QnA October! (Patreon)

Any advice for sticking with an idea and seeing it through? I've been interested in writing my own choicescript game, but have a hard time picking one idea and developing it. 

My advice would be to ignore the idea and pick the people. Which characters are the most fun to write? Then they can be transported into whatever idea you find coolest, or most marketable if you have several. The thing is, once you have started writing you should try to fold in any new or cool idea into the story and adapt as needed. Many times this can be done, and if there are any that are too odd, then just type them down and put them in a folder and ignore them. You need to settle on one and go for it.

If you have several to pick between, start writing a bit on each, and see which one works the best with you. In essence, Fallen Hero is one book idea, with characters and setting from another book, and writing vibes and style from a third. So yes, I gutted two stories of cool stuff to fill the third. Any good story is a turducken at heart.

In moments where it's difficult to write, how do you motivate yourself to write anyway? 

Spite and telling myself "I'll fix it in the edit". When you write something long there is no way you can wait to be in the mood. You need to be prepared to write mediocre shit, and sometimes it gets fixed later, sometimes you get in the mood while writing, and sometimes it turns out better than it felt when you wrote it. Just write. Don't focus on writing good. Just on getting to the end.

How organized/"finished" is your first write-up of a chapter/scene? For example, is it close to what we saw for the alpha, or was that several revisions in already? 

The alpha was pretty close to my first draft, but it was more like draft 2. Because every new chapter, I went back and fixed and added to the earlier ones. A lot of the time, what gets fixed is more variations and variables, then grammar and writing.

It did underwent a massive overhaul when I switched the order of many chapters and events, and added new ones in because the timeline of the herald romance went weird. I had not accounted for that in my planning.

Do you already have a name picked out for the fourth book? Any hints, if so?

Yes. it will be called Fallen Hero: Revolution.

Now get lots of rest and enjoy the holidays. You've earned it! :)

I will try, but I will relax by doing other projects... I'm a workaholic.

Would the mayor of Los diablos ever publicly throw shade on the Rangers if their reputation plummets as the result of a certain new villain in town?

Oh yes.

What is the mayor's stance on federal influence over the west? What is her opinion on the Rangers? Would she like to see them gone and replaced with more teams like the Guardians?

She is very much for the west as it's own political thing, and dislikes federal influence and thus the Rangers. She would like to see them gone.

Does the mayor have political ambitions that goes beyond "running" Los Diablos?

Yes, she does.

How did the public find out Sidestep "died"?

In the reports from the Heartbreak terrorist attack.

In the future books will we have the opportunity to help Ortega pay of their debt? 

Yes.

did sentinel ever end up having/adopting kids with his wife?

Yes, they have two adopted children together.

Ortega seems to harbour some doubts of their own even without Sidestep's push, and they rub shoulders with shady characters all the time. So what do they think about villainy, really?

For Ortega it is all a sliding grayscale, not just black and white. The definition of villainy for them is that it is against the law, but they are very aware that not all laws are just, and sometimes it is better if you break them. Sometimes that is the only morally right thing to do.

Has ortega or chen ever had to bring in someone they don't particularly disagree with, but the powers that be (corporations/government) demanded it in the past?

Oh yes. And it doesn't sit well with either of them. And well, at times a villain or two has managed to get away... things loke that happens.

Does argent know how to roller skate?

Yes, she does. She's got good balance.

How does the media usually respond when a hero turns villain or a villain turns hero? Do they try to spin the stories in any certain direction?

Oh that's gold. They will be able to spin that narrative forever. In what direction varies though. For example, with Five Pennies, they ran the narraive that he had been a villain all along, and questioned people who had worked with him, and companies that had sponsored him. It was a big scandal.

There's a part in Retribution where Sidestep wonders what name Ortega has saved them under on their phone, so i have to ask : what is it? For a romanced and non-romanced Step, if there's any difference.

It is a nickname, Ortega wouldn't use their real name. It can vary. It can be a cute nickname from the past, or a more descriptive one like "asshole."

Can Sidestep's powers change dreams? For example, someone is having a nightmare and Sidestep switches it to a peaceful dream.

Yes, with enough skill. It's also possible to be pulled into the nightmare though.

