Kintsugi Plays Fallen Hero: Retribution (ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ …(^_^)…)

So you’re a villain now? Let’s see if you survive the experience.

Fallen Hero: Retribution is a work of interactive fiction by Malin Rydén, and the second installment in the Fallen Hero series of bad decision/identity porn/PTSD simulators. It stars a telepathic, bodyhopping ex-hero trying to balance the challenges of their new villainous career with their personal life, their other personal life, their other other personal life, their mental health, and the past that threatens to catch up to them.

For those just tuning in, we played the first game in this thread. You'll probably want to read that for context!

About this LP
This is a choose-your-own-adventure game with regular choices, all of which will be decided by readers! Vote for your preferred option(s) in the thread (or by hitting "Agree" on someone else's vote if you're not feeling talky). If you have no opinion/can't decide and don't want me waiting on your vote, you can let me know by saying so or by silently hitting "like" on the latest update. (You don't have to, but it helps me keep track.)

Once everyone has had the chance to vote, or a single option has majority support, I'll move forward with the thread's choice. In case of a tie, I'll nudge the thread to see if people want to tiebreak themselves or leave it up to me/a coin flip.

Content notes
Below the cut are a few blanket content warnings for the game and details on what I currently do/don't plan to warn for. (If you have questions or would like to request I warn for something specific, please feel free to ask here or DM me!)

Spoiler: Content warnings

We play a telepathic supervillain with a dark past. Expect consistently high levels of the following, which will generally not be warned for:
• Mind reading/control/manipulation/alteration
• PTSD symptoms ranging in severity from "moderate" to "borderline psychological horror"
• The kind of dubious ethics and consent issues inherent in deceiving everyone you know

Suicide/suicidal ideation: Part of the backstory centrally involves suicide, and the player character in this playthrough suffers from suicidal ideation. I'll try to warn for anything bigger than a passing mention.

Self-harm: Past self-harm is occasionally discussed or mentioned. I'll try to warn for anything bigger than a passing mention.

Medical/institutional abuse: Depicted in some scenes, evoked or alluded to in many others. I will try to warn for scenes that focus on it, but references and implications may go unmentioned.

Violence: While most descriptions are more matter-of-fact than gratuitous, this game isn't shy about depicting serious, sometimes gruesome injury/pain. I'll warn for the worst instances.

Sexual content: Some romance routes contain optional sex scenes. The scenes themselves are short and not super detailed—think roughly an AO3 M rating—and generally offer a fade-to-black option. I figure if we end up hitting one, I'll check whether anyone wants to play through it, and if so will a) do so under spoiler tags and b) include the text of the fade-to-black option afterwards so that anyone who wants to skip it can follow along.

Resources & Recaps
The following two posts will contain story and gameplay reference info for anyone who needs a refresher. (Character and story details include spoilers up to the latest update.)

Our Stats
Fallen Hero has a stat screen that records various character details. Since it's accessible at all times in game, I include it under a cut at the end of each update (with new changes highlighted in bold). Viewing is optional: this is a story-focused game, so stats are mainly used to make the story responsive to player choice. There's no way to lose the game or narrative bias for success over failure.

Spoiler: Sample stat screen with explanations

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

That last part shows traits we picked in Book 1: Josie is a tech whiz and a better tactician than fighter.​

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Stamina is physical fatigue, willpower is mental strain and focus, and injuries should be self-explanatory. All generally recover once we've had time to rest, though serious wounds may take longer to heal.​

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
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Subtle Manipulations: 74%
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These measure the strength of our telepathy; you can think of them as roughly equivalent to Strength+Defense and Skill+Dexterity, respectively.
Strength of Mind is raw psychic power, enabling us to wield our powers over greater range and through tougher defenses as well as strengthening our own shields.
Subtle Manipulations is subterfuge and finesse, increasing our skill at tricky precision work while making our mental intrusions harder to detect and others' easier to spot.​

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.

Infamy: 47% / Obscurity: 53%
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A summary of our public reputation. If we were known to be a telepath or a murderer, that would be mentioned here.​

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
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Leadership: 28%
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Leadership measures how good we are at directing teamwork. Used mostly, though not exclusively, with our crew. (I have no idea why it's all the way down here.)​

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 18% / Anonymity: 82%
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Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
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Daring: 50% / Caution: 50%
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The game uses these stats to gauge overall trends in our mindset and characterization. They affect internal monologue, how we come off to others, and how well-suited we are to certain tactics.
Arrogance/Anonymity weighs the desire to be someone vs. the need to avoid drawing attention. Higher Arrogance brings greater presence and the confidence to bask in it; higher Anonymity prioritizes staying under the radar.
Ruthlessness/Empathy represents our willingness to hurt people. Higher Ruthlessness means fewer qualms about using or harming others; higher Empathy increases misgivings and efforts to minimize harm.
Daring/Caution tracks our inclination to take risks vs. play it safe, particularly in a fight. Higher Daring encourages springing into action quickly and decisively; higher Caution keeps us defensive and on alert.​

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

This section lists relationships between us (in our various identities) and other major characters. Most entries have two parts: a label that defines the nature of the relationship, and a number that measures either how close a connection both parties feel or how positive an impression the other character has of us.​

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 83%
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Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Flirting.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
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Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
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Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████
Lady Argent thinks Anathema is a cheater.

