Arefu

Arefu is a small settlement in The Capital Wasteland made of ramshackle houses most important for its role in the quest Blood Ties.

First Impressions
When you first arrive Evan King throws a grenade at the player, mistaking the player for a member of the The Family, a group who frequently raids the town of Arefu.

Location
The town is located north-northwest of Vault 101, as illustrated in the map here. Arefu is actually located atop the remains of a destroyed highway, therefore the small town is only accessible from the south. The town's location appears to be on what is left of one of the I-495 Capital Beltway bridges over the Potomac River.

People
Evan King, Brailee and Ken Ewers, Karen Schenzy, and Ian West and his (now dead) parents all have places of residence in Arefu. Lucy West recently moved from Arefu to Megaton.


 * If you kill all residents of Arefu and return to Megaton and attempt to talk to Lucy West, it will not go into dialogue, she will say to you "I heard about your little killing spree in Arefu, get the hell away from me!"
 * Once you have arranged a deal with The Family, the people of Arefu can be found walking around without a care in the world. They are happy to talk with you.

Notable Loot

 * The Bobblehead: Repair is found on a table inside Evan King's house, along with a nice supply of ammo on the second floor that requires stealing. Although you will have to pick Evan's door (it will be red), you will not lose Karma. Also, the Bobblehead is green although (most?) everything else is red. Evan is not concerned about you taking the Bobblehead, even if he rails against you for entering his house illegally.


 * There is a Nuka Cola Quantum just to the east of Arefu. It is perched on one of the wooden buoys just out in the water. Expect two Mirelurks and one Mirelurk Hunter.


 * There is a copy of Pugilism Illustrated (Unarmed) on a table in Alan's house. It is the house by the Brahmin pen at the base of Arefu, and only accessible (no longer boarded up) after you negotiate the exchange of donated blood packs for protection between Arefu and the Family, and inform Evan King and Vance, during the Blood Ties quest. Vance sends Alan as the agreed protection.

What's in a Name?

 * Just above the entrance (where the highway leaves the ground), you can see a damaged traffic sign that should read "CAREFUL". Note that the 'C' and 'L' have faded away on either end of the traffic sign.
 * Arefu is also a small village in Romania, which is most well-known to be the village near the former castle of Vlad (the Impaler) Tepes, who was also known to his people as "Dracula", and was the source of the vampire legend.

Bugs

 * Some players may experience a bug, where upon fast traveling to Arefu, they see a mirelurk maul Evan King, ruining the quest, and turning the entire village's population hostile to the Vault 101 Dweller's presence. Trading blood packs to The Family for bottle caps is no longer available after this bug has occurred.  Instead, the members of the Family will chastise and mock the player's "killing spree" at Arefu.  Apparently any critter in the area will be placed in town center when fast traveling, wanderer is blamed for this (assuming Arefu 'was' friendly).
 * Behind the West Residence, adjacent to a bathtub is an indent in the road where you can walk on air.
 * In the PS3 version, after completing the Blood Ties quest, some players may get locked in the Schenzy residence with no key to unlock the door. The only solution is to reload a previously saved game.