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Vault 101

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Vault 101
Site
map markerVault 101
People
leaders (October 23rd, 2077)
(2127)
(before 2241)
(before 2258)
doctors (2258)
(2277)
Other
quests



Technical
cell nameVault101Exterior (exterior)
Vault101a (outer door)
Vault101aMS16 (vault door)
Vault101b (atrium)
Vault101bMS16 (upper level)
Vault101d (DeLoria residence)
Vault101dMS16 (Lower level)
Vault101Reactor (reactor sublevel)
Vault101ReactorMS16 (vlt sublevel)
000010c1 (exterior)
00024512 (outer door)
00099e9e (vault door)
00024511 (atrium)
00099e9d (upper level)
00028138 (DeLoria res.)
00099e9b (lower level)
0002a186 (react. sublevel)
00099e9a (vlt sublevel)
 

For on the fateful day, when fire rained from the sky, the giant steel door of Vault 101 slid closed... and never reopened. It was here you were born. It is here you will die. Because, in Vault 101: no one ever enters, and no one ever leaves.

,

Vault 101 is one of the series of fallout shelters developed by in the north-west area of near . This vault is located northwest to and east to . It was the home of the until they left in search of their .

Contents

[] Background

[] Construction and purpose

It's not exactly known when the construction of Vault 101 began but it was probably constructed in the 2060s like the other vaults in . The purpose of Vault 101 in the was to test the role of the Overseer in a community that remains indefinitely isolated from the outside world. While the Overseer was able to interact and visit the outside world via radio transmissions and a secret tunnel from his sealed office, the rest of the inhabitants were told that Vault 101 was never sent an “all clear” signal, while faked radio transmissions described a nuclear-ravaged world gone mad, with absolutely no hope of existence outside of a Vault. The radio transmissions were actually recorded before the bombs even fell, and in many cases described a world even more horrible than the reality of the nuclear wasteland.

To this end, Vault 101 was supplied with all the equipment it would need to keep functioning indefinitely like spare parts for the water processor, but the vault didn't receive a , a piece of technology that can only be used on the surface.

[] Early years

The , like his counterparts in the other Vaults, was actually a planted Vault-Tec operative whose job it was to control the experiment from the inside. Aside from maintaining the fiction that the outside world was not habitable ruse after the Vault was populated an sealed when the Great War took place, the Overseer was meant to cultivate the isolationism, preventing anyone from leaving the shelter and using the faked radio transmissions to convince them of the folly of doing so.

The took over the reins after the death of his predecessor of natural causes in 2127. He maintained and developed the isolationist doctrine, convincing senior vault dwellers to become complicit in the vault experiment. The second Vault 101 Overseer was actually able to communicate with, and even visit, the outside world by using the secret tunnel in the Overseer's office. However, for all other intents and purposes, the vault dwellers were sealed in with the motto "we are born in the vault, we live in the vault, and we die in the vault".

Although the fiction was maintained by his descendants, there was a deviation. In , the decided to send scouting parties to the outside and open the Vault. The survey team, led by , left the Vault in February and reconnoitered the ruins of and the settlement, bringing back samples to the Vault for analysis. Most of the team returned on February 10, 2241, logging their reports. and , two other members, remained in Megaton to serve as contacts between the two settlements and to further survey the surrounding environments. The latter eventually returned to the Vault.

[] Renewed Isolation

The progressive overseer has disappeared on an excursion into the wasteland between 2241 and 2258. He was succeeded at his post by , a firm believer in the need to maintain total isolation of the Vault (thanks to his parents, who were convinced that the Vault should have no contact with the dangers out there). Many suspected foul play, but they had little choice but to accept Almodovar's leadership. The new Overseer immediately set out to correct the perceived lapses in security. Vault 101 was sealed, again, and the senior vault dwellers were sworn to secrecy.

However, the isolation wasn't perfect. Between 2258 and 2259, the Overseer made an exception: to fill the post of Vault physician, he allowed an and to enter the Vault, swearing the man to maintain secrecy and raise the child as if they were born in the Vault. Between 2265 and 2267, a female Vault dweller escaped from the Vault, reaching (though her whereabouts and ultimate fate are not known). Another escaped in , revealing to that Vault 101 was essentially brainwashing its residents.

