Wasteland Survival Guide (quest)

 is a Fallout 3 quest. It is also an Xbox 360 and PC achievement.

Moira Brown, the owner of the Craterside Supply in Megaton, wants you to do some dangerous research for a book she is writing entitled .

Contract Radiation Sickness
Main Objective: Contract 200 Rads

Optional Objective: Contract 600 Rads

Moira wants you to get radiation sickness. When you do she will experiment her remedies on you.

The simplest and quickest ways to achieve this mission is to stand in and drink the water near the nuke in the center of Megaton and soak up rads. You could also go to the men's bathroom and drink some of the toilet water which will give you 17 or 18 Rads a second. After you have reached 200 rads walk back to the Craterside Supply and speak to Moira to complete the mission. But since completing the mission will reset you to 0 rads after talking to Moira, you might as well go for the full 600 rads.

After you complete the mission, you will have a rad count of 0. Moira will give you some Rad-X and Rad Away and she will also start selling them.

If you achieve the optional objective by contracting 600 rads, Moira remarks that you still have a "teeny, tiny, um, mutation" after curing you. The mutation causes you to gain the Rad Regeneration perk.

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Perception, or Charisma is 7 or better, which will affect the Survival Expert perk you receive at the end of this quest. Getting the Endurance option may be difficult, since you will be suffering Critical Radiation Poisoning (-1 ST, -2 AG, -3 EN) when you complete the quest (Buffout offers +3 EN, which can help... unless you were already in need of it to meet the skill requirements, before the radiation poisoning). There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Intelligence, or Agility.

Alternatively, should you have a high enough Science skill (at least 50), you will be given the option of simply explaining the effects of radiation poisoning. However, you don't get the perk this way. (Question: If the player uses this option, does the optional objective count as completed towards the quality of the final perk's tally? / Tentative answer: My experience says that it does, but I can't be positive. If someone can back this up, that would be lovely.)

Find food at the Super Duper Mart
Main Objective: Find food in the Super Duper Mart

Optional Objective: Find medicine in the Super Duper Mart.

The mart is nearby Megaton and will appear on your map. It is easy to find, but filled with Raiders.

At the front of the Mart, opening a refrigerator will trigger the first part of the quest.

Looting the first aid box in the room at the back of the market (next to the Mini Nuke and Protectron) will finish the second part of the quest.

For more information consult the Super Duper Mart page.

Moira will reward you with a Food Sanitizer if you complete the optional objective. If you only complete the main objective or if you successfully lie to her, she'll just give you some Iguana Bits.

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better, which will affect the Survival Expert perk you receive at the end of this quest. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Perception, or Agility.

Traversing a Mine Field
Main Objective: Travel to the playground in the center of Minefield.

Optional Objective: Retrieve and return a Frag Mine to Moira.

When you reach the town, look carefully at the winding road leading up the hill. There will be small, yellow discs placed on the street. These are Frag Mines so proceed with caution. Either run up to the mine's and rapidly tap the Action button or walk up slowly and disarm the mine as soon as your reticule turns red. You must repeat this process until you get to the Playground at the center of the town.

Alternative: You can find Frag Mine elsewhere and lie to Moira about visiting Minefield location to complete the quest. This will not give you optional quest credit.

Note: Instead of using the main road you can travel around to the right of the main road and travel to the playground through the backyards of houses. This path is laden with fewer mines.

Note: A Sniper, Arkansas will shoot at the two cars along the road. When you see one catch fire, run back down and wait for the explosion. Upon reaching the playground, the sniper will be there and will be taking shots at you. You can kill him, but it is recommended to wait until later, as he is a character you get a contract to enslave.

If you complete the optional objective: 4 Frag Grenade and Bottlecap Mine schematic.

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Perception, or Agility is 7 or better, which will affect the Survival Expert perk you receive at the end of this quest. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma.

Moira will reward you with 3 Stimpacks and 100 experience points for finishing the first chapter of.

Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of the guide centers on dealing with some of the many dangerous creatures that are known to inhabit the wastelands, and also how to handle injuries.

Test the repellent on Mole Rats
Main Objective:Test the Mole Rat Repellent on 3 Mole Rats.

Optional Objective: Test the repellent on 7 more Mole Rats

This portion of the quest is fairly easy, if tedious, as wild Mole Rats can be found all over the wasteland. The Repellent defeats the rats quickly, so the player should easily accumulate enough kills to report back to Moira.

However, Moira also adds a map marker for the Tepid Sewers, located near the Anchorage Memorial. Several Mole Rats can be found immediately inside the entrance, so it is a simple matter to smack them with the Repellent and exit. The player can search deeper in the sewers. Push on to discover a ceiling-mounted turret (which can be disabled by computer with a successful 50 Science check), an assorted collection of Raiders, frag mines and the additional Mole Rats. If the player chooses to fully explore the maze, Georgetown West can be discovered in the company of a few Super Mutants. To accomplish the Optional Objective while in the Tepid Sewers, it is recommended to disable the turret and kill the raiders as soon as possible so that the player can attack the Mole Rats before they are killed.

