September QnA (Patreon)

I don’t know if this has been asked before but would it be possible for our step to potentially take hold of multiple people at the same time?

Oh yes, but the question is to what level of control. As well as they do the puppet? Not yet. Well enough to do a synchronized dance number? Perhaps. That will depend on your stats.

I watched Cyberpunk Edgerunners recently and Chen came to mind. Does Cyberpsychosis, or something similar exist in your series? (Ignoring the Catastrofiend, since they're a mix of boosts and mods). Does installing too many mods affect one's psyche? Or can you swap out everything, but your nervous system and still be sane?

Something adjacent. Every mod has a neural load, think of it like juggling. Mostly everyone can have one ball in the air at once, many can manage three. But the more you expect your nervous system to control, the bigger the chance that you'll have a breakdown. Inability to control the mods. Shakes. Weakness. Psychic issues. The most common symptom are similar to Parkinson or MS. 

So, it depends on the person how much they can handle. Both Chen and Ortega has very high neural load capacity.

How common are nokill villains?

Quite common. There are many people who has a criminal lifestyle but are not interested in murder. Though the longer they stay in the game, the harder it will be.

Given that for work purposes it's in Dr. Mortum's best interest to give off an air of neutrality, do they have to keep their relationship with new villain's henchman on the down-low?

Mortum has not exactly advertised it, but well-informed people might have an inkling that something is going on.

Since in the past Ortega didn't stop seeing other people even if they had a thing with Step, have they ever cheated on any of their dates with them? Or did they at least alternate between one and the other? lol And regardless have any of Ortega's exes ever been jealous of Sidestep? 

Ortega's exes had no idea Sidestep existed, or if they did, no idea they might be more than a friend. Also, all of this depends on your definition of cheating. If Ortega and Sidestep had a thing in the past, it would be a while before Ortega stopped seeing other people. How long would depend on how open Sidestep was with this actually being something more, and the genders involved. As time progressed, the other people became less relationships, and more people that Ortega would take to official parties. And once Ortega and Sidestep were together, any other date became more of a cover than anything else. Not that Ortega ever bothered telling them that.

What would Daniel's brother actually think about his brother actually getting to date step.

Angry. Frustrated.

As a vigilante has sidestep ever been hit by Ortega's charge?

Yes. It's not a precise power.

In the last Ortega POV thing, Ortega didn't tell Steel any of the explanations Sidestep could tell them at the diner.  Is this a writing choice because there were three different stories we could tell Ortega? Did it have an in universe reason?

This was very much a writing reason. Though to be fair, Ortega is secretive.

If Sidestep had developed the ability to posses people before the Heartbreak incident how would the rangers of their day reacted? Would any of them approve of using that power?

Ortega would have seen the use, Anathema would be horrified, Chen would disapprove, Sunstream would hate it, and Sentinel would be worried.

How expensive are the "hero drugs" to produce? And how widespread is the black market? Would a desperate person need to spend their life savings just to get hold of a single dose? Or is it more in line with the prices of illegal narcotics sold on the street or somewhere in between?

Originally they weren't very expensive, but the refined versions very much are. Another reason why they have gone up in price is the fact that several of the chemicals needed have become restricted in order to hinder production. And, of course, most of the price is added to compensate the maker/seller for the risks involved. 

The price depends on where you are. On the east coast, you might pay what amounts to the price of a car for a single, good quality dose. It is heavily restricted there. In Los Diablos, it is a lot cheaper. Not as cheap as narcotics, but desperate people could get the money for it. However, the cheaper it is, the worse quality.

Because it's coming up to Halloween I'm wondering if Sidestep as a telepath ever picked up strange vibes from places like graveyards etc or get impressions  from things a little more paranormal like ghosts or would that be a different ability altogether?

That would be a different ability, though for some boosts or sensitives, it does overlap. Not for Sidestep.

If we choose Ortega as our rival in Rebirth, Step mentions a deal that Ortega broke when they were captured post-HB. is this just an example of how Step views their past relationship or did the two actually have a spoken agreement to be there for each other before?

I don't think think it was ever intended as an actual agreement, but it was something that was said more than once. And, up to that point, they had saved each other more than once.

What would be the perfect date nights for ROs? 

Ortega: Dinner at a place with a good bar, where you can talk and yet be surrounded by people.

Chen: Going somewhere quiet, where Spoon can join. Maybe a walk, maybe somewhere nice with a view. Most likely to picnic.

