Vault City

"All Clear Signal"
Vault City is a high-tech settlement in Northern Nevada in Fallout 2, established by the inhabitants of Vault 8 after the Great WarVault City travel log, best known for their medical technology, the most advanced within New California. Vault City can be found twenty-one squares east and four squares south of Arroyo.
==History==
Founded shortly after emergence from Vault 8, Vault City operated uncontested in Northern California for decades. Trouble began in 2235, with the foundation of Gecko. The reactivation of the nuclear power plant didn't go unnoticed by Vault City, who started to look upon their new neighbors with growing concern.Fallout Bible p.27: "TIMELINE REPAIR: SECOND STRIKE"2235: While there had already been a small number of ghouls in Gecko at this time, more come to the area, and the town of Gecko is formed. The new influx of ghouls bring scavenged technology and know-how, and the power plant in Gecko becomes operational later that year. Vault City looks upon their new neighbors with growing concern." As it turned out, the plant was in a serious state of disrepair, as of 2239 it began leaking waste into the local groundwater, irradiating the local water table and posing a threat to the City.The Chosen One: "{208}{}{What can you tell me about Gecko?}"Gregory: "{219}{}{Gecko? It's a filthy shantytown to the north, inhabited by those creatures, those... "ghouls." They're responsible for poisoning our groundwater, you know! It's an obvious act of terrorism against Vault City!}"The Chosen One: "{220}{}{How are they poisoning the water?}"Gregory: "{223}{}{Their shantytown is built around the remains of an old atomic power plant... a plant they SOMEHOW started up again and that is now leaking radiation! Those creatures need to be driven out and that plant shut down!}"(VCGreg.msg) Any person who drank water from the wells would contract radiation sickness,Charlie: "{126}{}{Last time I drink the damned water in this town, that's fer sure.}""{127}{}{Surprised I still ain't glowing...}""{128}{}{Damn Rad-Away gives me the runs...}""{129}{}{Thanks, stranger. I appreciate your help... I couldn't afford the Autodoc.}"(VCCharly.msg) in some cases fatally so,Valerie: "{262}{}{Dad?!}"{263}{}{2 Seconds}Vic: "{264}{}{Valerie?! Honey, is that you?}"(Vcmainwk.msg) and Vault City's medical experts were concerned if the problem wasn't addressed, it could lead to sterility and/or chromosomal damage in the population.The Chosen One: "{173}{}{Can you tell me about Vault City?}"Phyllis: "{199}{}{Vault City? Well, actually, there's not much to say. I mean, I've been a Citizen all my life... but there's not much to do in Vault City. At all.}"The Chosen One: "{201}{}{Nothing at all? Come on.}"Phyllis: "{204}{}{Look, I know you're a new Citizen and all, and I don't mean to throw a damper on your Citizenship, but this City can be VERY dull at times.}"The Chosen One: "{205}{}{Dull? How so?}"Phyllis: "{208}{}{I mean, have you noticed how similar everyone is? And OLD? Most of the seminars and extracurricular activities are geared towards octogenarians. I'm barely twenty-five, and this city makes me feel like I'm fifty.}"The Chosen One: "{210}{}{Speaking of old, I noticed there aren't any children in the city.}"Phyllis: "{216}{}{Well... yes. Actually, there aren't. Yet. I don't know if anyone told you yet, Vault City is a planned community. We're not due for another pregnancy cycle until a few years from now.}"The Chosen One: "{217}{}{Uh... a pregnancy cycle?}"Phyllis: "{220}{}{Yes. Pregnancies are permitted only during certain years established by the Council.}"The Chosen One: "{221}{}{What if you get pregnant anyway?}"The Chosen One: "{225}{}{Uh, last I heard, SEX can make someone pregnant.}"Phyllis: "{228}{}{Oh, you mean intercourse? Intercourse is still allowed outside of pregnancy cycles.}"The Chosen One: "{229}{}{Doesn't that make people pregnant?}"Phyllis: "{232}{}{Oh, no, no... you see, our pregnancies don't result from intercourse.}"Phyllis: "{236}{}{Male Citizens "donate" to the Auto-Doc here in the Vault and the most favorable matches are chosen by the computer. Then the appropriate female Citizen is seeded by the Auto-Doc.}"The Chosen One: "{238}{}{Don't people still get pregnant from intercourse? What about accidental pregnancies?}"Phyllis: "{251}{}{Well, actually... you see, this is something I've been thinking about recently, but Citizens don't seem to have accidental pregnancies. The only successful pregnancies have been facilitated by the Auto-Doc.