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FalloutShady Sands
Fallout 2New California Republic (town)

Shady Sands is the capital of the New California Republic and one of the largest cities of the Republic and New California. It is also the largest known urban center built from scratch, without using pre-War ruins as the foundation, boasting a population of over 3000 inhabitants by 2241.[1] Shady Sands houses the Hall of Congress of the New California Republic, as well as the president and their office, quartered in the same building.

History[]

A small and peaceful village. Probably the most promising community in the wastes.Ian

Shady Sands was founded by an ancestor of Aradesh after they left Vault 15.[2][Non-game 1][Non-game 2][3] The settlement was jump-started using the G.E.C.K., allowing for adobe buildings from sandcrete and rudimentary agriculture to be set up.[4] A protective wall was also erected to protect the city from raider tribes that formed in the winter, raiding outlying communities to replenish their food supplies.[Non-game 3] No one expected that the humble village would eventually culminate in the formation of the mighty New California Republic.[5]

Shady Sands[]

Main article: Shady Sands (Fallout)
Fo1 Shady Sands

Shady Sands in 2161

By 2161, it was a small but thriving settlement, completely self-sufficient, as they managed to irrigate the wasteland soil to support crops (primarily maize and cabbage), drill a well to provide them with water, and even establish brahmin herds. Their grown crops and resources sustained the settlement and provided goods for trade with other towns.[6]

The settlement kept mostly to itself, trading with the occasional merchant from Junktown.[7] It proved large enough to deter most of the problems the wastes presented, primarily the local raider clans (another surviving group from Vault 15) and repeated attacks by radscorpions. Both of these threats slowly escalated, as radscorpions became more numerous and aggressive, while the raiders constantly focused their strength and numbers on the fledgling township.

These problems were alleviated by the Vault Dweller, who discovered the settlement en route to Vault 15. Initially distrusting of the stranger, the inhabitants quickly warmed up to the hero as they successfully rid the community of the radscorpion threat, and later rescued Tandi, Aradesh's daughter, from captivity at the hands of raiders.[8]

Capital of the New California Republic[]

Fo2 New California Republic Satellite View

Shady Sands in 2241

In the period between 2161 and 2241, the small settlement grew and expanded, forming one of the most influential political factions to emerge in the post-war United States, the New California Republic (NCR). Tandi, the daughter of Aradesh, eventually rose to the title of president of the sprawling New California Republic. Following the establishment of the NCR, the township expanded rapidly.

By 2241, Shady Sands is often referred to simply as New California Republic, even if the name never officially changed.[9][10][11][12][13][14] The town has transformed from a small farming settlement into the largest civilized population center in New California, with over 3000 inhabitants by 2241.[1] It was made prosperous via trade with smaller outlying townships and its vast agricultural power. Almost nothing of the original village remains, only a few familiar looking buildings. The heart of the city is the Congress district, where the Hall of Congress and the Presidential Mansion are located.

It is a clean town filled with honest, hardworking folk – at least that's how President-for-life Tandi would like to have it. The reality falls somewhat short of that goal. The NCR does keep order within its walls with a large and competent police force. Outside the walls, the NCR has so far been operating through others, buying and trading for things that they cannot yet take by open force.[15][16]

By far Shady Sands' greatest resource at that point is its vast herds of brahmin, which provide most of the NCR with as much meat and leather as is required. The brahmin barons and ranchers in NCR territories, along with the Stockmen's Association, hold a great deal of sway with the trade caravans and government.

The State of Shady[]

Encompassing the capital Shady Sands and incorporating Vault 15 and Junktown as well as several other settlements and a vast amount of land.[Non-game 4] The state of Shady also borders the state of Maxson and the state of Hub, both of which are to the south, making Shady the northernmost state in the New California Republic.[17]

Shady Sands is a major part of the Republic's energy distribution network, hooked into the restored infrastructure bringing in power from Hoover Dam.[18]

Notes[]

The precise date of the settlement's founding is not established in any of the released video games and supplementary sources give conflicting information:

  • Fallout Bible 0 places the founding in spring of 2142. However, this conflicts with Jarvis' statement about its foundation by a great ancestor of Aradesh.
  • Fallout Bible 6 establishes that Vipers left Vault 15 in 2097 (64 years before the game's time), emerging alongside the settlers that would establish Shady Sands.

