QnA part 2! (oops I forgot some)

Well, due to discord being discord, I lost a lot of questions this month, so here they are in a special follow up session. I did remove some that asked about things I am not sure are widely known outside the server, and I preferred to keep off the books for now.

Has Marek ever associated with Hollow Ground's organisation, or Mia?

I honestly don't know yet. It might be so, and it might not. It depends on whether I need it for a story.

Is he the M that finds the 'Sad Charge Bitches about Retirement' tape in the Heartbreak postscript story?

Haha. Yes.

Would whoever was The Crack say they got what they wanted out of villainy? & how effective/influential is their war against the LDPD & former mayor considered by the populace?

I think it was a big thing at the time, but now it is mostly forgotten. That's the thing with Los Diablos, there's always a bigger headline to replace last seasons. They got what they wanted.

Was the Shasta quake boost induced?

Yes.

Did Ortega ever meet the foster dog Chen had during rehab?

I think so, a few times.

What kind of dog breed was she?

I always pictured the dog as one of those smaller poodles.

if chen had known definitively sidestep was alive when he got the regene photos, would he have tried breaking them out? or would he still decide it was too much of a risk to go after them?

Oh boy. That's a good question. It would depend on how much information he found. If it was just a little he might risk it, but if he found out most of the facts he would not. That's the issue with being ex-army, you want to leave nobody behind, but you also don't want five people getting killed to save one. He'd feel even more like shit over it though.

adding onto that, would he have let ortega know about the photos?

No. Absolutely not. That is his cross to carry.

Do any of The Rangers, Villains, or HG Trio feel awkward when they’re watching a movie or TV show & a sex scene comes up? Does it matter if they’re alone or with someone else?

In public think that Jake does, a little. As does Argent. Jake complains that there's no need to put that on screen, while Argent makes a lot of jokes about it to hide her discomfort. Neither feel that way alone.

Regardless of if anyone would recognize them, are there any images/videos of whoever Catastrofiend was before they became enhanced or at least before they were so heavily enhanced out there?

Probably, but none that are connected to the Catastrofiend.

What made Mia interested in reporting on heroes, villains, & being a reporter in general?

I will be going into that at length later.

Cavalier is the most infamous fallen hero but who’s the most famous redeemed villain?

I don't think there is one, because that doesn't really fit the worldview of most people in power. If we consider redemption a thing, then we have to consider if prisons are really the best idea. And prisons are a GREAT source of profit and free labor!

What does Mortum have the Puppet saved as in their phone?

That would depend on the Puppet and their relationship, but I think it can vary from "Customer A" (letter depending on their name) to some insufferably cute and personal nickname.

When Arde is signing do they use all 4 hands or just the two five fingered ones? Does it differ between signing in asl vs the regene language?

In their transformed state, they use their two slightly smaller and more agile ones. In their unarmored state, they use their two main arms, as the other ones are vestigal and don't have much muscle control.

Does The Farm use obstacle courses as a part of regene training? If so is it only for combat regenes or universal & was Armadillo (& Shroud if applicable) good at them?

I think obstacle courses are common, it is an excellent way to train speed, movement and maneuverability. Armadillo was very good. Shroud sucked.

Is Heartbreak's apartment number (412) being the date of the Incident (02-14) but mirrored relevant, a funny little nod, or am I becoming Ortega?

I... had not even considered that. I wanted the fourth floor due to survivability rates in case of a fall, and the number I just grabbed at random.

We all know what Ortega's biggest regret is but what are they most proud of in their time as Marshal?

Taking down Void and the Cult of the Green Sky. Those were objectively bad, and many marshals would have argued they were technically outside their jurisdictions as their main complex was in the wilderness.

What is Chens proudest moment as Marshal, if he has one?

This is a curve ball and I will give no explanations: Recruiting Herald.

What was Hoods biggest regret as Marshal?

Not putting the foot down and demanding greater independence within the Marshal system.

How long has the Puppet known Rosie/Boris by the time of Rebirth's opening?

Not sure... I would say about two years or so?

What do Rosie and Bo like to do in their free time (aside from partying, for Rosie)?

