QnA for June! (Patreon)

When does it drop 😭😭

Sadly, I can only submit (beta test coming VERY soon, working on the save system now), and then it is up to Hosted Games schedule.

Can we destroy the HG trio’s confidence? Individually? As a team? Can we destroy their relationship to each other without killing them? 

Yes, yes and yes.

Building off the ‘what do the ROs find attractive in a partner’ what about Mortum? 

Oh boy. Going for the tough ones. I'm trying to find a good english term for the swedish "självgående". Basically Dr. Mortum is attracted to people who have their own lives, their own goals and their own path in life. The ones who doesn't need a romantic relationship to define them. People that are sure of themselves. People that can accept distance as a necessary thing without needing constant affirmation. Also, they need to be able to respect their skills/mind. It doesn't hurt if they are able to take a bit of charge now and then either.

Can we astral project and sleep in our ROs minds? Or have a symbiotic relationship with them? If it’s possible, will it also be possible to share our telepathy with them? 

It will be possible to start experimenting with that for some of them, yeah. However, sharing telepathy is a very underused part of Sidestep's telepathy, they have never trusted anybody enough for that kind of instant two-way communication before. Will it change? We'll see.

What do the HG trio like to eat? 

HG likes fancy and meat. Nocturne wants it to look elegant and refined. Jake don't think it's a meal if it doesn't include rice. He's also the one most likely to cook of the three. The food is what he misses the most from home, and he's worked hard on trying to get his favorites as right as he can with the lack of ingredients. Don't think either of them has a sweet tooth. 

Do all telepaths need carbs for their powers? Or can their ‘fuel’ vary? Does the need for their fuel, in conjunction with their powers, give them any cravings for the foods that supply it? 

In general, yes. Glucose is the fuel the brain needs, and that also goes for many other mental powers. And yes, many telepaths (and other boosts) get weird cravings for whatever their body needs. Sometimes said things can be rather odd, think of it like pregnancy cravings tuned up to 11.

How would Jake feel about a Sidestep that regularly defeats him in battle when he challenges them, especially if his reputation started taking hits? Would Nocturne and HG tell him to back off, since Step isn’t instigating the fights? 

They 100% would do that. He's got a job to do, and that's not providing some upstart villain with a sparring partner/punching bag. Would probably lead to a big argument too, Jake hates losing and would love another rematch as long as he's having fun.

In addition to the above, how would he feel about a Step that doesn’t really want to fight him because of how one-sided the battles are, and just quietly finds him embarrassing?

Then he would probably back off fast, if there's no fun to be had, he's not going to press the issue. He knows he's not the best there is. And he's not a costumed villain, he's got a job to do.

Would Step’s telepathy be considered ‘toxic’ to other psychics if they tried interacting with it? 

I really am not going to spoiler this. You'll find out in game.

Did Blaze ever apologise to Locus for lashing out at her in the Angles story? Which Marshal was he thinking of back then? 

Blaze did apologize. And he was thinking of Charge if I remember correctly.

Does Argent ever get lonely, considering her select few friends don’t know some crucial truths about her, compounded with her separation from her family? 

Often and very. That's why she sends so much time watching movies.

Given the option, would the ROs be interested in witnessing Step’s life throughout the years firsthand through shared memories? ( Like a pseudo-movie/biography/etc.) How would they feel about the idea, provided that there’s a disclaimer for particularly disturbing experiences in Step’s life?

Hmmmm. After considering this, I think the ones that would be up for it are Daniel and maaaaaaaybe Ortega.

Was Sidestep the first telepath to work with The Rangers (pre-HB ofc) or were there others before them?

Yes, at least repeatedly and closely. There might have been a teamup or two during Marshal Hood, but I have no names or details.

Ortega was obviously furious at whatever accusations Vernon was throwing toward Sidestep but did that ever gnaw at them? Have they ever thought that maaaybe there was some truth to them and they weren’t baseless? Or did they just absolutely not believe any of those claims?

Ortega doubts everything, that's their curse.

Did Ortega ever forget what Sidestep looked like some years after HB? You know how after not seeing someone for some time, their features get blurred in your mind and you don’t clearly remember their face. Did that happen to Ortega or did they constantly look at the rare pic(s) they have of Sidestep so it wouldn’t happen? But if it did happen, how did they deal with it?

No, Ortega remembered all too well (and yes, there were some rare pictures to remind them). However, what bothers them more is that now they are starting to forget, the current Sidestep replacing the past one. What did their smile look like again? That's cause for occasional bouts of panic.

