A-Z Fallout lore

Z is for Zombie

A zombie is an undead corpse, originating from certain pre-War religious beliefs and popularized by fiction films and entertainment. While it is sometimes used as a derogatory term for zealous cultists perceived to have no free will of their own, it is most often used by bigoted wastelanders as a deeply offensive racial slur referring to Ghouls. The corpse-like appearance of Ghouls, the slow shuffle with which the more decrepit move and the ignorance or unwillingness of some to differentiate between feral and intelligent Ghouls, have led to such slurs as brain eater and zombie. This also popularized the belief that Ghouls can only be killed by shooting them in the head. Ghouls in turn often refer to normal humans as smoothskins, while Super Mutants often use the term bleeders. Many posthumans, such as Ghouls and Super Mutants, suffer from inequal treatment by normal humans, ranging from name calling, racial segregation to outright hostility, in the most extreme cases even leading to lynchings or slavery. As of yet very few places in New California have managed to create a truly open, harmonious society where all races are accepted and considered equal. Racial discrimination is outlawed in the NCR, though as always societal viewpoints are slower to evolve than legislative ones. Nevertheless the ranks of the NCR military and Rangers are among the most diverse to be found and the status of posthumans is changing for the better.

A-Z Fallout lore

Y is for Yuma Flats Energy Consortium

Yuma Flats is a household name for scavengers, sure to bring dollar signs to their eyes. Specializing in high-energy weapons research, the Yuma Flats Energy Consortium produced some of the most powerful pulse weapons available before the War. Though branded as pulse weapons, the YK models of Yuma Flats are not actually electromagnetic pulse weapons, but rather fire electrical pulses, especially effective at burning through heavy armor and disintegrating biological matter. It is assumed that true EMP weapons for use against electronic targets never saw successful mass production, or all existing copies were lost after the War. The Consortium's initial designs led to the development of a lightweight electrical pulse pistol, the YK32. Due to its bulk and inordinate energy usage the pulse pistol never became popular and was quickly phased out by the YK42B pulse rifle, allowing for greater range and energy capacity. These highly advanced rifles were rare even before the War, distributed only to select army units, and are understandbly seldom found in the wasteland, making a functional Yuma Flats gun a very lucrative find.

A-Z Fallout lore

X is for Xander root

Xander root is a bulbous, tuberous root, used predominantly in tribal medicine for its mild healing properties. The root is only found growing in the wild, usually around rocky outcrops or near withered vegetation and can be identified by skilled outdoorsmen by its exposed head and tall green leaves, jutting out from a small earthen mound. By itself the ingestion of the bland tasting but nutritious root has only a negligible restorative effect on one's constitution. Tribal medicine men and women however make use of the root in combination with ground up Broc flower to make a much more potent, though slightly narcotic, healing powder. The ascribed healing properties of Xander root have been ascertained by medical science as well. In the absence of proper synthesized chemicals, the root is sometimes used as an ingredient in stimpak production, though the scarcity of the root and failure to cultivate it makes this process impractical on a larger scale.

A-Z Fallout lore

W is for the Water Merchants

The Water Merchants are one of the largest and wealthiest caravan companies in the NCR, specializing in transporting water across the wasteland. The Water Merchants and their closest competitors, the Far Go Traders and the Crimson Caravan, together are known as the Big Three, all originating from and keeping their headquarters in the Hub. The Merchants rose to prominence in the early 22nd century during the turmoil that followed after Angus, the founder and governor of the town, was murdered. The Merchants seized control of the oasis’ water tower and started demanding tolls of rival companies for access to the water supply. This led to the conflict known by the Hubbers as the Great Merchant Wars. The Merchants sealed up the town but were outnumbered, and a standoff ensued. The situation lasted for two years until a settlement was negotatiated, leading to the creation of the Hub’s central council, consisting of two representatives of each caravan company and chaired by a law officer, now the NCR governor. The council succeeded in restoring the peace in the Hub and eventually the existing status quo between the caravan groups was grudgingly accepted. It was through backing from the council that bottle caps later came to be accepted as the regional currency, which led to bottle caps also being refered to as „Hub bucks“ in their heyday. Now as part of the NCR, the Hub’s merchant groups have managed to further increase their influence, using their economic weight to gain a foothold in top political circles as well. The scarcity of fresh water sources in many areas of the wasteland ensure the Water Merchants’ continued prosperity, and caravans set out on a daily basis from the Merchants' district in the Hub, dominated by the water tower, to other towns in the region.

A-Z Fallout lore

V is for the Vault Dweller

The Vault Dweller, or the Stranger, is a semi-legendary figure, featured in tales from the time of the foundation of the New California Republic. In general, a vault dweller is an inhabitant of one of the large fallout shelters constructed before the War by Vault-Tec Industries, called Vaults. When a story makes mention of the Vault Dweller, it refers specifically to the enigmatic wanderer who traveled the Californian wasteland almost a century ago, claiming to have come from Vault 13. Many heroic deeds (and also some less savory ones) have been attributed to the Vault Dweller, though it’s almost certain much of it is of later fabrication or at least widely exaggerated. Famously the Vault Dweller is said to have defeated the Master, the leader of a united Super Mutant army, and saved the settlement of Shady Sands from brutal raider attacks. Inhabitants of New Arroyo, a town far to the north, claim that later in his life the Vault Dweller, with some like-minded souls, settled the small tribal village that lay at its foundation. Here also is kept the manuscript known as the Vault Dweller’s memoirs, supposedly written by the man himself shortly before his death. Of great interest to those who study the wasteland’s history and legends, as well as scavengers looking for the places from these tales, the document is however very rarely shown to outsiders. After the Vault Dweller’s journeys, scavengers started looking for Vault 13, and for many years such expeditions were even sponsored by President Tandi, though in the end none of them ever managed to find its location. Eventually most have come to view Vault 13 as just another place of legend from the old world, like the Big Empty or the Sierra Madre. Those who believe the Vault Dweller never actually came from Vault 13 often call him the Stranger instead. Be it as it may, to this day the Vault Dweller is still revered or remembered by many wastelanders, and his legacy lives on in a multitude of stories. A statue in his honor was erected in front of the Hall of Congress in NCR Capital. The dedication reads:

“To the Stranger and Vault 13: What doesn't exist, we must sometimes dream and let our dreams inspire us to greater heights. So it was with the Stranger and his belief in the legend of Vault 13.”

