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Ishmael Ashur, formally known as the Lord of The Pitt, is the leader of the raiders occupying the Pitt and a central character in the Fallout 3 add-on The Pitt.
History[]
The Scourge[]
Born on the West Coast, Ashur was picked for the Brotherhood of Steel expedition to D.C. under Star Paladin Owyn Lyons. With their innability to contact the Midwestern Brotherhood, the Brotherhood was forced to continue their mission and head towards Washington, D.C. During their travels, the expedition came across the ruins of the pre-War city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Now known as "the Pitt", the city was lawless: gangs, raiders, slavers and many other kinds of horrors all freely wandered the streets, and anarchy ruled unchecked. The few innocent inhabitants had to scratch out a living in this terrorizing environment, most of who were either sick or dying from the combined effects of the intense radiation and pollution from pre-War industrial factories damaged by the bombs spewing into the atmosphere.
Horrified by what they saw, the Brotherhood attacked the Pitt in an event known as "the Scourge," as their forces combed the ruins and killed anyone who dared to put up a fight. Due to their sheer superior technological and combat abilities, the Brotherhood sustained virtually no losses but wiped out much of the Pitt's population. By the time The Scourge was over, only a handful of raider gangs still existed in any large form. Although the intent of the Scourge remains unclear, the Brotherhood took many non-mutated children, such as Paladin Kodiak, from the Pitt and placed them into initiate training.[3][4] In the midst of the Brotherhood's bloody purge, slaughtering resisting inhabitants and looting anything undamaged,[4] Ashur was caught in an explosion in the steel mill and ended up buried under rubble. Believed to be killed in action by his brothers, he was left behind as Lyons pulled out of the city.[2] However, he had survived, protected from being crushed to death by his power armor. He was eventually found by survivors trying to pull him out of the rubble and scavenge his armor. Ashur's awakening impressed them, with some of the scavengers even considering him a god. In the wake of the power vacuum left by the Brotherhood, the streets left deserted by the deaths of the raider gangs which once infested the streets, he brought many of the scavengers in the area together under his leadership, deciding to leverage their divine dedication, combine it with his leadership skills, and turn the Pitt around.[1]
The Scourge was a blessing in disguise as Ashur easily established himself as a leading presence in the chaotic aftermath. Presenting himself as a mere initiate dragged along unwillingly by the Brotherhood's dogma, he rallied the people around him. The Brotherhood had killed most of the trogs and the wildmen infesting the city at that time, giving the Pitt a reprieve, calming it down and allowing Ashur to rebuild. What's more, while the looting by Lyons was severe, it left behind a substantial amount of material and especially people to rebuild with. What the Brotherhood considered "damaged goods," Ashur saw as a readily available stockpile of material. Some choices were ironic: while the Brotherhood took Greg Bear, and left behind his elder brothers, considered too far gone, Ashur took them under his wing and molded them into some of his finest soldiers.[5]
Reviving the Pitt[]
Instead of trying to return to the Brotherhood, Ashur chose to remain and rebuild the Pitt to its former strength because he was touched by the tenacious locals who had endured great hardship before, during and after the Scourge. A more practical reasons was discovering that it contained the only operational steel mill anyone in the Brotherhood had ever seen, allowing the Pitt's denizens to build and maintain their own equipment versus scavenging pre-War ruins. To maintain control, Ashur formed his own organization and, using his Brotherhood training and expertise, quickly began killing off the leaders of the remaining raider gangs to cement his dominance. Low-ranking raiders who did not rebel were conscripted, and the "Lord of the Pitt" grew in power to the point where his territory extended from the steelyards to encompass most of the city's ruins. Ashur organized his forces into a functioning government under his autocratic rule, turning them into a standing army with the fiercest raiders becoming his top lieutenants. With the Pitt firmly under his control, Ashur occupied an intact skyscraper, renamed as Haven as his palace to watch over his city.[Non-game 2]
