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You tell the same story for 200 years, you'll feel pretty uninteresting too.
”— Carol, about her life story.Carol is a female ghoul residing in the Underworld in Fallout 3. Together with her partner Greta, she runs Carol's Place.
Background[]
Born in 2051, Carol was alive for the events of the Great War of 2077. Living in Washington, D.C., Carol and her father sought safety in a fallout shelter within the city proper, likely close to the Capitol Mall, after the Chinese first strike destroyed the West Coast. Carol had barely entered the shelter, and was turning back to find her father who had stopped to help another family, when the thermal pulse from a nuclear impact flash-vaporized him. Carol ran back to hopefully find him, but instead only found his shadow permanently burned into a wall.[1]
Carol did not stay in the shelter long, however. After the nuclear barrages ended, Carol ventured out into the city to seek a place to survive. Much of the city had either been reduced to rubble or was still aflame following the nuclear bombardment, but Carol was able to find safety in the relatively-undamaged Museum of American History's "Afterlife" exhibit.[2] Carol has been there ever since.[3]
Over time, more survivors gravitated to the Museum, almost all carrying stories of the lawlessness and chaos of the wasteland. This further convinced Carol to remain in the Museum. However, as time passed, Carol and many of the other survivors began noticing odd physiological changes, with dry, flaking skin being dominant. Although the rate at which the disorder progressed varied from person to person, the end result was identical: the entire population of the Museum had become ghouls. While some had become mad, others, like Carol, just accepted their transformations. It is unknown if these "mad" ghouls were ferals or if they just went insane from the psychological damage caused by the transformation.[4][5]
Relationships[]
Carol met another ghoul named Greta in the mid-2210s. For over sixty years, the two have jointly run Carol's Place, with Carol handling sleeping arrangements and Greta serving food. It is implied that Carol sees Greta as a daughter. At an unspecified time prior to the emergence of the Lone Wanderer from Vault 101, Carol befriended and "adopted" a ghoul named Gob. This caused a small rift between her and Greta, which Carol would later ascribe to jealousy. Whether or not that was correct, Gob later moved out, and the relationship between Carol and Greta stabilized, though Carol often worries about Gob's well-being.
Daily schedule[]
Carol performs basic hotel keeping duties such as sweeping and renting out beds.
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
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This character drops an ear when killed (Contract Killer). | |
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This character rents beds. | Cost: 120 caps. |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
Other interactions[]
- Although Carol is hesitant to talk about her experiences during and since the War, she will tell her story if encouraged.
- When talking to Carol, you can ask her about Gob. If you blew up Megaton and tell her that you killed Gob everyone in Underworld (except Doctor Barrows, his assistant, and sometimes Tulip and Willow) becomes hostile towards you (including Charon, even if he is your follower). If you didn't blow up Megaton, but killed Gob, only Carol will become hostile to you. Killing her in self defense will not result in any karma loss.
- If you just tell her that Gob is dead, she will become very sad and start talking about how she was "thinking about Gob" every time you open a chat with her.
- Whether you tell Carol that Gob is a slave or not, she will advise that he not visit Underworld.
Quests[]
- You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head: Greta can point out that Crowley's supposed hate for smoothskins is not the real reason for his assassination assignment.
Effects of player actions[]
- If both Gob and Greta are killed, Carol will become despondent and mope around in her shop.
Inventory[]
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Dirty pre-War casualwear |
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empty |
Appearances[]
Carol appears only in Fallout 3.
References
- ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "No, Carol. I'd love to hear your story."
Carol: "Well, okay... but it's nothing special. I was born in 2051, so yes, that makes me a pre-war Ghoul."
The Lone Wanderer: "Do you remember the day the war started?"
Carol: "I do... I was in a shelter with my father when the bombs hit. In DC, we had the luxury of getting a warning after the west coast was... gone... I was just a little girl then. We couldn't afford a space in one of the Vaults. I remember filing down into that shelter, my father rushing me in. He stopped to help this one family, and I looked up and called his name... there was a flash of light, brighter than anything you can imagine. I woke up a few hours later. The first thing I did was run up to where my father had been. He... he was gone. But the strangest thing... There was his shadow, burned into the wall, so crisp and clear like he was standing next to me. The heat had burned it into the concrete..."
(Carol's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "What was the Wasteland like after the war?"
"The city was on fire for weeks... maybe months, I don't know. I hid down here in the museum... it was the closest building to the shelter I was in. But I could hear what was happening above. People howling like animals. Chaos. Looting, killing, it's like every foul thing inside of them came out. It was a nightmare... I... I don't want to talk about it."
(Carol's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "What can you tell me about Underworld?"
Carol: "I've been here since we founded the town. Before that, well, life out in the Wastes wasn't very pleasant for us. But, so long as we stay down here, we can live our lives as people -- not monsters. I think things are better this way for everyone."
(Carol's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "So, how did you end up as a Ghoul?"
Carol: "I don't know how it happens. Doctor Barrows says it was radiation. All I know is that people kept showing up here in the museum. After things calmed down above ground, we tried to live down here as best we could. After a while, things got strange. My skin started to get dry and flake off. Everyone's did. It took a while, months, maybe a year. But sooner or later, everyone ended up like this. Some of them went crazy. Some of us just accepted it. After a while, other Ghouls would find their way in here and Underworld just sort of grew. No one bothered us down here, and we were happy enough to leave them alone. And once my Greta showed up, it was a good enough life for me."
(Carol's dialogue) - ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.65: "Carol
Carol is perhaps the sweetest Ghoul you'll ever meet. The fact that she's a hideously deformed Ghoul hasn't stopped her from wearing a sundress, smiling pleasantly, or sharing a warm hello with anyone who crosses her path. Carol won't say how old she is, but it's generally understood that she's been around since before the bombs fell. She always wanted to open a bed and breakfast, and Carol's Place is her dream come true, although everyone has noticed that she's been a bit down lately. She is also has a son, Gob, who's carrying an the family tradition as a barkeep in Megaton."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Have you ever heard of a guy named Gob?"
Carol: "Gob? Yes, of course! He's my son... well, not really, not like you would think of a son. We Ghouls don't really work like that, but I love him like he's my own! Do you know him? Have you seen him? Is he alright?"
(Carol's dialogue)