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 24%
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Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 20%
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Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

(Note that most stat changes have diminishing returns at higher/lower values—e.g., the same stat boost might grant +9 when the stat is at 10% and +1 when it's at 90%. Stat checks account for this: the game's most extreme checks use a threshold of 80/20, and most are lower.)

Notable Characters & Groups

Spoiler: Characters

Self & Close Associates
Our Hero Villain
Civilian identity Josie Jacobs. Now better known as the villain Anathema, an up-and-coming mob boss taking the name of a late hero. In our younger, more innocent days we fought alongside heroes as the masked vigilante Sidestep, though our identity and powers were known to only a select few close allies. Now, years after our supposed demise in the Heartbreak incident, we've returned to Los Diablos in secret to plot our revenge against the people who hurt us. While an untimely encounter with an old friend has revealed our survival, we've kept our new career—and the fact that we still have powers—secret.

Telepath whose powers have grown dramatically since our hero days: in addition to reading and influencing minds, we've learned to seize direct control of others' bodies. 50% paranoia by body weight, skilled at blending in and avoiding notice even without the added help of telepathy, though we draw the line at remembering what a gender is. Certified angsty loner who only makes friends by accident. Drinks too much coffee and gets too little sleep (the latter's more to do with the nightmares). Long-time sufferer of suicidal ideation, but we're handling it.

Barbara
Our main puppet, a comatose woman we "rescued" from a hospital two years ago. So named because she's essentially our Barbie doll (and looks the part). At night, we do our dealing with the criminal underworld in her easily-controlled body while our own sleeps, acting as our own henchwoman. Though she lacks our telepathy, we've learned to leverage her good looks into confidence and charm to get our way. Trains in aikido for emergencies.

The Rat King
Five psychic rat brains in a jar. Stolen from Psychopathor's cannon, which they used their formidable telepathic awareness to aim; now employed in our armor to provide telepathic support and nanovore wrangling. Possess at least basic sentience, though it's unclear how much they truly understand other minds; if nothing else, they seem to like us.

Anathema's Crew
Our core team of henchmen, trusted with access to our base. Along with Barbara, our second-in-command who is definitely not us, the team consists of:

Rosie
Boost who scrapped her villain career as The Riveter in favor of more reliable hench work. Rescued Barbara once and has since become her main underworld contact—and something uncomfortably close to a friend.

Pelayo
Mod. Former Wolfpack mercenary who quit after a job got his team ambushed by the Special Directive. (Oops?) Oldest and most experienced of the group; calls the shots in our absence. Seems to have slept with Ward and is awkward about it.

Ward
Mod. Canadian. Former Wolfpack mercenary who quit with Pelayo. Seems to have slept with Pelayo and isn't awkward about it.

Nehal
Driver. Not boosted or modded. Youngest of the group and eager to prove herself.

ZaZa
Sniper. Largely unmodded. A good shot, but a bit trigger-happy.

Other Villains & Criminals
Dr. Mortum
Eccentric but well-mannered mad scientist with a French accent and an interest in forbidden tech. While we have our doubts about the former, her undeniable skill with the latter led us, as Barbara, to commission our new armor from her. Though we initially encouraged her attraction to Barbie for pragmatic reasons, we've come to like her and admitted we'd rather be friends. Thinks Barbie's boss is bad for her and she should get out while she can.

Joe
Owner of Joes, the hive of scum and villainy where Barbara does our villainous networking. Employs strict security, including against telepathy, to ensure customers' privacy.

Psychopathor
Dangerous villain we almost died fighting back in the day. Huge, heavily armed and armored, and as sane as his name implies. Apparently captured by the Special Directive after we sicced them on him.

The Catastrofiend
Dangerous villain that nearly killed Ortega back in the day. Big, bladed, and as nightmarish as its name implies.

The Void
Yet another villain we and Ortega narrowly survived back in the day.

Heroes
The Los Diablos Rangers
Heroes deputized by the federal government to keep order. Wear blue for team spirit. On rocky terms with local law enforcement. We worked with them back in our hero days, though we were never an actual member.

Charge
Long-time member and former marshal of the Rangers, better known to us as our old partner Julia Ortega. Modded after an accident in her youth; now boasts basic mobility, enhanced strength and speed, lightning powers, and endless medical debt. Immune to telepathy as a side effect of her epilepsy. We worked closely with her in our hero days and, despite our best efforts, succumbed to her persistent friendliness; now, after a chance encounter, she's managed to drag us back into that friendship. Also had a surprise meet-cute with Barbara when they turned out to attend the same dojo and now they're flirting, we guess?