Within the Vault, life was stifled by Almodovar's firm grip on the community and brainwashing. With a strong, omnipresent security force, the Overseer instituted a cult of personality focused on him alone, as the protector and wise leader of the Vault. James' outsider origin was a problem for Almodovar, one he sought to fix by assigning him as assistant. This decision would ultimately prove to be wrong. Another problem were the , a "gang" of juvenile delinquents. While the Overseer used them for dirty work, his permissiveness resulted in them becoming unruly and quite disturbing. However, overall, Alphonse Almodovar managed to cultivate an entire generation of Vault 101 dwellers playing along with the vault experiments, keeping the secrets from their children. He and his cronies continued to receive periodic information from the outside world, while those not in the know were told that things had gotten so bad that whoever was sending transmissions was no longer able to do so, reinforcing the thought that leaving the vault was sheer suicide.

[] James' departure

The Overseer's regime suffered a terrible blow on August 17, 2277. James, the Vault physician, abandoned the shelter and their child to again pursue his dream, . His opening of the Vault door led to a radroach infestation and the Overseer going berserk. The latter immediately confined all the dwellers to their quarters and ordered the security team to contain the outbreak - and shoot everyone found out of their quarters, especially the . The security team's actions contribute to the chaos. The radroach infestation doesn't help. By the time James' child escapes the Vault, the list of casualties is quite large and includes (heart attack), , , (all three succumb to radroaches), (died tortured to death by ) and several security officers (killed by radroaches or the ).

[] Vault crisis

The double escape and subsequent loss of life did not do wonders to the situation in the Vault. Quite the opposite: a faction of dwellers formed, demanding that Vault 101 be opened, to begin interacting with the outside world, set up trade relationships and allow the dwellers to come and go. Led by , this faction was opposed by her father, Alphonse, and his security force, who saw this as a threat to the Vault's "great mission." His opposition was made stronger by the fact that he was contacted by the on a governmental frequency, who offered the Vault amnesty for unspecified crimes and reunification (they were unable to access the Vault, as Amata changed the access password). Almodovar ignored the request, treating it as confirmation of his isolationism policy.

The rebellious movement did not subside. To the contrary, it grew, eventually sealing themselves up in a part of the Vault, demanding the Overseer's resignation. While the Overseer wanted to sit them out and wait until they voluntarily give up, his Security Chief wasn't going to. Instead, he planned a midnight raid into the rebel quarters, with live ammunition and zero tolerance, to subdue the movement by force. Fearing that the conflict couldn't be resolved otherwise, Amata issued a call on the , calling the , now an experienced wastelander, to return to Vault 101 and help them. They may have resolved the crisis, either supporting the opening of the Vault to the outside world, or championing the isolation policy (effectively dooming the Vault to die due to a dwindling gene pool).

What neither side of the conflict was aware of, the conflict that occurred when the Vault dwellers became aware of the habitability of the world outside and rebelled against the Overseer and his policy of isolationism was, in fact, the final part of the grand social experiment in Vault 101.

[] Layout

Vault 101 is divided into four sections by the game. These sections are the Main Entrance, Overseer's Tunnel, Atrium/Upper Level, and the Lower Level. The sections are separated by , and stairways connect floors and levels within two of the sections. Levels and rooms are identified by . There are two paths to the Capital Wasteland: a direct path from the Atrium and a hidden tunnel named the Overseer's Tunnel.

It is important to note that the sections are not directly stacked upon each other. They are staggered with each section moving progressively more westward as the Vault burrows deeper into the earth.

[] Main entrance

This section connects the Capital Wasteland to the Vault. The rooms in this section are:

  • Natural rock tunnel connecting the Wasteland door to the Vault door
  • Entrance room
  • Control booth
  • Concealed room connecting the Overseer's Tunnel to the main entrance
  • Large generator room
  • Small generator room
  • Storage room

[] Overseer's tunnel

This section connects the Overseer's Office (in Atrium/Upper Level) with the Main Entrance.

[] Atrium/Upper level

This Atrium connects the main entrance to the lower level. This section is divided into two sub-sections: Admin and Atrium. The Atrium is located in the upper level of Vault 101. to this room is by a stairway connecting the to the Atrium. The Atrium is the main room of the Vault and is used by Vault residents for large social gatherings and ball sports.

When returning to Vault 101 in the quest, someone has amusingly vandalized the "Thank You Overseer!" Sign in the middle of the room by replacing Thank You with "F*ck you" So in total the sign now read "F*ck You Overseer!" This is an obvious note to the disagreements to the overseer when and left the vault

In the early 2260s, at Wally's , the child's game is played on the Atrium.

