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Magnus Atticus Mulder: A Fallout OC Character Bio

Name: Magnus Atticus Mulder

Nickname: Mags / Maggie

Origin and meaning of name: Old Norse “magn-hús” = "power house"

Age: 17 (during the beginning of Fallout 3)

Sex: Male

Blood type: AB

Ethnicity/Race: Hispanic/Caucasian

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Birth date: October 31, 2260

Birth place: Vault 101, Springvale, Virginia, Capital Wasteland

Current residence: Fauna Detail Charlie Bunker (latitude - 22 / longitude - 25)

Occupation: Engineer, scientist, and biologist (ongoing education) with the Enclave.

Title/Rank: Enclave Commanding Officer of Fauna Detail Charlie

Hobbies/Pastimes: Magnus enjoys reading any comics he can find in the wastes. He’s partial to sci-fi stories like “The Adventures of Captain Cosmos” but also has a soft spot for the other heroes in the Hubris Comics universe. He also spends time tinkering with his armor and coming up with improved designs.

Talents/Skills/Powers: Magnus’ parents both came from scientific backgrounds. They helped him understand complex concepts at an early age. He understands the complexities of machines (energy weapons, computers, power armor, and robots) and is actively seeking education in medicine, wasteland biology, and chemistry. After his injury, his understanding of power armor cybernetics will allow him to craft special prostheses for his arm and leg. Originally, they were made to help him regain strength in his damaged limbs, however he discovered they could be used to boost his strength and significantly raise his melee damage and athletic endurance.

Special Items:
Vault-Tec Backpack: It’s standard issue! For a vault that was never supposed to open, there sure are plenty of scouting supplies hidden away if you know where to look. Much like the vaults themselves, Vault-Tec built these backpacks to last.

Proto Vault-Suit: Magnus prefers the feel and fit of the proto vault suits. They’re more breathable and the padding is better suited for travel. Plus, they simply look snazzier than the standard issue suits.

Comic Books: Magnus has always been fascinated by stories of aliens from outer space and super heroes clashing with villains. Reading comics provides a bit of nostalgia to help get through the tough days in the wastes.

Holotapes: Magnus keeps a small collection of holotape games to play in his down time. His favorite being “Grognak & the Ruby Ruins.” He also has tapes containing his mother’s research and field reports.

Past History

Hometown: Vault 101

First Memory: His earliest memory is a vague image of his parents softly laughing and slow dancing in the living room. He thinks it may be the day his dad fixed up an old jukebox.

Most important childhood event that still affects him/her: Even though he still went to public school in the vault, his parents took it upon themselves to expand his scientific knowledge. Having two scientists from different backgrounds and separate schools of learning to educate him gave him an advantage mentally and socially.

Why/How? Having advanced knowledge early on helped him live with confidence in the vault. He knew how to get on people’s good sides (helping with homework, repairing valuable tech, hacking records) and this continued to serve him well with surviving in the wastes and being excepted by the Enclave.

Other memories/events that still affects him/her and why/how: His mother’s sudden death when he was 12. His father’s slow battle with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome. After inheriting his parent’s belongings, Magnus discovers evidence of his parents’ lives outside of the vault prior to his birth. He finds that his mother may not have died but left the vault.

Biggest role model: His father, Atticus Mulder.

Why? As much as he valued the pursuit of knowledge, Atticus always preached humanitarianism above all else. He believed that those who had the ability to help had a responsibility to do so. Atticus had knowledge of medicine as well and did his part helping Dr. James and Jonas Palmer care for the health of the citizens of Vault 101. He also later worked with Stanley Armstrong to keep the whole vault running.

Biggest disillusions from childhood: “We’re born in the vault, we die in the vault.” Magnus discovers that there were members of the community who were accepted into Vault 101. People like his parents and Dr. James and his son. Not only that, his mother didn’t die in the vault. She left… But why?

Backstory

Origins: Our story begins in 2257 when a 24-year-old Atticus Mulder finds himself traveling east toward the Capital Wasteland. He’s the youngest in a team of researchers made up of members of The Followers of the Apocalypse. The Followers back west had heard rumblings of a big humanitarian project aiming to purify the water in the Potomac River. The team was made up of members ready to make a difference, accepting the reality of long travels and unavoidable, potentially fatal, dangers.

They stopped in the town of Megaton to rest and resupply. During their short stay, they met Lewis and Agnes Taylor. Two members of a different survey team claiming to have originated from a nearby vault. Atticus had always been curious of the vaults and spent his time in Megaton comparing notes with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.

After a few days of rest, the Followers research team continued their journey east toward the D.C. ruins. Before they reached the Potomac River, they picked up a distress signal. It was the voice of a young woman, but the message was broken and interrupted by static. “Vertibird downed… mutant-… squads sig-… detail Char-… Potomac Riverbank…”

The research team could see a plume of smoke coming from the northeast and decided to scout out the area. They had been informed by the Megaton residents that super mutants patrolled the eastern end of the river and had been known to abduct unlucky travelers. The team was determined to help prevent another abduction from happening.

When arriving at the crash site, the team was met with a grisly scene. A smoldering wreckage surrounded by dead soldiers and super mutants. Two of the soldiers were clad in wrecked X-01 armor. The team began to search the scene for survivors and Atticus noticed one of the armored soldiers was still slowly moving their hand. He rushed over and asked, “Can you speak?!”

“My leg… it’s shattered”, said the solder through pained and shallow breaths. It was the voice of the woman in the recording.

The team quickly got to work removing the young woman’s power armor and started with the helmet and the injured leg. Atticus, being one of the team’s medics, got to work stabilizing her broken leg and stopping the bleeding. The team decided to split up. Atticus and two other team members would transport the woman back to Megaton and the rest would search for supplies and survivors at the wreck site. They would later regroup in Megaton and start up their journey again.

Atticus decided to stay with the young woman in Megaton until she regained consciousness. Doc Church, Megaton’s local physician, informed Atticus that the young woman probably wouldn’t be able to walk again. He didn’t have the facilities necessary to properly treat an injury this severe. After the young woman regains consciousness, Doc Church explains the situation to her.

Atticus spends the next few days visiting the young woman, who introduces herself as Sofía Valentina. Over the next few days, the two get to know each other. Atticus tells her stories of the things he’s seen and researched on his pilgrimage to the east and Sofía slowly opens up about some of her adventures out in the wastes. She’s very careful not to give out too much information about her origins. Not everyone is accepting of the Enclave and, so far, they’ve managed to keep a low profile in the Capital Wasteland. As days turned to weeks, the two became closer and romantic feelings began to emerge. Atticus would feel a desperate hopelessness not being able to help Sofía heal properly. He would enlist the help of the vault dwellers he had met, Lewis and Agnes Taylor. They were preparing to return to Vault 101 and offered to help them gain entry. After all, two scientists with lots of wasteland experience would be extremely beneficial to the vault.

In early January 2258, Lewis and Agnes Taylor, accompanied by Atticus and Sofía, packed up their belongings and made their way to Vault 101. During their absence, a new overseer had come into power. Alphonse Almodovar had begun his rule and with it came changes to the way the vault would be run. He wasn’t as open as the previous overseer and he would bring about an age of strict isolationism. He welcomed the return of the Taylors, but Atticus and Sofía would have to not only promise to keep silent about the outside world, they also have to prove themselves as useful members of the vault in return for the treatment Sofía would receive. Atticus was assigned to help Jonas Palmer in the clinic and Sofía would spend her first year in recovery and physical therapy.

A year and a half later in 2259, another wasteland wanderer would be accepted into the vault. A doctor known simply as James along with his infant son. James would take over as the vault’s primary physician and Atticus would be reassigned to better utilize his strengths. He was put to work with Stanley Armstrong. Atticus’ knowledge of robotics and engineering served Stanley and the rest of the vault well. He helped to keep major facilities, such as the vault’s water purifier, in working condition. His knowledge in robotics also helped keep Andy, the vault’s resident Mr. Handy, in prime shape.

Atticus and Sofía would continue to grow closer until eventually, they started a family. On October 31st, 2260, they had a son. Magnus was born into the world in the cold Vault-Tec clinic of Vault 101. From that point on, living in the vault wasn’t about paying back a community for Sofía’s recovery. It was about staying in a safe place for their son to grow up. Sofía would bring up an idea from time to time. She would speak of a plan to return to the Enclave and provide a better future for her family. A future where they wouldn’t just survive but thrive.

Vault Life: The Mulder family lived a calm and happy life in vault 101. Atticus and Sofía would take turns working with Stanley so they could raise their son and both give him their time. Sofía would spend her days with Magnus telling him stories about heroes taming powerful beasts and teaching him as many early fundamentals as possible. Atticus would spend his time teaching Magnus about music and other creative endeavors. However, in 2267 life took a turn. When Magnus was only 6 years old, he began attending classes with the rest of the children in the vault. They were all about two years older than Magnus, and although he didn’t struggle much keeping up with the material, it was difficult being the youngest by such a large gap. After about a month of attending school, Magnus came home to horrible news. The Overseer, a few of his guards, and Atticus told Magnus that his mother had died. Magnus was in shock and too young to really comprehend how out of place the situation seemed. Atticus wouldn’t talk too much about it and the other adults in the vault never mentioned it. There was a funeral in the chapel and Magnus was told his mother’s remains were cremated. Atticus would continue to raise his son on his own.

