Tunneler

Tunnelers are creatures found in the Divide in 2281.

Background
Tunnelers are descended from the pre-War inhabitants of Hopeville, who took refuge underground during the Great War. After the war, the inhabitants were heavily mutated by the radiation of the Divide, with a particular mutation adapted for underground life. These mutations resulted in a form of bioluminescence. They also evolved into quadrupedal predators, who make their nests and live beneath the ground in the Divide. They lived underground, completely unaware of the surface world for nearly 200 years. However, when the Courier was contracted by the New California Republic to bring a package from Navarro, they unintentionally caused the detonation of many the nuclear warheads that had remained underground in their silos since the Great War. The subsequent great earthquakes and storms split open the ground, releasing tunnelers into the world above. However, due to prolonged isolation underground, they are unable to stay outside or be exposed to natural light for extended periods of time, so they remain in tunnels they have dug, or areas free of sunlight.

By 2281, the tunnelers may pose a significant threat to the Mojave Wasteland in the near future, due to their ability to spread quickly via underground tunnels, forming nests as they go. Tunnelers reproduce quickly and hunt in large packs, enough to become a significant hazard. When they are in packs, they can easily tear apart a deathclaw.

Biology
Tunneler appear to be reptilian-humanoids with dark, scaly skin, large bioluminescent eyes, a mouth filled with sharp reptilian teeth and chitinous spikes protruding from their shoulders and heads. Tunnelers are found underground, as their name implies, and are noted to be afraid of bright lights and loud noises. Every now and then they will flee from combat and head back underground. This can be seen easily by throwing a flash bang or firing a flare gun at a tunneler. Their over-large eyes appear to be an adaptation to the conditions of their preferred habitat and may be sensitive to light, which would explain their extreme aversion to weapons like flash bangs and flare guns. The tunneler's bite is known to be as deadly as a bark scorpion's.

Gameplay attributes
Tunnelers are encountered in dark, cavernous areas of the Divide, such as the buried buildings, the Cave of the Abaddon and the collapsed overpass tunnel. They tend to ambush the player by crawling out from their holes when the player's back is turned, and then they strike. These reptilians are pack animals so they will confront an opponent in large groups of up to eight at a time, using their overwhelming numbers to their advantage.

However, tunnelers can be combated in a multitude of ways. Being classed as an "abomination", they will flee from many things; these include: flash bangs, wherein the sudden bright light and loud bang will startle them and cause them to run away or become paralyzed; the flare gun, in which they will flee if hit directly with the flare for as long as they remain lit on fire; and flamers, although not directly damaging them with anything other than fire damage, firing a flamer at them will usually keep them at a distance and cause them to burrow and resurface in another location. Note that Dragon's Breath 12 gauge shotguns shells (Gun Runner's Arsenal) do not cause them to flee.

Tunneler
These are the most common type of tunneler and will deal medium damage, but they always attack in groups and will swarm anything in their way, making them deadly opponents.

Hulking tunneler
Hulking tunnelers are the second largest of the tunneler family, second only to the tunneler queen. They are quite rare and are not as fast as regular tunnelers but if they hit you there is a good chance you will be knocked down.

Tunneler queen
The largest of the tunnelers, the queen combines deadly speed and hard-hitting attacks to kill even a deathclaw. While there is only one (located in the Cave of the Abaddon), it only has slightly fewer hit points than a deathclaw making it a formidable opponent.

Venomous tunneler
The smallest of the tunneler family and quite rare. While they are faster than the regular tunnelers and their attacks do less damage, their venom can quickly overpower an inexperienced player, and as they swarm with regular and hulking tunnelers even a high level player will be killed in a matter of seconds.

Appearances
Tunnelers appear in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Lonesome Road.

Behind the scenes
The tunnelers are directly inspired by the mole people from the movie The Mole People.