Buried Oaths (Fallout: New Vegas Quest Mod)
Project Overview
Buried Oaths is a quest mod for Fallout: New Vegas. While officially billed as "A small quest mod about identity" it is a large mod that spans multiple world spaces and provides several hours of content, including multiple endings with an accompanying slideshow.
The plot focuses on Rourke, a former Brotherhood of Steel Paladin who is seeking justice for the brutal destruction of her chapter five years prior. It does not involve the usual BoS fare of power armor, large-scale battles or towering robots, but is a study of loss and its consequences. Buried Oaths will serve as the introductory chapter of an informal trilogy centered on the aftermath of the Brotherhood's reversals against NCR.
My past work includes New Vegas Bounties, I'm Moving On and Seven Graves from Now. My co-author is a homicidal cat named Delano.
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A former Brotherhood of Steel Paladin turned arms smuggler, Rourke is seeking closure for the destruction of her chapter - and a deep, personal loss. She is guarded and initially curt but may grow to develop a strong rapport with the player. Female, 30s. ~750 lines of dialogue.
- english
- female adult
- american
{Disillusioned, frustrated} "I don’t know what I’m doing here. I pictured it, rehearsed it for years. What I’d say, how I’d kill him. But it was a lie."
{Nodding in agreement after player approves of smuggling} "It is. People tend to take pragmatic turns when they lose everything. Principles don't fill bellies."
{Emphatic} "I'll burn down half of Arizona for that name. This guy's a pro. I'm ready to roll. Are you?"
A former Brotherhood of Steel Scribe who now serves as Sheriff in Grapevine. He has a history with the lead character, Rourke. Male, 30s. ~100 lines.
- english
- male adult
- american
{Concerned but composed} "I know why you're here. Just... let's not do this here."
{Sincere} "Grapevine is down to a skeleton crew now. Once he shows up with his whole army, we're done. Will you help us stand up to him?"
"Mining company won't send mercs. We're on our own. We need someone with the skill to take the fight to Shank. The pay will match the service. "
An overconfident thug representing the interests of the Van Graffs. Male, 30s-50s. ~20 lines.
- american
- male adult
{Working to conceal menace} "Ms. Rourke. You've been busy. Your refurbs have been a real hit on the frontier. Reliable. Cheap. They even compliment your smile."
{Stern} "We want the weapons. We want the contacts. We want your word that you're done eating into our market share."
An agent working for the NCR revenue service. He tracks down the player in the event of financial irregularities following the completion of the main quest. Male, 20s-40s. ~30 lines.
{Indifferent to the player's brusque rebuff} "Relax, this ain't a sales pitch. NCR Revenue Service. Tracking done some missing gold. You know anything about that?"
{Scolding} "Next time you find NCR property, don't dawdle, all right? This will be a difficult recovery. Here, for your trouble."
A young girl (~10 years old) who resides in Grapevine with her mother. Female, ~10, ~12 lines.
- american
- young child
- female child
{Sad} "All the miners went home."
{Mournful} "Mama cries a lot at night."
{Wishing aloud} "Are you gonna stop the bad men?"
A former Catholic priest who now runs a general store in Grapevine. He's coping with failure and a strained relationship with God. Male, 50+, ~50 lines.
- male senior
- male adult
- american
- elderly
- hispanic/latino
{Full of regret} "I think so. Everything I did out there... it amounted to nothing. Worse than nothing."
{Dour} "Wasn’t the War punishment enough? That’s what I saw out there. Punishment without end."
{Reluctant} "I was a priest at Santa Dolores, a Mercedarian mission in Arizona. We helped guide slaves to California and San Salvador."
An aging highwayman who lost everything in the Great Basin and now runs a saloon in Grapevine. Male, 50+, ~30 lines.
- male senior
- american
- elderly
{Warm} "Poured my savings into this little dive two years back. Was doing real nice until the mine shut down."
{Cheerful} "Partner, I’m a bona fide resident of the dark side of the moon."
"I had an... intemperate youth. I’m a rare bird, see - a renegade grown old."
An amiable fence who has been too loose in his business dealings. Male, 30s-50s, ~30 lines.
- male adult
- american
{Nervous} "Sorry, Rourke. Not my idea. The Van Graffs made a counter offer."
{Terrified} "I didn't have a choice! They killed the bots, put a gun to my head!"
{Relieved} "Thanks for being reasonable. I won't forget it. You ever want to trade, I'll give you premium rates."
A former Army physician who sought the relative peace of a private practice in Grapevine. Male, 20s-40s, ~30 lines.
