The Vault - Fallout Wiki

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The Vault - Fallout Wiki
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Vault 15
Fo1 Vault 15 Bright
Site
Map MarkerVault 15
Segments
SectionsSurface/The Squat
Entrance (Fallout/Fallout 2)
Living Quarters (Fallout/Fallout 2)
Command Center (Fallout/Fallout 2)
People
FactionsSquatters (2241)
New Khans (2241 - 2242)
New California Republic (2242 onwards)
LeadersVault 15 Overseer (before 2121)
Darion (2241)
Zeke (2241)
DoctorsJones
Other
QuestsFallout:
Find the Water Chip.
Fallout 2:
Complete Deal with NCR.
Give Spy Holodisk to authority in NCR.
Kill Darion
Rescue Chrissy
Technical
TerminalsFallout 2:

Library terminal
Darion's terminal
Control center terminal
Security terminal
Power center terminal
 
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO2Gametitle-FB
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO2Gametitle-FB

My life was very boring. I was raised in a Vault. I lived there for many years. Unfortunately, we were crowded and life was very bad. There was a schism, and many people left, taking with them the best equipment. Still, some of us tried to stay in the Vault. But then we were attacked. I was hurt, and I ended up here. Now I try to help people..."

Katrina of Shady Sands, Fallout

Vault 15 is one of the Vaults constructed by the Vault-Tec Corporation. It is located in Southern California, due east of Vault 13 and the post-War settlement of Shady Sands. Vault 15 can be found nine squares east of Vault 13 in Fallout and six squares east of NCR in Fallout 2.

Background[]

This large underground shelter is one of the few vaults whose construction went smoothly and without delays, despite additional work poured into reinforcing the third level of the vault to ensure protection against earthquakes.[1] As part of the social experiment conducted by Vault-Tec Industries, only people of radically diverse ideologies and cultures were granted places in the Vault, to gain data on their interactions and potential failure over the 50 years it was planned to stay sealed.[2] When the Great War came on October 23, 2077, the dwellers reported to the Vault and entered it. The shelter was sealed. Contact with other Vaults was lost.[3]

As the years went by, the conditions within the Vault deteriorated. Population control was not implemented properly and by 2097, the Vault was overcrowded, with correspondingly bad living conditions. Conflict was imminent. In spring, the situation exploded.[4] There was a schism among the dwellers and the vault was finally opened. Most of the dwellers marched out, stripping the shelter of the best equipment, including the Garden of Eden Creation Kit. A small group stayed behind, trying to continue living in the now gutted vault.[5] The dwellers that left the Vault would eventually form distinct communities. The most significant of these was the village of Shady Sands, created with Vault 15's GECK.[6] The rest would band into raider tribes (the Khans, Jackals, and Vipers), terrorizing New California for years. The Vault itself continued along, until it was invaded.[7] The attackers used a shaped charge to breach the Vault door. The Vault was subsequently abandoned. Its condition deteriorated as the tremors caused the second and third level walls to give way to tons of rock, burying vital sections of the Vault. Wildlife and scavengers completed the destruction. When the Vault Dweller set out to find a replacement chip for Vault 13, the buried Vault was his first step and first disappointment.[8]

Even as the New California Republic formed in 2189, the Vault was left abandoned. The primary reason was arguments over excavation rights between the Republic and salvage teams, raiders, people worshipping the Vault, ghoul scavengers...[9] The largest problem manifested in the early 2240s. After the NCR abandoned Vault 15 following another excavation operation a few years before 2241, their old base was claimed by a group of wastelanders with nowhere to go, who formed a squat on the surface. When the NCR tried to reclaim the Vault and the vital computer parts within, they were stopped by the squatters.[10][11]

The reason for their obstinacy was twofold. One, Vault 15 was the only home they knew and if they yielded to the Republic, they would be homeless again.[12] Two, they were actually covering for a group of raiders, the New Khans under Darion. Darion promised the squatters that the Vault was being repaired by his men, to provide them with shelter, food, and water. However, in reality, all food and water was coming from Khan raids against caravans. The Vault was dead.[13] Darion also managed to plant a spy in the NCR Congress, giving him near perfect intel on the NCR.[14]

