Vault 101

Vault 101 is a Vault-Tec Vault located north-west of Washington, D.C. in the Capital Wasteland. This vault is located in the hills west of the ruins of Springvale. The closest settlement is Megaton to the south-east. This Vault is located near the Potomac in northern Virginia.

Vault Experiment
The purpose of Vault 101 in the Vault Experiment was not only to test the results of indefinite isolation (designed never to reopen), but to also test the role of the Overseer. The second Overseer decided to let a select few of the adults in on the secret to help keep it from the children, and over the years each subsequent generation had more and more residents who knew the truth about the Vault. In addition, the Overseer was able to communicate with, and even visit, the outside world by using the secret tunnel in the Overseer's office. However, for all other intents and purposes, the vault's residents were sealed in: "It is here you were born, it is here you will die." With the escape of the Lone Wanderer, the experiment enters a new phase.

History
Due to the degraded state of the file for this Vault in the Citadel terminal, the early history of this Vault is not well recorded. An analysis of the other Vault files suggests that Vault 101 was constructed in the 2060s.

For the history of this Vault between 2077 and 2241, see above.

In the mid-23rd century, a new Overseer assumed the leadership of the Vault. He was a proponent of contact with the outside world. In 2241, this Overseer sent a scouting party under the leadership of Anne Palmer into the Capital Wasteland. This expedition revealed the true nature of the aftermath in the Wasteland and contacted the citizens of the settlement Megaton. Sometime before the arrival of the Lone Wanderer's father in 2258, this Overseer disappeared on an expedition to the Wasteland. His successor, Alphonse Almodovar, ascended to leadership of the Vault. Under his rule, the Vault changed into a police state with a strict policy of isolationism.

Early in Alphonse's tenure as Overseer, James and his infant enter into Vault society. James, in his agreement with the Overseer, kept his child ignorant of their origins, convinced of their in the Vault. James was hired as the new Vault Physician. Nineteen years later, after James suddenly disappeared from the Vault, the Lone Wanderer was forced to flee and seek his/her father in the outside world for answers after fleeing a murderous Vault Security.

Upon meeting with Colin Moriarty in Megaton, the Lone Wanderer learned of his/her origins. He/she had been born outside of the Vault and was brought to Vault 101 by James after his wife died in childbirth. Though a few knew the truth, like Old Lady Palmer, they never divulged this to the Lone Wanderer.

Speaking with other residents of Megaton, the Lone Wanderer discovers that others have left the Vault over the past two decades. Moira Brown, the proprietor of Craterside Supply, recalls a girl who escaped "10 or 12 years ago", while the saloon owner Colin Moriarty recalls someone escaping 5 years ago. The man convinced Colin that residents of the Vault were brainwashed into believing lies.

The town of Megaton was founded by people who were trying to get into this Vault, and some of the skeletons of the people who tried to get in, as well as their banners demanding entry into the Vault (with strong languages), are still outside of the Vault door.

It should be noted that in the quest Trouble on the Homefront, it is hinted that most, if not all adult residents in Vault 101 were in on the experiment. Therefore James's sudden arrival in the Vault with the infant Lone Wanderer would not have caused too much concern among the residents, beyond the natural question of why the Overseer would allow the two newcomers into the vault when no outsiders were previously allowed.

Inhabitants
Vault 101 is populated by humans. These humans are descended from the original settlers. Occasionally, this facility is invaded by Radroaches. Vault Security is tasked with containing and killing these insects.

