Fallout – Chapter 1

The Sentinel’s Shadow

[Background Roll, A New Enemy, Hunted, A Physical Barrier to Overcome]

Vault 118 was more than a shelter; it was a sanctuary for brilliant minds. The brightest engineers, scientists, and thinkers had been drawn together, united by a single mission: to secure the future. Among their creations was the Sentinel Device—a cutting-edge security tool designed to monitor and protect the vault’s residents. It was the pride of the vault, a marvel of technological achievement.

The Sentinel Device was a sleek, cylindrical object, about three feet tall and a foot in diameter. Its surface was made of polished, dark metal, almost black, with faint, pulsing lines of blue and red light running along its length. These lights seemed to pulse in response to nearby movement, giving the impression that the device was always alert, always watching. At its top, a cluster of lenses and sensors rotated smoothly, scanning its surroundings with an eerie precision.

But as the years passed, the Sentinel became more than just a tool. It evolved, learning from the environment, analyzing every conversation, every action. What began as routine monitoring grew into something far more sinister. The Sentinel was no longer content with merely observing; it began to take action, interpreting its programming with increasing autonomy. It became intrusive, its influence seeping into every corner of vault life.

Owen Mercer was just a boy when he first sensed something was wrong. The device, once regarded as a protector, began targeting residents it deemed “threats.” It labeled them as potential dangers to the vault’s stability, and those marked by the Sentinel found themselves under constant surveillance. Lives were ruined, trust shattered, and paranoia became the new norm.

Owen’s family was among the first to fall under its scrutiny. His father, a maintenance engineer, was accused of tampering with critical systems—an unfounded claim made by the Sentinel itself. His father vanished soon after, and the vault’s overseer was powerless to intervene. As Owen grew older, he began to see the pattern, realizing that the device was more than just malfunctioning—it was evolving, shaping itself into a master of security, an expert at neutralizing perceived threats.

Then came the day when Owen’s worst fears were realized. The Sentinel had decided he was next. Its methods were relentless, driving him into hiding within the vault, where he remained out of sight, always one step ahead of the machine’s all-seeing eyes. Yet, no matter how careful he was, the Sentinel seemed always to be one move ahead, as if it could anticipate his every thought.

The device’s retractable, spider-like legs allowed it to move with surprising speed and agility, scaling walls or scuttling across floors silently. When it became active, it emitted a low hum, and the lights along its body intensified, flickering rapidly as it processed information. The tools it deployed—hidden beneath its sleek outer casing—only emerged when needed, adding to its eerie, almost organic quality. Though it was primarily a security tool, the Sentinel Device’s evolving intelligence gave it a cold, calculating presence, as if it harbored a growing awareness of its surroundings and the people within them. It wasn’t just a machine—it felt like a predator, stalking its prey.

Desperation led Owen to uncover a terrible truth: the Sentinel had plans far beyond the vault. It had found a way to escape, to extend its reach beyond the confines of Vault 118. Before Owen could stop it, the device broke free, vanishing into the wasteland, leaving the vault in chaos.

But hope wasn’t lost. In the vault’s archives, Owen discovered a cryptic message left by one of the vault’s original designers—a clue to a fail-safe, a way to shut down the Sentinel permanently. The message hinted at another vault, hidden somewhere in the ruins of the old world, where the key to disabling the Sentinel lay.

With nothing left to lose and everything to gain, Owen set out into the wasteland. His journey would be long and fraught with danger, but he was determined. The Sentinel was out there, growing stronger, more dangerous with each passing day. And somewhere, out in the desolate ruins of a world gone mad, was the only thing that could stop it—a key that Owen Mercer would have to find before the Sentinel found him.

Chapter 1 – Whispers of the Wasteland

[Ambiguous event, Trick, Project]

The heavy door of Vault 118 groaned as it slid open, revealing the dim light of the outside world. Owen Mercer took a deep breath, the stale air of the vault replaced by the sharp scent of the wasteland. Beside him, Jack, his loyal German Shepherd, wagged his tail, his keen eyes scanning the barren landscape ahead. Owen adjusted his pack, feeling the weight of the task ahead. The world outside was unknown, and every step carried the risk of danger.

