Vaults¶

Vault 117--Mission Control¶

Vault 117

Home of the Spaceport Survivors, Vault 117 is a unique vault that was designed to house the scientists and engineers working at the Houston Spaceport. The vault was designed to be a self-sufficient facility, with its own power supply, water purification system, and food production capabilities. It was also equipped with a state-of-the-art medical bay and research laboratory, allowing the vault's residents to conduct experiments and develop new technologies, even in the event of a nuclear war. The Vault is also unique in that it is equipped with an underground launch facility, allowing its engineers to continue launching rockets for some time after the Great War. In addition to USSA employees, the vault also ended up housing a number of defense and government contractors, as well as their families, including officials and engineers from major Aerospace companies such as REPCONN Aerospace, Ball Aerospace, Cosmic Voyage Innovations (CosV) and Vault-Tec.

Vault 117 was one of the first Vaults constructed as part of Project Safehouse (the government initiative, which in conjunction with Vault-Tec became the Vaults), beginning construction in 2056 and concluding in 2066. The United States Space Administration had already migrated all major operations (including all Mission Control operations) into the Vault by 2067 (10 years before the Great War), only using the above-ground facilities for training and testing and less-important/unclassified research.

When the Great War broke out in 2077, the Vault immediately went into lockdown mode, and all of its residents were spared in the ensuing chaos. The spaceport had enough resources for two launches of the newly-developed Delta XII rocket as well as smaller unmanned launches of their re-usable stock of Phoenix 7 and Phoenix Quantum rockets (developed by CosmicV). One of the Delta XII rockets was used to rescue astronauts stranded on two space stations in Low Earth Orbit. The other one was launched to the Moon on a secret mission, and her crew never returned.

In the intervening two centuries, Spaceport staff continued to maintain the network of satellites and orbital telescopes that the USSA had launched prior to the Great War, launching and refurbishing unmanned Phoenix 7 rockets. The Spaceport Survivors also continued to maintain the Vault's facilities and conduct research, including the development of new technologies and the construction of a fleet of rockets to be used for future missions. The Vault was discovered inhabited and forced open after a test flight for their upcoming manned Epsilon V rocket was shot down by Pirates.

Vault 26 - The Failed Demise of the Oil Barons¶

Vault 26

Purpose: Vault 26 was commissioned by leaders of the pre-war energy companies, including Poseidon Energy, Red Rocket, Womb-ee's. As Vault-Tec's leadership strongly opposed those the leadership of those companies, and sought to simply take control of their assets after the war, they spitefully (and secretly) designed Vault 26 to fail. The Vault was designed to be a "luxury" Vault, but a few days after Nuclear Armageddon, the air filters would "malfunction", cease scrubbing the air, and instead fill the Vault with the now-toxic atmosphere outside the Vault (as the many nearby nuclear power plants and oil yards would surely be nuclear strike targets). The vault door was also rigged to fail, being impossible to open after the life support failed, permitting no escape.
Experience: For the few days when the Vault functioned, the residents' experience was luxurious, vestiges of which remain to this day. After the life support systems failed, however, the vault broke out into pandemonium and hysteria. Most residents succumbed to radiation sickness within days to weeks. Many died in the panic as infighting broke out. About two dozen of the residents survived, but were transformed into ghouls, including Leonard Petrovich. After several months, the survivors managed to hack their way out of the vault, and escaped what would have otherwise been their tomb.
Status: The Vault laid dormant for some time after the survivors' escape. On the fifth anniversary of the Great War, however, the survivors, who by this point had re-established control of many of the pre-war energy sources including the nearby oil yards and nuclear power plants, had the vault destroyed, and built a monument to their survival on the site. The monument, a massive oil derrick, was built to be visible from miles away, and was a symbol of the Oil Barons' power and resilience. The Oil Barons have since expanded their influence, and have become a major power in the region.
Location: The Oil Barons' monument is located in the core of the Energy Corridor, just west of Houston. It is within walking distance of Helios Tower.

