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Vault 11 is a location in the Mojave Wasteland in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background[]
The truth[]
One of five vaults constructed in the broader Mojave region assigned to house a civilian population, along with Vault 3, Vault 19, Vault 21, and Vault 34, like the majority of the Vaults, Vault 11 was given parameters to conduct a social experiment; in its case, after the blast doors sealed, the inhabitants were informed by the Vault computer they would have to sacrifice one of their fellow Vault dwellers every year or else everyone in the Vault would be killed. This was a ruse as in truth, if the residents were to refuse, a message from Vault-Tec would play commending the dwellers for their choice, telling them that their "commitment to human life is a shining example to us all" and revealing that no one would be killed. In addition, they were to be informed that as a reward, the Vault door would be unlocked, allowing free passage to and from the Vault with the overseer's permission.[1]
The first elections[]
According to terminal entries found throughout the empty Vault in 2281, the original inhabitants did not come to this conclusion right away, completely believing that they had to perform an annual sacrifice from among their members or else they would all die. They eventually settled on making the choice of sacrifice through democratic elections, where the chosen individual would be elected as overseer, and at the end of their term, they were required to enter a chamber and submit to execution. The residents believed this would satisfy the requirement the computer gave and spare the remaining dwellers. Of the Vault's original residents, only the first overseer entered the Vault knowing that he would have to ask to sacrifice one of the dwellers, however, even he was unaware of the true outcome if they had refused. Shocked and disgusted with the situation they found themselves in, and resentful towards their overseer for neglecting to share the information before they were sealed in the Vault, the residents chose the original overseer as the first sacrifice.[2]
The tradition of electing an overseer as the next condemned resident persisted onward for 16 years, each year with a new overseer being sacrificed, until 2093.[3] Several pseudo-political powers, known as voting blocs, had emerged to influence nomination and selection since the experiment began, with the creation of pamphlets to provide information and oversight of this process. The six main voting blocs, the Allied Service Workers Bloc, Divine Will Bloc, Human Dignity Bloc, Justice Bloc, United Vault Technicians Bloc, and the Utilitarian Bloc, annually jostled for power within the Vault. These blocs would nominate, and support overseer candidates based on their own goals, and decorate the walls of the Vault with libel-laden propaganda posters to garner "support" for an overseer prior to each election.[4]
The final overseer[]
The selection process devolved significantly over time, resulting in heavy corruption and manipulation perpetrated by bloc leaders. Prior to the final election, members of the most powerful group, the Justice Bloc led by Roy Gottlieb, sexually coerced fellow resident Katherine Stone, threatening to nominate her husband, Nathan as overseer should she refuse. Due to their overwhelming influence as a voting bloc, this would essentially be a death sentence for her husband, and Katherine had no choice but to capitulate to their demands. But she was betrayed by the Justice Bloc members, who went ahead with nominating her husband regardless.[5][6]
Out of a mix of desperation, despair, and indignation, Katherine immediately enacted her retribution, subsequently murdering members of the Justice Bloc one by one. The massacre was a blessing in disguise for Katherine in two ways: not only had she set the stage for the bloc's reprisal but also ensured that she would be a clear choice for the next overseer in place of her husband, effectively saving his life. Katherine's plan succeeded on both accounts, and after word of the murders spread, she was soon elected as the next Vault overseer.[6]
Katherine Stone's first act as overseer was to issue "Overseer Order 745" and functionally dissolve the election process entirely. She decreed that moving forward, the position of overseer would be chosen at random using the Vault's computer systems. The remaining members of the Justice Bloc, including Roy Gottlieb were aghast at the thought of losing their control and influence over the Vault population, so they secretly planned to stage an armed coup to wrest control back into their hands and resume the elections. The fighting that ensued killed nearly all of the remaining Vault dwellers,[7] until ultimately only five of them remained.
One last sacrifice[]
The remaining five Vault dwellers, weary of the bloodshed that the elections had incurred, laid down their arms and went together into the sacrificial chamber to confront the Vault computer and courageously state their refusal to continue with the sacrifices. They were then left bewildered and horrified when the computer delivered the automated message unveiling the Vault's experiment and being "congratulated" for their refusal.
