Swampfolk

Swampfolk are a type of mutated human found at Point Lookout in 2277. Although hostile to the Lone Wanderer whenever encountered, there is evidence that they are capable of trade with some of the local merchants. Their physical deformities are the result of inbreeding, coupled with radiation or exposure to other toxic wastes in the Point Lookout area and from the various pollutants washed down the river from the north.

Background
Although Point Lookout did not suffer a direct hit during the Great War, the effects of the radioactive fallout can be seen in the indigenous population that has slowly degenerated over the decades, and have since created a signature "Point Lookout look." Sporting sinewy, pockmarked bodies oozing with strength and pus, the swampfolk are a violent and stupid bunch, and they do not take well to strangers. They have a rudimentary belief system and mark their territory with fetishes: straw dolls hanging from trees and bone totems. Anthropologists have speculated the swampfolk have a belief in the occult, and some postulate they pray to a hitherto unknown entity named Ug-Qualtoth.

Biology
They are very territorial, and they are hostile to outsiders. Areas in which they live are all decorated with bones, strung-up dolls, teddy bears and mannequin heads (scavenged from Pilgrim's Landing). These decorations serve as both a warning to outsiders and as a part of their own religion, which is based on worshiping unknown deities. Swampfolk carry out bloody rituals at the sacred ritual site. The Krivbeknih, a book believed to possess an occult power, is kept there as a holy artifact.

Gameplay attributes
Swampfolk usually attack in groups of two to five. They are territorial, and even though they are marked as enemies in the HUD, they do not actually become hostile until the player character gets too close or shoots at them. However, the range at which they become hostile is quite far, more than one hundred feet. Usually, the groups will consist of at least one melee attacker, which is often the strongest of the group, who charges while the others behind them attack with firearms.

Swampfolk, like tribals, do an additional 35 damage to the player character with all of the weapons they normally use, due to an object enhancement in the add-on's data files. Should these weapons be destroyed, they will immediately seek out a replacement, however, they will immediately engage in unarmed combat should there be no viable backup weapon. Swampfolk are also extremely resistant to damage.

They can set a trap for player characters looting the basement of the trapper's shack. The trap consists of frag mines surrounding the entrance to the basement and a number of hidden swampfolk. Bruisers and trackers shield their faces with their mutated arms when charging, making a clean headshot difficult. Despite this, V.A.T.S. may still display 95% as the calculated success chance.

Brawler
Brawlers are large, but not as large as trackers and bruisers. They wear clothes that actually fit them, which is overalls and an orange shirt underneath. It is safe to say that brawlers are the most "normal" looking of the swampfolk. They are tougher than scrappers, but somewhat weaker than creepers, and are roughly on par with a super mutant brute in terms of durability and skill.

Bruiser
Bruisers are stronger and have substantially more health than trackers and, like creepers, are covered in blood. They wear a very bloody "Bill's" mechanic outfit, with the "Bill's" tag still readable. Like trackers, they engage only in melee combat and use axes. Like the tracker, even when unequipped, they can still inflict large amounts of damage with only their fists. In fact, bruisers have an even higher unarmed damage rating than deathclaws. They also punch very fast, making blocking very difficult. Like their tracker cousins, they are slower than deathclaws or feral ghoul reavers, and lack ranged attacks. Likewise, their exposed bellies bear stitches, suggesting that the swampfolk have at least some medical capabilities.

Creeper
Creepers share the same body structure as scrappers, but have blond hair and blood on their hands, chest, mouth, pants and boots. They are stronger and have almost three times as much health as scrappers, and are slightly more durable than a super mutant master.

Scrapper
Scrappers are the smallest and weakest of the swampfolk. They are skinny with distended bellies and only wear pants and boots. They have somewhat more health than regular super mutants. They also appear to have the least amount of mutation/disfiguration on their skin and body (excluding their body structure) compared to the other swampfolk of Point Lookout.

Tracker
Trackers are very large swampfolk (standing roughly seven feet tall) who use axes to attack strangers in close combat. This class of swampfolk will either attack the Lone Wanderer in hand-to-hand combat or use melee weapons, like axes, due to the fact that trackers have extremely swollen or clubbed fingers. This means it would be nearly impossible to fit their fingers into a firearm. They run with a hop to their step and are very strong and durable. Like the bruiser, even when unequipped, they can still inflict large amounts of damage with only their fists. Trackers are not strongly affected by the dart gun, as even after having their legs crippled they can still run at close to their normal speed. Also, while they run, they show at least a small amount of intelligence (or at least instinct), as they put one of their swollen arms in front of their face, making it harder to score a headshot in V.A.T.S. They can survive somewhat more damage than a deathclaw or sentry bot, but are slower than deathclaws and also lack ranged attacks. They also have stitches on their stomachs like the bruisers. Their iconic walking (or rather tip-toe) animation is an exaggerated interpretation of a hunter "tracking" its prey.

Associated characters
There are a few characters who, while technically not regular swampfolk, have some ties to them.
 * Kenny - was born to swampfolk parents, but lacked their deformities and thus became an outcast.
 * Marguerite - lives in the bog with the swampfolk. While she lacks severe deformities, she is still considered to be a local by others.
 * Obadiah Blackhall - the Blackhall family shares some traditions and religion with the swampfolk, but Obadiah nevertheless keeps his distance from them. He appears to in fact despise them, as a beheaded creeper can be found in Blackhall Manor's basement.
 * Haley - while not one of the swampfolk, he is believed to be a local and does some trading with them.

Appearances
Swampfolk appear only in the Fallout 3 add-on Point Lookout.

Behind the scenes

 * During development of Point Lookout, the original plan was for the swampfolk to be a single model and the production and animation of that model would be outsourced to another studio. Three concepts were drafted for what was suppose to be the only new character type in Point Lookout, but due to a communication mishap, all three designs were shared with the outsourced studio and created. This was not caught until all the work was completed on the models and animations.
 * The swampfolk take inspiration from the films The Hills Have Eyes and an "ironic take" on the 1972 thriller Deliverance.
 * The "Point Lookout Look" alludes to the phenomenon of the "Innsmouth Look" from H. P. Lovecraft's novella The Shadow over Innsmouth, which is the result of a local, contained population engaging in inbreeding as well as breeding with amphibious monsters they worship.

Bugs

 * One specific scrapper, creeper or bruiser near the ritual site will spawn one frag grenade every 30 seconds as long as you stay in the same cell as the dead swampfolk.
 * Swampfolk may be targeted in V.A.T.S., after exiting, the swampfolk may spawn several feet in front of you.