The reward for this quest is a Radiation Suit. If the player chooses to tell Moira that the Repellent works on rats by exploding their heads, she will take the Repellent Stick away from you. But you can buy it from her later.

SPECIAL NOTE: When I played through the game, I told Moira that the Repellent Stick worked by making their heads explode, it's amazing. She then proceeded to tell me how horrible the item and I was, and said I could keep it because I might be able to find a better use for it, (I doubt it though, she added). So she did not take the stick away from me when I chose that particular dialogue option.

On completing the quest and optional objective, if your Intelligence or Charisma is 7 or higher, you will get a special conversation option. Choosing this option affects Moira's response when the chapter is complete, increases the quality of the perk you gain at the end of the quest, and convinces her to let you keep "experimenting" with the Repellent Stick.

Place an observer unit inside a Mirelurk nest
Main Objective: Place an observer unit (provided by Moira) inside a Mirelurk spawning pod located in the Anchorage Memorial.

Optional Objective: Complete the Main Objective without killing a Mirelurk.

Some easy solutions to complete optional objective include:
 * Go inside through service entrance that is located in the southeastern wall near water. The door requires a lockpick skill of 25. There are several Mirelurks here, however, you can just run in, plant the observer at the nearby clutch of eggs (you have to walk right up to any clutch of eggs and then the option will come up to plant the observer), and rush back outside before they reach you.
 * Enter through underwater tunnel, which is located on the south border of the peninsula. You will spawn near the eggs with no Mirelurks there. After you zone in, swim to the right and you will see the external wall of the memorial. Swim left at the wall and the eggs are at the water line in front of you.  Naturally, you will accumulate some radiation from swimming.
 * If you get in through main entrance (the one built into the exterior wall) you can continue until you get to the main room with several stories and jump over the balcony into the floor, containing the nest. Afterward, run and follow the waypoints until you get out. If you have any Stealth Boys, this would be the perfect time to use them, as Moira give you four as a reward for completing the optional objective. Another alternative is the Dart Gun.
 * You can also go into Anchorage Memorial if you find it before taking on this quest and kill all the Mirelurk before starting it. Then, when you do the quest, you will complete the optional objective. Just make sure you clear out all the Mirelurk before you talk to Moira about starting this quest. This area is beautiful for using up all those landmines you've been accumulating, and you'll need them with how armored the mirelurks are.
 * It should also be noted that if you have a suitably strong companion with you while doing this quest (such as Fawkes), they can kill all the Mirelurks for you without jeopardizing the optional objective.

On completing the quest and optional objective, if your Intelligence or Charisma is 7 or higher, you will get a special conversation option. Choosing this option affects Moira's response when the chapter is complete, and increases the quality of the perk you gain at the end of the quest.

For completing this optional objective you'll receive 4 Stealth Boys and a Shady Hat.

Injure yourself for more than 50% of your Health
Main Objective: Return to Moira with less than 50% of your total health.

Optional Objective: Return to Moira with a crippled body part.

Note: This can easily be done by jumping off of the balcony that you see just as you walk outside of Craterside Supply 2-3 times. This will not only cripple you, but also put you below the 50% HP mark.

You can also stand facing a corner of your house in Megaton, or in town, and toss frag grenades at yourself.

This is also easy to do by walking outside of Moira's Supply shop, drop a mine and, while standing in its proximity, shoot it with your pistol. This should be enough to both cripple and put you below the 50%.

Also, if you have Zhu-Rong v418 Chinese Pistol you can just shoot on the ground below you and your legs will cripple and you'll take a lot of damage. Be careful none of the other residents of Megaton are in close proximity, or this could be treated as a hostile act.

Don't forget that if you have the mutation effect and advanced radiation sickness your crippled limbs will grow back. You must clear your radiation sickness to be allowed to get crippled.

With a high enough Medicine skill you are "a good enough doctor to just tell" Moira about injuries, and you receive credit for the quest and the bonus objective.

On completing the quest and optional objective, if your Intelligence or Endurance is 7 or greater, you will get a special conversation option. Choosing this option affects Moira's response when the chapter is complete, and increases the quality of the perk you gain at the end of the quest.

The reward is a radiation suit

Chapter 3
Chapter 3 revolves around how towns and cities came to be after the Great War and also dealing with technology from the previous "age".

Research Rivet City's History
Main Objective: Find out the history about Rivet City. This quest is more difficult than it appears, as almost every citizen of Rivet City is unfamiliar with its history. After speaking to a few people in Rivet City, Bannon will claim that he helped found the city. You can return to Moira at this point for normal completion, or fact check his story for optional completion. You will need to speak to Belle Bonny in the Muddy Rudder bar. She will refuse to help you, but not before pointing you to Pinkerton's location in the broken bow of the ship. If you try to engage Pinkerton in conversation about Rivet City's history before talking to Belle, he will claim to have been one of the founders but you won't complete the optional part of the quest, as he does not care enough to give you proof. The Black Widow perk does not give you any extra dialogue options. It requires the dialogue option "Bannon claims to have founded the city" for him to give you the proof.