Boris likes to build models of various vintage cars. Rosie volunteers at a cat shelter.

How did Bo and Myra meet?

Through work. They were in each other's orbit for a while, and hit it off.

When did Bo marry Myra?

About a year after they started dating. Maybe 2009? They married young.

When did they divorce?

Hmmm.... 2011 or so I think. That tracks. It was a stormy marriage and didn't last that long.

What's Myra's deal? Is she a civilian, a merc, or have a military background like Bo?

She was a merc I think.

Why did she refuse to move to Seattle?

Too stifling and uptight.

Why do phones bring bad memories for Bo as he mentions in the Retribution epilogue?

Most of the arguments with his wife was over the phone. It still triggers anxiety every time he gets a call, especially one he's not expecting.

How tall is Zephyr?

Hmmm I don't see him as super tall. 170cm (5'7").

Just out of curiosity roughly how tall did The Crack appear to be? & how tall is Myra?

The Crack always looked very tall and spindly. But, since they were wearing armor, looks can be deceiving (as any shortsteps know). As they tended to strike from afar few got a close look at it. I would say that Myra is about Bo's height.

Does Porthole’s on-duty body have the “inhumanly big & strong fighter” look of characters like The Hulk & Thing or is it still pretty human?

It is still pretty human.

Do any of The Guardians have a particular moment they consider their best? What about the worst (Aside from what can happen in Retribution)?

I haven't got into them enough to figure that out yet. We will see as I write, since they will show up they will occupy my brainspace more.

Is Iris a boost, or a mod?

Iris is a professional is what she is.

Has Dove ever gotten away by strutting into a flock of pigeons? Has the LDPD ever arrested a normal pigeon thinking it was Dove?

Yes on both counts. She loves making fools of them.

Was the handler Sidestep contacts to tip off the Special Directive in Rebirth the one from their initial time at the Farm, or the second stay?

The initial time. That was the number they had.

What are Sentinel and Pyroclast's opinions of each other?

Respect, but also a bit of posturing. They don't go too well together.

In the previous qna you answered that when Mortum was younger they wanted to be a priest when they grew up. Can I ask why they wanted that?

That was the local position of authority and freedom. Mortum also had faith as a child, and felt that since nothing else fitted, devoting themselves to something greater might fix them. Spoilers, it did not, and Mortum doesn't consider themselves a believer anymore.

Has the Farm experimented with inducing powers with organs or body parts (spare parts, otherwise) from recycled Re-Genes?

Oh yes. That is common practice, and on occasion works.

Have they ever inadvertently triggered boosts/powers in their Re-Genes using spare parts from the recycled ones?

Oh yes. That's why they do it.

How evident is high scar Sidestep to Mortum, or will be, when they interact more face to face?

I don't know yet. I look forward to writing them and find out!

When Chen heard that Sidestep was involved in the crash, did he wonder if Ortega had dragged them into something?

You know that was the instinctual reaction. This too is Ortega's fault.

And when he heard Step had to go into surgery, did he need to sit back for just a moment and contemplate how bad the situation was for Step's regene status or was it an immediate damage control mode?

Immediate damage control. No time for emotions until later. Stow all that and get to work.

To clarify, do Regenes only have pain-gates installed when they graduate their training? If so, how do they adjust to how it affects their pain tolerance, and in that case do they have extra training to get used to it?

Yeah, pain-gates gets installed for active duty, very late in the process. Pain is a valuable teaching tool, and they want regenes to know how to deal with and avoid pain, not to break their bodies unnecessary. Then the pain-gate will be a useful too later on. The exceptions are those regenes whose powers cause them pain, then it is installed early to hep them train and cope with that. Sadly, that often leads to a shortened lifespan as they are overriding their bodies natural warning systems, but the Farm doesn't care.

I know Sidestep heals faster from injuries in their own body compared to regular people, but regarding the timeframe for how quickly a puppetcrash + puppetstuck step can recover well enough from compound leg fractures to do a chase sequence after just six weeks, are you running on handwavy advanced medical tech/superhero setting logic the same way Ortega can stand on a moving truck for the purpose of not having too different downtimes between selfcrash+stuck and puppetcrash+stuck?