After i did a playthrough where i kept things friendly with Ortega, i noticed they’re “a lot” more open with a friend Step compared to a romanced one. They’re not afraid to show them how worried they are, to call them out on (some of) their lies and just generally open up more. Why is that?

First, there might be other variables at play as well, so it might not be the only thing that changed. But yeah, I think a romanced Ortega is more scared about losing/driving away Sidestep. The closer they are, the more Ortega knows the risk of Step running gets. So they might start walking on eggshells...

If you had a thing with Ortega pre-HB and you continue romancing them in the books too, are the other Rangers surprised to see that Ortega and Sidestep kind of rekindled their relationship after such a tragic event and especially a very long time? What do they think of it? Particularly Chen, since he knew them the longest?

I think everyone that was aware of the whole history was very surprised. Ortega doesn't really have a reputation as someone sticking around for that long, or returning to a previous relationship. People that knew Ortega REALLY well (Chen, Owl) weren't surprised though. it was very much in character.

Is Ortega and Sidestep’s ship name in-world still Chargestep?

Probably, it's a good name.

When did Ortega realize they were in love with Sidestep? Was it like a sudden revelation after some event/outing/interaction? Or more of a gradual realization?

I will leave those details up to headcanon since it can vary depending on Sidestep. But in general, I think it was a mix. A gradual thing building up but never realized, and then something happens and the lightbulb goes on. Probably with an "Oh no" as the first reaction, since Ortega would be very aware of the problems that might cause.

If Sidestep gained the power to mimic appearances and voices, especially perfect ones of the Rangers, how would the team react? 

Argent, Daniel and Chen would be horrified, Ortega would immediately think of the utility and possibilities of mischief.

How would Locus react upon realising that Sidestep is *nowhere near as weak* as they said they are, and the Rangers are in the dark about it? Especially a Sidestep that lied about losing their powers? How would she react if Step outclasses her as a telepath in every way? Would she consider becoming their student if they were relatively wholesome as a villain?

Oh I am NOT gonna spoil that. You'll simply have to find out in game.

Imagine this scenario… how would the Rangers + the HG trio + Mortum react to a Sidestep that’s disturbingly good at making accurate guesses and evaluations about them and their past, if their telepathy was briefly lost?

None of them would believe that Sidestep had lost their telepathy. Cried wolf too many times.

What does Mortum think of child experimentation? Would they endorse torture if it yielded promising results in experiments? 

Mortum dislikes child experimentation, and considers it distasteful but, at times, worth the moral discomfort if it is necessary. And if you think about it, it's not torture if it's during a productive experiment, it's just a very painful experiment. Torture for torture's sake is a useless waste. 

Why doesn’t Jake like horror?

Creeps him out. Probably has too much imagination.

How does HG treat the LDPD, knowing they killed two of their siblings?

The organization is a useful tool, the individuals involved are long dead.

Disregarding their current popularity as the Rangers and the subsequent recognition that comes with it… how would the Rangers fare at being spies? 

In order of being good at it: Argent, Ortega, Chen, Daniel.

Does Hollow Ground know how to detect telepathic manipulations in their mind? Or are telepaths too rare for them to develop that sort of defense?

Spoilers. You don't know the limits of their powers, or what assets they might have access to.

What sort of role to HG’s organisation would Mia have played if she was recommended? Would she have accepted it, given that HG didn’t thread her? 

Informant and spreader of information. And probably not.

How would the ROs react to the truth between Step and the Puppet? 

Spoilers, you have to find out in game.

Would Chen ever ask Sidestep about what Spoon says/has said? Would Ortega be the same when it comes to the animals on Elena’s ranch?

Once Chen realizes that Sidestep can hear Spoon, he probably would after some consideration. Ortega wouldn't even think about it, nor be particularly interested.

The poly routes sounds sweet but I live for drama. Will it be possible to get the ROs to fight over Sidestep? 

Some constellations can be that volatile, yeah. But the risk is they'll turn their annoyance on Sidestep instead so... it's a risky route.

so we know how tía elena feels/felt about sides will be determines in game. what about her relationship with the pre hb rangers? :)

Some she almost saw as family (Hood, Sentinel, Chen). The rest of the team she liked. She saw more of them when she still lived in Los Diablos. She had a soft spot for Sunstream, and was worried about her mental state.

How much say do Ortega and Chen get in upgrades to their mods and gear? 

A bit, but they don't have final say. At this point, they've got more pull than Daniel does.

What were the Guardians doing before they were on the team? Did any of them ever try to be Rangers?

