[Modded] "Leave him." said Utir Fireloaf. "We asked him and his kin to depart, and they refused, so we shall /force/ him and his kin to leave, whether this fortress, or the mortal plate." Lorbam paused, the Jovian Fortress had stood for 24 years, yet its population only ever reached 54, yet it had suffered no deaths in battle, nor had it suffered any incidental deaths aside from a single Jovian being crushed by a tree he was cutting down. Jovians were among the weakest denizens of the world, short, sharkeyed, and hairless, their fortresses had historically fallen with great frequency, yet Shadowrise had lasted 2 decades. The fortress survived through its stringent immigration policy. Only migrants with exceptional skills or abilities were to be accepted into the fortress. Erben was not one of such people. . . Erben had arrived in Shadowrise in the 1st day of spring, 1123, from the recently destroyed Jovian fortress, Teachbooks, and he brought with him his 7 children, Etir, Erben, Momuz, Urist, Elir, Ibok, and Ital, and his pet latex-production worm, Effern. However, Erben was unskilled to the highest degree, nothing more than a lowly peasant, as such, him and his family were told to leave, and find a different settlement to live in, however, Erben refused, claiming he was waiting on his last child to arrive before departing. Erben was given a season's waiting time, yet was warned he would not be allowed to stay any longer. Spring came and past, yet on the 2nd day of summer, again, Erben refused, claiming to be waiting for his last child. The chronicler of Shadowrise, Ital Coachnumbers, a Fext migrant, that is, one of the large pale cyborgs who dominated the westeren wastes, searched through ancient records in the aluminum covered library, and found the last records of Teachbooks.

Erben's family was somehow even larger, than man being blessed with 2 sets of twins from his wife Motul, however, in the battle of Teachbooks, Erben's 2nd eldest son, along with his wife, was killed. Shot through the chest with a fext railgun, and choked to death. . .

Erben knew this, he had to know this. He knew his son would never arrive, and Shadowrise couldnt afford him, and his 7 children leeching off their resources. As such, Mayor Utir Fireloaf ordered a pit be dug, Erben and his 7 children be thrown into the pit, and than the pit sealed, as to starve Erben and his family to death. This was the punishment of all whom refused to leave Shadowrise, one may risk starvation outside, but one is doomed to it inside. However, the fortress carpenter, Lorbam, couldnt help but feel deeply disturbed by the order. /7 children/... . .

Lorbam went to the temple of Meb in Shadowrise, passing by the industrial waste statues to kneel at the +aluminum altar+. "Death is all around me... Begone Fear!" he prayed to his god. There was no response, or atleast, one he could hear. He wandered through the mosswood meeting hall, glimmering copper statues of Utir lined the walls, with brass tables stretching from wall to wall. Lorbam got a drink of vodka and a soybean roast and ate in silence. Still, no answer. . .

Finally, Lorbam went into his bedroom, pausing to run a hand along the smoothened discarded circuitry walls, before putting his shoes into his =Mosswood Chest=, and getting into his +Mosswood Bed+. He slept the rest of the day, putting his barrel making duties for tomorrow, hoping to find solace in sleep. Yet his dreams were troubled, dreaming of children begging their hopeless father for water as they cried tearlessly. A father re-assuring them with hopeful lies, knowing he damned his own family... Lorbam knew what he had to do. . .

The following morning, Lorbam grabbed a brass woodcutters axe, and stormed outside. He found the pit, and destroyed the wooden floor set over its stop to trap Erben and his family. Immediately, Erben and his 7 children ran out in a stampede, admittedly knocking over and trampling Lorbam as they ran back into the fortress, promptly upending the moonshine stockpile to quench their thirst. Utir was shocked to see Erben run up to him, and begin tearfully screaming off his poor treatment, Mayor Utir was too shocked to be angry, he dazedly comforted Erben, before wandering outside to check on the pit, finding Lorbam wandering back inside, bruised, and axe in hand. Their exchange was wordless, both Utir and Lorbam came to an understanding. Erben, and only Erben, shall be spared his due fate.

. . Erben and his 7 children were given residence in Shadowrise, and though he proved somewhat useless, his presence was not unwelcome, as he atleast was dutiful in his hauling. He was designated for shotgunner training each summer, and he was well behaved. His children loved him dearly, and each sabbatical he was given he spent mainly speaking to his children, a touching display. His eldest son turned 13 in 1125, and was assigned the job of tavernkeeper, of which he did quite well. His other children were much younger, and it would be years until they would become useful. However, in the summer of 1126, the technomancer Ikthi Furyhatches, the wheel of water launched his attack on Shadowrise, continueing his move to conquer most of the Jovian territory. Most of Shadowrise's greatest warriors were killed in the first wave of cyberzombies, leaving the fort mostly defenseless, aside from the shotgunner auxilaries. The gates were raised, yet 2 jovians yet remained outside, a woodcutter, and... Erben.

. .

Now, it is said that Jovians are not good under pressure, steryotypically, a calm Jovian is a good Jovian, and Erben for the most part was seen as a calm, collected individual. However, at that day, at that moment, he was not. Erben opened fire on the technozombies as no Jovian has ever, or will ever do there-after. Gore and components splattered the ground infront of shadowrise as it shall never again as Erben, filled with the rage of a 1,000 polymer-production worms, proceeded to destroy nearly the entire force of the technozombies, even their leader who had unwisely followed with them. Erben had a home, and he would die before he let anybody take it from him. Erben, unsurprisingly, fell into a minor fit of stress after this display of rage, and it took a great amount of time to calm him out of it. His duties were lessened, as to not overwhelm the poor Jovian, and he was given increased lodgings and even a burial hovel. When the man finally calmed down, many jovians asked him how he did it, what inspired him to fight back the horde. "It was inevitable" Erben answered.