We're pretty sure all of this is her fault somehow.

Marshal Steel
Long-time member and current leader of the Rangers. Civilian identity Captain Wei Chen, transferred to the Rangers from the Army. Pilots power armor that interfaces with his extensive cybernetic replacements. We worked with him as a hero, though he was always suspicious of us. Asked us to stay away from the Rangers now that we're back.

Lady Argent
Hero with a body of nigh-invulnerable metal, superhuman strength and speed, clawed hands she can extend into blades, and some sort of multi-spectrum vision that can see circuitry through walls. Her durability doesn't mitigate pain, as we learned in her body. "Angie" to her friends. Itching to get her hands on whoever possessed her; thankfully, she barely seems to notice Josie exists.

Herald
The Rangers' newest member, a boost with the powers of flight, durability, and photogenic smiles. The public and media love him; we do not. Dated Lady Argent until recently. Kept looking at us funny when we visited the Rangers.

Other Heroes
Anathema
Former Ranger, a boost with an invulnerable body and the ability to secrete powerful acid. Died before our eyes in the Heartbreak incident when their acid unexpectedly proved stronger than their invulnerability. Was one of LD's only other openly nonbinary heroes. We worked with them and had a good relationship; now, as a villain, we've taken up their name.

Locus
Young alpha-level telepath acquainted with the Rangers. Has been missing for months.

Other People, Beings, & Groups
Nanovores
Swarm of self-replicating nanites programmed to devour organic matter, first seen in the deadly "Nanosurge" disaster we stopped nine years ago. Controlled by a sort of artificial hivemind which we can, with effort, tap into. We keep a small, safely-reprogrammed sample in our suit's left glove where we can release them at will to disintegrate inorganic matter.

Lou Carter
Late city treasurer and contender for LD's Most Corrupt Politician. Killed in a bombing that brought down his mansion before we could get intel out of him.

"Heartbreak"
What we saw at the epicenter of the Heartbreak incident: a brown-eyed woman in hospital scrubs, nearly dead on her feet, trailing severed cables and projecting an overpowering aura of despair that drove all within its radius to suicide. Our nightmares recall a sense of familiarity and kinship.

The Special Directive
Top secret black ops force that employs Enhanced humanoid weapons called Re-Genes: lab-grown human bodies distinguished by blue-gray skin and vivid warning tattoos, boosted and modded to degrees few humans could survive and implanted with artificial minds. Deployed overseas, with a few teams reserved for domestic threats. We anonymously tipped them off to ambush Psychopathor while we stole the Rat King.

 

Timeline
Official in-game timeline of key historical and plot events. Entirely optional reading, handy for reference or lore fans.

Spoiler: History of the Fallen Hero world

1945: World War II ends, but the technological arms race continues. The United States and the Soviet Union "recruit" available German and Japanese scientists, taking full advantage of what they learned from the more unconscionable experiments during the war.

1951: The Korean War takes a turn for the worse as the first Chinese Type 52 bipedal tanks push UN forces out of the mountains and nearly out of the country. Though clumsy and slow, the tanks prove useful in the mountainous terrain, leading to an upswing in the power armor industry.

1955: The Soviet Union announces that it has successfully created the first functional cybernetic limb replacement. This is widely considered the start of the Cyber Race.

1957: The Soviet Union successfully interfaces man and machine, leading to a quantum leap in power armor technology as mechanical bipedal movement patterns become more organic.

The 1960s: The US repeatedly releases new versions of its power armor suits as the Vietnam War rages on. The lighter, more maneuverable armors are more suitable for close-terrain fights. Various upgrades for soldiers become more common, and the nickname "mods" is coined for those changed by the cybernetic implants.

1967: Marshal Hood is born.

1968: The first so-called "masked heroes" appear in public: modded veterans from the Vietnam War angry at their treatment at the hands of the government and the public. Soon after, new villains also take to the stage. The police find it increasingly difficult to deal with criminals who have military training and equipment.

1971: A metabolic diet pill launched without proper testing has uncommon and dangerous side effects. Though some users die or are damaged for life, a lucky few develop powers hitherto unseen in humans.

1972: A refined version of the diet pill is released on the black market. This new version has a greatly increased chance of both death and positive side effects. It is nicknamed the "hero drug" by the press. Though it is pulled off the market, use and research continue. Every new version released grows increasingly effective and dangerous. People who gain powers are nicknamed "boosts" in the media.

1976: The hero drug is finally declared an illegal narcotic and is banned after causing the deaths of untold thousands of people. Still, the lure is too strong, and research moves underground and behind securely locked corporate doors.

1979: Wei Chen, who will later be known to the public as Marshal Steel, is born.

