Rusty Springs
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Rusty Springs History
Pre war
Fleeing the pending war, people head towards the Vaults. A few people of the nearby area bring their pet dogs with them as they arrive at Vault 33. It is unclear just how many dogs were brought in, whether it was just one person with one pregnant dog or several dogs, no one is certain. At this point in time, there nothing at the place that would later become Rusty Springs.
Early life in the Vault
2080 - Divisions start to emerge between the inhabitants of Vault 33 and two distinct groups begin to form. The first, a group of "dog lovers", are typically younger people who view the dogs as companions and are horrified at the thought of anything happening to them, such as being killed to control their population or being eaten to supplement the computer food. The other group are typically older people who, whilst they enjoy the dogs' companionship, they also feel that "one can be sacrificed every now and then" for the good of the community. However, the majority of the Vaults' population fit into a third group which doesn't really care what happens to the dogs either way. At this stage, the Overseer leans neither way and stays in the middle, doing his best to maintain peace between the two extreme groups. He very wisely sees to it that he is the only one with the access codes to the Vault armoury and locks it up tight.
2084 - During the night, a group of extremist "dog haters" after a good meal, kill a dog and eat it. Tensions hit a new high between the groups and the "dog lovers" demand that the offenders be punished by being thrown out of the Vault, into the unknown of the New World. The Overseer is unsure if such a harsh punishment is necessary and instead punishes the offenders merely by restricting their food and water rations. The "dog lovers" resent the Overseer and feels he is favouring the other group.
The growing tensions and eventual splitting
2090 - The dog's continue to breed and start to get out of control. A vote is also held by the inhabitants and the majority of them decide that the dogs need to be more controlled. The Overseer pleads with the group and asks that they do something in order to control the dog population. The "dog lovers" will have none of this and threaten to hurt, and if necessary kill, anyone that tries anything. By now, the "dog lovers" have fortified themselves in an area of the Vault and do not allow anyone else in, convinced they're all "out to get them". Some of the dogs have become quite vicious and are used as guard dogs.
2100 - Tensions continue to be on edge. The number of dogs over the years has increased dramatically and several incidents occur where people (and in one case a child) are bitten by the dogs. Any dog that wanders off from the "dog lovers" area is usually nabbed by a "dog hater" and either ends up being beaten and left for dead in the Vault's hallways, or captured and eaten as a dietary meat supplement. The Vault's general population is beginning to get sick of the constant argument between the two extremist groups and just wishes everyone could get along. The "dog haters" attempt to pressure the Overseer into opening the armoury and using the weapons to sort the problem out once and for all, but he is convinced a non-violent solution can be found to the situation and continues to work with both groups.
2117 - A woman from the Vaults' general population is viciously attacked by the dogs and dies. It is unclear what happened exactly, but the two extremist dog groups blame each other. The "dog lovers" are convinced it is a set-up by the "dog haters" to get rid of the dogs once and for all, and the "dog haters" believe she was killed deliberately as she was a woman known to be in support of controlling the dogs' population. It is the final straw. A meeting is held and the majority of the Vaults' general population decides that something needs to be done once and for all, and that getting rid of the dogs would solve the problem. Backed by the "dog haters", the general population force the Overseer into action. After 40 years of trying a peaceful solution, the Overseer gives up and orders that the "dog lovers" either give up the dogs, or leave the vault. The "dog lovers" decide to leave, eventually becoming the Hounds.
Leaving the Vault
2119 - The Vault Overseer dies at the age of 94.
2120 - A steadily growing group of people start to discuss leaving the Vault. They don't want to leave on their own though, and so lobby for more people to leave with them.
2140 - After twenty years of peaceful living in the Vault, more and more of the Vault-Dwellers start to get anxious. What initially began as a small movement, has now become a large group of people wanting to leave. Whilst the numbers of people wanting to leave is large, they are not in the majority yet, so the Vault Overseer keeps the doors shut. One person nominates himself to be sent out as a scout however, to explore and report back on the New World. He is sent out with supplies and a weapon, and is never heard from again.
2146 - Another meeting is held and this time, a majority of people decide it is time they left and found out what has happened since the bombs fell. A team of people is sent out. Given weapons, supplies for some weeks and wished the best of luck, they leave on September 26, 2146.
2147 - After several months of worrying about their brethren, Vault 33 scouts return on February 4, 2147 and announce the discovery of a nearby community to the East called "Clearwater". Clearwater is described as a small country town with a clear fresh water supply, capable of supplying more than enough water for everyone. It is decided that some members of Vault 33 should meet with the leaders of the community and discuss a potential settlement.