However, it was not long before he realized that raider gangs would not be enough to bring the Pitt to its full potential. He resorted to using slave labor overseen by his raiders to carry out the tasks necessary to fire up the old industries again, relying on slave hubs like Paradise Falls in the Capital Wasteland to provide the bodies necessary. Unlike the Legion from Arizona or the Slaver's Guild, Ashur does not believe in a firmly stratified society: he insists on referring to slaves as "workers", believing that this small difference is important in the big scheme of things, especially since he openly invites them to earn their freedom.[6] He also refers to his raiders as "soldiers", drawing a line between their past lives and their new role as footmen in his army. He's well aware his army is prone to cruelty, but he tries to limit the abuse slaves suffer, and if anyone proves to be particularly sadistic, he has them executed and hanged up in public as a reminder to everyone.[7] A lesser punishment is reassignment to border guard duty, though for some, it does not curb their sadistic streak in the slightest.[Non-game 3]
Though brutal, Ashur's measures have resulted in success and the Pitt's strength has grown in the decades since, with Ashur importing large numbers of slaves, even entire towns captured by slavers,[8] and conscripting or hiring raiders from the outside to fill out the ranks of his army. The growing size of the army also meant delegating an increasing number of duties, with policing the slaves and trogs assigned to his lieutenants.[Non-game 4]
Discovering a cure[]
One crucial obstacle to the Pitt's future was the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion that had been ravaging the city for decades, even before Ashur's time, and which made natural procreation and repopulation impossible. It was a stroke of luck that changed things: a scientist named Sandra Kundanika traveled to the city after hearing about the Pitt's status as an up-and-coming civilization in the wastes. Sandra managed to gain an audience with Ashur and was welcomed into his inner circle. The two developed feelings for each other, becoming life partners.
A year before 2277, Sandra had become pregnant and gave birth to Ashur's child, a daughter named Marie. It was with the birth of his daughter that Ashur's mission had a breakthrough: Marie was born with a natural immunity to radiation as well as the mutating properties of the Pitt,[9][10] most importantly the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion that blighted the Pitt. Ashur and Sandra set to work on developing a cure for their fellow Pitt inhabitants.[11] If they could synthesize and mass produce it, the cure would remove the necessity to rely on outside sources for population growth, as the residents of the Pitt would be immunized and able to procreate without fear of miscarriages or stillbirths from disease. The city would at last be able to function without the involvement of slave labor to maintain the manpower necessary to operate.[12]
Ashur's ultimate goal is to create a strong foundation for a future nation capable of standing on its own. He truly believes he is on the right track, since in only a couple of decades, he managed to establish an army and a functioning industry, and with a few more years, a solution to the hellish radiation and contamination of the Pitt would come.[13]
Daily schedule[]
Ashur spends the majority of his time in his office at the top of Haven, but is occasionally seen giving speeches to the slaves of the Pitt every once in a while. He also runs the Pitt's radio station.
Interactions with the player[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
  |
This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. Free Labor | |
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This character starts quests. | |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
Speeches[]
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashur's power armor Recon helmet |
Combat shotgun Frag grenade |
Ashur's key Shotgun shells |
Notes[]
Despite insisting to the Lone Wanderer that the residents of Downtown be called "workers," Ashur himself still refers to them as "slaves" a few times in dialogue.
Notable quotes[]
- "I understand. We've all got a past, and damn few of us have reason to be proud of it."
- "Ever since the city was scourged, we've done what everyone does: whatever's necessary to survive. I know my city seems barbaric to you, but it's the only way we can carve out a home in this hellhole, and it's kept these people alive. But that's enough stalling for time. So, do you know Wernher?"
- "Now that Marie's back, we have a chance at curing the disease that's been ravaging The Pitt since the bombs. Without it killing our kids, we can grow like a real city. No more bringing in slaves. No more forced labor. Things can get better. It's taken me a lot of work to rebuild this city. With your help, it's finally going to have a chance."
- "That's what I wanted to hear! You've got a bright future ahead of you in The Pitt, new blood. In fact, I'd like to let you in on a little secret, and show you the amazing advance that'll secure our place in the Wasteland. Now, I think, would be a good time for you to meet the cure for yourself. Let's take a trip back to the lab, where Sandra can explain..."
- "Right now, nothing. Until we can reproduce a treatment from Marie, they'll have to keep working. Otherwise, this city falls apart. But once we do have a cure, things will be different. We won't need to kidnap people for our city. We'll be able to grow naturally. Until then, this is the way it has to be. It's just what has to be done."