Afterward, the five survivors walked to the Vault entrance where they apparently made a record of discussing committing suicide to punish themselves for the events of the last 16 years, and to prevent the outside world from learning about their shameful behavior. However, even then, they were not unanimous in their decision. A man, Voice 1, tried to convince the other four (three men and one woman) to leave the Vault while Voice 2 (the woman), 3 (referred to as Harry), 4 and 5 wished to die. Voice 1 advocated for leaving the Vault and spreading the word about what happened there, so that others may learn from their mistakes. His pleas went unheard as soon after, four gunshots rang out, but one refused, discarding the gun on the floor.[8] The four skeletal bodies remained in the entrance chamber for the next 200 years while it is unknown what happened to the fifth survivor.
Layout[]
Located west of Boulder City and southwest of the 188 Trading Post, prior to entering the Vault, there is a hollowed-out rock to the right of the main door. The reactor and the water purification system of Vault 11 has been damaged by age and the civil war among the dwellers. Therefore, radioactivity and radioactive water are some of the main hazards of the Vault. Since portions of the Vault are underwater, many sections can only be explored while wearing a rebreather or by judicious use of air pockets in the flooded areas. Enemies encountered inside the Vault include giant mantises, giant rats, and bark scorpions.
The entire Vault has been plastered with propaganda for an election for a new overseer, with each candidate is expressing outrage and incredulity at having been nominated and why the other candidates deserve to be overseer instead. This is juxtaposed to commonly understood elections, where the opposite goals are seen, and instills a sense of perplexity to the uninitiated. Throughout the Vault, sandbag barricades, multiple traps, and several skeletons serve as evidence of violent conflict.
Entrance level[]
The Vault's entryway contains four skeletons and an audio log. A working terminal near the door allows the Courier to access more information regarding the fate of the Vault. The next room has hallways to the Vault clinic, classroom, and cigar lounge. To the right, a hallway with access to bathrooms and a staircase can be found.
Living quarters[]
The stairs lead to a lab and a computer room. One of the computers is booby-trapped with explosives. A large common room connects hallways leading to the male and female dorms, as well as an exit labeled "Admin". This doorway leads to the security office, and to the levels containing the overseer's office and the utility room. The dorms are comprised of long, interconnected hallways and bedrooms. Several Vault 11 jumpsuits can be found here in lockers and dressers. Another audio log can be found on a locked terminal, with the password in a footlocker a short distance away.
There is a copy of Pugilism Illustrated in the female dorm, second door on the right, under the overturned dresser upon entering. A small cache of flamer fuel and 5.56 rounds is concealed under and behind a large immovable mop bucket in the male dorms.
Through the door marked "Admin," following the stairs and turning to the left is a Hard locked door, which can also be unlocked by the adjacent Very Hard locked terminal. This door leads to a storage room with an assortment of ammunition, including a mini nuke. The security office contains a terminal with Katherine Stone's deposition and more ammunition. At the opposite end of the hall are several flights of stairs leading down to the lower levels.
Lower level[]
The overseer's office is past a hallway on the right and has a rigged shotgun pointed at the entrance. The terminal here requires a password to access. Past the office is a blocked passage to the atrium. The hallway before the office leads to the utility room and another blocked passage to the atrium.
In the utility room, the differential pressure controller required for the Still in the Dark quest for the Brotherhood of Steel is located in a locker in the righthand side of the submerged room. The utility room provides access to the atrium via the flooded lower reactor level. Conversely, a set of Average locked doors can be picked one floor above to circumvent the flooded areas. In the atrium, the Vault 11 overseer's terminal password is found on the upper balcony terminal. A holotape, Prepared speech of Gus Olson, ombudsman, for the annual overseer election, is found on the podium below. This level also features the Vault cafeteria, which has a large supply of food and a first aid box. The cafeteria's entrance is boobytrapped with explosives and a gas leak located here can cause a violent chain reaction.
