Ghoul (Fallout 3)

Ghouls are mutated humans who live after the Great War.

Background
Ghouls are humans that have been exposed to radiation, causing several changes to their appearance and extending their lifespans. Further radiation exposure heals ghouls, and does not impact them negatively.

Ghouls in the Capital Wasteland are willing to describe the process, beginning with skin drying and flaking off. Carol explained that it "took months, maybe a year" for the process to occur, and that some went crazy, and others accepted it. Individuals such as Desmond Lockheart wished to extend their lifespan, intentionally exposing themselves to radiation in an attempt to become a ghoul.

Characteristics
Ghouls are capable of becoming ill, treated by Nurse Graves and Dr. Barrows, who also attempt to find a way to stop or reverse the human to ghoul transition. Crowley shares that ghouls are just as human as they used to be, still capable of bleeding, feeling pain, and expressing regret. Murphy created a chem for ghouls called Ultrajet, as regular Jet does not effect them. Ghouls do not have a need for RadAway and Rad-X.

Ghouls may mutate further into feral ghouls, the cause or time frame in which this occurs varies. Feral ghouls don't attack ghouls. Clifford tells the story of Saint Monica, a human who was born to ghoul parents. Patchwork experiences loss of body parts, which have to be reattached.

Communities
After the war, ghouls developed their own communities, at times due to discrimination perpetrated by humans. A large settlement was established by ghouls in the Museum of History's Underworld exhibit. Nurse Graves states that she doesn't share the philosophy that ghouls and humans are different, as "we were all the same once" and wishes all humans felt the same.

When the Tenpenny Tower residents refuse to share their home with ghouls despite the ghouls' ability to pay, Roy Phillips asks for assistance, sharing that "people treat us like shit. But it just makes us stronger." Physicians such as Julius Banfield state that ghouls carry disease, but when pressed, will admit they don't know and that their statements were assumptions. A lack of knowledge causes individuals to justify killing based on worries that ghouls will "go zombie on you" at any given moment. Individuals such as Crowley take action against those who mistreat them, working down a hitlist, and killing those who are bigoted against ghouls.

Appearances
Ghouls appear in Fallout 3.