1980: The Year of Hell. The Big One hits the West Coast on November 10, and the San Andreas Fault causes a massive earthquake to strike Los Angeles, which triggers the Cascadian subduction zone on November 13. The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami affect the whole West Coast, resulting in more than 150,000 people estimated dead and missing. As if this were not enough, the Mammoth Lake volcanic system reawakens three months later, and the resulting eruption destroys any hope of quickly salvaging the West.

1981: The US government is paralyzed by a surge of refugees and the rain of ash covering most of the Midwest. President Clark declares martial law. There is a massive effort to evacuate as much of the West Coast as possible.

1982: The evacuation effort ends; everybody remaining in the western states is on their own as volcanoes continue to erupt. Food rationing is in place, and riots are common. Julia Ortega, also known as Charge, is born in Texas.

1983: As the eruptions slow, the military is called in to help save what can be salvaged of the Midwest farmlands. Most refugees are forcibly settled there, but many escape farther east. There are rumors that the "work camps" set up to help clear the ash and till the soil are nothing more than glorified slave camps.

1984: Los Angeles is renamed "Los Diablos" in The Angels of Los Diablos, a famous documentary about the rescue efforts.

1985: The largest of many armed uprisings against the increasingly authoritarian government results in the Thanksgiving Massacre. After this, a review of the "resettlement camps" is promised but fails to materialize.

1986: The GeniTech Corporation patents the creation process of lab-grown stem cell organs, revolutionizing the transplant industry.

Late 80s: Estimated birth of Josie Jacobs, later known as Sidestep.

1991: As conditions along the West Coast stabilize, people fed up with the suffocating yoke of the federal government and martial law see an opportunity for freedom. Over the coming decade, they move back into the ruins of the West, starting its recolonization. A disproportionate amount of these people are Enhanced heroes and villains, both mods and boosts fleeing government control.

1992: To increase private industry investments, the West Coast is declared a free economic zone where there will be only the bare minimum of federal oversight. No taxes. No regulations.

1992: The GeniTech Corporation patents whole-body stem cell clones, allowing for large-scale harvesting of replacement organs. Following a tumultuous debate about the ethics involved, GeniTech becomes one of the first companies to move their corporate headquarters to Los Diablos to escape regulation.

1993: The Re-Gene project is first revealed in a New York Times article claiming the technology dates back to the seventies and was intended to make androids for use in war. The author, Tim Mazetti, is killed in a traffic accident soon afterward. The future Ranger, Lady Argent, is born.

1996: Los Diablos is up and running: its first mayor is elected, and it is starting to look more and more like a functional city. With the huge changes to the coastline, large tracts of the South Bay are abandoned, and the city shuffles inland. The future Ranger, Herald, is born. Chen drops out of high school.

1997: Appalled at the lack of law and order in the free economic zone, or the FEZ as people call it, the newly elected President Ross creates the Marshal system. Recruiting some of the most famous masked heroes of the region, he funds the Rangers initiative to stem the worst excesses of the Enhanced populace. Chen joins the army. Mount Hood is one of the founding members of the Los Diablos Rangers, as is Sentinel.

1998: Chen is deployed overseas in Southeast Asia.

1999: A breakthrough in energy technology gives rise to the first plasma reactors, leading to ever-more-compact cybernetics. Hollow Ground self declares as the kingpin of Los Diablos. Chen has an accident with an IED and loses his hands. He quickly adapts to his new mods, so the army invests in an access port for armor interface and promotes Chen to an MBA unit. Ortega has her accident and is used as a test subject for cutting-edge electrical mods and spinal column enhancements. Chen and Ortega meet in the hospital during rehab. Mount Hood becomes Marshal Hood of the Rangers.

2000: Intent on regaining lost influence, the US flexes its muscles in the Middle East, leading to a series of proxy wars with the ailing Soviet Union. Chen gets deployed to the region, now piloting an armored suit instead of a helicopter. The first known sighting of a Re-Gene on the battlefield occurs. Chen is among the units that witness their capabilities. Ortega debuts as Charge, sponsored by a military subcontractor because they want to see how the mods perform.

2001: Steel is sick of the army and what he is doing abroad. He has racked up enough commendations that he's considered a suitable candidate for the Rangers. He meets up with Ortega again when they are both in for surgery upgrades, and Chen talks her into signing up for the Rangers as well. Ortega's father dies.

2002: Ortega joins the Rangers. Sentinel officially starts to transition, and there are a lot of rumors that Hood shuts down. Sentinel is not fired.

2004: A huge scandal rocks the Re-Gene project after its operatives are suspected of human rights abuses in another proxy war in Panama. The charges are never brought to court as the Re-Genes themselves are androids with artificial minds, but the scandal moves the project back underground, where it has remained ever since.

2005: The Special Directive is formed, rumored to be a black-ops strike team of Re-Genes, deployed against anyone deemed dangerous enough by the government.