Absolutely handwavy medical movie superhero tech! There is no realism in this. I go by action movie logic, where things are as dangerous/important as they need to be for the story. Otherwise many people in this story would spend most of the time concussed or dead... That being said, the timeline is not set at all. So there might have passed more time, and additional scene before that happens. Fixing the timeline/flow is usually the last thing I do.

If Sidestep chooses to fight their way out of their meeting with HG is Ortega aware if they killed anyone or not?

Spoilers.

Can Catastrofiend sense the differences between the HB scars? & if so does it have any opinions on them?

Nope.

Could a mc-friendly Hollow Ground be cajoled into wearing gloves when they are dealing with each other?

... see... that.... probaby not.

In the same way the HB site is near what used to be San Fernando, whereabouts is Vera's community located?

You will learn that in game!

What's Mortum's thoughts on media that involves miniaturization as a plot device to shrink things or people?

They like it a lot.

Is there actually tech in FHR that can shrink living things?

Not that is known. I won't touch on that in the story, but who knows?

Is there a boost out there that can change their size at will? If so, what are the limits of how big or small they can get?

Probably, though I haven't named any yet. Same with how big or small. That would be what was needed for the story they appeared in.

When did Mortum get an interest in biomedical science to eventually do their PhD on planck-length circuitry's uses and integration in biological systems, and 2) how did they learn biomedical sciences?

I think that was probably due to a particularly good teacher/mentor early in their studies (pre-high school) that steered their interest in that direction. And then it was just keep studying and learning. Mortum has learned a lot, much of it early on from private tutors and mentors, to the point that they were far overqualified once they started University, and getting the PhD was more a formality than anything.

What drove Mortum to specialize in miniaturization and energy management?

They had some interesting ideas they wanted to explore, and then they just continued to refine them. A lot of decisions like this is chance, you read a paper, think "I don't think that is how this works, why not like this instead?" and start experimenting. Both are areas where funding was available, and which were seen as important.

Were the associates that Mortum mentions ended up in prison (which were part of their motivation to quit villainy) anyone important?

No. Nobody I have decided on at least.

When Mortum worked with the military did they use their real name or an alias? If an alias what was it?

Yes, it was an alias. Jay Brown.

Mortum says they "lost a friend", a fellow scientist, that "talk[ed] too much" whom they learned about the existence of cuckoos from during their time as a private contractor;

1) Was that friend close to Mortum, or more of an acquaintance?

2) Was he on the Farm staff at some point?

3) Is he still alive, or was he killed?

1) I would say somewhat close, at least in scientific terms. You have to be to talk about things like that.

2) Not permanent staff.

3) Oh, he's dead.

Did Mortum have any siblings, both from their birth family the Moises, or their adoptive family the Abelards? They mention remembering that babies have a hard grip, so were they an older sibling?

Mortum was an older sibling with their birth family. I think they had two younger siblings, which is one of the reasons why they took the offer to move away and help provide some money in the future maybe. The Abelards had no other children.

Does Mortum ever miss the Haitian countryside where they grew up, or Florida?

I think so. But they are not the nostalgic type.

What's the weirdest thing Mortum's ever been asked to make/work on?

A working armor in the shape of a beaver fursuit. Figuring out realistic "fur" that could take the abuse of battle was the biggest issue.

What has the doctor turned down working on (that isn't on the grounds of not interesting them)?

Several mass-casualty systems.

Does Mortum have any contact with either of their families?

Mortum sends money to their birth family, but has no personal contact with them. They don't dare to, they have changed too much.

Between Lord Ember and Blaze, whose level of control would be best suited to perfectly cooking a burger?

Blaze is better with the temperature, but sometimes you just want that flame-grilled surface.

Are there any traits of Sidestep (arrogance/anonymity, empathy/ruthless, cautious/daring) that Mortum would particularly notice, in a similar vein of how Ortega references Sidestep's daring in the apartment dinner scene?

I need to feel that out in game, but absolutely.