Zephyr and Blaze used to be on the Long Beach Heroes team with Locus and Porphyry. The rest of the team (I haven't detailed everyone yet) were independent heroes. None of them had aimed to become a Ranger.

Since Step can body hop does that make them have the potential to be immortal?

They still return to their original body when they fall asleep, so at this point, no. If they can figure out how to stay in another mind permanently things might become interesting.

For the last question… I’m guessing no. Their original body has the telepathy that allows them to body hop. If it dies, I feel like Step might either also die, or live an extended life in a puppet body: but not immortality.

The biggest question here is if the telepathy is tied the body. So far, that seems to be the case. It's acting like a bluetooth hub, connecting the new body and old.

Is there something that Step finds unexplainably soothing? Like how babies are with rocking and their parents? Or some people with certain places? How about Ace?

That is entirely headcanon. Dogs is the closest thing to canon.

you said before that it's a theory that a boosted person's surroundings/what is being done to them influences what type of power they get. if it is not a spoiler, what was sidestep put through? 

We will go into that in future books, so my lips are sealed.

Just to clarify, how many siblings did Hollow Ground have? I think some older posts mentioned both 2 and 3.

I am going back and forth, right now they are Shrödingers siblings.

Does Ortega have Sidestep's Gun? If so would they give it back if Sidestep asked?

Ortega does indeed. And if Sidestep ever realized or asked, they would hand it back in a heartbeat.

How strong does Ortega think Sidestep is in the current day?

It depends on the Sidestep. Ortega has a clear opinion, but it won't be the same for everyone.

The PuppetStep is more Action Survivor to Sidestep's main body Action Hero(Villain). Is it going to be possible to take a few levels in Badass for Puppetstep or is this going to remain the case?

Oh you'll get your levels of badass in certain paths, trust me on that. Looking forward to writing them. 

Does the Farm ever try to make Re-Genes mixed in with other species? 

Yes. It did not go well.

What’s the biggest + smallest Re-Gene *ever* recorded?

The largest would have been about twice the height of a normal human, but six times heavier. The smallest would be the size of a toddler. 

How did Daniel’s family acquire their wealth and prestige? What sort of business were they in? (Considering their aversion to Danny getting into art, I’m guessing it’s probably not anything art-related?) 

I haven't detailed it, but it's old money (probably third generation). This means it's mostly business and investments today, but originally I imagine it would have come from manufacturing of some sort. These days, like most rich people, they are in the business of making more money.

How much of each of the Rangers’ past is known to the team? What do they know of each other? 

Ortega and Chen knows a lot about each other's past, but they are both hiding secrets from each other. Argent's past is nobody's business (Ortega knows a little tho). Herald is deceptively open but also very good at not talking about the big stuff. In short, everyone's got secrets.

Did Hood work with/for HG? Did they ever have a more personal association with each other that isn’t just rivals/enemies? (E.g. Friends?)

Hood had no association with HG back in the day, in fact, they didn't even believe a kingpin existed. So many real threats in Los Diablos, there was never any time investigating rumors of shadowy manipulators. HG the person was known as a criminal, but certainly not Ranger's level. Unfortunately, Hood stepped on some very tender feet there without realizing it, and paid the price.

What would Mia's main question for Catastrofiend be if she ever got a chance for an interview?

Are you going to kill me?

Which of the Guardians would have fared best against Sidestep in a close-quarters combat?

Zephyr. Speed is annoying, even for a telepath.

Is Mortum aware that telepathy has different branches such as force/subtlety? Have they studied Ljungstrand’s telepathic classification?

Yes they have. Quite extensively.

What kind of D&D character would the Rangers, Dr. Mortum, and HG trio create? 

Ortega: Wizard! Probably evocation. Chen: Life cleric. Argent: Ranger, and shut up, it is not underpowered. Daniel: Battlemaster fighter. Dr. Mortum: Druid is clearly the most overpowered. HG: Psionics, if we're talking overpowered here. Nocturne: Lore bard. Jake: Warlock, pact of the blade.

In what ways does Locus’s telepathy differ from Sidestep’s in how she sees people mindscapes or reads people minds?

We'll get into that in more detail in the books, but in short, Sidestep's telepathy is very sensory, especially visual.  They see mindscapes, they feel them. Locus is not. She's verbal. She sees minds more like reading books, she doesn't see mindscapes that way. Maybe more like those tag clouds, or snippets of text conversations.

How did Locus feel about being part of the Long Beach Heroes? What was her relationship like with rest of the team? Are she and Porphyry still in contact?

