes, and what do they mean?

I haven't made a full system yet, but in general, the colors are there to give an indication of what you might expect from the Re-Gene. Color and pattern type are not fully standardized though, every single Re-Gene has a different set, another way to quickly identify them.

Also, what do they do when they aren't on missions? (Like leisure time and so on.)

What is the Farm culture like with the regenes who aren't at work?

It's a boring life. Training. Experiments. Recuperation. More training. Think lab animals, there's not much enrichment there.

Does Chen have feeling in his prosthetics?

It depends on which kind. In theory, prosthetics can be hooked up to remaining nerves to give an approximation of sensation. This is seldom done in practice because it's expensive and can be taxing on the body. You have several different types of sensation. Hard touch/deep tissue awareness, gentle touch/skin awareness, hot/cold temperature awareness.

For Chen personally, it varies. His shoulder/arm only has deep tissue hookups. He can feel pressure, which helps with spatial awareness. No pain, no gentle touches, no hot or cold. His legs vary. The simple runners have very few sensory hookups, like his arm; it's mostly to enable him to better react to his surroundings. His 'work' legs have more; there are limited hot/cold sensations there to help him avoid damage. No finetuning, just working in the same way pain does for ordinary flesh. Knowing when things might start going wrong. The most advanced parts are his hands since they are what interact the most. His work hands have the same awareness as his legs, nothing subtle but enough to know when things might damage them. He can feel Spoon chew on them, but it doesn't hurt. His civilian hands are truly state of the art, they have the best sensory weave in the business, and while they can't match real skin, they get the job done. Here he can feel soft touches and gentle heat.

Was HG assassinating Marshal Hood just business, or was there a personal motive tied to it? 

Both.

If the Rangers' reputation is now bad, what does each Ranger think of it? Do any of them care about their reputation getting hit? 

Chen cares because it makes his job harder, and he doesn't like feeling like he's doing a bad job. Ortega cares a bit but also knows it will blow over. It's been worse. Argent doesn't care? Daniel cares a lot; they are trying their best, that should count for something (he might also blame himself).

Does Dr. Mortum have any particular thoughts if the Rangers' reputation is suffering? 

Maybe a chuckle or two.

Back when Dr. Mortum was a villain, what kind of villain were they? Did they give any monologues or speeches, or did they just do their work and go home? Did they have fans, or were they too inconspicuous? 

They had a flamboyant streak they're a bit embarrassed by today. There's probably some monologue footage that would leave them groaning in embarrassment. They might still have some fans, but they were never in the top league.

Were Dr. Mortum and Vitruvian already working together when they started their villain careers, or did they meet each other after becoming villains and decided to team up? 

They met as villains and decided to team up and pool their resources. They had different skill sets but were both focused on science and thus complemented each other.