Vault 81

Vault 81 is one of the vault series of fallout shelters developed by Vault-Tec. This vault is located in Massachusetts.

Background
Vault 81 is unlike almost any other known vault, in that it still contains sane and active dwellers. After a simple quest requiring either 3 fusion cores or a successful speech check, the Sole Survivor can gain entrance and meet the vault dwellers.

Vault-Tec created Vault 81 with the purpose of developing a single, universal cure for every sickness that humanity could possibly suffer from, using the residents as human test subjects. The vault was divided into two separate areas: the main vault, where up to 96 residents would make their home for the foreseeable future, and the secret vault, where Vault-Tec scientists would conduct their research and observe the residents as they were unknowingly exposed to different diseases and cures. On the day of the Great War, only four of the secret vault's assigned staff were inside the vault when it was sealed, but most of the residents made it to the main vault. Despite being understaffed, the scientists began the initial phases of their work. Before the human testing could begin, however, the vault's overseer, Dr. Olivette, suffered a crisis of conscience. She deactivated the disease/cure distribution system and sealed the secret vault's exits, ensuring the residents' safety.

Trapped and with nothing else to do, the scientists continued their research, confining their experiments to their only remaining test subjects: mole rats. Dr. Kevin Collins modified a Mister Handy lab assistant to take on greater responsibilities due to the staff shortage, creating Curie. When the scientists eventually died of old age, Curie remained and worked on the cure alone, spending decades conducting trial after trial. She achieved the vault's objective in 2204, perfecting the universal cure. Although Curie had reached a level of self-awareness over the years, however, she was unable to overcome her original programming, which required authorization from a Vault-Tec employee before she could leave the vault and begin a new line of research. She patiently idled in the secret vault for decades, awaiting a response from Vault-Tec security.

Meanwhile, the residents in the main vault went on with their lives, completely unaware that anything was amiss or that they had been intended as test subjects. In 2277, Overseer Baht opened the vault for the first time, allowing communication and trade with the outside world. Although this provided a badly needed source of food and other vital supplies, especially parts and tools to repair the vault's deteriorating systems, many residents maintained an isolationist or even xenophobic mindset, distrusting any outsider who was allowed to enter.

By 2287, one of Vault 81's dwellers, Bobby De Luca, had discovered one of the entrances into the secret vault and used it to store his drugs. Austin Engill witnessed Bobby opening the door, and went in to investigate. He was bitten by one of the lab mole rats, which had escaped containment and started a colony in the secret vault decades before, and infected with an unknown lethal disease. When Bobby revealed the existence of the secret vault, the Sole Survivor agreed to search it for a potential cure. Inside, the Sole Survivor discovered Curie, who handed over the last, unexpired dose of her universal cure. The Sole Survivor either used it on themselves, leaving Austin to perish and earning the animosity of the vault dwellers, or turned it over to save Austin and was granted a room in the vault by Overseer McNamara.

Notable loot

 * Syringer rifle, rewarded from the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Medicine bobblehead, in Curie's office, during the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Fusion core, rewarded from the quest Here Kitty, Kitty.
 * Overseer's Guardian, for sale at Alexis Combes' shop.
 * An issue of Taboo Tattoos in Horatio's barbershop.
 * An issue of Grognak the Barbarian in the classroom, as a reward for the side quest Short Stories.

Related quests

 * Vault 81
 * Hole in the Wall
 * Here Kitty, Kitty
 * Short Stories
 * Dependency

Bugs

 * After using the speech check, the main door never opens. Reloading to an earlier save (before the speech check) can fix this.
 * After the first interaction with him, Calvin (the man who bought tools), will disappear. This can be temporary resolved by opening console and type "prid 00153855" then "moveto player".
 * When entering Vault 81 for the first time you might experience a glitch with the main elevator. If the player character actually walks inside, they will fall through the map.
 * Holt Combs will disappear after exiting the vault occasionally this can be fixed by using the elevator and searching again.
 * Dr. Penske will give a quest to deliver fertilizer for 25 caps a piece however after agreeing she will give standard dialog when promoted to talk.
 * Quest will randomly complete, without actually starting quest. The quest then disappears from Pip-Boy.
 * After doing the Hole in the Wall quest, Alexis and Holt Combes will be dead in their room.
 * After finishing the quest Hole in the Wall, Vault Security will refer to you as a woman even though you are a male character saying: "You're a brave woman. I wish we could've handled it ourselves, but no doubt, we'd have gotten eaten alive down here." (look below for picture proof)