}"The Chosen One: "{252}{}{You know, background radiation might be resulting in sterility or even worse, chromosomal damage. Might be worth checking out.}"Phyllis: "{255}{}{You know, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I should mention it to Dr. Troy. He's been too busy to look into it recently, but the next pregnancy cycle IS coming up, so...}"The Chosen One: "{257}{}{Mentioning it to Dr. Troy would be a good idea. Good luck.}"(Vcnancy.msg) As a result, the citizens' attitude towards the ghouls turned from suspicion into open animosity and even outright antipathy, as they accused Gecko of committing terror against Vault City, and although the ghouls repeatedly attempted to contact Vault City for technical help, their emissaries were always shot on sight.The Chosen One: "{262}{}{Vault City wouldn’t give you the part? Even if it means that the groundwater won’t be polluted anymore?}"Harold: "{274}{hld53}{Well, they’d only help us if they thought it was in their own best interest to do so. Huh. Not much chance of that happening.}"The Chosen One: "{275}{}{Hmm, you may be right. Still if someone could convince them that they should help you….}"Harold: "{276}{hld54}{They shoot ghouls on sight. Makes conversation a bit tricky.}"(Gcharold.msg)
Meanwhile, the expanding NCR considered Vault City a fantastic candidate for inclusion into its growing organism. However, Vault City preferred independence. In February 2241 Vault City rejected offers of an alliance with both the Bishop family of New Reno and the NCR.Fallout Bible p.28: "TIMELINE REPAIR: SECOND STRIKE"2241 February: Vault City rejects offers of an alliance with both the Bishop family of New Reno and NCR." In March, raider attacks on caravans to Vault City begin.Fallout Bible p.28: "TIMELINE REPAIR: SECOND STRIKE"2241 March: Raider attacks on caravans to Vault City begin." The NCR has been getting more aggressive in their attempts to get Vault City to join the Republic, telling Vault City Councillors, if they were to join, the NCR would be able to defend Vault City from the raider attacks. Due to refusals to NCR, with the passage of time raider attacks have become more brutal.The Chosen One: "{186}{}{"Trying times?" What do you mean?}"McClure: "{220}{}{Things have been tough these last two years. The NCR has been getting more aggressive in their attempts to get Vault City to join the Republic.}""{221}{}{They tell us that if we were to join, they would be able to defend us from the raider attacks on our city. As of late, these raider attacks have become more brutal.}""{222}{}{On top of all of this, we have ghouls in Gecko contaminating our groundwater.}"(Vcmclure.msg) Finally, during their last attack, they disabled a laser turret on the western perimeter. Despite having a clear shot into the city, they were ordered to fall back by one of their "captains." This made no sense to Sergeant Stark, who witnessed it.The Chosen One: "{216}{}{Any idea where these raiders are striking from?}"Stark: "{275}{}{I don't know. These raiders don't make much sense. IF they are raiders.}"The Chosen One: "{276}{}{What do you mean?}"Stark: "{279}{}{They've got heavy firepower. Expensive firepower. They know military tactics. They stay in formation. They never cross their lines of fire. And they always stop short of breaking through our defenses.}"The Chosen One: "{280}{}{Uh... they stop short of breaking through the defenses?}"Stark: "{283}{}{I've seen them do it. The last attack, they disabled a laser turret on the western perimeter. They had a clear shot into the city. Then I saw one of their "captains" ORDER them to fall back. Makes no sense.}"(VCSTARK.MSG) John Bishop, under pressure from the NCR, tried to get a current roster of all of Vault City's guards, so he could see if he could "get" to one of them with drugs or other "convincing," which he ultimately failed. This was by design: With no progress being made on the diplomatic side, the NCR Congress approved a secret initiative intended to force Vault City to join. The person selected to carry out this campaign of terror against Vault City was John Bishop of New Reno, who later employed mercenaries to act as raiders and regularly attack Vault City to eventually force it into NCR's handsThe Chosen One: "Rumor has it that the NCR is making a deal with the Bishops." Tandi: "No point trying to keep secrets around here. We're negotiating with New Reno for membership in the NCR. They should have some pull with places like Vault City."(Tandi's dialogue). In 2239 Thomas Moore, an NCR agent comes to Vault City and becomes one of its citizens. After one year he changed politically, actively seeking to convince the Citizens of Vault City to turn to democracy.The Chosen One: "{592}{}{Thomas Moore is a Citizen, and he is the leader of this movement.