The hillside cavern is a location in the Savage Divide region of Appalachia in Fallout 76, introduced in the Ghoul Within update.
The cavern connects to the nearby settlement of Radiant Hills, and the cavern's interior contains a segment of the missile silo. While the hillside cavern can be accessed by any player, only ghouls can go through the door to Radiant Hills.
Background[]
This cave in the wilderness of the northern Savage Divide seems, at first, to be an unassuming natural landform. However, at some point, explosives were used to destroy a concrete wall accessible through the cavern's passageways. The fallen wall provides access into a segment of the nearby nuclear missile silo, upon which the settlement of Radiant Hills was founded.[1] The segment of the silo accessible through the cavern is used by Parthenia Blankenship as her home and laboratory, from which she conducts experiments related to ghoulification. Having grown up in the silo with her father,[2] she acquired the laboratory tools and research chemicals from the prior military occupants of the silo, after it was evacuated during the Great War. There were some scientists stationed on-site, but they were not conducting a full-scale research project.[3] Parthenia has since used this part of the silo as the stage for her process to expedite the process of ghoulification and convert humans into ghouls, specifically through the inactive, malfunctioning nuclear warhead leaking radiation in its own chamber.[4]
Layout[]
The entrance to the cavern is found in the wilderness of the far northern Savage Divide. Some dirt paths can be found nearby, one of which can eventually lead to Radiant Hills, to which the hillside cavern itself is connected. Outside of the cavern entrance, some metal junk has been strewn about, making it identifiable from a distance; this also includes some junk items and a shovel (which cannot be taken). Above the cavern, on top of the hill, an object-type random encounter may trigger.
Upon entering the interior from the cave, the area is dark, with only a few candles, lanterns and glowing fungi (the latter of which can be looted) providing light. The path in the cavern follows a straight-forward, linear path down before eventually reaching the missile silo beneath Radiant Hills. At the end of the path, there is a blasted-open concrete wall, with a construction light pointing directly at the broken wall leading into the silo and a TNT plunger nearby. Stepping through the hole in the wall, a gate to the right provides access to a segment of the missile silo itself.
This area is used by Parthenia Blankenship as her laboratory; she is found in the hillside cavern interior at this lab during and after the quest Leap of Faith. There are consoles, shelves, and desks all around where one enters from the cave. Diagrams are hung on the wall and an eye-washing station is found to the south. The central chamber of the laboratory is lowered and accessible via a small set of stairs; this area is where Parthenia's experiments are conducted, containing two chemistry stations and a tinker's workbench. A white table in the center has many science-related junk items, such as test tube racks and flasks, most of which can be taken. There are two beds in a clinic-like area to the west, likely for monitoring subjects.
To the north, an open doorway leads to large hallways of the missile silo. To the right (east) is the launch silo, which one accesses during A Fresh Pair of Genes to become irradiated by the malfunctioning, inactive nuclear missile stored there. However, this room cannot be accessed again after the quest. The west end of the hallway is a dead end, but to the north is a door that connects to the Radiant Hills interior. It is only accessible once A Fresh Pair of Genes has been completed and the player character has turned into a ghoul.
Inhabitants[]
- Parthenia Blankenship - doctor and scientist (during and after Leap of Faith)
- Kevan Asherton - Radiant Hills co-founder, guard and combat trainer (only during Leap of Faith)
- Leamon Price - scavenger (only during Leap of Faith)
Notable loot[]
- Emmett Mountain side tunnel key - Obtained during Leap of Faith.
Appearances[]
The hillside cavern appears only in Fallout 76, introduced in the Ghoul Within update.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Scene of the broken wall and a nearby TNT plunger
- ↑ Vault 76 dweller: "You mentioned you would tell me more about your past if I stuck around."
Parthenia Blankenship: "My father was a general, stationed on-site here at the silo. I was an adolescent bag of ailments. My health conditions kept me largely isolated and immobilized, and he was the only family I had. So I had an exception to stay here with him. Well, one day the War happened, and everything went terribly, terribly wrong. There was a very loud noise, lots of distant panic in other rooms, and then... Well, I noticed it was very quiet. When I finally left my room, the place was empty. I guess everyone evacuated, or... Well, I don't know."
(Parthenia Blankenship's dialogue) - ↑ Vault 76 dweller: "Did you find out anything else about the chemical?"
Parthenia Blankenship: "Well, I could describe its molecular structure, but I suspect that's not what you're asking. Documentation on the substance was mysteriously lacking. As such, I'm not sure if it even originated here. There were some scientists here, but as far as I can tell, not a full-scale research operation. In short, your hypothesis is as good as mine."
(Parthenia Blankenship's dialogue) - ↑ Vault 76 dweller: "I'm ready! Turn me into a ghoul!"
Parthenia Blankenship: "Thrilling! The procedure is quite simple. Just pick up that inhaler and give it a puff. You may feel something like a rush of exhilaration. Just over there is a chamber containing a nuclear warhead. It's leaking... heavily. You are to walk inside the chamber. The heavy dose of radiation will stimulate the reaction already happening inside your body and thus expedite it. This will be painless, but will likely cause you to lose consciousness. By the time you awake, the transformation will be complete. Try not to panic when that happens. You will still be you, of course. Just... improved. At your own pace, then. I will, of course, monitor the entire procedure."
(Parthenia Blankenship's dialogue)
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