Does Void blood contain properties that can cross the blood-brain barrier?

Oh yes.

What’s Spoon like when he gets a bath? Polite, well mannered? Does he scream during it??

Stands stock still like a statue, he hates his feet going slippy in the tub.

Is the Catastrofiend telepathic or psi-sensitive?

A bit psi-sensitive, yes. And there are things that can resonate despite lacking understanding.

Will we ever get to kill the Catastrofiend?

The question is whether it can be killed at all.

Do any of the Rangers know how extensive Psychopathor’s mods are? What do they know about him?

Hmm they do know the basic mods. He has been scanned in the past, the problem is that he keeps adding and changing. What they do know is that he has massive invasive mods. Not limb replacement like Chen, but integrated in his muscle, skin and bones, like with Ortega. A lot of his hitting power comes from his various armors, and the heavy weapons he uses. 

Building on the previous question - boosts that require a high neural load are theorized to be capable of inducing psi sensitivity. My questions on this are:

- how powerful is this psi sensitivity, on the boost ranking scale? Can they perform the same deeds as, say, a baseline telepath?

A psi sensitive is not a telepath. It's a different thing. It's like... both sight and smell are senses, but they are not the same. It is in general very, very low on the bower scale, because it doesn't have any active parts, just passive, sensory ones.

- is this "psi sensitivity" more like telepathy or technopathy, or can it be either or both?

It is a different thing, unrelated to either.

- when it develops, will the person be aware they are psi sensitive?

They might call themselves different things, but they will be aware of something being different with them. They might call themselves sensetives, psychics, empathics. They might be able to see auras, psychometry, dowsing, visions, and a number of similar, low-key ways of perceiving the things outside the normal world. Not all psi-sensitives have the same skills. Not all psi-sensitives are boosted.

How long can the Rat King live? Is there anything they’ve always wanted to do? I know they want to try flying like Herald- is there anything else like that?

That's the thing. Theoretically they have already exceeded their rat lifespan many times over. Obviously something was changed/done to them during their creation, so currently their lifespan is unknown. If their braincells are not breaking down, they might be essentially immortal. And they are very curious and exploring. They want to fly, because that feels cool. They also miss the ocean, it was very weird and felt like home.

Mortum says Ortega is "wired for strength and agility in addition to their electrical powers,"--how does Ortega compare to the average person in terms of strength and speed? Just how much stronger are they (how much can they, for lack of a better word, lift or cause impact, how does this influence their fighting?)  

The biggest change to Ortega physically is their reflexes. They are way faster than normal people. Could easily do things like catching arrows shot at them. Dodging bullets would be a stretch, but reading the reactions of the shooter would make it possible. So Ortega wanting to go out there and dodge Psychopathor's guns is nothing new, and the only thing that would have made it hard was the Rat-King. Ortega is not very resistant to damage without their suit, so avoiding it is important.

The other change is strengthened joints and stuff. They are naturally very agile, but the mod-medical tech has allowed them to stay that way despite years and injuries. This is especially focused on things like their hands, enabling Ortega to have far stronger and more secure grip than a normal person. Could hang from their fingertips for hours, and is able to lock their fingers in place if needed.

The strength is not superhuman, but on the very top of the human spectrum. Can effortlessly carry another person, and could feasibly run with them for quite a while. Their standard Ranger suit works as an enhancements to their strength. It has active fibers in the skinsuit that works like an extra layer of muscle. It is hooked up to Ortega's neural system and runs on their electricity. In their suit Ortega would be able to lift Chen in his armor (or a car), though it would be rather bulky. He would still not be as strong as an armor with the strength modifier though.

Would the speed of Pyroclast’s dispersal and dispersed-speed be something that he could improve or is it a limitation of his boost? Would he ever be able to achieve a true Pyroclastic-flow level of heat and speed? His heat has definitely come closer.

Like all boosts, it can be improved on. Pyroclast could get there, though things like speed is dependent on stuff like slope angle and water evaporation and explosive bursts. But working with Sentinel it can very much be achieved in time.

How is "neural load" measured in relation to their likelihood of boosts developing psi sensitivity? What's the threshold? Could Herald, for instance, possibly develop psi sensitivity.