Argent: A fancy restaurant and a movie.

Daniel: A nice dinner after a museum or gallery visit.

How often would Ortega take Steps to eat out back in days? Like, I assume that Ortega was the first real learning experience for Sidestep's eating habits, so maybe they even mimicked Ortega at that time/do so until this very day out of, well, habit? 

It would vary depending on the Sidestep, but considering what a mess many of them can be, Ortega would have figured out their bad eating habits quickly. Ortega, like their mother, feeds people. At that point in time it was buying them dinner, later it was bringing them to their mother for a home cooked meal.

Where did Sidestep get the fake Nanovore void box from? 

Since Sidestep had seen how it looked, it was easy enough to pay someone to make a superficially similar one. The various dangerous items stored at the Ranger's HQ are not stored openly on shelves. Instead they are kept in "lockers" in a vault. Thus, as long as nobody opens that particular locker, the deception stands.

How tough is Harold? Like on the one hand regular old Sidestep can hurt him. On the other I believe I remember him taking the force of a bus before? Like what would happen if Super strength suit Sidestep took Harold's head and squeezed as hard as they could.

He is tougher than a regular human, for sure. But the strength armor will mess him up bad.

How durable is Ortega compared to a normal person?

More so, but not massively. Ortega rely a lot on their skinsuit. However, this is a superhero universe, so they are more durable just by doing this for a living.

For the Rangers and Mortum. What are some of there I'm a genius...Oh no moments?

Oh I have no idea! Nothing comes to mind at the moment. But I bet Ortega has had many.

Building up on a question above: how strong is Ortega? Where would they fall on a scale between a normal person and the villain's strength-upgrade armor? 

Ortega's forte was never strength, it was speed and reactions. So Ortega is as strong as a well-trained athlete. They could lift and carry Sidestep without much effort.

What are food markets like in LD and the FEZ? Are there supermarkets around? Is growing food common? Where does the cast usually get their food from and what do they buy?

There are supermarkets, but not as many as today. There are more specialized stores, since Los Diablos has better communal traffic than in our world. Many companies have well-equipped company stores, where employees get part of their salary in credit. This is especially true for the factory areas on the outskirts of the cities where people live and work.

Many of the independent neighborhoods run their own cooperative stores, who often have agreements with farmers in the countryside. In general, the selections in most stores is a lot more local than it used to be. Things imported from Mexico is common in the south, and things from Canada in the north. It is easier to get hold of those than things that were made in the midwest or the east coast.

Does Ortega actually believe that step has a life outside of him or do they think step is lying?

Oh boy. Ortega is convinced that Step has an entire life divorced from them these days.

WAIT, did Anathema’s invulnerability protect them from sun damage? Could they just walk around barefoot and shoulders-out in hot ass Los Diablos as a flex?

Oh yes, that's where all the freckles come from.

Back with more Ashfall/Pyroclast/Nazar questions because I am very fond of him. What was he like as a child? Did he always want to be a hero or did he have other career aspirations? How old was he when he took the boost drug?

Ambitious and athletic, but not enough money to be able to afford going for it seriously. He didn't really consider trying to be a hero until he became friends with someone whose sister was involved with the boost drug trade. He was only 14, but he did some serious work for that sister, which let him get his hands on a dose of the drugs.

Do you consider him more of a tactician or fighter?

Tactician.

How did he meet the Rangers? What was the first case he worked on with the Rangers?

The same way many vigilantes do, by running into them enough times when he was working, and helping out. I have no idea what the case in question was.

What were his first impressions of the Rangers + Step?

Since we have not interacted with him much in game yet, I'll have to wait until I actually write him. That's where the personality comes out.

What is his greatest fear? Does he have any phobias?

A bit of claustrophobia. Like many born on the coast he's not fond of earthquakes.

What would he say is his greatest strength? Greatest flaw? What do you consider his greatest strength/flaw?

Once again, I don't know him that well yet. One of the strengths is the fact that he is very driven.

What is his mindscape like? 

Like being inside of an ash cloud, visibility varying as the winds swirl.

About his relationship style + history: Is he the type to flirt a lot? Does he casually date or does he prefer serious relationships? Has he dated a lot of people? 

Not a lot of flirting. He's always been very serious, and his job comes first. What would work was someone as busy as he is, or were willing to let him life his own life.

