Hugo Stolz

Hugo Stolz is a former Vault-Tec Corporation board member and the overseer of Vault 63 .
==Background==
Hugo was born in one of the European German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, or Switzerland). Despite being born with blindness,Vault 76 dweller: "How did you find me? I thought you were blind."
Hugo Stolz: "Apologies for the confusion. I often forget just how unusual my situation has become. I was born blind, and lived that way even after becoming a 'Ghoul', as you put it. However, as I've mentioned, an accident at this facility altered me. Not unlike the "Lost" that wander the surface. Navigation is trivial for me now. I was able to spot you in these sacred grounds even from my office. To the 'Lost', I imagine this vision is a curse, a terrifying cataractous cloud that distorts their world. To me, it is a new life. Needless to say, I don't find myself bumping into things while getting around the Vault anymore."(Hugo Stolz's dialogue) Hugo was raised by his father to take over the family business. Succeeding on all fronts, Hugo built on the family business, eventually founding and becoming the CEO of Stolz Enterprises, which brought him to great success as a business magnate (and a self-described "international man of mystery"). His success made him so highly influential and well-connected, with his contacts including renowned government scientists and intelligence operatives,Vault 63 atrium terminal entries; Cassidy's personal terminal, [Draft] Dinner that forming strong ties with the Vault-Tec Corporation and eventually gaining a seat on its board of directors was all but inevitable.Vault 76 dweller: "You're on Vault-Tec's board of directors?"Hugo Stolz: "Is it such a surprise? In case you hadn't noticed yet, we used to move in high places and were very influential people. Getting on the board was inevitable. Creating a seat as an Overseer... Well, was much more challenging."
To meet the demands of his position with Vault-Tec, Hugo ultimately immigrated to the United States as the global situation deteriorated and world war became imminent, settling down in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Hugo had previously been to the U.S. many times; in fact, it was there that he met his wife Cassidy, the love of his life.Vault 76 dweller: "What brought you to America?"Hugo Stolz: " I'd frequented this country many times, of course. This is how I met my Cassie. Perhaps the best summary of what brought me here is simply 'her.' "(Hugo Stolz's dialogue) Cassidy became an inseparable part of Hugo's life, partners in business as well as in family, someone who kept him focused and level-headed. This was plain to all of his employees; anytime Hugo made the rounds while Cassidy was there, Hugo took care to be especially respectful. He would be willing to do anything for her -- an open secret.Vault 76 dweller: "What can you tell me about Hugo?"Laurence: "He's always been pretty respectful during the rounds and inspections, especially when Cassidy was around. Say what you will about the man, it's clear he would do anything for his wife. He was head-over-heels for her."Julio: "She did keep him level-headed. She just up and disappeared one day. I hope she's doing well wherever she is..."Margaret: "Is there anything else?" Meanwhile, to outsiders, Hugo was just another one of the cutthroat businessmen that plagued pre-War society, even if some claimed that ruthlessness was necessary for survival.
As a member of Vault-Tec's board of directors, Hugo had the grand vision of not only preserving, but leading humanity through the post-War world. He made considerable effort to put together a sales pitch to the other directors to become the overseer of a Vault. The effort took significant maneuvering on his and Cassidy's parts (Hugo with the money and Cassidy with the people),Vault 76 dweller: "How did you persuade them?"Hugo Stolz: "I had a way with money, but Cassidy... she had a way with people. Oh, I wish you could have seen her. They danced for her like a puppet on a string. Of course, the smell of money will always be the best conversation starter... but it takes true talent earn true, unending trust. She was a marvel. Oh Verzeihung! I got carried away there. Another topic, please."Vault 76 dweller: "How did you become Overseer of this Vault?"Hugo Stolz: "What is they say? 'It's all about who you know?' In my case, that would be everyone of importance in assuring such a thing came to be. My position and connections are both expansive and unique. Such a thing comes with many privileges." including snatching up whatever promising research he could find to sweeten the pot for Vault-Tec. The military's recently-shuttered ATLAS Program was one such tool, a last-minute addition to the pitch. The effort paid off, and soon Hugo was appointed as overseer of Vault 63, to be built to his own specifications underneath Shenandoah National Park.Hugo Stolz: " Founder and CEO of Stolz Enterprises, respected member of Vault-Tec's board of directors, and overall international man of mystery. Yes, that'll do perfectly." 