Neural load is a general term for the demands placed on a human's nervous system. You know that old thing about only using 10% of your brain capacity? When you increase the neural load, that increases. Normally the brain has a lot of excess capacity to handle things like injuries or sickness. If one part of the brain is hurt, often a different part of the brain will step in and take on those tasks.

Being boosted or modded however, takes up a lot of that excess capacity. Just like a lot of a bird's brain is taken up by managing all the sensory information related to flight, a boost's or a mod's brain is adapting to handing their various changes. 

How much neural load you can carry is personal. One of the reasons for boost death is the brain not being able to handle the new pressures put on it in that short a time. The boosting process usually takes from an hour to a week, and the brain is not used to changing that fast. This is one reason why being boosted in your teens has a higher survival rate. The brain is already primed for massive bodily changes. This is also why it is preferable to do small mods, then increase the number, rather than doing a big change fast.

When the neural load exceeds the capacity of the brain, then one of three things happen. The first one is sort of a bodily emergency break. Mods might stop functioning and the body might start rejecting them. Boosts might be suppressed, or grow volatile and unpredictable. The second one is mental issues, especially with mods. The brain might start to reject the body, and schizophrenic symptoms might follow. If not dealt with, the brain might lose it's entire sense of self and shut off the body, and landing it in a coma. The third, and most rare one, is the development of psychic sensitivity. The brain has broken through it's old limits, and sees the world in new ways, thus reducing it's neural load (together with other effects). A bit like reducing friction.

Herald could develop psychic sensitivity, yes. If the neural load his powers place on him becomes too high. It is more likely other bad shit will happen instead though.

If high neural load can induce psi sensitivity...

1. Can high neural load, induced in a non-boosted individual, still make them psi sensitive?

Yes.

2. Will high neural loads amplify an existing telepath's (or psi sensitive's) powers?

No, but add more width and variation.

3. Is survivability from boost drugs partly influenced by neuronal density prior to taking the drug? 

Partly, yes.

Can Marshal Dave's powers distinguish between boosted and non-boosted individuals (including animals)? Can he distinguish between Re-Genes and non-Re-Genes?

Yes, they all feel different.

When Chen spots Sidestep at the dog park, what was going through his mind when he saw them and when Sidestep failed to notice when he sat down next to them?

Sidestep looked so lonely and tired. Without the "don't look at me" shields actively up, it was a lot easier to see.

If Sidestep causes another Heartbreak 2.0, what would be its scale and reach compared to the original Heartbreak event?

That would depends on Sidestep's stats. Anything above 75 is as bad. Anything above 80 is very very bad. 85+ is city-wide bad.

If we encouraged Ortega to shave or to get a beard, will we ever be able to tell him "actually, nevermind, this is worse, you looked better with the mustache." ? 

There is a limit to the facial hair shenanigans in this game.

You said before that it will be possible to keep all the secrets (villain identity/re-gene status/puppet) from the rangers if we play our cards right. Do you if know mortum included in this as well? 

Not all, Mortum already knows things.

When Herald was watching the Heartbreak incident unfold on live broadcast, did he actually Sidestep go through the window, or was it only reported after the airstrike? What made him want to dig more into Heartbreak and doubt the official narrative?

They did not show Sidestep going through the window, that was in the later reporting. He realized that the few things Chen and Ortega said didn't add up, and they didn't want to talk, so he started looking.

Could anyone use Five Pennies' pennies, or are they only responding to him?

Only him.

Any fun facts to share about Five Pennies while we're at it? Anything you're looking forward to write regarding him?

Still thinking of the details, some people don't come to life until they appear on paper.

Would Herald have been happy working for the Guardians? Would he have taken Mayor Alvarez’s invite?

If he had not been a part of the Rangers, yes he would have.

Since it’s Halloween month, any chance you’d indulge us with a few quick cursed facts, but about villains?

Sorry, that takes a specific mindset I don't have at the moment! I don't have any of them prepared, and they require beer and silliness.

Where is Ljungstrand now?

Still working for the Farm.

As it’s spooky season, what other kind of places/mysteries did Marek’s “West Coast Mysteries and Murders” team investigate?

I have another Lore post about that in store, I will save it until then.

How did their investigation of the void go?

