Overgrown

Overgrown is a family of creatures found in Atlantic City . Among the locals, they are also known as plantfolk.Vault 76 dweller: "What are 'plantfolk'?"Mayor Timothy Lane: " "(Mayor Timothy Lane's dialogue)
==Background==
The Overgrown are the ambulatory, horribly mutated flora from the Pine Barrens near the city, who constantly threaten the settlement's borders,Vault 76 dweller: "[Charisma 8+] Help me out, Jeremiah. I'm going to Atlantic City, but not for fun. I need to know what I'm up against."Jeremiah Hopkins: " "(Jeremiah Hopkins' dialogue) and are only kept at bay by the efforts of the Atlantic City Municipal Government's recently founded Forestry Division.Vault 76 dweller: "What are the different departments?"Frieda Lane: " "(Frieda Lane's dialogue) Despite their low intelligence, they are deadly and constantly try to enter the city. Timothy Lane himself treats the Overgrown as a low priority, considering the constant maneuvering and jockeying for power by the other two factions in Atlantic City the real problem.Vault 76 dweller: "Are you not going to acknowledge the Overgrown that just tried to kill me?"Mayor Timothy Lane: " "(Mayor Timothy Lane's dialogue) 
The Overgrown were not a significant problem at the start and the Munis focused on other priorities, just trimming the hedges so to speak. This lack of understanding and complacency would eventually prove a significant oversight.Vault 76 dweller: "How has the Overgrown invasion gotten so bad?"Mayor Timothy Lane: " "(Mayor Timothy Lane's dialogue) He delegated the responsibility to Sloane to ensure Acee is protected, but despite his intentions, the Family's aggressive behavior has caused Chief Sloane to treat Casino Quarter as a low priority, leaving gaps in coverage and the occasional perimeter breach that left multiple people wounded.Perimeter breach Most Acee civilians considered the very idea of aggressive plants laughable.Atlantic City civilian: "All this talk of bogeys crawling out of the Barrens. What's a plant gonna do, grow at me?"
===Attacks intensify===
However, the recent breaches of the perimeter and their takeover of the old community center caused him to reconsider, as they spread Munis even thinner than they were before.Vault 76 dweller: "Why can't the government handle this on their own?"Mayor Timothy Lane: " "(Mayor Timothy Lane's dialogue) The incomplete evacuation and multiple casualties have also exposed the failure of his policy thus far, with Lane openly taking responsibility for the decisions that allowed this to happen.Vault 76 dweller: "They took over the Community Center?"Mayor Timothy Lane: " "(Mayor Timothy Lane's dialogue)
===Origins===
The origins of the Overgrown are unclear, though they all bear an uncanny resemblance to humans, especially where their "faces" are. It's enough to give some pause and even believe that they are the risen dead, coming back to haunt them for their sins.Rot
Frieda Lane came up with three theories to explain them:
* Mutation: Overgrown are simply a mutated species of plant(s), a result of nuclear fallout after the Great War. Their resemblance to humans is purely accidental. While she considered it the most sane theory, it also failed to explain why Overgrown have fundamentally animal cells, not plant cells, and some are capable of manipulating their environment and using tools.Community center terminal entries; Frieda's Research Terminal, Personal Theories, Mutation Theory
* Zombie: Considered the least sane, it posits that the Overgrown are reanimated corpses of dead humans. It does explain why Overgrown population increases in areas with reports of people going missing, but doesn't explain the floating Tentacles. The mechanism is also unclear, as the ability of whatever zombie factor exists to infect dead bodies would also make it possible for them to infect living humans, but no such incidents were observed in Acee thus far.Community center terminal entries; Frieda's Research Terminal, Personal Theories, Zombie Theory
* Parasite: The middle ground most supported by Lane's observations, posits that a parasitic bacteria enters the organism and corrupts it into an Overgrown. The parasitic infection would be unable to overcome a living organism, so it would only be possible in the recently deceased. The theory explains why the animal cells are hybrids, the variation between the Overgrown in appearance and intelligence, and perhaps most terrifyingly, opens up the possibility of them infecting species other than humans.Community center terminal entries; Frieda's Research Terminal, Personal Theories, Parasite Theory
==Characteristics==
===Biology===
Samples analyzed by Frieda Lane show that the cells of the Overgrown are fundamentally animal cells, rather than plant cells: They have no cell wall and lysomes are present. However, the cells also contain chloroplasts found in plants, not animals, and essential for photosynthesis. While this explained their coloration, it has stumped the researcher.Community center terminal entries; Frieda's Research Terminal, Research Data, [Chloroplasts?!] They have red blood, and some of them have humanoid ribcages. 
