“The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments, and bestows upon you the exceptional gift of his Mark. Any crimes you may have perpetrated against the Legion are hereby forgiven. Caesar will not extend this mercy a second time. My Lord requires your presence at his camp, at Fortification Hill. His Mark will guarantee your safe-conduct through our lands.”
Vulpes Inculta is the leader of the frumentarii in Caesar's Legion and one of the trusted men of Caesar, traveling in the Mojave Wasteland with a group of legionaries who ravaged Nipton in 2281.
Background
A remarkable individual from an unremarkable tribe south of Utah, Vulpes was brought into the Caesar's Legion as a child. Having survived training, he was made a legionary and fought well enough to be promoted to the rank of Decanus. He became a Frumentarius following a brilliant tactical maneuver when in a battle against a tribe, he broke ranks and led his squad through a hole in the enemy defenses and capturing the tribe's chieftain. While his centurion wanted him crucified for disobeying orders, Caesar saw potential in the young Decanus and found a more interesting use of him.[1] Since then, Vulpes' tactics have been a point of contention among the Legion, and while Caesar knowns of the use of spying and deceit in war, not everyone agrees with the methods employed by Vulpes. Especially the most likely candidate for next Caesar of the Legion: Lanius.[2][3]
According to Ulysses, Vulpes Inculta was responsible for the pacification of the Twisted Hairs at Dry Wells[4][5] once the Legion's campaign ended in Arizona. Those of the Twisted Hairs who resisted were crucified alongside Interstate 40. By 2281, Vulpes is the leader of the Frumentarii and the mastermind behind many of the Legion's intrigues, notably all the outreaches into NCR controlled territory including, Operation Racket,[2] Fall of Nelson,[6] slaughter at Nipton as well as the destruction of Camp Searchlight[7], which was destroyed after Legionaries released the contents of several radioactive waste containers kept in the city's fire station. This severely weakened the NCR's position in the area and allowed the Legion to cross the Colorado River and establish an outpost at Cottonwood Cove.[8] Along with orchestrating most (if not all) sabotages west of the Colorado, Vulpes is very capable on his own and a master of disguise, having visited the Strip several times before giving the Courier the Mark of Caesar.[9]
Personality
Vulpes is a devout believer of the dogma of Caesar perpetuating all his acts for the Legion, and firmly holds loyalty up as one the Legion's core tenets (along with martial excellence and justice).[10] Following Caesar's ideals, Vulpes took to massacring Nipton to send a message that none are safe from Caesar's reach and prove the moral debauchery of those living under the NCR.[11] Vulpes is particularly disgusted by disloyalty and makes a point of punishing those caught in Nipton in a similar way that disloyalty is punished in the Legion.[12] A special punishment was given to the mayor, Joseph Steyn, being burning him alive on a tire fire for trying to deceive those he put under his care.[13] Vulpes also finds disgust in in-action and selfishness, making note of how, even though outnumbered by those caught in Nipton, none tried to revolt during the lottery.[14]
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
| Interactions | ||
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character is a permanent companion. They grant the - perk. | |
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This character is a temporary companion. | |
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This character starts quests. | |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
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This character is a doctor. |
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This character is a merchant. |  -Sells: - |
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This character can repair items. | Max Repair condition: - |
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This character can modify weapons. |
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This character rents beds. | -.
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Quests
- Cold, Cold Heart: Tell the profligates of the sermon.
- I Put a Spell on You: Help an infiltrator at Camp McCarran to sabotage the monorail and draw off suspicion.
- Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Ghost tells the Courier to check out Nipton and see what's going on. When the player character arrives in Nipton, they will see Vulpes waiting outside the town hall.
- Render Unto Caesar: Vulpes will approach after the Courier has left The Tops and tell them Caesar wants an audience with you. He will also give the Mark of Caesar.
- The Finger of Suspicion: Prevent some Omerta thugs from harming a valuable informant inside Vault 21.
Effects of player's actions
- If Vulpes is killed by the Courier, or otherwise dies after meeting them, a man named Alerio will give Caesar's Mark instead of Vulpes. Alerio will mention the death of "the fearless Vulpes Inculta" as an example of a crime the Courier is being forgiven for.
- If Vulpes is killed by the Courier, Caesar will mention you killing him as part of his greeting; he will sound impressed.
- If the Courier passes Nipton and first encounters Vulpes in New Vegas, Vulpes will start the Nipton conversation with a mention of that encounter on The Strip, wondering if the Courier recognizes him, after which his normal Nipton dialogue commences; however, if Vulpes has died by the time the Courier approaches the Nipton Town Hall, Gabban will be coordinating the lottery in his place.
