The Voiceless are a mutated albino slave caste living within the depths of the Athens-Tec Mine.They constitute an unofficial member tribe of the Raider Alliance.
Background[]
The Voiceless were originally Survivalist Raiders sent to work in the deeper levels of the mines Post-Great War, acting as the pseudo-proletariat class of the fledgling Survivalist society. Many of these workers deeply resented the Raider warlords, but over generations came to tend the vast hydroponic fungus that served as the Survivalists' primary food source, and mine uranium and gold from Athens-Tec's deeper levels. The centuries of life in the dark and exposure to radiation and hazardous chemicals twisted them into blind, albino humanoids with exposed, unhealthy veins. Despite this, they remained civilized and essentially human, similar to the Slags of Modoc.
The first leader of the Voiceless was Glassface, one of the raiders forced down by his fellows. Angered at his treatment, he studied old science magazines and repaired the D-00M mining laser in a bid to hold the raiders above hostage with the power of the laser. Despite managing to set up the laser, even linking it to a trigger, he abandoned his plan for unknown reasons, instead uniting the slave workforce of the mines under his rule - creating the Voiceless.
Long after Glassface's death, the Voiceless participated in a rebellion and escaped Athens-Tec Mine, setting up a village near the Mormon Rocks with other escaped non-Voiceless slaves. However, the infertile soils, lack of water, and harsh conditions of the outside world led them to seek a return to their old life as slaves in the mines, even traveling back to the mine to seek forgiveness. Warlord Juan Maxson-Elsdragon allowed them to return under the condition that they killed the non-Voiceless residents of their village, which they were only too happy to do. Since then, they have remained content with their renewed life in the mine's depths, although they are terrorized by degenerated ghouls of the Necro-Nation and rebellious mutants originally brought in as slave labor, forcing them out of sections of the mine.
Characteristics[]
The Voiceless are largely resigned to their lives, believing their ancestors were cast into the Abyss as punishment for defying the Raider Warlords, and venerate the surface and Survivalist Raiders with a pseudo-religious fervor. They primarily feed on radroaches, fungus, or other vermin, but are not at all adverse to cannibalism, eating new humans who fail or refuse to work (such as Major Davis,) and even eagerly regarding a dead super mutant behemoth as meat.
Voiceless society is based on a loose consensus, with Mevil serving a hereditary role as the group's "Speaker" as of 2260. Voiceless refer to one another as well as potential new members as "Pale Ones," only becoming known as "Voiceless" when a male and female "marry" to produce a new generation of workers. The couple's vocal cords are cut so the other Voiceless cannot hear them "bicker." As such, most Voiceless communicate only in hoarse, incomprehensible whispers. Notably, the Voiceless welcome unmutated human slaves and even super mutants such as Festus into their ranks, even allowing them to marry.
Language[]
As many Voiceless have their vocal cords cut or otherwise have decayed from their time in the mine, they speak in whispers or hoarse voices. However, these whispers and hisses form up a language of their own, as Voiceless can be fluent in both English and their own language in writing. These writings range from constant "screaming" as the expression of a Voiceless woman,[1] translation for their Survivalist overlords,[2] or simple recounting of their history.[3]
Notable members[]
- Player Character (optional)
- Glassface (mentioned only)
- Mevil
- Festus
- Voiceless vendor
Related quests[]
- Hell's Gate: The Player Character will be surrounded by the Voiceless after awakening from their fall into the Abyss. Only Mevil may be spoken to, who will welcome the player as a new slave and direct them to kill the Super Mutant Behemoth as instructed by Elsdragon. With Speech 50+, the player can convince the Voiceless to listen to their plan to kill the Behemoth together. If failed, the Voiceless will turn hostile and attack the player. If successful, Mevil and the Voiceless will then travel to the Athens-Tec Repair Bay, where they will await the player's speech, triggered by approaching the microphone. The player will be presented with increasingly difficult speech checks (25, 30, 35), which, if failed, will turn all Voiceless hostile. If all are succeeded, the Voiceless will rush to attack the Behemoth, likely being killed by it or Feral Ghouls and Bellringers. With a particularly high Speech check (Speech 45), the Voiceless can be convinced to turn on their Raider masters, and, provided they survive the behemoth, can be called to attack Elsdragon upon returning from the abyss alongside Mandrake.
Notes[]
- The Voiceless are set as hostile to the feral ghouls and bellringers in the abyss, and will likely be killed by them due to their basic melee weapons and low health.
- The Voiceless will not attack Mandrake.