}"Joanne Lynette: "{595}{lyn093}{No. He is not a TRUE Citizen... not anymore. When he came to us two years ago, he seemed everything we would want in a Citizen. But just a year later he... changed. He turned against us.}"(Vclynett.msg)The Chosen One: "{560}{}{Why do you say he's a troublemaker?}"Joanne Lynette: "{566}{lyn088}{He constantly seeks to convince the Citizens to turn Vault City into a..."democracy," as he calls it, with everyone having a say in laws and decision-making. *I* call it mob rule.}"(Vclynett.msg) As a result of his actions he is treated like an idiot, rather than a citizen. Not one citizen takes his words seriously about democracy.The Chosen One: "{119}{}{Servant Assignment Center? What's that?}"Barkus: "{133}{}{Citizens who need help with menial tasks come here to have a Servant assigned to them for the day.}"The Chosen One: "{134}{}{That sounds a lot like slavery.}"Barkus: "{142}{}{I'd watch that kind of talk if I were you. It is NOT slavery. We take care of these refugees, and they have a good life...better than they would get in the wastes.}"The Chosen One: "{143}{}{Where do you get them?}"Barkus: "{149}{}{Our Servants are usually refugees from raider attacks or contractual prisoners who wish to work off their sentence in a productive manner.}"The Chosen One: "{151}{}{At the cost of their freedom, eh?}"Barkus: "{159}{}{You sound a lot like that idiot Moore...just what Vault City needs. Look, whoever you are, I have work to do, so if you'll kindly remove yourself...}"(Vcbarkus.msg) Although his demagogy was not effective, he did manage to steal some Vault City technology.Fallout Bible p.163-164: "AVALANCHE!"8. And, finally, which part of VC was in Moore's briefcase?8. It was two separate things: (1) two super stimpaks should appear in Bishop's inventory after you deliver the right case (super stimpaks are valuable, no matter where you are, and Bishop's always in danger of suffering head trauma from snipers - or his family), and (2) some downloads from the VC main database - which Bishop requested from Moore, although Moore didn't realize that Bishop wanted the current roster of all VC guards so he could see if he could "get" to one of them with drugs or other "convincing."
==Layout==
Vault City is a very small, but high-tech settlement. The citizen population (in all departments) was 103 in 2241, with an unspecified number of outsiders residing in the courtyard area. It was small compared to the hundreds of residents that lived in Redding or Broken Hills.
Central Council 	 	
↑ 	 	
Vault City Downtown 	→	Vault 8
↑ 	 	
Vault City courtyard	 	
↑ 	 	
===Courtyard===
The courtyard is the place where outsiders (wastelanders) are settled. It isn't much, as people are disorganized, some even are locked in jail. It contains the Happy Harry's general goods store, Greeting office, John Cassidy's Spittoon, and the meager living spaces of outworlders eking out an existence in Vault City's courtyard.
===Downtown===
Downtown is the area where Vault citizens trade for supplies. Wasteland merchants can trade here if they have a day pass, but even then they are not to be trusted, according to the citizens. The main Amenities office is off-limits to non-citizens, but they can trade at the Sub-amenities offices, visit the Tap House, Information office, and if they're unlucky, pass through the Corrections Center before being referred to the Servant Allocation Center.
Day passes are issued to non-citizens able to provide a bona fide reason for entering Vault City. The Chosen One needs a day pass, which can be obtained from the customs office (eg. by posing as a trader in slaves, uranium, gold, or gecko pelt traders, diplomats, and non-citizen agents of Vault City. Day passes allow access during daylight hours (8:00 am until 6:00 pm) but not the original Vault 8 itself. The easiest approach to gain one is to remove one's armor to reveal their jumpsuit before talking to Wallace, who will grant immediate access and advise going to see First Citizen Lynette immediately.
Skeev is willing to sell false citizenship papers that have a similar effect to a day pass. 
===Council===
This is home for the Vault citizens. Here is the Council building where important decisions are made for Vault City. One can apply for a citizenship test, but only if they have the skills to do it. It also hosts accommodations for Vault City citizens, including elegant adobe housing fitted with high tech amenities, and the elite Parlor Room.
