The Intrepid Heroes of Dimension 20 have a rich resume of modern-themed fantasy, food-themed fantasy, fairy tale horror, and even space. Next, the Intrepid Heroes must face a new challenge, retirement… oh, and steampunk.
Steampunk, a term meant to be a riff off of cyberpunk of the 1980s, is a retro-futuristic sub-genre of sci-fi fantasy. The qualifications for steampunk are primarily aesthetic, focusing on Victorian-era fashion and technology, which are all ornate and elaborate in design and function. Familiar examples are Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or movies such as Disney’s Atlantis or Treasure Planet.
We are introduced to a young and vibrant band of Aeronauts, preparing to take the Zephyr, the first “normal air balloon” of its kind, on an “eccentric” and “ill-advised” adventure to hunt down Zood, a legendary place lost to time. The expedition is led by Professor Comfrey MacLeod and funded by the Gotch family. But that is not the story we are telling this season. Instead, we cut to 20 years later, when the adventures have ended and our fabled aeronauts have retired and moved on from their days in the skies.
Meet Our Heroes
- Zac Oyama (he/him) as Daisuke Bucklesby (he/him)
Level 6 Fighter. Their highest stats are, in order: dexterity, wisdom, and charisma.
When we first meet Daisuke, he is named an outlaw, but the details of his life of crime remain a mystery. Daisuke never truly retired after the group dispersed, promising his ex-wife, Professor Comfrey MacLeod that he would watch over Olethra, McCleod’s granddaughter. Zac seems to be portraying him as a polar character, who is intimidating on the surface, but a kind man. The oldest dog in Pilby, Ghost Dog, accompanies him.
- Emily Axford (she/her) as Marya Junková (she/her)
Level 6 Artificer. Their highest stats are, in order: intelligence, constitution, and dexterity. Marya is accompanied by her rat-powered mech companion, likely a part of her artificer build.
When the mission ends in failure, what happens? How does the fearless aeronaut react to the loss? What if they can’t? Once a vibrant and enthusiastic captain, we learn that Marya left the skies behind for a macabre toy shop in her hometown of Scrapsilvania. I think this is a very unique character for Emily, who in many seasons has played eccentric and comedic characters, will now explore a character with serious trauma. Emily’s track record for being an excellent strategist fits the role of captain, but will the trauma of her past get in the way?
- Siobhan Thompson (she/her) as Vanellope Chapman (she/her)
Level 6 Fighter. Their highest stats are, in order: strength, charisma, and dexterity.
Van found comfort in retirement, found her golden retriever husband, and settled down in the suburbs. Great abs, strong breath, and a lot of moxie, we meet Van after falling in love and settling down to manage the Knut, the quintessential Gen X pub. Van comes from a long line of pirates, which Siobahn revealed in a recent interview, is a part of the world that’s been built out specifically for this character.
- Lou Wilson (he/him) as Montgomery LaMontgommery (he/him)
Level 6 Ranger. Their highest stats are, in order: wisdom, dexterity, constitution, and intelligence.
Monty is an author who is more than willing to share his wisdom and dramatic retelling of his adventures to anyone who will listen. Monty is the kind of retiree who found huge success post-adventure and now rendezvous with the upper echelon, ironically introduced in a subterranean club. Monty’s class is Ranger, with a build that emphasizes a deep connection with animals that rivals Steve Irwin. I hope to see Lou explore the challenges of finding success and finding themselves distanced from the very people who helped him get there. Lou has raised the bar in recent seasons in balancing comedy and drama, and I am excited to see how he develops this character.
A Dimension 20 first, the majority of the player characters are not only older, but our Intrepid Heroes are stretching their improv chops as they explore playing a character who has already lived the full adventure, along with two fresh-faced young adventurers. The newest additions to the Zephyr crew, originally introduced as children, are now young adults.
- Brian Murphy (he/him) as Maxwell Gotch (he/him)
Level 6 Pugilist. Their highest stats are, in order: strength, constitution, charisma.
