Spore Carriers

“*[...]The Spores came again in the night[...]She wants us to hunt the damn things down, get our people back. As if the things haven't torn them apart by now.*”
—Butch's Account Part 9
**Spore Carriers** are creatures in Fallout: DUST and Fallout: New Vegas.

Spore Carriers are humans aggressively mutated by the Mordicana Spores previously sealed within the confines of Vault 22. These poor souls have been reborn as hostile plant-zombies that only seek to crush everything in their path; spreading their fungal contamination as they go.

## Overview

The origins of the Spore Carriers can be traced back to Vault 22, an agricultural Vault dedicated to the development of super-crops to combat global hunger. One of said super-crops was the *Beauveria Mordicana* fungus made for pest control. However, the fungus was deceptively infectious and once it got into the ventilation system, it infected everyone in the Vault; mutating them into vicious plant-zombies.

## In DUST

An NCR expedition into Vault 22 inadvertently released the *Mordicana* spores into the atmosphere. The Spores made their way to Zion National Park and ravaged the entire wilderness during The Fall. Shortly after the infection claimed the life of Joshua Graham, a massive Spore Carrier was sighted and given the name of Wendigo. No sooner did the creature make its presence known that the SM-5 Cloud variant spread over the Park and practically merged with the Spores; covering Zion in an infectious fog that killed almost everything and mutated what was left. The remaining Tribals fled through the Pine Creek Tunnel with Daniel locking the door behind them, leaving him to perish at the hands of the elite Spore-monster.

By the time the Survivor reaches Zion, it's little more than a swamp purged of nearly all life by the aggressive Spore Carriers. These monsters litter the once-bountiful wilderness, attacking anything and everything they see.

## Variants

### Brute

Carrier Brutes are bigger, tougher and slower than their brethren. They can knock a Survivor to the ground with a well-placed punch, leaving them open to the rest of the horde.

## Appearances

Much of the Mojave's Spore Carriers reside in Zion National Park. They litter the valleys like vermin and don't appear to have any habitual preference.

Some Carriers have been seen in Vault 22, their place of origin.

## Tactical Considerations

Spore Carriers are fast, powerful and...not very tough. Two or three hits is usually enough to take a Carrier out. However, like Tunnelers, they'll swarm Survivors with sheer numbers. Zion is absolutely littered with them; where there's one, there's four more waiting nearby.

Perks that increase running speed are highly recommended - A Survivor that can keep up with (or effectively flee from) Carriers is one that can thrive in Zion.

Like most Abominations, Spore Carriers will panic at the sight of fire. Molotovs and other fire-sources (such as a Flare Gun) are a decent last resort. However, killing Carriers is generally better than scaring them off - They can follow The Survivor into other areas and their inhuman speed tends to outweigh the time spent in a fear-state.

## Notes

* If the Wendigo reveals itself while the Survivor is fighting Spore Carriers, they will actively assist it in hunting them down.