Ian (Fallout)

Ian is a former Crimson Caravan guard, now a Shady Sands guard and a possible companion who resides in Shady Sands in 2161.

Background
Ian is a short, stocky caravan guard who adopted Shady Sands as his new home. He was working for the Crimson Caravan company during a routine caravan route to the small settlement. However, routine doesn't mean safe. He was shot by raiders and stayed in Shady Sands to recuperate. The Shady Sands townsfolk helped him recover and ultimately Ian decided to stay with them. His experience and skills helped him contribute, as very few of the townsfolk ever left its safe walls. He occasionally makes a run to Junktown and the Hub to do trading. He is strong, confident, and independent. A perfect wastelander.

These traits endeared the Vault Dweller to him. Together, they scouted Vault 15, learning that the water chip was in another Vault. Following a long trek through the wastelands, the two finally reached Necropolis. Engaging the super mutants at the Watershed in battle, Ian lost his life. A flamer unleashed by one of the super mutants burned him to death. The smell of Ian's burning body would haunt the Dweller for years to come.

Quests

 * Recruit Ian: Ian can be recruited as a companion.

Other interactions

 * Ian is one of the possible companion NPCs in Fallout. As a companion, he is notorious for his problematic lack of discretion with automatic firearms. He will - more often than not - make burst shots, and accidentally hit the Vault Dweller and other non-hostiles if they are in the same line of fire.
 * Because of his experience from being a former caravan guard, he can inform the Vault Dweller about the locations of several towns.
 * Ian will turn hostile if the people in Shady Sands are attacked without his company.

Comments

 * He has unique float dialogue for locations around the northern wasteland;

Fallout: New California
Ian can be acquired at the shop by any player character that has Charisma. Prior to starting a fight with him as the active companion, the player character can exhaust him in order to lower the enemy's level by one, to a minimum of 1. However, he also damages the player character in the process, dealing two points of friendly fire.

When the player performs the camp action, he will become unexhausted. However, if the player character does not have Luck at this time, he must be discarded.

Appearances
Ian appears in Fallout, Fallout 2, and the Fallout: The Board Game add-on Fallout: New California, and is mentioned in the Fallout Bible.

Behind the scenes

 * Jesse Heinig, a designer on Fallout, mentions that he pushed for a few things during the game's design, including the ability to have companions, such as Ian.
 * Ian's line when asked to tell me about "Apocalypse" is a reference to a quote by Albert Einstein: "I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
 * Chris Avellone first mentioned in the Fallout Bible that Ian was to appear in the Den after the Abbey was cut, but was later corrected when his dialogue file indicated he would be in Vault City.