- "Nice work in the hole, new blood. Knew you couldn't be one of our normal workers. So, that begs the question: who are you, and what are you doing in my city?"
- "Ever since the city was scourged, we've done what everyone does: whatever's necessary to survive. I know my city seems barbaric to you, but it's the only way we can carve out a home in this hellhole, and it's kept these people alive. But that's enough stalling for time. So, do you know Wernher?"
Appearances[]
Ishmael Ashur appears in the Fallout 3 add-on The Pitt and Fallout Shelter Online.
Behind the scenes[]
- The Lord of The Pitt's first name, Ishmael is a reference to a figure of the same name present in the Hebrew Bible, while his last name is a reference to Ashur, an East Semitic god and the head of the Assyrian pantheon. The history of the ancient city of Assur also holds several similarities and symbolisms to Lord Ashur's life and the Pitt.
- Ashur's previous rank in the Brotherhood before he became the Lord of the Pitt is inconsistently stated. While he refers to himself as being an initiate at the time of the Scourge,[1][2] his skill at leadership and having a prior education is consistent with being a paladin and he is even identified as such in the Official Game Guide.[Non-game 1]
- Ashur's black-and-yellow-painted armor reflects the official colors of the real-world city of Pittsburgh.
- Political themes
- The motivational speeches lean heavily on left-wing rhetoric, with at least two being (almost) straight quotes from communist thinkers.
- "Let the ruling classes of the wasteland tremble at our new industrial revolution!" (Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto (1848): "Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.")
- "'What is genuine is proved in the fire, what is false we shall not miss in our ranks.' Remember it well, my friends." (Friedrich Engels, Anti-Schilling (1841): "We are not afraid to fight. Nothing more desirable could have happened to us than for a time to be ecclesia pressa. There the minds part. What is genuine is proved in the fire, what is false we shall not miss in our ranks.")
- One exception appears to be the speech "You are not collared beasts of burden. You are proud workers, building a home in the world. Work shall set us all free." segment, of which the last sentence evokes connotations with the cynical Nazi slogan "Arbeit macht frei". In far right thought, it was meant not as liberation through work, but extermination through forced labor.
Bugs[]
- Sometimes after the initial meeting dialogue with Ashur he will repeat the words "Don't let me keep you" a few times to before leaving. This appears to be a bug, supposedly caused by speaking to others in Haven before speaking to Ashur or by skipping through too much of Ashur's dialogue.[verified]
- After accessing the computer in the room with Marie, Ashur's corpse is very likely to disappear he has been killed, so be sure to loot his body before using it.[verified]
- Ashur's speech prior to entering the arena is bugged. In the PC version of the game, he will skip every other text block, causing the speech to be much shorter (the skipped portions of the speech can be heard in the background playing at the same time as the heard portions). The full speech plays in the Xbox and PlayStation version of the game.[verified]
- Sometimes when entering Haven and interrupting Ashur's talk with Kenshaw you cannot interact with him and he will stand there with his legs shaking.[verified]
- Ashur may sometimes be killed by going to hear his speech, and then shooting the guards before your weapons will be put away. The Pitt Raider that stands up on the railing may start shooting him and kill him.[verified]
- When Ashur is delivering his speech, there may be 4 possible echoes instead of 1. He will say the last word 5 times (Once over the intercom, 4 echoes, all at the same volume) and may freeze up there.[verified]
- If the player noclips up to Ashur's podium while he is delivering his speech, he will crouch as if he is fleeing, but it will state that "This character is busy."[verified]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Lone Wanderer: "How did The Pitt get started?"
Ishmael Ashur: "Believe it or not, it started when the Brotherhood decided to loot this hellhole and wipe it off the map. We called it the Scourge. Back then, I was "Initiate Ashur." But that ended when the Brotherhood left me behind, and I came to see The Pitt in a new light. I was found by tribals who thought I was a god. I didn't argue, and with my leadership and their divine dedication, we began rebuilding this city."
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ashur's Diary 2: The Scourge
- ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "That's awful! How could the Brotherhood do that?"