A-Z Fallout lore

U is for Uranium

Uranium is a radioactive element, which in its enriched form is used as the basis of most types of nuclear weapons and as fuel for nuclear power plants. As the world's fossile fuel reserves had almost completely been exhausted in the second half of the 21st century, the realization of economically viable nuclear fusion presented a promising solution to the energy crisis, which the underdeveloped renewable energy industry had failed to do. New power plants were erected, existing ones modified, and even the first weapons and vehicles were produced, taking advantage of sophisticated miniaturized fusion technology. In retrospect, with more time nuclear fusion could probably have averted what ensued; as it was in 2077 the world was still too dependent on oil. The switch to fusion energy only partially completed, and only in the most developed regions, global devastation and nuclear winter followed as the Great War settled the conflict over the last remaining oil reserves. Now more than ever, energy is an extremely valuable commodity, together with fresh water supplies deciding the fate of the various settlements in the wasteland that slowly rose from the ashes. Though the theoretical knowledge of nuclear fusion has been lost, some power plants, generators and equipment survived more or less intact and are now the wasteland's main source of energy. This has in turn created a new dependence, no longer on oil, but on the rare uranium ore. Many prospectors spend their days surveying the wastes in vain, hoping to strike one of the fabled "mother lodes" on their mining claims. Thus far there is only one known source of uranium, and its continuous flow is of vital importance to the major powers in the region. From the mining town of Broken Hills regular caravans leave for Vault City, Gecko and the NCR, trading uranium for medical supplies, cattle or money. The mining operation is often cited by proponents as an example of how the harmonious coexistence of humans and post-humans can benefit all those involved. The uranium ore is mined by teams of Super Mutants, who seem impervious to the harmful radiation. The town's refinery is operated by Ghouls, benefiting from the stores of technical know-how accumulated in their extended life spans. The business side and organization of caravans is handled by the regular humans. The uranium trade is so crucial that even those inimical to mutants see themselves forced to deal with Broken Hills. However, the risk of disrupting the uranium flow and Broken Hills' isolated location act as a strong deterrent to those who would consider taking over the town by force.

Additional Edges/Hindrances

Some additional Fallout Traits and Perks savaged to Hindrances and Edges:

Edges

Veteran: - Size Matters (St d12, Bracing, Super Mutant): Can fire a heavy weapon using only one hand
Legendary: - Silent Death (Ag d12, Fighting d10, Ghost): If a stealth attack succeeds, gain The Drop

Hindrances

- Bruiser (Minor): The hero is a little bigger than most, but also a little slower. Discard a drawn face card for a new card
- Small Frame (Minor): The hero has a very slight build, reducing his carrying capacity. May only carry St x 3 unencumbered. Human only
- Schizophrenic (Minor): Prolonged use of stealth technology has left the hero paranoid and delusional. The character often experiences hallucinations or suffers from a split personality. Additionally the character suffers a -2 penalty to Notice checks. Super Mutant only

changed following Hindrances:

- Kamikaze (Major): The hero never pays any attention to defence, he/she always prefers to press the attack. Parry is limited to the character’s Fighting skill / 2
- Night Person (Minor): As a night-time person, you are more awake when the sun goes down. Your perception and intelligence are dulled during the day. -2 to Smarts-based skill checks during the daytime

A-Z Fallout lore

T is for Tandi


Tandi was the second president of the NCR, responsible for its rapid growth and prosperity, and one of the most influential political figures in the post-War wasteland. Born in 2145 in the small village of Shady Sands, daughter of the settlement's leader Aradesh, already at a young age Tandi displayed the exceptional strength of character and resolve which would serve her well in her later life as first the towns and later the entire federation's leader. Tandi's life changed forever when at the age of sixteen she met the legendary hero known as the Vault Dweller, who later rescued her from the hands of the Khan raiders after they had kidnapped the girl during a raid. Inspired by his example, Tandi went on to help her father expand Shady Sands. After the disappearance of her father in 2196, Tandi followed in his footsteps as President. Determined to bring peace and stability to the wasteland, she looked beyond the borders of Shady Sands, now the New California Republic, and opened talks and trade routes with the outside world, beginning with Junktown and The Hub. As the NCR came to dominate the Brahmin trade and the first towns began to join the federation and the first states emerged, the NCR became an economic power without equal. In the following decades more towns would follow, peace and stability came over the lawless wastes and Tandi's popularity soared, assuring her reelection to office for all her subsequent terms as President, 52 years in total, until her death at the age of 103 a year ago. Universally loved for bringing peace, prosperity and democracy to the wasteland and common man, parts of her political legacy are not without their critics. Some question the democratic health of the republic, after a 52 year uninterrupted reign by one person, growing corruption, power-brokering lobbyists, cattle barons and trade companies. The lofty ideals of her early presidency were gradually replaced by a grittier pragmatism, resulting in deals such as the New Reno alliance and giving more leeway to right wing elements in Congress. Many expect the coming years to be critical for the NCR's survival as a democratic federation. Many places and building are named in honor of Tandi, and her portrait is pictured on the new NCR $100 bills.

Handbook and Survival Guide update

I've uploaded the latest versions of the GM's Handbook and players' Survival Guide. Changes include:

Hindrances

- Added/changed/removed: Radiation Sensitivity, Chem Resistant, Fast Metabolism, Night Person

Edges

-Added/changed/removed: Better Luck, Better Criticals, Ghost, Gifted, Gunslinger, Hit the Deck, Increased Metabolism, Jury Rig, Run 'n Gun

Items

-Added stats for: Healing Powder, YK32 Pulse Pistol
-Changed stats/prices for: M72 Gauss Rifle, Laser Rifle, Plasma Rifle, YK42B Pulse Rifle, Light Support Weapon, .223 Minigun, Flamethrower, Rocket Launcher, Dynamite, Assault Rifle, H&K G11, Buffout, Jet, Psycho, Mentats, Rad-X, Radiation Suit, Stealth Boy

Bestiary

-Added stats for: Alien, Fire Ant, Fire Gecko, Floater, Floating Eye/Eyebot, Giant Ant Queen, Giant Soldier Ant
-Changed stats for: Centaur, Deathclaw, Golden Gecko, Mirelurk, Mirelurk Hunter, Mr. Handy/Mr. Gutsy, Protectron, Radroach, RoboBrain, Sentry Bot, Super Mutant Behemoth, Turret Mk II, Wanamingo Queen
-Alphabetized for easier reference

General

-Layout/spelling errors

A-Z Fallout lore

S is for the Slaver's Guild
 
The Slaver's Guild is a powerful alliance of veteran slavers controlling much of the slave trade in northern California. While slavery is outlawed in the NCR and other civilized settlements, the practice persists in many other areas and is a very lucrative business in the post-War wasteland. Rather than compete against each other, several smaller groups of slavers banded together to organize joint capture hunts and fix market prices. The loose alliance grew into a strictly controlled guild which now dominates the slave trade, so much that operating without the Guild's approval is likely to get a slaver killed. Members of the Slaver's Guild must have the Guild's distinctive mark tattooed on their face, making it very easy for the Guild to spot outsiders putting slaves up for auction and take appropriate action. As most settlements in northern California lack any real government, the tightly run Guild often controls the smaller towns where it operates, openly or behind the scenes. The Slaver's Guild headquarters are located in the Den, as well as a smaller branch in New Reno, where it maintains relations with the local crime families, trading slaves for weapons and drugs. Though slavery is fiercely opposed and outlawed by the NCR, the Guild nevertheless manages to conduct limited business in its territories, exploiting several legal loopholes, much to the chagrin of abolitionists. NCR Rangers often seek out slaving expeditions beyond the Republic's borders and destroy them whenever possible, making the Rangers and slavers mortal enemies. Ironically, the Slaver's Guild can be considered one of the most inclusive organizations in the wasteland, accepting members of all races, colors and creeds.