After Sofía’s death, Atticus struggled to work his required hours and have enough time for his son. His coworker Stanley saw this and his daughter Gloria Mack would come to offer her assistance. She had three kids of her own: Stevie, Wally, and Susie. She offered to watch Magnus after school while Atticus was still working. This led to Magnus finding his first friends in Wally and Susie. They would spend their afternoons pretending to be explorers and knights. As the children got older, the social dynamics would change. Butch DeLoria would begin to show aggressive (sometimes violent) tendencies. He’d find a reason to bully most of the kids and Magnus was an easy target being the “baby” of the group. Dr. James’ son got it the worst, however. Magnus hated the way Butch treated everyone but Butch had a point. Being the youngest and smallest, Magnus had no way of helping anyone. The best he could do was keep his head down and try not to stir up trouble.

By 2274, life had improved for Magnus. At the age of 14, he had advanced far enough in his studies to take the G.O.A.T. exam with the rest of his classmates two years ahead of schedule. He knew how to get the results he wanted and was placed on the track to be a “Pip-Boy Programmer”. This would guarantee he’d be able to work with his dad and Stanley and continue expanding his knowledge of technology and machines. Magnus was already using his high level of intelligence to his advantage, turning him into somewhat of a troublemaker. Magnus and Wally would sneak into the diner after-hours. Wally would be the lookout as Magnus would pop open the Eat-O-Tronic and Nuka-Cola machine and swipe a few snacks. This is how the two of them managed to get into Butch DeLoria’s gang. Magnus had proven himself and found a way to become a Tunnel Snake. The threat of being bullied mostly disappeared. He still didn’t like how Butch and the others treated outsiders but being on their good side meant he was safe from ridicule and aggression, which is a lot to ask for in high school. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t have the gumption to stop the gang from bullying others. He would have loved to be friends with the Lone Wanderer and Amata seeing as they’re the only other kids in the vault that still liked comics and were always really nice. He simply couldn’t bring himself to give up the security he had earned. For now, he would focus on educating himself further, enjoying his early teen years, and getting to know Susie Mack better. Magnus developed a crush on her, but Wally always said, “No one gets to date my sister!” Magnus wasn’t the most charming teen, but he was funny and, thanks to his parents, he knew how to treat people properly. Thankfully for him, Susie liked funny guys, and rocking the Tunnel Snake jacket didn’t hurt his chances either.

In 2276, things had taken another rough turn. Atticus had fallen ill. He began showing symptoms and was quickly diagnosed with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome. A rare genetic disease that was causing his immune system to attack the healthy cells in his body. Atticus spent most of the year in the clinic as his health deteriorated. Magnus would come to see his dad every day after school to talk. His dad never stopped smiling and continued to tell Magnus more and more stories about the hero humanitarians known as the Followers of the Apocalypse. Magnus assumed they were just stories, just like the stories his mom used to tell about the heroes who tamed wild beasts. Up until the day he died, Atticus would tell Magnus, “Being strong or smart doesn’t mean anything son. It’s what a person does with their gifts that matters.”

The year 2277 came along, and after his father’s death, Magnus inherited his family’s home. He was only 17, but he was tasked with gathering up his parent’s belongings and planned to downsize to a smaller living quarter. While going through his parent’s old things, he found an old chest in a closet with a lock on it. The lock wasn’t much of a challenge and Magnus was soon searching through a treasure trove of old documents and holotapes. There were field reports that looked like they belonged to a research team detailing a journey starting on the other side of the country. But how could this be? The outside world was uninhabitable. Then he found journals. They were in mom’s handwriting. She was part of a military? Something similar to the military from before the war. Magnus had learned about the old wars in school. Why did this “Enclave” sound so similar? She had also written about a group. Fauna Detail Charlie. The description made them sound like a group of monster wranglers or something. Then he found a photo. It was a soldier in a massive suit of armor. The helmet had eyes like an insect and the torso piece looked like it had tesla coils mounted on the pauldrons. The armored figure looked they were standing in another vault, but this one looked different. There seemed to be different types of tech in the background. There was something else that made his heart sink. His mother’s handwriting was on the photo too. The first line read, “Home Sweet Home”. The second, “lat – 22 / long – 25”. Could it be that the vault was not her only home? Magnus’ mind was reeling. He didn’t know what to believe. He continued to look into more tapes. His father recorded verbal entries after Sofía’s death. Recordings of sorrow, but not because Sofía had died. The recordings said that she left…she left? Why did she leave? Atticus’ tapes don’t give too many details. He gave vague hints about Sofía’s plan to continue her “missions” and establish a place “where our family can shine, a place where our son can thrive.” Magnus’ mind continued to rush from one thought to another. “Did mom know that dad was sick? She couldn’t have known. Dad didn’t even know…right? There’s no telling what they knew. How did she leave? Did the overseer let her?” Magnus stayed up all night scouring note after note trying to make sense of it all. He skipped class the next day and tried to piece together more pieces of the puzzle into the weekend only stopping occasionally to sleep for a few hours and picking right back up where he left off. Sunday night, he compiled the most important bits of evidence into a backpack. He decided to get some rest and he would ask Stanley about everything in the morning. He dozed off late in the night and slept for what felt like an eternity. He was awoken the next day by a horrible sound. It was the vault’s alarm system. Magnus’ last day in the vault had begun.

Escaping the Vault: Magnus had been wracking his brain over what to do about all the new information he had uncovered. His mother could still be out there. She could be living a life all on her own. She could be waiting for her husband and son who were supposed to join her. He had to find out for sure. If she was able to find her way out of the vault then so would he. As the fire alarms blared over the intercom and the chaos outside his door grew louder, he made his decision. It was time to leave. He grabbed a few essentials. Water, rations, a spare vault suit, a few fusion cells, and an old laser pistol that his dad used to keep in his desk drawer. Then he turned his attention to the old chest of secrets. It seemed almost as if his parents were leaving him two final gifts. First, an old lab coat. The fabric felt dense and heavier than he expected. The shoulders looked as if they used to have patches that were removed long ago. The second item was a worn military pouch with a name written on the top. “S. Valentina.” On the inside there was a dusty stealth boy. Magnus flipped the primer switch and a red light flickered on. “Looks like it still works,” Magnus thought, “but it probably won’t last very long.” He locked the chest back up and took the most important files and photos with him.

Magnus ran down the hallways being careful not to run into any security. Officer Gomez might be understanding, but the rest of them would probably shoot first and ask questions later. While running past the classroom, Magnus noticed a few of his classmates holed up inside. Luckily, Wally and Suzie were among them and he was able to get a better grasp on the situation. Dr. James had left the vault and his son had gone after him. Jonas Palmer was dead and Wally’s older brother was the one who shot him. Amata was being questioned and held by the other officers and gunshots had been heard coming from the lower atrium. Magnus new it was now or never. He had to get out. Things were only going to get worse here in the vault. He said his goodbyes to Wally and Susie and bolted out the door.

There were multiple ways to get to the vault door and it seemed like all the guards were in pursuit of Dr. James’ son. Magnus knew his way around the mechanical locks of the vault doors and terminal passwords were of no inconvenience to him. Finally, there it was. The giant vault door that was supposed to have been sealed forever was wide open. Dr. James’ son was standing at the control panel and Amata was saying her final goodbyes.

Magnus took one last look at the two of them. “Good luck you guys,” he whispered to himself as he turned the knob on his stealth-boy and snuck out the door.

The Capital Wasteland and the Deathclaw Den: (Magnus’ adventure after leaving the vault is something I want to expand on in the future. For now, I’ll give a summary.)

Magnus’ misplaced confidence assured him that escaping the vault successfully meant he’d accomplish his mission easily, and as fate would have it, the wasteland was very forgiving for his first few days. His first mission was to head to the location marked on the photo he found. Approaching these coordinates would bring him to his first major failure. The coordinates lead him too close to a deathclaw den. AKA the deathclaw sanctuary. A surprise attack from a young deathclaw leads to his major injuries. He was able to injure the deathclaw enough to get away. He knew he couldn’t risk staying in the area and he didn’t have enough supplies to heal the damage done to his eye, arm, and leg. He would make his way back to the town he saw from a distance when he first exited the vault.

Megaton: Magnus drags himself to Megaton and is greeted at the door by the town sheriff who immediately takes him to Doc Church to help get stabilized. After about three days of rest and a heavy round of stimpack and med-x doses, Magnus wakes up to find himself scarred, partially blind, and unable to use his full strength in his right arm and left leg. On top of that, he was indebted to the town doctor. He would have to pay off his debt by lending his talents to the town. He’d spend the next week limping through town fixing water pipes and purifiers, repairing old terminals and radios, and helping Moira Brown with some of the more technical chapters of her “Wasteland Survival Guide”.

He’d befriend Moira and she’d tell him about a young woman who had left the vault back around 2267, came to town, and asked Moira to reinforce her vault suit, but she never returned to pick it up. That was around the same time of Sofía’s alleged death. That had to be her. After inquiring about the vault suit, Magnus would learn that another young vault dweller had come to town a few days before and traded for it. “Probably Dr. James or his son… damn,” Magnus thought to himself.

