Arroyo

"Beyond the Canyon"

Arroyo is a settlement founded in 2162 by the Vault Dweller following their exile from Vault 13 by the overseer. Originally a tribal village, it rose in power after the Chosen One completed their quest and used the G.E.C.K. in 2242.

Background
On January 16, 2208, the Vault Dweller left Arroyo. Their spouse had passed away years earlier, and they left their memoirs and jumpsuit behind. Some say they were taken by the sky spirits, others say that the Vault Dweller felt it was time to move on and leave the elders to guide Arroyo. After the one-moon (month) cycle of mourning for the Vault Dweller ended, activity in Arroyo began to return to normal.

Layout
The village of Arroyo is divided into four areas.

Temple of Trials


This is the beginning area of the game. There is a clear path that leads into the Temple of Trials, but also a path leading back to the main village.

It is possible to talk the way through Cameron with high enough Speech and Charisma, as he is determined to make sure the entrant endures the trials of the elders. The only way to get past Cameron is to defeat him in hand-to-hand combat. You can also steal the Temple key from him and exit without having to fight.

Village


The central village portion of Arroyo serves as home to most of the tribe. Hakunin's tent and garden - which has been infested with man-eating plants - inhabit the northwestern corner of the map, while the Village Elder's tent lies just south and west. And shortly south of it lies the town well, broken and dormant with the Chosen One's whiny nephew Feargus pouting about it a few feet away.

The south-most tent belongs to none other than your old, cranky aunt Morlis, who is in possession of a piece of a rather scarce flint. The large stone monument sits peaceful and quiescent immediately northeast of her tent. The wigwam residing on the east-most bounds of the map is home to Jordan, a skilled and seasoned hunter for the tribe. The rest of the homes belong to generic tribesmen and women.

Hunting grounds


The hunting grounds northwest to the village foster a steady pack of small geckos that serve as a source of food for the tribe. Just as well, there are a few cuttings of xander roots and broc flowers growing in the alcoves formed by the abundant foliage. These can be brought to Hakunin to be synthesized into healing powder.

In the northwest corner of the map, in the secluded flat where spots of radioactive waste can be found, Nagor's dog Smoke is trapped by a few hostile geckos lurking near the only path back to the village.

Note that the geckos are not hostile, with one exception. If this gecko attacks you and any other geckos see that, the other ones will join in as well.

The Canyon


This section of Arroyo is not so densely populated, as only a few vigilant tribe members keep watch over the sole passageway into the village. Mynoc, the young warrior standing immediately next to the bridge, will offer to sharpen the Chosen One's spear before their departure, requiring a piece of flint for the job.

The bridge connecting Arroyo to the wasteland serves as a metaphorical gateway for the Chosen One. It is here that the player leaves their tribe bearing the quest to find the G.E.C.K., and prove to be their salvation. The canyon which the rope bridge extends across bears ancestral drawings likely created by past - possibly present - tribe members upon the establishment of the village.

Destroyed bridge
The Chosen One gets here with a G.E.C.K. in hand. Enclave troopers have destroyed the village and took the rest of the tribals to Enclave Oil Rig. Hakunin is still alive to tell the Chosen One what to do now.

Appearances
Arroyo appears in Fallout 2 and is mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes

 * Tim Cain stated that the town was named after he was looking on a map and saw the word. He liked it, both the sound of it and what it meant. So he picked it as the name, and "then told the artist making the map what arroyo meant, so he'd be sure to make it be an arroyo."
 * The tribal nature and the customs of Arroyo are inspired by the 1949 novel Earth Abides by George R. Stewart.