#does anybody still say oculus anymore

[jaysen-vor-hee-hees]

you ever play vrc for so long that now your own hands look too big

[silence-burns]

What Defines Us //part(3/3)

Fandom: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Summary: Based on: “Imagine Newt and Tina find a barely alive Credence after his encounter with MACUSA and Grindewald, and decide to help him hide while the widespread search is conducted. They can’t get him out of the country, so they find him a safe place to wait it out. The best they could think of while feeling the MACUSA’s breath on their necks was the house of the former Auror, you” on @thefandomimagine

Word count: 2,650     Genres: action, mystery, platonic

[Masterlist]      [Part 1]      [Part 2]

The light coming from behind the curtains seemed too surreal to be real at first. Still asleep, Credence wondered why Mary Lou would allow them to be opened so early. Or maybe it wasn’t early anymore - and that dreadful thought brought Credence to his senses as he imagined the rage he’d feel on his skin as he would be the last one to wake up. He was the one supposed to buy the bread when it was still dark outside and clear the kitchen area and start the fireplace and then prepare all the dishes…

He sat up instantly, his heart frozen from fear so much so that it physically hurt. Mother will be mad. Mother was already waiting for him downstairs…

It took him a moment to realize he was no longer at the orphanage. Credence looked around, partly convinced that the events from yesterday were all just a dream, but he changed his mind when the old, partially healed wounds reminded him of painful reality.

Reality. What kind of reality could await a monster like him?

The sun was bright, easily seen even through the curtains. The room he didn’t think of taking a look at the day before, now seemed a complete opposite to what he was used to all his life. It was clean and spacious, the furniture old but well preserved. The orphanage only had some rusty, often broken furniture that most people would only see as garbage, but they didn’t have such a choice. They had to use what people had decided to offer them and what they could scavenge. Even though Mother was not blind, she still got mad every time one of them gave up and finally broke into pieces unable to be fixed again.

Credence took a deep breath. It was over, even if everything felt surreal.

His hands didn’t shake anymore even though he didn’t feel any better than before. Did that mean he got over it so soon? Credence felt guilty.

On the bedside table he noticed a small piece of thick paper, very pleasant to touch and completely different from the thin and cheap kind Mother used to print the leaflets. “Breakfast is in the kitchen. You are welcome anytime.” was the only thing written on it with firm handwriting. It suited you. Credence thought about the cane’s sound that he’d heard when falling asleep. Only at first you seemed weak and broken, but no one who’s looked you in the eyes would make that mistake twice.

It was a reassuring thought. Mary Lou would never protect him from anything - only punish.

Credence looked at the bandages covering his arms. The skin underneath them felt stiff and hot, but he was still able to move. He didn’t remember much from the events at the station, but he knew for sure that whatever had happened to him, it was painful.

He shivered. He was still wearing the thin and dusty shirt he had on on that day. On a chair to his right Credence noticed a pile of clean clothes. He didn’t remember you bringing them.

Moving cautiously, still feeling weak and light-headed, Credence sat up to change. The fabric felt soft and warm and smelled pleasantly.

Magic. He still wasn’t sure what to think about it. He used to think magic was something extremely rare and now he’s met another wizard.

At least now it seemed to be a decent one.

The walk to the window took him longer than he expected and left him almost breathless through the exhaustion and injuries. Credence looked out, noticing what seemed like a garden, protected by a high, strong fence. It was impossible to see what was on its other side, so he had no idea in what part of city the mansion was placed. Climbing up didn’t seem like a good idea given his state. Credence bit his lip, thinking rapidly. He didn’t know if the place was safe. You seemed like a good person, but so did Mr Graves at first.

“You are welcome anytime.”

Credence took a deep breath, regretting it the moment a pain in his chest made itself known. After some consideration, he moved slowly to the door. He couldn’t stop admiring every detail on his way to the kitchen. Even the doorhandle was carved, so that it looked more like a tail. The floors were polished and without a single scratch, or at least not one easy to notice. The windows covered a big part of the outer walls, letting the daylight in. The ceiling was so high, probably even higher than he’s seen in church, but it had nothing in common in with dusty, self-righteous place.

Two-winged doors to the kitchen were open. A warm cloud of a divine mixture of smells covered the boy at the threshold, making his heart flutter and stomach erupt in a longing noise. Credence felt his face burn from embarassement, but you, sitting at the table, only smirked, gesturing to the other chair.

“It’s almost ready,” you said, turning the newspaper’s page nonchalantly.

Credence took the seat, trying to make no sound. His eyes were glued to the various kitchenware flying in the air and preparing the meal all by itself. It was a beautiful sight.

It was also a good way for you to take a good look at your guest. It was a surprise he didn’t try to leave on his own, especially since his room was on the first floor. Good thing you didn’t bet with anyone.

“How was your night?” you asked, looking back at the paper, satisfied that the boy was slowly gaining some strength and color in his face.

“It was… really pleasant,” Credence muttered, curling up, feeling embarassed for staring at the magic. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you rested well, it’s really important in your condition,” you said, gesturing to the tea pot on the oven, making it fly to Credence and pour him the tea.

The boy watched it closely, trying not to seem too obvious, but you could easily see how fascinated he was with magic.