Magnus would continue to help Moira with a few of her projects and in return she’d help him with engineering prostheses by modifying an old power armor frame. Power armor frames allow the user to move in heavy suits of armor and lift heavy weapons with ease. By modifying the arm and leg pieces into a more lightweight and slender form, Magnus is able to regain his former strength and even surpass his usual melee force. After getting used to the prostheses, crafting a shishkebab based on some of Moira’s schematics, and trading in his laser pistol for a laser rifle, Magnus will set off again to resume his mission.

The Valentina Family Bunker: Magnus makes his way back to the coordinates on the photo. This time he is careful not to get caught off guard near the den and picks off two small deathclaws from far away. He finds a cave just a bit to the north of the den. The mouth of the cave opens to a tunnel with a mechanical door at the end of it and a terminal on the wall to the right. The security on the terminal was tighter than anything he’d seen thus far, but with some time, he managed to crack the password. “familia-valentina”. The door opens and Magnus finds a dark entryway. He finds a fuse box and flips the main power switch. The bunker lights up and the familiar blue glow of the terminals in the photo fills the room. The X-01 Power Armor is sitting in a PA station and a small living space with a radio is nestled into the corner.

Magnus will spend a day or two here combing through the terminals and boxes learning all he can about this mysterious bunker. He’ll learn that his mother was part of an organization called the “Enclave” and she was a member of an Enclave division known as “Fauna Detail Charlie”. They were tasked with studying, taming, and collecting the monsters from the nearby den. They were developing a piece of tech that would make the creature docile and follow commands. He would find pictures of his young mother in a lab coat working on different experiments. Other terminal entries would show pictures of her in power armor posing next to a seemingly calm deathclaw. There was even one showing her scratching a deathclaw’s cheek as the beast rested its head on her armored shoulder. “Wow”, Magnus chuckles to himself, “Mom was taming monsters.”

About a week after arriving at the bunker, Magnus wakes up to a loud, unfamiliar mechanical noise outside. One of the terminals shows the feed coming from an outdoor camera. Magnus sees a flying vehicle that looks like a bug with rotors landing outside the bunker. A lone armored figure steps out of the vehicle and walks toward the door. The door opens almost immediately and Magnus is quickly faced with a towering armored figure pointing a glowing weapon at him.

A gruff voice comes from the armored man and addresses Magnus, “Who are you?! State your business here!” Magnus quickly responds with his name and tells the man about the photo with the coordinates and shows it to him. “Where did you get this?” asked the stranger in a softer tone.

“That’s my mother,” Magnus replies, “and I’m pretty sure this was her bunker.”

The stranger slowly lowers his weapon and says, “Sofía has a son…?” He removes his helmet to reveal a vaguely familiar face. “My little sister has a son?”

The man introduces himself to Magnus as Vargas Valentina. He is wary at first but Magnus shows him a few photos of his family in the vault. Vargas then explains that he received an alert from the bunker that someone had turned the power back on. He thought maybe it could have been Sofía who was still missing after her vertibird was blown out of the sky. He then offers Magnus to come back to Raven Rock with him. He explains that the Enclave doesn’t often take in members but Magnus’ lineage means he is technically Enclave already. He also mentions that Magnus’ resourcefulness and knowledge is sure to impress some of the leaders. Magnus is eager to find out more about the group that his mother originated from and agrees to go with Vargas. “I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble being accepted in by Colonel Autumn,” Vargas explained. “Even if he’s apprehensive to let you in, I’m sure your grandmother will be able to change his mind when she learns about you.”

“I have a living grandmother?”, Magnus asks in shock.

“That’s right. She’s one of our head scientists, too. I can already guess that you two are going to get along pretty well.” Vargas helps Magnus climb aboard the Vertibird and the engines begin to cycle. They rise into the air and begin to head north. Magnus can barely contain his excitement as he heads toward his new home.

Life with the Enclave: (Magnus’ life in the Enclave will be an even shorter summary. This is another chapter that I’d like to expand with more art in the future.)

Magnus will be accepted reluctantly into the Enclave by Colonel Augustus Autumn and he will be instructed to report to “Lead Scientist Maria Vargas”, Magnus’ maternal grandmother who is overjoyed and emotional upon their first meeting. She tells Magnus more about his mother and the work that she did for the Enclave. She gives him a tour of the biolab and shows him some of his mother’s unfinished experiments and research studies including a glowing blue deathclaw egg floating perfectly preserved in a biopod.

Magnus will begin his life here with the Enclave and make himself useful by undergoing combat training and going on recon missions under his uncle Vargas’ watchful eye. After proving himself to be a quick learner in combat, Magnus will be allowed to help his grandmother with field research and together they will reinstate Fauna Detail Charlie. Magnus will study wasteland biology under his grandmother and help her to continue Sofía’s unfinished work which includes bringing the blue glowing deathclaw egg out of stasis and incubating it.

In their spare time, Magnus and Vargas would follow up on any leads regarding Sofía’s whereabouts. During these missions, Magnus will come into contact with the kids living in Lamplight Caverns and trade some medical knowledge and hydroponics equipment for the Wazer Wifle.

While out on a night recon mission, Magnus and Vargas will witness a Zetan spacecraft enter the atmosphere and explode before making impact. The two of them will claim the Zetan wreckage and bring as much tech as they can find back to the Enclave. Magnus finds and keeps the Firelance as well as a few different pieces of working tech for himself. Magnus will develop a fascination with his knew knowledge of the existence of Zetans and will become low key obsessed over them and reverse engineering their technology.

After eventually proving himself capable, the Enclave will grant him access to continue his research from the Valentina Family Bunker and allows him to stage his own missions and research as long as he regularly checks in with Raven Rock. Ownership of his mother’s Tesla X-01 is transferred to him as well and he is authorized to modify it as he pleases. He feels powerful and confident when wearing power armor and he almost feels as if he’s in his natural state.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 6’ 1”

Weight: 165 lbs. (without prostheses) / 200 lbs. total

Posture: Unbalanced after becoming injured. With his prostheses he feels more relaxed and comfortable. In power armor he stands straight and rigid with confidence.

Build: Skinny when leaving the vault. Begins to build toned muscle when training with the Enclave but remains slender. He does physical therapy on his injured arm and leg every night to keep them toned as well.

Skin: Light skinned Hispanic tone.

Hair: Jet black. In the vault he enjoyed having classic greaser haircuts like the wavy classic quiff and comb over pompadours. Out in the wasteland it is difficult to manage the same hairstyles. Pomade isn’t too common out in the wastes or with the Enclave.

Widow's peak? Yes.

Ears: Slightly above average.

Eyes: Light brown, hooded and tired.

Nose: Long and narrow.

Mouth: Somewhat small and with upturned corners.

Expressions: Usually has a focused look when working or on missions. When in conversation he makes a point to smile or smirk. When talking to people he wants to impress he tends to show bring his unscarred side forward. When he’s comfortable with someone, he lets his guard down.

Describe their smile: He tries to replicate “the smolder” that he’d see Butch and the other Tunnel Snakes do, but his looks friendlier. After the damage is done to his face and eye, he will secretly practice smiling wide while turning his unscarred side forward to bring attention away from the scars.

Tattoos/Scars? Multiple scars along the left side of his face starting from his forehead down to his chin. Two small scars on the bridge of his nose. His right arm and left leg are both covered in deep scars from the deathclaw attack.

Glasses/Contacts? No. Depends on his pip-boy to make up for his partial blindness.

Left/Right handed? Left

Hygiene: His upbringing in the vault got him used to taking long hot showers. The family bunker and Raven Rock both have similar systems. Showering is usually the first thing he does after a recon mission. Sometimes he prioritizes showers before reporting in. He keeps his hair clean and styled as best he can. Even his prostheses and power armor are kept polished and rust free.

Distinguishing features: His extremely well cared for head of hair and facial hair. As well as his scarred face and attention-grabbing prostheses. (He’s slightly embarrassed when he is recognized by his prostheses and scars.)

Who does s/he take after; mother or father? Both. Mentally and scientifically he takes after his mother. Emotionally and socially he takes after his father.

Style (Elegant, shabby, etc): Greaser / Vault Boy / Scientist

How does s/he dress or what do they typically wear? He dresses comfortably in his proto vault suit or just a t-shirt and jeans in his off time. When researching he likes to wear his dad’s lab coat. When out in the field he wears his Enclave uniform or his vault suit and lab coat.

Other outfits one might find in their wardrobe: A spare vault suit, comfortable t-shirts with Hubris Comics characters on them, and a pair of well cared for red canvas shoes.

Jewelry: None. (They might get caught in the prostheses…)

Weapons: Energy weapons, Wazer Wifle, Shiskebab, and the Firelance.

Characteristics

Are they generally balanced or clumsy? He’s unbalanced and tends to limp without his augmentations. With his protheses he is very balanced.

Mannerisms/Poses/Movement: Magnus tries to keep his injured limbs strong but will move around slower and more carefully without them. When properly equipped, he’s agile, moves swiftly, and is faster than he ever was before his injury. He’s able to put more force into his melee attack when enemies get too close. While in power armor, his movements get slower but are more precise and accurate.

Describe their walk (unequipped/equipped/PA): Careful with a slight limp. / Swift and surprisingly quiet / slow and confident.