Hugo's ruthlessness and moral flexibility were put to work in building Vault 63. The Stolz's bought up much of the land around Shenandoah, displacing local residents and shutting down businesses for their Vault, and using eminent domain to remove anyone who refused to be bought out. They had done the same thing to the community of Dark Hollow Falls when they moved in to Shenandoah and built their manor; the residents were promised positions in Vault 63 as appeasement -- promises which Hugo and Cassidy never intended to fulfill.Vault 63 atrium terminal entries; Cassidy's personal terminal, [Draft] ApologiesDisciple Blair's dialogue Even murder was acceptable, with Hugo hiring hitmen to eliminate employees who raised concernsInstructions for hitmanCharleston Herald: Mystery Disappearance and anyone else he found threatening, such as Audrey's leftist girlfriend Alex Guerra.Hugo must pay The Vault was notorious for its size, stretching beneath the entire region, and Stolz planned to use it as a research complex regardless of the looming nuclear war. Another piece of notoriety was feature creep, as even when construction lagged behind, Stolz insisted on increasing the scope of the Vault. However, in contrast with other moguls, Stolz also planned to onboard the construction team as maintenance and security after its completion.Vault 76 dweller: "What can you tell me about the Vault?"James Oberlin: "As I understand it, our Vault's make-up is atypical from your standard operation, largely due to Mr. Stolz's ambitious approach to its construction. Intending to begin its research even before the bombs fell, residents-- scientists and engineers-- began moving into the region. Even as construction was underway. Mr. Stolz's intention was for the construction team to onboard as maintenance and security once the project had been completed. This would allow for full operations even during peace times. But... well, construction fell behind as the scope of the Vault ever increased. You've perhaps heard the specifics before, but we wound up vulnerable to drafts of fallout when the bombs did finally fall."(Hugo Stolz's dialogue)
With the Vault far from complete when the Great War struck, Hugo was ghoulified alongside his family and many of the dwellers working under him as overseer. The condition was a blessing in disguise in some ways, but a curse in others. Though their newfound immortality allowed them to reprioritize their needs, it came at a price. Soon, the ghouls began to experience the deterioration into going feral, with Hugo's brother August being one of the first. Cassidy, too, began to deteriorate. Terrified at the thought of losing her, Hugo became desperate to restore their connection. No avenue of research had found a way to prevent feralization, apart from one: exposure to the weather machine was found to briefly alleviate feralization. Impatient and desperate, Hugo brought Cassidy to the machine and activated it for the first time, at full power: the result was the Lost, dwellers of Vault 63 mutated from their exposure to such high energy and rendered into a state of violent psychosis. Hugo was changed alongside them, but retained his connection to reality, being the one who activated the machine. Suddenly, he gained the ability to see, perceiving the world in pulses and wavelengths as a universe of violent synaptic connections carving out and outlining every object and person. What drove other Lost mad was a blessing to him.
==Interactions with the player character==
===Interactions overview===
===Quests===
* The Calm Before: The Vault Dwellers are introduced to Hugo, who quickly impresses himself upon them and hires them to conduct certain tasks in and around Vault 63.
* Between the Lines: Hugo asks the Vault Dwellers to help him retrieve the weather machine blueprints from his safe, since the key's location was known only to Cassidy and his blindness prevents him from figuring out where she kept it.
** Upon discovering and taking the key from Cassidy's body, Hugo will suddenly appear and shout at the Dwellers for disturbing his wife, explaining that the weather machine accident rendered her comatose and claiming his altered vision allowed him to detect the Vault Dwellers approaching Cassidy. After obtaining the blueprints, Hugo will ask the Vault Dwellers to bring them to Audrey in the Vault 63 meteorology sector, and apologize for his earlier outburst.
* Oldest Trick in the Book: After helping Audrey fix the weather machine, Hugo runs into the meteorology sector and reveals that Cassidy has been kidnapped by cultists, ordering the Vault Dwellers to kill them and save Cassidy. He will not change his mind despite learning that the cultists are led by Audrey's former lover Alex Guerra (only being surprised that she survived his attempts to get rid of her before the Great War).
** If told that a peaceful solution should be sought, Hugo will seem to express understanding and give Audrey's book, a keepsake Alex once gave to Audrey, to be presented as a peace offering to Alex. However, once it is given to Audrey, the book will turn out to be a trap that poisons her to death, and the other cultists must be killed regardless. If Hugo is confronted about this, he will simply be proud of his cleverness in making the trap.
* Double-Crossed Wires: After finding Daniel Smith for Oberlin, it is discovered that Oberlin's "Army remnant" contacts do not exist, and that Oberlin is being deceived by Hugo. Hugo can be confronted over this, and will simply claim that the deception is necessary to keep Oberlin focused and prevent him from breaking down mentally, urging them to lie to Oberlin about the Army.
* Gathering Clouds: Hugo asks the Vault Dwellers to set aside whatever reservations they have about his character, given the revelations of the preceding events, and assist Audrey and Hilda with a weather experiment using a piece of his body that has the potential to cure the Lost.
** The experiment reveals that, rather than curing the Lost, Hugo would be able to control them if allowed to activate the weather machine. Shocked, Oberlin will attempt to apprehend Hugo only to realize he has taken Cassidy and escaped to the meteorology sector.
* The Eye of the Storm: Hugo has arrived at the Vault 63 meteorology sector with Cassidy and intends to activate the weather machine to bring all of the Lost and Vault 63 dwellers under his control, since he views it as the only way to prevent them from going feral. He also reveals that both of the previous weather accidents were caused by him in his attempts to save Cassidy from feralization. The Vault Dwellers must battle their way through the Lost in the sector and battle Hugo.
** Oberlin will order the Vault Dwellers to capture Hugo alive in order to use him for further research on the Lost. Audrey will instead order for Hugo to be killed, reasoning that he is too dangerous and manipulative to be left alive. Alternatively, the Vault Dwellers can side with Hugo by walking away and letting him activate the weather machine after defeating him.
==Inventory==
==Appearances==
Hugo Stolz appears only .
==Gallery==
FO76SV Hugo Stolz.png|Portrait
FO76SV Hugo Stolz at desk.png|At his desk
FO76SV Hugo Stolz nursery bench.png|Sitting on a bench in the nursery during Between The Lines
FO76SV Hugo Stolz imprisoned.png|Imprisoned after siding with Oberlin during The Eye of the Storm
==References==
Category:Skyline Valley ghoul characters
Category:Overseers
Category:Vault 63 characters