She loved it! She was the baby of the team, but she always felt very welcome and valued. It was only towards the end when things started falling apart, when she started investigating HG. She and Porphyry is still in touch.

Does Nocturne’s mother know Nocturne moved to Los Diablos? Is Nocturne in contact with her mother or does she prefer to keep her distance from her old life?

She writes, and there is the occasional phonecall on holidays, but she prefers to keep her distance.

How much do the Rangers, Dr. Mortum, and HG trio consider their decisions before they make it? 

From most impulse to most considering their decisions: Jake, Herald, Argent, Chen, HG, Mortum, Ortega, HG.

Did Puppet have any family? What was their childhood like? How content had Puppet been with their life?

It is still very hazy for me, but no close family they were in contact with, and not a very happy life.

is there in universe trading cards for heroes / villains / vigilantes?

Oh yes. Should probably bring that up at some point.

did sidestep live anywhere during their hero days, were they homeless, or will it be a player choice?

Player choice. It can be everything from basically homeless to a comfortable little apartment.

did you write the other side of the conversation ortega has on the phone with lady argent in the diner about letting sidestep go into her head? 

Yes. Yes I did. Maybe one day I'll post it.

Will we get a chance to give Chen, Argent, and/or Dr. Mortum nicknames in the future? Or do they not like being called pet names? Actually, does Dr Mortum even enjoy calling the Puppet ma chérie/mon chéri? Or is that just them trying to keep up their polite french persona?

Everyone will have the opportunity for nicknames eventually. Even though some of them might groan (not that it would stop Sidestep). I think at this point it is mostly a habit for Mortum, in the future it might become something more personal.

Can you inject the hero drug into any living thing? Are there boosted plants out there? Boosted mushrooms?

Oh thank you for those nightmares. I had not even considered that. 

On that note, we know Sidestep can kinda communicate with (or at least listen to the thoughts of) animals; Can they/would they ever be able to do the same with plants? Or is their “language” just too different to comprehend?

Too different. Just like with insects.

You mentioned in another Q&A that Dr Mortum has a side project to make a lab-compatible roomba for cleaning purposes, but did they ever add anything extra to it? Laser beams? A freeze ray? Perhaps a knife duct taped on top?

Look, that extra strength floor scrubber was bad enough. You wouldn't want to arm that. Though I do love the idea of Mr. Stabby, Dr. Mortum is too safety conscious.

What kinds of things do people buy/commission from Dr Mortum? Is it mostly armor and weapons, or are there other things they specialize in? Have they ever made things for vigilantes? Or have their customers always been villains?

In order of most common to least common: Surveillance gadgets, weapons, armor, vehicles, robots. Whatever it is, it tends to be compact and small, miniaturization is their specialty. And yes, there are vigilante customers.

Did Vitruvian have any mods and/or take the hero drug? Or was he just a ‘normal’ human? Did his armor compliment Dr Mortum’s at all, or did they have totally different villain aesthetics? Wait actually, did they even go into the field together at any point? Or did they only work together in the lab?

Vitruvian was a boost. He was very vocal about it too, saw that as making them better than ordinary people. They had... hmmm... not intentionally complimentary aesthetics, but they did not clash. Both of them were mainly white/pale, with green details for Vitruvian, and orange for Mortum. They went into the field together often, and were known as a villainous duo.

were there any standout missions/encounters that sidestep and ashfall did together? can we get some more insight on what their relationship was like? 

I need to do some more thinking of that, I am planning a future lore post for Ashfall.

what’s ashfall’s motivation for being a hero?

Being the best they can be without being an asshole about it and do some good in the process.

Does LD have a Pride Parade? Would any of the ROs go if it did?

Yes it does! As for going... I think Herald has been there many times as an "ally", probably the most openly Rangers presence there. Chen doesn't go to the parade, but there are people he meets up with for more private parties during that time. Dr. Mortum always goes.

What did Mortum think of Sentinel? 

Brave. Powerful. An inspiration.

Can Re-Genes be ‘charged’ with electricity? If they can, what’s the effects of it?  

I am not sure I understand the questions. They can be shocked, just like normal people. It doesn't affect their AI chips in particular, they are well insulate.

Would an NB!Ortega have a similar relationship to their father as a Julia one, since he would’ve been unsure with how to connect with them?

Hard to say. In some ways it would be similar. Their dad would not have been very supportive, and not considered a real identity. A phase.

What types of jealous are the ROs when it comes to a Sidestep with lots of admirers who want to make a move on them? 

My brain literally broke down at this question. I think neither Sidestep, the RO's or me can even imagine this particular scenario. I think they would not be jealous, but try to help Sidestep escape the scene as fast as possible.