Describe their fighting style (unequipped/equipped/PA): He tries not to get into fights in this state. He’ll takes cover and relies on VATS to do most of the work. / While equipped, he attacks in short, precise bursts of fire. If the enemy gets in close, he’ll ignite his sword and make powerful swipes and stabs. / In his Tesla X-01, his energy weapons are overclocked and he’ll stand his ground and fire away with precision.

Habits/OCDs/Obsessions: Growing up in the vault and having access to a wide variety of pre-war goods ended up getting him addicted to Nuka-Cola. Specifically the Quantum variety. He also has a slight obsession with learning about Zetans.

Speech Patterns: Magnus tends to speak like a greaser from spending so much time with the Tunnel Snakes. He tries to cover it up when speaking to other Enclave members. His time with the Snakes also instilled the habit of telling bad jokes and “firing finger guns”. He likes to joke around and has a bad habit of speaking sarcastically to gullible people. He can get over excited when succeeding with a new project or experiment and he has moments where he starts over explaining things really fast. When researching, he can sometimes be heard muttering really quickly to himself under his breath.

Unique phrases/words: “My hobbies include reading comics and drinking soda.”
“Ay watch it, you mess up my hair, I’ll mess up your face.” (In surprise combat)
“Who do you think would win in a fight between Captain Cosmos and Grognak?”
“We’re gonna throw some science at the wall. See what sticks.”
“Ay, if you see any of those little bobble head guys lemme know. I love those little guys. Adorable.”
“Ay! Courtesy of Vault 101!” (after dispatching multiple enemies.)
“Tunnel Snakes Rule!”

Do they curse, and if so, to what extent?: Magnus tried not to curse. His mother never liked the way “the idiot DeLoria boy” cursed all the time so he got used to keeping his language clean. However, if an enemy catches him by surprise or if something goes wrong in an experiment (ei. Electrical overloads, strong chemical reactions, deathclaws breaking out of containment), he will begin repeating the same curse word very quickly in a panic. “nonononono damitdamitdamitdamit!”, “nononono shitshitshitshit!” If this ever happens in front of his grandmother, she’ll lightly slap him on the back of the head after the danger has passed.

Voice: I imagine Magnus having the voice of young Michael J. Fox. Specifically the way he sounds in Back to the Future and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. “What the hell is a gigawatt?!”, “Let's re-cap. I lead a band of plundering vandals to the greatest archaeological find in recorded history, thus enabling the kidnap and/or murder of the royal family, not to mention personally delivering the most powerful force known to man into the hands of a mercenary nutcase who's probably gonna sell it to the Kaiser! Have I left anything out?!”

Describe their laugh: His usual laugh is soft and genuine. Closer to a soft chuckle. His eyes will close and he won’t be able to hold back a smile. If he’s really happy or finds something especially hilarious, he will laugh loudly with his left hand over his ribs. (They can feel sore when he laughs too loud due to his injury.)

Describe their sleep patterns (light/heavy sleeper, no sleep, sleeps too often, etc): Magnus lives in relative safety with the Enclave. He sleeps soundly in Raven Rock or in the family bunker. It reminds him of the safety in the vault. Sometimes he’ll allow a project to keep him awake for multiple days.

When he’s on a mission out in the field, he doesn’t sleep soundly at all, waking up every hour or two.

Psychological/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Intelligence Level: Very high. His education in the vault came from the combined efforts of a Followers of the Apocalypse engineer/medic and an Enclave biologist/scientist.

Known Languages: English/Spanish

Character's long-term goals/desires in life: Magnus wants to help the Enclave in their mission to rebuild America. His father always told him that those who had the ability to help had a responsibility to do so, and with the Enclave, Magnus feels like he can do just that. He also wants to get to know his remaining family members, continue searching for his mother, and eventually begin the search for his father’s origin.

Character's short-term goals/desires in life: To raise through the Enclave ranks to improve his mobility and gain access to greater resources in order to fulfill his long-term goals.

Secret desires: Magnus dreams about breaking back into vault 101 to reunite with Wally and Susie Mack.

How self-confident is the character? Magnus’ confidence took a hit after his injury. Limping in front of others and showing his scarred body are difficult for him. However, when he is equipped with his prostheses or power armor, his confidence returns to him in both social and combat situations, tackling both head on.

How do they see him/herself? Magnus is self-conscious about his appearance but confident in his intelligence. He sees himself as the friendly greaser who has replaced his motorcycle with a super advanced suit of armor.

How do they believe s/he is perceived by others? His anxiety makes him think he’s seen as a scarred Enclave soldier. However, when people ask him for help or he manages to save someone, he feels that people see him as a Captain Cosmos or Fonzie type character. He definitely prefers the latter two.

What is the character most proud of? He's proud of his parents and how they both lived their lives trying to better the world in the ways they each thought was right.

What does the character like least about themselves? His scarred appearance and his dependence on VATS, prostheses, and Power Armor.

Is this character generally dominant or submissive? Magnus tends to be submissive when it comes to dealing with powerful groups. He wouldn’t speak out against the Tunnel Snakes or Enclave when he didn’t agree with them. However, his dominant personality comes out when he’s fighting an enemy or when he knows he’s the smartest person in the room.

Patience level: Magnus is patient with others and is willing to take the time to explain things thoroughly or help somebody in need. He doesn’t have too much patience with himself, however, and will push himself to exhaustion trying to solve a problem or complete a task.

Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof? He’s mostly ruled by logic. He’s a scientist after all. However, there are times when his judgement is clouded by strong feelings.

Most at ease when: he is in the family bunker and listening to music. Especially if a friend or trusted companion joins him.

Ill at ease when: he is out in the field and the Brotherhood of Steel is nearby in large numbers. If the BOS sees someone in Enclave uniform, they open fire on sight.

Describe their sense of humor: Magnus enjoys being sarcastic around stuffy, serious people. He’ll make short goofy remarks with acquaintances. When he is with his close friends or family, he likes to make voices and impressions.

Character/Personality/Mental/Social Strengths: Magnus knows he can use his resources and intelligence to help people. He knows how to provide practical help such as repairs to water purifiers and fixing power generators. He also has the knowledge and means to defend people from danger when necessary.

Character/Personality/Mental/Social Flaws: Has a hard time standing up for what’s right against powerful groups.

If they could be described with one of the seven virtues, which would it be? Diligence

If they could be described with one of the seven sins, which would it be? Pride

Biggest Vulnerability (non-physical): His dependence on the Enclave.

Optimist or Pessimist: Optimist

Introvert or extrovert: Extrovert

Greatest Fear: Dying alone in the wastes.

Musical talents/instruments: Magnus enjoys singing along to the radio in private. He practiced the bass guitar back in the vault but hasn’t found another one in the wastelands.

Biggest regret: Regrets accepting the lies told to him in the vault and regrets being arrogant enough to think he could walk through the wasteland unharmed.

Biggest accomplishment (so far): Reinstating and becoming lead officer of Fauna Detail Charlie and continuing his mother’s work.

Minor accomplishments: Aiding the Enclave by advancing their Power Armor designs and providing research to further develop their deathclaw domestication units.

Character's darkest/deepest secret: When Magnus was living in the vault, he didn’t have the gumption to keep Butch from bullying others. He hated it, but he didn’t stop it. He couldn’t risk his safe position as one of the Tunnel Snakes and his decision to not stand up for Amata or the Lone Wanderer has always haunted him. He finds himself in a similar situation with the Enclave. He doesn’t agree with all of their methods but being part of a strong group gives him the power to continue pursuing his goals. He feels the same type of shame when he doesn’t stand up to the Enclave’s immoral decisions.

Minor Secrets: Magnus was preparing to confess to Susie before his dad fell suddenly ill. Life got crazy and he never got the chance. He still mentally rehearses his confession for the day he sees her again.

Favorites

Color: Blue

Place: Vault 101 Diner/The Valentina Family Bunker

Food/drinks: Magnus loves all flavors of Nuka-Cola. Quantum is his absolute favorite and Nuka Wild is a close second. A brahmin burger with a cold Nuka-Cola on the side is his favorite meal.

Music genre: Malt Shop Oldies (Rock & Roll, Doowop, Rockabilly)

Songs and Singers/Bands: Dion and the Belmonts, Elvis Presley, and The Lonesome Drifters.

Animal: Dogs. He’s keeping a lookout for a canine companion.

Clothing: Vault Suits. They’ve always felt comfortable.

Where does this character like to hang out? Raven Rock (diner and biolab)

Where is this character's dream place to live? He’s heard rumors of a place up north in the Commonwealth with super advanced technology called the Institute. He thinks he would enjoy living in a place like that.

Mode of transportation: Vertibird. The only way to travel.

Most prized possession: His father’s lab coat.

Why? It reminds him to try and be like his father. To try and be the best person he can be and to help whenever he is needed.

(I had to leave a section of this bio in the comments section. Unfortunately I hit the word limit and I wasn't willing to cut any of it out.)

Conclusion

If you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you for taking an interest in my character. He’s been floating around in my head for years and I thought I should put him out there. I’m excited to expand his story more through art and short stories and take him through the events of Broken Steel, New Vegas, and Fallout 4 later in the future. Thank you again for reading all of this, and take care of yourselves out in the wasteland. “Don’t feed the Yao Guai; that is all.”