Several years later, on July 13, , a notice in the Cafeteria announces an upcoming game on Saturday.

If the player studies the local map carefully, he/she will note that the rooms with closed doors, ex. cafeteria, don't exist. It is, also, not evident how the Mack Family apartment is connected to the rest of the complex as the apartment door leads to a non-existent hallway. Regardless, the location of the apartment itself suggests how far up the ladder Allen Mack is in the command structure of the Vault as his family has one of the best apartments.

Rooms in Admin are:

  • Overseer's office - Overseer's terminal
  • Reception room - Jonas Palmer dies ("")
  • Overseer's apartment - 3 rooms - dining/living room, Amata's bedroom, Alphonse's bedroom
  • Operations
  • Computer (inaccessible) - Location of Vault's mainframe
  • Security - Amata is interrogated ("Escape!"), holding cell - Mr. Brotch is detained ("")
  • Systems - Floyd Lewis dies here ("Escape!")

Systems connects Admin to Atrium. Rooms in Atrium are located on two floors - a upper and a lower floor. Rooms on the upper floor are inaccessible. They are:

  • Dining/Living room of Mack Apartment - Allan Mack is yelling at the Lone Wanderer ("Escape!")
  • Utility (inaccessible)
  • Equipment (inaccessible)

[] Lower level

This is the final section of the Vault. Though named Lower Level, this section actually covers two levels: the Lower and the Reactor.

Rooms in the lower level are:

  • Clinic
  • Physician's office
    • Vault 101 Medical Access Database terminal
    • Beatrice is dead ("Trouble on the Homefront")
  • Classroom
    • GOAT ("Future Imperfect")
  • Cafeteria (aka Diner)
    • Lone Wanderer's tenth birthday ("Growing Up Fast")
    • Grandma Taylor dies ("Escape!")
    • 2 rooms - Dining/Living room, bedroom
    • Ellen DeLoria is attacked by radroaches ("Escape!")
  • Common room (inaccessible)
  • Cigar room (inaccessible)
  • Ladies restroom
  • Gentlemen's restroom
  • Lone Wanderer's apartment
    • Amata talks to the Lone Wanderer after James escapes ("Escape!")
  • Storage room
Note: The map for the DeLoria and Lone Wanderer's apartments in the official game guide have two beds in the bedroom; whereas, in the game, there is only one bed.

Rooms in the Reactor level are:

  • Generator room
    • James gives a to the Lone Wanderer ("Growing Up Fast")
  • Filter room
  • Reactor room
    • Location of the Vault's geothermal reactor
  • Storage room
    • Lone Wanderer kills a radroach ("Growing Up Fast")
Note: The Official Game Guide identifies this level as the Vault 101 Atrium.

[] Inhabitants

[] Notable loot

[] Related quests

[] Notes

  • Vault 101 is one of two fully functional vaults (the other being ) in the Capital Wasteland. All the other vaults have failed as results of the experiments within and have been left derelict.
  • It is suggested in the poem that the Lone Wanderer receives upon their tenth birthday that the dead of Vault 101 are incinerated in some sort of area built for this but this is never demonstrated in game.
  • At the in the D.C. Ruins, a replica of the Vault 101 door is hanging over the lobby area with spotlights illuminating it.
  • When you leave the vault in , a security camera can be seen above the vault door, however in , the camera is gone.
  • It should be noted that the Vault 101 location doesn't add to your " Discovered" stat in your when exiting the vault at the beginning of your game, even though the marker is active on the map.
  • Just outside the inner door of Vault 101, there are some skeletons and several small, handwritten picket signs begging the original vault dwellers to let their authors in, possibly just after the Great War occurred.
  • and can sometimes spawn when fast-traveling to the vault, even at low levels thus can kill an inexperienced player instantly .
  • A holotape, near the vault inside , suggests that the raiders have been trying to get into this vault for years.
  • Looking at the door to the Capital Wasteland always makes it appear to be daytime outside, even if it is actually nighttime outside.
  • says he had to amputate Beatrice's left leg due to a sprained big toe. However by looking at her corpse Andy removed the right leg, certainly cause of death.
  • It's possible to enter the vault after completing . The player just needs to finish the quest, and the kill one of the residents, this will make the door open for the rest of the game.
  • Outside the vault there is a location. It has two spawn points. One down the road in either direction. It is activated by following the road south slightly past the elevated highway.
  • The Lone Wanderer's apartment only has one bed despite having two residents inside it.

