Springvale

The ruins of the town of Springvale are located west of Washington, D.C. in Virginia. This town is bounded on the north by the Potomac. In the hills west of the town, Vault 101 is located. South of Springvale, past the Red Rocket gas station, there is the settlement of Megaton.

History
In the 21st century, Springvale is a quiet rural town. The Post Office Department collected and delivered mail to houses in this town. Cars were limited to 25 mph in this town, and could be refueled at the Red Rocket gas station. Working off a regular schedule, a City Liner bus would pick up and drop off passengers at a bus stop located across the street from the gas station.

In the 2060's, Vault-Tec begins construction on a Vault, later named Vault 101, in the hills west of this town. In the days leading to the Great War of 2077, families in Springvale petition for spots in the Vault. At least one family, the Gomezes, are accepted. The families who failed in their petitions would later beg unsuccessfully for entrance into the Vault after the nuclear holocaust occurs.

The few remaining survivors, from Springvale and nearby towns, begin work on a settlement south of the town. This settlement forms around the crater of an unexploded atomic bomb. The residents, who named their settlement Megaton after the bomb, construct their buildings and walls from recycled materials recovered from the site and from an airport south of the settlement. Directional signs for Megaton are erected in Springvale.

In 2241, Vault 101 sends a expedition into the Capital Wasteland. The scout leader notes that Springvale is deserted save for giant ants. In the same report, she notes that the roads are heavily destroyed. This expedition successfully establishes contact with the citizens of Megaton.

Over the next thirty years, people are either traveling through this town on their way to the Vault, or on their way to Megaton. These travelers are escaping from their past lives. Other travelers, with more nefarious motives, establish themselves in a nearby school where they can prey on caravans and Wastelanders. In 2277, the Lone Wanderer, after escaping from Vault 101, travels through this town to Megaton looking for information on his/her father.

After the battle between forces of the Enclave and the Brotherhood of Steel at the Jefferson Memorial, the Apostles of the Holy Light establish Holy Light Monastery in Springvale. This monastery is located in the cellar of one of the houses. This house is south-west of the Red Rocket gas station. (This cellar is not accessible before the battle.)

Layout
Heading east from Vault 101, the Lone Wanderer walks onto a two-lane road. On either side of this road, there are houses. South of the houses, there is a water tower. This is the tallest structure in Springvale. This road connects with another road at a T-Junction.

East of the last house, north of the road, there is a children's playground on the corner of the T-junction. Across from the road, from the children's playground, there is a Red Rocket Gas Station. To the side of the station, there is the first directional sign for Megaton. The second, and final sign, is further east just off the road. Heading north, from the T-Junction, the Lone Wanderer walks onto another two-lane road. West of this road, there is a small parking lot adjacent to the playground and the Small Ranch. East of this road, there is a bus stop and a house. This road ends in a second T-Junction.

This third two-lane road curves north-east around a block with additional houses. One of these houses is the former residence of the Gomez family. This road ends abruptly at a parking lot in front of Springvale Elementary School. North-east of the school, the ruins of a building can be discovered along the banks of the Potomac.

Partially hidden from the rest of Springvale, north-west of the Gomez residence, there are additional houses. The road leading to these houses has been destroyed. Another site of interest for the town of Springvale is the Scenic Overlook. This overlook, located north-east of Vault 101's entrance, has a great panoramic view of the town and Megaton.

Inhabitants
Initially, the town is deserted save for the Enclave Eyebot and the occasional caravan. In the Small Ranch, Silver, a former employee of Moriarty's Saloon, resides here and can be either friendly or hostile to the Lone Wanderer dependent on his/her choices. However, like most of the Capital Wasteland, hostile factions begin appearing in the town. Members of these factions are not picky in what they fight, and have been known to attack, besides the Lone Wanderer, the caravans that travel through the town.

One of these factions is the Enclave. When the Enclave forces forceably present themselves in the Capital Wasteland after acquiring the GECK, a squad of Enclave soldiers is delivered by a Vertibird to a landing zone north-west of Springvale. These soldiers establish a small base camp. They are ordered by their superiors to kill what is considered inferior, such as Ghouls and Wastelanders, and will attack the Lone Wanderer.

Another hostile faction in Springvale is the gang of Raiders. This faction arrived in Springvale very shortly before the Lone Wanderer leaves the Vault. They establish a base camp in the school. These hostiles are more interested in defending the school, than in chasing off any intruders. Eventually, when conditions are conducive for peaceful transitions in the Wasteland, former members of the local cult Children of Atom, who call themselves the Apostles of the Light, migrate to Springvale where they establish a monastery. The monastery is home to humans and Ghouls. Ghouls are former humans of the cult who volunteered for this metamorphosis by irradiating themselves. Guards are positioned near the entrance.

Outside the ruins of Springvale, in the open areas, the Lone Wanderer will encounter a variety of hostile animals and robots. These include Mole Rats, Radscorpions, and Protectrons. If not attacking the Lone Wanderer, these hostiles will attack each other. It's not surprising to see a Mole Rat attacking a Radscorpion.

Notable Loot

 * The first mail dropbox you come by here will always contain Frag Grenade (3), Jet and Psycho.
 * When approaching Springvale from Vault 101, the first mailbox on the north side of the road may contain a Vault-Tec Letter or be empty. In the first house on the north side of the road, there is a cabinet that contains some bobby pins and alcohol.
 * In the first house on the south side of the road, there is a refrigerator that contains irradiated food, and also a footlocker that may be empty or contain items.
 * The second mailbox on the west side of the road contains a copy of Pugilism Illustrated. (Alternatively, fast travel to Springvale, go north to the small fence, turn right and take the sidewalk with the car on the right, and find the mailbox on just past the car on your left.) In the second house on the west side of the road, there is a safe with a Very Easy lock, which contains random loot, usually consisting of weapons, ammo and chems. The safe may spawn a Scoped .44 Magnum, but it will be in poor shape and not have any accompanying ammo. This is, however, a rare occurrence.
 * The second mailbox on the south side of the road may contain random loot or be empty. On the steps of the second house on the south side of the road, there are two suitcases that may be empty or contain apparel.
 * At the Red Rocket gas station, there is a Nuka-Cola Machine.
 * After turning north at the street corner where the gas station is, there are two houses: a tall one on the east and another straight ahead. The house on the east contains a locked cabinet (Very Easy) with some bobby pins and alcohol in. The mailbox of the house straight ahead contains a Vault-Tec Letter. The Letter Congratulates a Mr and Mrs Gomez for Being Accepted into the Vault 101 Community. These are probably the ancestors of Herman Herman and Freddie Gomez, who lives in the Vault at the start of the game as well as when you return for the quest Trouble on the Homefront.

Related Quests

 * 300 Pieces of Silver
 * Following in His Footsteps
 * Holy Water

Appearances
Springvale appears only in Fallout 3.

Tips
Unlike either of the two possible player homes, (which require the player to pass through multiple loading-screens), Springvale offers a map spawning point directly in front of storage (a mailbox). The mailbox won't erase your items or run out of room. Decorating it is also an option, this also makes it easier to find.

Silver's home to the right can also be used as a potential "farming" spot for enemies, particularly any nearby Enclave patrols. If they are chasing you and you go inside Silver's house, they will follow you in there and can be killed inside the home, and will respawn in 72 hours inside the house.

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