Description

Magnus Atticus Mulder: A Fallout OC Character Bio

Name: Magnus Atticus Mulder

Nickname: Mags / Maggie

Origin and meaning of name: Old Norse “magn-hús” = "power house"

Age: 17 (during the beginning of Fallout 3)

Sex: Male

Blood type: AB

Ethnicity/Race: Hispanic/Caucasian

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Birth date: October 31, 2260

Birth place: Vault 101, Springvale, Virginia, Capital Wasteland

Current residence: Fauna Detail Charlie Bunker (latitude - 22 / longitude - 25)

Occupation: Engineer, scientist, and biologist (ongoing education) with the Enclave.

Title/Rank: Enclave Commanding Officer of Fauna Detail Charlie

Hobbies/Pastimes: Magnus enjoys reading any comics he can find in the wastes. He’s partial to sci-fi stories like “The Adventures of Captain Cosmos” but also has a soft spot for the other heroes in the Hubris Comics universe. He also spends time tinkering with his armor and coming up with improved designs.

Talents/Skills/Powers: Magnus’ parents both came from scientific backgrounds. They helped him understand complex concepts at an early age. He understands the complexities of machines (energy weapons, computers, power armor, and robots) and is actively seeking education in medicine, wasteland biology, and chemistry. After his injury, his understanding of power armor cybernetics will allow him to craft special prostheses for his arm and leg. Originally, they were made to help him regain strength in his damaged limbs, however he discovered they could be used to boost his strength and significantly raise his melee damage and athletic endurance.

Special Items:
Vault-Tec Backpack: It’s standard issue! For a vault that was never supposed to open, there sure are plenty of scouting supplies hidden away if you know where to look. Much like the vaults themselves, Vault-Tec built these backpacks to last.

Proto Vault-Suit: Magnus prefers the feel and fit of the proto vault suits. They’re more breathable and the padding is better suited for travel. Plus, they simply look snazzier than the standard issue suits.

Comic Books: Magnus has always been fascinated by stories of aliens from outer space and super heroes clashing with villains. Reading comics provides a bit of nostalgia to help get through the tough days in the wastes.

Holotapes: Magnus keeps a small collection of holotape games to play in his down time. His favorite being “Grognak & the Ruby Ruins.” He also has tapes containing his mother’s research and field reports.

Past History

Hometown: Vault 101

First Memory: His earliest memory is a vague image of his parents softly laughing and slow dancing in the living room. He thinks it may be the day his dad fixed up an old jukebox.

Most important childhood event that still affects him/her: Even though he still went to public school in the vault, his parents took it upon themselves to expand his scientific knowledge. Having two scientists from different backgrounds and separate schools of learning to educate him gave him an advantage mentally and socially.

Why/How? Having advanced knowledge early on helped him live with confidence in the vault. He knew how to get on people’s good sides (helping with homework, repairing valuable tech, hacking records) and this continued to serve him well with surviving in the wastes and being excepted by the Enclave.

Other memories/events that still affects him/her and why/how: His mother’s sudden death when he was 12. His father’s slow battle with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome. After inheriting his parent’s belongings, Magnus discovers evidence of his parents’ lives outside of the vault prior to his birth. He finds that his mother may not have died but left the vault.

Biggest role model: His father, Atticus Mulder.

Why? As much as he valued the pursuit of knowledge, Atticus always preached humanitarianism above all else. He believed that those who had the ability to help had a responsibility to do so. Atticus had knowledge of medicine as well and did his part helping Dr. James and Jonas Palmer care for the health of the citizens of Vault 101. He also later worked with Stanley Armstrong to keep the whole vault running.

Biggest disillusions from childhood: “We’re born in the vault, we die in the vault.” Magnus discovers that there were members of the community who were accepted into Vault 101. People like his parents and Dr. James and his son. Not only that, his mother didn’t die in the vault. She left… But why?

Backstory

Origins: Our story begins in 2257 when a 24-year-old Atticus Mulder finds himself traveling east toward the Capital Wasteland. He’s the youngest in a team of researchers made up of members of The Followers of the Apocalypse. The Followers back west had heard rumblings of a big humanitarian project aiming to purify the water in the Potomac River. The team was made up of members ready to make a difference, accepting the reality of long travels and unavoidable, potentially fatal, dangers.

They stopped in the town of Megaton to rest and resupply. During their short stay, they met Lewis and Agnes Taylor. Two members of a different survey team claiming to have originated from a nearby vault. Atticus had always been curious of the vaults and spent his time in Megaton comparing notes with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.

After a few days of rest, the Followers research team continued their journey east toward the D.C. ruins. Before they reached the Potomac River, they picked up a distress signal. It was the voice of a young woman, but the message was broken and interrupted by static. “Vertibird downed… mutant-… squads sig-… detail Char-… Potomac Riverbank…”

The research team could see a plume of smoke coming from the northeast and decided to scout out the area. They had been informed by the Megaton residents that super mutants patrolled the eastern end of the river and had been known to abduct unlucky travelers. The team was determined to help prevent another abduction from happening.

When arriving at the crash site, the team was met with a grisly scene. A smoldering wreckage surrounded by dead soldiers and super mutants. Two of the soldiers were clad in wrecked X-01 armor. The team began to search the scene for survivors and Atticus noticed one of the armored soldiers was still slowly moving their hand. He rushed over and asked, “Can you speak?!”

“My leg… it’s shattered”, said the solder through pained and shallow breaths. It was the voice of the woman in the recording.

The team quickly got to work removing the young woman’s power armor and started with the helmet and the injured leg. Atticus, being one of the team’s medics, got to work stabilizing her broken leg and stopping the bleeding. The team decided to split up. Atticus and two other team members would transport the woman back to Megaton and the rest would search for supplies and survivors at the wreck site. They would later regroup in Megaton and start up their journey again.

Atticus decided to stay with the young woman in Megaton until she regained consciousness. Doc Church, Megaton’s local physician, informed Atticus that the young woman probably wouldn’t be able to walk again. He didn’t have the facilities necessary to properly treat an injury this severe. After the young woman regains consciousness, Doc Church explains the situation to her.

Atticus spends the next few days visiting the young woman, who introduces herself as Sofía Valentina. Over the next few days, the two get to know each other. Atticus tells her stories of the things he’s seen and researched on his pilgrimage to the east and Sofía slowly opens up about some of her adventures out in the wastes. She’s very careful not to give out too much information about her origins. Not everyone is accepting of the Enclave and, so far, they’ve managed to keep a low profile in the Capital Wasteland. As days turned to weeks, the two became closer and romantic feelings began to emerge. Atticus would feel a desperate hopelessness not being able to help Sofía heal properly. He would enlist the help of the vault dwellers he had met, Lewis and Agnes Taylor. They were preparing to return to Vault 101 and offered to help them gain entry. After all, two scientists with lots of wasteland experience would be extremely beneficial to the vault.

In early January 2258, Lewis and Agnes Taylor, accompanied by Atticus and Sofía, packed up their belongings and made their way to Vault 101. During their absence, a new overseer had come into power. Alphonse Almodovar had begun his rule and with it came changes to the way the vault would be run. He wasn’t as open as the previous overseer and he would bring about an age of strict isolationism. He welcomed the return of the Taylors, but Atticus and Sofía would have to not only promise to keep silent about the outside world, they also have to prove themselves as useful members of the vault in return for the treatment Sofía would receive. Atticus was assigned to help Jonas Palmer in the clinic and Sofía would spend her first year in recovery and physical therapy.

A year and a half later in 2259, another wasteland wanderer would be accepted into the vault. A doctor known simply as James along with his infant son. James would take over as the vault’s primary physician and Atticus would be reassigned to better utilize his strengths. He was put to work with Stanley Armstrong. Atticus’ knowledge of robotics and engineering served Stanley and the rest of the vault well. He helped to keep major facilities, such as the vault’s water purifier, in working condition. His knowledge in robotics also helped keep Andy, the vault’s resident Mr. Handy, in prime shape.

Atticus and Sofía would continue to grow closer until eventually, they started a family. On October 31st, 2260, they had a son. Magnus was born into the world in the cold Vault-Tec clinic of Vault 101. From that point on, living in the vault wasn’t about paying back a community for Sofía’s recovery. It was about staying in a safe place for their son to grow up. Sofía would bring up an idea from time to time. She would speak of a plan to return to the Enclave and provide a better future for her family. A future where they wouldn’t just survive but thrive.

Vault Life: The Mulder family lived a calm and happy life in vault 101. Atticus and Sofía would take turns working with Stanley so they could raise their son and both give him their time. Sofía would spend her days with Magnus telling him stories about heroes taming powerful beasts and teaching him as many early fundamentals as possible. Atticus would spend his time teaching Magnus about music and other creative endeavors. However, in 2267 life took a turn. When Magnus was only 6 years old, he began attending classes with the rest of the children in the vault. They were all about two years older than Magnus, and although he didn’t struggle much keeping up with the material, it was difficult being the youngest by such a large gap. After about a month of attending school, Magnus came home to horrible news. The Overseer, a few of his guards, and Atticus told Magnus that his mother had died. Magnus was in shock and too young to really comprehend how out of place the situation seemed. Atticus wouldn’t talk too much about it and the other adults in the vault never mentioned it. There was a funeral in the chapel and Magnus was told his mother’s remains were cremated. Atticus would continue to raise his son on his own.