How much sway has the mayor have over the ranger as compared to the guardians? If a potential hero has no prior relations to either team, what are the traits that determine whether they're delegated to the rangers or to the guardians?

The Mayor has no influence over the Rangers, that is the US government. If they want someone, there is little the Mayor could do.

Do each of the Rangers have a specific vigilante or independent hero they’ve wanted on the team but couldn’t get that they regret the most?

I think I have answered that in a previous FAQ.

Villain armors for the rangers + Hero armor for Mortum, Go. Aesthetic category, + upgrades, plus any design hot takes if you have them. Also cape, yes/no?

I have no idea! As you might notice, I hardly describes the characters. I am not a designer that way!

Does argent have an all time favorite movie? How about the other rangers?

I don't know actually, I can't even decide on my own favorite movie. Things like that varies. However, you can get their favorite genre: Ortega-Thrillers, Argent-Horror, Chen-Film Noir, Herald-romantic adventure.

What are the Rangers, Mortum's, and the Trios favorite snack?

Good question, the only thing I know for certain is Mortum's terrible microwaved pizza. Ortega is probably peanuts. The others I don't know yet.

If asked to swing by your base and pick up your armor, how likely are Bo and Rosie to remember the skinsuit for underneath? Would they remember on their own or have to be reminded when asked? What about the members of the crew? 

I think they would remember the skinsuit, it is stored right next to the armor.

What would be Marshal Hood’s opinion of Sidestep’s “death” and subsequent rise to villainy? If he were retired rather than… dead.

Since he had enver met Sidestep, they would just be another fallen hero. Nothing special.

How’s the Los Diablos real estate market? Is it worth to buy or invest? Would a slow, quiet takeover via a telepathically inclined real estate agent be a viable takeover strategy for those with the funds to throw around? 

Oh it has become well worth investing over the last decade. The city has been prosperous and growing. And yes, it would definitely be a workable income in the long run.

How did Steel + Herald feel in Rebirth when the crowd starting rallying against him/the Rangers? Was it something that happens somewhat regularly?

Not really, that was new and bad. It disturbed him greatly.

Inspired by a post I’ve seen somewhere before: what would the ROs wear to the Met Gala?

I don't know anything about fashion! I'm a metalhead country bumpkin. I leave that to the artists.

What are Sentinel, Anathema, and Nazar's opinions on telepathy? Do/did they ever feel uneasy being around telepaths?

Sentinel was alright with telepaths, he had no issues. Neither did Anathema, but they trusted their head to be hard to read. Which it was, but not like Ortega's. Pyroclast found telepaths super helpful in his transformed state.

Does the rat king operate on a shared, collective consciousness, or do they also possess individual minds and personalities? In the case of the latter, how do they feel about each other and do they ever have disagreements between one another?

Since they were connected at such an early age, they do have more of a collective personality. But, yes, they do have different personalities and tasks they like to do, but mot to the point of having taken names. They love each other, but occasionally there might be disagreements about what to do.

Did Nazar ever play any pranks on Ortega & Co? Or get into a petty argument with Charge and change into his carbon form to set off the fire suppressant systems or alarms?

Nope, Anathema was the prankster.

How did Sidestep first come across their puppet? Was it a conscious choice picking them out of all the abandoned bodies, or was it accidental? (like what you see with a daring Step possessing the wrong body in Rebirth?)

Sidestep had been theorizing that it would be possible for a while, but most of the bodies they scouted had been very old or badly physically damaged. The puppet was chosen because it was young, and had no massive injuries or relatives.

Can Step feel the pull of that psychic blackhole located at Lot 16?

No. Too good shields, and wanting to avoid that place at all costs.

Are there other psychic blackholes in Los Diablos? (Iike at the site of the Nanosurge) 

No.

When he distrusted Sidestep back in the day, was Steel right to fear the Rangers might be under threat? Has there been or is there still people within the LD Rangers institution that Double Agent for others?

Steel thinks he was right.

Will we ever be able to interact with the regene you encounter in rebirth?

I track things, so it is likely!

Would Sidestep qualify Heartbreak’s mind as having a “sticky” or tar-like quality? Out of the two (heartbreak and sidestep), which one has the stickier mind?

It would depend on the Sidestep, not everyone had the same interactions.

Riding on that - is the "stickiness" a sign of infection?

No.

How did Dr. Mortum and Vitruvian meet? How did they form their partnership?

They met when robbing the same lab and decided, after an argument and showdown, that since they were both very intelligent it was better to work together than against each other.