It went... interesting. But since it was after the fact, everybody was okay in the end. Just some more nightmares for Bennet.

What happened to Bennett and Perry after their investigation of the Heartbreak site?

Hehehehe spoilers. 

Who's Kulina Petrova? (Or rather, can we have more details about her)? 

She is loosely inspired by Nina Kulagina, but in the Fallen Hero world, she was also so much more. (google her, she's fascinating)

What was Step's Ljungstrand classification during the Farm Days and pre and post Nanosurge?

Roots: 1: Emotional 2: Rational 3: Subconscious 4: Other

Branches: 5: Project 6: Receive 7: Influence 8: Control 9: Other

Farm Sidestep: T236

Pre Nanosurge Sidestep:T1236

Post Nanosurge, pre Heartbreak Sidestep: T123567

Current Sidestep: T12345678

What is Locus' telepathic range?

With people she knows, it's far. She's been in contact with San Francisco from Los Diablos, for example.

How many Directors of the Farm are there? How often are they replaced?

One. There is no set number of years they serve. They handle the day to day work of the Farm.

A lot of high-interest bodies have disappeared over the years, so... Are Heartbreak, Cavalier, The Void, Anathema's bodies (dead or alive) kept in the same vicinity, by any chance? If not all, are at least some of them?

Some of them, yes.

Is Ortega's epilepsy at all relevant, either as a hint or a plot point, in regards to the mysteries surrounding Sidestep's abilities / the gates? Will it play a role beyond Ortega being protected from telepathy?

Yes.

How many times has the farm attempted the heartbreak experiment? have they succeeded, and if not, are they any closer to succeeding?

I don't have an exact number, but it is more than a dozen times. And success is... a loaded word. Not all have been equal failures.

Did the void-field fuck with Ortega's mods? Did it fuck with their static?

Mods, yes. Static, no.

I'm sure the good doctor has a PhD. What was the topic of their research/thesis?

Planck-length circuitry, it's possible uses and integration in biological systems.

Was the earthquake that cracked The Void's compound wall "at the right time" natural, or boost induced?

Boost induced.

What's Marcia's personal life like? We already know she has friends, but does she have a spouse? Kids? What did she do when she was younger?

Marcia is divorced, and can spend an hour shit-talking her former husband who drank and was an asshole. They never had children, but she dotes on her little nieces and has pictures of them at work. She's always worked in retail of various sorts.

^can I introduce her to Elena?

Who knows, maybe that will happen?

Think you'll ever let us wear one of step's old jackets as a fashion choice~? 

I'm not sure it will be just a fashion choice.

How often does official ranger business take the rangers outside the city limits?  What areas would fall under the LD rangers jurisdiction?

The city of Los Diablos, and the surrounding countryside. There are no specific lines drawn on paper, and if things are getting close to another team, the jurisdiction will be shady. It happens on occasion, less these days now that the worst warlords and wanna be dictators have been cleaned up.

Is Mitchell a technopath, or has access to one?

Nope, other means.

Hypothetically speaking, if you were to lay your head against Ortega's gut, would you be able to hear their generator working? Or feel it buzz?

It doesn't buzz, but you would be able to hear it faintly. It's more of a thrum.

what happened in Catastrofiend's attack on the Duncan building?

Lots of death, I have no details. But the inspiration is the Angel TV series episode 18:4 Habeas Corpses.

What does the Los Diablos' accent sound like? Same as LA in our world, or any notable differences? What are the most spoken languages in LD, aside from English?

I am bad at dialects, but I think it would be similar to the LA one. Possibly with a lot more Spanish influence. I would say about 80% of the LD inhabitants has Spanish as either their first or second language, about the same numbers as for English. With the strong influence and comparatively easy connection to Mexico rather than the east coast, Spanish is on the rise. There is also a strong presence of Chinese (mainly cantonese), Tagalog, Korean and Armenian.

How high can Herald fly into the sky? Are there specific heights he’s legally not allowed to reach? Can he fly alongside a commercial airplane and wave hello to the passengers inside?

