https://imgur.com/r/falloutsettlements/dZsv7

Left there to take in the sights and sounds of Deliverance, you couldn't help but appreciate the distinctive scent of unwashed bodies, dung tossed into garden beds by men pushing wheelbarrows, and grim faces that didn't smile in the dying sunlight of the sun that silhouetted skyscrapers that seemed to claw at the clouds. While ghouls, humans, and synths (advanced androids) intermixed with each other under pale street lamps. The black asphalt streets they strode across, poorly repaired with pits, cracks, and gaping holes that retold a tale as ancient as time.

Your lips unable to help but quirk into a smile at the very fact that these people who should be at one another’s throats, had founded a new kind of coexistence. The young dark-skinned man that had remained behind with you in his poorly stitched coat and jeans, excitedly gesturing to the food vendors set up across the road from an ancient grand cathedral that had seen better days with great white stone walls that had vines creeping upwards, three-pointed towers that jutted out like fingers, and a glass-paned window that showed a man taken up into the heavens. The folks that congregated around at it’s cascading marble stone steps, listening to the radio around bonfires, watching old cowboy films using holograms up on a big screen that was splashed up against a blank brick wall, or simply sitting to drink together. The broad side streets that ran off on either side, revealing row upon row of stores that had been re-occupied with colorful banners hung out in front of windows, along with men and women cradling weapons that eyed each other in the lamplights, wearing different colored uniforms that reminded you of biker gangs that watched each other.

Half whistling appreciatively at the strange beauty of this place, you slowly walked towards the marketplace, feeling more at home in this world with all its oddities, when a scrawny weathered woman in rags that had once been a dress grabbed hold of your arm with dirty fingernails. Her cheekbones more pronounced, body half emaciated with hunger as sunken green eyes pleaded with you. "Please, I need your help. They've taken my boy."

(Intelligence 3.)

Her plea tugging at something deep inside of you, while at the same time making you wary of a trap.

You had seen this kind of thing before where raiders would use a decoy as bait to lure travelers away into a dark corner where they could ambush you. But too much time spent playing video games had made you wary of such interactions, and quickly narrowed your eyes. "What is your son's name?"

The flicker of apprehension that crossed the woman's face, so quick, you would have thought it a part of your imagination, only you knew better as she replied, "His name is Johnny."

But it wasn’t enough to simply know as you threw question after question at her. “How old is he?”

“Sixteen.”

“What happened to him?”

Her expression darkened angrily as she snapped, “he was captured by slavers! Now, will you help me or not?!”

Before you asked, “And where were you going to ambush me?”

Her response, almost instinctive as she nodded her head in the direction of a dark side street, “over in that alley--” when she cut herself off with a look of surprise.

Green eyes widened with fear, she suddenly spun, and ran away, leaving you alone with the boy who looked at you in wonder as though asking what you had done. “Simple psychology, my friend.”

His expression twisted into confusion as you smiled, and continued on down the street.

(Perception 3.)

Her plea tugging at something deep inside of you, while at the same time making you very much aware that this was a Fallout game. Games like this were built around deception, betrayal, and blood, a worrisome thought considering that you were new in town.

Eyes watching her with keen calculated interest, you could sense her growing urgency to be away from here, but whether or not that was fear for her son's life, you could not tell. Although by the subtle shifts in her expression, you knew it wasn't fear that guided her, but something else. Her pupils half dilated with a predatory hunger, and the furtive glances from side to side reminding you of a drug dealer looking out for cops. (Continue on with the below two choices.)

(See where this leads?)

When you replied, "very well, lead the way."

And was about to follow her, when the boy beside you gripped you by the shoulder with unbelievable strength, hazel colored eyes worried as he signed something to you. But you knew what you were doing, at least you thought you did, and simply smiled at him. "Just watch my back."

