Part 47: Pacifist Playthrough – Otradnoye part 3
Pacifist Playthrough – Otradnoye part 3
: With any luck, this is the final Otradnoye update. There are a LOT of random visitors that go through the town on different days of the week \ month, just ensure there’s probably something slightly new to check out every time you return.I was about to go on a bit of a tirade about how most Fallout settlements were “one and done” for a reason, but that’s not really true – you do go through a lot of places 2-3 times, even if you’re very thorough about completing all available quests the first time around. I suppose it’s more to do with almost every other ATOM RPG settlement being one and done, with only KRZ, Otradnoye and (optionally) Red Fighter being places you’ll visit over and over.
: First of all, we get a nod to that well known post-apocalyptic Kevin Costner movie, the Postman. (I kinda wanted to do a bit of a rant about good and bad writing… which I won’t, but the above was going to be an example of a double-subversion that only really works if you have some trust in the writer)
: Who do you work for? 
: The Chamber of Commerce of Krasnoznamenny. The local government, in other words. Their seat of power, as you can tell by their name, is in Krasnoznamenny. They rule from there. Well... They don't really rule around these parts. Mostly they just sell TV's at a low price, to brainwash the locals with propaganda. That's all because they managed to repair the TV tower at the river. Don't think I'm too harsh on them though. It's clear that they are basically thugs, but at least they are trying to become a real government. They even hired me to deliver the mail, just like in the olden days!: Heard any good rumors? : Yup! They say that there's a secret organization in the wastes called ATOM. Ever heard about them? They are the sort of guys that try to find ways to improve life in the Wastes by teaching folks how to repair generators, fix the water pipes, and all that good stuff. They do it through undercover agents that infiltrate society. If they really exist, I hope they stay secret. They clearly don't want to show themselves. And so they shouldn't.: Interesting if true – we know so little about how ATOM actually functions, that there’s no way to know whether they’re actually supposed to be Progressors (re-progressors?)…
If you have enough cigarettes, the postman is one of the earliest ways to get a backpack. We won’t do that because
: To TGEK’s despair, every mustachioed NPC will in fact be described as such. A TV repairman being Caucasian \ Turkmen is a bit of a stereotype, I suppose? : How's your work going? 
: No idea. Everything seems to be working... Or maybe not... A TV, I've got to say, is too fragile for our land. A radio would have been a better choice. But nooo, they want to see the "picture". It produces a better effect... Damn show-offs..! : Who are "they”?: Our dear fathers at the Chamber of Commerce. They are the bosses of Krasnoznamenny. They just decided that the best way to demonstrate their power in the Wasteland is to show propaganda on TV day and night.: Do many people fall for propaganda? : Much more than you would think! Think about it - that's TV! The pictures move on their own! It's been very long since people last saw it, and some of them have never seen it at all! The kids even think it's magic. And when an important-looking broadcaster from it is telling them something... It's easy to fall for it.: Not even the people who literally work for a regime that managed to rebuild a full-blown town, safe from bandits, controlling the area politically and economically, providing electricity to post-apocalyptic residents, actually have anything unreservedly good to say about it. Irony\internet poisoning - not going outside and only interacting with regime supporters on private forums where they are soon banned, I suppose.: Aren't you scared of travelling alone like that? : I'm used to it. They gave me a gun, so I can protect myself if need be. If I get cornered. Meanwhile, these are my fast feet that save me. So I'm running everywhere like that...: Tell me more about Krasnoznamenny. : It's a great town! It has everything: pubs and shops! There's a hospital there and a book store. They even have their own house of vice, heh! A brothel, as they call it : How do the town's authorities look at this moral decay?: They turn a blind eye to it. Our Krasnoznamenny is such a place where you can't make a step without bribing someone. The corruption now is even worse than it used to be before the war! But that's for the best: if they followed their own rules, this town would turn into a real prison...: The harshness of Russian laws is ameliorated by the lack of obligation to follow them.: Where are you getting the TV’s from?: Random warehouse. There’s the Foundation problem of not being able to manufacture new components, but we’re not really getting into the implications thereof, even though the idea of rebuilding manufacturing as a whole would be interesting.
: A real-life ecological catastrophe that can result in an interesting Mad Max setting (or a boring one, Metro Exodus style). Not that we’re ever going there – a desert would be too Fallout-ish. Anyway, here’s
: I'm a lucky man. In the sense that I didn't have to change my profession after the war. I started as an amateur hunter, practicing it in my leisure time... Now I'm doing it full-time. I walk in the woods and meadows, enjoying what's left of the local beautiful scenery. I kill game to feed myself and to sell it. I hunt moose. I hunt giant ant Mirmik. Wolves. Hares. What else..? Ah, right! Those! Arachnidus-sovieticuses.
: Some of this is useful for crafting \ quests.: Latin is neato-icus.: Oh... You're science lover as well? Yes... I think it's a law - if a new creature is found in the forest, it should be given a Latin name? I learnt it from the stuff I read. I've got a wide selection of magazines in my old hut. All the various "Young Naturalist", "Young Engineer", "Pet Corner". I even have the entertainment ones - "Tramway" and "Murzilka".: These are real magazines btw. : By the way... Hey! That's right! I long wanted to give some of them away! Maybe you know some child? Or several kids?: For many people, including myself, children are the most precious thing in the Wasteland. The only more valuable things you can find with the slaveowners are young women...: If that was a joke, it wasn't a very funny one. If you were serious... Then just get lost! I feel disgusted just looking at you..! People like you are the reason that others rush to hide their kids as soon as they see a stranger.: Ok – since I get the option to apologize, I’m going to assume this is a real quest that net me some : Nope, just the game jerking you around some more. I will consistently “forget” to pick up the journals every time we meet again (not to mention that my appearances are random, so you may waste a lot of time waiting for me).: Cool. 
