Race To The Bottom is a medium sized quest mod around the same size as the Automatron DLC from Fallout 4. The Freeside Coop has been robbed by unknown assailants and Ella Hawthorne is in need of a mercenary to track down the culprits. Your journey will offer you multiple ways to solve each problem you encounter using your characters skills and their moral compass. This is the second phase of auditions. There will be future opportunities to voice more characters in the future. This is to make the Quality Assurance process easier to manage.
The character you will be playing is called Roy. He is a simple man who enjoys living a simple life. He is a fast gun who hates his job guarding the doors of the Freeside Coop. A store set up to sell the crops of local farmers at a premium. He does his shift guarding the door and then when his shift ends, he goes to the local bar and drinks heavily. This is pretty much his life. As such, he sounds gruff and constantly bored at work.
"Welcome to the hub of grub: The Freeside Coop. Go inside and speak to Ella if you're looking for Vegas made produce for a reasonable price." *Tired company line reading*
"Anyway, you're welcome to keep your weapons but any sign of trouble and you'll be getting a bullet straight in your eyes."
"Do I like working here? What the fuck do you think? How would you like to stand here most of your day with sore feet dealing with the locals?"
The character you will be playing is called Private Jenkins. She’s a typical NCR soldier who’s job is to guard the main door of the camp. She is a bit on edge with attacks from the Fiends, a group of drugged up bandits, happening very close to her position. Although, this should be slightly understated. She is very much against drugs and those who deal them. Also has a sister she is worried about on the front lines.
"Don't know anyone with that name unfortunately. I did see a well armed man go and talk to Fitz over by the balcony. Seemed shady."
"This here is a military camp. We've got enough on our plate with the Fiends in the area. Still, we don't take too kindly to troublemaking. I hope we're clear, otherwise you're gonna end up real familiar with an NCR service rifle rather than a cell like you might expect."
Not too much. Don't cross the bridge just past the El Rey unless you've got a death wish. That's Fiend territory.
Muscle for a drug dealer. Preferably sound tough.
"I'm not paid to chat. Talk to the guy with the eyepatch. He's the boss."
Muscle to protect a local drug dealer. Preferably sound tough.
"I'm not paid to chat. Talk to the guy with the eyepatch. He's the boss."
An unfortunate old vagrant who has been unlucky enough to become addicted to drugs. He is suffering from withdrawal symptoms most of the time unable to afford his next fix.
"Sorry stranger, I'm not feeling too great at the moment. Talk to Clive if you want small talk."
The character you will be playing is called Clive. He has been on a string of bad luck recently and has been exploited in the casinos of post apocalyptic Las Vegas. As such, he no longer has much money to feed and look after him and his best friend Conroy. He cares deeply for Conroy and really wants what is best for him. As a result of his exploitation, he hates the owner of Post Apocalyptic Las Vegas: Mr House with a passion.
“This is the place to go where you've got nowhere else to be. Aerotech won't take us on account of Conroy's little problem...Not gonna give up on him. That scumbag Fitz keeps him hopped up on Jet even though he knows it’s killing him.” [Jet is the Fallout equivalent of amphetamine]
"Howdy stranger. Haven't seen you around these parts before. Maybe you can you spare a few caps?"
"Fitz must have rented out one of the rooms up there to him. Seemed a pretty quiet guy, barely left the motel...If ya ask me, he looked a bit out of his depth. Kind of had a nervous energy about him what little I did see." [Player asks him if he's saw someone recently]
The character you will be playing is called Fitz. Fitz is a low life drug dealer who preys on the addictions of others, making caps off their misery. He very much thinks himself a tough guy. In reality, this is a facade for his insecurities. When presented with someone with real combat experience, he is likely to scurry away and hide. Among his victims are Conroy who will do his bidding for a fix. Fitz should ideally sound a bit raspy.
Player - "Got a few armed guards here. Surprised the NCR hasn't said something to you."
Fitz - "Why would they do that? Me and the gang here aren't causing any problems. No matter what they say, they can't prove shit...If they change their mind, we can always move our business across the bridge. Got any more dumb questions?"
Context - Moving across the bridge would hurt the NCR as the bandits attacking them are addicted to drugs and would benefit from Fitz' business. This is a form of blackmail almost.
Player - “You look like someone who can hook me up with what I need. Think you can help out?”
Fitz- “Depends. Are you NCR?”
This is basically him asking if you're a cop.
Player - “I'm looking for a man named Frank Adams. Seen anybody called that?”
Fitz - “Someone doesn't know when to keep their mouth shut it seems. Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. Problem is: I don't see what that has to do with you.”