2006: Anathema joins the Rangers. The Rangers team up with the Special Directive for a mission. It does not go frictionlessly.

2007: Ortega is promoted to marshal after the death of Marshal Hood at the hands of Hollow Ground. Sunstream joins the Rangers.

2008: Sidestep debuts as a vigilante. Charge and Sidestep meet for the first time.

2009: Psychopathor is the villain headliner of the year until finally brought to a halt by the Rangers and Sidestep. Dr. Mortum and the Vitruvian are active as villains but are not high enough threats to be a target for the Rangers.

2010: The Catastrofiend goes on a year-long rampage, tearing through Marshal Charge before disappearing again, a pattern repeated over the years. Ashfall works closely with the Rangers, becoming another associate.

2011: Los Diablos is hit by the Nanosurge, a runaway nano weapon devouring all flesh before it is contained by an alliance of heroes led by the Rangers. Sidestep plays a vital part in its defeat. Herald takes the hero drug and survives the boosting process. Psychopathor escapes. Sunstream quits the Rangers and disappears soon afterward.

2012: The Void is looking to expand their Santa Ana territory into Los Diablos, and the Rangers strike back, leading to a final showdown in the southeast deserts. Herald moves to Los Diablos. Dr. Mortum retires from active villain life, focusing on research.

2013: The Heartbreak incident occurs. Sidestep and Anathema are believed to be killed in action, and Steel's legs are damaged enough to require amputation. Ortega retires as marshal and hero, replaced by Steel once he has been modded. Sentinel and Herald meet.

2014: Ortega returns from retirement, joining the Rangers once more as Charge. Herald debuts briefly as a vigilante under the name Kestrel before gaining a corporate sponsorship.

2015: Lady Argent debuts as a vigilante in San Francisco. Herald switches corporations and changes his name to Kinetik.

2016: Lady Argent joins the Rangers. Steel nearly gets assassinated, losing an arm in the process. Sentinel retires. The Catastrofiend escapes but disappears after a mercifully short rampage.

2017: Josie Jacobs returns to Los Diablos under an assumed identity. The current mayor is assassinated by the Crack, a villain who had up to this point been waging war against the LDPD. Not long after, the Crack disappears.

2018: Herald joins the Rangers under his current name since Kinetik is trademarked by the corporation he used to work for.

2020: Anathema steps onto the scene as one of the villains of Los Diablos.

2021: Now.

Unofficial timeline of the games' events:

Spoiler: History of our villain career

−3 years
Josie returns to Los Diablos.
−2 years
Josie takes an unidentified comatose body from a hospital to use as their puppet.
0 (Start of Fallen Hero: Rebirth)
Josie possesses Lady Argent to steal the nanovore sample from the Rangers' HQ.
+2 weeks
Josie steals the Rat King from Psychopathor's cannon.
+3 weeks
Josie runs into Ortega and visits the Rangers' HQ.
The next morning, Barbie and Ortega meet.
+1 month
Barbie visits Dr. Mortum's lab to finalize the armor design, then goes out for drinks.
+1 month, 3 weeks
Josie tries on their armor. Ortega convinces Josie to see a therapist and keep in touch.
A few days later, Barbie asks Dr. Mortum to the gala.
+2 months
Barbie attends the Heroic Heritage Museum opening gala with Dr. Mortum. Josie blows up the museum and debuts as Anathema.
Sometime in the next month, Anathema establishes a temporary base in the tunnels, recruits their crew, and starts a career in organized crime. Josie moves apartments to a different neighborhood.
+3 months (Start of Fallen Hero: Retribution)
Josie and Ortega have a talk on the beach.
+4 months
Anathema breaks into Carter's mansion and finds him guarded by Steel. Someone blows up the mansion, killing Carter.
Barbie and Dr. Mortum agree to just be friends.

The Story So Far
Fallen Hero: Rebirth
For the story of how we became a villain, read the first LP thread here.
For a quick recap, scroll down that thread's recap section.
If even the recap is too long, refer to this plot summary from the author:

Fallen Hero: Retribution

Spoiler: Chapter 12

After some quick discussion of our position on asexuality and murder, we pick up a month after our villain debut with our latest awkward conversation with Ortega. The beach brings back memories of the Nanosurge that killed so many people ten years ago—that nearly killed Ortega before we stopped it. Despite the unhealed wounds from her latest defeat, Ortega is stubborn as ever, determined to bring Anathema in.

And, despite everything… she's still our friend.

A month later, we reflect on our first escape: the first time we reinvented ourself. We prefer not to remember what gender they said we were—and with the freedom to choose our own appearance, we no longer have to. While surgery is impossible without showing our skin, HRT works wonders. As for our latest rebirth, our motivation hasn't changed. We still want revenge—no, we need revenge. To get it, we've established Anathema as an up-and-coming mob boss, starting with a core crew of trusted henchmen and working up from there.