Who’s the first telepath known in history?

Interestingly enough, that was Kulina Petrova, back in the fifties. Though some debate this, and think it was all fake.

Can you tell us more about the Founding Marshals and what they were like?

Not now, maybe in the future.

For science, how often has sir Lord Ember burned off his eyebrows?

Once

Are there boost circuses

That sounds fun! There probably is one touring the west.

How tall were Sentinel, Sunstream, and Anathema?

Sentinel was average, Sunstream was short, and anathema was short.

Can telekinesis be used to cut things?? (tw gore  Like limbs? Or is it just restricted to lifting stuff?

Depends on the user. Just like with telepathy, there are variants.

Who was Geistcarver?

A homage to my partners old warhammer mmo character, I have no more details now, except that he had a sword who cut spirits.

Aside from Ortega and potentially Argent, who, among the current and former Rangers, has ended up on the fridge for kissing villains?

I honestly think it's just those two.

If Herald didn’t take the Boost drug, what would he have become? What would his life have been like?

Either a depressed artist, or a repressed businessman.

A question for science: what would happen if you were to stick a pencil in one of the ports on Ortega's back? Or your finger?

They are safe, just like the 

How would Argent react to being told she was rather difficult to puppet when we possessed her?

Depends. Maybe "serves you right", or "oh, you have no idea how difficult I can be".

What's Anathema's first name? Did any one close to them know it and use it? 

Not telling, and nope. Themmy works fine.

Are "kind" handlers a thing? Can we chose what type of handler our Sidestep had back during the farm days?

Yes, relatively. And there will be a choice.

What would Anathema have done in the wake of HB, if they survived and Sidestep died?

What they always dies, try to carry on and be kind.

Dunno if it's been asked already, but will we someday get a map of your Los Diablos?

If I ever befriend a good mapmaker that would be super cool.

How does Ortega feel about Sidestep not being able to read their mind? Relieved? And are there times when they wish Sidestep could? 

Most of the time, yes. At other times strangely wistful and sad.

Does the colloidal silver combat Regenes are given have any adverse effects on their health? Does it ever put them out of commission? Or has the Farm figured out a way to get the cyanosis without any possible complications?

It is not cyanosis, it is silver ions binding with pigments in the skin. It has no big adverse health effects.

Does Skybright have any friends?? Is she a social creature??

I think she is. And she meets a lot of people.

What’re the Rangers currently looking for most in their searching for new recruits? What department do they think they need help with? What department do they actually need help with?

Hmmm that's a good question. I need to think about that.

What's the likelihood Dr. Mortum is going to add a tracker to their gun so they can't have it stolen again?

Very likely.

Is there any boost that can steal powers from other boosts?

Not that we have met yet.

How do telepath Regenes get trained? Were there telepaths among the handlers/training staff who didn't get mysteriously disappeared?

Telepath regenes are very much individuals. No standardized training regimen, it is all up to the variant of powers. There were telepathic staff, but no longer.

What has Steel done to celebrate Spoon’s birthday?

Just extra nice food and some dog toys.

Who picked the name ‘Herald’? Was it rangers pr department? Did Daniel get some input?

Daniel got a handful of names to choose between, and picked one.

Mia mentioned that Vernon had "important contacts", plural. How many backers, or important/powerful informants, did Vernon have?

One major.

when did the farm realize that Sidestep had "gates"?  And by extension - did Sidestep already have the ability to open/shut their gates in their farm days, or was it something they developed pre or post heartbreak? 

What makes you think the Farm has any idea?

does sidestep know/aware what the gates are? they could hear the term in the lab (heartbreak nightmare, rebirth) but did they make sense of it/understand it? 

Nope, they don't.

how known/common is the term “gates”? do scientists specialised in telepathy know it/know about it? or does it belong only to the “whatever-the-farm-is/was-doing” project? 

That is not a common term at all. It is only in that project.

What game mechanics are you looking forward to implement or experiment with, if any, for the next books — or maybe dream games you’re thinking about?

One day I will implement randomness in something, and yet I know I will backtrack. I will finally get to do telepathic combat. And the dream project is a small game about the void endfight with several viewpoints.

After getting their invulnerability, did Anathema keep aging? More or less what age were they at the time of Heartbreak?

They aged normally. They were in their mid twenties.

Other than Sidestep, who else did Mortum suspect to be possible candidates for the villain?

Nobody who has been named in game.