The character you will be playing is called Ella. Ella is the daughter of an NCR brahmin baron. You can think of brahmin as this universe’s equivalent of cattle. Brahmin barons are the people with the most influence in NCR society owning the most capital and land out of everyone in the country. They often bribe politicians and partake in lobbying to twist policy to suit their needs so they stay rich and the workers stay poor. Ella is the daughter of such a powerful man. As such, she often displays a snobbish attitude against those less fortunate than her and is a firm believer in the current system of governance. She believes that her family’s fortune is a result of hard work and that all criticism against the family business comes from a place of jealousy. The performance should contain a hint of snobbery but nothing too extreme or hammy as the upper class citizens of the NCR still make their money from being cattle ranchers.
Note - I would like to pay more for your time as this is quite a bit of work but budget is very limited as this is a solo passion project. I'd completely understand if this is too much work for such low payment.
Player - “You said you were held at gunpoint. Tell me more.”
Ella - "Yeah. A couple of days ago, was business as usual when all of a sudden, a gang comes in and kicks the front door in; nearly taking it off its hinges...They were screaming at the top of their lungs, demanding I give them all the caps in the register...it shook me up a little as it would anyone but my Pa taught me how to use a shotgun back on the ranch so I bided my time."
Player: “Do you like living in Freeside?”
Ella - “God, no! When I first thought about moving out to the frontier. I was expecting excitement, adventure!...Instead, it mostly just smells of piss and disappointment. Although that may just be the locals.”
Player: “No. I've been in Freeside a bunch of times.”
Ella - "You'll know this place better than me then. I moved in here only a few weeks back and it's been hard to settle in...Doesn't help when you're colloquially known as the NCR bitch. Don't worry about that though, that's just dumb idiots being dumb idiots."
Billy Jackson is a prospector. In the Fallout universe, prospecting refers to the search for scrap instead of gold like in real life. In junk piles and old world ruins, destroyed by nuclear fire, one can find valuable scrap and make quite a lot of money. Billy enjoys a beer or ten at the Atomic Wrangler and loves to play the slot machines. He used to frequent this establishment with his business partner Frank Adams, a young man he helped raise on the rough streets of Fremont Street. Recently, he has fallen out with the young man and is drowning his sorrows at the bar.
Sorry for the low budget. This is a passion project for me and sadly I can't afford to pay good wages. I'd like to pay something though!
Player - "So that explains the smell. Its not just the alcoholism."
Billy - "Hey, this is the smell of hard work I'll have you know. You wouldn't know it if it came up and bit you in the ass...This is what I was trying to tell Frank. Hard work pays off, there are no shortcuts in life..."
Context - The player has engaged in a drinking contest with Billy. If the player wins, Billy tells the player where his friend went. Billy has had several shots of vodka at this point and should be drunk.
Billy - "Oh, fuck me. Well, you can certainly hold your liquour. Well, a promise is a promise...Before he left, Frank said every mercenary needs a secret hideout to stash their gear. I was skeptical about what he was saying... No idea where the kid learns these things. Either way, he said the El Rey Motel was a good place for that kind of thing. I hope he's alright."
Player - "If you want to keep all your teeth, you better tell me."
Billy - "Watch your fucking mouth! We can go right here, right now if you want! I'm not scared of some asshole wastelander!"
Jackie Millsworth is a member of the Followers Of The Apocalypse. The Followers are a humanitarian, anarchistic organisation whose goal is to bring education and medicine to those in need. She is an addiction specialist who focuses on helping those less fortunate kick their addictions and make a better life for themselves. She also helps raiders try and leave the lifestyle when she can. She has helped rehabilitate several Fiends (drugged up raiders who pillage nearby settlements). She has had a past relationship with one of the main characters of the mod Hosea. They met when they were both studying history when they were both young and have been in an on/off romance for years. The player hopes Jackie can direct them in the direction of Hosea but Jackie needs to know if she can trust them.
Jackie is old but I'm not looking for an exaggerated old lady voice either. It's hard to describe but she should neither sound like a young adult or like an old lady stereotype.
Player - “What can you tell me about Freeside?”
Jackie - “I can tell you this is not the place to be if you're a recovering addict. It’s very hard to remain sober in this town... Especially with that slimeball Dixon and his ilk peddling chems on every corner. Not got much else to tell you I'm afraid...I can answer any other questions you might have though.”
Player - “Her parents are likely dead. No big deal. Everyone has to deal with death around here.”
Jackie - “I beg you to show some compassion. She's only young and I couldn't imagine going through the same trauma at her age...I don't think she spoke a word for an entire week the poor girl. Eventually we got her to open up a little after some therapy...She's still not one hundred percent but these things take time unfortunately. I hope she's going to be alright.”
Player - “What do you do here?”
Jackie - “As I told you before, I'm a simple therapist. I typically help people who badly need someone to talk to...I normally help people overcome addiction which is unfortunately a massive task in Freeside...If you've not already, talk to Julie. She's got a few ideas on helping out the community...What else can I help you with?”
This is a bodyguard role. Any voice is welcome. Just try to sound as if you're suspicious of the player.
"I'm watching you. Make one wrong move against the boss and you'll be sorry."