The situation was resolved by the Chosen One. Hired by President Tandi to retrieve the computer parts from Vault 15, he also managed to broker a deal between the squatters and the Republic. He would kill Darion and retrieve the parts, while the squatters would grant NCR access to the Vault in return for annexation, education, and supplies necessary to survive.[15] Successful in his mission, the Chosen One also vindicated President Tandi's policies of peaceful expansion, gaining the NCR a foothold in the northern wastes, while the squatters learned self-sufficiency and became productive members of society.[16][17]

Layout[]

Fallout[]

Surface[]

Fo1 Vault 15 Surface

The only sign of the Vault is a rickety shack on the surface.

Entrance[]

Fo1 Vault 15 Bright

The entrance level has been gutted, with the Vault door blown clean off the frame. It's mostly infested with rats, ranging from the small ones to the molerat. To access the lower levels, the player has to use a rope on the ruined elevator shaft.

Loot[]
Loot within the entrance level
  • On the grounds is a total of 8 flares, 1 first aid kit, and 2 stimpaks.
  • Additional flares and a first aid kit can be found in the storage locker inside the air lock.
  • Another locker is in the ruined EML (Emergency Medical Lab), next to the beds.

Living Quarters[]

Fo1 Vault 15 Lvl2

The quarters have partially collapsed, leading to a larger rat infestation. This level has plenty of loot laying on the ground. The elevator shaft needs another rope to proceed.

Loot[]
Loot within the living quarters
  • There is a Hunting rifle here, in the southwest (left bottom) room's toilet, on the floor, right next to the wall opposite the toilet.
  • A leather jacket and a rope are located in the rusty locker.
  • 30 .223 FMJ rounds are in the collapsed corridor on the ground.

Command Center[]

Fo1 Vault 15 Lvl3

The command center is destroyed. Once the player approaches the caved-in section of the Vault, they will receive experience for discovering that the water chip is lost and they have to look elsewhere.

Loot[]
Loot within the command center

Fallout 2[]

The squat[]

Main article: The Squat
Fo2 Vault 15 Squat

The squat is composed of a small, dilapidated building and several tents. The inhabitants offer the player a cold shoulder until they rescue Chrissy. Then Zeke will reveal the real problem, the Khans in the Vault. The player can convince them to accept NCR authority in exchange for the necessary education and tools.

Vault 15 east entrance[]

Main article: New Khans encampment
Fo2 Vault 15 East Entrance

The Vault's east outer entrance is guarded by Khans who are stationed at the nearby building. Chrissy can be found inside said building once her mother has asked the Chosen One to find her.

Entrance[]

Fo2 Vault 15 Entrance

The Vault entrance is controlled by the Khans, who store here the spoils of their raids. The entrance has been secured with a forcefield emitter, which is offline until the power kicks in. Doctor Jones is also kept here as Darion's personal physician.

Living Quarters[]

Fo2 Vault 15 LQ

The living quarters hold the power generator for the Vault, which can be repaired to enable lights, prompting various hilarious comments from the Khans. There is also plenty of loot hidden in lockers, including radiation drugs, armor, and ammunition.

Command Center[]

Fo2 Vault 15 Command Center

The command center has been excavated, cleared, and repaired. The security and computer center were adapted by Darion as his personal quarters. The storage room holds the computer parts the NCR seeks.

A terminal inside the library can put the location of Vault 13 on the player's map. The terminal in Darion's quarters provides the NCR spy holodisk instead, which can be turned in to Gunther in exchange for a major reward and NCR thanks.

Inhabitants[]

2161[]

2241[]

Notes[]

  • The location of Vault 15 changed between Fallout and Fallout 2, in the latter being much farther to the west.

Gallery[]

Release[]

Pre-release[]

Appearances[]

Vault 15 appears in Fallout and Fallout 2 and is mentioned in Fallout Bible.