Other interactions
- Vulpes Inculta is likely to be the first member of Caesar's Legion encountered by the Courier in the Mojave Wasteland. He's originally found at Nipton after obliterating the town with his frumentarii henchmen. When speaking to the Courier, he'll explain the reason for destroying the settlement, as well as give an assignment to spread the word of Legion atrocities. If the player tells Vulpes that you appreciate the Legion's form of justice, the player will gain fame with the Legion. Choosing the second option, "I guess they got what was coming to them.", also gains Legion fame.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vexillarius helmet* and Legion explorer armor or Legion prime armor Dapper gambler hat** and Dapper gambler suit** |
Ripper | - | Legion ear |
* Only in Nipton
** Only on the Strip
Notes
- Killing Vulpes on The Strip when he comes to offer you the Mark of Caesar does not result in the Securitrons attacking you or anyone else on the Strip becoming hostile. The same is true for Alerio. However, killing either of them grants Legion infamy, and The Finger of Suspicion quest will be failed by killing Vulpes. If either character gets too far away from the Tops before you kill them, the Securitrons will become hostile. However, sometimes Vulpes can be killed outside of the Tops without failing Render Unto Caesar or gaining Legion infamy.
- If you reverse-pickpocket an explosive into him after he gives you the Mark of Caesar, you can still continue on with the Render Unto Caesar quest.
- You can use the Terrifying Presence perk on Vulpes when you first meet him in Nipton; this will cause him to become hostile.
- When he is followed from Nipton he will vanish as soon as he is out of the player's sights, but his men will go to the Legion raid camp.
- Killing Vulpes will cause his corpse to disappear rather mysteriously.
- Vulpes has a special factional setting that causes most random Wasteland creatures, including deathclaws and super mutants, as well as raiders, to ignore him instead of attacking him. He will still be attacked by robots and NCR forces, however. His entourage does not have this factional setting, and will be attacked as normal by any Wasteland inhabitants.
- Killing Vulpes after you receive the Mark of Caesar may cause the legionaries at Cottonwood Cove and The Fort to turn hostile for a few in-game days.
- Although Vulpes is depicted with wavy, white hair on the Collector's Edition playing card, he has a black buzz cut in-game.
- He is one of only five named characters in the base game to have "Very Evil" Karma, the others being Cook-Cook, Duke, Mortimer and Philippe.
- Vulpes appears to share a rivalry with Legate Lanius, the two occasionally criticizing each other at various points. The two are quite ideologically opposed, and Vulpes will show somber disappointment if Caesar is allowed to die during Et Tumor, Brute?, as well as visible relief if Caesar lives.
- In Mayor Steyn's journal, he refers to Vulpes as "a rather intense young man." Furthermore, if Arcade is a companion when exiting the Tops for the first time, Arcade will comment on Vulpes, stating that he is the Legion's "most notorious" spy.
- In Mayor Steyn's journal, the mayor writes that Vulpes introduced himself as "Mr. Fox." This is an allusion to Vulpes' name.
- Boxcars, the only other survivor of Nipton, refers to Vulpes as "that asshole with a dog on his head" because of his Vexillarius helmet.
Notable quotes
- "I am Vulpes Inculta, of Caesar's Legion. I serve my master as the greatest of his Frumentarii. We Frumentarii are soldiers of a different stripe, capable in battle, but skilled as infiltrators and agents as well."
- "Do whatever Caesar tells you to do. And whenever the opportunity presents, strike at the Profligates. Pile body upon body."
- "Nipton was a wicked place, debased and corrupt. It served all comers, so long as they paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers, men of the Legion such as myself - the people here didn't care. It was a town of whores. For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when I sprang it did they realize they were caught inside it, too."
- "The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments, and bestows upon you the exceptional gift of his Mark. Any crimes you may have perpetrated against the Legion are hereby forgiven. Caesar will not extend this mercy a second time. My Lord requires your presence at his camp, at Fortification Hill. His Mark will guarantee your safe-conduct through our lands."
- "Ah, yes {you know his name} - we are forbidden from speaking his true name. He was a shaman of some kind before he met Caesar, a holy man from out of the Utah. The Burned Man proved dangerous, unpredictable, and impossible to kill. He helped Caesar form the Legion but almost led it to destruction."
Appearances
Vulpes Inculta appears only in Fallout: New Vegas and is mentioned by Ulysses in its add-on Lonesome Road.
Behind the scenes
In Latin, vulpes translates as "fox," while inculta can translate as "uncultivated" or "rough."
