S'Lanter

S'Lanter are intelligent, FEV-mutated raccoons that were cut from the final version of the original Fallout.

FEV experiments
Log Date January 12, 2076:
 * With batch 11-011, we have improved the mitotic cycle efficiency by 43%. We have infected 53 raccoons with the new strain. In addition to the now expected size increase, behavioral tests confirmed an increase in Intelligence and manual dexterity by 19 points on the Schuler-Kapp index. Unfortunately, several subjects escaped confinement and had to be hunted down and dispatched. Major Barnett ordered the remaining subjects terminated. Two pairs were unaccounted for.

The above excerpt is from the FEV experiment disk found at the Glow in Fallout and is the only remaining in-game reference to the non-existent area.

The escape and founding of the Burrows
The four raccoons that escaped the research facility headed north-west until 2101, when they discovered a small oasis that had, amazingly, avoided a great deal of devastation and began to regrow. Once they settled in the area, now known as Burrows, their instincts took over and became skilled hunters as well as becoming more intelligent. They named themselves the Tribe of the S'Lanter (S'Lanter means Kindred), having forgotten they were once raccoons.

Developer quotes

 * As for the Burrow, this location was written by an early designer associated with the project. While it was well written, I felt that its content was not appropriate to our Fallout universe, mainly based on its style and feel in the game and not on its artistic merit. So I did not approve its addition to the game, and that Glow holodisk is all that remains of any reference to that area. - Tim Cain
 * Burrows: I always felt it didn't fit in with the rest of the game. It was a finely designed area, and would have helped the Glow, but it just didn't seem Fallout-like. - Chris Taylor
 * While Brian was off and running, writing quests for our furry additions, the artists had a scope meeting about the number of characters in the game. We had more designed than they had time to actually build and animate. So, a compromise was needed: since the mutant animals were rare, required several sets of armor, and totally different of animations, they were chopped. Poor Brian, he put so much love into those varmints! - Scott Campbell