A-Z Fallout lore

R is for RobCo



RobCo Industries was one of the largest pre-War manufacturers of consumer and military electronics, computer systems and robots in the United States. Even today the name RobCo is known to every scavenger and tech-savvy wastelander. Most of the more advanced technologies remaining in the wasteland were produced by the company or one of its subsidiaries, and virtually all computer terminals still in working order run on RobCo’s Unified Operating System. Founded in the mid-21st century, RobCo quickly became one of the most powerful corporations in the world, further increasing its dominance by numerous successful joint ventures and takeovers. Partnered with General Atomics International, RobCo cornered the consumer robotics market with the Protectron and Mr. Handy models, while distributing Securitron and Mr. Gutsy robots to the US military, as well as the Stealth Boy personal stealth devices. Later acquisitions such as REPCONN Aerospace broadened the company’s product range to include aerospace technology. But no doubt the most successful partnership RobCo forged was their collaboration with Vault-Tec, the company contracted by the US government to design and produce the enormous Vault fallout shelter project. RobCo created several of the Vault systems, among them the vault dwellers’ personal information processors, the Pip-Boy 2000 and 3000 series. As most of this electronic equipment and machinery has withstood the passage of time and century-long neglect remarkably well, forgotten or deserted Vaults and RobCo factories can thus be veritable treasure troves for entrepreneuring scavengers.

A-Z Fallout lore

Q is for Quartz



Quartz is a flavor of the pre-War United States’ most popular carbonated soft drink, Nuka-Cola, unique to the American southwest. Invented and marketed some decades before the War, the caffeinated, fruit-flavored soda quickly took the country by storm and gained an extremely dedicated, widespread following. Vending machines selling ice-cold Cola could be found on virtually every street in every American town. Thanks to its ubiquity and enormous production reserves, Nuka-Cola can still be found and enjoyed to this day in the wasteland, though the bottles’ contents are generally rather flat and warmer than ideally served. Popular as ever, well-to-do fans of the soft drink are known to pay good money to scavengers selling memorabilia of the brand or the very rare novelty editions which the Nuka-Cola Co. started producing shortly before the bombs fell. Nuka-Cola Quantum and Clear were released on the east coast market, while in the southwest the Victory and Quartz flavors were introduced. Quartz is a clear drink with no coloring in contrast to Victory, which contains a mild isotope to make it glow in the dark. Searching for abandoned Nuka-Cola plants has thus become an interesting alternative for scavengers to make a living.

Session 9 summary

New horizons await and a daring heist is conceived...

Featuring:

- Craig: Good natured Super Mutant, seasoned wanderer of the wastes, walking the path of spirituality and non-violence;

- Dexx: Young but experienced thief from the streets of the Boneyard, aspiring scavenger who likes to drive a hard bargain;

- Xena: Well-armed, leather-clad mercenary with an attitude and eagerness to get in a fight if the caps are right;

After their discussion with Harlan Clint our heroes took to the streets once more, still unsure whether it would be in their interest to help the antipathetic strongman of Landfill strengthen his hold over the settlement by sabotaging his rival, bar proprietor and general shady dealer Shane Donaldson. More inclined towards the latter, they made up their mind to try and coax some more information out of Donaldson. Making their way back towards the town they noticed a tough looking woman, engaged in an argument with one of the waste yard guards, which ended in her angrily walking away. The strange group evidently must have caught her attention as she suddenly veered toward them. The robust middle-aged woman, sporting a heavy suit of leather armor, a submachine gun at her side and a challenging look in her eyes, introduced herself only as a mercenary by the name of Xena. Stuck in Landfill without employment and little cash, she asked if the group knew of any opportunities for a woman of her talents. As they all found themselves in the same situation, Xena decided to tag along with them on the next caravan out of town, perhaps sticking with them some longer if any lucrative opportunity was to present itself. The five of them headed back to The Hill, planning to spend the rest of their time in Landfill in an agreeable alcohol buzz. The bar was almost empty this early in the afternoon. A tall man in a long brown trench coat was standing at the bar, discussing something with an obviously uninterested Donaldson. The party joined them at the bar and ordered some beers. After a while Dexx' curiosity got the better of him and he turned to address the stranger. The man introduced himself as a Desert Ranger, having traveled down from the Mojave in pursuit of an outlaw from Boulder, who killed a few men in a bar fight some weeks earlier. The trail had grown cold around Landfill however. The Ranger gave them a general description of the gunslinger and some words of warning, before hitting the road again.

The group spent the rest of the day in The Hill, having drinks at the bar while Craig worked his shift as imposing doorman. The crowd slowly trickled in and before long the bar was abustle with the usual patrons and their raucous laughter and drunken shouting. Dexx took notice of one of the tables where games of chance were being played; at one of them a couple of men were seated, betting on dice. The rules of this particular game weren't entirely familiar to him, but seemed close enough to a game he picked up during his time in the Boneyard for him to fancy having a go at it, and he pulled up a chair. The gamblers seemed very friendly and only too eager to introduce him to their game. After a few rounds it became clear luck had abandoned Dexx that evening, losing most of his stakes and quitting the game with a net loss. His new acquaintance Xena proved more fortunate, joining the game a bit later and leaving it a fistful of caps richer. Once the lively ambiance began to die down the four of them took up a room for the night and headed upstairs.