Maxwell Gotch joins the Zephyr crew intending to save his family from ruin. The youngest of the family, he still believes in the wiles of his Grandfather and the spirit of discovery. Using a home-brewed class, the pugilist, this character’s build is expected to be close combat fist to cuffs. Maxwell has a lot of fun implications he brings to the party. Will his goals truly align with the rest? Will he follow his Grandfather’s legacy even if that means he could leave his family ruined? I am willing to bet Maxwell is going to have to grapple with a choice of restoring his family’s wealth or doing the right thing.
- Ally Beardsley (they/them) as Olethra MacLeod (she/her)
Level 2 Rogue. Their highest stats are, in order: intelligence, charisma, and dexterity.
Olethra aims to continue her Grandmother’s legacy and hopefully rescue her. She grew up reading Monty’s retelling of the Zephyr’s wild adventures and dreamed of following her grandmother’s footsteps. Ally plays the youngest and the lowest level character in the party. Ally is known not only for their chaotic gameplay, but also incredible dice rolls. Olethra is equipped with a large mech suit that I suspect will make up for the levels, but playing a lower-level character may pose an extra challenge for the party.
The World of Gath
Steampunk doesn’t always focus on real science, but fantastical science. Brennan’s World of Gath appears to toe that line as he describes the “normal air balloon.” The science behind it is vague, but the idea is that the air around the balloon is frozen, making the air inside the balloon “hot” in comparison, therefore creating the same lift as a hot air balloon.
The premier episode only provides us with a small glimpse of what combat will be like for this season. All of the player characters are melee and ranged combat builds, so we can assume this world will feature very little or no magic. For a system that is primarily magic-based, we can expect some significant homebrew. The trailer offered glimpses of the combat maps the audience can look forward to. These maps included overgrown ruins, a jungle floor covered in large fungus, and, of course, the clouds. The model maker team includes Amber Padgett (lead), Ryan Berry, Edlyn Capulong, Lesley Clugston, Minghuei Huang, Gred Pinsoneault, Alexandra Steele, Maura Takeshita, and Jocelyn Milagros Favela.
Predictions for this season
Each of the character sheets, beautifully illustrated by Cait May (character art) and Jon Pintar, displays the words “Epic Epiphanies,” which are blank in the premier episode. My prediction is that these will be thematic moments where we get a glimpse into the past of each of these characters, or their legacy. Brennan could use this either as a boon or a hindrance for the party as they face their pasts to discover new perspectives.
Every new season comes with a new GM screen and table. Brennan sits behind a Victorian-style mantle with an engraved plate displaying the Zephyr’s name. On either side of him, we see an assortment of dials, gauges, cogs, and wires that at first seem to have no purpose but decoration, but fans of the show know that anything placed at the GM screen could be part of the show. After the historical event that was the Vulture Dimension in Fantasy High: Junior Year, Episode 8, I question everything. The left side of the screen appears to feature a light-up panel with messages, and the right side features large light-up buttons. Even the players are sitting next to panels with various switches. This entire build appears to have usable buttons and maybe some hidden compartments. Or I’ve watched too many historical furniture builds. We will find out! This season’s GM screen was crafted by Leonard Bessemer of Objects for Objects.
The opening title sequence may also provide some clues, illustrated by Cait May, Domirine, Simone Ray, and Jonah Walker, animated by TJ Gonzalez, Wolf Kirchner, and Jason Fugh. Large dinosaur-like feet stomping around a lush jungle match some of the ruins we see on the combat maps. Escavator machines surrounded by pools of lava. A view through a porthole, onto what appears to be a portal underwater. And finally, the core of a machine pulsing with heat. The large-scale models hint at puzzles with practical lighting and modular pieces. No matter what the team has in store, this season is sure to soar.
Where to Watch
Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho! premieres on Dropout.tv on Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, at 7pm ET / 4pm PT. Episodes will air every Wednesday with a one-week mid-season break.
Images and screener via Droupout.tv
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