Sacrificial chamber[]
Accessing the overseer's terminal with the aforementioned password can open a chamber under the desk. This opens into a long tunnel. At this point, a pre-programmed voice speaks as the Courier approaches a door illuminated by a bright light. At the end of the tunnel is a room with a single chair in the center, along with a projector. The voice instructs the player character to sit in the chair to start the presentation. Delaying this will cause the recording to repeat, "you have no choice but to sit in the chair" until the Courier complies. The exit door locks as soon as the presentation starts. Pleasant scenes are shown while a voice reassures the individual that they lived a good life and their next one will be better yet. At the conclusion of the presentation, wall panels on both sides of the room slide back, and four robots and eight turrets will simultaneously attack the player character. Remaining in the chair until the film concludes is dangerous as the robots and turrets open fire immediately. Once the automatons are dealt with, the player character can access a small room with the Vault mainframe computer inside. This computer unlocks the door and reveals the true purpose of the Vault, determining how long it would take for the population to refuse further sacrifices, essentially a test of self-preservation versus morality.
"Happy Trails" slides[]
The Happy Trails slide show is a presentation created by Vault-Tec Industries specifically for use in Vault 11 and its experiment. The slide show would play when a chosen sacrifice would enter the sacrificial chamber and sit down in the chair in the middle of the room. The purpose of the slide show was meant to bring the sacrifice to a false sense of calm and acceptance before their violent death.
Former inhabitants[]
Notable loot[]
- Mini nuke - Behind the Hard-locked door in the living quarters within the security section.
- Around 16 to 28 Vault 11 jumpsuits - Found in dressers and lockers in the dorms. Relevant to the unmarked quest Suits You, Sarah.
- A copy of Pugilism Illustrated - In the northwestern female dorm room, near the southern edge of the local map. It is leaning against the base of an overturned dresser.
- System recording: Vault 11 solution and Automated solution response holotapes - Found on the mainframe terminal next to the sacrificial chamber.
- Differential pressure controller - Found in one of the flooded rooms south in the lower level. Relevant as a quest item for a certain part of Still in the Dark.
- Justice Bloc HQ security tapes - Given after reading the personal terminal in the living quarters.
- Vault 11 overseer's terminal password - On the atrium terminal in the Vault's lower level.
- Prepared speech of Gus Olson, ombudsman, for the annual overseer election - On the podium stand in the atrium.
- Roy Gottlieb's terminal password - In a footlocker near the terminal in the southwestern room of the male dorm area in the living quarters.
- Up to 20 bottles of Nuka-Cola - Can be found inside a large metal crate in the kitchen area of the cafeteria.
Related quests[]
Notes[]
- The background music that plays in the Vault is Industrial Junk, which was originally used for Junktown in Fallout, and Gecko in Fallout 2.
- Failing to take the differential pressure controller before leaving the Vault can result in a bug leading to the failure of Still in the Dark.
- Due to the large number of giant rats in this Vault, if Rex is an active companion, he will constantly growl and stalk around the floor he is currently on until all rats in the area are dead. The player character will usually be unable to talk to Rex when he is doing this, and upon selecting the Talk option in the companion wheel, Rex will reply with a high-pitched *bark-bark*.
- Right past a classroom in the common areas in the first hallway to the left, just past the Vault entrance, an NCR trooper corpse can be found.
- When facing the door to the Mojave Wasteland from the entrance tunnel, the direction is exactly south, but after exiting the Vault, the door faces southeast.
- A still image of the Vault's blast door is seen during the cinematic intro.
- When closed, the Vault number on the main door doesn't light up like the rest of the Vault doors.
- In the sacrificial chamber, after the presentation is finished and the doors open up, there are 16 skeletons on the ground.
- South of the Vault, on the edge of the El Dorado Dry Lake, a worn billboard for the Lucky 38 can be found. On it is the number 11 next to a torn section of the billboard, if positioned right, the tear will line up with the entrance to Vault 11 on the other side of the dry lake.
 | The following is based on the Wild Wasteland trait. |
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- If Wild Wasteland is an active trait, some of the giant rats in the Vault may be replaced by rodents of unusual size.
| End of information based on the Wild Wasteland trait |
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 | The following is based on Fallout: New Vegas cut content. |
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- Though the audio log at the entrance is ambiguous as to the fate of the fifth survivor, a male NPC identified as "Vault 11 survivor" exists in the game files. Though he was ultimately cut prior to the release of the game, the NPC's name and presence points to the likelihood that the sole survivor of Vault 11 did not commit suicide like the others.
| End of information based on Fallout: New Vegas cut content |
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Appearances[]
Vault 11 appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Behind the scenes[]
- Vault 11 was designed by Eric Fenstermaker.