What do the ROs wish for/from a revealed Step the most if they were on good/neutral terms with them?

I'll have to work that out in writing, I'm not sure yet.

Would the aforementioned EMP blast have killed Sidestep/Re-Genes if they were caught in its blast radius? 

Probably not.

Ortega seems to harbour a lot of guilt for the call they made in HB, and wishes they could’ve done things differently… how would they react to a Tactician!Step admitting they would’ve made the same call if they were Marshal, and never blamed Ortega for what happened? Would they feel better about their decision? Or would the guilt still remain? 

Ortega would probably cry. And feel a lot better. The guilt would still be there though, they are supposed to be better.

How would the ROs take a Sidestep that’s becoming more and more of a paranoid, mistrusting shut-in? 

Try to help in any way they can.

HYPOTHETICALLY, would Dave throw hands with the Farm?

What makes you sure it's hypothetical?

Have all of the Marshals gotten together for interviews or photo shoots before? Like, full on Vanity Fair/Annie Leibovitz spread?

Oh yeah, that has happened on several occasions.

What, specifically, is Pyroclast’s powerset? (If you’ve come up with it) I’m dying for dusty boy lore

They are rather rare as boosts go, since they have a form of reversible full-body transformation. Most people who go that way don't survive the boosting process, let alone manages to reclaim their human form afterwards. In short, he can turn his body into a black, carbon-based substance that resembles ash. While his weight remains the same, the volume of course becomes much larger. In this form he can pass through cracks, choke and blind people, as well as control his internal temperature. The last is a recent development, which is the reason for the name change. He's been upgraded from beta to alpha since this new faced was revealed and mastered. He can stretch himself as thin as a gentle ashfall, or pull himself together into an almost solid form.

While transformed, he can't talk, which is one reason why he loved working with Sidestep, who understood him just fine. This is one of the reasons he was not named Mashal yet, having a leader who can't communicate while using their strongest abilities is not ideal. He's actively working on developing new facets of his powers.

If certain unnamed individuals were to take precautions against a second Heartbreak-like event caused by Sidestep, what would those precautions look like, given the presumed (?) failure of dampeners to contain that kind of telepathic power?

Let's be fair here, those precautions would look like Ortega. They're a very good build for an anti-telepath assassin.

Okay, fine, a lighter question... we know we can ride Ortega's bike with them.... but will we be able to DRIVE the bike?

Oh yes.

Any chance we might meet Marek in game? And, I don't know, say, punch him in the face? 

Perhaps, on both accounts.

Did Mortum have a museum exhibit?

No, but Vitruvian did, and they were mentioned as part of that.

So... How much money did the Sullivans funnel into Genitech over the years?

They are far too conservative to be involved with something like that. Would consider it gross and unethical to even consider.

What numbers does Ortega, Chen and Herald have in Mitchell's Guide to Heroes? (you've started writing them since Lady Argent's interview)

13, 22 and 425.

And what is villainsona-Sidestep's number of profile in Mitchell's Guide to Villains?

732.

Okay… horror inspirations question part 2, do you have any specific media inspirations for Heartbreak and the nanovores you can think of? Or even Shroud? — and Hollow Ground if there any, mob/thriller/crime genre included? 

If I should pick one thing of my massive horror watching pool that inspired me, it would be Pontypool. Yeah. I don't think anybody would feel calmer about Heartbreak after watching that...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehq2a8lum_4 

For the nanovores I'm honestly not sure I can pick one. The closest might be the Stephen King short story "The Mist", it's very different, but that feeling of slowly approaching dread is similar. Not the movie though...

I've got no particular inspirations for Shroud or HG.

Was there any media at the HB incident, or were they all shuffled off? Was the helicopter that crashed media or police?

The media was kept off-scene due to the dangers, but some tried to get close anyway. The helicopter that crashed was from the media.

Do any of the characters play any instruments? I can totally picture Ortega “kinda” knowing like 2 guitar riffs and argent being like virtuosic on 4 instruments and never mentioning it

Ortega plays the guitar, and is quite good at it. Not as good a singer as they think, though.

Herald had piano lessons, but never really got into it.

Chen played a few instruments (guitar and drums mostly) in high school, and was part of a rock band, but it never really went anywhere. Has not touched anything since he lost his hands.

Argent never played any instruments, and neiter did Mortum.

Rosie is good at the guitar as well, but better at karaoke.

How did Sidestep win against Dreamweaver?

I don't know yet, maybe I'll detail it later. It might come up in book three for... reasons.

