Andale is a location in the southern area of the Capital Wasteland in 2277.
Andale is touted by its residents as "the greatest town in Virginia." However, the town holds a very dark secret. Four families survived the nuclear war and remained in Andale, eventually taking to cannibalism after their food supplies ran out.
Since then, the murder and consumption of outsiders, along with inbreeding between the Andale families, have become a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
Background[]
To the casual observer, Andale is an idyllic, all-American community. Its residents stroll around the streets in pre-War clothes, greet visitors with impeccable politeness, and proclaim the virtues of the United States. In fact, it's supposed to be the greatest town in the Commonwealth of Virginia, proudly voting Republican in every election, including the most recent one that elected a new governor.[1][2]
However, as with all fairy tales, the act is just a cover-up. To understand it, one has to dial back the clock. When the Great War came, four families hid in their fallout shelters beneath Annandale. The survivors managed to escape death and emerge into the newly created wasteland. However, their food stocks eventually depleted and they were faced with the prospect of starvation. The families solved it in their own particular way, by preying on unwary travelers that came into town.[3]
The cannibalism was deemed acceptable as a lesser evil, justified using a peculiar interpretation of Christianity and family love. Strict gender roles were imposed on family members (males work and hunt, females take care of the house and bear children), and no relations outside the four families were permitted. The pretense of the American Dream was upheld as a smokescreen, to disorient newcomers and hide the vicious nature of the residents.[4][5][6][7]
For two centuries, the families lived in Annandale (eventually abbreviated to just Andale), new generations replacing the old. The families intermarried, without bringing outsiders into the family. Eventually, everyone in Andale was related to each other quite closely, resulting in each marriage becoming more and more incestuous. By the 23rd century, the pretense was dropped and men married whoever was closest to their ends. Nobody questioned their way of life, except for old man Harris, who realized just how many people perished in the stomachs of Andale's residents.[8]
The town earned itself a sinister reputation, as while nobody realized it was inhabited by cannibals, everyone knew there was something off about its inhabitants. Everyone, from caravaneers to raiders, gave the town a wide berth.[9][10][11]
Layout[]
Andale is located directly south of the Fairfax ruins and west of the Nuka-Cola plant. The town is comprised of a couple of two-story pre-War houses, one ranch-style home, and a shack. They are all located on a street amid the ruins of other homes and a Red Rocket gas station.
Buildings[]
Inhabitants[]
Notable loot[]
- Grognak the Barbarian - In the Smiths' basement, lying on the table closest to the door. It may also be on the floor of the basement, on the south side of this same table.
- Nuka-Cola Quantum - In an overturned truck under the highway north of Andale, towards Fairfax ruins.
- Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor - In the concrete treehouse northeast of Andale, near the road that passes the Red Rocket gas station, approximately halfway between Andale and Fairfax ruins.
- Dean's Electronics - In the back of a truck down the road (east of Andale) towards the Nuka-Cola plant.
- Note: There is a chance that this book may not spawn in the truck.
- Strange meat - 80 total; 10 in each fridge. (Specific fridge locations: three in the Smith house basement, three in the garden shed, one in the kitchen in the Smith house and one in the Wilson house kitchen.) Strange meat can be traded for cave fungus at Little Lamplight in the unmarked quest Fungus Deal. This one location holds more of the item than every other static location in the game put together.
Related quests[]
Notes[]
- Devouring a body when detected by either family will cause them to become hostile, despite them being cannibals themselves.
- Having the Cannibal perk replaces the Speech challenge with guaranteed success.
- Despite being cannibals, the inhabitants are not hostile to the player character unless attacked.
- The Andale shed key to the Wilson's shed can be found in the Wilson's house, both downstairs on top of the radio, and beside the bed on a table in the upstairs bedroom. The key to the Smith's basement is found in the upstairs bedroom of the Smith's house, on a similar bedside table. Both keys can also be stolen from the men in the two families.
- If Broken Steel is installed, a squad of Brotherhood Outcasts appears at the entrance to Andale and will make its way east to take part in a scripted encounter with three Enclave trainees in the Enclave outpost near the Nuka-Cola plant.
- If the Lone Wanderer attacks and kills anyone in the two families before they discover that they are cannibals, they will receive negative Karma.
- When the Lone Wanderer takes the strange meat from the refrigerators, they will gain negative Karma, even though the NPCs who own them are considered evil.
Appearances[]
Andale appears only in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes[]
Andale is based on the real world location of Annandale, Virginia, as Fallout 3 borrows names from several towns in and around the D.C. area.