- The initial, high-level concept of the Vault was created by Joshua Sawyer, with the themes of the story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson "at the heart of it." In the story, a lottery is held annually, and the person who "wins" is stoned to death. The stoning is also to ensure the prosperity of the community. Outside of this, everything else about the Vault was designed by Fenstermaker.[9]
- The election poster reading "I Hate Nate/Kate" is a reference to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "I Like Ike" campaign.
- Vault 11's social experiment is possibly a reference to the Milgram experiment which involved assessing to what extent participants would violate their own morals when given an order from an authority figure. The "Happy Trails" slideshow in the sacrificial chamber includes lines of dialogue that appear to be patterned after similar statements used in the Milgram experiment:
| Vault 11 | Milgram |
|---|---|
| Welcome. Please sit in the chair. The show is about to begin. | Please continue. |
| The show requires that you sit in the chair. | The experiment requires that you continue. |
| It is absolutely essential that you sit in the chair. | It is absolutely essential that you continue. |
| You have no other choice. You must sit in the chair. | You have no other choice. You must go on. |
Bugs[]
You can obtain XP until you reach level 30 by interacting with the computer in the sacrificial chamber and choosing the last option repeatedly. This will not work after logging off of the terminal. (patched)[verified]- The giant mantises appear to be extremely large here, to the point where they get stuck on the terrain and furniture.[verified]
There is a dresser in the central north area of the male dorm which does not show as empty, but which contains nothing.[verified]- Once completing the suicide chamber, it is possible to fail The House Always Wins quests leaving your aid to Mr. House at a dead end. This bug occurs when you have companions with you, so it's best to have them wait in the tunnel before entering the suicide chamber.[verified]
- It is possible for ED-E to be knocked unconscious and disappear, but still appear on the world map as if in the Vault.[verified]
- There are lockers that appear as though they have something in them. However, when they are opened, they turn out to be empty. This is similar to the Xbox glitch mentioned above with the dresser.[verified]
- The infinite XP glitch will work by transferring mantis forelegs back and forth from a giant mantis corpse, or between a companion.[verified]
- When saving inside the Vault, reloading that save may cause companions to disappear.[verified]
- Saving after beginning the descent down the stairs to the sacrificial chamber causes the quest to stop responding when you reload that saved game. The first time the quest will trigger and finish, upon loading the saved game, you can walk all the way to the end of the hallway, but the movie will not start and there will not be a blinding light as you enter the final room. (Have not checked by exiting and reentering the Vault. That may reset it entirely).[verified]
- The Stealth Boy in the locked security room may not spawn.[verified]
- Members of the NCR Military Police appear suddenly in the cafeteria. They speak briefly then attack without cause.[verified]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Automated solution response
- ↑ Vault 11 terminal entries; Prepared Speech of Gus Olson, Ombudsman, for the Annual Overseer Election
- ↑ Vault 11's sacrifice chamber has a total of 16 skeletons.
- ↑ Election and voting bloc recruitment posters found throughout Vault 11.
- ↑ Vault 11 terminal entries; Vault 11 Election Guide
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Vault 11 terminal entries; Deposition
- ↑ Vault 11 terminal entries; Security Recording
- ↑ System recording: Vault 11 front entrance
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas 10th Anniversary Charity Stream (reference starts at 2:12:48)
Joshua Sawyer: "I feel like Vault 11, at a high-level... like, I lined out the high-level concept with Eric Fenstermaker, and Eric Fenstermaker did all of the actual, real design. It was basically - my idea was Vault 11, but with like, Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' at the heart of it. And that was it. And everything else that was designed for it, or not put in, was Eric Fenstermaker. So, I don't remember the specific details about a last survivor of Vault 11. I think we intentionally just left that open. I think."
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