Runt is a member of the Rust King's Army living in Highway Town in Appalachia in Fallout 76, introduced in the Burning Springs update.
Background[]
Runt is an unpleasant and disagreeable person who has taken up residence in the maintenance closet of Highway Town, on assignment from the Rust King.[1] He is looked down upon by other wastelanders in the settlement, such as Millstone, who sees the cramped, lowly living space as befitting of Runt's character.[2] As a follower of the Rust King and a member of his raider army, Runt is in charge of recruitment for the Rust King's Army, acting as a conduit for people in the Rust King's territory to have a chance to prove themselves to the warlord, to see if they are worthy.[3][4] Runt claims to have been managing people for years, and looks for dedication in potential recruits.[5]
In practice, this means Runt can, perhaps indefinitely, offload his dirty work to anyone seeking to prove themselves to the Rust King. Since Runt is the one who is trusted by the Rust King, and not the recruits, it is essentially his word against theirs. Runt holds his position within the Rust King's Army as a bargaining chip, arguing that the recruits should not whine about performing tasks assigned to them. This is because Runt will put in a good word for them if they do this dirty work without complaint; if they do complain, it will be at their own risk, as Runt says the Rust King "hates whining."[6][7][8]
Runt lives up to his nickname, as he is not exactly physically capable, and he is far from being able to display any of the brute force seen elsewhere in the Rust King's Army.[9] The Rust King himself refers to Runt as a "weasel."[10] Even if Runt could not handle most of the tests of strength he assigns to others, he is nonetheless trusted by the Rust King to recruit only the best for the army.[4]
Runt says that the Rust King's Army only accepts the toughest and deadliest into the ranks of its raiders,[11] and he describes himself as the Rust King's "voice" to manage the "pawns."[12] Despite boasting about this, Runt knows that he cannot advance too far into the Rust King's Army, as he is not fit to fight in the competitive crucible of Burning Springs.[3] This leaves him to make the most out of his current position, as he constantly talks down to those who happen to be lower than him on the totem pole, refusing to let them get a leg-up on him and demanding they do as they are told.[13] Even if a recruit does show themself to be a worthy fighter, Runt is reluctant and hesitant to recognize their prowess, avoiding the subject by assigning them the next, seemingly random, trial to prove themself.[5] However, Runt is also insecure about his relationship with the Rust King, believing that his talents are not being adequately recognized and that he is being treated too poorly when the Rust King would, allegedly, "achieve nothing" without him.[14] He argues to himself that he could help the Rust King rule, seeing himself as deserving of better uses than his current role,[15] and he does not enjoy being surrounded by people he sees as "brutes and morons," believing himself to be superior to others.[16]
On top of his belittling, dismissive personality, Runt is virulently discriminatory toward ghouls, referring to them as "freakshows"[17] and "muties," while also sarcastically expressing surprise when a ghoul shows basic intelligence.[18] This is actually at odds with the Rust King's own philosophy, who himself does not discriminate between human and ghoul, only interested in what someone can bring to the table on their own merits.[19] Nonetheless, Runt, by himself, seems to have low expectations for ghouls, calling it an "uphill battle" for one to make an impression.[20]
Runt always dies at the end of the quest Might Makes Right, as he is killed by Eugene to set his plan into motion; Eugene says that he could not risk Runt catching on to "what's coming." Eugene also remarks that Runt would likely have kept sending the Vault 76 dweller on "wild goose chases."[21]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
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This character ignores combat and cannot be damaged. | |
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This character cannot be killed. Status expires when his scripted death occurs at the end of Might Makes Right. | |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests[]
- Might Makes Right: The Vault 76 dweller is tasked with seeking out Runt in this quest, at which point he assigns several "Test of Might" and "Test of Dominance" challenges for the player character to prove themself. At the end of the quest, Runt is killed by Eugene to make way for his stated plan to rebel against the Rust King.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raider demolisher outfit (non-lootable) |
Notes[]
Runt's death at the end of Might Makes Right is scripted and cannot be prevented.
Appearances[]
Runt appears only in Fallout 76, introduced in the Burning Springs update.
Gallery[]
References[]
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