References

  1. Vault locations v34.129: "Due east from Vault 13, construction on this Vault has gone extremely smoothly. Much work was done to reinforce the walls of the third level of this Vault, to make all the future Vault Dwellers more secure in the knowledge that in the event of even a major earthquake, the regulatory computers of the Vault would continue to function. Recent tours of the newly constructed Vault, have had many a potential Vault Dweller walking away with a new found awe of the improvements done to this already impressive Vault."
  2. Fallout Bible 0: "Vault 15 Intended to stay closed for 50 years and include people of radically diverse ideologies. Gathered from what you hear from Aradesh in Fallout 1, he has quite a bit of multi-cultural flavoring to his speech."
  3. The Vault Dweller: "{138}{}{Where was this Vault of yours?}"
    Katrina: "{140}{}{It was Vault-15. It is due east of here. We tried to make contact with some other Vaults, but we always failed. I think it was the raiders who attacked my fellow dwellers. Be careful!}"
    (SSGUIDE.MSG)
  4. Fallout Bible 0:
    Fallout Bible 3: "2141 Spring Vault 15 opened."
    Note: The date presented by Chris Avellone in the timeline draft is incorrect. Shady Sands is specifically stated to have been founded by Aradesh's ancestor in the game. If it was founded in 2141, then Aradesh would be the founder. There is also no mention of the people of Shady Sands coming out of a Vault, which is inconsistent with the relatively recent founding date. Finally, as the Vipers, Jackals, and Khans emerged out of Vault 15 together, it's impossible for them to raid the Hub in 2125, sixteen years before their emergence. The date is based on the Vipers design document, which states the following: "64 years ago [in 2097], a man named Jonathan Faust led his group of about 200 people from the overcrowded Vault into the wastes of the outside. It was there that his small band came to a small oasis in the middle of the desert. In the middle of this oasis was a large pit, almost like a crater. While resting and setting up camp, Faust decided to look into the pit. Darkness greeted him.
    When a member of the band called out to him, Faust turned, startled, and slipped into the Pit. He slid down twenty feet and then fell another 20 and broke his leg in the process. As he lay there dazed, a half dozen gigantic Pit Vipers slithered toward him. Not knowing what these things were, Faust was terrified. The group above heard one loud scream and then nothing. Three others went to look for him, but never came out.
    The small band, leaderless and stuck in the desert with no food and water, decided to stay at the oasis, at least for a little while. They covered the pit with a tarp and nailed spikes around it to keep whatever horror lived there encased there. They then set up their camp as far from the Pit as possible. Whatever was down in the Pit never bothered them. Days passed. The more influential of the group argued about what they were to do. There was talk of joining up with others from the Vault. There was talk about going back to the Vault."
  5. The Vault Dweller: "{130}{}{Tell me about yourself.}"
    Katrina: "{137}{}{My life was very boring. I was raised in a Vault. I lived there for many years. Unfortunately, we were crowded and life was very bad. There was a schism, and many people left, taking with them the best equipment. Still, some of us tried to stay in the Vault. But then we were attacked. I was hurt, and I ended up here. Now I try to help people . . .}"
    (SSGUIDE.MSG)
  6. The Chosen One: "{117}{}{Do you have a GECK?}"
    Mikey Frazier: "{119}{}{A GECK? Well, that's old history, so what the hell. You mean the old Garden of Eden Kit. We had one - I mean our grandparents had one. Used it when they came out of Vault 15. Got this place started, they say. It's all used up now.}"
    (Scmikey.msg)
  7. The Vault Dweller: "{129}{}{Tell me about the rest of the world.}"
    Katrina: "{136}{}{I know very little of the outside world. I escaped from a Vault when it was attacked. Unfortunately, I was very hurt and do not remember much of what happened. But Dharma was watching over me, and I was found by the people of Shady Sands. I live here now. Have you spoken with Ian, yet? He is a merchant guard who was hurt. He is recovering in the guardhouse over there. [She points to the east] He is more widely travelled than I.}"
    (SSGUIDE.MSG)