ALTERNATIVE: Talk to Vera (hotel owner) who will direct you to Seagrave. He tells you that you might find some stuff in Pinkerton's old place (he also seems to have a crush on Vera). Talk to Pinkerton (described below) and ask him for evidence. Optional objective complete.

To get to Mr. Pinkerton, you have to exit Rivet City proper, and travel to the "other uninhabited half" of the ship, where there is a walkway leading to a door. It is a Very Hard lock (level 100 lockpick), and if you're unable to pick it you must jump into the water to the left of the door and swim alongside the ship until you turn the corner, where you will find a door underwater. There is a long swim (be prepared to use a lot of stimpacks if you get turned around), but fortunately no underwater combat. An alternative to swimming around the corner is to jump off the ship from the marketplace entrance and take a short swim to the underwater doorway. It's much shorter and results in less rads. There are several Mirelurk inside, as well as booby traps set by Mr. Pinkerton.

Mr. Pinkerton's lab should be on the top level, behind a door that, if you try to open the first time, it will say that it has to be opened from a different terminal. There is a rectangular yellow box in the same room hanging on a wall which you have to activate in order to open the door.

NOTE: You CAN NOT jump from the top of rivet city to the top of the broken bow. It may look like you can, but the objects are non-clip (You pass through them). You will either get stuck in the side of the ship, or fall through the deck. There are no entrances to the broken bow other than the underwater one and the one at the end of the walkway.

If you go in the main entrance, there is a landmine directly to your left on an ammo box, a precursor to the traps ahead. There are two mirelurks downstairs through the first door, which is also a large gas leak. If you disarmed that landmine, drop it in front of the first door, get the mirelurks attention, step back and close the door. The landmine will set off the gas leak, and while they are stunned you can finish them off. You won't have room to run away from the Mirelurks if you don't finish them off quickly.

TIP: If you took the underwater route to get to Mr. Pinkerton. You can walk out the Very Hard locked door by activating a switch right next to it.

If you also have The Replicated Man quest to where you need to speak to Pinkerton, you can complete that objective at the same time as this quest.

At the end of the quest, Moira will reward you with 5 Mentats, as well as a permanent 10% discount with Rivet City's merchants.

RobCo Production Facility Mainframe
Main Objective: Install the processor widget in the RobCo production facility mainframe.

Optional Objective: Hack the RobCo production facility mainframe

You must travel to the RobCo Facility and install the processor widget in the mainframe. The mainframe is on the very top level. If you came here previously to complete the Mole Rat Repellent quest, the first area will be really easy because most of the critters will have already been killed.

Warning: The robots, when started, will be hostile. To complete the optional objective, you need a Science skill of at least 50. You have to hack the mainframe you just started up and deactivate the third protocol that makes the robots hostile towards you. Other two available protocols order the robots to clear the area of Radroaches, while the second one makes them attack each other (very helpful for landing killing blows on them then looting all the energy weapons ammo they drop).

Tip: If you are unable to hack the terminal, using a Stealth Boy and sneaking past the hostile robots can make for an easy getaway after installing the widget. But if you fire a gun (to kill a robot and farm parts, for example), other robots who see the attack will see you.

Alternatively, if you have the Robotics Expert perk, you get the option to just tell Moira about the technology in question, successfully completing the quest immediately however you must get the perk before you start the quest otherwise you don't get the option and have to do the objectives as normal.

Moira will reward you with 3 Pulse Grenades and a Big Book of Science.

Arlington Public Library
Main Objective: Access the card catalog at the Arlington Public Library.

Optional Objective: Retrieve complete Library Archive.

The main objective is very easy to complete. Just go to the Library and inside are the Brotherhood of Steel. A scribe will talk to you, and if you're nice enough, she will let you through. Use the terminal at the front desk and you can get the card catalog. If you want to get the Optional Objective, you have to go through the rest of the Library and fight off Raiders and Radroaches. If you want to earn some easy caps, make sure to grab the quest from the scribe to collect pre-war books that are scattered around the library and other places in the wasteland. Sheet Music can also be found here for the bonus reward in Agatha's Song

Moira will give you some bottle caps as a reward. If you answer the Library is still there like it was before, Moira will give you a Lying, Congressional Style book and 250 caps.

Alternate Route
Instead of completing the chapters of the book you can persuade her into not writing the book at all, granted you have a high enough Speech skill. You will also get the Dream Crusher perk, XP, lowered prices at the Craterside Supply, and the Xbox 360 and PC achievement. On the other hand, you do not only lose some karma, but an awful lot as well.

Final Reward
The end reward for doing this quest is the Survival Expert perk, a Mini Nuke (as she comments how she planned to use it to dig a well), and a copy of The Wasteland Survival Guide.