After Sofía’s death, Atticus struggled to work his required hours and have enough time for his son. His coworker Stanley saw this and his daughter Gloria Mack would come to offer her assistance. She had three kids of her own: Stevie, Wally, and Susie. She offered to watch Magnus after school while Atticus was still working. This led to Magnus finding his first friends in Wally and Susie. They would spend their afternoons pretending to be explorers and knights. As the children got older, the social dynamics would change. Butch DeLoria would begin to show aggressive (sometimes violent) tendencies. He’d find a reason to bully most of the kids and Magnus was an easy target being the “baby” of the group. Dr. James’ son got it the worst, however. Magnus hated the way Butch treated everyone but Butch had a point. Being the youngest and smallest, Magnus had no way of helping anyone. The best he could do was keep his head down and try not to stir up trouble.

By 2274, life had improved for Magnus. At the age of 14, he had advanced far enough in his studies to take the G.O.A.T. exam with the rest of his classmates two years ahead of schedule. He knew how to get the results he wanted and was placed on the track to be a “Pip-Boy Programmer”. This would guarantee he’d be able to work with his dad and Stanley and continue expanding his knowledge of technology and machines. Magnus was already using his high level of intelligence to his advantage, turning him into somewhat of a troublemaker. Magnus and Wally would sneak into the diner after-hours. Wally would be the lookout as Magnus would pop open the Eat-O-Tronic and Nuka-Cola machine and swipe a few snacks. This is how the two of them managed to get into Butch DeLoria’s gang. Magnus had proven himself and found a way to become a Tunnel Snake. The threat of being bullied mostly disappeared. He still didn’t like how Butch and the others treated outsiders but being on their good side meant he was safe from ridicule and aggression, which is a lot to ask for in high school. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t have the gumption to stop the gang from bullying others. He would have loved to be friends with the Lone Wanderer and Amata seeing as they’re the only other kids in the vault that still liked comics and were always really nice. He simply couldn’t bring himself to give up the security he had earned. For now, he would focus on educating himself further, enjoying his early teen years, and getting to know Susie Mack better. Magnus developed a crush on her, but Wally always said, “No one gets to date my sister!” Magnus wasn’t the most charming teen, but he was funny and, thanks to his parents, he knew how to treat people properly. Thankfully for him, Susie liked funny guys, and rocking the Tunnel Snake jacket didn’t hurt his chances either.

In 2276, things had taken another rough turn. Atticus had fallen ill. He began showing symptoms and was quickly diagnosed with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome. A rare genetic disease that was causing his immune system to attack the healthy cells in his body. Atticus spent most of the year in the clinic as his health deteriorated. Magnus would come to see his dad every day after school to talk. His dad never stopped smiling and continued to tell Magnus more and more stories about the hero humanitarians known as the Followers of the Apocalypse. Magnus assumed they were just stories, just like the stories his mom used to tell about the heroes who tamed wild beasts. Up until the day he died, Atticus would tell Magnus, “Being strong or smart doesn’t mean anything son. It’s what a person does with their gifts that matters.”

The year 2277 came along, and after his father’s death, Magnus inherited his family’s home. He was only 17, but he was tasked with gathering up his parent’s belongings and planned to downsize to a smaller living quarter. While going through his parent’s old things, he found an old chest in a closet with a lock on it. The lock wasn’t much of a challenge and Magnus was soon searching through a treasure trove of old documents and holotapes. There were field reports that looked like they belonged to a research team detailing a journey starting on the other side of the country. But how could this be? The outside world was uninhabitable. Then he found journals. They were in mom’s handwriting. She was part of a military? Something similar to the military from before the war. Magnus had learned about the old wars in school. Why did this “Enclave” sound so similar? She had also written about a group. Fauna Detail Charlie. The description made them sound like a group of monster wranglers or something. Then he found a photo. It was a soldier in a massive suit of armor. The helmet had eyes like an insect and the torso piece looked like it had tesla coils mounted on the pauldrons. The armored figure looked they were standing in another vault, but this one looked different. There seemed to be different types of tech in the background. There was something else that made his heart sink. His mother’s handwriting was on the photo too. The first line read, “Home Sweet Home”. The second, “lat – 22 / long – 25”. Could it be that the vault was not her only home? Magnus’ mind was reeling. He didn’t know what to believe. He continued to look into more tapes. His father recorded verbal entries after Sofía’s death. Recordings of sorrow, but not because Sofía had died. The recordings said that she left…she left? Why did she leave? Atticus’ tapes don’t give too many details. He gave vague hints about Sofía’s plan to continue her “missions” and establish a place “where our family can shine, a place where our son can thrive.” Magnus’ mind continued to rush from one thought to another. “Did mom know that dad was sick? She couldn’t have known. Dad didn’t even know…right? There’s no telling what they knew. How did she leave? Did the overseer let her?” Magnus stayed up all night scouring note after note trying to make sense of it all. He skipped class the next day and tried to piece together more pieces of the puzzle into the weekend only stopping occasionally to sleep for a few hours and picking right back up where he left off. Sunday night, he compiled the most important bits of evidence into a backpack. He decided to get some rest and he would ask Stanley about everything in the morning. He dozed off late in the night and slept for what felt like an eternity. He was awoken the next day by a horrible sound. It was the vault’s alarm system. Magnus’ last day in the vault had begun.

Escaping the Vault: Magnus had been wracking his brain over what to do about all the new information he had uncovered. His mother could still be out there. She could be living a life all on her own. She could be waiting for her husband and son who were supposed to join her. He had to find out for sure. If she was able to find her way out of the vault then so would he. As the fire alarms blared over the intercom and the chaos outside his door grew louder, he made his decision. It was time to leave. He grabbed a few essentials. Water, rations, a spare vault suit, a few fusion cells, and an old laser pistol that his dad used to keep in his desk drawer. Then he turned his attention to the old chest of secrets. It seemed almost as if his parents were leaving him two final gifts. First, an old lab coat. The fabric felt dense and heavier than he expected. The shoulders looked as if they used to have patches that were removed long ago. The second item was a worn military pouch with a name written on the top. “S. Valentina.” On the inside there was a dusty stealth boy. Magnus flipped the primer switch and a red light flickered on. “Looks like it still works,” Magnus thought, “but it probably won’t last very long.” He locked the chest back up and took the most important files and photos with him.

Magnus ran down the hallways being careful not to run into any security. Officer Gomez might be understanding, but the rest of them would probably shoot first and ask questions later. While running past the classroom, Magnus noticed a few of his classmates holed up inside. Luckily, Wally and Suzie were among them and he was able to get a better grasp on the situation. Dr. James had left the vault and his son had gone after him. Jonas Palmer was dead and Wally’s older brother was the one who shot him. Amata was being questioned and held by the other officers and gunshots had been heard coming from the lower atrium. Magnus new it was now or never. He had to get out. Things were only going to get worse here in the vault. He said his goodbyes to Wally and Susie and bolted out the door.

There were multiple ways to get to the vault door and it seemed like all the guards were in pursuit of Dr. James’ son. Magnus knew his way around the mechanical locks of the vault doors and terminal passwords were of no inconvenience to him. Finally, there it was. The giant vault door that was supposed to have been sealed forever was wide open. Dr. James’ son was standing at the control panel and Amata was saying her final goodbyes.

Magnus took one last look at the two of them. “Good luck you guys,” he whispered to himself as he turned the knob on his stealth-boy and snuck out the door.

The Capital Wasteland and the Deathclaw Den: (Magnus’ adventure after leaving the vault is something I want to expand on in the future. For now, I’ll give a summary.)

Magnus’ misplaced confidence assured him that escaping the vault successfully meant he’d accomplish his mission easily, and as fate would have it, the wasteland was very forgiving for his first few days. His first mission was to head to the location marked on the photo he found. Approaching these coordinates would bring him to his first major failure. The coordinates lead him too close to a deathclaw den. AKA the deathclaw sanctuary. A surprise attack from a young deathclaw leads to his major injuries. He was able to injure the deathclaw enough to get away. He knew he couldn’t risk staying in the area and he didn’t have enough supplies to heal the damage done to his eye, arm, and leg. He would make his way back to the town he saw from a distance when he first exited the vault.

Megaton: Magnus drags himself to Megaton and is greeted at the door by the town sheriff who immediately takes him to Doc Church to help get stabilized. After about three days of rest and a heavy round of stimpack and med-x doses, Magnus wakes up to find himself scarred, partially blind, and unable to use his full strength in his right arm and left leg. On top of that, he was indebted to the town doctor. He would have to pay off his debt by lending his talents to the town. He’d spend the next week limping through town fixing water pipes and purifiers, repairing old terminals and radios, and helping Moira Brown with some of the more technical chapters of her “Wasteland Survival Guide”.

He’d befriend Moira and she’d tell him about a young woman who had left the vault back around 2267, came to town, and asked Moira to reinforce her vault suit, but she never returned to pick it up. That was around the same time of Sofía’s alleged death. That had to be her. After inquiring about the vault suit, Magnus would learn that another young vault dweller had come to town a few days before and traded for it. “Probably Dr. James or his son… damn,” Magnus thought to himself.

