Mel (Fallout 3)



Mel is a wannabe mugger the Lone Wanderer may come across as a random encounter. He wants them to give him all their money. He will appear as friendly on the radar, and his clearly unassertive and stammering speaking voice make his demands indeed pathetic.

Background
Recently forced out of his mercenary settlement, Mel is a nervous and ineffectual highwayman, waving an unloaded weapon at you should your paths ever cross. He is of no threat, except to himself.

Effects of player's actions
There may be several conversation options, depending on the skills:
 * (Speech) Back off or I'll make you regret threatening me.
 * (Speech) How about I give you 5 caps and you leave me alone?
 * (Intelligence) Bullshit, a mugger in the Wasteland? A real raider would've shot me already.
 * (Perception) That gun doesn't look loaded.
 * All right. I haven't killed anyone all day. Let's go.
 * I can't give you all my stuff, sorry.

If a skill-based topic is used, Mel will end the conversation without turning hostile, and will cower as if fleeing. If simply refused to be given anything, he may turn hostile. Mel will also fight any roving hostiles that travel near him (i.e. raiders or critters). But, since his shotgun is unloaded, he is limited to fighting unarmed. He is about as tough as an average raider, although without weapons, he makes a limited threat.

Appearances
Mel appears only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes
Mel is an homage to Mel Gibson, the actor who played Mad Max. In Mad Max 2 Gibson threatened the Gyro Captain using an unloaded sawed-off shotgun. Ironically, the Gyro Captain believed him, whereas the Lone Wanderer does not believe Mel.