Kodiak: "Normally, that would get you a crack across the jaw. But since you didn't know what the Pitt was like, I'll let it go. I still have nightmares about the place. Thirty years and how many horrors later, and the Pitt is still the worst thing I've ever seen. It was ugly work, sure. Questionably moral? No doubt. But there was no other choice. That city had to go."
(Kodiak's dialogue) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lone Wanderer: "What was the Scourge?"
Kodiak: "It was a Brotherhood operation. They marched in and swept the place clean. Most of the people there were half-mutated, cancerous, vile things. And these people... rape gangs, torture squads... it was pure chaos there. The Scourge is the best thing that could have happened to it. This was way back, before the Citadel was fortified. Part of the early recon after the Brotherhood first arrived in this area. One night, a squad of Brothers led by Paladin Lyons swept into the city from over Mount Wash, tearing apart anyone who stood against them. They were completely outnumbered. And still they razed that place to the ground."
(Kodiak's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "How did you rebuild after the Scourge?"
Ishmael Ashur: "It wasn't actually that tough. The Scourge had cleared out a lot of Trogs, so we had space to move in. The Brotherhood had looted a lot, but they left even more behind as "damaged goods." And you can rebuild a lot out of "damaged goods." For example, they took one survivor, a kid they called "Kodiak". But they left his big brothers behind, because they were too wild and mean. But as it turns out, the Bear Brothers were some of my finest soldiers. At least, until they went up against you."
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Why do you keep slaves in The Pitt?"
Ishmael Ashur: "First of all, they aren't "slaves." They're "workers." They can earn their freedom, like you did. I know it's not a big difference, but it's important. And it's a lot better than they'll get from the slavers we get them from."
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Why are The Pitt's workers treated so poorly?"
Ishmael Ashur: "I know some of my soldiers are harsher than they need to be. Usually, it's the ones who were raiders before they signed up here. The workers need to be pushed, but I don't tolerate cruelty for cruelty's sake. The soldiers who used to be workers know where to draw the line. I can't stop all of the abuse, but when someone goes too far, I make sure they're strung up around town as an example."
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue) - ↑ Rollings -- We're done
- ↑ Sandra Kundanika: "Oh! I wasn't expecting Ashur to let you into the lab. I'm Sandra, and if I know my husband, he's already made you an offer to join us, right? So you're here to see our little miracle, aren't you? This is my daughter Marie: she can be a handful, but my little angel is going to save the city."
(Sandra's dialogue) Note: This line is spoken if [clarification needed]. - ↑ Sandra Kundanika: "Oh! Ashur told me you might be coming here, but I'm afraid I was preoccupied. Little Marie here is an angel, but she can still be a handful. I'm Sandra. Ashur set me up here to work on The Pitt's medical research, and Marie here is our daughter. Our little miracle, really."
(Sandra's dialogue) Note: This line is spoken if [clarification needed]. - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Wait, you mean she has a natural and transferable immunity of some sort?"
Sandra Kundanika: "Well, this is a nice surprise. Apparently, you and Ashur are the only other people who know anything about science in this place. Yes, it seems that our daughter was born with a naturally acquired immunity to any form of mutation. It's nothing short of a miracle, honestly. I'm still trying to figure out why, but she may just hold the key to stopping The Pitt's Trog problem. Hell, maybe other types of mutations, too!"
(Sandra's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Why do you keep workers in The Pitt?"
Ishmael Ashur: "I wish it wasn't necessary, but we need the labor to keep the city functioning. We don't have the leisure of laziness. Soldiers fight Trogs and get food from outside of town. Workers need to supply them with ammo and gear. Everyone has to do their part, or we all die. Until we have a cure for The Pitt, the city has no children. People die, so we need new people. And sometimes, that means buying them."
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "I heard The Pitt was building an army. I'm here to join."
Ishmael Ashur: "You heard right. And after a show like that, how could I refuse someone of your talents? While the rest of the world scrambles to survive, we have an army, industry, and thanks to a recent surprise, we've got no need to fear radiation. But we do have a few loose ends that still need tied up. Tell me, do you know a man named Wernher?"
