Matilda West

Matilda West was an inhabitant of Arefu in 2277.
==Background==
Prior to the incident that left both her and her husband Davis dead, Matilda had lived in Arefu for over ten years with her husband, son Ian and daughter Lucy, though Lucy had recently left to make it on her own in the town of Megaton. Matilda was responsible for cleaning out the village outhouse, a task which falls to Ken Ewers after her demise.Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.68: "Davis West:The head of the West Family has recently met an untimely death. His demise is suspicious, and the wounds are not consistent with the usual methods of murder in this godforsaken place. Davis has two known kin, a daughter named Lucy who lives in Megaton, and a son named Ian, who was supposed to be living in Arefu with the Family. There's no trace of him."Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.84: "Matilda West:On closer inspection, it seems Matilda West has been slain using the same odd techniques as the those employed on her husband. The Wests were settlers in Arefu for over 10 years, and no one in the settlement appears to hold a grudge against them. Indeed, Matilda was responsible for clearing out the village out-house, a task now sadly fallen to Ken Ewers."Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.82: "Lucy West:Lucy, 25, struck out on her own and headed for the "big city," leaving the small settlement of Arefu and finding her way to Megaton, where she currently resides. Even though Lucy is far from home, she misses her folks and her younger brother, Ian West. She frequently communicates with them via letters she sends there, but as of late, they haven't replied, and she fears that either they are in trouble, or the letters simply aren't getting through." Some time after the conflict with the vampiric gang known as The Family began, Davis and Matilda were brutally killed inside their family home by Ian, who had become overwhelmed by a craving for flesh that he had been dealing with for most of his life.The Lone Wanderer: "I'm sorry, Ian, but your parents are dead."Ian West: "You think I don't know that? You think I don't know what I did?!"(Ian West’s dialogue)The Lone Wanderer: "You seem awfully troubled, Ian. What did you do..."Ian West: "I killed them! My own parents! It was the fucking hunger. That thing that's haunted me my entire life! You must think I'm some sort of monster."(Ian West’s dialogue)The Lone Wanderer: "Why did you... do what you did to your own parents?"Ian West: "I wish I could answer that, I really do. I don't even remember it happening. When the hunger takes over it's like being pushed aside; like something else is controlling me. I can see what's happening, but can't close my eyes. I don't even remember exactly what happened until Vance knocked on the door."(Ian West’s dialogue) However, Ian resisted his cravings for flesh long enough for The Family’s leader Vance and several of his gang to unexpectedly arrive and take him away to The Family’s refuge.The Lone Wanderer: "Wait a minute... What happened to him?"Vance: "Ian's hunger for flesh overwhelmed him... it drove him to kill his parents. Because of my intervention that night he stopped just short of being lost forever to his cravings for flesh."(Vance’s dialogue) Not wanting the town’s residents to become aware that Ian had killed his own parents, Vance left The Family’s markings in the West home and allowed his people to drink the blood of Davis and Matilda for nourishment.The Lone Wanderer: "I saw the Family's mark on the wall. What's up with that?"Ian West: "Vance told me later that he was basically covering for me and allowing the Family to... to feed at the same time. Since my parents were already dead, they drank their blood and left the mark on the wall. He didn't want Evan to suspect I had done it. The irony is they were stalking our town to feed anyway. It's almost like Vance knew this would happen..."(Ian West’s dialogue)
Although Lucy had been aware of Ian’s craving and had helped him ward it off for some time before her departure, neither Ian nor Lucy ever told their parents about the issue, having felt that neither of them would understand.The Lone Wanderer: "Did you ever talk to your parents about it?"Ian West: "Lucy said Mom and Dad would never have understood. She told me to keep what I did a secret and that she'd try and help me."(Ian West’s dialogue)The Lone Wanderer: "If Lucy is still alive I bet she misses you."Ian West: "She does? If she cared so much, why did she leave when she did? My parents would have never understood... they would have called me a freak and kicked me out. No, I'm sorry. Vance and the Family are the only ones that could possibly understand what I'm going through."(Ian West’s dialogue)Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.77: "Ian West:After the Family came to Arefu and his parents were killed, 15-year-old Ian was taken in by their leader, Vance, who feels a sort of kinship with him. When he was younger, his sister, Lucy, was always there to talk about his feelings, but when Lucy took off for Megaton, Ian was left alone in Arefu as the only kid, sending him into a downward spiral of depression. Vance took Ian back to the Family's home, and Ian now ponders what his life has become and what he is to do next."
==Relationships==
Matilda West is the wife of Davis West and mother of Ian and Lucy West.
==Interactions with the player character==
===Interactions overview===
===Quests===
Blood Ties: Matilda is found dead when the Lone Wanderer searches the Wests' house. Her or her husband's body can be examined to find out the cause of their deaths. With a Medicine skill of 30 and above, it is revealed they were bitten on the neck, and that the bite goes all the way to the bone. Later on, it becomes clear Ian was the one who killed both his parents.
==Notes==
* She and her husband are both treated as props, rather than bodies, and are immune to being dismembered, even by a high power weapon such as the minigun.
* It is quite clear that Matilda was dead from the beginning of the game, as she cannot be resurrected and cannot be searched/looted.
==Appearances==
Matilda West appears only .
==References==
Non-game
Category:Arefu characters
Category:Fallout 3 human characters
Category:Fallout 3 deceased characters
de:Matilda West
es:Matilda West
ru:Матильда Вест
uk:Матільда Вест