[] Appearances

Vault 101 appears only in .

[] Behind the scenes

  • In the cafeteria, there is a reference to . On the bulletin board above the jukebox it advertises a bingo night in the diner, with the ball chosen being 13 and "First prize being a weeks supply of water rations!".

[] Bugs

  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3.png Fast-traveling or approaching the Vault entrance will in some cases result in a massive frame-rate drop.
  • PCIcon pc.png Closing the Vault door manually using the outer console will work normally during . However, approaching the tunnel exit will result in the Vault door reopening behind you exactly when it is supposed to close if you don't tamper with the console.
  • PCIcon pc.png Using the console command activate on the Vault door or just using the ToggleCollision and simply walk through the door will grant you access at any time after leaving the Vault. However, if the quest is not in progress or available yet, the Vault will be completely empty of all residents, with the occasional exception of a lone security guard who will have no dialogue options and is prone to frequent and random disappearance. Entering using this method after the quest will allow you to remain there as long as you wish, with some residents having dialogue options available, such as .
  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3.png Whenever you enter third person mode before or during 's laugh during the GOAT Mr.Brotch won't respond and you will need to reload a save.

[] Gallery

References

  1. , Game of the Year Edition p. 42: "Vault 101 was actually part of an unscrupulous social experiment. All of the other Vaults were intended to be opened at one point or another when the "all clear" signal was sent from Vault-Tec or the appropriate regulatory agency, and this indeed, did transpire, with almost universally horrific results. But Vault 101's secret plans were different: The doors were never scheduled to open. Ever. In fact, the Vault was supplied with just the type of equipment it would need to keep functioning indefinitely-like spare parts for the water processor. But this was just the beginning:

    The true experiment was even more devious and cunning. Although Vault 101 was about testing the human condition when a Vault never opened, this was only the first part of the plan. The “actual” experiment went far beyond that, and a select few knew the true nature; that this was to test the role of the Overseer. While the Overseer was able to interact (and even visit) the outside world via radio transmissions, and a secret tunnel from his sealed office, the rest of the inhabitants faced a much more dismal future: As far as they knew, Vault 101 was never sent an “all clear” signal, and faked radio transmissions described a nuclear-ravaged world gone mad, with absolutely no hope of existence outside of a Vault. The radio transmissions were actually recorded before the bombs even fell, and in many cases described a world even more horrible than the reality of the nuclear wasteland. The Vault 101 Overseer, like his counterparts in the other Vaults, was actually a planted Vault-Tec operative whose job it was to control the experiment from the inside.

    Aside from keeping up this ruse, the Overseer’s other important role was to reinforce to the dwellers of Vault 101 that the outside world would never be habitable again, and that their only salvation was in the Vault. The Overseer prevented anyone from leaving the Vault, and made sure the Vault dwellers received their regular “transmission” from the outside world. People entered Vault 101 in 2077, just before the bombs fell.

    The Overseer died of natural causes 50 years later (in 2127), at the age of 84, after grooming a subordinate to continue the clandestine plan. The new Overseer led his people according to the same isolationist doctrine preached by his predecessor, but also attempted to garner as many senior Vault Dwellers to become complicit in this plan as possible. By 2277, the descendants of the Overseer had an entire generation of Vault Dwellers who were playing along with this plan, keeping the secrets from their children.

    The Overseer and his cronies continued to receive periodic information from the outside world, while those not in the know were told that things had gotten so bad that whoever was sending transmissions was no longer able to do so; reinforcing the thought that leaving the Vault was sheer suicide. The final piece of this grand experiment only truly began when the Vault Dwellers living in blissful ignorance finally realized the world outside could be accessed, and there was a possibility of life above ground. The experiment only really commenced when the Vault 101 door first opened, and a young dweller fled into the light."
  2. Game of the Year Edition p.89: "Growing up in Vault 101 during a time when the Vault dwellers ventured freely into the outside world, Alphonse’s parents believed . As he got older, Alphonse knew he had to correct the gross lapses in security. He got his chance when the Overseer—a strong proponent of outside contact—disappeared one day while out in the Wasteland. Many sus-pected foul play, but the young, charismatic, strong-willed Alphonse Almodovar offered the Vault dwellers new leadership, and they had little choice but to accept."
  3. : "..."
Vault 101