Families
Almodovar family:
 * Alphonse Almodovar - the Overseer
 * Amata Almodovar - daughter of Alphonse

DeLoria family:
 * Butch DeLoria - leader of the Tunnel Snakes
 * Ellen DeLoria - mother to Butch

Mack family:
 * Allen Mack - father to Wally and Steve, the Overseer if you killed Alphonse
 * Gloria Mack - mother to Wally and Steve (Stanley's daughter)
 * Wally Mack and Steve Mack, brothers
 * Susie Mack - daughter of Allen and Gloria
 * Grandpa Mack

Hannon family:
 * Paul Hannon Sr. - Vault security chief
 * Vikki Hannon - his wife
 * Paul Hannon Jr. - his son

Gomez family (descendants of a family from Springvale):
 * Herman Gomez - Vault Security officer, father of Freddie, and friend of James
 * Pepper Gomez - his wife
 * Freddie Gomez - his son

Kendall family:
 * John Kendall - Vault Security guard, father of Christine and Monica
 * Mary Kendall - his wife (Stanley's daughter also)
 * Christine Kendall - classmate to the Lone Wanderer
 * Monica Kendall - younger sister to Christine. Never seen, only mentioned during Trouble on the Homefront

Holden family:
 * Tom Holden - vault dweller, killed by Vault security during Escape!.
 * Mary Holden - his wife, killed immediately after him.

Palmer family:
 * Jonas Palmer - Clinic Assistant, friend to James, and son of Anne Palmer.
 * Anne Palmer - Presumably Old Lady Palmer. Leader of a scouting party to the Wasteland in 2241.
 * Lucy Palmer - mother to Anne and grandmother to Jonas.
 * Joe Palmer - deceased, Jukebox Technician.

Armstrong family:
 * Stanley Armstrong - Engineer, friend to James. Father of Gloria Mack, Mary Kendall and Beatrice Armstrong.
 * Beatrice Armstrong - Slightly odd woman, poet and tarot reader.

Taylor family:
 * Officer Taylor - Older security guard, husband to "Grandma" Taylor.
 * Grandma Taylor - his wife.
 * Chip Taylor- Grandson to Officer Taylor and Grandma Taylor.

Other

 * James - the Lone Wanderer's father
 * Andy - a Mr. Handy type robot, reassigned (with horrific results) to doctor duties after Escape!
 * Edwin Brotch - Vault teacher and friend to the Lone Wanderer.
 * Floyd Lewis - Engineer found dead in Escape!
 * Officer O'Brian - Security officer responsible for killing Tom and Mary Holden
 * Officer Richards - Security officer responsible for killing Tom and Mary Holden
 * Officer Wolfe - Security officer
 * Officer Park - Security officer
 * Officer Wilkins- hostile security officer during Trouble on the Homefront
 * Officer Armstrong- if Officer Gomez died during Escape!, he will greet you instead
 * Lone Wanderer
 * George (Vault 101 Technician)
 * Agnes
 * Lewis
 * Unnamed Overseer

Found dead during Trouble on the Homefront

 * Beatrice Armstrong
 * Jim Wilkins
 * Steve Armstrong
 * Chip Taylor
 * Paul Hannon Jr.
 * Janice Wilkins

Layout
Vault 101 is divided into four sections by the game. These sections are Vault 101 Main Entrance, Vault 101 Overseer's Tunnel, Vault 101 Atrium/Upper Level, and Vault 101 Lower Level. The sections are separated by doors, and stairways connect floors and levels within two of the sections. Levels and rooms are identified by signs. There are two paths to the Capital Wasteland: a direct path from the Atrium and a hidden tunnel named the Overseer's Tunnel. The Vault faces east.

It is important to note that the sections are not directly stacked upon each other. They are staggered with each section moving progressively more westward as the Vault burrows deeper into the earth.

Vault 101 Main Entrance
This section connects the Capital Wasteland to the Vault. The rooms in this section are:
 * Natural rock tunnel connecting the Wasteland door to the Vault door
 * Entrance room
 * Control booth
 * Concealed room connecting the Overseer's Tunnel to the main entrance
 * Large generator room
 * Small generator room
 * Storage room

Vault 101 Overseer's Tunnel
This section connects the Overseer's Office (in Atrium/Upper Level) with the Main Entrance

Vault 101 Atrium/Upper Level
This section connects the Main Entrance to the Lower Level. This section is divided into two sub-sections: Admin and Atrium. Admin is short for Administration.