: Genuinely creepy-ish.
: One drop of nicotine can kill a larger horse than you, sergeant. Also, chickens don’t drop meat when they die, unfortunately.One last random visitor:
But perhaps the most intriguing part of the stranger's equipment - is a necklace made out of human ears that is reaching lower than the armoured spiked collar of his armour...
: I used to be a professor of Russian literature, but now I’m a feared bounty hunter! Man, it’s just like how a lot of educated professionals ended joining organized crime organizations during the 90’s! Makes you think.: Cool.
: So that’s TWO different randoms that tease you with free skillpoints. …
There’s also a fellow modeled after Cardinal Richelieu whom I’ve been entirely unable to meet again for LP purposes, no matter how long I waited. He goes on about his totally real High Mangus mageeck powers, then reminisces about how he and a bro of his saved a baby from a devil-worshipping cult. That baby is definitely going to grow up to be the Chosen One. For all the issues with quantity over quality in terms of game lore, it does work to hide useful info and interesting side-stories among the irrelevant and world-building rumors.
...
Other items of interest in the area:
: Oh hey, an actually subtle parody of socialist-realist makulatura. Who knew the writers were capable of that? It’s weird – the game rarely condescends to actually SAY something about the USSR, even criticism that's about as banal and obvious as “hey, people in suburbs sure are alienated and love consuming, amirite?” Terminal irony poisoning, I guess – nothing but hot takes all around, rather than actual opinions.…
BTW, as long as we're reading - you can use google-translate to check out the meme-LOTR translation: https://litlife.club/books/224569/read?page=3
: The toy weapon doesn’t do any damage to the Shoggoth (sadly), but pointing it at townpeople and yelling “pew pew” DOES cause them to go hostile.
At least the stone knife found some sort of use in Fidel’s hands.
Frying pans are a decent weapon for pacifist characters, but very hard to steal (and I don’t think I found any for sale?), so by the time you manage to nab one, it won't be that useful.
: This toxic corner of the map poisons your character – and the only bit of loot you find in these crates is an antidote. Trolled again?
: If you pay attention, you’ll notice that water has anti-toxic properties. And one of the first quests you get in Otradnoye provides you with endless water. The antidote can be saved for later or sold for a profit.
: Same sort of deal – if you have an empty bottle, you can use it to milk cows (once per 24 hours or so). That’s the sort of low-level adventuring that I genuinely enjoy. If most of the game (or at least a more significant portion) involved milking cows, kicking rats, cobbling together weapons out of junk, using frying pans as shields, being ecstatic about getting your hands on a single-shot busted hunting rifle… I’d have enjoyed it quite a bit. The problem is that KRZ, with its freely-purchasable M-16’s and sniper rifles, is a minute’s walk away, with no plot gate in the way. Anyway...: I don’t feel like fetching beer for the guards. Comrade Kovalev, your men are drinking on duty!
: Move along, rat boy.: Cool. Let’s traumatize the guards further by forcing them to execute the rat.
You know where. Our comrade didn't want to do it himself. So it's up to us to bring law to the bastard. Be on your guard though. He might run.
: What's wrong with that, comrade Kovalev? : What's wrong here is that you need to move along. Because you're under civil arrest. : Why the hell is that?!: You really want me to yell for all the village to hear? There's that abandoned house... Follow me there. It's bound to be quiet...
: I appreciate the full cutscene (instead of a fade to black), but I feel like TGEK would be terribly frustrated by the relaxed pace here.
: You bastard! Close your mouth, mutt! What do you want?!
During a covert investigation, the prosecution gained information that... What prosecution?!: ...that the accused, Gregory Ostapchuk, father's name unknown...: Go to hell!: ...was a part of an illegal racketeering scheme, masterminded by a criminal known as Dan... You sons of bitches!: While visiting the enemy camp, the accused was ordered to conduct traitorous activity on a wide scale... ...by the law code of Otradnaye village, Ostapchuk Gregory is sentenced to...… death!
Pyotr, please execute the sentence...
: [Petya looks highly disturbed. His wild stare travels from the murdered Grishka to the rifle in his hands. and back again]I… I…
: Well.. That's how it's done. Let's go back.: I do appreciate this. On the other hand – if you agree to take Grishka out but don’t feel like doing it with your own hands, you’ll learn that he has an unholy alliance with other rats and the wildlife in the area - the only human NPC they won’t attack. Furthermore, if you run back into town, the guards will gladly watch him beat you to death. On the third, horribly mutated hand, this is a fine chance to leave his body at Kovalev’s feet.…
Moving on to more heartwarming revelations:
: It is quite a weight on my shoulders, you know... Quite a weight. [The Head rubs his grey temples, but at first says nothing. After a few long moments, he straightens up. His face is flushed, his lips pressed tightly together] Katya is... She is my daughter.
: What a twist! I… I knew her parents for a long time.: And then you boinked her mom. Got it.: He was always on the road because of his job.: So you fucked his wife.
: So you tripped and fell dick-first into her.: Don’t tell Katya please.: Of course.
: …Someone said you are my father…: Oh well.. If those words flew out... There's no turning back... Oh what a shame... What a terrible shame...It is true, honey. It really is true…
: But… But why did you hide it from me all these years?!: Well, what can I say... I... Have been in a relationship with your mother... It was only once. And after what's happened. I couldn't find the strength to tell you.: I have almost no memory of my parents. I was too little when they died... You raised me and my brother yourself…...