You put the magazine down. It was a magical one, covering the news of the wizarding side of the Great Britain’s world. Credence face fell once he noticed the imagine on the front page. The devastated station was hard to miss. He didn’t have to say anything to let you know you were right.

Credence looked up at you.

“You are an Oculus,” you stated bluntly. “Do you know what that means?”

He nodded, hunching on his seat.

“Mr. Newt told me the basics.”

The plates flew onto the table. Pancakes were soft and steamy, making Credence swallow hard, but he didn’t move.

“Don’t you like pancakes?” you asked, cutting yours.

Credence frowned, looking at you puzzled. You shrugged, gesturing for him to start eating.

“Don’t make that face, I know you’re hungry. You need to eat to get better.”

“Why are you like this?” Credence blurted out before he thought it through. He was sure it would make you angry, but you only laughed quietly.

“That’s just the way I am, Credence. You have to tell me what you have in mind, because I don’t know what you mean.”

“Why are you letting me eat with you?” Credence asked with his voice breaking. “Why do you act like everything is fine and like I’m not a monster-...?”

Hitting the table hard, you made Credence jump. He looked at you with his eyes open wide, but your expression didn’t even change.

“Who told you you’re a monster?” you asked calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Credence fidgeted in his seat, his heart beating irregularly.

“Everyone, it’s just… what I am…”

“Do you think they are right?”

“...yes.”

You leaned back, smiling gently to him.

“Then welcome home, boy, because the same people that told you that, called me a monster too. Have you once thought, why did Newt bring you to me, aware that every member of the MACUSA was gonna follow?”

Credence shook his head, although he was well aware that you were more than you looked to be.

You sighed, leaning your head on your hands.

“Listen to me. I’m not good with all that ‘being nice and gentle’ thing, so I’m going to set things straight now. You are only what you want to be. You are the one in control of your life, even when it doesn’t feel like that anymore. If you feel down or guilty because of your actions - that’s good, because it means you’ve learnt over your mistakes and gained experience you can use later on. Don’t let anybody cloud your judgement, because they have no right to it unless you let them. Do you understand?” you stared at him questioningly.

Credence seemed to think it all through, biting his lip.

“But I’ve done bad things. I can’t change them.”

“Our past does not define us, Credence - but our future does. It depends on what we learn through our journey and how we will make our decisions from now on. What is your decision, Credence? Do you want to spend the rest of your life thinking what they want you to think, doing what they want you to and never once being your own damn self? Think well about your answer, boy, because this first step will define you.”

Credence shifted, completely taken aback by your bold words and the determination in your voice. One part of him wanted to be just like you - sharp like a knife and trusting in your choices, never once hesitating. It was the life Credence wished for so many years and now it was so close it seemed like all he had to do was reach out and take it. To become a better person. To change what he didn’t like in himself and reforge it into a new person.

But the voice deep inside of his head was persistent, reminding him of everything that was his fault. Trusting the wrong person. Scaring Modesty and risking her life. Almost killing so many people at the station. He was a monster and he knew it all along - isn’t that why he let Mary Lou punish him so often? She must have seen it too, hiding behind his eyes…

Credence looked at your cane. You understood him, all of him. You have been bent, but never broken, not even by risking your life - and almost losing it.

He looked you in the eyes and saw all the possibilities in front of him.

“Teach me,” was all he said. It was enough.

“As you wish, my boy,” you smiled, proud of him. “But first you need to eat. I have a thing to take care of first.”

You patted his head on your way to the door, the cane clicking with your every step. This was a good day, a very good one actually. Skinning Newt alive still seemed like a thing he deserved, but maybe you’d let him live a few more days.

Humming softly, you walked through the mansion’s door. The rain didn’t stop pouring the whole night, making the air thick and sticky. The dark clouds covered the sky, so low that it felt like all one had to do to touch them was reach out.

A spell protected you from the rain as you slowly approached the gates. Your guests were nice enough not to hurry you. There were more people than you expected, but still not enough to risk breaking in without notifying you first. Seraphina was a wise woman, but naive at the same time. God knows how she managed to become Madame President if she seriously considered you giving up.

“I’m sorry I can’t welcome you properly, but bowing down has recently become a difficult thing to act,” you stated, looking her in the eyes with your chin up. You both knew it was a clear lie. You would never bend your neck to MACUSA ever again.

“Then you are a lucky one, because we are here for a much greater cause,” she replied, perfectly masking her true emotions. Aurors and investigators behind her back must have felt like a support, but many of them were young. The old ones probably refused to come for you. You still had friends in MACUSA, even after all these years.

“I’m afraid I won’t be much help, madame. I am just an old and retired solitary. I don’t know what I could do for you…”

“Cut this out,” the President has finally snapped. “We both know why we are here.”

“Of course we do,” you gladly agreed. “I live here and you want to trespass onto my property without any reason.”

“We have a reason-...”

“Then why didn’t you open the gates yourself already? Are you afraid of a few magic tricks that 5 generations of Aurors living here could cast? Let’s be honest, madame, just this once,” you gestured to your cane. “Your lies have caused this. Don’t go any further into the darkness or you may lose your way back for good.”

The Aurors murmured, but Seraphina didn’t move, as if she did not hear them.

“Open the gates. We have a warrant.”

