Moira Brown

Moira Brown (born 2253) is the eccentric owner of Megaton's Craterside Supply in Fallout 3.

Background
A self-styled inventor, Moira Brown (24) grew up in the trading community of Canterbury Commons with an uncommon curiosity about the world. She’s read almost every book that’s come through the town. Although her reading has taught her a wide variety of useful knowledge, she has nearly no actual experience with the world, so she doesn't always understand how it can be applied outside of her workshop. After a recent accident with a domesticated Centaur, Moira was inspired to write a book to help others survive in the Wasteland and avoid similar dangers. She just needs someone with real experience to test out her ideas and give her some real-world insight into life in the wastes. Moira moved to Megaton a few years before 2277.

After writing the Wasteland Survival Guide (with the help of the Lone Wanderer) it became considerably popular, and has since managed to reach places like the Mojave Wasteland in less than four years. <!-- Hey! Is that you? Oh, my head's still ringing from that explosion... What happened?

Moira? Is that you? You don't look so good. Oh, that's a real nice thing to say. Of course it's me! What's with the weird look? Don't you remember who I am? Did you hurt your head in that big explosion?

The bomb in town just blew up. You're lucky to be alive! Wow! Who would have thought a town built around a bomb could be so dangerous? Good thing I wasn't in town at the time, huh? Man, that could have really done a number on me!

I have no idea. I wasn't even here.  Same here! I had just gone down to Springvale to do some tests -- turns out you can't teach a giant ant new tricks -- and before I knew it, boom! Oh, I hope it wasn't that Nuka-Psycho brew I was working on. Who could have guessed it would react like that? Still... At least I'm okay, huh?

I'm pretty sure you weren't always a Ghoul. Right? A Ghoul? What, me? What do you... Aaaah! Why am I Ghoul? Is this because of that explosion? Actually... This isn't too bad. I always was curious to do some tests involving Ghouls. Know anywhere where a ghoul like me can settle down?

Moira, don't take this the wrong way, but you got ugly real fast. Don't be silly, I just got some gunk on my face after the explosion... but that doesn't explain why it peels away in strips. And oozes. You know what? I think I'm turning into a Ghoul! This is fascinating! Now, where can a Ghoul like me go to study these effects in peace?

There's an entire Ghoul community in Underworld, downtown. Really? Then I guess I'll be heading there, to join my newfound family and their warm, smiling, and hideously pockmarked faces.

You'll just have to fit in with some other community. Good luck. You know, this is just the perfect excuse to visit Rivet City! But while I'm heading downtown, I've been meaning to check out the museum. Who knows what I'll find? Anyway, see you downtown, one way or the other!

Seems to me like that isn't my problem, stickyface. Huh. I guess you're right. Well, this seems like the perfect excuse to do some of that downtown exploring I've kept putting off. Guess there's no time like the present. Ta-ta!

I blew up your town. Maybe you shouldn't have built it around a bomb. Don't be silly, why would you blow up our town? You're talking crazy-talk.

It was a job. Sorry, nothing personal. Well, okay, as long as you're sorry. But I expect you to apologize to everyone else in town, okay? And don't do it again! Now, what am I going to do about work? And what's with the weird look? Have I got something on my face?

Who needs a reason? Explosions are pretty. Yeah, they really are, aren't they? And I guess this is what the ascension mumbo-jumbo atom-cultists wanted, too. So, nice of you to help them like that, I guess. Now, what am I going to do about work? And what's with the weird look? Have I got something on my face?

I was trying to shut you up for good. Now I'll have to finish the job. Wait, what?

-->

Daily schedule
Moira is the owner of Craterside Supply. She spends the day sweeping and trading as well as conducting odd experiments. She opens the store at 8:00am and closes at 8:00pm. She sleeps in the store as well. The only time she will leave is if Megaton is destroyed in the quest The Power of the Atom.

If The Wasteland Survival Guide (quest) is completed before Megaton is destroyed, she will instead stay near the entrance to the ruins, and only be able to repair, lacking an option to buy or sell items.

Quests

 * The Wasteland Survival Guide: Moira wants the Lone Wanderer to do some dangerous research for a book she is writing.
 * The Replicated Man: Moira is in possession of a Replicated Man holotape.

Effects of player actions

 * If you decide to blow up Megaton, she will not die; instead she will become ghoulified. If you started the Wasteland Survival Guide quest, or met her to receive an armored Vault jumpsuit, you will have to visit the Megaton Ruins to find her. If you hadn't started it, she can be found in the Underworld, whereupon she will claim she was 'out-of-town' during the detonation, and apparently unaware of her recent affliction. Depending on how you break the news to her, she will either fall into despair or remain positive. Soon, she will leave for Underworld.
 * Convincing her that writing The Wasteland Survival Guide is a bad idea, will make you miss out on the rewards available throughout the quest but convincing her not to will result in a 30% discount on her wares and increase her repair skill to 54 (72% condition). You will also lose karma and gain the Dream Crusher perk.

Behind the scenes

 * Moira was originally named Lea, as indicated by her script notes (Lea's got her own ideas about whether or not it's "wrong" to play God.).
 * Her ghoulification is a compromise to avoid locking out the player from the Wasteland Survival Guide quest, which would be a tangible consequence of blowing up Megaton.

Notable quotes

 * Moira Genius.ogg
 * Good luck research..ogg
 * Big Wasteland..ogg
 * Book doin well..ogg
 * Super assistant..ogg

Appearances
Moira Brown appears in Fallout 3 and Fallout Shelter as a legendary vault dweller.

Bugs

 * Occasionally, Moira will not move from the Megaton ruins after the town has been destroyed if you have completed the quest The Wasteland Survival Guide. She will stand in front of Megaton and can only repair. This will happen also if you complete the quest by depressing her. She will only say usual things like "Oh good. Someone who doesn't have a brahmin to wash up. That's a nice change."
 * After killing Moira, opening her Craterside Supplies container, and stealing an item, a voice clip of her saying "Hey, that's valuable junk!" will play, even though she's dead.
 * If you kill Moira and then decide to blow up Megaton, her body can be found outside of the Underworld entrance.
 * In a very rare occasion if you save, kill Moira, and reload the save she will not be there and therefore rendered completely lost.
 * In a very rare occasion when the player kills Moira using an explosive or using the bloody mess perk would find (if afterwards detonated the Atom bomb) Moira Brown floating outside Megaton in her 'corpse' pieces and any interaction with the lone wanderer is ignored.
 * Attempting to trade with Moira Brown after she closes Craterside Supply each night results in her telling you that she's closed for the night. However, if you tell her "I'm looking to buy some things for my house," and then "Okay, let me take a look at your stuff," you can trade with her as if her store were open.