What does 5 Pennies think about the fun fact pennies are generally useless coins and take more money in energy, manpower and metal to make than their literal worth?

Them's fighting words!

What were Mortum's early days in Los Diablos/the FWT like?

Fun. A great sense of relief and opportunity. Also shellshocked worry about all the heroes and villains. Nothing like walking past a building and seeing a person-shaped hole in it to drive home that this city can be wild.

If Ortega while in the course of their investigating HG had a choice between seeing Mitchell's file on Sidestep or seeing HG's itinerary. Which would they go after and why?

HG. Ortega would feel a bit creepy reading Sidestep's file, believe it or not.

Could anathema eat five pennies pennies without a problem?

Eat, yes. Keep down? Doubtful.

Does a romanced Chen know if he would still pick Ortega over sidestep in a life or death situation? Is it something he avoids thinking about or feels intensely guilty over?

Oh he does not think about that. Avoidance!

Are the skulls on Psychopathor’s armor real?

No. Bone is fragile. You save the real skulls for the trophy wall.

if ricardo started going bald would he rock the bald look or go to turkey (as in go get a hair transplant)?

Hair transplant, no doubt about that!

How did Sidestep follow and observe Mortum prior to hiring them? Did they possess people to tail them, given the doctor's paranoia and caution?

Talking to/reading the mind of a lot of customers as well as tailing them a little. Of course using possessed bodies, being careful is important.

When did our hollow ground get their house? was it owned/a base for them while they were still assisting their brother, or did they only get it after they became a kingpin?

They got it a couple of years ago, they move often.

How/where did Mortum pick up all the languages they know that aren't Kreyol, English, French and Spanish (Arabic, ASL, German and Latin)?

Most of them are prompted by working with people who talked the language in question. Learning languages is satisfying to Mortum, but they need an excuse to spend the time on it. Latin was learned specifically to spite Vitruvian.

Is Sidestep more resistant to telepathy/possession attempts against them WHILE they're having a seizure?

Yes.

Can their seizures be a subconscious/unconscious defense mechanism against telepathy/possession?

Ehehe.

Music related, forever ago you already answered this question but I'm interested to know what's changed: What song recommendations would fit the main cast (sidestep, puppet, r/o's, HG, etc.)?

I haven't made any new playlists for them! So my answer remains for now.

Did Ashfall in ash from ever get swept up/away in Sentinel's wind powers? Did he ever lose track of his clothes because Sentinel's powers scattered them? I imagine those two would have a difficult time teaming up. Or could they create a superheated tornado?

They could absolutely team up intentionally to make one nasty tornado. But most of the time their powers did NOT mix well, one of the reasons why they never really got that close.

Who did Sentinel like working with the most vs who he liked working with the least?

I am still thinking about that. Dunno yet.

Within Re-Gene culture, do young Re-Genes choose their own names, or do other Re-Genes do that for them?

I think it is a combination.

Were Psychopathor and Tina ever married before each other?

No, but they had other partners.

Has Tina ever gone by any other names or aliases?

Probably, that is common in this world.

in the 1.2.2 rev demo, the rangers who want to help step break out pay dove, but what would happen if they'd called sky raider instead? would he even accept the job?

Not if a Ranger called, no.

Does the Special Directive have satellite labs away from the Farm where they do experiments? (as in, did Psychopathor steal the Rat King from a SD-aligned satellite lab that isn't the Farm?)

There are one or two affiliated labs, where the majority of the staff does not know they are connected, but where work can be outsourced.

Why does the Farm have the nickname it does (by the staff that work there, and by you)?

Because it poses as a farm for genetically modified crops and animals. That's what it looks like from the outside.

has HG ever red-threaded someone, accidentally or not, into thinking that fish are cool?

You bet. Fish are cool.

Has Argent's family moved away from the area (or at least further) since the Heartbreak incident?

No, they moved after the nanosurge. They moved to one of the communities in the countryside surrounding Los Diablos instead. Getting out of the madness of the city.

How were they during the Heartbreak incident, given how close they live(d) to the site? Did they evacuate prior, or were they out of town when it happened?