Whatever their origins, the Overgrown are extremely durable. Experiments on captive specimens showed that there are three basic types (tentatively called Roadrunner, Hulk, and Tentacles by Mrs. Lane; these correspond to the thorn, elder, and pollinator respectively) existing in a symbiotic relationship and exhibiting varying degrees of intelligence. Roadrunners are mindless attackers with no self-preservation, Hulks are large, capable of using tools, and stupid, though capable of avoiding attacks. Tentacles are floating abominations that follow either type, but have the unique property of triggering rapid tissue regeneration in the other two types, but require the other two types for protection.Community center terminal entries; Frieda's Research Terminal, Research Data, [Regenerative Properties]
===Gameplay attributes===
==Variants==
===Overgrown thorn===
A blindly aggressive "roadrunner" variant who close distance and attack by flailing, very similar to feral ghouls. Weak individually, but tend to complicate larger battles. They explode on death.
They drop explosives, stimpaks, and contextual ammo. A unique Overgrown Moonflower is encountered during an expedition.
===Overgrown elder===
The hulking elder can use weapons, both melee and ranged. It attacks very aggressively and has the unique Hulking Presence perk, which slows enemies. 
Its ranged weapons are Overgrown-specific versions of the assault rifle and missile launcher, called the spine shooter (single and automatic variants) and spore launcher. During an expedition a unique Overgrown Keeper is encountered.
===Overgrown pollinator===
A levitating Overgrown with tendrils and many eye-like bulbs. It follows and supports the humanoid Overgrown, preferring elders over thorns. Heals Overgrown in its vicinity, and uses a "heal bomb" ability that provides instant healing. Can attack by flailing its tentacles.
They make a strange high-pitched sound, and may flee if threatened individually.
==Notes==
* Thorns use the feral ghoul animation skeleton, but have some original animations.
* Elders use the super mutant animation skeleton. Unarmed elders may be seen raising their empty right hand like a suicider holding a mini nuke.
* Pollinators resemble floaters.
* Humanoid Overgrown somewhat resemble the first mirelurk king design from Fallout 3, particularly their necks and faces. The clawlike feet of elders also resemble the feet of the humanoid crab mirelurks from Fallout 3.
==Appearances==
The Overgrown appear only .
==Behind the scenes==
* Their design appears to have been influenced by the monster from the 1954 movie Creature from the Black Lagoon, which also resembles Adamowicz's original mirelurk king design.
* The Overgrown models may feature fungal growths explicitly identified as Cordyceps, a real strain of parasitic fungi that targets invertebrate animals, such as ants, and directly influences their behavior.
** Humans being infested with cordyceps is a pre-existing science fiction trope. It was the driving force behind the apocalypse in the 2013 cinematic game The Last of Us.
==Gallery==
76 BP Lesser Overgrown portrait.png
FO76 Overgrown on the casino basement.jpg|Overgrown in the casino basement
FO76 Overgrown pollinator on the Showmans Pier.jpg|On the Showman's Pier
76 AP Overgrown crowd outside city hall.png|Outside city hall
76AC Overgrown torso gore.png|Gibs
FO76AP Vin fighting the Overgrown.png|Vin Russo fighting Overgrown
FO76AC Overgrown Banner.png|Promotional image
==References==
Category:Boardwalk Paradise creatures
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