“You may work with a few judges that signed it, but what will happen when you find nothing in here? What will the High Wizarding Court say when I fill in a formal complaint, based on your personal hatred for me, which made you use the whole situation you claim to have, to use it against me and breaking into my house?”

Seraphina Piquery watched you calmly. You both knew it wasn’t as easy as you described - but at the same time you could cause her a lot of disturbance if you started a case against her. It could take years to close it and much stress while her position as the Madame President would waver in its foundation. If she lost enough backing, she could even be forced to resign from the position - and all based on defamation. The strict and conservative wizarding community sometimes was truly a blessing.

“Open the gates,” she commanded.

“I’m afraid I forgot the right spell. I don’t use it often enough.”

You turned, making your way back to the mansion.

“We will get in!” she shouted, her calm mask breaking.

“Of course you will. Don’t wait for me, start your investigation right away.”

She knew that even if you were hiding what she was looking for, you had every chance to hide it or teleport it far away before they broke all the spells. You knew that too. But Seraphina couldn’t lose even more respect from the wizards. She had only one choice, and only one result.

“Break them.” The quiet voice almost drowned in the thick rain.

The Aurors hesitated, but followed the order. Magic exploded in a blaze of light. It was going to take them a while.

You walked back to the kitchen, still in a good mood. Credence seemed to have eaten a bunch of pancakes, which was a good sign. He looked up at you with a silent question.

“Put on a coat, Credence. We are going to visit a few places with wondrous magic.”

[Masterlist]

[kzbrandt]

Alcoholism

 Clink, Drink, Sink… Did I just walk off the brink?

    Alcohol has taken everything from me. I hate it more than you can ever imagine. First, it took my mother and birthed the horror of our relationship. Then, right under my nose, without even noticing it, it took my father. Both walked over the ledge into a sea of addiction and carelessness. One lost their sanity, while the other drowned his impetus.

    To be honest, my mother was one of those people where the habit became painfully obvious, she dug herself an early grave and it was no surprise to anyone once she lied down in it. My padre on the other hand, all could see it but me. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe it, maybe in my eyes the man who saved me could do no wrong. He only had a few each night just to take the edge off. What was wrong with that? It’s not like he ever hurt anybody? What I didn’t realize is he was only hurting himself.

    It would take 10 years to finally recognize this rug pitifully covering a dirty floor. How could I condemn a man who raised me, he was given no favors, no easy paths were ever found around here. How can I blame someone whose own mother abandoned him to a mental institution, while his father found solace in whores rather than anything outside of a bar? They bowed down and worshipped their demons, at least he was still putting up a fight.  

    Every Night I dreamed of the one who possessed him, he was oblivious of course, but like always I was burdened with the truth. You can't lie to an empath, especially when various superpowers were already in play. Fear. This alone consumed me, every dark corner or shadowy precipice filled my heart with dread. I knew what might linger there, hidden under the opaque and terrifying sheets. I’ve heard his roar and felt his grip, seen its reflective eyes mirrored within my father's itching for complete control.

    The Devil always finds me, since I was very young I have felt the horned one’s pursuit. Prayers and protective signs only kept them away for so long. Sometimes I dreamed of ending it all, but I wouldn’t let them entrap me so easily. Most teenagers prefer late night parties and social frivolity under their parents' slumbering eyes. Not me, I never bode well in this respect. People are simple when you know what to expect from them. Humans let you down, disappoint or betray you. Even my own dad, as much as I love him, would rather drown, shipwrecked in a bottle, rather than try to swim for shore, not even if I begged. When it came down to it, I always believed I was more important, wasn’t it easier to choose his only daughter rather than addiction? How many times did he promise me and his words fell as empty as his glass each night?

    Piece by piece he lost himself until he wasn’t my father anymore. He had chosen the one who sneers and had only one ambition. He had already taken so many and most fell too easily into his grasp, while others were coaxed gradually and didn’t realize until it was too late. The conquest was what he loved the most, the select prey that was clueless even as they were devoured. Not even when his cancer spread terminally did they look up from their limitless loch of gluttonous, idolized debauchery.

    His true name was Holicus, one of the old ones festered and brought to life in the realm of the Abyss. Many evils were birthed there, where even a single ray of light refused to enter. The Catholic Church likes to claim only a venerated man has the power to exercise and cleanse a soul, but this is just another lie. One of many they like to tell. Religion is nothing but a plagued web men in power loved to weave. It spun their cruelty, secured their dominance, they didn’t spread hope, but disquietude. This isn’t to say there aren’t select individuals who still serve Abiel, but they grow fewer by the second. Not even the whitest soul is immune to the draw of Lucataerius or as many know him, Diablo.

    I can’t believe looking at the past and present, that this could’ve been what God wanted? A church that was blind to the monsters it invited in and when finally granted the sight, hid and obscured the truth. In it’s omission pacified crimes too horrible to speak of. The violation of all those poor children was just the tip of the iceberg.

    I was never very good at small talk or making eye contact, but slaying demons was something I was quite good at. Demoniac was a condensed powder extracted from the center of these godless creatures. Over the years I have accumulated a very impressive collection. By day my bedroom was that of a normal fifteen year old teenager. It was simple with pink walls, a small spring mattress and the expected amount of clutter associated with disorganization. By night with the click of a button hidden under the floorboards, this seemingly average room was transformed.