Vault 37 - Geodesic Terrarium Experiment¶

Vault 37

Purpose: Vault 37's experiment aimed to study the long-term effects of living in a self-sustaining, enclosed natural environment. It was equipped with advanced botanical and ecological systems, creating an underground oasis.
Experience: Residents of Vault 37 enjoyed a perpetual connection to nature within the geodesic terrarium. They cultivated crops, tended to wildlife, and adapted to seasonal changes.
Status: Vault 37's ecosystem has continued to thrive over 200 years. Its residents have embraced a sustainable way of life, trading surplus produce with neighboring settlements. The vault remains a beacon of hope for preserving nature in the wasteland.
Interaction: Having opened almost 100 years prior, players can visit Vault 37, where they find a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem. They may assist the residents with agricultural challenges or explore the vault's unique flora and fauna. Trade opportunities and alliances may emerge, but there could be hidden conflicts within this seemingly idyllic environment.
Location: Beneath the Houston Botanic Garden, southwest of the Houston City Center

Vault 61 - Eternal Darkness Experiment¶

Vault 61

Purpose: Vault 61 was built to investigate the effects of perpetual darkness on human physiology and psychology, preparing residents for a world with limited light.
Experience: Inhabitants of Vault 61 adapted to low-light conditions, developing keen night vision and heightened senses. They navigated the vault's dark halls, relying on sound and touch.
Status: Vault 61 remains shrouded in darkness, its inhabitants preferring the cloak of night. They have developed a unique culture centered around stealth, and the vault serves as a refuge for those who cherish the shadows.
Interaction: Vault 61 opened approximately 10 years ago, but its residents, having lived in darkness for several generations, are unable to tolerate the bright light of the outside world. Players can enter Vault 61, where they must adapt to perpetual darkness. They may uncover secrets hidden in the shadows or assist the vault's stealthy inhabitants in shadowy quests. The vault could be a refuge for characters with nocturnal abilities.
Location: Situated beneath the Woodlands area, northeast of the Mall
Gardening: Crops are grown using UV grow lights, but the lights are turned off before the gardeners enter the room, to avoid the light hurting their eyes.

Residents¶

Overseer Vladimir Darkwood
Doctor Leonard Darkwood, Vault mortician
Waitress Lyra Darkwood
Gardener Raven Darkwood

Side Quest: Bloodstained Shadows¶

Quest is given by Vladimir Darkwood, the Overseer of Vault 61. He asks the player to investigate a series of mysterious deaths that have occurred within the vault. The victims have been found with strange bite marks on their necks, and shortly after arriving in the Vault morgue, their blood has been drained.

Vladimir Darkwood is the vampire that kills the residents. He was turned into a vampire during his time at Vault-Tec University, where he was studying the effects of small dosages of radioactive substances injecting into human blood. Vault-Tec officials, seemingly finding his vampiric experiments fitting, assigned him as the Overseer of Vault 61, which studied the effects of Eternal Darkness.
Vladimir Darkwood has actually been the overseer since the Great War.
Vladimir kills his victims by sneakingly biting them in the neck, but he does not drain the blood then. He waits until the victim is in the morgue, where he will drain the blood with his fangs and drink it.
Recently, in the past year or so, Vladimir's victims have often had their blood drained shortly after arriving in the morgue, but before he can return to drink it. This has caused him to become more desperate and more careless in his killings. Additionally, he wants to know if there is a competing vampire.
Doctor Leonard Darkwood, the Vault Mortician, and son of Vladimir, has recently grown into his own vampirism, but knows nothing about his Father's condition, and thus hides it from everyone. He has been attracted to mortuary work since he was a child, and had a biting problem into his late childhood, but he never felt the need to drink blood until about two years previously.
Lyra Darkwood, the waitress, is the daughter of Vladimir and the sister of Leonard. She is about a year younger than Leonard. She has just recently developed cravings for blood, but has not yet acted on them.
Raven Darkwood, the gardener, is the youngest of the Darkwood family, about two years younger than Lyra. He has not yet developed any vampire symptoms, and in fact faints at the sight of blood.
All four have a garlic allergy, completely unrelated to their vampirism; it's just a family allergy that goes back generations.
None of the family members know about Leonard or Vladimir's vampirism.
Players must unravel the mystery of the blood-drained bodies and confront the family. Their investigation should probably start with a list of the vault gardeners. Raven is the only one who never works on the garlic crop, due to his allergy.

