Agatha

Agatha is a 76-year old woman living on her own in a house in the Capital Wasteland. She is a quest giver and a radio host in Fallout 3.

Background
Fine music is in Agatha's blood. Her ancestors were all classically trained musicians, including Hilda Egglebrecht, a resident of Vault 92, and although those days are long gone, she spent her 76 years perfecting the violin until she matched their caliber. She is a kind old woman who feels she is too old to fear the Wasteland. Fate must smile upon her, because she's still alive. She speaks gently and carefully chooses her words, thanks to her education. She spends many a lonely night looking out across the dunes and waiting for someone to come along and help her retrieve the Soil Stradivarius, a lost violin that her great-great-grandmother once owned.

Agatha married her husband and moved to the house in the wastelands, secluding themselves from the world. Their only tie to the outside was a merchant caravan that occasionally came through. Agatha had little to offer except for her music, but to most merchants, that was payment enough. Unfortunately, her husband passed away a few years before 2277, leaving her alone. Merchants still keep her company, especially Crow, to whom she sometimes refers as "my love" while on the air.

<!-- Agatha: "Oh my! I wasn't expecting any visitors." Agatha: "My my my. You certainly do look a little bit worn out from your travels. Oh, just look at my terrible manners! I'm Agatha. It's so nice to meet you. Now, what brings you all the way out here?" The Lone Wanderer: "Exploring." Agatha: "Honestly, there is nothing much out here. Looking for sand? Rocks? We have plenty of that. You're welcome to look around this area of course. Don't let me dissuade you. I'm just trying to save you some time. My husband built this place way out here for a reason, rest his soul." The Lone Wanderer: "Oh, your husband's dead? I'm sorry." Agatha: "That's kind of you to say. Yes, he's gone. After he built this place, we spent many happy years together. We decided to cut off contact with the outside world and just depend on each other for comfort and company." The Lone Wanderer: "Surely you haven't severed all contacts?" Agatha: ''"Oh goodness, no. I have a supply caravan that passes here maybe once a week. I trade with them for whatever I need and I stock up enough until they return." The Lone Wanderer: "That sounds risky. What if the caravan never arrives?" Agatha: "Well, I always have my husband's old radio set to fall back on. I used it once in an emergency when a group of Raiders was getting a bit too close for comfort to my house. Otherwise I use it to broadcast my so-called music I play from my homemade violin." The Lone Wanderer: "Your husband's radio can broadcast across the entire Capital Wasteland?" Agatha: "Yes. My husband was very proud of the setup. He tinkered with that thing for years to get it working. I've tried to use it to get what I need, but I've never gotten a reply." The Lone Wanderer: "I guess a homemade violin is never quite in tune..." Agatha: "You are a clever one! Yes, that's exactly the problem that I have with it. It doesn't quite play all of the notes correctly and I have to constantly tinker with it." The Lone Wanderer: "Is there any way I can help?" Agatha: "Now that you mention it, yes there is. My trading depends on my violin. Without it, I have nothing to play... no way to make music. If you can bring me a violin, a better one, I'd feel much more secure." The Lone Wanderer: "A violin? That's hardly something that would have survived the war." Agatha: "Yes, very sad isn't it? Sad to think that no more musical instruments will ever be made the old way ever again. Sigh. Well, fortunately, I know where perhaps the last real violin in the world exists. If you give me your word that you will recover it, I will tell you more." The Lone Wanderer: "I want to help you, but that type of search could cost me greatly." Agatha: "You have a point. Perhaps I've been neglecting needs that you might have and being selfish. I have a small amount of ammunition that my husband left behind. A box of odds and ends. I don't think I've opened it in years. If you do this for me, you're welcome to take whatever you need." The Lone Wanderer: "All right. I give you my word I'll do my best to recover a violin for you." Agatha: "Oh, I don't think I've been this happy in years! As promised, here's the key to the ammunition box. It's right under the radio table. Before you leave, I have some information that may help you. At least a place to begin. It all starts with my great great grandmother Hilda back in 2077 before the bombs fell..." The Lone Wanderer: "You have records from back then?" Agatha: "Of a kind, yes. Hilda sent a good deal of letters to my great grandmother Mary who passed them on, and so forth. I suppose the correspondence could be considered a diary of sorts." The Lone Wanderer: "2077? I can't even imagine that long ago." Agatha: "It certainly is a long time. That precious instrument has been through a lot. Anyway, Hilda was quite a special woman. Classically trained and exceptionally talented at the violin. Her pride and joy was her Stradivarius Violin. I can only imagine how exquisite this instrument must have been. When war reared its head, she was invited by Vault-Tec into Vault 92. They claimed the vault would be dedicated to preserving musical talent." The Lone Wanderer: "Musical talent? Why would they care about that?" Agatha: "Vault-Tec was always promoting the Vaults being used for the preservation of the arts and all that nonsense. Hilda couldn't pass on a chance to meet many of the other musical talents of the world, so she accepted their invitation. Then the bombs fell. The Vault was sealed, and my family never heard from her again." The Lone Wanderer: "After 200 years, how can you be certain the violin is in decent shape?" Agatha: "She kept it in a special pressurized case. Inside the case is the perfect temperature and humidity for the instrument. If the case is still functioning, the Stradivarius would be in perfect shape. Hilda's Stradivarius was named the Soil Stradivarius. All of them had names. That's what I want you to get." The Lone Wanderer: "Any idea where Vault 92 is located?" Agatha: "That's the catch. I have no idea where it is. I'd suggest making your way to Vault-Tec Headquarters in the D.C. Ruins. That would be a good place to begin. Good luck!" The Lone Wanderer: "Tell me a bit about your great-great-grandmother." Agatha: "She was quite a special woman. Hilda was her name. Classically trained and exceptionally talented at the violin. Her pride and joy was her Stradivarius Violin. I can only imagine how exquisite this instrument must have been. When war reared its head, she was invited by Vault-Tec into Vault 92. They claimed the vault would be dedicated to preserving musical talent. Happily, she accepted. After she entered Vault 92, the bombs fell, and the story as I know it ends." The Lone Wanderer: "What do you know about the Soil Stradivarius?" Agatha: "Not too much I'm afraid. It was fabricated way back in 1714 by a famous Italian craftsman named Antonio Stradivari. He had made a bunch of Stradivarius violins actually, and each one was individually named over time to identify them. They are regarded as the most outstanding instruments ever made... and no two sound alike they say. Incredible. Since the bombs fell laying waste to most of the world, it may be safe to say that this could be the last surviving violin of its kind." The Lone Wanderer: "How will I know the Stradivarius when I see it?" Agatha: "Well, from my great-great-grandmother's diaries, I have deduced that she had a special pressurized case created for it. Hopefully, the Soil Stradivarius was in the case when she... well, you know." The Lone Wanderer: "Is the Stradivarius worth a ton of caps?" Agatha: "I hope you're not thinking of doing anything dishonest. You gave me your word." The Lone Wanderer: "Do you have any information on Vault 92?" Agatha: "I'm sorry, I wish I did. All I know is that Vault-Tec intended it to be a protective environment for the world's musical talent. When the bombs fell, the Vault was sealed and the rest is a mystery. Perhaps when you find it, you can find some sort of a record of what occurred inside." The Lone Wanderer: "Can you tell me anything about Vault-Tec Headquarters?" Agatha: "From what I gather, it's located in the ruins of D.C. I got the location from one of the supply caravans. They told me it had extremely high security and something they called a main frame inside. I'd imagine it's quite dangerous. I'd be careful if I was you." The Lone Wanderer: "I'm still looking. Don't give up on me yet." Agatha: "I understand. I haven't given up hope... I know you'll find it."'' (Agatha's dialogue)