They did not live there at the time.

I love reading through the void stories on the patreon. It was really cool experiencing the story progression through multiple povs. And I was wondering if that was that a one time, spur of the moment thing due to the relevancy in future books. Or is there a chance we'll see more multiple pov short stories in the future?

It depends on what I feel like writing about!

Does Argent have any contingencies for when she gets badly injured eg. internal damage, broken bones etc and needs medical treatment given the stuff she's hiding, or is she just hoping she can handle it alone?

She CAN handle it alone. She has to.

Is Ortega going to start hallucinating past!Sidestep again in faker endings into Revelations?

Probably not.

What background did Sidestep plant for the Puppet that Mortum and Ortega find initially?

I haven't detailed that, it was just the normal things. Place of birth, dead parents, fake school records, some employment in companies that have since gone out of business, then a current job as a freelancer. Some suggestions of previous villain contracts for Mortum, which also Ortega picked up on. Ooops.

How would Mortum feel if capes did come back into fashion thanks to Sidestep being a trendsetter (and them suggesting to the Puppet about including one in the design process)?

Nice.

What's the current proportion of cuckoos to blugenes?

Maybe 5% tops.

Does synth skin work for HG’s powers?

Not fully synthetic, no. But vat grown and transplanted, yes.

What would you say are Ward and Pelayo's sexualities?

Complicated.

Did Armadillo's secondary arms grow simultaneously with their primary arms, or did they develop more rapidly during the/at the completion of the boosting sequence?

Which form was Armadillo decanted as?

The extra arms were due to genetic modification of the embryo. Adding extra arms is something done relatively often, and is often successful. If they end up vestigal/useless they can always be surgically removed. Armadillo was decanted in their "soft" shape, the armor up form requires focus and will (or a reflexive response to attack).

Do the nanovores run hotter or colder than a human?

Generally cooler, but hotter during feeding/procreation.

are the redwood trees still standing?

Some, yes. The ashfall was not evenly distributed.

What's Argent's body temperature in comparison to baseline humans?

Argent's skin feel cooler than normal huma skin.

In the real world judges giving people the choice of joining the US military or serving jail time for crimes have become rarer, is that also the case in FHR or is still practiced & if so how common is it?

It is still practiced, but it requires that the federal government takes an interest. Jail time is the most common, since that is the most profitable.

Are there any serious talks of parts of California separating from the state & becoming autonomous?

No, most places feel pretty autonomous already.

We know the sea’s gone weird but what about the air & land wildlife in Los Diablos? Have their been any significant changes or standout oddities with them?

You know what? I need to think about that. But I think it would essentially be similar.

What does Armadillo think of turtles?

Friends.

We know a lot of heroes & villains that can be considered some of the best/strongest but do you have any examples of some that people may consider the worst (As in weakest/most incompetent)?

Oh no, I am leaving that to y'all.

Is the memory of the statue back during a Farm mission in the Lupin route interview an experience specific to just Lupin Sidesteps?

I don't think so. But they just remember it more.

Has Mortum worked outside the US during their time in the private sector? Say... the UAE, given they know Arabic?

Yes, they have.

Has Bo been to deployed somewhere in the Gulf, given he also knows a little bit of Arabic?

Very, very briefly. He knows Arabic from friends (it's half curses).

Ortega can confess to having been in love with a secret crush or had a thing sidestep. Did they ever acknowledge that, internally or to another person, during the seven years they thought sidestep was dead?

Probably when sad and lonely. One of those "if only I had..." moments.

Given that Mortum knows a bit about Re-Genes and how they're trained, would they notice if Sidestep (as either themselves, or the Puppet) fell into an almost handler-regene like pattern in their relationship, outside of the lovers version of the reveal scene? Provided they know Sidestep is a Re-Gene, and that they're the Puppet, of course.

Maybe. It depends on how the story goes, I can see that happening.

Last year you said Mortum met Five Pennies;

1) What did they make of him?

Scary.

2) What were the circumstances?