The next morning Xena woke well before the others and quickly took to the streets, planning to ask around and see if any of the locals had a job that needed doing. Her companions instead slept in and went down for a leisurely breakfast of rather unappetizing white-yellowish slop, which could possibly have been porridge at one time. The idle days putting a strain on their finances, Dexx was mulling over possibilities of making some extra money, if need be illicitly. Business at the bar the evening before had been too slow to try and flex his thieving muscles comfortably without running the risk of detection, so his mind turned to a potentially much more lucrative endeavor. He remembered the valuable finds from the waste yard tunnels that Harlan Clint kept on display in his office, among them a fine pre-War laser pistol. While the rest of the group finished breakfast he left The Hill, walking over to the compound near the waste yard gate to do some reconnaissance. Acting nonchalantly he staked out the terrain, taking mental notes of the number of guards and patrol routes, when he noticed a group of travelers approaching the outskirts of town. Twelve suntanned, coarse looking men and a dwarf led two scrawny, heavily packed Brahmin toward the compound. The largest of the men and the dwarf proceeded to the company store and Clint's office, while the rest waited outside. Hoping the band of men to be the long awaited caravan, Dexx strolled over to strike up a conversation, meanwhile observing them to be rather well armed. His words of greeting however were met in a language he couldn't make heads or tails of. Fortunately the man and dwarf appeared again shortly after, and the dwarf, Sebastián, proved capable of speaking English. He introduced his companions as a group of traders all the way east out of Two Sun, heading for the Boneyard to trade ore and precious stones for weapons, making a stop in Landfill for supplies. As they seemed quite amicable despite their rough appearance, Dexx inquired after the possibility of joining them for part of the way, with Sebastián translating for the others. The group's leader, Carlos, gave his approval, stating they could travel with them as far as Palm Springs and head north to The Hub from there, while their group would continue west for the final leg of their journey. In good cheer they agreed to meet later that night at The Hill to meet the others, and would set out together at the break of dawn the next morning.

Dexx rejoined his friends for what looked like a busy night at The Hill. In addition to the locals some of the Two Sun traders came later in the evening. The men were initially unsettled by the sight of the Super Mutant, clearly not familiar to them, but good natured Craig managed to put them at ease quickly enough. After some more drinks the traders took their leave, in preparation for their early departure the next day. The prospect of leaving town before the break of dawn seemed to Dexx the perfect opportunity to make an attempt at liberating some valuables from Harlan Clint's office... to be continued!

A-Z Fallout lore

P is for Power Armor

Powered Infantry Armor was the pinnacle of pre-War military technology and is now one of the most coveted technological artifacts in the wasteland. During the Sino-American War, United States military researchers and contractors developed many new weapon systems to get the upper hand over the Chinese. While China experimented with stealth technology, the United States perfected the first prototypes of their man-based tank design for the army’s mechanized cavalry. The first suits of T-45d Power Armor were deployed in Alaska and proved to be an enormous military asset, despite the fact that the early suits burned through energy cells at an alarming rate. Allowing a single soldier to carry heavy ordinance and withstand overwhelming numbers of enemy combatants, Power Armor units were instrumental in the reclamation of Anchorage from the communist invaders. Shortly before the Great War the improved T-51b suits were manufactured, with built-in microfusion packs eliminating the energy problem of earlier models. After the War, Power Armor is rarely seen in the wasteland. Only those groups rumored to have ties to the old US military or government, such as the Brotherhood of Steel, have access to the remaining examples of this extremely valuable technology. Few suits made it into other hands, and those who examined them say that without specialized training the operation of the Power Armor’s gyroscopic systems is utterly impossible, while removing these hydraulics reduces the armor’s functionality to little more than cumbersome suits of metal armor.

A-Z Fallout lore

O is for Operation Anchorage

According to historical accounts, Operation Anchorage or the Anchorage Reclamation was a major military operation and turning point of the Sino-American War, part of a worldwide series of conflicts known as the Resource Wars. Most information on the years before the War is now irretrievably lost. The only witnesses to this forgotten conflict are the hidden caches or remains of Chinese forces a lucky scavenger occasionally unearths, and the war memorials that survived the devastation and can still be seen in the desolate wasteland. While most care little for ancient history, certain scholars of the pre-War period try puzzling together the disparate sources that still remain. As the world’s natural reserves dwindled, the European Commonwealth dissolved and the Middle East was reduced to ruins, relations between the United States and China deteriorated over the last oil deposits in the Pacific Ocean. Fearing an invasion across the Bering Strait, the United States established a strong military presence in Alaska to prevent such a possibility and safeguard the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. During the winter of 2066 Alaska became a true battleground as Chinese forces invaded and took control of the oil pipeline and reserves. A long, drawn-out conflict ensued, during which the United States eventually annexed Canada and gained the decisive edge over the Chinese with the deployment of experimental Power Armor units. At the beginning of 2077, the Chinese supply lines were severely weakened by incessant bombardments and trench warfare, and finally broken in the siege of Anchorage. The liberation of the city meant the end of the Chinese presence on United States soil. The theater of war then moved on to mainland China, where American forces began to beat back the Chinese army in the Gobi and Yangtze campaigns, until in a span of two hours the Great War began and ended, and the world plummeted into a nuclear holocaust.

A-Z Fallout lore

N is for New California Republic

The New California Republic or NCR is a democratic federation, controlling most of the territory in the southern part of the former US state of California. NCR can also be used to refer to the federation's capital city, Shady Sands. Founded in 2186 in this small farming and Brahmin herding settlement, the NCR was founded on the principles of democracy, equality and liberty. Today NCR Capital is the largest, most prosperous city built post-War and the federation, boasting over 700.000 inhabitants, an economic and military power without equal in the wasteland. During the 52 years president Tandi held office, the NCR peacefully expanded southward, first by establishing trade routes with Junktown and The Hub, the latter eventually joining the NCR shortly after the former. Other towns in the region soon followed. The NCR now counts five members states: Shady, Hub, Maxson, Los Angeles and Dayglow, as well as other important holdings such as several forts and Vault 15. Currently its expansionistic drive is aimed at its neighbors to the north, likely candidates being New Reno, Vault City, Redding, Klamath and New Arroyo. Tandi's death at the age of 103 one year ago might prove an important turning point in the NCR's history. To her credit, Tandi ever kept her father's legacy alive during her terms as president, placing the benefit of the common man as a guiding principle for the rapidly growing republic and always resolving conflicts with its neighbors diplomatically. While she managed to keep the military brass and the right wing elements in Congress under control, appeasing them in the later years of her presidency by appointing notorious hawk Frank Carlson as her vice president, Tandi did not or could not check the growing influence of the wealthy Brahmin barons and ranchers and powerful trading companies. Some fear the fledgling federation is slowly but surely sliding from democracy to plutarchy, as organizations such as the Stockmen's Association and important merchant families often control multiple governorships or Congress seats and use them to further their own or their state's best interests, at the cost of the NCR as a whole. With the NCR's rapid expansion came in tow an equally rapidly growing bureaucracy, corruption and backroom politics. Joanna Tibbett, current president and Tandi's vice president in her final years, has the popular support and backing in Congress, but will likely not be able to rely on it as unconditionally as Tandi could.