The boy’s eyes rolling to the clouds in frustration as the bedraggled woman eagerly waved at you to follow her, her light footsteps quick and sure as she led you down into a darkened alleyway, trash cans lining the walls to either side, and foul stench lingering in the air, when slowly she turned on you with a dangerous smile that did not reach her eyes. The four men that stepped out from behind the piles of refuse, holding long wicked blades, and led by a devilishly handsome man in a spiked black leather jacket. Her voice a husky whisper, “time to die.”

(Strip naked and give them everything.)

But whether it was your fear of dying in this dank dark alleyway where nobody would find your bleeding corpse, you knew there was only one way to survive, so you stripped off all your clothes, and tossed them down in front of her, watching her expression turn into shocked surprise as you stood there shivering, naked as the day you were born.

The only thing that remained to you was the pipboy, which she looked at with considering eyes, before she turned her attention to your new friend, and gestured for him to do the same.

The fear that he would fight, turning into a sigh of resignation as he glared at you as though this were all your fault, before he took off his clothes as well, and dumped them on the ground.

Laughing as they made jokes at their expense, the woman finally smiled again, then barked, “let’s go,” their belongings collected, before they disappeared leaving them there with nothing, when the boy punched you in the arm.

“What was that for?”

Which of course caused him to punch you again, before they searched the trash cans for anything to wear, and found some dirty rags that had large gaping poles. The pair of them slinking back out into the streets, where you considered heading to the marketplace, before releasing a bark of laughter, seeing as you had nothing.

Still, there was always the opportunity to steal. (Minus all equipment.)

(Melee skill 25% or Strength 3.)

Your first thought as they closed in on you from all sides was that you were definitely screwed, when the young mute boy moved with unbelievable speed to kick out the legs of a skinny bloke that had half his face melted off, before cracking his skull against the stone street.

The instinctive need to survive, and use this distraction, forcing you to move forward in a rush to bowl the woman over, her hand going for the knife in her dress, when you wrestled it out from her fingers, and drove it into her heart. Her loud cry of pain as she stared up at you aghast, sending a pang of guilt through you as you rolled back up to your feet with blood on your clothes.

Gazing up with a mixture of horror and regret as you readied yourself to meet the other two men. They stared in horror at something behind you when they each turned and ran. The looks on their faces, causing you to turn and see the young man coated in blood with three men dead in front of him.

Eyes meeting together in mutual understanding, the boy nodded his head to you, and together they stripped the dead of everything, then headed towards the marketplace. Looks like you have something to barter after all.

Inventory Items Added.

- x4 Combat knives (Worth 25 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- x3 Leather Jackets (Offers 1 armor protection each. Worth 20 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- x3 Leather jeans. (Offers 1 armor protection each. Worth 10 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- 230 bottle caps.

- Water bottle. (+2 HP.)

(Unarmed skill 25% or Strength 3.)

Your first thought as they closed in on you from all sides was that you were definitely screwed, when the young mute boy moved with unbelievable speed to kick out the legs of a skinny bloke that had half his face melted off, before cracking his skull against the stone street.

The instinctive need to survive, and use this distraction, forcing you to move forward in a rush to bowl the woman over, her hand going for the knife in her dress, when you broke her wrist, and drove the knife into her heart. Her loud cry of pain as she stared up at you aghast, sending a pang of guilt through you as you rolled back up to your feet with blood on your clothes.

Gazing up with a mixture of horror and regret as you readied yourself to meet the other two men. They stared in horror at something behind you when they each turned and ran. The looks on their faces, causing you to turn and see the young man coated in blood with three men dead in front of him.

Eyes meeting together in mutual understanding, the boy nodded his head to you, and together they stripped the dead of everything, then headed towards the marketplace. Looks like you have something to barter after all.

Inventory Items Added.

- x4 Combat knives (Worth 25 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- x3 Leather Jackets (Offers 1 armor protection each. Worth 20 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- x3 Leather jeans. (Offers 1 armor protection each. Worth 10 caps each can be sold at merchants.)

- 230 bottle caps.

- Water bottle. (+2 HP.)

(Keep walking.)

Sensing a trap here, you brush her arm away and keep walking, and continue onto the marketplace.