    Under the cover of night when my chronic insomnia took hold, I would work in my secret laboratory, tracking and experimenting with strange and unnatural substances, harvested for one purpose. Under my father’s nose I was fighting the shadows, the demons, the monsters that continued to ravage the living.

    Certain things only grow in the moonlight and some bloom for one night, others a couple months. The trick is knowing the location and time of year. This knowledge is only granted to the elite, initiated into the Vulvun Oculus. At the head of this secret organization was Japunte Black Moon. He found me when I was only a baby, plagued with a strange supernatural illness. As an infant I had one birthmark in the shape of a cross centered on my forehead, the sign of Abiel, King of the light realms. This insignia called to both forces of nature, good and evil. My mother couldn’t stand to nurse or even touch me and so only a newborn, I dwindled on the ledge between life and death.

    My father grew desperate and Harold, who was raised catholic got the number of a strange voodoo doctor. This was how it all began, the first steps taken before the journey. If it wasn’t for Japtunte I don’t know how I would’ve survived adolescence. Some girls were concerned with normal things like boys and accessorizing, not me, I got nightmares that animated before me changing the fabric of my reality. No wonder I barely slept, too afraid to relive the darkest recesses of my imagination, sleep deprivation was a welcome reprieve. The things we dream aren’t supposed to come true, such things were meant to remain in horror flicks.  

    I remember looking at the other girls wishing I could be like them, so pretty and perfect, so happy. Why couldn’t that be me? Usually this is when my lovely African mentor would pipe in, “Krista with such gifts comes with specific obligations, you have a responsibility to use your talents and not waste them.” So serious all the time, how does he do it? How does he stay the course so consistently?

  I reached my breaking point in my 17th year, my maiden hood would leave me to make room for young everlasting-love. It was right about this time I abandoned the Vulvun Oculus and moved in with my uncle. I needed a change of scenery, something different and new. Running seemed to be branded into my DNA.

    It worked for maybe a year. I joined the cheerleading squad, made some friends, fell in love, I was just your regular junior in high school. It was bliss while it lasted. No matter how hard I tried, they would never forget who I was, the shadows always found a way to creep in.

    Friday, October 31st, the day of the Halloween dance, 2010. It was unseasonably warm, 75 degrees and humid. Typical Michigan weather. It was just outside Belleville High that I received the call that would shake me awake, dreaming for too long now. How could I ever forget this conversation, if you could call it that?

    “Kris, you need to come home now. He’s taken your father, I’m sorry.” Click.

    Running my soft cashmere hands through blanched but radiant yellow hair, I felt the chill of a rogue breeze, ominous and dark. The message was clear, a demon had possession of someone who was very dear to me. Jetting off in my blue and white uniform, I needed a pair of wheels no matter who they belonged to. Something fast…

   Two monstrous wheels ensconced in chrome and leather, off all alone begging to be saddled. What kind of woman would I be if I didn’t oblige? I was surprised how easily this metallic stallion roared to life. Barely flicking the throttle, the engine purred and miles blurred the colors of Columbia Drive. Imagining how peculiar I must have looked never entered my mind as I kept the ocean calm within, readying for any outcome, any obstacle.

    Japunte liked to call me the Exorcist, but like any skill it needs to be practiced, rehearsed. I was more than a little rusty, how did I know if I would I be strong enough? Calling to the angel who always stood by my side, silently I prayed for strength and protection. In the reflection of passing carrs I swore that I could see white wings extending out. There was such a rooted comfort in knowing that I wasn't alone in this fight.

    The closer I got to Saint Clair Shores, the more prominent his smell became. It was Holicus, how could I not recognize his repugnant oversaturated odor? My father finally reached the bottom of the bottle and found who was waiting for him, on Halloween no less.

     Holi. impregnated man with the knowledge to brew him into being. Most of the time he’s harmless, even Jesus partook, although he had a vigor that was intangible. It was the ones who possessed something he lusted for and not easily acquired, those were the souls he needed, such a feast was worth the wait. Arriving at a familiar destination, 20220 Rosedale drew near. This was my childhood home. While I lived with my mother, this was heaven, my one and only escape from the corrupt black iron doors that reached out and never retracted, entrapping you in their icy grip for all eternity.

    Imagination can be a dangerous game, it can build bridges and towers to the most magnificent places, or it could host your worst nightmares. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to stop playing.

    Even though it grew late with no sunlight left to spare, I could see the past so easily. There I was only ten years old making mud pies with a strange boy who loved to climb our made up kingdom atop the trees. How easily time passed us by, never had I been so happy or had a more suitable playmate.

    Now that I thought about it, Doug was a mystery to me. I couldn’t remember a single thing about his family or his life, only the time we spent together. I didn’t even know his last name. A few months later he had just up and disappeared, moved out without saying a word. That would be the last time my partner in adventurous endeavors would venture to my side of the road.  I liked answers and the reasons why, but sometimes we are only made and never opened, keys amiss this door would remain forever closed and elusive. Life would wash it away, another memory, another dream.

    Silencing the engine, I slid off my lustrous brushed and borrowed hog slowly walking towards the front door. Not a single light was lit, an eerie sense of dread settled over me and I wondered what was waiting for me inside… Turning the cool door knob, the entire house felt dead and rotten. What had happened here? Where was my dad?