Mortum was doing adjustments on some equipment in a villain lair (dunno which one) when Five Pennies busted in to fight. Mortum ran like hell.

Are amusement parks & fairs common in LD? Are they frequently targeted by villains or do most have too much class for that?

I would say they do exist, and is generally not a target by villains. There probably was one or two who loved doing public stuff like that, but a lot of villains also have families or friends that love a good outing, so often people like that gets taken down/talked to from within the villain scene. You don't shit where other people enjoy eating.

If it isn't spoilers, what does Mortum regret about their work for Psychopathor?

Just always left a bit of a sour taste in Mortum's mouth. It was a matter of trust, Psychopathor was hard to predict, not very generous, and above all, didn't really have any interesting ideas that he wanted made.

What do Locus & Porphyry think of Zephyr? And what do the rest of The Guardians think of them & their possible promotion?

Zephyr always liked to be a little too much of an ass to be really likeable. They were a teammate, sure, but it was very much a case of Blaze/Zephyr and Locus/Porphyry when it came to friendships and teampups. The rest of the Guardians hope that Zephyr can handle the heat...

i know its a complicated thing to measure, but can any of the rangers consider sidestep a "better person" then them? if so, is this contingent on empathy stat/past reputation/relationship, a combination, or something else?

I genuinely don't know? It would be more contingent on how hard of themselves the person was. It feels a bit "please give me compliments," "bad self image," or "guilt over a bad decision" to say something like that. I don't feel it is in character of any of the Rangers at this point. In the future, who knows?

Does Mia still overhear Steps name being said by Herald and Argent during the gala if they attended it with Ortega/Mortum? If Mia knowing Step's name has any future consequences, would Step knowing Mia knew it vs them not knowing Mia knew it have any bearing on said consequences?

Spoilers.

Which armor does Mia like the most?

All of them have their charms, except the Terrifying one, because please, no.

Do you have any rough Fanclub & Infamy scores for The Villains in your mind? What about the inverse of Infamy (Fame?) for The Rangers?

None. I make scores as needed for the game, and even then it's not something I keep track of.

Are there any Lex Luthor or Wilson Fisk type villains who have/had very public facing identities while still opposing heroes & vigilantes? Like if HG was the mayor & always went by their real name instead of HG but they were still doing what they are now

Oh I am sure there is! And I will need to introduce them in book three. But have no idea yet.

While there was a possibility that the recording was doctored, Chen must've also gone over the possibility that it was real and Step was a regene. Did he think his original suspicions that Step was a government spy might have been correct (especially since he did a little bit of digging but found nothing)?

Chen didn't think Sidestep was a Re-Gene. No blue skin. Government spy was much more likely.

Did the thought that Step was a run away ever cross his mind? If it did, was it right after he watched the video, or was it an idea that developed later (maybe after coming across whatever else he did on regenes in his research)? How much did he believe that idea over the possibility of them being a government spy?

I mean a rogue agent is essentially a runaway.

What are Mortum and Nocturne's opinions of eachother?

Respect.

What are Mortum and Jake's opinions of eachother?

Mortum thinks Jake is just a bodyguard, and Jake thinks Mortum is a snob.

How does id documentation work in los diablos? Does it work different from the rest of the country or is it about the same?

It is different from the rest of the country. With the varying health-care providers and schools, there is no reason for a child to be in the system since birth. Lots of people come and go in the Free Western Territories. However, you still need an ID for many things. These are mostly issued by companies and tied to the place you work (just like your healthcare and insurance), but can also be issued by trusted entities such as banks, or the city council. There is no such thing as a citizen of the Free Western Territories. You are a Resident. To get an ID you need to provide your address, the name of your workplace, and a few payslips, electricity bills and the like to prove it. Another alternative for younger people is to come with their guarantor who is an official resident, and be registered as their kin. That's usually how teens and the like get theirs. Of course all these things can easily be faked. Some types of ID are deemed more secure than others (big companies, banks), and high-trust places (like when getting a credit card) might require additional proof of your identity. Please note that these places generally are not interested in who you are/were, just that they know who to bill/chase down for payment issues. It is not too hard to go underground on the west coast and reinvent yourself.

