Vault 13

Vault 13 is one of the Vault series of fallout shelters developed by Vault-Tec. Specifically, it is the home of the Vault Dweller. Vault 13 also played a major role in the Master's plan, as it was one of the few remaining untouched Vaults when Fallout begins. Vault 13 was probably located beneath Mt. Whitney, as it roughly matches the location of the mountain.

Construction
Construction on Vault 13 started in August 2063, and was completed in March 2069. The total number of occupants (at maximum capacity) was 1000, and Vault 13 was meant to stay closed for 200 years as a study of prolonged isolation, due to the Vault-Tec's vault experiments.

The starting budget for Vault 13 was $400 billion, although it eventually reached $645 billion. It was equipped with a "think machine" supercomputer and powered primarily by geothermal energy. The secondary power source was the General Atomics Nuclear Power backup systems. Vault 13 stored complete construction equipment, hydro-agricultural farms, water purification from an underground river, defensive weaponry to equip 10 men, communication, and social and entertainment files (for total duration). It was also supplied with an extra Garden of Eden Creation Kit (which, when added to the Vault standard compliment of 2, makes 3 kits in total), instead of the extra water chips that made their way to Vault 8. If one were to look closely at the advertisement, Vault 13 resembles a mushroom cloud.

Water chip problems
In 2161, Vault 13's only functioning water chip broke and the Vault Dweller (along with Ed and Talius before him) was selected by the Overseer Jacoren to be sent out into the wasteland to find a replacement chip, a task that was completed on May 10th, 2162. Jacoren gave the Vault Dweller the location of Vault 15 as a possible location of another water chip. In addition, he also gave the Vault Dweller a 10mm pistol and some ammo for his venture. The water chip was eventually found in Necropolis in Vault 12.

Vault Dweller's exile
Over the course of his adventure, the Vault Dweller ended up defeating the mutant threat, and was subsequently expelled, as Jacoren thought that he would ruin the Vault Experiment by convincing people to leave the Vault. It's not clear what happens to Jacoren after the exile of the Vault Dweller. He can try to stop those who want to leave and eventually be tried and sentenced to death for his crime, probably after the dwellers learned about his involvement in the Experiment, or he can be killed at the hand of the Vault Dweller after his/her goodbye speech

After that, many people chose to follow the Vault Dweller into the wasteland. Those people who had didn't leave Vault 13 were wary to appoint a new Overseer. To replaced its function, they contacted the Brotherhood of Steel who have had contact with the Vault Dweller, and purchased a fully-automated mainframe to control and regulate Vault 13. For the Vault Dweller and his people who followed him, they traveled north and founded a small village called Arroyo. Over the ensuing generations, the people of Arroyo developed a tribal culture and revered Vault 13 as the "Holy Thirteen". Eventually, the grandchild of the Vault Dweller, known as the Chosen One, was sent to find Vault 13 and bring the GECK to Arroyo, to save the dying village.

Intelligent deathclaws
Between May 15th and 17th 2242, the Enclave opened up Vault 13. After killing the few "resisting" Dwellers, they kidnapped the inhabitants. An indeterminate amount of time later, a group of intelligent deathclaws created by the Enclave, escaped during the course of experiments and made their new home in the deserted Vault. These Deathclaws displayed a strong pack mentality, and allowed many humans to live in relative comfort and safety with them in the confines of the vault. When the Enclave was destroyed in the autumn of the same year by the Chosen One, the survivors from Arroyo and Vault 13 re-founded Arroyo with the G.E.C.K. It is unknown what exactly became of Vault 13 afterwards, if the intelligent deathclaws were allowed to live in the Vault in peace, if they were exterminated and the vault claimed for the NCR or some other group, or if Vault 13 was simply abandoned.

Documents connected with Vault 13

 * Vault Dweller's Survival Guide
 * Vault Dweller's memoirs

Fallout 2 intro
Vault 13 Krypta 13 Убежище 13