    Striding through the dark living room a shadowy figure was seated across a dusty checkered floor. The shell of my father breathed uneven, choppy and shallow.

    “So, you finally came home, Krista Star. It’s too bad you just missed your daddio, haha.”

    “It’s time for you to leave.”

    “Leave, why? He invited me in, little by little he made room and I won’t be evicted, not even by you. What can a cheerleader do against me?”

    “I have dueled you before, if only by blood. You may remember him, Constantin Excalibur.”

    Silence chilled the suddenly very small room. Continuing to shrink and contract with a petrifying veiny pulse.

    “One daughter remade, one thorn wrapped in crimson shade, Excalibur remains, forged from the far away Valean glade… This isn’t possible?” Sweat trickled down a grey and sickly looking brow, lined with three distinct wrinkles.

    “Believe it… Holicus. You took my mother, but you won't’ take him, I won’t allow it. I reveal myself to you, Holicus demon of the under realms, by the order of Abiel we cast you out!” As I finished speaking, angelic symbols of the Vale, once hidden, burned brightly illuminating the kitchen, and so the rest of the house. Light from an insurmountable army of Angels obliterated every demon in sight, pulling the plug on Holicus and all who followed him. Of course, most drink would still be stained with his residue but it was now devoid of flagitiousness.

    My power came from the soldiers of Abiel, who served him willingly. I am one of them, maybe not a worthy comparison but a follower all the same. An unholy screech pierced the walls and everything vibrated so hard the foundation threatened to crumble around us. With all the strength my soul could muster, I whispered the sacred, hidden words of Abiel, secrets of the white fire.

    Few knew of them, even among angels. I won’t abuse what he has given me, I may lose faith in myself, but I’ll neve lose faith in him. Straying in thought I fought against the current, thrashing against the tide I managed to come to the surface.

     “K-Krista? What’s happening, where am I?”

    “Dad don't worry it's all okay now, but we may need to talk about some things...”

    Alcoholism, it sneaks up on you, before you know it the reflection you thought you knew morphs into something alien and unfamiliar. I may have removed the demon, but his essence remains. How many more will you drink before you put down the glass and live your life? Prepare yourself, the Darkness is coming, how will you be fighting drunk or sober?

Happy Halloween, Sincerely, the Exorcist.

[ratevrs-com]