Theoretically, people born on the west coast are citizens of the united states, and should be able to apply for a US passport to travel abroad. In practice, this needs to have more stringent proof that most people can't supply (birth records etc)), and you need to apply at one of the "embassies." There are only two on the west coast, one in Seattle and one i San Francisco. A large sum of money is involved as well, and this process is usually facilitated through companies or other powerful organizations that need to have their staff be able to travel.

If our villain chose to save the civilians at Carter's how widespread is that knowledge? Was Chen ever interviewed about and did he try to downplay it? Mia knows about it, did she interview one of the people that was saved?

It is not widespread and was not made public. However, it is known in certain circles. Mia knows because she interviewed some of the staff. Rumors travel, but it wasn't in the headlines.

What was Hood most proud of Ortega for? What was something he was disappointed with about them?

Most proud: Ortega's never give up attitude and willingness to improve and learn. Most disappointed: Ortega's urge to prove themselves better than others, even at the detriment of the team.

When InnocentStep crashes as themselves & has a high relationship with Chen he shows up in person to make sure the SD doesn’t take them again but what’s he doing when that threshold isn’t met?

Spoilers.

Where was Ortega when Hood was murdered? Where was Sentinel?

I think I have said this in the past, they were out of town if I am not mistaken. But I have been playing with so many variants of this in my head I'm not sure. Until it's in the book it is subject to change.

Did Vernon ever interview villains or is that solely Mia's gig?

Vernon did, but not as many as Mia.

Does Mirlene feel differently to Merle about Sentinel, since Merle and Luis are both trans men?

No, about the same.

Does Ortega still have their accident at the Hollywood Hills as per the first scene in the old Wreckage stories, or does it happen elsewhere now?

The timing doesn't add up these days I am afraid. Those original Ortega stories were set a lot closer to the actual disaster. So it was somewhere else.

What kind of clothes do the ROs sleep in?

Depends on the company and temperature. Ortega and Argent tends towards nude, everyone else various versions of underwear, t-shirts or actual sleepwear.

In a previous q&a, you confirmed that Rahim's migraine was caused by one of HG's threads in threading. Was this related to how the threads naturally fade with time, or did this have something to do with his proximity to Step?

Neither.

How big of a role in the next books do you have planned for Sentinel and Pyroclast? Is their role similar to Shroud's in size? Or do you have bigger plans for them?

A small role is planned. If I like it, it might grow. Depend on how fun they are to write.

Will there be options for some sidesteps who crashed in their own body to have permanent damage?

Maybe, I am toying with a little thing there... we'll see if I put it in.

Silly question, what would happen if Shroud & Rogue from X-Men shook hands?

Short circuit.

What about Argent & Rogue?

Well, that happens in game... in a way.

Or Catastrofiend?

Eugh. But Shrould absorb quite a bit, however, not enough not to get her head chopped off.

Going into Revelations is Carter's mansion still a pile of rubble? Has it been cleared or rebuilt for a new owner?

Probably under construction.

Previously you said that if no one intervened HB would of eventually burned themselves out after clearing out LD would they have been alive/non-comatose in that scenario?

I think they would have burned themselves out and gone comatose/suffered a major stroke.

What are Benjamin's favorite things to do? Does he have any hobbies? Does he appreciate art?

Still exploring that!

Is there a reason Ortega considers themself to be Bi over Pan?

Old fashioned. I like having that as a difference between Ortega and Argent, the same thing but a generational divide. Based on me being bi, that was what it was called back then, pan is a very recent term for me. I know it has a longer history in certain areas, but it felt like it hit mainstream post 2000, while I defined myself in the eighties and nineties. It is just a little detail, if they sat down and talked about it, there would be no preferences in practice. Just their favored shorthand

Is there anything in the pipeline for Ortega's tinfoil if they find out HG's powers work? Like how Step is touch avoidant? If there is could you give us a rough indication on the Spanish-o-meter how pissed Ortega would be on thinking that Step been manipulated like that?

Oh those will be some VERY interesting discussions that might come up in game.