This is a bodyguard role. Any voice is welcome. Just try to sound as if you're suspicious of the player.
"I'm watching you. Make one wrong move against the boss and you'll be sorry."
Jack Hawthorne is a rich and powerful brahmin baron of the NCR who has a lot of influence in the region. He works with farmers in the New Vegas area, selling their produce in his daughter's store in the Freeside Co-op acting as the middleman between produce and customer. His daughter was recently murdered by anti-NCR rebels and is very angry at the people of New Vegas who he deems responsible and/or ambivalent to the act. The player will meet Jack if they killed Hosea and The Vultures, the perpetrators of this crime. Jack is old but he should not sound weak or frail.
Player - "How did you and your men get weapons past the guards?"
Jack - "I made a deal with these White Glove freaks. I own one of the biggest cattle ranches back west. So does Gunderson...I reminded them that centralising your source of meat when your main delicacy is Brahmin Wellington would not be the brightest idea...Who knows, we may be able to make a deal in the future if the terms are right.
Player - "What will happen to the Freeside Co-op now?"
Jack - "It'll be shut down for now while we make the funeral arrangements for Ella. We'll bring her back to the Republic...Her mother deserves to see her daughter one last time. I don't want my little girl to remain in this hellhole one minute longer...As for Vegas, I have a right mind to up my share of the take. Make these bastards pay for the funeral...You offer your hand to help and they'd rather side with Raiders. Coleridge said the locals were unwilling to help in finding Hosea."
Player - "Who is Coleridge?"
Jack - "You wouldn't know him. He's one of those spineless bureaucrats in the senate who couldn't organise an orgy in a fucking brothel...When my caravans were first attacked by those raider fucks, I politely asked Coleridge to solve the problem...When his incompetence got my daughter butchered, I told him the truth of the situation...I mentioned that my donations to his reelection campaign might somehow find their way in the pot of his opponent...And thus, the caps were found for a contractor."
Paula guards the door to Firewater Cave, the headquarters of The Vultures (a gang of freedom fighters fighting against the occupation of New Vegas by the New California Republic). The character should be able to sound intimidating to the player when threatening them (if the player gives her reason to do so).
Player - *Player intrudes in cave*
Paula - "Vultures! Wake up! The merc who killed Frank is here! Hosea wants him dead, kill the bastard!"
Player - "Don't shoot. I'm not a threat. I'm one of the new guys."
Paula - "So you're one of the new recruits Hosea was talking about? Sorry, gotta be careful these days, Fiends are getting bold too...Enough about that though, I'm Paula and I'm the one unlucky enough to have the responsibility of watching the front door...This here is Firewater Cave. This little shithole cave is one of the only places outside of NCR jurisdiction...Try not to steal anyone's bed, I swear if I need to deal with bed bugs again because some lazy prick can't seal their kit properly..."
Player - "I would have at least asked for some caps from Hosea."
Paula - "Not everything should be about the caps. I was getting fed by Hosea with the money he was making from selling medical supplies...Why would I charge him more than that? My life was already several times more stable than it was before...Regardless, I believe in Hosea and he believes in us. Now, I've talked your ear off enough and I should really be getting back to work...Is there anything else I can do for you or will I get back to my post?"
Hosea is a charismatic and cunning leader of a group of revolutionaries called The Vultures. The Vultures want to end the NCR hegemony of the West Coast of the post apocalyptic United States. Hosea hates how the rich and powerful dominate the politics of the NCR where the common people don't get paid their due and aren't rewarded for their hard labour. He wants to tear down the leadership of the NCR and create an alternative where lobbying does not influence the politics of the region. Hosea should sound wise but not frail.
Player - *Listens to audio recording left by Hosea*
Hosea - "If this holotape has found you then you've found what remains of Ella Hawthorne. You might not understand why we've done this...She was the daughter of Jack Hawthorne, one of the largest brahmin barons in the NCR. I'm sure you know the name...This was the republic's attempt to slowly take over the farming industry in Vegas. Fair to say, that attempt now lies in ashes...I know you've been working with Hawthorne but now I'm giving you the chance to do what's right. Come meet me in The Gray, second floor...I'll be waiting."
Player - "The NCR must be full of fools for that to happen."
Hosea - "The NCR does have plenty of idiots within its borders but I wouldn't blame the people. The majority probably don't support the greed of the barons...It starts to make sense when you take but a glimpse at the budgets of each of the candidates...Look at the the biggest contributers to each of the largest candidates running for the presidency the past three elections since Tandi's death...The same names keep popping up. Gunderson, Hawthorne, Weston. The list goes on. Although, yes you're correct; the people voted them in."
Player - "I have to confess that the NCR sent me here."
Hosea - "You? You're the fucking rat? This is what I get for letting my guard down for one damn second...Can't say I'm shocked that they'd try to recruit you but I really thought you were different...You might have us surrounded but remember your NCR friends aren't here yet. We still have the advantage...I'd think really carefully about what you say next."