Appearances[]

Shady Sands first appeared in Fallout, with the New California Republic only being mentioned in the end cutscenes. The NCR first appears in Fallout 2 as an advanced Shady Sands. In Fallout: New Vegas, Shady Sands is mentioned by missionaries in the quest G.I. Blues, alongside the Boneyard, Aradesh, and Vault 13,[19] and by Angela Williams at Camp McCarran.[18]

In the Fallout 3 Galaxy News Radio play The Adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood, the "stalwart ghoul manservant" Argyle mentions a "Shady Sands Shuffle" - reverse-pickpocketing - as he slides live grenades into the pockets of hostile super mutants.[20]

In Fallout 4, there is a reference to Shady Sands in a case file about the Mysterious Stranger that can be found in the Valentine Detective Agency under a bed.[21] One can also hear Shady Sands mentioned on the radio in the childhood memories of Kellogg.[22]

In Fallout: Wasteland Warfare, the town is referred to as "Sandy Shores" after it became the capital city of the New California Republic. It is identified as the largest city in the Republic and one of the largest cities in the entire Wasteland.[23]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Chosen One: "{106}{}{I'm new to NCR. What can you tell me about your town?}"
    Karl: "{114}{}{This is NCR, capitol of the New California Republic. Population 3000 and growing. No slavery, no gambling, no drugs. President is Mrs. Tandi, my boss is Sheriff Dumont. That answer your questions?}"
    (Karl's dialogue)
  2. The Vault Dweller: "{108}{}{Tell me a bit about the town.}"
    Jarvis: "{111}{}{Well, Shady Sands was founded by a great ancestor of our current leader, Aradesh. He could tell you more of the story. We have a well and irrigation, so we do well for ourselves.}"
    (Jarvis' dialogue)
  3. The Vault Dweller: "{130}{}{Tell me about yourself.}"
    Katrina: "{137}{}{My life was very boring. I was raised in a Vault. I lived there for many years. Unfortunately, we were crowded and life was very bad. There was a schism, and many people left, taking with them the best equipment. Still, some of us tried to stay in the Vault. But then we were attacked. I was hurt, and I ended up here. Now I try to help people . . .}"
    (SSGUIDE.MSG)
  4. The Chosen One: "{117}{}{Do you have a GECK?}"
    Mikey Frazier: "{119}{}{A GECK? Well, that's old history, so what the hell. You mean the old Garden of Eden Kit. We had one - I mean our grandparents had one. Used it when they came out of Vault 15. Got this place started, they say. It's all used up now.}"
    (Scmikey.msg)
  5. The Chosen One: "{127}{}{Ever hear of a GECK?}"
    Slave overseer: "{138}{}{GECK, eh? Back when I was studying Vault tech, I read about those. Supposedly every vault got one and it was supposed to be the first thing used once a vault got opened. They say that's how Shady Sands got its start - from a GECK. That help at all?}"
    The Chosen One: "{139}{}{You studied vault tech? Impressive. Say, I got some more questions for you.}"
    (Scslvovr.msg)
  6. The Vault Dweller: "{117}{}{I want to know about this place.}"
    Seth: "{124}{}{Shady Sands is a peaceful community. We have our own irrigation system, so we can grow our own food. If we were not plagued with raiders and Radscorpions, we would have no problems.}"
    (SETH.MSG)
  7. The Vault Dweller: "{1009}{}{Junktown}"
    Aradesh: "{1109}{Ara_60}{Junktown is south of here. Their merchants occasionally come to trade, but not often.}"
    (ARADESH.MSG)
  8. The Chosen One: "{241}{}{I'd like to hear your story.}"
    Tandi: "{242}{tand29}{Figures. (sigh) Well, I was pretty young when we met. There was a gang of raiders - The Khans - Who'd gotten hold of me. Things were looking pretty bad when, all of a sudden, this stranger shows up and rescues me. Your Vaultdweller.}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  9. The Chosen One: "{164}{}{Is this the Shadeesands the Elder speaks of?}"
    Tandi: "{248}{tand31}{Was Shady Sands; Most folks call it NCR now. New California Republic - pretty impressive name, huh?}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  10. Tandi: "{278}{tand38}{I'm Tandi, president of the New California Republic. Welcome to Shady Sands. I hear some pretty impressive things about you. No point in dancing. Got some business I want to discuss.}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  11. The Courier: "You remember everyone who passes through here?"
    Sterling: "Got a good memory for faces. Landmarks and such, too. Comes with practice, that's all. And a lot of scoutin' from place to place. I reckon I've walked every inch of ground between Shady Sands and the Colorado... or close enough to make a man's feet plenty sore."
    (Sterling's dialogue)
  12. Crimson Caravan invoice
  13. The Courier: "What's the Thaler Act?"
    Trent Bascom: "Something the politicians back in Shady Sands came up with. They pay us to move here and farm the land. They even protect the fields."
    (Trent Bascom's dialogue)
  14. The Courier: "Do you have a problem with the NCR?"
    Tom Anderson: "I don't go looking for fights with them, but they don't have the best interests of people in mind. Certainly not locals. The bottom line for NCR is productivity and growth. Politicians back in Shady Sands are completely detached from the people actually living here."
    (Tom Anderson's dialogue)
  15. Fallout 2 Official Strategies & Secrets p.190: "The NCR is a clean town filled with honest, hardworking folk—at least that's how President-for-life Tandi would like to have it. The reality falls somewhat short of that goal. The NCR does keep order within its walls with a large and competent police force. Outside the walls, the NCR has so far been operating through others, buying and trading for things that they cannot yet take by open force."
  16. Fallout 2 manual "Life on the Outside
    My first few days were harrowing to say the least. I fought off some giant mutant rats that were more interested in eating me than they should have been.
    My only clue was the location of another Vault, number 15. I spent a couple of days stumbling through the desert before I came upon a small settlement. I stopped there for help, and encountered the little town called Shady Sands. I helped them, and they helped me. Understand that survival requires that you work together, even with people you may not trust. I did earn the trust, however, of two prominent citizens of Shady Sands - Tandi, and her father, Aradesh."
  17. NCR history holodisk: "Founded eighty years ago, the NCR is now comprised of the states of Shady, Los Angeles, Maxson, Hub, and Dayglow. Approximately 700,000 citizens are pleased to call NCR home."
  18. 18.0 18.1 Courier: "Are you a scientist?"
    Angela Williams: "I know I don't sound the part. Get raised by brahmin ranchers, and you never lose the twang. Drives Hildern crazy. But I know every inch of the power grid from Hoover Dam to Shady Sands. That's what we do here - try to optimize the power output from the Dam. Some of the others are working on an agricultural project, but... truth be told, they aren't making much progress. Not yet, anyway. "
  19. The Courier: "Tandi."
    Missionary: "Interesting. Okay, next question - what was the original name of the NCR capital - The Boneyard, Shady Sands, Aradesh, or Vault 13?"
    (Missionary's dialogue)
  20. The Adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood Super Mutant Mayhem!
    Argyle mentions a "Shady Sands Shuffle" as he slides live grenades into the pockets of hostile super mutants.
  21. The Mysterious Stranger (note)
  22. Kellogg memory radio broadcast
  23. Sandy Shores.png

