Fallen from on High chapter 1: As I went down to the river to pray...

[Myst]

You find yourself exiting the wilderness into one of the few towns scattered amongst the more central plain region of the continent. Situated next to a river, each house is made from an amalgamation of concrete, wood and thatch, the latter being attached over the former as they fell away from the weather and other disasters. Only about two dozen houses stand, with one or two larger buildings labeled as shops; here a blacksmith, there a baker, and the largest of all proclaiming itself to be a hotel.

Inside, most of the adult population of the town has come to relax after the long day. They appear to consist mainly of farmers, the majority human, with a cat or wolf person spread about among them. The largest crowd has gathered around one of the elder men, telling the legends of the nearby area. Your attention is momentarily caught as his voice meanders to the reason you've come this far: The Valley of Fallen Gods.

Seen from above, as it only rarely was, and then, only by those who were much to busy to look down, the valley resembled nothing so much as a large crescent moon. From the ground it was much more standard, with large trees grown tight together, and only the barest remnants of trails. Most were dirt, narrow as if one man had decided to hack his way through with a machette, but every so often the would stumble onto a black substance, sometimes as wide as fourty feet, that would go on for several hundred yards, before returning to the narrow dirt pathway. The elder referred to it as 'a highway,' but whatever significance that word carries has been lost. The valley is a cursed place, one that few dare enter, and even fewer return from. During the days when man controlled the planet, before losing the favor of 'those Gods' (the man seems very careful to avoid any specific religion) it was a site of miracles, where strange lights and machines capable of 'amazing feats' were based. Now, it is overrun with Oni and other such perils, though worse is rumored to live. The "steel gods" still claim their temple, and will not tolerate it's desecration by those of flesh.

You move away as he wanders to the next string of legends, waiting out the remainder of the evening, and preparing to begin your decent into a place of nightmares under the suns watchful eye.

OOC: Alright, it is early evening, shortly after sunset. Feel free to roleplay the evening for a while, then we'll start the actual campaign tomorrow. The hotel is large enough to house roughly fourty people, though it is unlikely to have seen that many since before the Time of Undoing. There are about two dozen patrons, and about five barmaids. The furniture is mostly well made out of wood from the nearby hills, and a fire burns in a hearth that looks as if it was scavenged from another building.

Edit: Money has devolved back mostly to a medieval system of barter and metals. The value goes in this order: Steel, Gold, Silver, Bronze. Gems are worth anywhere from a few steel to several hundred, depending on their usefulness. Spare parts for machinery are the most valuable currency currently.

[Krylo]

Holzom had entered the hotel hours earlier, with a small child in tow.
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The man behind the counter stated the given price (OOC: what is the money situation like?) for single room and Holzom had reached into a pocket, to pay.

"Here is your key, sir. You will find your room on the third floor. Please, enjoy your night," the man said cheerily, as he handed Holzom a set of two keys. He most likely lived off of whatever money that hotel could pull in, and it most likely wasn't much. Travelling wasn't exactly common with the demons running about in the wilderness.

It didn't matter to Holzom though, as he addressed the child with him, "Come, Michael."

The boy nodded silently, and followed behind his guardian, up the stairs, in silence. Michael rarely spoke, as he had learned at a young age to remain silent while hiding from the brotherhood. Being forced to stay so silent or risk losing the only person who seemed to care for him had ingrained silence into Michael's mind, and idle chit-chat was rare, at best.

And so the boy followed Holzom, without a word passing between them, up the stairs and to apartment 2C.

Upon entering the apartment, Holzom sat Michael on the bed, and turned to him. "You remember why we are here?"

The boy nodded.

"Good, then you will stay in this room and not leave until I tell you it is safe?"

The boy nodded again.

"I will be back tonight, but I'm going to go and gather some information and supplies. I need to be prepared incase the brotherhood moves on this sooner than expected. These people's only chance is if someone teaches them how to use whatever weapons are there, steals them and leads the brothehood away, or destroys them in time to ruin the brotherhood's interest," Holzom spoke as he set his rocket launcher against the wall and checked his other weapons to be certain they were all in working order and well concealed.

"I know," Michael replied, yawning a bit as he did so, obviously already tired from all the walking, and Holzom was the one to nod this time.

"Alright, then, goodbye, Michael, I'll be back in a few hours."

The boy nodded once more, and waved, as Holzom left and headed down the stairs.
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By the time the old man had begun his story, Holzom had already purchased some food and extra ammo for his pistol, and was sitting there listening.

