Crane (Wastelanders)

Crane is a Scorched kept hidden on the second floor of the Wayward.

Background
An adventurer who came to the region seeking the fabled Treasure of Appalachia, Crane had early success when he discovered what he thought was the location of the treasure in Gauley Mine. Crane managed to partially map its layout, even uncovering a code to access the secure storage of the RobCo Auto-Cache #001. Crane was unable to access the treasure, as the cache required a Pip-Boy 2000 to register with the pre-War computers. While he was in Gauley Mine, Crane also awoke the dormant Scorched deep within and became infected with the Scorched Plague before he could get the Pip-Boy he needed.

He escaped, but the infection had already begun to transform him. When he arrived back at the Wayward, his skin began to change in the night. He sat on the front porch until Duchess found him mid-transformation. Crane kept himself in control but knew he could not resist the Scorched hive mind for much longer. At his request, Duchess restrained him and locked Crane in the Wayward's second floor storeroom. Here, he would completely succumb to the Scorched Plague and utter only a single phrase over and over again: "Boy is key!"

Duchess would keep Crane's fate secret from everyone else at the Wayward but would have to deal with the fallout of other treasure hunters and opportunists looking for Crane, such as the Free Radicals. While escaping from Gauley Mine, Crane also inadvertently led the Scorched to the Wayward. Polly and Sol attempted to finish them off before the Scorched overran the solitary bar, which in turn led to the Vault Dwellers having to save Polly and Sol and discovering the RobCo Auto-Cache. Duchess would reveal Crane's fate to the Dwellers upon their return, allowing them be the deciding factor on Crane's fate. Whichever the choice was, the Dwellers would be able to access the treasure using Crane's map and the RobCo experimental cache keycard he still had on his person.

Quests
The Elusive Crane: Crane is revealed to have been held in the Wayward's storage closet the entire time. After a conversation with Duchess and Sol, the player character can either euthanize Crane, let Solomon do it instead, or let Crane live. With any of the outcomes, the player character will either be given or loot Crane's map and the experimental RobCo key.

Appearances
Crane appears $$

Bugs
Crane may spawn already deceased, causing Duchess to admonish the player character even though they did not kill him.