A-Z Fallout lore

M is for the Master

The Master was the alleged leader of a Super Mutant army in the second half of the 22nd century. Of all the wasteland myths passed down from one generation to the next, perhaps none has proven as enduring as the tale of the Master, even if only as a scary bedtime story for small children. According to the story the Master, in some versions called the Dark God or New God, was a highly intelligent creature, neither man, Ghoul nor Super Mutant but composed of many creatures in one, with mental abilities far beyond normal mortals. Making his lair in a newly erected cathedral in the Boneyard, the Master created an army of Super Mutants to fulfill his goal of unifying all of the wasteland's inhabitants in one, mutant race. Nowadays the story is generally considered to have been, at the very least, wildly distorted and exaggerated or more likely entirely groundless, a creation myth spread by the then newly-emerging race of Super Mutants. While some elements of the tale are rooted in reality and corroborated by other sources, the only accounts on the Master himself come from a few of the so-called Nightkin, a group of mentally unstable, paranoid Super Mutants, and the memoirs of the legendary Vault Dweller, who supposedly confronted the Master and defeated him before his plans could come to fruition. Though it is a fact that around this time Super Mutants were first seen out in the wasteland, they were only seldom encountered, in small, unorganized bands. Some Ghouls claim that a large contingent of them raided the ruined city of Necropolis, but there is no hard evidence of this. Many believe the "Master" the Vault Dweller defeated to actually have been a normal man by the name of Morpheus, the leader of a doomsday cult called the Children of the Cathedral, who indeed had their base of operations in the Angel's Boneyard roughly at that time. The second lair of the Mutants the Vault Dweller's memoirs mention, was never found. Whatever the truth, the Master lives on, as the bogeyman in children's stories and in the memories of the Super Mutants, who rarely speak of their troubled pasts with non-Mutants.

A-Z Fallout lore

L is for Lynette

First Citizen Lynette is the leader of the Council of Vault City, a technologically highly advanced settlement in former west Nevada, built around Vault 8 by its inhabitants shortly after the Great War. The Council was established in 2103 to govern the vault dwellers after the original Overseer retired and construction of the new city had begun. The Council, consisting only of citizens-by-birth and led by the First Citizen, rules in completely authoritarian fashion, controlling every aspect of life in Vault City. It is responsible for managing the daily affairs of the city, trade, legislation, and making sure that its very strict regulations are enforced. In its judicial capacity the Council can administer punishments ranging from incarceration and reeducation to stripping the offender of his or her citizenship and permanent banishment, depending on the severity of the transgression. The power of all three branches of government converge into the position of First Citizen, who also personally appoints the captain of the Vault City Guard. For many years now Joanne Lynette has held this position, in no small part due to her single-minded ambition and extremely managerial disposition. Perhaps even more so than other citizens, who rarely venture beyond Vault City’s walls, she has always held the outside world in contempt, treating the city’s neighbors with haughty arrogance, convinced of their inferiority. Ironically it now seems Lynette’s leadership has only hastened the decline of Vault City, despite its technological superiority, as the city’s xenophobic policies left its population stagnating, counting barely more than a hundred true citizens. Outsiders paying to live inside the city’s walls and the groups of Servants - virtually slaves in all but name - have limited rights and are not even considered citizens. Facing up to reality, Vault City recently entered negotiations with the NCR to broker an alliance and the eventual admission of the city into the federation.

A-Z Fallout lore

K is for the Khans

The Khans are a semi organized, highly territorial and brutal band of raiders, terrorizing the wasteland in different incarnations throughout the last century. The Khans have modelled themselves after the Mongol warriors of old: raiding towns, killing those who stand in their way and dragging survivors off to be sold as slaves and burning what they cannot take. Their survivalist lifestyle and thinking boils down to "the right of the strongest over the weak", and thus they have little regard for the rule of law, respecting only brute strength. Because of this Khans are ever eager to prove their mettle in combat to show their worth to the clan or to defend their honor in single combat, preferring hand to hand and melee weapons to firearms, which they use primarily for raiding. When leaving their camp they usually travel in small scouting parties of a few raiders, and group only into larger war bands when they plan to sack a settlement. The Khans are also widely believed to be one of the first gangs in the post-War wasteland to start the drug trade, manufacturing Psycho and other addictive chems. The first Khans were one of the four groups to leave the overpopulated Vault 15, two of these other groups would eventually become raider bands as well: the Vipers and the Jackals, while the last founded Shady Sands. The Khans were constantly in conflict with the other groups, until the raiders were finally dealt with when the NCR grew in power. The Khans seemed permanently defeated, until they resurfaced some years ago under the name of the New Khans, once more raiding caravans and NCR settlements, making their base in the now deserted Vault 15. Even though the New Khans were in turn crushed, some of the survivors fled east into the desolate Mojave and settled down, rebuilding their strength as the Great Khans, licking their wounds and biding their time.

A-Z Fallout lore

J is for John Bishop

John Bishop is the patriarch of the Bishop clan, one of the more powerful families running New Reno. Long a haven for all sorts of activities illegal in more civilized areas of the wasteland (such as slavery, weapon trafficking, prostitution, gambling and drugs production), New Reno's lack of any official form of government or law enforcement, even in name, had left it controlled solely by the four major crime families. Street fights and covert killings between the families frequently occurred, and all that kept the mob-run anarchy from all-out war was the fact that scaring away the visting gamblers and their dollars was bad business for everyone. The Mordinos, arguably the strongest family after their newest, highly addictive drug Jet hit the market, comfortably sat back and worked to keep the status-quo intact, while the smaller clans such as the Wrights and Salvatores divided the lucrative alcohol and weapon trade. Though in a comfortable enough position himself, John Bishop understood that the rule of the strongest meant that his family's fortunes could change in an instant, if the other families were to ally against him. Thus looking beyond the power play of New Reno itself, he entered into secret negotiations with the NCR, forming a political alliance between the two, in the hopes of consolidating his influential role in the city's affairs. The next few years the Bishops rose to prominence, ridding the town of its worst excesses and slowly absorbing the other families. It is often whispered that the mysterious deaths around this time of congressman Roger Westin and vice-president Frank Carlson were somehow related to the formation of the New Reno-NCR alliance, and that it was a result more of corrupt backroom politics rather than true congressional deliberation. These opinions aren't stated out loud however, as with the promptly anticipated entry of the city into the Republic, political circles expect the Bishops to be formally recognized and lawfully mandated as New Reno's NCR deputation, and John Bishop himself is likely to receive a seat in Congress. To sweeten the deal, amendments to the constitution are said to be in the making, relaxing the NCR's legislation concerning gambling and prostitution.