Slightly confused about wording in previous QnAs; are infiltration units synonymous with cuckoos, or are there blugene/non-cuckoo infiltration teams running with the Special Directive?

They are overlapping things. Some infiltration teams are cuckoos, posing as people. Some are blueskinned regenes breaking in, sneaking, otherwise infiltrating various facilities. And to complicate it, many cuckoos are not on infiltration teams, they are deployed as individual plants.

If there are non-cuckoo infiltration teams, how does that work?

Regenes with powers that are related to sneaking, computers, shapechange, camouflage, distraction or other similar things.

Will naming yourself Heartbreak in Rebirth at the gala require you to be at a certain threshold for a stat in the update?

No. Trauma is for everyone.

Who'd you say are the top 5 strongest boosts produced by the Farm? How would that roster change if you exclude Sidestep?

Spoilers. I do not give out those details.

If Sidestep (un)knowingly made a movie reference/used a quote from a movie as the villain & Argent recognized it what would she do?

Join in! The villain would go up in her estimate (or down if it was a sucky movie).

If Sidestep broke up with Ortega while they were dating/flirting with the Puppet do they suspect Step knows about that & it’s part of the reason why they’re being pushed away?

Yeah. And feel very guilty about it.

What was Argent thinking when she realized she was at the nanosurge site during the mindmeld in Retribution?

She just saw it as a beach.

Is Mortum polite enough to let other villains finish their monologues & evil laughs?

Of course. And their monologues.

What do Ben & Vera think of capes?

Really? REALLY? (Ben would love one, but it's not practical for flying)

What exactly is Chen thinking when villain Step helps him rescue the civillians in Carter's mansion?

That's what bothers him after the fact. He doesn't stop to think. It feels natural.

In the year following Step's escape when the SD was watching the Rangers, did any of them notice that they were under surveillance? Or have suspicions of it, at least?

No, they had a lot of other things to worry about at the time.

Mia says the official story about Argent's possession is that she got 'dosed' by Dreamweaver, so is Dreamweaver a telepath, a different kind of psychic, or does she use hallucinogens? Something else?

She uses hallucinogens and pheromones. Some is from her natural boosted ability, enhanced by actual gasses and drugs.

What's the scope of Mortum's anti-telepathic training? By the Truth Hurts POV scene, they seem to have some, but is that self-taught for being someone who freelances for villains, or from their private sector work?

It is self-taught.

Are Mortum's thoughts usually going as fast as they are during the Truth Hurts POV/Chapter 20 reveal?

It's not uncommon, unless Mortum is focusing on something specific that needs all their concentration.

Did the Rangers ever receive a complaint if it was Rahim that was used as bait on the bridge? I know Argent gets a lecture if she kisses the villain, but does she get a lecture for participating in that plan since it negatively affected the Ranger's rep (especially in cases where she lost the fight)?

I think that was definitely brought up at a meeting. Nothing official or in writing, but a stern lecture on why this was not acceptable (because it failed).

When Step's sleeping, can they be awoken by particularly loud thoughts from people nearby?

Oh yes. Not that Sidestep sleeps often in their own body if they can help it.

Was Mia really only 13 when she interviewed Psychopathor in 2014? (which seems very early to be an intern at the Confidential, given you said in a previous QnA you said her birthday was July 26 2000!)

Oh she wasn't even an intern yet I think. That was on her own accord, because she wanted to get into the journalism business. Psychopathor was very amused by her audacity. That being said, some things in her background I've said outside the books might end up being adjusted due to [redacted project]. But I always saw her as very young, like the newsboy legion or other child-adventurers from the old superhero comics.

What was Nazar up to in the six year interim between getting boosted at age 14, and becoming a vigilante at 20?

Learning how to handle his powers. That took a LOT of effort, they are not easy. Lucky for him they had a slower onset, otherwise he might have scattered early on and never been able to reform.

Did Ortega blame Nazar for their and Sidesteps capture during the Void raid?

No. Ortega blamed themself.

Since they got left out of the previous question what would The Villains save a romanced Sidestep as in their contacts list?

Still figuring things out!