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!"

Notable Loot

 * The Vault Boy Bobblehead of 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.


 * 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.


 * There is a copy of Pugilism Illustrated on a table in Alan's house. It is the house by the brahmin pen, and only accessible if you negotiate the exchange of donated blood packs for protection between Arefu and the Family, during the "Blood Ties" quest.

What's in a Name?

 * Just above the entrance, 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 "Dracul", 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.
 * Behind the West Residence, adjacent to a bathtub is an indent in the road where you can walk on air.