Agatha: "Sit down a spell and relax." The Lone Wanderer: "How are you feeling, Agatha?" Agatha: "Much better lately, thanks for asking. With the return of the Soil Stradivarius, everything has changed. It's like a long-lost family member has come home." The Lone Wanderer: "You play live on the radio all the time? That must be exhausting!" Agatha: "Oh, don't be silly! I record everything I play on the nice machines built into my husband's old radio gear. That way you can hear the music anytime you want, and this old woman can get some well-needed beauty sleep!" The Lone Wanderer: "Would you mind playing the violin for me?" Agatha: "I would be delighted." Agatha: "Oh! Absolutely. It's the least I can do for all your efforts." Agatha: "I would love to play for you." The Lone Wanderer: "Guess what I have for you?" Agatha: ''"My word! You actually found some REAL music paper? I didn't even think it possible. Yet here it is. You've really outdone yourself this time. I knew getting the Stradivarius was a challenge, but this is just incredible. This is all too much... you deserve more than just a pat on the back." The Lone Wanderer: "Sure, I'll take whatever you can afford." Agatha: "Well, like I told you before, I don't have wealth out here in the sticks, but I can certainly provide you something useful. My husband left me something else besides the radio setup. I think you'll find it useful. It's his old pistol. He tinkered with it some and used to practice with it all the time. Now I want you to have it." The Lone Wanderer: "Thanks, Agatha. It's more than I expected." Agatha: "You're welcome. Just keep it clean and repaired and it will never let you down. Now, scoot. I have to get cracking on this music notation."'' (Agatha's dialogue)

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Then stop whining about it, and do it!" Agatha: "Well, darn it, I think I will! I remember all the notations. All I need now is some music paper to write it on."'' (Agatha's dialogue)

Dutch Proverb

Augustine of Hippo

The Lone Wanderer: "What could you possibly have to trade?" Agatha: "Besides shelter? Well, I offer something in the way of entertainment: I play songs on my homemade violin and people trade me goods. If not in person, I use my husband's old radio set. The men in the caravan say it keeps their morale up on lonely nights in the Wasteland." (Agatha's dialogue) -->

Quests

 * Agatha's Song: Agatha asks the Lone Wanderer to recover the Soil Stradivarius and music sheets. It is possible to be locked out of this quest if the Lone Wanderer chooses to respond in a mean and disrespectful way.

Other interactions

 * With a high Charisma, Lady Killer perk, or Speech, the player can obtain her ammunition box key.

Appearances
Agatha appears only in Fallout 3.