Unlike most of the others there, he understood what a highway is, and he knew that the metal gods were most likely large combat robots with their AI still intact and set to 'defend'. In some ways Holzom could sympathize with the mechanical monsters. They were told what to do and they had no choice in the matter. They may have killed, but they bore no more responsibility for the act than the gun wielded by a mad man... but all the same, they would have to be stopped for the safety of the people. Safety not just from the robotic guards, if that truly was what they were.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Jad drove his green car down the streets, fast as usual, A police car chased him, but he could tell by the sound of their sirens their alternator was bad and their battery was about to give out. He slammed the gas and jerked the wheel fis car fish tailed a little but he zoomed down the road

"I need to put better tires on you baby." He said. He looked over to his friend Jimmy. Jimmy ws gripping the scaredy handle like his life depended on it. "You ok, man" Jad asked.

The cop car skided out and entered a spin. Jad had clear sailing.

"Oh come on, we aren't even cracking 170" Jad said. Jimmy still looked like he was about to piss himself. "you better not ruin my interior."

He slowed down when he reached the warehouse district. He pressed the garage door opener The door opened and Jad drove into the spacious garage. A prone mech lay with an oversized tarp covering it. There was a work station that Jad parked in. Jad hoped out of the car. Some one came out of the office.

Jad pulled the bat from out of the back seat.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?!"

[Dante]

OOC: I'll assume that JAD's town is near the Temple of Fallen Gods and that krylo and myself are both there.

IC: Natsuki jumped, and almost dropped the file she was holding.

"Eeek! Um... Iwas just looking for Jad... wait..."

She squinted at the figure holding the baseball bat.

"Jad! It's you! Sorry I just barged in, but the door was unlocked, so... "

Her voice trailed off as she leafed through the file she was holding.

"Look! It's a cache of technology located somewhere around here! You think we could go look for it? There might be cool car parts and more beers too!"

She winked as she said this, knowing his weakness to both of the things she had mentioned.

[pendejochy]

Ide walked with Oniko back to the hotel. Or at least made it seem as if he was walking. In reality, he was using telekinisis on himself the very slightly lift up the burdensome weight of a robot and a person, so that Ide may strain his legs less.

Ide was telepathily talking to Oniko.

Ide: Wow, that is really something isn't it.
Oniko: Yes, I have always wanted to see those Oni. I wonder what they look like. I bet they must be guarding a whole tresure trove of money. Monsters always love money. they'd rip me to shreads, though.
Ide: I hate oni. They are born of the inferior gods. Their existance proves how foolish others are. Worshiping mindless drones, when the one with the true mind is so close.

He heard a message.

Are Asi: Did you hear that?
Pende: Hear what?
Are Asi: The topic that human was discussing.
Pende: Oh, the so called "steel-gods." Are you going to say that we can go and somehow defeat those gods for parts to make the New God?
Are Asi: No! Those Oni. If we could somehow kill him, the townspeople would be so pleased.
Pende: why that is so kind!
Are Asi: We could have the cash to build that silly toy you're always talking about and enough for the colony to eat like a king!
Pende: It is not a toy. It shall be the most powerful od ever to be created. The last god to be created.

Ide: Oniko, how about staying in an inn?
Oniko: Fine, but I can't wait to get out of this backwards place, I'd rather be a home where I know where everything is.

Ide used his funds to buy a modest room, Oniko bought the bet room she could, which really wasn't worth the price, but it had a bigger bed. Those are good for streaching out on.

Ide and Oniko looked around, "not much besides some guy and his kid," they both thought.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Now you are talking my language, will there be frozen pizza too?"

[PhoenixFlame]

((I'm going to assume this is the same town I'm in. Anime = Wanton Coincidence))
((Edit: Last minute character swappage in progress. Stand by...))

Joanna stood, somewhat relaxed on a clear, open and unplanted area of farm, surveying her latest charge's progress with their firearms. At least those who had firearms, and those who didn't took turns with those who did. "Everyone ought to have a gun." Joanna thought to herself, "You can't stop those brotherhood scum with a pitchfork."

Joanna's version of "relaxed" however, consisted mainly of what the military would consider relaxed. Arms crossed, feet three inches apart, head up, Joanna scanned downrange like a hawk would scan her territory.

*CRACK!*

She took a second to close her eyes and deeply inhale. The last shot was a farm smallbore rifle, and, from the odor, hadn't been cleaned in about a week. Opening her eyes, she saw the cardboard box spray-painted with an orange circle that was serving as their training target had fallen over, after taking a hit to it's bulls-eye. The farmers excitedly laughed, as Joey had finally figured out how to shoot.

"How was that, Miss Winters?!" He yipped excitedly, gun swinging around wildly with him.

Almost in a blur, Joanna caught the loose rifle with her left hand, thrusting her right toward the target, and in a soft, matronly voice whispered in the farmboy's ear, "Pointy end downrange."

"ALWAYS!" She yelled. The farmers jumped in fright. "Any one of us could be dead right now!" Joanna scolded, but then lightened up, "You are improving, however. Go set th..."

*SCREEEECCCH!!* Car tires could be heard squealing in the distance.

Joanna went silent, and cocked her head to listen to the new sound. "Speeding car, Nothing to worry about. Continue." she said, dismissing the sound and continuing with the training session.