Rooms in Admin are:
 * Overseer's Office
 * Overseer's Terminal
 * Reception Room
 * Jonas Palmer dies ("Escape!")
 * Overseer's Apartment
 * 3 rooms - Dining/Living room, Amata's bedroom, Alphonse's bedroom
 * Operations
 * Computer (inaccessible)
 * Location of Vault's mainframe
 * Security
 * Amata is interrogated ("Escape!")
 * Holding Cell
 * Systems
 * Floyd Lewis dies here ("Escape!")

Systems connects Admin to Atrium. Rooms in Atrium are located on two floors - a upper and a lower floor. Rooms on the upper floor are inaccessible. They are: The lower floor of the Atrium offers access to a Storage room and a Cafeteria on the Lower Level. The rooms on this floor are:
 * Dining/Living room of Mack Apartment
 * Allan Mack is yelling at the Lone Wanderer ("Escape!")
 * Utility
 * Equipment
 * Storage Room (inaccessible)
 * Storage Room

Note: The Fallout 3 Official Game Guide identifies the lower floor of the Atrium as the Vault 101 Sub-Level.

Vault 101 Lower Level
This is the final section of the Vault. Though named Lower Level, this section actually covers two levels: the Lower and the Reactor.

Rooms in the Lower Level are: The map for the DeLoria and Lone Wanderer's apartments in the official game guide have two beds in the bedroom; whereas, in the game, there is only one bed.
 * Clinic
 * Physician's Office
 * Location of Bobblehead - Medicine, Schematics - Rock-It Launcher and holotape Home Sweet Home
 * Vault 101 Medical Access Database Terminal
 * Classroom
 * GOAT ("Future Imperfect")
 * Cafeteria (aka Diner)
 * Lone Wanderer's tenth birthday ("Growing Up Fast")
 * Grandma Taylor dies ("Escape!")
 * DeLoria Apartment
 * 2 rooms - Dining/Living room, Bedroom
 * Ellen DeLoria is attacked by radroaches ("Escape!")
 * Common Room (inaccessible)
 * Cigar Room (inaccessible)
 * Ladies Restroom
 * Gentlemen's Restroom
 * Lone Wanderer's Apartment
 * Amata talks to the Lone Wanderer after James escapes ("Escape!")
 * Storage Room

Rooms in the Reactor Level are:
 * Generator Room
 * James gives a BB gun to the Lone Wanderer ("Growing Up Fast")
 * Filter Room
 * Location of the Water Purifier and Water Chip
 * Reactor Room
 * Location of the Vault's geo-thermal reactor
 * Storage Room
 * Lone Wanderer kills a radroach ("Growing Up Fast")

Note: The Official Game Guide identifies this level as the Vault 101 Atrium.

Notable Loot
''Note: Almost all of these items are available either in "Escape!" or in "Trouble on the Homefront".''

Aid

 * Bobby Pin - Amata gives the Lone Wanderer 10 of these items for lockpicking the door to the Overseer's Office. 5 Bobby Pins are in a dresser located in Amata's bedroom. Six more are located in a storage room near the main entrance.
 * Purified Water - 3 bottles are located in a storage room near the Main Entrance.
 * Vodka - 3 bottles of Vodka are located in the DeLoria apartment.

Bobblehead
The Bobblehead - Medicine is on a desk in the Physician's Office. You only have three chances to obtain this bobblehead. When you're about to take the G.O.A.T., when you escape the vault you'll come through his office, or when you return in the "Trouble on the Homefront" quest.