Magnus would continue to help Moira with a few of her projects and in return she’d help him with engineering prostheses by modifying an old power armor frame. Power armor frames allow the user to move in heavy suits of armor and lift heavy weapons with ease. By modifying the arm and leg pieces into a more lightweight and slender form, Magnus is able to regain his former strength and even surpass his usual melee force. After getting used to the prostheses, crafting a shishkebab based on some of Moira’s schematics, and trading in his laser pistol for a laser rifle, Magnus will set off again to resume his mission.

The Valentina Family Bunker: Magnus makes his way back to the coordinates on the photo. This time he is careful not to get caught off guard near the den and picks off two small deathclaws from far away. He finds a cave just a bit to the north of the den. The mouth of the cave opens to a tunnel with a mechanical door at the end of it and a terminal on the wall to the right. The security on the terminal was tighter than anything he’d seen thus far, but with some time, he managed to crack the password. “familia-valentina”. The door opens and Magnus finds a dark entryway. He finds a fuse box and flips the main power switch. The bunker lights up and the familiar blue glow of the terminals in the photo fills the room. The X-01 Power Armor is sitting in a PA station and a small living space with a radio is nestled into the corner.

Magnus will spend a day or two here combing through the terminals and boxes learning all he can about this mysterious bunker. He’ll learn that his mother was part of an organization called the “Enclave” and she was a member of an Enclave division known as “Fauna Detail Charlie”. They were tasked with studying, taming, and collecting the monsters from the nearby den. They were developing a piece of tech that would make the creature docile and follow commands. He would find pictures of his young mother in a lab coat working on different experiments. Other terminal entries would show pictures of her in power armor posing next to a seemingly calm deathclaw. There was even one showing her scratching a deathclaw’s cheek as the beast rested its head on her armored shoulder. “Wow”, Magnus chuckles to himself, “Mom was taming monsters.”

About a week after arriving at the bunker, Magnus wakes up to a loud, unfamiliar mechanical noise outside. One of the terminals shows the feed coming from an outdoor camera. Magnus sees a flying vehicle that looks like a bug with rotors landing outside the bunker. A lone armored figure steps out of the vehicle and walks toward the door. The door opens almost immediately and Magnus is quickly faced with a towering armored figure pointing a glowing weapon at him.

A gruff voice comes from the armored man and addresses Magnus, “Who are you?! State your business here!” Magnus quickly responds with his name and tells the man about the photo with the coordinates and shows it to him. “Where did you get this?” asked the stranger in a softer tone.

“That’s my mother,” Magnus replies, “and I’m pretty sure this was her bunker.”

The stranger slowly lowers his weapon and says, “Sofía has a son…?” He removes his helmet to reveal a vaguely familiar face. “My little sister has a son?”

The man introduces himself to Magnus as Vargas Valentina. He is wary at first but Magnus shows him a few photos of his family in the vault. Vargas then explains that he received an alert from the bunker that someone had turned the power back on. He thought maybe it could have been Sofía who was still missing after her vertibird was blown out of the sky. He then offers Magnus to come back to Raven Rock with him. He explains that the Enclave doesn’t often take in members but Magnus’ lineage means he is technically Enclave already. He also mentions that Magnus’ resourcefulness and knowledge is sure to impress some of the leaders. Magnus is eager to find out more about the group that his mother originated from and agrees to go with Vargas. “I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble being accepted in by Colonel Autumn,” Vargas explained. “Even if he’s apprehensive to let you in, I’m sure your grandmother will be able to change his mind when she learns about you.”

“I have a living grandmother?”, Magnus asks in shock.

“That’s right. She’s one of our head scientists, too. I can already guess that you two are going to get along pretty well.” Vargas helps Magnus climb aboard the Vertibird and the engines begin to cycle. They rise into the air and begin to head north. Magnus can barely contain his excitement as he heads toward his new home.

Life with the Enclave: (Magnus’ life in the Enclave will be an even shorter summary. This is another chapter that I’d like to expand with more art in the future.)

Magnus will be accepted reluctantly into the Enclave by Colonel Augustus Autumn and he will be instructed to report to “Lead Scientist Maria Vargas”, Magnus’ maternal grandmother who is overjoyed and emotional upon their first meeting. She tells Magnus more about his mother and the work that she did for the Enclave. She gives him a tour of the biolab and shows him some of his mother’s unfinished experiments and research studies including a glowing blue deathclaw egg floating perfectly preserved in a biopod.

Magnus will begin his life here with the Enclave and make himself useful by undergoing combat training and going on recon missions under his uncle Vargas’ watchful eye. After proving himself to be a quick learner in combat, Magnus will be allowed to help his grandmother with field research and together they will reinstate Fauna Detail Charlie. Magnus will study wasteland biology under his grandmother and help her to continue Sofía’s unfinished work which includes bringing the blue glowing deathclaw egg out of stasis and incubating it.

In their spare time, Magnus and Vargas would follow up on any leads regarding Sofía’s whereabouts. During these missions, Magnus will come into contact with the kids living in Lamplight Caverns and trade some medical knowledge and hydroponics equipment for the Wazer Wifle.

While out on a night recon mission, Magnus and Vargas will witness a Zetan spacecraft enter the atmosphere and explode before making impact. The two of them will claim the Zetan wreckage and bring as much tech as they can find back to the Enclave. Magnus finds and keeps the Firelance as well as a few different pieces of working tech for himself. Magnus will develop a fascination with his knew knowledge of the existence of Zetans and will become low key obsessed over them and reverse engineering their technology.

After eventually proving himself capable, the Enclave will grant him access to continue his research from the Valentina Family Bunker and allows him to stage his own missions and research as long as he regularly checks in with Raven Rock. Ownership of his mother’s Tesla X-01 is transferred to him as well and he is authorized to modify it as he pleases. He feels powerful and confident when wearing power armor and he almost feels as if he’s in his natural state.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 6’ 1”

Weight: 165 lbs. (without prostheses) / 200 lbs. total

Posture: Unbalanced after becoming injured. With his prostheses he feels more relaxed and comfortable. In power armor he stands straight and rigid with confidence.

Build: Skinny when leaving the vault. Begins to build toned muscle when training with the Enclave but remains slender. He does physical therapy on his injured arm and leg every night to keep them toned as well.

Skin: Light skinned Hispanic tone.

Hair: Jet black. In the vault he enjoyed having classic greaser haircuts like the wavy classic quiff and comb over pompadours. Out in the wasteland it is difficult to manage the same hairstyles. Pomade isn’t too common out in the wastes or with the Enclave.

Widow's peak? Yes.

Ears: Slightly above average.

Eyes: Light brown, hooded and tired.

Nose: Long and narrow.

Mouth: Somewhat small and with upturned corners.

Expressions: Usually has a focused look when working or on missions. When in conversation he makes a point to smile or smirk. When talking to people he wants to impress he tends to show bring his unscarred side forward. When he’s comfortable with someone, he lets his guard down.

Describe their smile: He tries to replicate “the smolder” that he’d see Butch and the other Tunnel Snakes do, but his looks friendlier. After the damage is done to his face and eye, he will secretly practice smiling wide while turning his unscarred side forward to bring attention away from the scars.

Tattoos/Scars? Multiple scars along the left side of his face starting from his forehead down to his chin. Two small scars on the bridge of his nose. His right arm and left leg are both covered in deep scars from the deathclaw attack.

Glasses/Contacts? No. Depends on his pip-boy to make up for his partial blindness.

Left/Right handed? Left

Hygiene: His upbringing in the vault got him used to taking long hot showers. The family bunker and Raven Rock both have similar systems. Showering is usually the first thing he does after a recon mission. Sometimes he prioritizes showers before reporting in. He keeps his hair clean and styled as best he can. Even his prostheses and power armor are kept polished and rust free.

Distinguishing features: His extremely well cared for head of hair and facial hair. As well as his scarred face and attention-grabbing prostheses. (He’s slightly embarrassed when he is recognized by his prostheses and scars.)

Who does s/he take after; mother or father? Both. Mentally and scientifically he takes after his mother. Emotionally and socially he takes after his father.

Style (Elegant, shabby, etc): Greaser / Vault Boy / Scientist

How does s/he dress or what do they typically wear? He dresses comfortably in his proto vault suit or just a t-shirt and jeans in his off time. When researching he likes to wear his dad’s lab coat. When out in the field he wears his Enclave uniform or his vault suit and lab coat.

Other outfits one might find in their wardrobe: A spare vault suit, comfortable t-shirts with Hubris Comics characters on them, and a pair of well cared for red canvas shoes.

Jewelry: None. (They might get caught in the prostheses…)

Weapons: Energy weapons, Wazer Wifle, Shiskebab, and the Firelance.

Characteristics

Are they generally balanced or clumsy? He’s unbalanced and tends to limp without his augmentations. With his protheses he is very balanced.

Mannerisms/Poses/Movement: Magnus tries to keep his injured limbs strong but will move around slower and more carefully without them. When properly equipped, he’s agile, moves swiftly, and is faster than he ever was before his injury. He’s able to put more force into his melee attack when enemies get too close. While in power armor, his movements get slower but are more precise and accurate.

Describe their walk (unequipped/equipped/PA): Careful with a slight limp. / Swift and surprisingly quiet / slow and confident.