When Herald flies above a certain height, he activates a beacon, similar to the one airplanes use. He also has a monitor, and radio communication with flight leaders to make sure there's no issues. He's very conscientious about using it, and knows a lot of people working in that field. With the residual issues with ash (during certain weather patterns it gets stirred up, and there are still smaller eruptions), flight is not as common as it was, so the skies are not as full. Also, part of the Free Territories agreement was that they would not host international flights, so it is mostly within the Free territories, or to the east coast. He has found no height limits yet, but the issue becomes the cold temperatures and lack of oxygen. He would not fly fast enough to keep up with many planes though.

When Argent kissed Sidestep, and Herald is disapproving, what did she mean when she told him "you've made your point quite publicly?" What did Herald do? 

I think I will save that between the two of them for now.

Why did Rosie want to become a villain? What made her realize she wasn't cut out for it? And how long was she the Riveter before quitting? 

Mainly because of the money. And not sucking up to the man. But it was a lot more stressful and complicated than she figured. She was the Riveter for about a year or so.

When is Mia Ochoa's birthday? 

4th of July.

What are the favourite hero movies of each LD Ranger, Dr. Mortum 

Hmm, dunno specific titles, just vibes: Argent, the cheesier the better. Musicals are perfect. Ortega: Sticking close to reality, with twists. Chen: Please, no. Herald: Biographical ones. Dr. Mortum: Fantasy ones. Good inspiration for stuff.

What does tia Elena think of her child’s presentation in such movies? Does she watch them at all?

She has no interest in watching them, and think they are garbage.

Has Dr. Mortum ever made it to any hero/villain movies? What do they think about it? 

Nope, not high profile enough. Thinks it's rather silly, but good inspiration.

Of the main male characters, who has their ears pierced (if anyone)?

Ricardo had, but like Julia he realized soon it could cause issues with his mods. And now he thinks he's too old (would never admit it). Herald had an eyebrow piercing but it got infected and he doesn't anymore.

What would the Rangers and Mortum think about an MC who names their villainous persona Sidestep and insists that they're a totally evil villain, but acts basically as a hero? (saving everyone they can, rising their life to protect innocents, etc)

Ortega: Peer pressure. Steel: Something's up. Argent: Wuss. Herald: Furious. Mortum: Bait.

What are the symptoms of telepathic infection? (Not attack or influencing.) Would they differ between an infected telepath and an infected non-telepath? 

It varies. It can be similar to PTSD or a psychic breakdown, intrusive thoughts and an inability to perceive reality correctly. Also, memory issues. It would essentially be similar regardless of telepathic talents.

For the specialist that used to deal with psychic afflictions, is it possible we can ask him to tutor us?

Not sure. It's a bit crossing the streams. The character in question is from another unfinished book.

Does Chen ever smoke?

Yes, when others do, he might bum a cigarette, especially if stressed, or at a bar.

Can we get a brief physical description of Dynamate? What pronouns they go by? (I’m not sure if it was strictly male/NB or if they go by he/they like Porphyry.)

Dynamate is currently he/they personally. They in their hero/villain form. They are short, kinda stocky, with brown wavy hair and glasses.

What would you describe their personality being like? Has it changed at all since joining the Rangers?

Was always kinda upbeat and cheerful. It's essentially the same.

Do they like dancing??

Why not?

While dispersed—though not too finely dispersed—is Pyroclast still able to carry any weight? Or does he specifically need to be in his more solid form for that?

Needs to be solid for anything heavy. Can push smaller things along.

This might be a bit too early to ask but how many endings do you have planned so far for the end of the series

No idea. I have like four main ones in my head, but that will most likely change when I get there.

Are there more epileptic seizures planned for Ortega's Book 3 and Book 4 future?

Oh yes. We will get into that.

We know the Rangers keep dangerous objects / weapons from villains they defeat. Did they keep anything from The Void's compound?

Yes. Void was defeated away from the compound, and when they returned, the cult had evacuated and abandoned it. Some things where left and confiscated, including the altar.

Malin, what was Sidestep’s vigilante entry number in Mitchell’s files? And if we were to ever redeem ourselves and rise as a hero, what would be our hero number? Do we get a free subscription to his entries with that 

If Sidestep had enough rep, they would have had number 256. If not, they would be a "known associates" of Charge.

Does Mitchell have a file on Hollow Ground (that HG may or may not be aware of)?

