Fallout 4: Angel's Pip-Boy Diary #10 · 9:15am Dec 7th, 2015
art by Atryl
Once more into the breach! More Angel’s Pip-Boy Diary after the break. 
Thank you, everyone, for your advice and suggestions regarding mods. I am still manually scrapping because even if auto-scrapping works eventually, I don’t want to put up with the delays caused by the bug. However, I have incorporated two recommended mods into my game: Settlement Supplies Expanded 2.5 and Valdacil's Item Sorting.
I use the new settlement items offered in Settlement Supplies Expanded very sparingly. You won’t find the mod’s wilder offerings (such as UFOs) in my settlement construction. But I am determined to have proper toilets in my settlements. And I love that I now have the ability to make bunk beds. I have been wanting that capability since I started my first settlement.
I am deeply into the settlement building aspect of the game. As a result, there will be occasional days in Angel’s life which are nothing but settlement work. I try to spread those out between adventures, and to minimize the amount of in-character time eaten by settlement work. I have, at this point, memorized the “set gamehour to” console command so that construction projects don’t eat whole days while I fuss at attempting to get pieces to link together the right way or spend half an hour of real time trying to figure out the best place I can put a power connector.
Obviously, the amount of time that these projects take is in no means realistic. But neither is the idea of the protagonist doing all the work. As you will see in Angel’s diary, I am going with the concept that Angel plans out the construction and often lends a hand, but the bulk of the work is done by the settlers, the Minutemen and/or companions that she leaves at the settlement.
Which reminds me of one mod that I would love to see for the game which I didn’t mention before… a Fallout: Equestria themed mod: Junction R-7 as a new settlement location.
Littlepip F4 pixel art by BusterBuizel
Angel's Pip-Boy Diary
Days 19 - 22
Day 19 – Midnight
November 11, 2287
Midnight. Rainfall. And I am in a deep, dark hole filled with caged lake monsters, hunting the guy who paid me to drain the lake. Or being hunted by him; hunter and hunted has become very fluid down here. I’m not going to allow him to continue to prey on the more decent folk of the Commonwealth. Sully is not going to let me leave alive. One of us is going to die tonight.
Day 19 – Evening
November 11, 2287I’m back at Sanctuary, which of course means that Sully lays dead in the Commonwealth’s deepest ditch.
I have had a long sleep. One that was only slightly troubled.
During the waking hours, I oversaw construction of our northeast building. Our intention is for it to be a station for the Minutemen. I then spent the rest of the day scrapping junk for parts and materials, and upgrading my guns. I plan to spend tomorrow here as well. The work is good, and I need a break from being under constant attack or I’m going to fall apart. Or lose myself. I’m strong, and getting stronger, but I’m not Nate. I can’t just keep fighting and fighting.
Of course, he couldn’t either. Nobody can. But he had an endurance and a resilience that seems superhuman to me. How am I handling this, on the other hand? Sometimes I feel like I am coasting through on the wings of shock and trauma. It is days like today when I feel truly human again. Not like my old self – I’m fairly certain I will never be able to feel like that again – but like a living person. A new self, and one that might actually be functional a week, a month and a year from now.
New Perk: Gun Nut Rank 2
Day 20
November 12, 2287Second verse, same as the first…
Spent most of the day overseeing construction of the southeast building. This building will be our communal dining hall. I think having meals together will really help maintain Sanctuary’s sense of community.
Sanctuary Hills was a neighborhood, but we were all segregated into our own homes, self-isolated. We had the Homeowner’s Club, which met once a month. And during the summer, sometimes one of use would host a barbecue. But that was the limit of our sense of community. I spent more time angry at my next door neighbor over leaving her gate open than I did getting to know her. I will probably never know the name of the people who lived in the blue house that has become Sanctuary’s dormitory. We’re rebuilding Sanctuary, so I’d like to build it better.
I spent the rest of the day scrapping and working in the workshop. I’ve upgraded my armor, a task that the fight with Sully made me face was long overdue. If I’m going to keep getting shot at, I need the best protection I can craft. But my preference is for not getting shot at. Stimpacks may be miraculous, but bullets still hurt. They hurt badly. As do teeth and burns. Especially burns. So I’m upgrading my Vault Suit to give me better protection, particularly against energy weapons. And I’m making all my armor as stealth-friendly as possible. (As a side note, pockets are magic.)
And, of course, I’ve been spending most of the time that my hands are busy thinking about Danse’s offer.
New Perk: Armorer Rank 2
Day 21 – Morning
November 13, 2287Three weeks.
It’s been three weeks since the “day” I lost Nate and Shaun, America and my entire way of life. All the work, the fighting, and the constant battle for survival have left me with no time to feel sorry for myself. I haven’t even been able to properly grieve. But I haven’t been able to lose myself either.
This morning was a good morning. I woke up at dawn. Took some time to drink in Sanctuary. With the two new buildings nearly completed, the place looks good.