All VR Headsets of Spring 2019 Compared: Prices and Specs Review

if you're in the market to finally dive into VR or if you're ready to have a headset and want to upgrade spring of 2019 is going to be crazy awesome there is so many your headsets lined up for release which one should you buy let's take a look at all the specs of everything new this coming out and decide and the very first headset I would like to talk about is the one that I'm very excited about and will likely get for myself and that is oculus quest we don't know when exactly this headset will be shipping but the announcement will likely come at f8 at the end of April this headset is going to cost 399 US dollars and this is a completely standalone system that is you don't need an expensive PC to run VR it's gonna be completely wireless with six degrees of freedom with inside out tracking let's take a look at what's under the hood of oculus quest first things first because it's not going to be connected to an expensive PC so it's not going to be able to run on an expensive GPU what its gonna have inside is a CPU the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 now it is a bit of an older mobile CPU but that should be enough to run the games what we're going to have is 1440 by 1600 / a resolution on this headset which is already larger than the original ripped or vive the only thing is that the refresh rate is not going to drop to 72 Hertz oculus rift CV 1 HTC vive usually right mind you hurts we're also losing the intuitive headphones and getting the integrated speakers instead which personally I don't mind for mobile system and you can always plug in your own headphones if you'd like what this headset is keeping though is the hardware IPD adjustment that goes from roughly 58 millimeters to 72 millimeters just like rifts ev1 and it's going to have the same field of view as the original rift at roughly 100 degrees the tracking of the quest controllers as well as the headset itself is going to be done with a new insight system and that relies on four cameras usually for inside our tracking systems like for Windows mix reality you only have two cameras but this one will have four there's already a whole list of interesting games that are gonna be coming to the quest and I have my own favorites picked out for the next video but we are confirmed to be able to have cross play within the stores as well as cross buy options depending on the developer allows for it for example something like DC where you will be able to play them both on the quest and the rift and you possibly don't even have to buy it anymore if you have it in the oculus store already I'm very excited for the oculus quest to come out because now I don't have to be tethered to my actual gaming PC I can go anywhere in the world and showcase VR to anybody that I want out there so far the only headset that can challenge that that we know is coming out this spring is via focus plus now this one is a very very special case it is coming out mid-april actually April 15th is its release date but it comes at $800 price tag just like oculus quest it will have Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor with 1440 by 1600 resolution for each eye the refresh rate is a little bit higher at 75 Hertz compared to 72 on quest and it does to have the hardware IPD adjustment although we don't know exactly what is the measurement for that this is an enterprise-level headset though so I don't think many gamers will be interested in it particularly because we know it has a lot of tracking issues based on the reviewers from a CES and double the price for oculus quest this particular has it just makes no sense to buy the only other similar interesting offering from wife is vive cosmos that is built as a VR for everyone with an easy setup a comfortable design and modular capabilities and it says the device Kosmos goes beyond everything you could want in one device that is a selling tagline but we know almost nothing about this particular headset we don't even know when it's coming out so I'm not gonna discuss it in this particular video it's not going to be coming out this summer at least as of making of this video if something changes I will make a video out cosmos by itself so we're gonna just disregard cosmos at this point in time but speaking of enterprise level headsets HP is throwing his hat in the ring as well with an awesome HP reverb that's gonna be available at the end of April and it comes at a $600 price tag it is primarily enterprise hardware but it will come as a consumer Edition at $600 as well as the professional Edition at 650 dollars in a consumer version you get the washable face fabric cushion and with the professional edition you get the leather face cushion smaller cable for a backpack VR laptop and a commercial warranty this is a tethered headset so it has to be plugged in to a VR capable DC does come with integrated headphones although they are removable if you want to have your own headphones now wear this headset really shines is that it's going to have 2160 by 2160 resolution per eye that is unheard of in all of the headsets available so far and it will have a 90 Hertz refresh rate this beast of a headset will require DisplayPort 1.3 to handle all that video bandwidth and it is said to have the field of view of 114 degrees although this is still a Windows mixed reality headset the design of the headband has shifted to that of the rift cv1 there is they dish to the halo band in favor of this strap in the middle nowhere this headset starts to fall short is that it doesn't have any hardware IPD adjustment the lenses are fixed and 63 millimeters apart and the software adjustment is exposed to accommodate from 55 millimeters to 71 millimeters but I think the biggest downside to HP reverb is the fact that it only has a 2 camera inside out tracking which is quite standard for the Windows mix to reality but still that is not enough to precisely track your controllers as well as your headset and hands-on reviewers noted that you do tend to lose your controllers now and then if they are out of the view of the cameras still though the amazing resolution that HP Weaver will provide left a lot of people hoping that that is exactly when the next iteration of rift will go but oculus rift s went in a bit of a different direction it has been announced a bit of a lukewarm reaction but this is still quite a formidable headset in my opinion just like Aquos quest is going to cost 399 US dollars and likely likely we're gonna get an announcement about the shipment days once again at the end of April at f8 although model that has been confirmed that is just my situation for both Quest and the rift and as you start to compare oculus quest and rift as you start to see the roof test is kind of a downgrade in several instances particularly the resolution on rift test is going to be 1280 by 1440 per eye that's quite a downgrade from the 1440 by 1600 pariah on quest the refresh rate is going to be 80 Hertz which is above the oculus quest 72 Hertz but still below the 90 Hertz which is available on the original rift cv1 and the field of view is said to be slightly larger than that of the rift which is 100 degrees but we don't know the exact number for the rift has just yet just like with quest we are all losing our integrated headphones and getting the integrated speakers instead but the main thing that we are losing on roof tests from both the quest and the original rift is that there's going to be no hardware IPG adjustment you can check out my whole video about that in a link in the description down below but basically now the lenses are fixed at sixty three point five millimeters apart which is gonna be optimal for users with an IP G from sixty one and a half to about sixty five and a half but there is software adjustment that is supposed to accommodate 58 to 72 millimeters IPG the good thing in my opinion is now rift as is ditching the whole constellation sensor tracking system is going to use in site tracking just like the quest but it will have five cameras so for in the periphery and the fifth one on top for better control tracking that simplifies the whole setup for the rift and it's almost reason enough to upgrade aside from the fact that resolution is now gonna be better at 1280 by 1440 per eye compared to rift cv1 and all the hands-on reviews coming in so far point to the fact that this is actually a very good headset and I'm almost ready to upgrade almost if it wasn't for one little thing and of course the elephant in the room is the fact that valve index has been announced now it's very tough to talk about this particular headset because so little is known about it except for the fact that it has been leaked but confirmed by valve that the pre-orders are gonna be happening in the early may after the official announcement and the shipment is targeted for June so technically this headset is coming out in spring 2019 this is why it is in this video I could not not include it and actually if you're curious about all the rumors surrounding the valve induce you can check out my video that's once again linked in the description down below right now we don't know what the price of this headset is going to be there's been no hints whatsoever all we know that it will be available for purchase just as a headset itself with the valve knuckles now called index controls being sold separately as well as the lighthouse system sold separately as well or you can buy the whole thing as a package no prices have been announced for anything in particular I believe right now the average that people are predicting is going to be between 700 and 800 US dollars from the hole set but we only have a few more weeks to wait before the actual price will be announced now the whole thing in my opinion is quite a shot across the bow of oculus with rift as everything from the teaser picture featuring the hardware IPG adjustment slider to the timing of the announcement confirmed to be on May 1st which follows exactly f/8 which happens between April thirtieth and May 1st it looks like valve is targeting oculus directly so now many are dubbing valve index as a rift to of course everything I'm about to say our pure speculations none of this has been confirmed all of these are pure speculation based on rumors leaks and suppositions so valve index will be coming with valve knuckles and it will have the outside tracking lighthouse 2.0 system it will very likely have the minimum resolution of 1440 by 1600 per eye and have a refresh rate of 90 Hertz its field of view is supposed to be 135 degrees which is much larger than any other headsets I discussed in this particular video so there's a big debate right now where the valve will be competing in price against oculus or vive that'll really determine the price of the valve index I highly doubt that they're going to be trying to undercut oculus at its 399 price per headset but they might match the price of vipro or even go below it the current way believe I Pro had said to cost 799 dollars that's just what the headset alone without the controller's or the lighthouse system so maybe valve will bundle everything for 800 at least that is my speculation at this point in time so as when personally I'm definitely jumping on the oculus quest system I cannot wait to see where the good mobile solution for VR will take us so many amazing games have already been confirmed for quest and although you can expect some dumb grades and graphics when you compare the same game with quest toward the one played on rift still I think the portability of the headset itself is gonna be quite good for growing the VR industry and as much as I would love to upgrade to rift as from my current rift system I will hold out and wait until wealth index confirms some of the specs and releases more information about their headset so with that in mind what kind of had said would you purchase I'm kind of curious to hear your opinions on the whole spring 2019 lineup of hm geez thank you so much for watching I'm real and I'll see you in my next video