(Ishmael Ashur's dialogue)
Non-game
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition pp.43-44:
"Pitt Raiders
Pitt Slaves
Trogs
Wildmen
Following the Great War, survivors established a settlement on the remains of a city at the confluence of rivers. The rivers seem to provide a clear resource, and enough of the city was cleared by the bombs that a new settlement could be established. However, radioactive material and unidentified mutagens mixed into the groundwater, causing it to become slightly mutagenic and highly carcinogenic. As a result, the people in the new settlement began to change ever so slightly.
The changes were subtle, not nearly to the degree of the Super Mutants or the various Wasteland creatures, but over the next 140 years, it became undeniable that something was affecting the people of The Pitt. Starting from the first few years, children were often born with strange growths or extra vestigial limbs. The mutations never went far beyond the occasional hunchback or cleft palate, but it wasn't long before the vast majority of the residents of The Pitt developed some sort of physical deformity in their lifetimes. Although many children were born "clean," the older they got, the more likely that a problem would develop.
The most disturbing change that the environment caused was not nearly as noticeable as the physical deformities. The infected water and poisoned sky began to cause neurological damage to those exposed to it. People became more hostile, violent, and short-tempered; they became known as "Wildmen." Their emotions became out of control, and their actions often teetered on primal. In severe cases, mutated humans devolved into hunched, savage beasts nicknamed "Trogs." Over the first 50 years, The Pitt quickly degenerated into a dangerous den of murderers and rapists; even cannibalism was not uncommon. The only loyalty was in strength, and the only organization was between those who were strong enough to control others and those who were controlled.
Rumors of the horrors of The Pitt spread throughout the Wasteland, and all travelers knew to avoid it at all costs. However, The Pitt became one of the most self-sufficient communities in the Wastes. Granted, their self-sufficiency relied on the citizens occasionally eating one another, but they functioned without trade or export.
In 2042, Star Paladin Lyons of the Brotherhood of Steel led the Scourge, a large-scale military action that wiped out nearly the entire population of The Pitt. In a single night, the Brotherhood swept through the city, eliminating any resident who put up a fight. Although the intent of the Scourge remains unclear, several unmutated children were taken from The Pitt by the Brotherhood and placed into initiate training. The motivations for the Scourge are unclear to this day, but many in the Brotherhood note that it was a marked change in the way the Brotherhood operates. Additionally, it is known that something was recovered from The Pitt during the Scourge, although to date it would seem that only Elder Lyons knows what it was.
It is said that a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin from the Scourge stayed on in The Pitt, seeking to bring law and order to the unwashed masses and creating an underclass of Pitt Slaves in the process, guarded by Pitt Raiders under his personal command. However, in the decades following the events of the Scourge, nobody has heard anything from The Pitt. Travelers who have gone to investigate have not returned, and no survivors have emerged."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide faction profiles) - ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.61: "Ashur
Leader of the Pitt Raiders, Ashur is an imposing force in The Pitt, commanding respect through fear and accomplishments and his part in past atrocities. He was part of the Brotherhood of Steel forces that tore through The Pitt in a cataclysmic clash known as the Scourge. He remained, ruling the masses while seeking technological breakthroughs that could help heal the population from the ravages of "the sickness." His secondary plan is to continue to build up his army of Pitt Raiders, weaning out the infirm or incompetent in the Arena, and then march on the Wasteland, reuniting it and The Pitt. He is married to Sandra, who has recently given birth to a beautiful baby daughter."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census) - ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.85: "Mex
Cruel and despicable, even for a Pitt Raider, Mex has been removed from general guard duties by Ashur and sent to guard the gates to Pitt Downtown after bouts of Pitt Slave punishment that left many with horrific injuries. Adept with a rifle, Mex is content with tagging escapees, laying down a variety of mines, and watching his prey explode in a variety of impressive arterial spray patterns."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census) - ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.81: "Krenshaw
Krenshaw is Ashur's right-hand man and is in charge of maintaining the peace, or as close to a violent suppression of Pitt Slaves and Trogs as he can manage without culling too many of the worker population. He also maintains the floodlight generators in Uptown; plunging this area into darkness would spell doom, as the Trogs would overrun Haven."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
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