Describe their fighting style (unequipped/equipped/PA): He tries not to get into fights in this state. He’ll takes cover and relies on VATS to do most of the work. / While equipped, he attacks in short, precise bursts of fire. If the enemy gets in close, he’ll ignite his sword and make powerful swipes and stabs. / In his Tesla X-01, his energy weapons are overclocked and he’ll stand his ground and fire away with precision.

Habits/OCDs/Obsessions: Growing up in the vault and having access to a wide variety of pre-war goods ended up getting him addicted to Nuka-Cola. Specifically the Quantum variety. He also has a slight obsession with learning about Zetans.

Speech Patterns: Magnus tends to speak like a greaser from spending so much time with the Tunnel Snakes. He tries to cover it up when speaking to other Enclave members. His time with the Snakes also instilled the habit of telling bad jokes and “firing finger guns”. He likes to joke around and has a bad habit of speaking sarcastically to gullible people. He can get over excited when succeeding with a new project or experiment and he has moments where he starts over explaining things really fast. When researching, he can sometimes be heard muttering really quickly to himself under his breath.

Unique phrases/words: “My hobbies include reading comics and drinking soda.”
“Ay watch it, you mess up my hair, I’ll mess up your face.” (In surprise combat)
“Who do you think would win in a fight between Captain Cosmos and Grognak?”
“We’re gonna throw some science at the wall. See what sticks.”
“Ay, if you see any of those little bobble head guys lemme know. I love those little guys. Adorable.”
“Ay! Courtesy of Vault 101!” (after dispatching multiple enemies.)
“Tunnel Snakes Rule!”

Do they curse, and if so, to what extent?: Magnus tried not to curse. His mother never liked the way “the idiot DeLoria boy” cursed all the time so he got used to keeping his language clean. However, if an enemy catches him by surprise or if something goes wrong in an experiment (ei. Electrical overloads, strong chemical reactions, deathclaws breaking out of containment), he will begin repeating the same curse word very quickly in a panic. “nonononono damitdamitdamitdamit!”, “nononono shitshitshitshit!” If this ever happens in front of his grandmother, she’ll lightly slap him on the back of the head after the danger has passed.

Voice: I imagine Magnus having the voice of young Michael J. Fox. Specifically the way he sounds in Back to the Future and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. “What the hell is a gigawatt?!”, “Let's re-cap. I lead a band of plundering vandals to the greatest archaeological find in recorded history, thus enabling the kidnap and/or murder of the royal family, not to mention personally delivering the most powerful force known to man into the hands of a mercenary nutcase who's probably gonna sell it to the Kaiser! Have I left anything out?!”

Describe their laugh: His usual laugh is soft and genuine. Closer to a soft chuckle. His eyes will close and he won’t be able to hold back a smile. If he’s really happy or finds something especially hilarious, he will laugh loudly with his left hand over his ribs. (They can feel sore when he laughs too loud due to his injury.)

Describe their sleep patterns (light/heavy sleeper, no sleep, sleeps too often, etc): Magnus lives in relative safety with the Enclave. He sleeps soundly in Raven Rock or in the family bunker. It reminds him of the safety in the vault. Sometimes he’ll allow a project to keep him awake for multiple days.

When he’s on a mission out in the field, he doesn’t sleep soundly at all, waking up every hour or two.

Psychological/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Intelligence Level: Very high. His education in the vault came from the combined efforts of a Followers of the Apocalypse engineer/medic and an Enclave biologist/scientist.

Known Languages: English/Spanish

Character's long-term goals/desires in life: Magnus wants to help the Enclave in their mission to rebuild America. His father always told him that those who had the ability to help had a responsibility to do so, and with the Enclave, Magnus feels like he can do just that. He also wants to get to know his remaining family members, continue searching for his mother, and eventually begin the search for his father’s origin.

Character's short-term goals/desires in life: To raise through the Enclave ranks to improve his mobility and gain access to greater resources in order to fulfill his long-term goals.

Secret desires: Magnus dreams about breaking back into vault 101 to reunite with Wally and Susie Mack.

How self-confident is the character? Magnus’ confidence took a hit after his injury. Limping in front of others and showing his scarred body are difficult for him. However, when he is equipped with his prostheses or power armor, his confidence returns to him in both social and combat situations, tackling both head on.

How do they see him/herself? Magnus is self-conscious about his appearance but confident in his intelligence. He sees himself as the friendly greaser who has replaced his motorcycle with a super advanced suit of armor.

How do they believe s/he is perceived by others? His anxiety makes him think he’s seen as a scarred Enclave soldier. However, when people ask him for help or he manages to save someone, he feels that people see him as a Captain Cosmos or Fonzie type character. He definitely prefers the latter two.

What is the character most proud of? He's proud of his parents and how they both lived their lives trying to better the world in the ways they each thought was right.

What does the character like least about themselves? His scarred appearance and his dependence on VATS, prostheses, and Power Armor.

Is this character generally dominant or submissive? Magnus tends to be submissive when it comes to dealing with powerful groups. He wouldn’t speak out against the Tunnel Snakes or Enclave when he didn’t agree with them. However, his dominant personality comes out when he’s fighting an enemy or when he knows he’s the smartest person in the room.

Patience level: Magnus is patient with others and is willing to take the time to explain things thoroughly or help somebody in need. He doesn’t have too much patience with himself, however, and will push himself to exhaustion trying to solve a problem or complete a task.

Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof? He’s mostly ruled by logic. He’s a scientist after all. However, there are times when his judgement is clouded by strong feelings.

Most at ease when: he is in the family bunker and listening to music. Especially if a friend or trusted companion joins him.

Ill at ease when: he is out in the field and the Brotherhood of Steel is nearby in large numbers. If the BOS sees someone in Enclave uniform, they open fire on sight.

Describe their sense of humor: Magnus enjoys being sarcastic around stuffy, serious people. He’ll make short goofy remarks with acquaintances. When he is with his close friends or family, he likes to make voices and impressions.

Character/Personality/Mental/Social Strengths: Magnus knows he can use his resources and intelligence to help people. He knows how to provide practical help such as repairs to water purifiers and fixing power generators. He also has the knowledge and means to defend people from danger when necessary.

Character/Personality/Mental/Social Flaws: Has a hard time standing up for what’s right against powerful groups.

If they could be described with one of the seven virtues, which would it be? Diligence

If they could be described with one of the seven sins, which would it be? Pride

Biggest Vulnerability (non-physical): His dependence on the Enclave.

Optimist or Pessimist: Optimist

Introvert or extrovert: Extrovert

Greatest Fear: Dying alone in the wastes.

Musical talents/instruments: Magnus enjoys singing along to the radio in private. He practiced the bass guitar back in the vault but hasn’t found another one in the wastelands.

Biggest regret: Regrets accepting the lies told to him in the vault and regrets being arrogant enough to think he could walk through the wasteland unharmed.

Biggest accomplishment (so far): Reinstating and becoming lead officer of Fauna Detail Charlie and continuing his mother’s work.

Minor accomplishments: Aiding the Enclave by advancing their Power Armor designs and providing research to further develop their deathclaw domestication units.

Character's darkest/deepest secret: When Magnus was living in the vault, he didn’t have the gumption to keep Butch from bullying others. He hated it, but he didn’t stop it. He couldn’t risk his safe position as one of the Tunnel Snakes and his decision to not stand up for Amata or the Lone Wanderer has always haunted him. He finds himself in a similar situation with the Enclave. He doesn’t agree with all of their methods but being part of a strong group gives him the power to continue pursuing his goals. He feels the same type of shame when he doesn’t stand up to the Enclave’s immoral decisions.

Minor Secrets: Magnus was preparing to confess to Susie before his dad fell suddenly ill. Life got crazy and he never got the chance. He still mentally rehearses his confession for the day he sees her again.

Favorites

Color: Blue

Place: Vault 101 Diner/The Valentina Family Bunker

Food/drinks: Magnus loves all flavors of Nuka-Cola. Quantum is his absolute favorite and Nuka Wild is a close second. A brahmin burger with a cold Nuka-Cola on the side is his favorite meal.

Music genre: Malt Shop Oldies (Rock & Roll, Doowop, Rockabilly)

Songs and Singers/Bands: Dion and the Belmonts, Elvis Presley, and The Lonesome Drifters.

Animal: Dogs. He’s keeping a lookout for a canine companion.

Clothing: Vault Suits. They’ve always felt comfortable.

Where does this character like to hang out? Raven Rock (diner and biolab)

Where is this character's dream place to live? He’s heard rumors of a place up north in the Commonwealth with super advanced technology called the Institute. He thinks he would enjoy living in a place like that.

Mode of transportation: Vertibird. The only way to travel.

Most prized possession: His father’s lab coat.

Why? It reminds him to try and be like his father. To try and be the best person he can be and to help whenever he is needed.

(I had to leave a section of this bio in the comments section. Unfortunately I hit the word limit and I wasn't willing to cut any of it out.)

Conclusion

If you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you for taking an interest in my character. He’s been floating around in my head for years and I thought I should put him out there. I’m excited to expand his story more through art and short stories and take him through the events of Broken Steel, New Vegas, and Fallout 4 later in the future. Thank you again for reading all of this, and take care of yourselves out in the wasteland. “Don’t feed the Yao Guai; that is all.”