https://youtu.be/odNhruvTR1M

[zacknano17]

Day 22: words 42,030 - 44,047

In which, Magnus gets very, very angry, and shit gets very, very real.

“Hm.” Kravitz studies the wall for a moment.  “I can create a portal through the wall, but only I could go through it.  Salvatore.  Is there any other entrance?”

“I don't know.  I can't say as I've ever spent any time down here,” Salvatore replies.

“The best we can do is to go outside and see if there are any windows in this corner,” Magnus says.  “But even if there are, I'm not sure me or Salvatore here would be able to fit through them.”

“That may be the best you can do, but that ain't the best ol' Merle can do,” Merle says smugly, walking up to the wall.  He presses his hands to the stone. “I cast stone shape.”

Merle's magic has sort of a green and white shine to it, probably due to his patron deity being of the nature domain.  The light radiates from his hands and from the X-treme Teen Bible still attached to his belt, spreading out from his fingers and growing in an oblong circle on the wall.  The stone melts away, peeling back from the light, layer after layer, until the spell ends and the light fades.  There is a neat hole in the wall now, all the way through into the hidden room.

“You're welcome,” Merle says smugly, ushering Magnus within.

“You could have at least made it a little taller,” Magnus grumbles, gesturing at the very Merle-sized hole.

“You could have tried bein' a little shorter too.”

Magnus ducks through the hole and steps through, pulling Rail Splitter off his back as he goes. On the other side of the hole is a room.  It's smaller than the room he has just exited, but it looks fairly large, probably due to the fact that it is mostly empty.  Shoved in the corner is a sturdy wooden table with short legs, likely designed for a halfling, with heavy metal cuffs on it.  There was a similar one in the basement of Wedding Wonders.

Next to the table, there is a sort of pedestal type of furniture with an open book on top of it.  The book has been completely blackened, with the pages crumbling to ash, and the pedestal is charred on the top where the book is resting.

Across the room from the table there is a simple small desk.  On it rest a few papers and books, and, far more notably, Taako's umbra staff, which is coincidentally pointed right at the pedestal.  Next to the desk there is a bookshelf with a number of ancient tomes crammed into it.

There are two people in this room.  Rebekah is in the center of the room, holding her wand out and pointing it directly at Magnus.

Behind her, sitting on the table, is Taako.  He is alive and awake and appears to be totally fine.

And Magnus feels a relief flow through him that he didn't previously know was possible.  They have made it on time.

“Taako! You're okay!” he exclaims.

Taako doesn't answer.  He looks confused and worried and rather like he has no idea what to do.  He isn't bound or anything either, and Magnus begins to worry again.

Kravitz is the next through the hole, and he is immediately scanning the room warily, scythe in hand, for the powerful necromancer he has sensed earlier, probably.  His gaze focuses on Taako for a moment, and his head tilts to the side just a little, as though he has sensed something isn't quite right but can't put his finger on what that is. Then he keeps looking.

Merle is next, bible out in one hand and his war hammer in his other. “Somethin' seem weird to you about Taako?” he asks.

“Rebekah,” Taako finally says, in a voice that is definitely Taako's, but inflected all wrong.  “Rebekah, who are these people?  What's going on?”

Magnus' heart sinks.  For all his hope, it turns out that they are just too late.  It might be Taako's body, but it certainly isn't Taako inside.

Slowly and deliberately, he puts his shield onto his back and places his free left hand on the handle of Rail Splitter.  He has been angry before.  He had let anger consume him after the destruction of Raven's Roost's support pillar, when there had been nothing left of his home but rubble and regret.  He had been angry about Julia, about Steven, about Ms. Nerissa, the healer down the street, about Cyrus, the old metalsmith, about Rosie and her inn.  He had been so angry that nothing had mattered.

He is angry again.  He is very, very angry.

“What. The fuck.  Did you do.  To Taako,” he says, his voice low.

Rebekah narrows her eyes at him.  “Taako is gone,” she says.

Magnus doesn't wait.  He charges at her, his earlier words to Salvatore completely leaving him.  He doesn't care about saving her anymore. If he can't save his own dear friend, what's the fucking point?

Rail Splitter slams into metal as Rebekah erects a metal shield in his path to stop him or slow him down.  He kicks it right at her, shoving it forward with the bottom of his foot, but she dodges out of the way.  He swings at her again -- or, at least, he tries.

Salvatore has caught the upper part of Rail Splitter and is trying to hold it back.  He is stronger than Magnus and stops the blow, but he isn't able to wrangle the ax out of Magnus' hands.