Where is Clarice Holmes now?

Still working in Los Diablos.

Does the military have the right / the means to disconnect Ortega's spinal bypass whenever they decide to? Can they do so from a distance? Does Ortega have a plan or 7 to dodge that? 

The tech belongs to the military, yes. So they could do that. Not from a distance though, and the ethics of it would be debatable since it is doubtful Ortega could function without it.

Ortega having plans? Does that sound in character?

What kind of protection does Vernon have? Is he tied to someone powerful?

He was. Once upon a time.

Is Vernon himself aware of these protections, or is someone interested in keeping him around without him knowing? Did he trade retirement for protection?

Vernon is unaware of the current arrangements, but would probably not be too surprised if he learned about them.

Important question: is the "Sad Charge Bitches About Retirement" reel still available online and has Sidestep seen it? I think it would fix them. 

Sidestep doesn't know it exists, it's a very rare find.

I don’t suppose you’ll give us a hint on what happened to the people who Sidestep has possessed in the past, right?

Most of them probably never noticed/passed it off as a weird daydream or momentarily blanking on what they were doing.

Sidestep can reference ortega's mean streak in the interview with mia. Could we have an example or two of when that reared its head pre-heartbreak that sidestep would have witnessed?

I think the most common thing would be that Ortega would say "nice" things, which in reality were terribly condescending, especially in front of cameras. They often made fun of rival heroes that way, and the LDPD or politicians. A bit "bless your heart" about it all. They could also be more violent and threatening when angry, their mods "accidentally" acting up and breaking things belonging to people that annoyed them and their friends. Like cameras trying to catch Sidestep, and likewise. 

Or did they ever turn that mean streak on Step back in the day?

Not intentionally I think, but there might have been times where things were taken the wrong way. Ortega is not the most thoughtful person, and they do have foot in mouth disease.

If the Rangers, Mortum, HG trio were to go to the beach, what activities would they enjoy doing?

Ortega: Anything that involved moving around. Volley ball, other beach games. Surfing too. Not great in the long run though, while their mods are waterproof, there's always more wear. Salt water is corrosive.

Chen: Watching Spoon play in the water and eat some ice cream in the shade. Sand and mods are not a great combo.

Argent: Surfing and swimming. And ice cream. Let's not forget that.

Herald: Basking in the sun. Probably joining Ortega for whatever beach games they try to start. Swimming.

Mortum: A good book in the shade.  Hopefully someone gets the bbq going.

HG: Sleeping and working on their tan. It would have to be a private beach though.

Nocturne: People watching and sipping a drink.

Jake: Whatever, as long as it's in the water.

How does argent's physical therapy help with her pain?

It helps giving her the knowledge to modify her limbs/skin to help mute/connect/disconnect nerves and damage. She needs the help of someone intimately familiar with how bodies work.

What kind of guy is lord Francis Franny Ember? What are his vibes ✨, his ruling style, his private hobbies? How would you compare him to HG, personality- or at least image-wise? 

Flamboyant as hell. Larger than life. Thinks about his image. Unlike HG, he doesn't rule from the shadows, he's very much at the front. Likes to demonstrate his powers and make examples of people/places. Has burned more than one person alive who questioned him. Has enough control over his flames to make things very unpleasant without killing people if he wants to. More interested in personal power and luxuries than political influence. More russian oligarch than american congressman.

He's very generous to people he trusts, to be on his good side is to always have backup, even in the smallest ways. Knows the first name of the people working close to him, even henchmen. Keeps up to date with their family business. Gives birthday and wedding gifts. 

Like fire, he can be warm, supportive and giving. Make your life safer and easier. But fuck up, and you'll get burned.

And where does the inferiority complex (that a man who would willingly take the title of “Lord” in our year 2022 probably arbors) stem from? 

Honestly? Probably from the same place where the desperation enough to take the boost drugs came from. 

Had DNA ever been taken from the Rangers (past, present, other sections) and used in the Regene project?

Yes.

Has Julia ever worn a fake mustache on a stakeout before? Or a beard?

Probably a beard and mustache. Needs both. She's tall and built enough to be taken for a man at a quick glance if she dresses right, and a beard would reinforce that first impression.

What was Regina and Sidestep's rapport before Sidestep's first escape? There's a "welcome home" flashback in Rebirth that might indicate familiarity between them. Did they already know each other and if yes, how/why did they work together? 

They did work together. Exactly what their report was will be subject to player choice once we get to dig more into that particular relationship background.

In the latest lore drop, owl calls Ortega Sparkles. Did sidestep coin the nickname and others took to it? Or did step start using it after others did?