A-Z Fallout lore

I is for Interstate 15

Interstate 15, also nicknamed Long 15, is a ruined freeway spanning the Mojave desert and the wasteland's most important trade route. The expansive network of asphalt concrete roads in the pre-War United States is now largely in ruins, worn down by the ravages of war, centuries of neglect and the elements. Littered with holes and huge swaths destroyed or torn up, the roads would prove problematic for motorized vehicles, but are now mostly used with little difficulty by caravans with pack Brahmin. The most extensively travelled and best preserved of these is I-15, connecting the former states of California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Point of origin for most caravans on this route is the Boneyard on the western coast. They follow the old freeway north and east, past the San Bernardino mountains, until they reach The Hub, which is located near to the crossroads of I-15 and I-40, a less frequented trade route leading towards Arizona. At this juncture caravans can either continue north, following the trail in the direction of Junktown, NCR Capital, and beyond that, Vault City and New Reno. Following Long 15 the way heads deeper into the Mojave desert, leading past the ominous Necropolis before reaching the towns of Primm, Goodsprings and ultimately New Vegas. In an effort to stimulate trade and facilitate public and military transportation, the NCR has in recent years started large scale public works, constructing new roads and repairing the ancient railroad network.

A-Z Fallout lore

H is for Hubologists

Hubologists are a religious cult founded before the Great War, adhering to the writings of the author and visionary Dick Hubbell, referred to by Hubologists as "The Hub". The headquarters of the Church are based in San Francisco, from where the subordinate centers located in various towns are directed. The Hubologists have considerable influence in San Francisco, and to a lesser extent also in the NCR, having a great deal of wealth and many fanatical followers at their disposal. They are widely known as very active proselytizers, at times even resorting to aggressive tactics when dealing with Oppressives - those who disagree with their views. The advanced teachings of Hubology are kept a secret and disclosed only to the upper echelons of the Church and those who reach a high enough "alignment", though the main tenets are fairly well known. The Hubologists view life and the universe as a Great Wheel, at the center of which are Hubs, which control the flow of the Wheel. The Hubologists are the Spokes, who understand the motion of the Wheel and facilitate it. The outer rim of the Wheel are those who do not understand or refuse the teachings of Hubology: Rim Meat, who get ground by the movement of the Wheel. Using electricity-conducting machines the Hubologists perform Zeta Scans, meant to align the spirit to the movement of the Wheel and cleanse the body's energies or neurodynes from the corrupting influence of the lingering soul-pieces of the dead. The Hubologists believe that once an Aligned Hub Seeker reaches a high enough level of enlightenment, he will be able to become one with the Star Father and their extra-terrestrial brethren, as it was in the beginning of time. To this end the Hubologists also avidly research aerospace technology, in case the Uplifting does not come during their lifetime. There are some outsider who claim that Hubology is a fake religion, scamming gullible followers into making contributions and donations to progress to higher AHS levels, though the Church adamantly refuses such allegations and deals harshly with slanderers when possible.

A-Z Fallout lore

G is for the Gun Runners

The Gun Runners are the largest weapons, armor and ammunitions producers and suppliers in the wasteland. The group originated from one of the many gangs roaming the deserted streets of the downtown Los Angeles Boneyard, trying to carve out some territory for themselves. Making their hideout in an abandoned factory with still functioning manufacturing equipment, the gang decided to set up shop and took its first tentative steps in the gunrunning business. The factory was slowly restored to working order and an unscalable moat was dug around it and filled with toxic waste. Dubbed the Fortress, it would become the headquarters of their entire operation. Trade began with the settlers in Adytum and soon after the other groups in the Boneyard, and picked up even more when the Boneyard joined the NCR. Over the years the Runners acquired pre-War military schematics and started manufacturing superior energy weapons, much more advanced than the weaponry of even their closest competitors. As the NCR grew so did its need to maintain and outfit a sizeable standing army, and the Gun Runners saw the lucrative government contracts pour in, soon becoming the NCR's main military contractor. Branches were established in many major settlements, and the company also ventured into riskier, lawless areas, where the demand for guns and thus profit margins were exponentially greater. Their valuable cargo makes Gun Runner caravans an attractive target for raiders and highwaymen, so one will rarely see one of the Runners' caravans without an escort of guards, armed to the teeth. The number of attacks steadily declined once the Runners started rigging all their wares with explosives, in order to blow up the shipment if the guards should be overcome, rather than have it fall into the hands of the raiders: a strategem that successfully seems to discourage all but the most foolhardy. A competitive business prone to sabotage and espionage, Gun Runner factories are highly secured and great precautions are taken to keep secret weapon schematics away from prying eyes.

A-Z Fallout lore

F is for the Followers of the Apocalypse

The Followers of the Apocalypse are a group dedicated to the goal of rebuilding the wasteland. They seek to accomplish this by providing education and care to all inhabitants of the wasteland indiscriminately: the principles of cooperation and the free flow of information are the highest good to the Followers. They greatly value the pursuit of knowledge, not as an end in itself or for their own greater glory, but as the means with which humankind can be uplifted and taught to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to the Great War. Their very name is a constant reminder of what can happen when knowledge is abused or the lessons of the past ignored. The Followers support the idea of the equal distribution of technology and supplies to all those who can make use of it, which often causes friction with both the Brotherhood of Steel and the NCR, which they chide for hoarding their technology and only looking after its own citizens respectively. Though the Followers oppose the viewpoints of these factions, they are a strictly pacifist organization and never resort to violent means. The Followers are well-liked throughout the wastes, as they build schools and hospitals, teach people valuable agricultural and medical knowledge and let anyone benefit from their scientific expertise. Members of the Followers are often found in destitute settlements lending aid to the needy, providing education and medical treatment without passing judgment or forcing political viewpoints on those they help. Originally founded in the Boneyard nearly a century ago, the Followers benefited from the expansion of the newly-founded NCR and quickly became a major influence in it, gaining respect for their hard work and for providing a safety net in those instances where the infant state failed to do so. Their headquarters are still located in the old Public Library building of the Boneyard, which later also became the site of their Medical University.