“You said we could save her,” Salvatore hisses.

“That was before she murdered my friend,” Magnus growls.

Rebekah is backing away from them, but she stops when her back hits the wall. And then Taako -- or rather, Taako's body -- jumps in between her and Magnus.

“Stop!” he says, and Magnus...does.  There's no way he can lift a hand against Taako's body, even if it isn't really him in there.  “Stop it.  I'm sorry about your friend.  I really am.  But Rebekah didn't mean to hurt anybody.  I know her.  She wouldn't do that.”

“Rebekah's not in control anymore,” Magnus snaps.  “Get the fuck out of my way.”

A gentle soulwood hand comes up and rests on his forearm, both holding him back and offering a touch of comfort.  “Isn't there some way to get Taako back?” Merle asks.

“His body is still alive,” Kravitz says.  “So long as his soul hasn't already checked into the Astral Plane, we can still save him.  You, however,” and he looks at not-Taako, “are going to have to come with me.”

“I won't let you take him away from me again,” Rebekah says.

Her voice sounds different, deeper, multiplied over itself as though three people are speaking in unison.  It's unearthly and inhuman, very similar to Sloane's voice when the thrall of the Sash had taken over entirely.  Her eyes are glowing bright white now too, her pupils gone entirely, and the dark fissures on her face have spread now, across her forehead, over her jaw and down her neck.  A rough wind courses out of her, and Magnus shields his face from her power.

“I won't let you!  He's mine!!”

“Rebekah!?” Not-Taako is reaching for her, but the wind is getting too strong and he can't quite reach her.  He stumbles back suddenly, and giant flat stones are suddenly conjured out of thin air, floating around him like a shield.  He is mostly obscured from view and can't seem to move out of the rock shield, if his shouting is any indication.

It's about then that the ceiling peels away, split down the middle and ripped away to the edges.  The walls are consumed next, seeming to be blown away by the rush of her power.  But instead of the city of Waterdeep opening up above them and around them, they see the night sky extending out in all directions.  The stone basement floor is all that remains, and at the edges are nothing, opening up into a yawning, endless abyss.

The sky is purple and blue and black, peppered with stars in all directions, even down below the horizon created by the stone platform they're now on.

“The power to create anything -- literally anything!  It's in my hands, and I used it to bring him back!” Rebekah shouts in that same horrible voice.  “I need this power to get back Alfonso, and now...now I can finally make things right again.  I won't let you stop me.  I won't let you take it away.  It's MINE.”

“What in the nine hells is this!?” Kravitz demands.  The power has affected him too; his skin and hair are gone, leaving him skeletal once more.

“It's the Oculus,” Magnus says, finally lowering his hand from its protective gesture over his face.  “It's taken her over.  This is...uh, not good.”

“I'll say.  You think it's time to roll initiative?” Merle asks.

“I think so.”

By their very nature and due to the extremely complicated ritual used to create them in the first place, liches are very intelligent.  There is little way around it; in order to become a lich, one must understand the ritual.  And to understand the ritual, one must be very smart and very talented.  That is one of the reasons they're such a pain in the ass.

But even liches had a limit to their knowledge.  Not many knew the true consequences of their actions, other than knowing they would earn the wrath of the Raven Queen.  They may have heard of the Eternal Stockade, but they have no idea what the words truly mean.

Some knew to avoid the Queen's bounty hunters.  Some learned very quickly.

Most were very arrogant and thought that they could stand a chance against the Queen and her minions.  Most would stop and fight, if they were caught.

But none of them have ever been able to learn to sense a Reaper.  And very few have been able to successfully evade capture, once they are located and identified, for more than a few years, maybe a decade or two.

The lich Kravitz has spent the past decade chasing, on and off, has somehow figured out how to detect the presence of a Reaper and has usually cleared out by the time Kravitz actually arrives to haul his ass to the Raven Queen's tribunal.  He never stays to fight.  It drives Kravitz absolutely batty.

The worst part is that the lich is called Bluejeans. The slippery fuck couldn't even be bothered to find himself a decent title.

Kravitz hates him.

He is reasonably sure that the bearer of the necromantic energy he had felt in this basement earlier is that of Barry Fucking Bluejeans, but the assumption is based mostly off of the fact that, yet again, Kravitz has appeared on the scene of some big time necromancy, and the lich is gone.

Of course, a moment later, everything else is gone too.  The walls, the ceiling, the ground, save for the bit they're standing on...

Kravitz is aware of the Grand Relics and how they had quite suddenly appeared in the world about twelve years or so ago and nearly ripped it apart. There had been talk around the Celestial Plane about them, but no one took responsibility for them or really knew what to do with them. Then the Bureau of Balance popped into existence, and the Relics had gone mostly dormant for a long while.

The Relics are known to have unfathomable amounts of power, from whatever source Kravitz does not know.  But knowing these things are incredibly powerful and actually experiencing what that power is capable of are two very different things.

Quite possibly the strangest part about it are the looks of grim determination on Magnus' and Merle's faces.  These are men who have experienced this before, multiple times.  Salvatore looks properly terrified, and even the poor elf with half a soul looks like he would rather be anywhere but here.  Kravitz himself has an easy exit if he needs it, but he is also rather resistant to permanent damage.