Episode 3: Raider Trouble

The Wayward - Where Hwy 88 Ends Near Flatwoods

It was early afternoon by the time I found the Wayward. The main building is an establishment for drinking alcohol, but there is also a place where Outsiders can rent a room for the night if they don't have a place to stay. You might think that would be safer than staying in an old bus, and maybe it is, but when I got to the Wayward and entered for the first time, I found a man pointing a gun at Duchess, the woman who runs the place, and demanding information from her that she didn't seem to know. He was asking about some man named Crane. Duchess kept saying she didn't know anything, but the raider wouldn't let it go. He kept making threats. So I pulled out my gun, not knowing what he might try to do next. There was another man across the room, who I later learned is named Mort. He is a friend of Duchess. His face is all messed up from radiation exposure, but when I talked to him later, he seemed like a nice guy.

Duchess, Owner of the Wayward

After listening to Duchess say that she didn't know anything about this Crane person, and the raider with the gun refusing to believe her, I tried to ease the situation by reasoning with the guy. I don't remember exactly what I said, but he wasn't having any of it. He pointed his gun at me and started counting backward from ten, expecting someone to tell him what he wanted to know before he got to zero. My hand started to shake, but I didn't lower the gun. I knew I couldn't let him actually get to zero, or it might be the end for me, and then for the other two. 

While his attention was focused on me, though, Mort pulled a gun and shot him. The raider died instantly. At first I just stood there, my gun still pointing at the body on the floor. I've never seen a person killed by someone else like that. But I also understand that there may not have been any other choice. The man's anger seemed to be growing no matter what we said, and I was really worried that someone would get shot. Possibly me! Fortunately, it was the raider who ended up dead.

Afterward, while the man lay on the floor in his own blood, I learned from Duchess that a gang of raiders had heard this Crane person was at the Wayward at some point, talking about knowing the location of the big treasure everyone is searching for. The raider who was killed belongs to a group that seems to believe Duchess knows something but is hiding it. This guy wasn't the first to come around asking questions. She's worried that they will just keep coming back if something isn't done to stop them. 

When I told her I was from Vault 76, she mentioned that the Overseer had passed through, and that she might have some information on where the Overseer had gone. Duchess was willing to give me that information for a promise of help with the raiders. To be honest, I really didn't want to get involved. I've never killed a person - well, except for a few Scorched, and that doesn't really count, does it?  These raiders seem really violent and pretty unreasonable. But Appalachia is a big place, and I had no idea where to look next for the Overseer, so I reluctantly agreed to help if I could. Duchess said she would be happy as long as the threats stopped, whether I killed the raiders or just made a deal with them. I decided making a deal might be the safest route.

Overseer's CAMP Near the Wayward and Covered Bridge

In exchange for my agreement, Duchess gave me a holotape from the Overseer that indicated she was headed into the nearby town of Flatwoods, and that I should come looking for her there. The Overseer had built a small CAMP across the road near the covered bridge, and she left a holotape there for the other Vault Dwellers to find. When I heard that the Overseer was so close, I was irritated that Duchess had gotten me to promise to help with the raider situation for such minimal help. I probably would have headed into Flatwoods anyway to look for more supplies to build my own CAMP, and might have found the Overseer without the holotape. But a promise is a promise, and to be honest, I would hate to see a charming person like Duchess killed by raiders when she doesn't even have the information they're after! 

Duchess suggested that we need to figure out where these raiders are based, if we're to put a stop to their visits, and that she had a plan for finding out. She asked me to build a small CAMP somewhere nearby and put up a big sign that says "Crane Treasure Hunting", then wait to see who comes along to investigate. She had a schematic for sign-making, similar to the one she used to make her own sign for the Wayward, and also a schematic for a transmitter that can broadcast a message by radio signal to make sure we get the raiders' attention. 

It sounds to me like a plan that's doomed to fail. When the raider leader discovers that one of his men didn't return, won't he just send more to investigate? I hate to say it, but my hope is that the situation will resolve itself before I get the sign finished. Maybe they come back for a visit and come to some kind of agreement without me. Duchess mentioned that she has some "muscle" that she would normally send to take care of things like this, but that they had gone missing. Maybe they'll come back before I get the sign made and handle the situation themselves. But I made a promise, and one of the most important measures of a man is whether he keeps his word. My father taught me that and I believe it wholeheartedly. So I need to get a CAMP built and then put up the sign as Duchess requested. We'll see what happens after that. 

The sign is pretty big. Duchess gave me some supplies, but I also want to make sure I have a complete set of armor and enough ammo in case the raiders who come looking aren't feeling friendly. To do that, I'll need resources. I'm hoping that Flatwoods will have some of what I need, and maybe there I can get the Overseer's help in dealing with these raiders. She might know how to handle them better than I would.

I also talked to Mort before heading over the bunkhouse next to the Wayward. I learned that Mort had some holotapes that he made himself with tips about building a proper CAMP. This sounded useful, so I took up his offer to have a listen. 

Let's just say they weren't up to Vault 76 standards and leave it at that.