Megaton

Megaton grows and lives in the Capital Wasteland east of Vault 101. The town is built around a crater where an undetonated atom bomb lies. The atomic bomb is worshipped by some citizens called Children of Atom. The town is built around this bomb using salvaged parts, including a beached airline carrier.

The Bomb lies at the bottom of the crater in a pool of water, in which a single person is standing while praying to Atom. Unfortunately there is a bug where the praying Confessor Cromwell will die unexpectedly. His death does not affect any quests. It's possible that this is intentional, as the water, like all other sources of water in the game, is highly radioactive. The bomb is exactly the same as those that can be found in storage at Fort Constantine.

Places in Megaton

 * Surrounding the bomb is Megaton, an open circular town made of salvaged metal, and the following places:
 * Children of Atom
 * Moriarty's Saloon
 * Craterside Supply
 * Megaton Shack
 * Megaton Armory
 * Megaton Clinic

Megaton characters

 * To the left of the gates of Megaton is a character "Micky" who requests Purified Water, in exchange for Karma. To the right is a Caravan Merchant stop point.
 * Approaching travelers are greeted by Deputy Weld, a Protectron robot (that looks similar in shape to Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet), who speaks (in a typical Lost In Space) robot voice:
 * "Welcome to Megaton. The bomb is perfectly safe. We promise. Please hold for threat level assessment. Threat level minimal. Open the gates. Open the gates. Welcome to Megaton." The gates are then opened slowly by a sniper (Stockholm) perched on the wall.
 * The sheriff of Megaton (and mayor when the need arises) is Lucas Simms. He has a son who lives with him and who becomes Sheriff should he die. There is a strength bobblehead located on the desk in his house.
 * Confessor Cromwell endlessly promotes the Children of the Atom in the center of town.
 * Civilian residents include: Billy Creel, a wanderer who saved a young girl named Maggie from the dangers of the wastes after her parents were killed (or so he says).
 * Jericho, the local bad-ass and bitter ex-raider who moved to Megaton to escape the lawless wastes. With evil Karma and 1,000 caps he will join you and assist you on your travels.
 * Leo, Jenny and Andy Stahl, a relatively new group of residents of Megaton who run a bar and food stall, each with their own rough personalities.
 * Walter, who runs the Water Processing Plant and needs some leaking pipes fixed.
 * Colin Moriarty, owner of Moriarty's Saloon, who is known around town as a rather shifty character.
 * Gob, the misunderstood Ghoul, is the bartender of the saloon.
 * Nova is the well-known local prostitute who works in the Moriarty's Saloon for Moriarty.
 * Moira Brown runs Craterside Supply and offers the The Wasteland Survival Guide quest.
 * Manya is the effective elder of Megaton and Nathan, her husband, who's just nuts about the Enclave.
 * Mr. Burke, a mysterious businessman representing certain interests who want the atomic bomb detonated and Megaton wiped out.

Related quests

 * Following in His Footsteps: The main quest, a mission which is given once the player exits Vault 101. Finding the whereabouts of your father has its beginnings in Megaton.
 * The Power of the Atom: A major quest in Megaton that revolves around disarming or detonating the bomb. If the Player detonates it he gets to watch the explosion from Tenpenny Tower, and if he disarms it he receives the key to his own house in Megaton, which can be decorated and comes with a personal robot.
 * The Wasteland Survival Guide: Moira Brown, the local general shop owner of Craterside Supply, gives this mission. The player is given a series of "tasks" to help her finish her Survival Guide, ranging from somewhat logical help such as finding medical supplies and food in the old Super Duper Mart, to ludicrous and dangerous pursuits, like crippling body parts purposely and over-dosing on radiation, all for her book.
 * Fix broken pipes around Megaton: Talk to Walter to start this mini quest. When you ask "What needs to be done around here?", Walter refers to broken pipes around Megaton. He asks you to fix them. When asked why he can't fix them, he says he hasn't got the time. The pipes require a Repair skill of 30 or better to fix.
 * Blood Ties: Lucy West will ask you to deliver a letter to her family in Arefu. She is anxious to receive word from them, as none of her most recent letters have been answered.

Appearances
Megaton appears only in Fallout 3.