Wastelander (Fallout 3)

Wastelanders are Humans and ghouls living in the Capital Wasteland They are not affiliated with any other groups.

Background
Wastelanders make a subsistence living off the land, trade with local settlements, and try not to be ravaged by the abundant (and usually hostile) wildlife, or bands of roaming raider gangs or slavers. Most are not aggressive, but will defend themselves if attacked.

Some of them do not want to open dialogue and tend to be rude, while others are pleasant and friendly towards the Lone Wanderer. Most are encountered in random encounters. These wastelanders are usually fleeing from anything from mole rats to a deathclaw, others may fight against these creatures, and some unlucky wastelanders are encountered already dead.

Locations
Wastelanders not involved in random encounters can be found in fixed locations:
 * A wastelander being chased by a raider with a flamethrower will appear just outside the Calverton chapel.
 * A wastelander wired with a bomb will appear outside the canyon leading to Evergreen Mills after the completion of The Waters of Life if Broken Steel is installed.
 * Two hostile ghoul wastelanders live inside the pylon shack, Sometimes, they can be dead when reached.
 * Three hostile ghoul wastelanders occupy the ghoul outpost.
 * Four hostile ghoul wastelanders occupy the wasteland gypsy village.
 * One wastelander is the unlucky target of the claw aboard Mothership Zeta.
 * One can be found dead near a wasteland captive. She can be found down the highway near Friendship Heights. She has a unique model, unused by any other NPC. Nearby, near the fire behind the steel walls set up by super mutants, lies another dead wastelander with a unique model. These wastelanders may be found alive.
 * One can be found fighting a super mutant in the back of a blue truck just outside of Pennsylvania Avenue. If he or she survives, they will wander around the Brotherhood checkpoint.
 * One can be found dead just across from an entrance to Metro Central and down the street from the Brotherhood checkpoint in Pennsylvania Avenue, secluded behind sandbags and car.
 * Two can be found in the wastelander campsite, usually sitting near the fire.
 * Two dead wastelanders can be found at the sewer exit, close to the Riverboat landing.

Random encounters
Although a majority of wastelanders offer little dialogue or are encountered dead by the player character, there are a number of wastelanders in random encounters that offer some unique interactions. The following is a list of these wastelanders:

Inventory

 * * 25% chance of spawning headgear.
 * ** 20% chance of spawning a frag grenade.

Notable wastelanders

 * The Preacher - A crazed inhabitant of Seward Square. His hostage, who offers some unique dialogue, is also called "wastelander."
 * John - An inhabitant of the wasteland killed by a pack of vicious dogs.

Appearances
Wastelanders appear in Fallout 3.