Bugs[]
- Upon first finding Andale, the residents will be in front of the Smith's house facing towards it. Upon approach, Jack Smith will trigger the dialogue of you snooping around in the basement.[verified]
- After completion of the quest, when fast traveling to Andale, all NPCs stay hunched over and alert, still wielding their knives while walking around, even though they are no longer hostile. Conversation can be initiated, and while speaking, they will stand up straight again, but when they finish speaking, they hunch back over. They are also unable to enter any of the houses at such a time. [verified]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Virginia? Virginia's been gone for 200 years."
Jack Smith: "Not here. Not in Andale, no sir/ma'am. The great Commonwealth of Virginia is alive and well. In fact, we just voted ourselves a new governor!"
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "You voted for governor? How does that work?"
Jack Smith: "The adults walked right on down to the polling location and dropped ballots into the box. How do you think it works? Yessir, it's every American's civic duty to cast his vote for his favorite Republican candidate. Am I right?"
The Lone Wanderer: "So who did you vote for?"
Jack Smith: "Now, now, my vote is my business and no one else's. But I'll tell you one thing: we didn't vote for any beatnik liberal commies, that's for sure."
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Seriously, you're talking about eating people, here. What's wrong with you?"
Jack Smith: "I don't think I like your tone. There's nothing wrong with me, we've lived this way for decades After the war, four families survived. They continued on just like we have. But when their shelters ran out of food, they need to eat something. Family is everything, my friend. I wouldn't expect a wasteland wanderer like you to understand."
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Huh. Well, everyone's got to survive in their own way, I guess."
Jack Smith: "You see, now that's nice to hear. Every time someone discovers our little secret, it's always "oh, you're terrible people", or "how can you do this?" I mean, I've got a family to take care of here. I've lived in Andale my whole life. And my father before me, and his father, and his father's father. This town started out with just four families, and that's the way we've stayed. Small town and proud, eh?"
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "I almost grabbed a snack while I was there, but that would have been rude."
Jack Smith: "You're right, it sure would have. You know, you're a breath of fresh air. Every time someone discovers our little secret, we have to hear about it. It's always "oh, how can you do this", or "you're such terrible people", or "please, not me, I have a kid in Rivet City". Well, I have kids too! Family first, that's the way it works in Andale -- from the day that the first four families decided to stay here. You're not bad, stranger. Stop on by anytime and ask Linda for one of her special meat pies."
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Doesn't that make you all cousins?"
Jack Smith: "I can't say that I know what you're talking about, but I sure as heck don't like your tone. You've got no business coming in here and judging us. We're four hard working American families. I work hard to put food on the table for my family, so do all the men here. It's not easy living the American dream but dammit, we're doing the best we can."
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Well... okay... whatever works for you."
Jack Smith: "Now, I know what you're thinking, and don't bother. We're perfectly happy good Christian people here, and we've been that way for 200 years. All the men work hard to put food on the table and all the women work hard to make nice homes for us. That's the way it should be. This is America, and I'll be damned if I let some Chinese Commies ruin that with a few bombs!"
(Jack Smith's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "So, you grew up here too?"
Old Man Harris: "Sure did. Can't say that I'm proud of it, though. It was all just normal. It's what we all did. I didn't ever think much about it. I married Gladys, just like every boy in Andale married the girl closest to his age. We had Linda and she grew up to marry Jack. It wasn't until Gladys died that I thought about what went on around here. So many people over the years... hundreds... thousands, maybe? But what could I do? I'm just an old man. But you ended it. Bless you."
(Old Man Harris's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "Whoa, slow down, grandpa. What's wrong?"
Old Man Harris: "What's wrong? You don't see anything wrong with a quiet little town full of friendly people in the middle of a blasted wasteland?"
The Lone Wanderer: "Well, I haven't talked to anyone here but you. Are they friendly?"
Old Man Harris: "No! Well... yes. But it's all a trick. Don't you know anything? Does that number on your back mean that you just crawled out of a vault or something? Just about everyone in the wasteland knows to avoid Andale, and they're right to do it. People wander in here, and they don't wander back out."
(Old Man Harris's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "You know, there is something a bit "off" about them..."
Old Man Harris: "Of course there's something off about them, everyone knows to avoid Andale! The caravans know it, the Raiders know it, even the Radscorpions know it. Folks wander into this place, and they don't wander back out. Oh sure, it seems nice, a regular town of out time here, but don't let it fool you."
(Old Man Harris's dialogue) - ↑ The Lone Wanderer: "You're right. I hate friendly people."
Old Man Harris: "And you're right sensible to. Especially around here. The friendly neighbor bit is just an act, these people are stone cold killers! Get out while you can! Just get as far away from here as possible!"
(Old Man Harris's dialogue)
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