A-Z Fallout lore

E is for the Enclave

Of all the myriad factions and organizations in the wasteland, perhaps none is as shadowy and enigmatic as the militaristic group later known as the Enclave. Most information on them is little more than rumors, as the NCR government does not speak out on the subject. Opinions on them vary widely: some considered them dangerous, a potential threat to the newfangled society that emerged from the ashes of nuclear devastation, while others recognized in them the wasteland's best hope of rebuilding civilization and restoring the country to its former glory. It was only a decade ago when the existence of the Enclave first came to the wasteland's attention. Eyes were turned towards the sky when for the first time in centuries aircraft flew high above, Vertical Take Off and Landing craft called Vertibirds; technology long thought lost. No official contact was ever made with the people who piloted these machines, though multiple witnesses claim to have seen them drop off soldiers clad in black Power Armor in remote locations, and some link these to the mass disappearance of miners in the town of Redding some years ago. Virtually nothing is known of where the Enclave came from or what their agenda was, giving rise to much speculation. Based on the insignia the Enclave bore, which seem to represent the thirteen American commonwealths that together formed the United States, a popular theory became that the Enclave was or considered itself to be the continuation of the pre-War government of the United States. Then one day, as suddenly as they had come, the Enclave vanished, ostensibly leaving no trace behind. The most advanced technology the wasteland had ever seen was a powerful lure however, so the NCR and Brotherhood of Steel wasted no time in tracking them down. Details are sketchy at best, but soon after a military complex was supposedly found and all Enclave forces destroyed; recent announcements that the NCR military has started production of its own Vertibirds seem to confirm this rumor. Since then, occasionally stories crop up about a citizen being exposed as a former Enclave member and put to trial for war crimes.

A-Z Fallout lore

D is for Desert Rangers

  

The Desert Rangers are a small outfit of self-organized crime-fighters in the Mojave Desert and the badlands of former Nevada. Without a centralized government, the Desert Rangers are the only form of law enforcement which actively tries to police the entire territory of this part of the wasteland, as the various self-serving settlements rarely look beyond their own borders. With a heritage and traditions stretching as far back as the Arizona and Texas Rangers of old, the Rangers’ roots lie in a small community of survivalists in the pre-War southwestern United States. Prepared for the eventuality of an apocalyptic catastrophe when the Great War broke out, these survivalists waited out the following years in the safety of a fallout shelter, with a stockpile of small arms, survival gear, food and books at their disposal. The Rangers’ training focuses on acquiring the necessary survival skills to brave the dangerous wastes, and a strict regime of combat training and physical exercise to be able to best the hostile creatures and ill-intentioned wastelanders who make it their home. Due to their small numbers the Rangers most often work alone, though sometimes larger groups assemble when the situation calls for it; their showdown with a tribal gang leader in New Vegas perhaps the best-known of these. The hallmark of the Desert Rangers is that they go out into the world not only to fight for their own survival, but to make an attempt to make the wasteland a better place.

A-Z Fallout lore

C is for the Chosen One

The Chosen One is a figure out of modern day legend. Many stories have been spread about this enigmatic individual in recent years, though quite a few tales of his professed exploits have become so exaggerated over time that it has become impossible to tell truth from fiction, while other so-called first-hand accounts of his deeds glaringly contradict each other. Be it as it may, there are enough reliable sources from many different parts of the wasteland who claim to have seen, spoken or even journeyed with him, to establish without a doubt that there was indeed a real-life person, going by the moniker of the Chosen One, travelling the wastes of former California some years past. Surprisingly little is known about his identity. He was a Tribal from a small farming village to the far north called Arroyo. As the son of the village elder he was called upon to undertake a task of the utmost importance when severe droughts plagued the village and thus, as is customary in such societies, he was sent on a sacred quest. The Chosen One's task was said to be to retrieve a fabled item that would transform the dessicated earth into a verdant paradise. Though this is a common theme in various wasteland legends, some scientists believe this item to have been an actually existing pre-War terraforming device. In his travels the Chosen One influenced the lives of many and performed heroic deeds of bravery and selflessness, supposedly the greatest of these the defeat of an unknown yet terrible threat to the wasteland, lying dormant beyond the ocean, though details of this feat are vague to say the least. It is probably wisest to discount the majority of the stories being told about the Chosen One, but it is certain that he did later return to Arroyo, together with a group of vault dwellers from Vault 13, the same vault from which that other legendary figure, the Vault Dweller, was said to have come (and as the Tribals of Arroyo like to tell, it was he who founded their village and the Chosen One was his grandson). The Chosen One became the new village elder and Arroyo once more prospered, the two peoples united and began building their New Arroyo, destined to become a shining beacon of civilization high up north.

A-Z Fallout lore

B is for Brotherhood of Steel

The Brotherhood of Steel is a secretive militaristic organization focused first and foremost on the preservation and acquisition of pre-War technology. The origins, structure and workings of the Brotherhood are clouded in mystery and known only to its members, who are born into the organization. More than any other group in the wasteland the Brotherhood are dismissive of outsiders and mutants, often arrogant though rarely outright hostile, and outsiders are only accepted into the organization by great exception. The Brotherhood has been around for as long as anyone can remember, even before the NCR, giving rise to the belief that it originated directly from a pre-War US Army detachment. The Brotherhood is fiercely devoted to and jealously guards its ancient technologies, possessing high tech weaponry and a virtual monopoly on Power Armor suits and advanced medical technology such as cybernetic implants and computers. Despite this, the Brotherhood's power has been perceived to be waning over the years, mostly due to their small numbers especially when compared to the large army the NCR can now field. Relations between the Brotherhood and the NCR are often strained and are getting progressively worse. Its headquarters are located in the Lost Hills bunker, around which later grew the town of Maxson, named after the legendary founder of the Brotherhood, Roger Maxson, though Maxson is a NCR governed town. The Brotherhood are said to have additional small bunkers and outposts spread across the wasteland and the Mojave desert, some even said to be in NCR settlements. Trade between the Brotherhood and other factions exists, but the unwillingness of the Brotherhood to share its more advanced technology causes a lot of bad blood between them and the NCR, and the almost religious zeal with which some Brotherhood members try to keep any form of technology out of the hands of the general populace are considered an affront. The insignia of the Brotherhood of Steel is a winged sword against three gears, said to symbolize the Brotherhood's code and its various ranks.

A-Z blogging challenge: Fallout lore

As part of the April A-Z blogging challenge, I'll be making a series of posts about the lore of the Fallout universe: important people, places and events. These are geared towards my players who aren't familiar with the setting, so die-hard Fallout fans will most likely not read anything new here, and I won't go into certain topics to keep these posts spoiler-free. :) Without further ado I'll kick of with (where else) A.