  8. Vault Dweller's memoirs: "With their knowledge, and the help of a man called Ian, I continued on my way to Vault 15. The ruins of Vault 15, to be more specific. Ravaged by the elements, scavengers, and time itself, Vault 15 was no help for my people. The control room that contained their water-chip was buried under tons of fallen rock, and I had to move on."
  9. Fallout Bible 6: "The NCR's relationship with their old Vault has undergone some violent upheavals over the years. From nests of monsters, raiders, Vault 15 worshippers, ghoul scavengers, to more innocent (and not-so-innocent) Squatters and Salvage Teams and the Republic arguing over excavation rights, it seems to be difficult for the government or any other inhabitant of the wasteland to leave the area alone... because, well, it's a Vault."
  10. The Chosen One: "{123}{}{Excellent, how can I help you?}"
    Tandi: "{124}{tand4}{We need some computer parts from our old base - Vault 15. Problem is there's squatters there who won't let anybody by. Somebody has to convince 'em to let us in - or just bring back the parts. Up for the job?}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  11. The Chosen One: "{156}{}{What can you tell me about vault 15?}"
    Tandi: "{166}{tand8}{It's just east of here, an underground shelter from the war. Most families in NCR came from it, so it's rightfully ours.}"
    Chosen One: "{168}{}{Go on.}"
    "{169}{tand9}{A couple of years ago some squatters moved in and built a shantytown on the surface. They call it 'The Squat.' They're nothing but dogs in the manger. They can't get into the vault but they keep us out.}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  12. The Chosen One: "....."
    Zeke: "{137}{}{There's a city west of here called NCR. They claim Vault 15 is their ancestral home and they want it back. They've been sending people here trying to talk us into leaving but we aren't going for it. This is the only home we know.}"
    (Bczeke.msg)
  13. The Chosen One: "{109}{}{I'd like to know who you are and what is going on here.}"
    Chrissy: "{120}{}{In a nutshell, my name is Chrissy and I'm from the Squat. I was out exploring last week when I found that entrance out there. I thought it might be an abandoned mine or something, so I decided to check it out. Well, it's not a mine; it's a secret entrance into Vault 15. The vault is being used as a base for a band of raiders called the Khans. They caught me snooping around and their leader, Darion, had me locked up in here.}"
    "{135}{}{The people of the Squat are protecting these guys by helping them keep the vault a secret, but they don't know what's really going on here. Darion told us that the vault was being repaired so we could have a safe place to live with lots of food and water, but it's all a lie. I've been in there and looked around. The vault is dead, and the food and water machines don't work. Our food and water's been coming from the spoils of raids against caravans.}"
    "{136}{}{Look, I've got to go home and warn everyone about what's really going on here. We can't help these monsters. Will you take me home?}"
    (Bccrissy.msg)
  14. The Chosen One: "{261}{}{I'm afraid you have another problem. If you'll look at this holodisk you'll see that you have a spy in the NCR.}"
    Tandi: "{264}{tand35}{Damn, the only person who knew all this was Feargus! I'm not suggesting anything, but maybe Gunther should know about this.}"
    (Shtandi.msg)
  15. The Chosen One: "{139}{}{Would you consider making a deal with NCR?}"
    Zeke: "{140}{}{That all depends. What did you have in mind?}"
    The Chosen One: "{142}{}{Join NCR, let them annex your territory, and give them access to the vault. In return, they can teach you all the skills you need to survive on your own and offer you their protection.}"
    Zeke: "{143}{}{Not bad... I like it. You've got yourself a deal if you can get NCR to agree to it as well. But... Look, someone has to take care of Darion and his cronies. It should be done now before they realize what has happened and have time to prepare for an attack. Why not get this over with and take Darion out now? You'll have the element of surprise on your side.}"
    (Bczeke.msg)
  16. Cannon Fallout 2 ending: "With the support you secured from the New California Republic, the Vault 15 squatters soon become self-sufficient and productive members of society."
  17. Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition p.458: "Important Dates
    2248 President Tandi takes ill and dies at the age of 103. Her presidency has lasted 52 years. Vice-President Joanna Tibbett assumes office."
    (Behind the Bright Lights & Big City)
Vault 15
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