[StLee]

Terminal Entry - Anon

Subject: Mysterious Strangers?

01.01 - 6 June 2305

I was struck by the discovery I found. A dead trail, but an interesting one. I started digging and think I have uncovered an interesting find. The following entries will be what I have discovered and what I think I can do about it.

01.02 - 6 June 2305

While on a scavenge trip to Rockport, a good site to grab items and sell them to the ferries passing by, I came across a stack of files and holotapes by an unknown person regarding mysterious strangers in the Commonwealth.

One interesting name on one of the folders was Nick Valentine. I recognize that name from Diamond City. He's that synth detective everyone knows. Well, his name was listed on the detective file as the person investigating the Mysterious Stranger.

Being the enterprising young man that I am, I decided to add that collection to my satchel and sell it to Nick Valentine once I made my way back to Diamond City. But I got curious . . .

01.03 - 7 June 2305

I did not have a PipBoy, but I decided to make my way back to the Commonwealth. I had no idea how much these files would fetch me from Valentine or just about anyone interested in relics or whatever I could pawn off these materials as.

On my way back, I stopped at the Oceanside Safehouse in Gloucester because I knew they had some working terminals. When I got there, there was an Atomic Command tournament, so I had to wait. Once I did get a reserved time, I started playing the holotapes to see what data was on them. . . . Oh my.

01.04 - 7 June 2305

There was someone actively infiltrating locked facilities that had been visited by this Mysterious Stranger and . . . Nate Howard! I think everyone heard about the rumors of a mysterious man seen with Howard. And according to this file, Valentine had been seeking out the Mysterious Stranger for a long time. It was indeed a treasure of information. What stood out to me was that the person who had compiled these files had lots of details and proposed that there was some connection to the mysterious stranger moniker and heroes of the Wasteland. What it came down to was supernatural abilities.

01.05 - 7 June 2305

Gods. Lots of mentions of deities in the Wastes. Some seemed to be from the kooks of the Wastes, like the Children of Atom and their god, Atom. And of course the boogey man of the Commonwealth near Swampscott, Ug-Qualtoth. But the M.S. god? and the numbers 2-7-2. I had to investigate further. I was obsessed. That was when I noticed on one holotape, the words written like this: S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

01.06 - 7 June 2305

The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tape was a holotape book that spelled out this system of powers (?) people of the Wasteland get. It detailed the Chosen Ones, who were special, and had the ability to take on god-like powers. In fact, one mentioned the number 272 again with some random wordings, but one thing that stood out was: 272 - god powers. 272 - god killers.

Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. What does it take to be special? 272. 272 what?

01.07 - 8 June 2305

There were names and supposed names, but one name I recognized: Nate Howard. As of 11 December 2302, there was one file with these names/nicknames and the numbers written next to them, all with 272.
Some nicknames were Vault Dweller, Chosen One, Lone Wanderer, Courier, and Sole Survivor. Nate's name was written next to Sole Survivor and then the number 269. He was the only one not at 272.

01.08 - 8 June 2305

The person who had made this set of files and holotapes was nowhere to be found. They did not sign their name or indicate anything of who they were or what they were looking for. They did have some warnings for me, the person who found these materials.

"To whomever finds this should I disappear or get eaten by a mirelurk, just know that they know. I don't know who they are but I have had a feeling that there is something just over the horizon, watching, waiting. I feel as though whoever they are, they are out to get me. What I have uncovered must be more important than anything else. Are these mysterious strangers benevolent? I doubt it. Once you have read this, you may feel them, too."

01.09 - 8 June 2305

The next day I set out southwest again. I caught a ferry from Gloucester to Salem, passed a lot closer to the Dunwich Borers site. That place always made my hairs stand on end, but after reading about the Commonwealth's gods, I decided I never wanted to pass this way again. On top of the uncomfortable feeling of the Borers, I also felt that which the previous investigator mentioned. I felt as though I was being watched. I was traveling alone, so it is not uncommon for creatures of the wastes to track and hunt people like me. I was armed, so I was not worried. But, a tracking animal makes mistakes when you're looking for them. I could not quite pinpoint where I was being watched from.