2148 - After a final meeting between the leaders of both communities, a settlement agreement is reached. The numbers from Vault 33 will boost the community of Clearwater. Vault 33 will bring medical supplies, weapons to help protect the community from raiders (in particular from a group known as the "Hounds") and technology from the Vault will be used to enhance the water supply from its current erratic state. As part of the deal, the inhabitants of Vault 33 will also build a solid wall around the community, to add further protection from raiders.
2149 - The few final inhabitants of Vault 33 leave and seal the Vault, never to return. They journey to join their friends who are already in Clearwater but are attacked and killed by raiders along the way. An expedition from Clearwater is sent to the Vault to find out what happened when they fail to arrive, but the sealed Vault door divulges no secrets. The expedition plants explosives and causes a cave-in around the area, burying the Vault.
Foundation of the 'Springs
2150 - Construction of a water pumping station and a wall around the town of Clearwater begins. The feelings toward the Vault Dwellers are mixed. Some people are happy to see the community expand with what seems like honest people. Another, smaller, part of the Clearwater population are against the new arrivals. They want to live the same simple community life they lived before, and are concerned about the changes being made to their town.
2154 - When the water pumping station is finally brought on-line a few years later, the old rusted equipment colours the water with a slightly brown tint. The water supply is more stable now, and is capable of supplying enough people that it can be traded for other goods from traders in the wastes. However, the water is never the same again and the brown colour and slightly rusted taste lead to the supply being called "Rusty Springs". Over-time, the name catches on and the town of "Clearwater" becomes more widely known by this other name, even though no "official" change of name has taken place. By this stage, the Vault Dwellers have taken over the northern part of the town where the water pumping station is built along with the Mayor's House and an armoury. The increased water output turns Rusty Springs into a small, but important trade centre, as well as an interesting target for raiders.
The new era: Raiders, Terrorists and Ghouls
2155 - In one of their regular raids against the town, the raiding group called the "Hounds" take some of the towns new Vault-Dweller residents as prisoners. A rescue mission is launched and the prisoners are released in exchange for a supply of food, water, weapons and money, much to the chagrin of some of the town's residents. On their return, the surviving prisoners tell the town what they have learned. That is, the Hounds used to be their old dog loving friends from Vault 33. Apparently they turned to raiding when none of the nearby communities would accept them or their dogs as residents.
2157 - The wall around Clearwater is finished. Allowing plenty of room to expand, the wall was built from rust and junk found scattered all over the wastes. Numerous car bodies make up the solid defensive layer and as a result, the city is safer from raider and mutant creature attacks.
2161 - Fallout 1
2163 - A group of residents from the old Clearwater begin to more openly resent the changes that have occurred in their small town. They don't like the bustling, busier city the town has become, are intent on calling their home "Clearwater" and resist most of the changes made since the Vault Dwellers arrived. They found the "Clearwater Revival Movement" and the group of Clearwater Revivalist's begins to develop ways to "bring back the good old days", although no one's quite too sure if it can be done or how to go about it. The Movement blames most of their problems on the Vault-Dwellers, even more so now that they know where the Hounds came from.
2166, March - Often referred to in Rusty Springs' law as "The Day of the Walking Horrors", it was an especially bright and sunny radioactive day when a group of strange creatures wandered up from the south towards Rusty Springs. Traders in the area had often talked of "Dripping Flesh Monsters" watching them from a distance as they travelled. No one believed them much until 4 of them walked towards Rusty Springs that day. The town guards were shocked and horrified as they walked slowly towards them. In panic about what was going on, one of the guards opened fire and killed one of the creatures instantly. The rest of the guards, convinced by now that it was some kind of an attack, followed suit and opened fire. The dead creatures were later studied, declared mutant beasts, and buried outside of town. A young man who thought otherwise was a local trader by the name of Tony Shaw. His curiosity was sparked and he wondered where they came from. Supported by his equally youthful wife Larissa, he started to organise a trade caravan.
2166, May - It wasn't until about two months after the attack that Tony Shaw left with a small number of guards under the guise of a mission to search for possible southern routes. He never returned alive. As the caravan camped one night, it was spotted by the Ghouls. Already aware that their friends had been murdered, the Ghouls attacked. Tony did what he could to save his life, telling the Ghouls the truth about what happened, but the Ghouls killed him regardless. A sole caravan guard was left alive to run back to Rusty Springs. When the guard arrived, he told the town of the attack and what had happened. The Ghouls have been raiding Rusty Springs (from their residence at the Uranium mine) ever since and the town has lived in fear of the "Flesh Monsters". Like-wise, no other traders have dared venture South. Larissa is distraught over the news, even more so when she later discovered she was pregnant. Eight months later she gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl.