No. Would not dare.

Apparently Ortega’s spine basically belongs to the government, but what’s the situation with Chen’s mods? Does the government or the army have control to any extent over his mods’ function / updates? Is Chen’s in debt too? 

Chen had an insurance through the army. They pay for that, and the mods do belong to the army. He's still a part of it after all. However, since they are less complicated, it would not be hard for Chen to replace them with civilian models should he ever resign. Ortega is different.

How rare are geokinetic boosts like Hood?

Not as rare as you'd think on the west coast. That big a scale is, though.

What did Hood think of Anathema's name?

He understood it.

Why did five pennies get a display at the hero museum?  Were there any other heroes/vigilantes who’d turned, or might now be classed as a villain being memorialised there?

Probably, I don't know all the details.

We know about Bad Riley and we know about Vincent, but have Angie and Danny have had any noteworthy romantic relationships (save for each other)? What about Dr mortum?

No noteworthy. I think Danny's longest one was about six months and ended amicably. None for Angie. Dr. Mortum has had in the past, yes. Before turning villain, when they were still in the science world. Ended badly. They can talk about it in game.

Excluding Step's samples, where did the nanovores end up post-Nanosurge? (Or is it better to ask who has them now?) 

Most of them were destroyed at the beach, whether any other samples were taken is unclear.

Sidestep uses the terminology "word of power" (regarding the word "no" specifically). Does "word of power" mean something specific in the telepathy field? How is it trained into telepaths, why do they use them, and what do words of power help control? 

Yes. Especially for more verbal telepaths like Locus, it is a shorthand for their powers. For example, "Shield" might have to be a conscious thought, setting of a cascade of mental reactions. Not unlike the sword of damocles, but self-inflicted. It is taught early on to trained telepaths to help with their powers. Sidestep went through that training too, and moved beyond it, but the terminology stayed.

Could Anathema survive being trapped in Mortum's gun?

Yes.

Did Dr Anna Jansen (from the correspondence with Dr Ljungstrand) ever work for, or in association with the Farm?

Nope.

What prompted Ljungstrand's disciplinary hearing?

Morally skeevy human experiments.

Sidestep mentioned that "no" was the first word of power they learnt. What are some other words they consider to be "words of power"?

None other, they stopped using that terminology. But that was was so deep that it stuck.

How does Herald start flying? Does he have to consciously focus his thoughts on lifting off into the sky - or is he like a helium balloon, and has to focus on not floating away?

It is more a focus on not floating, as you can see it's easy to start if he's flustered.

From last year’s urban legends lore, is there any correlation between where “the bad place”/“the dark” is experienced?  Is it anywhere near the HB site?

No. That is different.

Does ortega's generator affect their body temperature in any way? does it ever have overheating issues?

In normal use, no. But it can overheat, and thus affect Ortega badly.

Since Argent can control her hair length does she try different hairstyles? Does she have favorite hairstyles? If Sidestep compliments any hairstyle she remembers and tends to wear this hairstyle when she wants to please Sidestep? 

She does, she likes to have fun, especially at home. Her favorite is long and straight, because that was what she had before. But she can d a lot of cute things in her civilian life. She would remember if Sidestep complimented any of them, and might be more inclined to wear it more often.

Arrogance / Anonymity, Ruthlessness / Empathy, Caution / Daring: what would have been Heartbreak's personality stats, approximately, at the time we meet them?

Arrogance 30, Ruthless 70, Caution 50

^^^ Stealing this question: How about the Void?

Arrogance 94, Ruthless 94, Caution 60

Who was the director prior to Regina?

A man named Jonas Richter.

Is there any variance to how time passes during Sidestep’s telepathic/mindscape talks? How long could one feasibly hold meetings of the minds in there? Would it be useful, for say… holding out with someone in their last moments?

Like daydreaming, time can be malleable. But it's hard to control willingly.

Is Marek a Boost / Mod?

Just minor mods.

How high can Chen jump? 

Depends on the legs. About 4 m standing for the work ones.

Has Chen's heavy armor gotten any better at climbing stairs?

Yes, the new model is much smoother.

