Brave hero of Dimension 20 He has modern-day fantasies, food-themed fantasies, fairy tale horrors, and even a rich resume of space. Next, the brave hero must face a new challenge, retirement… ah, and steampunk.
A term intended to be a riff on cyberpunk in the 1980s, Steampunk is a retro-futistic subgenre of sci-fi fantasy. Steampunk qualifications are primarily aesthetic and focus on Victorian fashion and technology, all of which are gorgeous and detailed in design and function. A familiar example is from Miyazaki. Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seaor movies like Disney Atlantis or Treasure Planet.
We introduce the young and lively band of Aeronauts, preparing to hunt down Zephyr, the first “normal air balloon” of its kind, with a “eccentric” and “unwise” adventure. The expedition is led by Professor Comfrey MacLeod and is funded by the Gotch family. But that’s not the story we’re telling this season. Instead, we ended our adventure 20 years later, and the legendary Aeronaut retired and moved from the Age of the Sky.
Meet our heroes
- As Zac oyama (he/he) Large suke buckle sby (He/He)
Level 6 fighter. Their best statistics are, in turn, dexterity, wisdom, charisma.
When we first met the Greatsuke, he is named the outlaw, but details of his crime life remain a mystery. Greatsuke never truly retired after the group broke up and promised his ex-wife, Professor Comfrey MacLeod. Zack appears to portray him as a polar character, an overbearing yet kind man on the surface. Pilby’s oldest dog, the Ghost Dog, accompany him.
- As Emily Axford (her) Mary Junková (Her/Her)
Level 6 artificial. Their best statistics are in their order of intelligence, constitutionality and dexterity. Mary is accompanied by her rat-driven mecha companion, likely part of her craftsman build.
What happens if the mission fails? How will fearless aviation respond to losses? What if they can’t? Once a vibrant and enthusiastic captain, Maria finds out she left the sky behind for a creepy toy store in her hometown of Scrapsylvania. I think this is a very unique character for Emily. Emily plays comedic characters with eccentric characters in many seasons, exploring characters with serious trauma. Emily’s track record of being a great strategist fits the role of captain, but will her past trauma be in the way?
- As Siobhan Thompson (her) Vanelope Chapman (Her/Her)
Level 6 fighter. Their best stats are in their order of strength, charisma and dexterity.
Van finds comfort in retirement, finds her golden retriever husband, and settles in the suburbs. Great abs, strong breaths, and lots of moxies, we fall in love and meet up with the van after settling down to manage Knut, the typical Gen X Pub. Van comes from the long pirates that Shiobaan revealed in a recent interview and is part of a world built specifically for this character.
- As Lou Wilson (he/he) Montgomery Lamontgomery (He/He)
Level 6 Ranger. Their best statistics are in the order of wisdom, dexterity, constitution and intelligence.
Monty is an author who is willing to share with anyone who listens his wisdom and dramatic narratives of his adventures. Monty is like a hugely successful retiree with Upper Echelon, who was ironically introduced in a underground club after the adventure. Monty’s class is Ranger, with builds that highlight a deep connection to animals that rival Steve Irwin. He hopes Lou will find success and explore the challenge of distancing himself from those who helped him get there. Lou has nurtured the bar in recent seasons by balancing comedy and drama. I’m excited to see how he develops this character.
a Dimension 20 Firstly, not only are the majority of the players’ characters older, but our brave heroes, along with two fresh young adventurers, are stretching out improvised chops exploring playing characters who are already on full adventure. The latest addition to Zephyr Crew, originally featured as a child, is now a young adult.
- As Brian Murphy (he/he) Maxwell Gotch (He/He)
Level 6 pugilist. Their best statistics are, in turn, strength, constitution, charisma.
Maxwell Gotch joins the crew of Zephyr to save his family from abandonment. As the youngest member of the family, he still believes in his grandfather’s wil and spirit of discovery. Using the homemade class, Pugilist, this character’s build is expected to be a combat fist close to the cuffs. Maxwell has many fun meanings that he brings to the party. Does his goal really match the rest? Even if he could ruin his family, will he follow his grandfather’s legacy? I am willing to wager that Maxwell needs to work on his choice to restore the wealth of his family or do the right thing.
- As Ally Beardsley (them/them) Oresla MacLeod (Her/Her)
Level 2 incorrect. Their best stats are in their order of intelligence, charisma and dexterity.
Oresla aims to continue her grandmother’s legacy and hopefully save her. She grew up reading Monty’s Zephyr’s narrative of wild adventures and dreamed of following in the footsteps of her grandmother. Ally plays the youngest and lowest level character in the party. Ally is known for their chaotic gameplay as well as for their incredible dice rolls. Olethra is equipped with a large Mech suit that appears to make up for the level, but playing a low-level character can bring additional challenges to the party.
The world of gas
Steampunk doesn’t always focus on real science, it’s focused on fantastical science. Brennan’s world of gas appears to have its lines on its toes, as it describes “normal air balloons.” The science behind it is vague, but the idea is that the air around the balloon freezes and the air inside the balloon is “hot” compared to creating the same lift as a hot air balloon.
The premiere episode gives you a little glimpse into what combat will look like this season. Since all player characters are brawls and are remote combat builds, we can assume that this world has little or no magic. For systems primarily based on magic, some important homebrewing can be expected. The trailer gave us a glimpse into the battle map that the audience could look forward to. These maps included overgrown ruins, large fungal-covered jungle floors, and of course clouds. The model maker team includes Amber Paget (Reed), Ryan Berry, Edrin Kapron, Leslie Krugston, Mingui Fan, Gred Pinsoneh, Alexandra Steele, Maura Seiktita and Jocelyn Milagros Fabella.
Predictions for this season
Beautifully drawn by Cait May (character art) and Jon Pintar, each character sheet displays the blank word “Epic Epiphanies” in the premiere episode. My prediction is that these will be thematic moments where you can get a glimpse into each of these characters’ past and legacy. Brennan can use this as a party’s bounty or obstacle to discover new perspectives in the face of the past.
All new seasons come with a new GM screen and table. Brennan sits behind a Victorian mantle with an engraved plate showing the name of Zephyr. On each side of him you can see an assortment of dials, gauges, cogs and wires that initially appear to have no purpose other than decoration, but fans of the show know that anything placed on the GM screen is part of the show. After a historic event that was a vultured dimension in fantasy high: Junior Year, Episode 8, I question everything. On the left side of the screen it appears to have a light-up panel with a message, and on the right there is a large light-up button. Even the players sit next to a panel with various switches. This whole build seems to have buttons available and probably some hidden compartments. Or I saw too many historic furniture builds. I understand! This season’s GM screen was created by Leonard Bessemer, the object for objects.
The opening title sequence may provide some cues animated by Cait May, Domirine, Simone Ray, and Jonah Walker by TJ Gonzalez, Wolf Kirchner and Jason Fugh. The large dinosaur-like feet stomp around the lush jungle match some of the ruins found on combat maps. An escavater machine surrounded by a lava pool. Views through the Porthole, what looks like an underwater portal. And finally, the core of the heat-pulsing machine. Large models suggest puzzles with practical lighting and modular pieces. Whatever the team has, it will certainly spike this season.
Where to see
Dimension 20: Cloudword, Ho! Premiere dropout.tv The episode airs every Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, at 7pm (4pm ET) at a weekly midseason break.
Images and screeners via drawout.tv
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