The Rippers were a gang of the Los Angeles Boneyard, warring with the Blades for control of its southern reaches. The Rippers were utterly ruthless, dealing with outsiders purely through violence. When Followers attempted to convert a few of them, the Rippers returned their severed heads in response.[1] They were nothing, if not consistent in their affinity for violence, torturing and killing people to sate their own desires. Even passing near their fortress meant risking life and limb, as they surrounded their lair with a dense network of land mines.[2]
It could be argued that the Rippers simply didn't know any better than killing everything that's not them and capturing those who survived to torture and kill them later, on account of the inbreeding.[3] The Rippers only mated with blood relatives, resulting in an ultra-violent gang devoid of any meaningful genetic variety.[4][5]
Several years before the fall of the Master, the Rippers were wiped out by deathclaws, who moved into their now-vacant fortress, turning it into a nest and separating the Gun Runners from the rest of the Boneyard.[6]
Appearances[]
The Rippers were one of two gangs (the other being the Blades) vying for control of the Boneyard in early versions of Fallout. Controlling what is now known as the deathclaw warehouse, they were impossible to reason with and the player was supposed to wipe them out and acquire Tangler's cybernetic hand as a trophy. In these early drafts, the Gun Runners also made a fortune selling weapons to both Blades and Rippers alike. Morpheus was also stated to be a former Ripper, converted by the Master to lead the Children. Scant few references persist, including a statement by Chris Avellone, erroneously placing them west of the library.[7] Tangler's cybernetic hand also remains as an unused asset in the Fallout and Fallout 2 data files.
References
↑The Vault Dweller: "" Nicole: "{310}{Nic_95}{They war with the Blades down south. The Rippers are the most ruthless gang in the Boneyard. When we sent people to convert them, the only thing we got back were their heads.}" (NICOLE.MSG)
↑The Vault Dweller: "{132}{}{What can you tell me about the Rippers?}" Katja: "{141}{}{The Rippers are just plain ferocious. They're an inbred bunch that delights in torture and murder. I stay away from them, and you should, too. They actually put fuckin' land mines around their fortress.}" (KATJA.MSG)
↑Adytowner: "{18303}{}{The Rippers are all inbred. They have a fortified building with traps around it where they take prisoners to be tortured and killed.}" (OBJ_DUDE.MSG_(Fallout)) Note: Level 3 tell-me-abouts
↑Gun Runner: "{29103}{}{The Rippers are all one big family, literally. They're impossible to deal with if they don't know you, so don't even try. They are in a big booby-trapped fortress southwest of us. Watch out for land mines if you're stupid enough to visit.}" (OBJ_DUDE.MSG_(Fallout)) Note: Level 3 tell-me-abouts
↑Follower: "{18903}{}{Inbreds and jackals. They attack anything in sight that isn't related to them. They live west of here in a fortress surrounded by traps.}" (OBJ_DUDE.MSG_(Fallout)) Note: Level 3 tell-me-abouts
↑Gabriel: "{102}{}{It's not often that we get visitors, how can I help you?}" The Vault Dweller: "{103}{}{Why don't you get many visitors?}" Gabriel: "{105}{}{This place isn't very accessible with a nest of those damn Deathclaws right outside our factory.}" (GABRIEL.MSG)