A is for Aradesh

Aradesh was one of the founders and the leader of a small settlement of farmers and Brahmin herders by the name of Shady Sands, in the second half of the 22nd century. Originally an inhabitant of Vault 15, he was one of many who left the Vault due to the constant infighting and overcrowding. While three groups of the exiles would ultimately become roving raider gangs, his group eventually settled down and founded Shady Sands, a self sufficient, close-minded community of a few hundred souls. The settlement soon found its continued existence threatened, as Khan raiders began to terrorize the surroundings and the Brahmin herd fell prey to a Radscorpion infestation. It was said that an enigmatic figure known only as the Vault Dweller eventually came to the town's aid and even rescued Aradesh' daughter Tandi from the raiders. It is often speculated that it was in following this stranger's example that Aradesh began working on a more inclusive community, accomodating people of all creeds and races and devoted to the ideals of liberty and equality. And so in the year 2186 in humble Shady Sands began the now great New California Republic and Aradesh became its first president. After the disappearance of her father during an ill-fated expedition some ten years later, Tandi took over the reigns of leadership, unanimously voted into office for all her subsequent terms as president, bringing the NCR half a century of peace and prosperity. During this time Shady Sands peacefully extended its borders, soon encompassing Junktown, The Hub and many more. Many buildings and places in the NCR are dedicated to the memory of Aradesh and his portrait graces the $5 bill.

Session 8 summary

Where our heroes take some time off after a long day’s scavenging, Craig introduces the local population to Radroach cuisine and both Craig (accepts) and Rhiannon (declines) get offered jobs.

Featuring:

- Craig: Good natured Super Mutant, skilled hunter and surprisingly adequate improvisational cook;

- Rhiannon: Vault 21 outcast, inquisitive young woman still unspoiled by her time in the wastes;

For the second time that day the party emerged from the entrance to the waste yard tunnels, leaving them with some additional loot and a sack of freshly killed Radroaches to find that the sun was about to set over the town of Landfill and the gates to the yard would soon be locked. However Hannibal, the strange physician they had encountered in the belly of the mountain, decided to turn back and go down the tunnels once more, saying he had still had some work to do. Though his medical skills had proven invaluable earlier after their disturbance of a nest of Radroaches had taken a nasty turn, the remainder of the group was slightly relieved to see the man with the unnerving grin go his separate way.

Trailing after the other prospectors, the group passed by the company store and, being in dire financial straits, decided to try and sell some of the items they found. The old, battered field radio proved to beyond any hope of repair even for a technician of Rhiannon’s skill and was salvaged for spare parts. They instead settled on selling the grenades and flares, getting a reasonable price for them from the shrewd company clerk behind the counter. A few hundred caps the richer they returned to town, the darkness settling in around them. The fires of the few food stalls at the northern edge of town caught their attention. Rhiannon decided to treat herself to a nicely roasted haunch of Pigrat, while Craig sensed a good opportunity to try and unload his stock of roaches. He managed to persuade the vendor to let him use his stall to prepare and sell roasted Radroach, promising him half of the profits. Craig’s exotic cooking turned out to be moderately successful with the locals and the Mutant peddled most of the bugs. The hour growing late, the group called it a night and made for The Hill, the town’s watering hole. They could hear from the street the lively bustle inside, in sharp contrast to the rest of Landfill. Having surrendered their guns to one of the doormen, who remained unfazed even by the Mutant in his tribal dress, they made their way through the groups of drunks and gamblers over to the bar. To their surprise Shane Donaldson, barman and proprietor of The Hill, presented them with a bottle of rotgut, which turned out to be a parting gift from their former road companion Jacob, who had left earlier that day. Congratulatory drinking and leisurely conversation after the successful day of scavenging ensued. Noticing the attention the Super Mutant drew from the crowd and sensing an opportunity to cash in on it, Donaldson offered Craig a job as a bouncer in the bar for the duration of his stay, which the Mutant happily accepted. To Rhiannon he also extended an offer of employment, but the innocent girl from the Vault only took offence to his assurances that as a redhead she’d do well as one of the ladies of pleasure of his establishment. After some more talk about the latest news from around the wasteland the party got a room and headed upstairs for some much needed rest.

Planning to head back north to Rhiannon’s former home Vault 21, the group had three days to kill while waiting for the next caravan heading in that direction to pass by. As on waking up Dexx, Paul and Rhiannon were still troubled by the uneasy feelings in their stomachs, they decided to try and see if a doctor could be found around Landfill. Donaldson pointed them in the direction of Nicholas Dane, a young Followers doctor who took care of the poor and addicts in his makeshift infirmary on the other side of town, whom he paid to give The Hill’s girls a regular check-up. So the group went over to Dr. Dane, in the hopes he might have something to alleviate their condition. The infirmary they found was nothing more than a large shack out of sheets of plastic and corrugated iron like so many in town, with a small tent next to it bearing the emblem of the Followers of the Apocalypse. They were greeting by the very young, slightly nervous though polite Dr. Dane, who ushered them in to run a few tests. There was little in the way of medical equipment or furnishings in the shack. Most of the space was taken up by two rows of cots, accommodating pale, shivering chem and alcohol addicts. After some examination Dr. Dane concluded they were suffering from the first effects of a mild radiation poisoning, which would diminish over the next few days, though the radiation would remain stored in the body, posing a real health risk. The group’s story about finding the toxic dump down below the waste yard confirmed his earlier observations that the people of Landfill in general seemed to have elevated radiation levels, compared to similar towns in the wasteland. Having no access to the proper equipment for treatment however, all he could offer were two doses of RadAway to flush out the rad particles. Having only limited medical supplies himself to try and treat all the destitute locals, he had to demand they’d pay full price or trade an equal amount of other healing chems in return for the expensive radiation drugs. He assured them their money would go to the good cause of the free medical treatment of those unable to pay for it, as paying according to how much one can afford is one of the core principles of the Followers. As there was not enough RadAway to treat all three of them anyway and reassured that it didn’t pose an immediate health risk, they decided to sit it out some longer and go to a clinic once they reached The Hub. They said their goodbyes and returned to the bar, where Craig took up his first shift as doorman. Rhiannon hung around for a rather quiet, uneventful night in The Hill, while Paul and Dexx took to the streets and explored the town some more.

The next morning the group went over to Harlan Clint’s compound, as Clint mentioned in their conversation some days before that he might have need for their services. They found the strong man of Landfill as usual in his office in the well guarded compound next to the waste yard gates. Clint didn’t immediately have any work for them, but told them he’d make it worth their while if they ran into any useful information. He made mention of his plans to have Landfill admitted to the NCR, but even for a frontier town the rampant gambling, drugs and prostitution would pose a considerable hindrance to have its entry approved. Controlling most of the trade going in and out of the town, Clint showed himself very interested in finding out more about who Donaldson’s surreptitious chem and alcohol suppliers are, to try and put an end to Donaldson’s den of vice and debauchery. The group said they would consider finding out more and took their leave, meanwhile thinking over which of these two influential men it would be in their own best interest to see succeed…