Generally, the only normal way to become a Citizen of Vault City is to be born into it. Personal intervention by the Senior Councilor (in 2241 McClure) or the First Citizen (in 2241 Lynette) can grant non-citizen citizenship (though this is never done lightly). 
In addition, non-citizens like the Chosen One can take a citizenship test (administered by the Proconsul; Gregory in 2241), which is intentionally designed to be so difficult as to be virtually impossible by someone not of extraordinary intelligence, perception, and luck. The test is so difficult that the majority of born citizens would fail it were they to take it. Some of the subjects covered by it include advanced mathematics, spatial relations, deductive reasoning, and language comprehension. A thorough physical exam is also included (and will cause Vault City to attack if the Chosen One has a sixth toe).
===Vault 8===
Vault 8 was designed as the control group for the Vault experiments. It remained in pristine condition by 2241. Every element of the Vault is still intact, from the overseer's chair to the entry door. It is thanks to the Vault's nuclear energyVcdwnbar.msg production that Vault City's power is supplied, though its capacity has severely limited the expansion prospects of Vault City. The majority of the Vault is now unoccupied and used for storage. Interestingly, the Vault had two sets of doors - massive external blast doors and a regular, round Vault-entry door.
Full Citizens have access to all of Vault City, including the original Vault 8 itself, although few people still use it much, except for its medical bay, and it is mostly used for storage (including a huge number of water chips, which were accidentally shipped to Vault 8 instead of Vault 13, while Vault 8's second G.E.C.K was shipped to Vault 13 instead of Vault 8).Vault City central computer's information: "{238}{}{According to the archives, there is no GECK currently in stock at Vault City's Amenities Office. The people of Vault City seem to have used the only one they had to help establish the place when they came to the surface.}""{239}{}{Scroll through the remaining information.}""{240}{}{From what you can make out in the archives, two GECKs were part of every Vault's standard inventory package. Only one was shipped to Vault 8, however.}""{241}{}{Cross-reference the GECK shipment information.}""{244}{}{Due to a shipping error, it appears Vault 8 received a box of surplus water chips intended for another Vault. The other Vault most likely received Vault 8's second GECK.}"
==Inhabitants==
==Related quests==
==Notes==
* Vault City is the only location to set a starting reputation to Antipathy, this is because the residents see the Chosen One (and any companion they might be bringing) as just another wastelander.
* With a little engine abuse, the Vault can be entered prior to becoming a citizen. Get close to the Vault without initiating dialogue with the guards, then walk inside in combat mode. The guards and citizens won't turn hostile as long as nobody is attacked while doing this.
==Vault City travel log==
==Appearances==
Vault City appears directly in Fallout 2. It is also mentioned by Rose of Sharon Cassidy in Fallout: New Vegas,The Courier: "You any good in a fight?"Rose of Sharon Cassidy: "I'm fair with chucking dynamite Prefer settling things with my fists, though. Made more friends than corpses in bar fights - plan on keeping it that way. "(Rose of Sharon Cassidy's dialogue)Rose of Sharon Cassidy: ""(Rose of Sharon Cassidy's dialogue) Ulysses in Lonesome Road,The Courier: "Why would I have brought it here?"Ulysses: "I've walked the East. Circle Junction. Reno. Vault City. Word of you at Fort Aradesh... Fort Abandon. Even further West than that, Brahmin drives on the Big Circle. Whatever you saw out there, wasn't enough to make you stay. the markings on the package reminded you of the road home."(Ulysses' dialogue) and Sarah Grey in the Fallout Pen and Paper d20 intro.
==Behind the scenes==
In Vault 8, the Vault City designer notes are found in a terminal. It reads, "Vault City went through many incarnations. It was designed by Leonard Boyarsky, Jason Anderson, Feargus Urquhart, and Chris Avellone. Scott Everts built the maps, and the brave men who scripted this architectural Frankenstein were Rob Hertenstein and Dan Spitzley. And finally, Eric Pribish nearly gave his life testing the monstrosity that is Vault City."Vault City designer notes
==Gallery==
FO2 Adobe background.png|Talking head backdrop
Vault City.jpg|Concept art
Fallout Magic Abundant Growth.png|Magic: The Gathering card
==References==
Non-game
 
de:Vault City
es:Ciudad Refugio
it:Vault City
ja:Vault City
pl:Kryptopolis
pt:Vault City
ru:Город Убежища
uk:Місто Сховища
zh:地下掩體都市