Tonight's mission—a visit to notoriously corrupt city treasurer Lou Carter to pick his brain for his extensive knowledge of dirty dealings—goes pear-shaped when we encounter Marshal Steel, of all people, personally bodyguarding him. Our disappointment to learn that Steel can be bought is matched by his disappointment that Anathema is the one making threats on Carter's life (we're what now?) Both are interrupted by a sudden explosion, forcing Steel to abandon his post and rescue the endangered house staff. We rush after Carter, but another explosion forces us to flee before the place comes down, taking him with it.

We retreat to our temporary base in the sewers; as we change out of our armor, our thoughts drift to Dr. Mortum. Barbie has kept flirting with her, but while we've grown honestly fond of Mortum, we're increasingly uncomfortable feigning interest in that kind of relationship. We bite the bullet, have the "I just want to be friends" conversation… and admit that there's more we haven't told her.

 

(This space intentionally left blank.)

 

Before we get into the story proper: a quick poll on ✧*:･ﾟromance settingsﾟ･:*✧! To quote the game:

These are settings that modify the various romance scenes depending on whether your character is on the ace spectrum and how they experience attraction. None of these options will block you from romancing any of the characters; they will only impact your character's experience of the romance.​

In short, this is how Retribution handles aspec characters, and since the settings are in the menu rather than the game proper we're setting them now. Here are the relevant questions (rephrased slightly for clarity):

Is Josie interested in romance and sex?
　‣ Yes.
　‣ Not usually, but they potentially could be.
　‣ Potentially interested in romance, but not sex.
　‣ Nope.
　POLL

Does Josie, at least currently/typically, experience sexual desire?
(Emphasis on "currently"—this setting can also get switched on by in-game choices.)
　‣ Yep, that's a thing.
　‣ No, what is this "horny" of which you speak?
　POLL

Vote here or in the polls—though if you do both, please let me know so I don't get confused! If you are confused, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions below, and if confusion persists, ask me.

Spoiler: FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What exactly do these settings change?
A: Some details of Josie's internal monologue, mostly in romance scenes. Occasionally the wording of choices or availability of an additional option to talk about being ace/aro. They don't change whether romance routes or scenes are available.

Q: What's the difference between these two choices?
A: The first choice is asking if Josie is on the ace/aro spectrum, and affects how they think about attraction and romantic/sexual relationships. The second (only applicable if Josie is at least potentially interested in sex) is asking if sexual desire is something they typically experience, and affects their response to people they're interested in.

Q: Can we change this later?
A: Yep, these settings can be changed at any time.

Q: What if none of us care?
A: I'll leave it on the default setting: interested in romance and sex, not accustomed to sexual desire.

Q: Where's the RNG option?
A: If I have underestimated demand for an asexuality randomizer, please inform me in the replies.

Q: Hasn't Josie already experienced sexual attraction while in Barbie's body? Do these options not apply to Barbie? Is sexuality a function of the mind or the body? Is the mind itself just a function of the body? Who am I?

A:

 

> openly
openly

 

I can't tell if you're going [eyes emoji] at the possibility of non-openly nonbinary heroes or going [doubt.jpg] at the use of the word "openly" in reference to Josie, but either way I support the sentiment.

 

Poor Chen really went through the wringer, huh. I wonder how quickly he got to the point where he wasn't ALLOWED to quit, they'd invested too much in him, so here's some more tech and a rehab period and then right back to work.

 

A while back I threw together a quick timeline of changes in the Rangers roster for someone, and like half the casualties on it were Chen's limbs...

Chen and Ortega live far and away the most cyberpunk lives of the cast, and not in a good way.

 

This feels strangely familiar...

Options for moving forward:
a) Voters try to sell each other on their interpretations.
b) In the interest of compromise, I decide that Josie is gray-ace/demi but unfamiliar with this "horny" of which you speak.
c) In the interest of fairness, I flip a coin (and then, if applicable, another coin).
d) In the interest of faithfully depicting this particular identity crisis, I alternate between these options at the start of every chapter.*

* Probably not this one.

 

My first read on that is "more interested in romance than sex, takes care of their own occasional horny rather than seek sex about it"
Which... I guess is close to B?


re: the echoed openly, yeah I was going :eyes: at non-openly being a possibility.

 

Yeah, I think that would reasonably fit under B! It's not a hugely important choice, since things like "whether they choose to seek sex about it" would come down to player choice anyway; I'm just handling it up front because I have to set it from the menu rather than in-game.

With as many heroes as this city has, I feel like there's gotta be some out there. Especially among the better-known ones who have to worry about their public image.

 

We'll go with option B for now: not usually but potentially interested in sex and romance + what is this horny of which you speak.

Now, let's get this show on the road!​

Los Diablos, one month ago.

That night.