Vault 84 - Sleep Deprivation Experiment¶

Vault 84

Purpose: Vault 84 was designed to study the impact of chronic sleep deprivation on human cognitive function and interpersonal dynamics.
Experience: Residents of Vault 84 struggled with irregular sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and heightened stress levels. They developed a rotating shift system to cope with sleep deprivation.
Status: At first, Vault 84's residents have mastered the art of power napping and shift management. They remain vigilant in their sleep-deprived state, ensuring the vault's survival and contributing to their faction's efforts. Over time, however, the effects of sleep deprivation took their toll, leading to increased aggression and paranoia. Less than 10 years after the Vault closed, a small group of residents developed psychotic breaks and shared delusions, leading to a violent uprising. Convinced that they had been abducted by aliens and that the other residents were their captors, the group attacked their fellow residents, killing many of them. Although the rebels were eventually apprehended, the damage was done, and the survivors splintered into several factions, originally divided on how to handle the rebels. Worse, because the Vault's Overseer had been killed in the uprising, a successor was never successfully elected, and the irate, sleep-deprived residents broke out into a Civil War, leaving only a single survivor, who left holo-tapes detailing the Vault's fate.
Interaction: Raiders opened Vault 84 approximately 70 years ago, finding all of its inhabitants dead.
Location: Positioned beneath the Medical Center district in the heart of Houston

Vault 99 - Hallucinogenic Horror Experiment¶

Vault 99

Purpose: Vault 99 delved into the effects of potent hallucinogenic substances and twisted, disoriented architecture on human perception and behavior.
Experience: Inhabitants of Vault 99 endured surreal and terrifying hallucinations, navigating a labyrinth of holographic tricks and nightmarish scenarios.
Status: Vault 99 remains a twisted and disorienting place, its residents adept at discerning reality from illusion. Some have harnessed their experiences to become skilled illusionists in the wasteland.
Interaction: The Vault opened about 50 years ago. It has some contact with the outside world, but most wastelanders are scared away by the psychedelic and uneasy feelings they have while in the Vault, so most tend to stay away.
Location: Hidden deep below the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, an underground reservoir just west of downtown

Vault 113 - Virtual Reality Matrix Experiment¶

Vault 113

Purpose: Vault 113 immersed residents in an intricate virtual world, isolating them from the physical realm to observe the long-term effects of simulated existence.
Experience: Inhabitants of Vault 113 lived unaware of the outside world, their lives controlled by an advanced computer system, offering endless possibilities within the virtual realm.
Status: Vault 113 remains a surreal and digital existence. Its residents continue to thrive within the simulated world, unaware of the true reality outside. Explorers uncover a complex virtual landscape with its own mysteries and challenges. The Overseer, an advanced AI, maintains order and ensures both the vault's physical survival and the entertainment of its residents, who have been in cryonic life support for over 200 years. Due to increasingly common malfunctions in the Vault, the Overseer has begun to look for a way to keep the Vault running, by sending robots out into the wasteland to scavenge for parts.
Interaction: Vault 113 opened on schedule 10 years after the bombs fell, but none of its residents left. The occasional explorer has entered the Vault, but the Overseer has been able to keep most of them from discovering the truth. Only a handful of people have made it far enough into the Vault to discover the chamber where the residents are kept on life support, and only one has ever attempted to plug himself into the simulation. Players may enter the Vault and explore the virtual world, which is a mix of pre-war and post-war elements. They may also encounter the Overseer, who may ask them to help him keep the Vault running. Players may also encounter the aforementioned robots exploring the wastes.
Location: Concealed beneath the ruins of the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Vault 184 - Extreme Isolation Study¶

Vault 184

Purpose: Vault 184 focused on extreme isolation to understand the psychological impacts. Residents were isolated from one another and subjected to prolonged solitude and sensory deprivation.
Experience: Vault 184 inhabitants endured extended periods of isolation, leading to heightened introspection, sensory sensitivity, and loneliness. Their lives were devoid of sensory input. Residents are permitted to socialize for only one month of every year, during a breeding season when they are allowed to interact with one another. Children remain isolated with their mother until they reach the age of 10, at which point they are separated and placed in isolation. Robots maintain the vault's operations, and residents are not permitted to interact with them. Despite their isolation, each vault-dweller maintains a role, including farming, cooking, etc...
Status: Vault 184 is located on the west side of Houston, and its residents have adapted to solitude. They value their privacy and have developed unique coping mechanisms, making them resilient in their isolated environment.
Interaction: Vault 184 was never intended to open up. Players may stumble upon it and find a group of people who are extremely wary of outsiders. They may be able to gain access to the Vault, but the residents will be extremely suspicious of them.
Location: Beneath the remains of the former Katy Mills shopping center, to the west of Houston