Beyond their mods and a few indulgences, Ortega doesn't seem to live that high above their means. Is there any other reason why they're so deep in debt? Are they funneling their money somewhere we don't know about? (shady activities, information gathering, sponsorship of any kind...)

Ortega has uses for their money, yes.

What is Bennett’s boost? (from Marek’s west coast mysteries team)?  Were the tablets he takes like Talodine?

The closest description would be psionically sensitive, with psychometric specialization. In short: Picking up vibes from places and people. And the tablets were Talodine adjacent, yes.

How many times has ownership of the heartbreak site changed hands? 

Four, until it became impossible to sell.

Who was responsible for the investigation into the “attack” and for clearing the rubble from the site?

The army.

What other kinds of investigations has Marek’s “sponsor” encouraged?  What kind of “facts” are they interested in while the shows maintain an air of mystery to their published investigations?

A lot, I will get into it eventually. But you are right that there might be more than just cool shit to it.

Do Talodine or Numbers confer any protection against Void's powers?

It would help, but not entirely protect.

Does Mitchell decided to order in which he compiles his guides? What made him decide to do the Void entry first of the villain guides?

Partly. Some he does on his own accord, others are because he is asked to. The void was no 1, because they were the biggest threat to HG. It was asked for, before that it had only been heroes (which had a different numbering system.)

Who got the top spot on the heroes and vigilante lists?

Heroes: Cavalier. Vigilantes: Nightstalker.

When Ortega fried Psychopathor's armor, was he still conscious stuck in the armor or did it knock him out as well?

Conscious but stuck. It is too heavy to move in without the servos. 

Will we ever learn more about who The Crack was, in-game?

Yes, you can.

How did Psychopathor get ahold of the Rat King?

Stole it during a raid at a lab. Was not the intended target, but he could feel them.

Did the rangers receive any special super-hero vehicles to patrol the city? (I'm thinking Baycycle, Batmobile, Batboat, Batplane, Batwing, Batjet and Batgyro, batcopter) 

Not the Los Diablos ones. The Seattle Rangers have, but they get the nicest toys.

Weird question: do Re-Genes have different types of relationships that don’t quite fit in what you’d normally classify in human ones? (E.g. Family, enemies, lovers, friends, etc.) 

Yes, they do. The way they are raised and used puts different weight on different things. They don't have the term enemy for relationships, that's just a designated target. A work term with no emotional context. They don't have the normal familiar relationships, but things like "teammate" (a double tap to the team insignia) carries a LOT more weight than normal. A bit like "Partner" but more family than work or marriage. "Batchmate" (a double tap to the navel) is used for the ones you are very close to (siblings, friends) regardless of if they are from the same batch or not. "Heartmate" (a double tap to the heart) is for close personal relationship just between you two. Like lover, or best friend.

Like, say, different categories/types of romance?

They don't make a distinction whether the relationship includes sex or not. Teammates, batchmates and heartmates can all sleep together, or not. That's just physical, not an emotional thing.

How are handlers recruited by the farm? Are they scouted for, acquired by job application or referral (from a current farm employee)? 

Scouted for, or referral. No open applications.

Also, when these handlers retire or resign, how does the farm ensure they do not become whistleblowers?

They have their means. Not all of them good (but the pay is great).

Is the red balloon a real red balloon? Or could it be that it was a code or symbol during Sidestep's memory absorbing / regene training / being experimented on, a symbol that then stuck with them through dream imagery? (I'm grasping at straws here but I'm thinking for example that it could have been a disambiguation or distorsion of "lead balloon", which their drug-addled mind latched onto and made theirs?) 

It is a real balloon, as much as any memories are real.

How would Dr. Mortum feel if something they were paid to work on, and they quite enjoyed (armor, weapon, ect), was destroyed? Would they care or is it once a project is delivered they no longer feel anything for it if they did at all? 

They would be sad, creations are always very personal. And they hate failure.

We know that step has a hard time reading Ortega at times. Is that partly due to them relying on telepathy too much? Or is Ortega just that good?

It is a bit of both. Sidestep has always relied on telepathy to help make sense of people, and bereft of that, struggles to compensate. And, with someone like Ortega who is very good at putting on a mask, it gets twice as hard.

Do people use credit and debt cards in the FEZ? 