Containers
''These contain a variety of items. It's always a good idea to check each one.''
 * Desk - Overseer's Office (2), Security (2)
 * Dresser - Amata's Bedroom (1), DeLoria Bedroom (1), Lone Wanderer's Apartment (1), Overseer's Bedroom (1)
 * First Aid Box - Lone Wanderer's Apartment (1), Small Generator Room (Main Entrance) very easy lock (1)
 * Locker - Atrium (1), Clinic (2), Physician's Office (1), Overseer's Office (2), Security (4)
 * Metal Box - Clinic (1), Storage Room (Atrium) (1), Storage Room (Main Entrance) (3)
 * Tool Box - Clinic (1), Storage Room (Atrium) (1), Storage Room (Main Entrance) (2), Systems (1),

Custom Weapons Components
Some of these components may appear in the tool boxes located in various rooms of the Vault.
 * Conductor - Tool Box
 * Paint Gun - Tool Box
 * Sensor Module - Tool Box
 * Turpentine - There are 2 turpentines on a storage rack in the storage room adjacent to the Atrium.
 * Wonderglue - Tool Box

Custom Weapon Schematic
On a wall of the Physician's Office, a framed Quote of Revelation 21:6 can be found. When activated, the player will need to pick the 'average' lock. Inside can be found Rock-It Launcher schematics, 300 caps and a Holodisk called 'Home Sweet Home'. When accessed in Notes, 'Home Sweet Home' depicts James' voice lamenting over the death of his wife Catherine, discussing his new responsibilities as a father and the Overseer, whom he describes as an 'overbearing bully'. You need to pick the lock, which requires lockpick skill of 50 or greater.

Quest Related Items

 * Scrap Metal - Scrap metal is located in a storage room adjacent to the Atrium and in a storage room near the main entrance. May also be found in a tool box. ("Treatment")

Skill Book

 * Grognak the Barbarian - This book is a gift from Amata in "Growing Up Fast". This book reappears in "Escape!", in the Lone Wanderer's dresser, if the player hadn't read the book in the earlier quest.

Weapons

 * N99 10mm Pistol - Amata offers this weapon to the Lone Wanderer. If the player accepts her offer, they receive this weapon and 36 10mm Rounds. Additional pistols are with Officers O'Brian and Richards. Additional ammo for this pistol may be found in the dresser in the Overseer's bedroom, or in a locker in the Overseer's Office.
 * Baseball Bat - This melee weapon is leaning against a table in the Lone Wanderer's bedroom.
 * BB Gun - This is a gift from Dad in "Growing Up Fast". The weapon comes with 50 BB's.
 * Police Baton - This is carried by Vault 101 Security. The player can kill a guard for one. There are 6 or 7 batons, depending on if the player kills Officer Gomez.

Appearances
Vault 101 appears in Fallout 3 as the Vault where the main character was raised by his/her father until the age of 19. The quest Trouble on the Homefront allows you to re-enter the Vault after leaving.

Related quests

 * Baby Steps
 * Growing Up Fast
 * Future Imperfect
 * Escape!
 * Trouble on the Homefront

Random Encounters
At higher levels, four or five Deathclaws will sometimes spawn down the hill from Vault 101. Jump up on the rocks in front of the Vault entrance and they cannot reach you. Pick them off at your leisure. Unfortunately, if Dogmeat is waiting for you there, attacking the Deathclaws will mean certain death for the canine. If this happens, sneak, tell Dogmeat to follow you and back away from the Deathclaws. Another option is the player will select the perk Puppies which will create a new Dogmeat who will be waiting at the door to the Vault.

Behind the scenes

 * The designation of Vault 101 could be related to the fact that the player learns the basics of gameplay in the vault. In the United States, introductory college courses often begin with 101, such as Astronomy 101 where you learn the basics of astronomy.


 * At the Vault-Tec Headquarters in the D.C Ruins, a replica of the Vault 101 Door is hanging over the lobby area with spot lights illuminating it.


 * Vault 101 is one of two fully functional vaults (the other being Vault 112) in the Capital Wasteland. All the other vaults have either failed due to projects that have failed or simple natural death.


 * The number 101 pays a heavy homage to George Orwell's fiction novel "1984", in which there is the "Room 101", supposedly to be the worst place in the world. It is place where the prisoner is subjected to his or her own worst nightmare or phobia.


