- “[...] At least down here I can have a moment to myself. Lately I've been looking through some of the old books. [...]”
- —Diary
Vault 21 is a location in Fallout: DUST and Fallout: New Vegas.
It is a former Vault-Tec vault located on the New Vegas Strip. Previously a Hotel and Gift shop, it had been taken over and re-purposed into a research facility by the NCR sometime before the Fall.
Background[]
Upon its acquisition by the NCR, Vault 21 was used to conduct research into radiology and ultimately, chemical weapons.
These experiments were headed by Edwin Royst and Lydia Bernard, two eminent scientists in the service of the NCR.
Research conducted in the Vault can charitably be described as highly unethical, with unwilling human test subjects drawn from Freeside insurgents. These subjects were used to determine the effects of high levels of radiation and FEV on human and ghoul physiology.
Eventually, the head of the labs custodial service, Martin Botwright became extremely disgruntled and threatened to expose the nature of these experiments to the public.
Botwright was subsequently terminated and received a "severance package" which entailed being experimented on himself and turned into one of the Mojave Ghost people. Possibly due to sabotage by Botwright, several Ghost people created in the lab who were thought to be dormant lashed out at the research staff.
One researcher was able to booby-trap the Vault diner with explosives and shock traps, baiting the ghost people into it before setting them off, collapsing large sections of the vault and sealing off much of the pertinent research. This marked the end of research operations at Vault 21 and the local NCR authorities filled the front sections of the vault with radioactive materials, in order to discourage any inquiry into what had transpired there. Research operations were relocated to the Lucky 38 shortly after.
Overview[]
The main entrance to Vault 21 has been filled with radioactive materials by the NCR and is blocked off. Any attempt at ingress through this route will result in lethal radiation poisoning. The rear section of the vault is accessible via hatches located in the Tops casino and the bathroom of the workshop (formerly Michael Angelo's). The interior vault contains booby-traps and substantial radiation as well as several Cloud Victims within the accessible areas.
Points of Interest[]
- Experimental Rad-X and experimental RadAway can be found throughout the facility.
- There are several notes, most of them on a terminal in the main lab area
- Morphine and Stimpacks can be found in the room underneath Michael Angelos restroom
Trivia[]
- The remains of the Vault Hotel's former proprietor, Sarah Weintraub can be found near the King's School in Freeside, killed alongside her husband and children during the NCR terror in an attempt to flee the Strip during the King's rebellion.