I will say that it is common for people from the middle class and up. Cash is a lot more common if you don't have a good job, because banks are a lot more cautious since things are more chaotic here.

What does the Sky Green think of Regenes, specifically boosted directive regenes? 

They see them as a dead-end evolutionary offshoot. To be respected, but also less than them. But more than humans. They haven't had much interaction though, so that might have changed with more experience.

Does Argent no longer enjoy surfing?

She doesn't.

What's been your favourite action/fight scene to write so far?

Argent and Sidestep on the bridge.

Did Julia have a lot of male friends in high school?

Yes, she was seen as a sporty tomboy. 

Do any of the characters in FH have middle names?

Ricardo Felipe José García Ortega

Julia Esperanza Maria García Ortega

Those are the only once I know, there might be others. Haven't decided.

Are there any books (or any media really) you read and found helpful and/or inspirational during the creation of FHR?

Many, and I have left a ton of media recommendations for the vibe on earlier QnA's. But there are some specifics about the writing. Vicious by V.E Schwab inspired me in the back and forth timeline structure. Undertale (game) inspired me that you could do wildly divergent paths with consequences in a similar game structure, and Nier: Automata inspired me to build an exploring narrative without straight answers from the start and use emotional storytelling. 

What happened to Joshua the cop who you can make punch Steel? Did he face any consequences for punching the Marshal? Will he be back in future books?  If he won't What is he up to in Retribution and the time skip? Do you have fun facts about him?

Yes, you can meet him in Retribution, and what he is up to depends on the path. He might have a bigger role in future books depending on his fate.

Will we be able to do a good old villian laugh at some point?

Oh definetly.

Congratulations on finishing Retribution! 

Thank you! It still feels unreal.

What would the Dr. Mortum, HG trio, and the Rangers consider their biggest challenge to have been so far?

HG: The Void. That took some finagling.

Nocturne: Flying to Los Diablos.

Jake: Adapting to Los Diablos culture.

Dr. Mortum: Getting that PhD.

What had been HG’s reaction to Ortega being named the Marshal?

Big surprise. Lots of swearing. That was not what they planned for.

Herald feelings are pretty clear if Sidestep made the Rangers believe they lost their powers, but what do the other Rangers think about the possibility of someone losing their powers? (even if some of them were to suspect Sidestep about lying)

Chen thinks it's just a mental block. Argent thinks it's true. Ortega is spoilers.

Lore spoilers below:

Does anathema's hero name have any relation to say an odd colored sky cult and perhaps leaving it?

Oh yes. 100%.

What is the use of the Void's green forehead light? Is it actually adjacent to a pinal gland (helping regulating their body, maybe when moving through dimensions)? Or does it help with accessing the planes themself? Or does it hold offensive power (focusing the void field and / or whatever the hell hides in those fields)? Or is it only decorative?

It is symbolic and decorative, like so many things with the Void. If you're running a cult, that helps. No functional armor here...

Why does the pineal gland / third eye emit light? Where does the light come from?

A small LED light.

How much time passed between step getting caught in the generator room and then waking up in that chamber?

Not that long. An hour, tops.

If you've associated with the Green Sky, can the Void keep an "eye" on you, as it were, either through their blood having been ingested or their dimensional powers? Basically: could the Void and their followers have been aware of Anathema's presence on their compound thanks to whatever they’ve done to them? 

Yes. But Anathema doesn't know.

what is the shape of the altar? Could it be an enneagon... ? 

yes, in fact it is.

Is the bad/weird vibes sidestep gets from the Tesseract similar to the bad vibes the heartbreak site emanates? 

Yes.

Is the emphasis on "9 walls / 9 rectangles" in the heartbreak experiment inspired by the shape of the Tesseract? Did the Farm hypothesize that, considering the Void has access to multiple dimensional planes, simulating the same environment would allow them access to the "mind" dimension - hence granting them the ability to conduct whatever experiment they needed Heartbreak for?

They were both inspired by the same source.

Sidestep mentions that the Tesseract "looks too familiar". Is the Void base reminding them of the Farm? Main compound hidden underground; a innocent "farm" on land?

Yes, it does.

Is the hole in the Heartbreak site connected to what the Void cultists are digging for? 

No.