I’ve lightened my load, and now I’m headed back to the CPD to talk to Danse. I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I believe I have an answer.
Diamond City and Oberland Station should both be within half a day’s travel of the station. Both offer things I need to pursue, and will be next on my list if negotiations with Danse don’t work out.
Oberland Station has put out a call for aid from the Minutemen, and that should make it a higher priority. My quest to find Shaun is personal, the opposite of urgent, and needs to take a back seat. However, that is where my heart wants me to go. And the less pragmatic part of my head too. I have to admit that I’m quite curious about this center of civilization in the Commonwealth.
Codsworth seems curious as well (can robots be curious?), and has suggested that if the name “Diamond City” is anything to go by, it must be quite the sight. The talk by farmers makes Diamond City sound large and active, but not halcyon. The radio refers to the “green jewel”, which makes me wonder if the place is painted green, or possibly has real and healthy grass.
In my own imagination, it is a community built into a mall that once boasted high-end shops, possibly including several jewelers. But the sensible skeptic in me suspects Diamond City occupies an old apartment complex or hotel named Diamond - something.
Day 21 – Afternoon
November 13, 2287Good God!
I no longer have to ask anybody what supermutants are. They’re giants, like the Biblical Goliath, and have muscles like comic book superheroes. I’m glad to have encountered them at a distance. Especially since they were immediately, murderously hostile. Of course they were. Murderously hostile is in vogue this season.
And they’re green. Really? I... I have no words.
Except now I’m wondering if the “green jewel” of Diamond City means that it is run by supermutants. If so, that would mean they’re not a homogeneous ethnicity. There are feral and sane ghouls, so there could be divisions of supermutants as well. Urban and rural, maybe?
There was a human with the group of them. Was he their guide? Their prisoner? I couldn’t tell. He wasn’t bound, he didn’t fight beside them, and he didn’t flee until after the battle was over. He didn’t even hang around to say thanks, or tell me what the in the name of God that I had just fought.
I was tempted to chase after him, but with all that I am carrying, I doubt I could catch him. I am nearly overburdened. Fortunately, I am on the familiar stretch of road between the police station and ArcJet, so I know that Danse’s base of operations isn’t far. I’m going to gather everything worthwhile from the dead green giants and stash it in the boathouse ahead. I’ll be back for it after I know where I’ll be taking it. And I’ll know that after talking with Danse.
Side note: occasionally, the Commonwealth occasionally serves up little moments and I just have to stop and marvel. While I record this, I’ve stopped to watch a gathering of crows around this small bit of road. I count ten, almost a murder.
Day 21 – Sunset
November 13, 2287Okay, not storing my crap in there. There are barrels of waste all over. The area around the shack is massively irradiated, and the interior has been used as a nesting ground for mirelurk hatchlings. I just used both Rad-X and a fiscally painful amount of Radaway.
Well, at least exploring the place was good lockpicking practice. And inside I found a pipe rifle that I don’t want, but with a drum magazine that I do.
There is a nearby bridge where the road crosses the river in the direction of Oberland Station. The brewery on the other side is where that gang with the fancy rifle is supposed to be camped. And while the road veers off headed elsewhere, according to Preston, the tracks on the other side of the brewery will take me right to Oberland.
There was a settler resting on the bridge, begging for water. I gave her the bottle of purified water I was carrying. (Oh, she claimed that any kind of water would really do, but if that was the case… she was on a bridge.)
Day 21 – Night
November 13, 2287I am now Initiate Angel of the Brotherhood of Steel. After a good talk with Danse, I’ve joined Danse’s recon team. “If you want to stay in our ranks…” was the final seller. Leaving is an option. If the Brotherhood turns out to be a bad fit, I do have the ability to retire. This is an at-will recruitment.
Just as importantly, Danse has no problems with my continued work with the Minutemen. I will be given time to pursue my other goals so long as I do not neglect my duties in the Brotherhood of Steel, nor engage in pursuits that put me in conflict with them.
Danse spoke repeatedly of the Code of Ethics, but refused to expound upon it. Apparently, our Code is a secret, even to us. But he stressed honesty and respect. As long as I give him both, and follow orders, I’m golden.
As a side note: for the foreseeable future, while I am a member, I won’t be able to advance in the ranks. Only an Elder can promote a new recruit beyond Initiate.
Ad Victorium, “To Victory”, is our rallying cry. I tried to imagine Nate shouting that as he charged into battle against the Chinese in his suit of power armor. It was easy to picture. The idea of me doing the same… it is a good feeling.
I got to know my teammates a bit better. I have been told that Rhys, who still doesn’t like or trust me, bleeds Brotherhood. It is all he cares about. Scribe Hayden had feelings for him once. But he had no room in his heart for anything else. I have met soldiers like that before – a couple of Nate’s war buddies.
Hayden is a field scribe. Recovering artifacts of past technology is her focus. Her first assignment for me is to retrieve something called a “flux sensor” which is supposed to be at Bedford Station. That’s a short jog from Starlight, if I recall.
Rhys complains that he can’t size me up. He’s given me the job of clearing out the ghouls from College Square. I didn’t mention that I’ve already done this. Might as well go out and make sure there aren’t any stragglers. The assignments he gives me will generally involve cleansing areas of hostile populations. He specifically listed mutants, ghouls and synths. Because I haven’t had enough combat in my life. (Okay, I really don’t get to complain about that. I did just join the military.)
Day 22 – Early Morning
November 14, 2287I’m clearing out College Square… again. I’m rocking a pretty severe déjà vu. Good God, they’re endless!
Side note: Red Rocket stations have some of the best workspaces. The one in College Square allowed me to make quick work of upgrading my leather armpieces. Side side-note: I can’t believe they asked people here to use old newspaper as TP. Actually, sadly, I can believe that. Management. Management never changes.
New Perk: Sneak Rank 2
Day 22 – Late Morning
November 14, 2287Just searching for stragglers now. College Square is such a vaguely defined area that I’m not entirely certain if I’ve completed my mission. Had to skirt around a scavenging party who drew weapons and demanded I “just move along.” Remembering the gal who nearly attacked me on my second night out, I backed away quickly. If I’ve made it safe enough for them to travel through, am I done?
Just to be thorough, I took a trip into the subway station. The tunnels had collapsed in all directions, isolating College Square Station from the rest of the Commonwealth’s underground transit system. If it wasn’t for the infestation of ghouls, the station would make a hell of a base. It is highly defensible.
I was amused to hear that the automated subway station announcements were still continuing – a friendly voice speaking on an endless loop. A lot of the electrical systems are still running down there. I activated the remaining station Protectron and left it patrolling. I am now confident that I’ve wiped College Square clean of ghouls… at least for the time being. And if I somehow missed one down below, the Protectron will take care of it. That thing’s a beast.
Day 22 – Afternoon
November 14, 2287Rhys seemed reluctantly impressed. He’s already given me my next assignment. The next target to clear is the Super Duper Mart in Lexington. I know the place. It is almost within spitting distance of Starlight. Clearing the place of ferals is not only good for the Brotherhood, and good for the Commonwealth, but it is directly beneficial to the Minutemen. If Starlight is going to become a Minutemen station, then we can’t risk having a major nest of feral ghouls that close by.
Plus, considering the trouble that the ghouls gave the Minutemen when they tried to settle in Lexington, the job feels like payback.
But first, I need to get some sleep. There is a mattress in Starlight calling my name.
art by aviatorgriffin
Missing words.
I've not much else to say. No Fallout 4 for me, so modding the bejeezus out of Fallout 3 (again) it is. I'll probably try out NV's Project Brazil conversion mod next.
3599356 Thanks.
Fixed.
I wonder how Angel is going to react when she meets the rest of the Brotherhood. I know I.. wasn't entirely satisfied (trying to tiptoe around spoilers for those who haven't gotten there yet).
3599381 Those were my thoughts exactly when I read that she had joined up. I really can't wait for when it all comes to the surface and what Angel's take on it will be.
Another awesome Blog well done! Awesome job on this! She's now in the BoS? Hmm... I feel like later on she'll regret it, maybe.
Heeheehee
Truer words have rarely been spoken.
This continues to be equal parts touching and thrilling. Thank you for keeping it up.
I need to remember that inventory sorting mod.
I read that in Threedog's voice. You did that on purpose, didn't you?
I love how much they sell freedom in this game. Even though Danse is your commanding officer, he will only give you missions. He will never demand anything, and instead will say that you can do it whenever you're ready. He's willing to wait days for you to complete that "urgent" mission.
Is it any wonder why people actually want an apocalypse if this is the kind of freedom you're given in it?
Agreed.
Second deepest ditch, if I had to guess. The honor of the true deepest ditch belongs to, arguably, my favorite location in the commonwealth so far. No spoilers, but it's another quarry with a very Lovecraftian mien.
For some reason this reminded me of a story I read once about a guy who decided to cause subversive strife by putting up signs in business' that read things like...
Or
Just, annoying little things that everyone would question the reasoning for, but no one would question it's authenticity. Promoting low lever strife and misgivings about 'The Man'. Got quite a few chuckles thinking about how well it might actually work.
You must've missed the entrance at the bottom of Sully's quarry (Dunwich Borers). There's a way to go further in and... let's just say Angel would have nightmares for a while after that.
3617725 This was Thicket Excavations, not Dunwich Borers. They are separate locations.
3617786 Ohh, duh, right. I forgot there were separate quarries.
3620664 For what it's worth, in my playthrough, Angel has just heard of Dunwich Borers for the first time. (Occurred on Day 66. BADTFL is awesome.) She'll be looking into the place soon.