Non-game

  1. Fallout Bible p.25: "TIMELINE REPAIR: SECOND STRIKE"
    "2142 Spring: Shady Sands founded, wall erected against the raiders."
  2. Fallout Bible p.11: "VAULT SYSTEM"
    "Vault 15: Intended to stay closed for 50 years and include people of radically diverse ideologies. Gathered from what you hear from Aradesh in Fallout 1, he has quite a bit of multi-cultural flavoring to his speech."
  3. Fallout Bible 0; Timeline repair Second strike: "2141 Winter Raiders begin to form in the region as food supplies run low. The Khans and the Vipers begin terrorizing local settlements."
  4. Fallout Bible 5; Questions: Q: "14. One thing - what's happened to Junktown? Was it just too little to be it's own state? Or maybe it has managed to survive as an independent enclave inside NCR, a hive of scum and villainy, so to speak. And what kind of folks would live in Glow? After all, that place must still, well, glow, at least somewhat. Ghouls?'" A: "Junktown became part of NCR as part of the state of Shady, and it was one of the first provisional states, considering it was one of the first (and most trustworthy) of the Shady Sands trading partners during its early formation. Its alliance with Shady Sands did cause some alarm from the caravans in the Hub, but it didn't hurt the Hub communities any... and the Hub eventually became part of NCR as well." "As for the Glow (or the state of Dayglow), most of the state is actually north and west of the glow, but they are still able to see the Glow from their borders. A number of ghouls are rumored to live there now, as part of the Great Migration from Necropolis - once the ghouls learned of West Tek, they were eager to see if they could scavenge technology from the abandoned center. Some ghouls formed partnerships with scavenging companies from New Adytum and the Hub and have built quite a profitable corporation from their salvage efforts. At least one super mutant, a refugee from the Cathedral, was also rumored to be working with the ghouls and humans in Dayglow."
FNV NCR Flag
Fo2 NCR Seal
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