At the museum.

Time slowed down.

Crawling.

Moments caught in amber, brought out when you feel you've lost your way, a reminder that there is no turning back. Not now. Maybe there never was. It's there every time you stare into a mirror and see not only your face but the mask you've crafted to cover it. The one that can do what you can't, your new face. Your helmet reveals nothing of your thoughts, it is reflecting the world back at your enemies. Whatever they bring to the table will be what they have to fight. You won't reveal your hand until it's too late to stop you.

There's power in secrets.

By now, a month after your debut, your name fits you like a second skin.

　‣ Anathema.
　‣ I did not like what I was called, so I changed it.

We still feeling good about our name choice?​

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Standard of Living: Josie is comfortable.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Infamy: 47% / Obscurity: 53%
█████████▒██████████

Armored Suit

Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 25% / Anonymity: 75%
████████████████████
Ruthlessness: 39% / Empathy: 61%
███████▒████████████
Daring: 64% / Caution: 36%
████████████▒███████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 82%
████████████████▒███
Ortega thinks there's something else going on with Anathema.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Flirting.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 65%
████████████████████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████
Lady Argent thinks Anathema is a cheater.

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 20%
████████████████████
Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Intrigued by the addition of what they think of Anathema, and I'm inclined to keep the name unless a particularly spectacular different one comes to mind

 

Yeah, it'd be kind of awkward to go "just kidding!" at this point anyway.​

> Anathema.

Anathema. It still makes you smile when you see it on the news, as if every mention would erase another piece of your past. Would they hate you for stealing their name? You'd like to think they would understand. And even if they wouldn't, what could they say? The dead don't speak other than in your dreams, and you try to avoid those as much as you can. You're a new person now, dressed in formfitting armor, ready to take on the world.

The butterfly discarding the chrysalis.

Perhaps it is the fact that you spent so long preparing for that day that makes time behave strangely—two years of preparation culminating in your rebirth.

A snow globe waiting to be shaken.

In just the right way.

Time slowed down…and then sped up once more, a memory polished until it shines.

Standing in front of the ruined museum, a shroud of dust surrounding you, screams and sirens overpowering the sound of your own heartbeat.

You didn't kill anybody, but you've seen enough death to last you a lifetime.

Not of your doing, but the memory still lingers. The smell. The bodies.

How do you feel about that?

　‣ Nobody dies on my watch; I will save them if I can.
　‣ I don't want any more deaths on my conscience.
　‣ What happens, happens. The important thing is my plans.
　‣ I'm willing to kill villains and agents, not civilians.
　‣ With my powers, nobody needs to know that I'm a killer.
　‣ Human lives mean nothing; I've killed many by now.

To clarify, only the last two options mean we've actually killed anyone. This is just asking Josie's current feelings on the subject: Are they willing to accept that people might die in pursuit of their goal, or committed to ensuring no one does? Prepared to kill those who stand in their way but not civilians? Willing to kill openly, or only as long as it's not traceable to them?​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Standard of Living: Josie is comfortable.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Infamy: 47% / Obscurity: 53%
█████████▒██████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 25% / Anonymity: 75%
████████████████████
Ruthlessness: 39% / Empathy: 61%
███████▒████████████
Daring: 64% / Caution: 36%
████████████▒███████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 82%
████████████████▒███
Ortega thinks there's something else going on with Anathema.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Flirting.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 65%
████████████████████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████
Lady Argent thinks Anathema is a cheater.

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 20%
████████████████████
Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

I feel like general murder would not fit with our previous actions
but we are also in it for revenge, and in the fight with Herald we did lean a bit more into the villainy thing with 'he has to protect the civilians, I don't, so let's chuck a reporter at him'
so....maybe 'what happens happens'? we are still a villain, after all, don't want to get TOO involved with those heroics...but also not out for blood just yet?

 

Just because we're not an indiscriminate killer doesn't mean we're not serious about this.​

> What happens, happens. The important thing is my plans.

What happens, happens. The important thing is your plans. If someone has to die for them to come true, so be it.

You won't hesitate.

Violence. Villainy. It's part of your legacy now, no matter how you feel about it.

Nothing reminds you of that more than Herald.

Herald. Bleeding on the ground. Hopelessly outmatched but still trying.

The gasps of pain. The stubborn defiance.

The scream.

You remember the thrill that came from beating him, bringing down the golden boy of the Rangers.

You won. And now you have bigger fish to fry, like his ex-girlfriend…

Lady Argent. With Ortega and Herald recuperating, she has been pulling double shifts, but that doesn't slow her down. You didn't really beat her back at the museum. The fight was inconclusive, and you're lucky you got away. Cheated. You know that's what she thinks. That you're a trickster who won't fight her fairly. As if you would be that stupid. Accomplishing your goals is what counts, not something as absurd as a fair fight. It wouldn't be fair anyway; it would be on her terms. You prefer them on yours.