Sidestep coined it.

How many Re-Genes are there?

I genuinely have no idea. Above 100 but below 1000 decanted.

If the Rangers have the suit at the end of Retri, has Steel done a diagnostic run on it? They know the Rat King is apart of the suit, so was that discovered after checking the specs of the suit or was it found out another way?

It is fair to assume the suit has been thoroughly analyzed and the Rat King identified.

Has DNA from anybody at the Farm been used in the Regene project? 

Yes.

The game lets us decide a surface-level answer as to why Sidestep came back to Los Diablos, but… is there a deeper reason? Are they aware of something brewing specifically in Los Diablos, which would make LD the best stage for their villain career?

Not specifically Los Diablos, but close enough.

Or is there a deeper reason that they’re not aware of? A kind of telepathic imprint pulling, for example? 

I think one of the deeper reasons is that Los Diablos was the city where Sidestep became themselves. Grew up. Made a name. The closest thing to a proper home. When hurt and uprooted, that kind of comfortable familiarity can be a tempting beacon, despite the added risks. Combine that with Sidestep's tendency to keep poking old wounds, and there would be no better city.

Are we ever gonna get to go to one of those Villain Parties Dr. Mortum organizes?

I think so, that would be fun.

Does Los Diablos have functioning Subway lines, or just ruins? How's transport in the city? 

Not anymore. Los Angeles of the FH world used to, though. In this reality the subway/railway system wasn't discontinued but expanded, looking more like Chicago or New York. However, post-quake this system was not salvaged and rebuilt, and the current public transport relies heavily on a fleet of buses. While many are run by the city, there are over a dozen transport companies that runs limited lines, and many smaller communities that manage their own communal/informal transport pools. Parts of the light rail network has been restored, but mostly servicing outlying company sites. 

The traffic is bad, but not as bad as current LA, since private ownership of cars is not as common. Lots of people take the bus, including the middle class, and there are many "luxury" buses with comfortable seats and air-conditioning which offers a nice ride to and from downtown. Hundreds of small cab-companies makes up the difference. Since it is very easy to start and run a company, many people run small one and two person cab businesses ferrying people around.

What kind of add-ons does Charge's bike have? Do they have specific protections in place or mario-kart-type traps at the ready, or is it just a normal-ish bike?

It is mostly a normal-ish bike, though built to the highest standard and power. That being said, there are several gadgets in it, though I would call them more James Bondy than anything else. It is important to remember that it is relatively low-tech since Charge has a tendency mess up delicate electronics.

What are the rangers offices like?  Are they strictly professional spaces or do any of them keep things like memorabilia/photos/thank you cards etc?

They are more professional now than when Ortega was Marshal back in the old headquarter. It's a newer place, built for show and giving an official impression. That being said, people put their mark on things behind the public spaces. Both civilian staff and the Rangers themselves have personal effects in their offices. The places that are free from that is the lobby, as well as conference rooms, and other spaces where they interact with law enforcement or the city. Some offices are quiet messy behind the scenes. Yes, even Steel's (Spoon got a bed there).

What happens when a known villain retires? Are they kept on a watch list? Or are they allowed to just disappear back into society? Do heroes ever keep their own eyes on them? 

Like with any cold case, the crimes don't disappear. However, it's not like there's a lack of new emergencies that needs to be dealt with before digging up old dirt. Some villains do manage to slip between the cracks and retire to a normal life, especially if they managed to conceal their face from the public. It is speculated that some rather spectacular deaths were in fact planned to provide closure to a villain career, letting the person behind the mask slip away quietly into the shadows. Some heroes probably have their own suspicious watch lists, but there's no official ones. 

What does Mia think of the Rangers as a team and individually? Which villains and heroes does she respect, if any?

Mia is torn. She understands the need for the Rangers, and respects what they have done in the past, but she's also deeply suspicious of their greater purpose. She has talked far too much with Vernon to think the Rangers project is entirely benign. In general she respects people who have the guts to stand up for what's right at a personal risk, but sadly that doesn't apply to every hero. She judges them as individuals, and there are heroes she respects as well as villains. I can't list everyone here, mainly because I haven't decided, but I will say that when it comes to the Rangers she respects Herald, is suspicious of Steel and Charge, and is deeply worried about Argent.

And... since I'm eyeing the classic journalist-as-bait comics trope with trepidation... Is Mia at risk of being put in danger because of us in the next books?

That might certainly happen in some of the paths, yes.

Is Step acquainted with Ljungstrand?

Not to their knowledge.