01.10 - 8 June 2305

I decided to stop in at Revere Beach and be around more people. I ran into a group of caravans coming out of Nahant, so I tagged along with them on their way to the piers. Once with them, I still felt as though I was being watched, but I did not feel as vulnerable. Still, I kept peeking toward the horizon every couple of minutes.

Revere Beach gave me a chance to sell a few paintings I had in my satchel. They fetched me enough caps to stay comfortably and read through the holotape entries again. The Pier at Revere has lots of entertainment, but I wanted to spend my caps on renting a terminal. I had to learn more.

01.11 - 9 June 2305

Phil Wallace. The creator of the HCU. Well, the person who brought it back to life. He was another person whose name came up in these files. It was a terminal entry extracted from his terminal, I would assume, by whoever the "mysterious stranger" investigating mysterious strangers. Phil Wallace had posted something about a mysterious broadcast that repeated the numbers 2-0-2-1. There was no follow up. Does that have something to do with the number 272? Do not repeat history.

01.12 - 9 June 2305

Jenny Murphy. I heard legends of people who have gained the power of sight. You know, seeing the future. Vault 81. Not only could I visit Valentine in Diamond City, but I could try to visit this Jenny Murphy person in Vault 81. These names were piling up but bringing me no closer to the truth.

02.01 - 11 June 2305

I did not mention when these events occurred. I am only writing now to tell you when they ended. The files, the tapes, they are gone. All I have left is the memories from them. I am compiling this to remember again, but there are some things I have forgotten. Let me go back to that time earlier this year. March 26. The day I dropped my satchel.

02.02 - 11 June 2305

I had left Revere Beach and was making a beeline to Diamond City. It was a particularly brutal few days of radstorms in the area, so I tanked up on Rad-X and found shelter when I could. After one elongated storm finally cleared, I headed out of an abandoned house I was sheltered in near Southie. When I headed out, there were three shadowy figures like ghosts standing there. Unmoving. Staring. Full fright took over my body, causing me to drop everything in my possession, including my satchel and run. I ran until I got back to the shelter and then just sat against the wall waiting to blast away at whatever would walk through the door. Nothing did.

Near evening time, I decided to sneak back to that area. My satchel and all its contents were nowhere to be found.

02.03 - 11 June 2305

Valentine must have thought I was a lunatic. He played it cool and kept asking questions, but I don't think he believed me. He said he had been investigating the Mysterious Stranger but gave it up around 2288. I mentioned Nate's ties with the Stranger, and he doubted that too. I mentioned the investigative file, and he said that had been nabbed from his office many years before. I told him I found it in Rockport, and he doubted that, too. Without the evidence, I had nothing.

02.04 - 11 June 2305

The same happened at Vault 81. I asked about Jenny Murphy. I saw the guards look at each other and then one of them mentioned that there was no one there by that name. I stated the year 2080, and they laughed. Silly me, I was thinking 2280 the whole time. This was over 200 years ago. But wait. If there was a terminal entry that I saw, then there was some way to find out more about this Jenny Murphy character. Entry number 746. I remembered that number. That means there were at least 745 other Jenny Murphy entries. The guards would not let me in. They said they were not digging up old terminal entries for a crazy person. They meant I was the crazy person.

02.05 - 12 June 2305

I remember reading more about the gods. There is the "Touch of Ug-Qualtoth" that causes people to go insane and then berserk murder everyone around themselves. I felt as though people started to look at me as one touched by Ug-Qualtoth. But, who were these shadow people? Why did they spook me and then take my satchel? Where did they come from? Where did they go?

03.01 - 26 June 2305

I heard word that there were large caravan groups traveling out west. There were rumors that going straight west to a giant lake and then cutting southwest from there would help avoid some notoriously dangerous areas. One of those I was told to avoid forever is a place called The Pitt. I am going. I cannot stay here anymore. If the rumors are true, there are places out west with deserts and clean water for the masses to drink.

I will leave this for the next adventurer looking to investigate this mystery. For now, I just feel a calling westward. I will thus sign out anonymous, but you can call me West-go Joe. Yeah, I like that. West-go Joe.