- american
- male adult
{Snarky since player is short of cash} "Of course, I'm oathbound to help. Since you're still capable of ambulation, you should walk over to the general store. Mister Cruz is very fair."
{Sarcastic} "After you've sold your baculum collection or other cherished items, make sure you have fifty caps. If not, keep selling things."
{Wry smile} "Doctor or lawyer, they said. I chose the good guys."
A middle-aged operator employed by the NCR's intelligence apparatus. He had a circuitous and unconventional journey to his present position. Male, 30s-50s, ~50 lines.
- american
- male adult
{Pleased at success} "They get comfortable in these tunnels, think we won't come after them. Julius should know better."
{Bitterly describing Legion} "They took everything we had. Now I have one job - dragging them to hell with the rest of us."
{Matter of fact} "Skirts have a tunnel complex that funnels supplies in underground mine rails. {Pause} Want to clear it, exploit intelligence and then seal it."
An elderly smuggler you encounter in the wilds of the Great Basin. He's undertaking "one last job." Male, 60+, ~20 lines.
- american
- male senior
{Nonchalant} "Running a route to Beatty. The boss there loves his Psycho. Vipers tried to levy a toll."
{Hopeful} "I'm in no condition to break contact, so I'm making my stand here. Help me deal with these bastards and it'll net you a smooth hundred."
An embittered, former NCR intelligence analyst who lapsed into chem abuse after his career unraveled. Male, 20s-50s, ~30 lines.
- male adult
- american
{Hostile, assuming you're a junkie} "Who the hell are you? Did Queen send you? I'm working a caravan tomorrow. He'll get his caps in a week."
{Surprised} "Dillon? He... {lower}that fucking fink. {Recomposes himself}What kind of information? Who's buying?"
{Pointed} "You should go home, Lady Paladin."
The young, energetic son of Sheriff Lalo Flores. Male, ~6, ~10 lines.
- american
- male child
{Ecstatic} "We did it, Papa! Who are the visitors?"
{Optimistic} "Papa said the mine's gonna open up soon."
{Hopeful} "Mister Cruz says he's gonna get some gloves and baseballs in the next shipment."
Lalo's steadfast wife. She comes from a long line of farmers and brings much-needed agricultural expertise to Grapevine. Female, 20s-30s, ~30 lines.
- american
- female adult
{Polite} "My family had a ranch in Deep Springs. Plenty of land, lots of water. Bighorners, mostly."
{Quiet admiration} "NCR moved him around doing work. It weighed on him. When his contract ended, he bet everything on this town."
{Sincere} "Sometimes guilt is the price we pay for promising someone else’s future."
A young widow who's lost almost everything aside from her children. She's in dire straits when the player encounters her in Grapevine. Female, 20s-30s, ~30 lines.
- female adult
- american
{Bittersweet} "About six months. Jebediah Carter pushed us off our ranch back in California. It started out well enough."
{Tired} "Look, I don’t want charity. Just run off the bandits. They’re starving us out, making life hard."
{Offended} "Didn’t I tell you I don’t want handouts? We still have our pride."
A former member of the Followers of the Apocalypse who was forced to "begin again" in Grapevine as a schoolteacher. Female, 20s, ~30 lines.
- american
- female adult
{Polite introduction} "I’m Sarah. I run the school and oversee agriculture."
{Regretful} "Used to be more kids around when the miners and their families were here. I miss the little demons."
{Sincere} "Yeah, and not just as a platitude. {Pause} {Quieter} We’re close, you know? We work together, eat together, drink together."
Sandra Kelly's spirited, young son. Male, ~10, ~15 lines.
- male child
- american
{Hopeful} "You got any fireworks? I love fireworks."
{Disquieted} "Mama's been real sad lately."
{Eager, energetic} "Gotta collect firewood. It gets cold at night up here."
Shank is an upstart warlord who recently parted ways with his mentor, "Satan Dracula." He leads a small army of raiders and tribals that is poised to seize the town of Grapevine. The player encounters him in his prized yurt. Male, 30s, ~12 lines.
- male adult
- american
{Surprised, agitated} "What? Lalo said... that sneaky little bitch. Well-played, Sheriff. All this for some drifters in a dead town? I underestimated him."
{Pleased with himself, skeptical} "If you presented Dracula's fat head I'd... well, I'd piss myself laughing at first, but afterwards I might go back to Beatty."
{Enthusiastic} "I tell the girls, 'Let's go frolick in my yurt.' They're just fucking astounded, every time. Can't resist it. They go wild for anything exotic."
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