How's Tina been holding up without Teddy? Has she found any new information now that he's been missing for a year? What does she think has happened?

She's coping. Theirs is a dangerous business, and it's not the first time her husband has fucked up. Nor the last. She's working on getting him back, and thinks she has a pretty good idea what happened and who has him.

Is Norma Lee an alias used for her art?  Does she go by any other names?

Yes, it is a "pen name". She does have other names, but she also values her privacy.

what's Hollow Ground first name(s)?

I haven't decided yet.

would hollow ground or anyone in their family have the initials CB?

No.

would Heartbreak have the initials CB?

No.

You've said Josh is definitely dead... Where is his body? Was he buried? Any chance we might encounter any Sullivans down the line? If the Sullivans have ties to Genitech, did they preserve... anything from Josh... through Genitech?

Herald's brother was buried back in Boston. It was a big funeral, but nobody mentioned boost drugs being involved. He died in a fire. Daniel was a hero for trying to save his brother and burning himself badly in the process. Just another in a long line of family secrets. I don't have a future meeting with the Sullivans planned in the future, but who knows? Also, I am not sure how Genitech got involved in this... I take no responsibility for reckless tinfoiling ;)

How does Herald feel about the art thief in particular?

Part of him truly understands the temptation, and in a way, it's no different from the rich people buying stolen art and never showing it to anybody. Another part of him is jealous. The thing that bothers him the most is that he doesn't know why. Is it to sell it off to the highest bidder? Or to keep and appreciate? He hopes it's the last, and then he feels guilty for thinking that would actually make a difference. It shouldn't.

What's the public's opinion on telepaths in general?

In general, they would be viewed with suspicion and/or fear. Imagine all the nervousness about privacy on the internet and needing VPN's and the government spying on you but applied to your own head. There's probably a thriving subculture of people hawking telepathic protection devices, everything from jewelry (magnets work for everything) and hats (more fashionable than the good old tinfoil hat) as well as drugs (metallic ions, and nano everything). It's one of the powers people are most nervous about back in the east, because how would you KNOW? They look just like everybody else.

What did Chen and Ortega think of each other when they first met? How did their first meeting go?

Chen thought Ortega was hot as hell, but kind of an ass. Charming, stubborn, would drive him nuts every time they talked and yet he kept coming back.

Ortega thought Chen was nice but sad. He needed to lighten up a little, show that the military hadn't crushed him permanently.

What kind of entry requirements are there for joining the Rangers? Is there a minimum boost/mod level preferred?  Preferred background/experience level? Is there an age requirement?

The age requirement is 18 years old, but everything else is open to interpretation. In practice, only powerful, stable heroes and vigilantes who has worked as such for a year or more would be considered. Often a background check is initiated before an offer is even made. The power level is less important than the skills they can bring to the team, and how well they can fulfill their role as a united states representative.

Who was the youngest ever Ranger recruit?

Shimmerglow joined the Portland Rangers at 16 by lying about her age and faking the documents well enough to fool people. Or perhaps the recruiters didn't care enough to check thoroughly.

If you were going to estimate, how many people have actually seen Sidestep’s face from their pre-HB days, through photos or otherwise? Just how “known” is their face in villain, vigilante, and reporter circles, ala Mortum recognizing their face?

Maybe a dozen or so that Sidestep knows of. Maybe 50 or so in total, some of which might be dead. Not super widespread, but enough that if you dug for it, you could find out.

What does happen with Herald’s crush if Step didn’t agree to train him? Does it never happen, does it fade away or being left at the same “level”? Or smth else?

It will fade away. No use pining over something not meant to be, Herald will move on rather quickly. He is not Ortega.

If Step decided not to train Herald, is he training on his own, asked other “professionals” to train him or did nothing? Or smth else mb?

It will vary depending on his experiences from Rebirth.

Dear Malin, can we know, why the Rangers were sent to handle Heartbreak and not the Special Directive? 

It was their job to protect the city. Bringing in the Special Directive would have caused too much attention at that point since they have got nothing to do with Los Diablos, and is closely tied to the military. Whether they were deployed (and failed) earlier in the process, before Heartbreak closed in on Los Diablos is unknown.

Would the Farm agents who picked up Sidestep from the HB scene have had something stronger than dampeners/ numbers around to protect themselves, or were they just taking their chances with numbers alone? Would we be familiar with whatever they were using?

Most likely there were mobile dampeners in the ambulance, and the people there were using numbers. Doubling down seems safer. That being said, they kept their distance to the last moment, remember, nobody saw an ambulance going in.