Bugs
- There's a glitch which can prevent you from being able to speak with Vulpes, even when he triggers the conversation. The camera will zoom in on him like it would usually do when initiating conversation, but will then quickly retract, bringing the player back into control. Reloading to a recent save doesn't seem to fix the issue. A possible fix is to reload to a save before confronting Benny, then walking out of the casino before talking to Yes Man, this has been observed to work in several cases. This may be caused by obtaining a large amount of legion infamy. [verified]
- If you meet Vulpes Inculta at The Strip before meeting him at Nipton and then meet him at the Fort and THEN travel to Nipton you will spot him there but if you try to talk to him the camera will zoom in and zoom out. This appears to be caused by failing 'Booted' before visiting Nipton. [verified]
- There is a bug involving Vulpes' death. If the player kills him near the entrance to Caesar's Tent in the Fort, his body will vanish before it can be looted. It is unknown why this happens, but Vulpes' body simply vanishes from the game shortly after death. [verified]
Gallery
Vulpes Inculta with his Vexillarius helmet
Collector's Edition playing card
NCR propaganda poster
- ↑ The Courier: "Tell me about Vulpes Inculta."
Caesar: "Vulpes is the best of my Frumentarii. A remarkable individual from an unremarkable tribe south of the Utah. He was brought into the Legion as a boy, survived training, fought well enough as Legionary to be promoted to the rank of Decanus. Then, in battle against an unimportant tribe, he broke ranks and led his contubernium through a hole in their defenses to capture its chieftain. Well, his Centurion wanted him crucified for disobedience. So I made him a Frumentari."
(Caesar's dialogue) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Courier: "Good, because the Omertas' plan was stopped, Vegas is as strong as ever."
Lanius: "A plan by Vulpes... treachery is a weapon that one should never rely on.|{Angered} }} I can only hope that the Omertas died when their treachery was exposed, to have the plan succeed only would have sullied the Legion. It does not matter, victory shall be ours, it shall be swift, and it will be honest, purchased with blood."
(Lanius' dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What can you tell me about the Legate?"
Lanius served Caesar well, as his greatest battlefield commander. With Lanius at the head of the Legion, however, I doubt he'll have much use for my services. He prefers... direct methods."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Dry Wells is destroyed - that was your birthplace?"
Ulysses: "No, opposite of that. It's where my tribe was taken. Where another history was put to the blade, lesson taught. It is where we realized Vulpes did not approach us as equals. Where we realized the wolf had come, and we watched our history die. Now it belongs to Legion... and all the death there now belongs to them as well. Not revenge... just the way of things when you own them."
(Ulysses' dialogue) - ↑ Lonesome Road endings; the ending slide where the missiles are launched at the Legion.
- ↑ The Courier: "Towns? The Legion destroyed Nipton, poisoned Searchlight, butchered Nelson."
Lanius: "[SUCCEEDED] Vulpes... brought the touch of Caesar to such places. {Beat} It was necessary to weaken the West, show that the Legion could strike deep into the places where NCR thought it safe. But we do not need *those* towns. Like Hoover Dam, there is the power within Vegas... we can harness it for our needs."
(Lanius' dialogue) - ↑ Legion orders
- ↑ The Courier: "You must be the one in charge here."
Aurelius of Phoenix: "Of course I am, you fool. I am a Centurion! When Vulpes Inculta drove the NCR from Searchlight by clever means, Caesar himself ordered me to set up this camp and harass the Profligates! It's a modest presence, a single finger of the Legion reaching across the river's narrows. But with me here, it has an iron knuckle."
(Aurelius of Phoenix's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You again? How'd you find me here?"
Vulpes Inculta: "I am the greatest of his Caesar's Frumentarii. It was not a challenge to find you. Nor is this my first visit to the Strip."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Tell me about Caesar's Legion"
Vulpes Inculta: "The Legion is civilization reborn. Our culture is based on virtues such as martial excellence, loyalty, and justice. But you'll learn all there is to know in due time. Legatus Lanius, Monster of the East, will soon arrive to command Caesar's troops in battle. The Dam will fall, and the rest of the Profligate west will soon follow."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What "lessons" did you teach here?"
Vulpes Inculta: "Where to begin? That you are weak, and we are strong? This much was known already. But the depths of your moral sickness, your dissolution? Nipton serves as the perfect object lesson."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You captured everyone?"
Vulpes Inculta: "Yes, and herded them to the center of town. I told them their sins, the foremost being disloyalty. I told them that when Legionaries are disloyal, some are punished, the others made to watch. And I announced the lottery. Each clutched his ticket, hoping it would set him free. Each did nothing, even when "loved ones" were dragged away to be killed."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What happened to the mayor?"
Boxcars: "Him? When his ticket came up, they burned him alive on a pile of tires."
(Boxcars' dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You slaughtered innocent civilians?"
Vulpes Inculta: "Innocent? Hardly. Cowardly, though. They outnumbered us, yet not once did they try to resist. Cowardly, though. They outnumbered us, yet not once did they try to resist. They stood and hoped their turn would not come. Each cared only for himself."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue)
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