2178 - While the majority of the Clear Water Revivalist's are peaceful citizens, simply making their thoughts known publicly by holding meetings, there are a select few within the Revivalists who start to take more extreme measures. Fed up at the lack of any real progress, it isn't long before this small group of extremists begins sabotaging the water supply, content that it is the root of their problems. If the water was back to the way it was, clear, erratic and clean, then the rest of their problems will go away too. The peaceful majority of the Revivalists do not support this more radical approach and in fact, they have no idea that 'these terrorists' are actually Revivalist members at all. Of course, the Vault Dwellers blame the group as a whole for the incidents, causing more uneasiness.
2180 - Over the passed fourteen years, the town of Rusty Springs has continued to prosper, despite attacks by both Raiders and Ghouls. Terrorists cause issues with the town's water supply several times, but as they keep their operation small, their numbers are low and their attempts at sabotage amount to nothing more than water restrictions every now and then as the water pump breaks down and needs to be repaired. The Revivalists use the constant breakdowns as a public excuse to remove the water pumping station altogether, while the Vault Dwellers blame the Revivalists for causing the breakdowns in the first place.
The Unified Traders, and Salavation's intervention
2184 - It isn't long before the sabotaging results in the Vault Dwellers needing to order various replacement parts for the pumping station. A group known to them as the 'Unified Traders' assists by finding and selling them this equipment. After ordering it, it isn't long before the Unified Traders arrive with a new computer operated Pumping Control System for the Vault Dwellers to install. A technician by the name of Jeremy Mendel installs the new system, which improves the output and increases overall system efficiency. As part of the deal, Jeremy stays on as the 'Water Manager' to operate the new system for the Vault Dweller's, who are very pleased and impressed. Unbeknown to them however, is that Jeremy is working for Salvation. By this time, water has become one of the highest priced commodities in the wastes and it didn't take long for Salvation to want a piece of the trade. Lacking the available supply and quality to sell their own water from Salvation, they turned to Rusty Springs and developed a way to take control. Once a month, Jeremy performs a routine 'purge' of the pipe system. He diverts water from the main line through a pipe into two large storage tanks away from the plant, claiming the water being sent is 'too contaminated for human consumption'. As a result, water supplies are offline for the day and water prices usually rise quite steeply for the following week, before water flows return to normal. Jeremy insists this is a necessary process in order to maintain a healthy system, when in reality all it does it restrict flow by diverting large amounts of perfectly fine water into the storage tank, which is then accessed by the Unified Traders to sell at a high profit. Combined with the occasional sabotage, water prices have been known to rise quite steeply.
2185 - Whenever the water supply is sabotaged, Jeremy uses it as an excuse to divert even more water and push prices higher in order to 'fix' the damage. Realising the high prices the situation creates, Salvation manage to contact Adam Rodda, one of the leaders of the Revivalist Terrorist wing. Believing that Salvation are trying to help the Revivalist cause, Rodda is quite willing to arrange for the water supply to be sabotaged at pre-arranged times, in exchange for reasonable payment and support. So, every now and then Salvation asks Rodda to sabotage the water supply and as a result, push water prices up. An especially useful tactic for the Unified Traders in times when other traders stocks are low and the Unified Traders have just gotten a fresh batch diverted to them. Everyone else is out of water, so people have to pay the Unified Trader's for their high priced water. Meanwhile, Rodda willingly complies in exchange for the help he gets for the cause. Salvation hope that one day, Rodda will become the leader of Rusty Springs and therefore allow them to have more control over the town. In the meantime, they're content to play both sides, waiting for the right opportunity.
2187 - Close to their twenty-first birthday, the Shaw twins whose father was killed by the Ghouls, decide to contact the Ghouls. Unsure whether they're after revenge, or just to find out what really happened, they mount a trade journey down South. They set out together without guards. After some time, they come into contact with the Ghouls, are captured and are brought inside the Uranium Mine the Ghouls use as their home. In there, they tell the Ghouls what they know about the attack and how it was apparently all a mistake. The Ghouls are sorry for their father's murder and the Shaw twins begin trading with the Ghouls. In exchange for high-powered explosives such as nitroglycerine (a lethal FMF throw-able weapon), they bring food and medical supplies to the Ghouls.
2192 - With access to free water and predicted sabotage, the Unified Traders grows into the largest independent water merchants in the entire wasteland area. By effectively controlling the market, they are able to eliminate competition by dropping prices so low that their competitors go out of business, then raising prices again to maximise profits. Effective use of their monopoly power has resulted in the water division becoming the most profitable part of the Unified Trader's organisation. The Vault Dwellers in Rusty Springs have no interest in other areas of the wastes and so are unaware of the high prices, or the fact that the Unified Traders are stealing water from them.
2201 - Fan Made Fallout
