If you have a power with an advantageous feat, can you choose not to use that feat in specific circumstances?

Like if you had subtle, but wanted your usage to be noticed.

Well, for that example, you sure can act it out to make it obvious, other feats may be harder to act out, but in general I'd say the answer should be yes, it's like an  extra ability that you can decide not to use.

I was thinking in regards to mental powers actually, so there's no way to be overt if you can't purposely turn the subtle off.  The analogy might still work though, I just wasn't sure.

I would say that you can turn off an advantageous feet voluntarily, unless you put a disadvantage on it saying you cannot turn it off, or that the power must operate at full strength.

For mental powers, without the subtle feat, people will automatically know you are using a mental power on them.  It is not like a beam of light or anything shoots out, rather it is noticeable only to those being affected by the power.  So if you were to turn off subtle, if you use your mental powers on someone they would know immediately that you are doing so.

That would be exactly the point. :)

Ring ring, Vanyra's mind calling.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:27, Tue 07 Jan 2014.

A decent TV equivalent would be the Highlander tv series when another Immortal is near by and they get the funky mental tingle and then are able to locate the source (if visible).  I imagine a non-subtle mental power effect would produce a similar result.

So I just bought a suite of really nice RPG mapping software so I can map out the world, cities, etc.  I've started with the Kahluyn world map; has climates, elevations and everything, and then I'll move onto a map of Ossylia.

Apparently you can crosslink maps you make of overland areas, cities, dungeons and the like into the world maps... effectively making an interactive atlas of sorts. Have to see what is possible.

If nothing else I will be able to post up the relevant maps for where the PCs are and what is happening, so that we're all on the same page moving forward.

Nice!  Yeah, would help in a lot of situations where we're not 100% sure where everything is.  Can it be altered in real time, by the players themselves, for example?

No it cannot.  This forum only allows you to upload maps that you can view in the Game Map tab; they are not at all editable.  May have to find something else for that, like virtual table top system.

If I can find a VTT system that allows you to run a server I could just keep it running on my little media PC at all times.  The mapping system I got should be able to output maps to whatever format the VTT will use, so should be good there.

By the way, the map of the entire planet of Kahluyn is up; click the game map tab and select the Main Game Map.  There are a bunch of other slots I can load maps into, so I will keep adding as we go.

Neat, but it should have a red dot blinking with "You are here".

You know Brett, I'm not sure I want you editing on our digital game maps in real time.  Or should I call you Mr. green crotch dot?

Map looks good :)

That's a lot of strung out land with large isolated lakes and seas.  I can see how land travel could take a long time (well for other people's characters).
This message was last edited by the player at 06:28, Wed 23 Apr 2014.

The software only plots major rivers based on topography and estimated yearly rainfall; so there is likely a number of smaller rivers, creeks, lakes, etc. The map scale is pretty massive (planetary circumference is about 40,000km).

Having said that the vast majority of people likely live near the coast as there is a lot of temperate and tropical coastline to go around.

I was going to try to make one big ass map for the city of Ossylia, but that was proving to be way to cumbersome.  So instead I'll be making detailed maps for the major areas we deal with, and then maybe just a large general map for the city and surrounding area.

I will also mark where Ossylia is on the main map.

SO I've uploaded a map that outlines the general area of the Kingdom of Ossylia and then has a star denoting where the capital is located.

When you click the Game Map tab, scroll down and select the Group 0 map; it will be there.  If you cannot see it let me know, as I may have to add everyone to group zero.

I can see it when I click on Map, but when I try to select a map I can only see the main map, which doesn't have the star, kinda strange, but at least I can see it.

Anyone else having issues; you are all part of Group 0, so you should be able to see it.

nice, I can switch between the two views now. Somehow the Map0 is much larger on my screen.

I is supposed to be; I think I made it twice as large so that you could see more of the features of the area you are in.

The actual full size map is massive, so will the city maps be.  Quite impressive software suite for mapping; you can make some really killer stuff once you learn all the little tricks... and have a lot of time to put into it.

I will likely just evolve the maps over time as you guys go places and such.  Once I get a few maps of Ossylia done up I'll make another world map that shows where all the nations are.

Sounds cool.

I've found a fairly decent looking virtual tabletop system that we may be able to use, if we ever wanted to try a session like that.  No install or anything as such, rather it is run through your browser so that is pretty slick. Plus it is free from what I can see, though there may be a subscription of sorts for more premium features.

Worth a look at any rate.

Meanwhile hopefully I will find some more time to get back to creating those bloody city maps of Ossylia.

Meanwhile in unrelated news I found this to be rather surprising:

http://www.superherohype.com/n...emale-god-of-thunder

Especially given the movie series; guess it is time to do things fresh.

Well, technically the comics related to Thor are way farther along in storyline than the movie Thor, so they can still really do whatever they want in the comics.  I mean, for awhile Loki was female having taken over Sif's body.  And now the original Loki died and was reborn anew and is a child (with lots of whose soul in control complications) so... :)

Yeah, just an odd move in general as I'm not sure why it is being done other than just to put a new perspective on a classic character.  No reason why the God of Thunder can't be female.  I wonder if the current Thor will die and this will be a new Thor, or how they will handle the transition. One thing's for sure that will likely be one of the physically strongest female characters in the Marvel Universe I reckon.

And Sam Wilson will be the new Captain America, but that transition seems to make sense and consistent with the the story lines from what I've read.  More of a progress of the Captain America story than a re-imagining of the character.

I'm wondering if they aren't pushing in this direction to breath more freshness into the comics now that all the classic comics are being put on the big screen?

I think this stems more from the direction Marvel has been going in the comics for a little while now.  Ever since Brian Michael Bendis started really mixing things up by finally putting Spiderman and Wolverine in the Avengers, Marvel has seemed to be far more willing to challenge age old stereotypes you know?  I mean, child Loki, Peter Parker/Spider Man getting replaced by Otto Octavius, killing Captain America (for awhile), etc., they have really been trying to put fresh characters in old shoes.  They have also been reaping the benefits of the fresh (and often very good) storylines.

Personally, I bet its just another death/reincarnation storyline for Thor which have been one of the standards for doing new things with old gods.  It is interesting though, people have played with the idea for a long time out of canon.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:30, Fri 18 July 2014.

Here's another off topic question: have you guys seen the new Weird Al videos?  If you haven't, go see them!

He's releasing 8 in 8 days to promote his new album and so far they've been hilarious.

Word Crimes, Foil, Tacky, Handy, Sports Song, are the 5 out so far.  Word Crimes and Tacky are particularly hilarious (Handy is my least favorite so far, but is still funny).
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Fri 18 July 2014.

Yeah, I was watching them last week.  Really good.  Apparently this is his last typical Weird Al album.