You need to be smart about this.

But, no matter how much of a problem Lady Argent is, at least there's no baggage there. No residual emotions. No guilt or old friendships curdled like milk. Not like with Ortega.

Memories best suppressed…

　‣ Visiting her in the hospital as myself…
　‣ Seeing her in the hospital as Barbara…
　‣ Watching the replay of our fight on the television…

The game asks because it doesn't actually remember if we visited Ortega. But I do, so:​

> Visiting her in the hospital as myself…

Seeing Ortega in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines stabilizing her mods.

The quiet beeps and hums.

A memory of hugging her tightly. Feeling the wince from the bruises you had caused.

A shake of your head and the image dissipates in favor of reality.

It's been a month, and she's out of the hospital, though not back on active duty.

　‣ I don't want to remember that. Hurting her.
　‣ That fight had been brewing for a long time.
　‣ That was the best fight I've ever had!
　‣ She's getting old. She should give up and retire.

How do we feel about our fight against Ortega, now that we've had time to reflect?​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Standard of Living: Josie is comfortable.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Infamy: 47% / Obscurity: 53%
█████████▒██████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 25% / Anonymity: 75%
████████████████████
Ruthlessness: 39% / Empathy: 61%
███████▒████████████
Daring: 64% / Caution: 36%
████████████▒███████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 82%
████████████████▒███
Ortega thinks there's something else going on with Anathema.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Flirting.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 65%
████████████████████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████
Lady Argent thinks Anathema is a cheater.

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 20%
████████████████████
Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Torn between 2 and 4. Felt like there was a lot of bottled anger taken out in that fight, and I do enjoy setting up a potential my old friend dynamic someday... but also the aftermath guilt at the injuries seems like "wish she'd just get out so I can do this w/o that complication" is also fitting

 

Anyone else have an opinion on our current choice, or shall I flip a coin between That fight had been brewing for a long time and She's getting old. She should give up and retire?

 

I vote for getting old, it's insulting with a slight undercurrent of worry in a 'not like I CARE' way

 

When in doubt, bury feelings under digs about Ortega's age.​

> She's getting old. She should give up and retire.

Ortega is growing old; that was the one thing the fight proved to you. Her reflexes were slower than you remember, and her younger self wouldn't have gone down that easily back when you were on the same side. You see it clearly, but you doubt that she does. Quitting while she's ahead has never been Ortega's style.

One day it will get her killed.

Not that your feelings matter; winning is the only thing that does. You feel bad, but you also keep telling yourself there's no other way. You can't let friendship stand in the way of your goal.

> You Keep Telling Yourself That

And then you end up like this. Friends again. Fuck, will you ever learn?

"…you okay?" Ortega's voice. How long has she been talking? Probably as long as you have stood here, lost in memories.

She texted you earlier after you were stupid enough not to throw away your phone and get a new number. Disappear into the undergrowth of Los Diablos like you know you should. She's been more comfortable with texting, even calling you directly, since you showed up at the hospital that night. Thinks you still care. Still, you can't deny she's respected the boundaries you've established. Given you space.

More than she used to.

You rub your face, dragging yourself back into the moment. Your face. How can she still look at you the same way when it feels so different from when you first met? New scars. More wrinkles.

　‣ No facial hair. That's still the same.
　‣ Clean-shaven, like always.
　‣ Unshaven, with stubble.
　‣ With a short, scruffy beard and mustache.
　‣ With a scruffy mustache and sideburns.
　‣ With a neat mustache.
　‣ With a well-groomed beard.
　‣ With a short, neat beard and a mustache.
　‣ With a full beard and a mustache.
　POLL

While Josie tries to pretend they've been listening, let's take a moment to pretend the author originally remembered to include facial hair options. If you've always wished we had, say, a mustache to twirl, now is the time to grow one and/or decide to have retroactively had one all along.

And while we're at it:​

She's shifted position now, leaning against the guardrail, looking at you.

　‣ Too tall. I'm short in comparison.
　‣ Taller than me, I was always average.
　‣ Does it annoy her that I'm taller?
　POLL

How tall are we, anyway?

(For reference: short would put us around Lady Argent's height, shorter than the rest of the main cast. Average is about Herald's height, slightly taller than Dr. Mortum but shorter than Ortega and Steel. Tall makes us the tallest of the main cast.)​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Standard of Living: Josie is comfortable.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Infamy: 47% / Obscurity: 53%
█████████▒██████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 25% / Anonymity: 75%
████████████████████
Ruthlessness: 39% / Empathy: 61%
███████▒████████████
Daring: 64% / Caution: 36%
████████████▒███████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 82%
████████████████▒███
Ortega thinks there's something else going on with Anathema.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Flirting.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 65%
████████████████████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████
Lady Argent thinks Anathema is a cheater.

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 20%
████████████████████
Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters