The Fallout series harbors some truly eerie tales that could rival any horror story. We’ve chosen to share with you the most terrifying quests from various installments of the franchise.
This article contains spoilers.
The Dark Soul of Blackhall (Fallout 3)
This may be one of the most unsettling quests in the entire series, embodying a natural malevolence in the finest Lovecraftian tradition. It starts with a seemingly harmless request | the wealthy Obadiah Blackhall desires the player to retrieve a book titled “Krivbekni,” which is challenging to pronounce.
The plot thickens when it’s disclosed that the book resides in a temple dungeon, where eerie swamp dwellers, reminiscent of characters from “The Hills Have Eyes,” perform sacrifices in honor of the deity Ag-Qualtot. The book is found on an analogion (a stand for icons and books, as noted by the editor), drenched in blood and beside a flayed corpse.
Yet, the quest doesn’t conclude there | instead of handing over the book to Blackhall, you have the option to destroy it. This requires a journey to the sinister Dunwich Building, overrun with ghouls, descending into the depths to affix the book to a foreboding obelisk that emits humming noises and radiates a foul odor.
Our Little Secret (Fallout 3)
Venturing straight east from the Dunwich Building, one may stumble upon the town of Andale. Home to several amiable families, the Smiths may extend an invitation to dinner. “That seems overly suspicious,” might be your reaction, a sentiment shared by Harris, the town’s eccentric elder. He recommends inspecting a shed within the town. Therein lies Andale’s dark secret | its congenial residents sustain themselves through cannibalism, ensnaring and dispatching travelers.
This narrative can take a grimmer turn by your own volition. Advancing the “Cannibal” perk allows for camaraderie with Andale’s residents, leading to Mrs. Smith offering the player a “strange meat pie”.
Tranquility Lane (Fallout 3)
The Fallout universe is inseparable from its shelters, the bunkers Vault-Tec constructed not for salvation, but to carry out scientific and social experiments on their occupants.
In Vault 112, residents were subjected to a virtual simulation test, ensnaring them in the virtual reality of a peaceful American suburb called Tranquility Lane. The deranged overseer of the experiment, driven by ennui, started to murder the other participants, only to revive them and repeat the process.
When the player joins the simulation, a mad scientist will appear in front of him in the form of a girl named Betty and make him mock the inhabitants of the town. In the end, the player will have to dress up in a horror story character costume and slaughter the entire population with a knife.
If you ignore the cruel tasks, you can find and activate an emergency terminal that will forever save the inhabitants from torment, albeit in the most radical way – they will die not only in the simulation, but also in reality.
Fallout | New Vegas
One of the most chilling social experiments is depicted in Vault 11 from Fallout | New Vegas.
The initial hint of something sinister at the bunker is the sight of several skeletons at the entrance. Upon accessing the terminal, the player receives the “Democracy Inaction” quest. It soon becomes evident that the bunker’s residents were forced to sacrifice one person annually, or the shelter’s computer would threaten to eliminate everyone.
This requirement to select a sacrifice eventually sparked a civil war within Vault 11’s tight-knit community. Yet, when the final survivors refused to continue the killings, the computer revealed it was a test of humanity, which they had passed. Rather than exterminating the survivors, the computer unlocked the vault’s door.
Don’t Grow Grass (Fallout | New Vegas)
Near Jacobstown lies another eerie bunker, Vault-22, to which players are dispatched by the scientists of the New California Republic. Here, experiments were conducted on plants, with the aim of breeding a fungus to control pests. However, instead of creating an agricultural paradise, a horror reminiscent of The Last of Us emerged.
Airborne fungal spores infected the scientists, who then became hosts for the germinating spores, transforming them into perilous entities known as “spore carriers.” Over time, the shelter’s vegetation overtook the bunker’s somber corridors. Amidst the dense undergrowth, the camouflaged spore carriers lie in wait, ready to pounce on any unsuspecting player.
Moreover, the corridors house the outcomes of additional experiments | colossal praying mantises and flesh-eating plants, all lying in wait for their next victim.
Explore the Pickman Gallery (Fallout 4)
The denizens of the wasteland are not unfamiliar with an appreciation for art. In Fallout 4, players who heed the mayor of Goodneighbor’s request to investigate the “Pickman Gallery” rumors will encounter one of the game’s most unique artists. This gallery owner is revealed to be a serial killer who uses the blood of raiders to create his paintings. Additionally, he crafts macabre art installations from the corpses of these bandits. Admirers of Lars von Trier and his film “The House That Jack Built” will find this aspect of the game particularly intriguing.
Fatal Eggs (Fallout 4)
While visiting Diamond City, one might overhear security guards discussing the Salem Witch Museum, where unusual events are unfolding. Upon joining the witch hunt, players are tasked with investigating the eerie, deserted museum. The building’s walls reverberate with thuds, mannequin silhouettes cast ominous shadows, and dismembered bodies and limbs tumble from the ceiling crevices.
It becomes clear that witchcraft is not to blame; rather, a ferocious deathclaw has established its nest within the museum, preying on and tormenting any unfortunate enough to enter. Once the creature is defeated, players have the option to collect the eggs from its nest and either sell them in Diamond City or return them to their original location, from which they were pilfered by the Gunslinger gang’s mercenaries.
Honor or Dishonor (Fallout 4)
In the Fallout universe, even a simple errand can escalate into a horrific ordeal. While undertaking the Brotherhood of Steel quests, one must track down a provision thief. It is revealed that Acolyte Clark has been stealing food to feed the ghouls lurking in the ruins beneath Boston Airport. His actions are not borne of malice; he is driven by guilt after he and his comrades wiped out a swarm of ghouls during the airport’s clean-up. Now, he provides for the mindless mutants to prevent them from assaulting the Brotherhood of Steel’s base at the airport.
“Becoming an Initiate” (Fallout)
Another eerie quest is linked to the Brotherhood of Steel in the initial part of Fallout. To be initiated into the brotherhood, one must undertake a rite of passage | delve into the remnants of the West-Tek research facility and retrieve evidence of the journey. The building was obliterated by a nuclear warhead, leaving the area so intensely irradiated that it glows at night.
Venturing down into a sinister pit, players enter a deserted subterranean complex. The only inhabitants are security robots and a supercomputer. It’s the desolate, dark passageways and the perilously high radiation levels that render the site and its associated quest particularly unnerving.
Horror Farm (Fallout 2)
In Fallout 2, to the northeast of Modoc, lies an eerie farm | the fields are tended, yet no one is seen nearby. Surrounding the fields are stakes adorned with what appear to be bloody corpses. At night, the farm’s mystery deepens with the appearance of glowing figures.
Upon thorough investigation at Mayor Modoc’s behest, players uncover the truth behind the “ghost farm.” The supposed corpses are merely mannequins smeared with animal blood, and the farm is under the watchful eye of subterranean dwellers. This elaborate ruse of ghosts and impaled figures was crafted to deter raiders and bandits.
Path to Enlightenment Event (Fallout 76)
Fallout 76 features chilling quests, with the primary one centered around the cult that worships the mythical Mothman. As players explore the Appalachian Mountains, they may encounter an event requiring them to summon a mysterious creature using a lighthouse. After a laborious collection process, the player ignites the beacon, which lures an actual red-eyed insectoid.
During nocturnal journeys, a pair of red lights may be visible in the shadows – these are the eyes of the Mothman observing the player. Nevertheless, it remains non-aggressive and will take flight if it is noticed.
Despite the extensive list, there are more eerie quests and locations in the Fallout series. Enthusiasts will undoubtedly recall Vault 92’s human genetic experiments or the vampire cult in the Capital Wasteland’s subway. Which aspect of the Fallout series frightened you the most dear Aeons? Share your thoughts in the comments.