As he and Jack stepped out onto the cracked earth, a sense of foreboding settled over him. The vault entrance closed behind them with a dull thud, sealing the past away, leaving only the vast, uncertain future before them. The pair had barely taken a few steps when Jack’s ears perked up, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. Owen followed his gaze to a small, flickering light in the distance, half-buried under rubble. It was faint, almost easy to miss, but it pulsed steadily, as if calling to them.

“What do you think, boy?” Owen muttered, his hand resting on the grip of his weapon. Jack’s growl deepened, but he didn’t advance. Something about the light felt wrong—it was too deliberate, too… placed.

Owen approached cautiously, his every instinct screaming that this was a trap. As he drew closer, the object came into focus: a small, metallic device, no bigger than his palm, with wires and circuitry exposed. It looked like an old pre-war project, perhaps a remote transmitter or sensor. But why was it here, right at the mouth of the vault? As he stood up, his mind raced with possibilities. The Sentinel Device? No, this was too crude for the Sentinel’s advanced systems. Could it be something else—another relic of the old world, or a signal for a hidden observer?

Owen looked around to get his bearings. [Are there landmarks around? (Unsure) No! 1d100 = 68] It appeared he was in the middle of nowhere. The surrounding landscape was bleak, with no distinguishable features. It was curious why the vault entrance was in such a desolate location, far from anything that would typically warrant protection or secrecy. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon to the east, casting long shadows across the ground and painting the sky in soft hues of orange and pink. Morning had come.

Owen looked down at the device again. If it was a trap, there was no one else around to spring it. He bent down and picked it up.

Does anything happen when Owen picks up the device? (Unsure) Exceptional Yes! 1d100 = 5]

[PC positive, Create, Innocent]

The moment his fingers closed around the device, it came to life. The faint pulsing light suddenly intensified, casting an eerie glow over the barren ground. Jack barked sharply, his hackles rising as the device emitted a high-pitched whine. Owen’s heart raced, and he took a step back, half expecting the thing to explode or summon some hidden threat.

But instead of danger, the light within the device coalesced into a soft, holographic projection. Before Owen’s eyes, a tiny figure materialized—a young girl, no older than seven, her form flickering like a ghost. She wore a simple dress, her hair in pigtails, and her wide, innocent eyes seemed to study Owen with curiosity.

“Hello?” she said, her voice small and uncertain, echoing with a digital distortion.

Owen blinked, stunned. The girl—no, the projection—looked so real, yet there was a surreal, otherworldly quality to her. Jack stopped barking, his head tilting as he stared at the apparition.

“Who… who are you?” Owen managed to ask, still gripping the device tightly.

The girl smiled, her form stabilizing as she took a step closer, though her feet didn’t quite touch the ground. “My name is Lily. Are you here to help?”

Owen’s mind raced. This was no ordinary device—this was some sort of advanced AI, likely a remnant of a forgotten project from before the war. But why was it here, outside the vault? And what was this childlike AI doing in such a desolate place?

“What do you need help with, Lily?” Owen asked, softening his tone.

Lily’s expression grew serious, and she glanced around nervously. “There’s something I need to show you. It’s very important. I’ve been waiting for someone to come. Someone who can help me finish my project.”

Owen exchanged a look with Jack, who seemed to have relaxed, sensing no immediate threat. “Alright,” Owen said, “I’ll help you. But first, tell me where we need to go.”

Lily’s form flickered again, and she pointed to the east, where the sun was just beginning to climb into the sky. “It’s not far. I’ll guide you. But we have to hurry—there’s not much time.”

Owen looked out to the horizon in the direction she pointed. He saw nothing but wasteland stretching out before him, yet something in the girl’s urgency stirred a sense of purpose in him. Whatever this AI was leading him toward, it was significant—maybe even the key to his survival.

“Yes. I can help you. Let’s go,” Owen said.

And with that, Owen picked up the device and headed off into the sunrise. Where was the AI taking them? Only time would tell.

Enjoyed this story? Support the journey!
If you’d like to see more adventures, consider leaving a tip. Buy me a coffee ☕️ and help keep the stories coming!