 * It is suggested, through the poem that the Lone Wanderer receives upon his/her tenth birthday, that the dead of Vault 101 are incinerated in some sort of area built for this. This is never demonstrated in game, however.
 * It is also possible that "101" is a reference to "Alpha and Omega" from the scripture that James reads to the Lone Wanderer multiple times throughout the storyline.
 * The lone wanderer has his/her own apartment when he/she escapes which would explain the hall being different from the quest baby steps.

Inconsistencies
While taking the G.O.A.T., the PC is joined by many other students. Since the G.O.A.T. is only taken after one's sixteenth birthday, it can be assumed that all of the fellow students are 16 (or 17, if it's only given once every two years, etc.). Statistically, it is very unlikely that all children in Vault 101 are of roughly the same age, especially in such a great quantity.

Vault 8 from Fallout 2, which was one of the few control vaults, had residents who reproduced on a schedule for population control purposes. It's more than a matter of not having too many people of a certain age group.

One explanation could be that the Overseer strictly schedules births (which fits with the overall theme of the vault), but this would not explain the PC being the same age as his/her peers (as the PC was not born in the Vault), unless the PC's age is a coincidence. Being able to jump at the age of one shows that it is possible that your age is not actually 19, but that your age was shifted by a year or two. Vault residents are encouraged to procreate indicating that the Vault's population is declining, which would make it counter-productive to schedule births.

Another possible explanation could be that all members of the Vault celebrate their birth on the same day, regardless of their true date of birth, while still taking into account the year they where born, i.e. being 1, 2, 3, and so on. As individuality and self-reliance are possibly detrimental to the Vaults purpose, removing them by creating an illusion of uniformity between Vault residents. This however, conflicts with the player's tenth birthday, where they are the only vault resident celebrating their birthday.

It is also a possibility that the player is only exposed to a limited portion of the vaults full population, restricted due to programming constraints. Though this possibly conflicts with the conversation had with the overseer saying that the vault only has three more viable generations, which could suggest that the observed population is the true population.

It is worth noting that there seems to be a few different age groups in the vault. You have the ones at the vault dwellers 'age', and there is a group in their 30s (who mainly comprise the vault's security guards), and you have the elderly group, who consist of Old Lady Palmer, Stanley and the Overseer.

Bugs

 * On the PC's tenth birthday, just after his/her party they will be prompt to leave to go and see Jonas, he will tell you to wait for your dad. When he finally arrives he gives you a BB Gun, if you attempt to shoot either your dad or Jonas the gun will do little damage, however if you continuously shoot Jonas (preferably in the head) he will be rendered unconscious, after that comes the shooting of the targets and the radroach. Jonas will eventually regain consciousness but will not take the picture of you and your dad(he just stands wherever you shot him). You can still interact with him, however, him not taking the picture means you cannot progress any further. On some PS3 versions, however, after Jonas regains consciousness, he won't take the picture. All you have to do is to stand next to your dad and your BB gun will automatically be holstered by the game and the screen will turn white as if he took the picture. (unconfirmed)

This framerate drop appears to only occur close to the vault entrance. (Confirmed PS3)
 * Fast traveling to the vault will on some cases result in a massive framerate drop once you have arrived. Fast traveling to Springvale and then moving on to the vault will result in framerate drop, however not as severe.


 * Closing the Vault door manually using the outer console will work normally during Escape. However, approaching the tunnel exit will result in the Vault door reopening behind you exactly when it is supposed to close if you don't tamper with the console. (confirmed on PC)


 * After completing "Trouble on the Homefront", Amata and Mr. Brotch may be standing in the medical room talking. Amata will simply tell you that you have to go, and Brotch will just say goodbye, but if you listen to their conversation they will sometimes discuss Amata's father and how to keep him in line - even if he's been dead because you killed him before leaving the vault at the beginning of the game. (confirmed on PS3 and PC)