let's talk about Emogene Cabot. She could be a far more rounded and compelling character, and I would like to talk about why and how I think this could be implimented.
The identity of the cabots is incredibly tied to their youth and longevity. Emogene rebels against this and stops taking the serum... but I think it would be fascintating to her limits pushed outside of this immortal youth. And so a concept came to mind: Ghoul Emogene.
Either, instead of finding her at Brother Thomas' ampitheater you find out she was kicked out for encountering the same drug as John and going ghoul OR you can encounter her later, either out in the environment or at a settlement/Goodneighbor where she is a ghoul now.
She can make a bitter but playful comment like "what dont you recognize me", and it's clear that despite her attempting to release the hold that the vanity that comes with immortal youth has on her, she is struggling to come to terms with her new future. Looking the way a ghoul does, and still facing what is effectively immortality (until ferality of course).
She would have to both come to terms with immortality no longer being something she can opt in and out of and learn to live with the fact that the pre-war ideal of beauty no longer comes with this immortality and in fact her appearance (and her immortality) will now make her an outcast instead of something desireable and enviable.
I think on a smaller/base level just a charisma check convo would be interesting, some inspirational words about loving yourself and finding yourself/learning to live as a ghoul.
But on a deeper level, I think it would have been fascinating for her to be an unlockable companion. (I know I love to make NPCs potential companions but hear me out)
Imagine if she could be unlocked as a companion after the Cabot quests, and then the either timed or random event of finding her as a ghoul either in Goodneighbor, Bunkerhill, or a Random Minutemen Settlement.
Then through her affinity talks you can convince her both to love herself as a ghoul and come to terms with her now near immortality. Either through talking to her through the benefits/advantages of being a ghoul, or reassuring her there will still eventually be an end technically which is kind of morbid but maybe that's something she would take comfort in due to her letting go of immortality by stopping taking the serum.
And through traveling with you she satisfies that adventuring itch that lead to her rebelling against her family, and she learns to be less impulsive and vain?
But if not a companion than, through the aforementioned conversation, you could convince her to join a caravan or become an adventurer to embrace her new life as a ghoul in the wasteland. Then you could later see her in the environment at Goodneighbor or Bunkerhill or at one of your settlments or on the road, etc, and when you initiate conversation she's way less vain or romance oriented, and more level headed and confident in her new identity/has come to terms with the future in front of her.
This is a redraw of an old comic I drew in ~2018 of the Cabot's from fallout 4. I'm sure I drew this purely to convince my mate there was angst potential with Jack and Edward being shipped together.
I think this dialogue proves I was destined to write a story like Haunts one day.
*snoring*
Wilhelmina - Jack! What do you think you are doing Jack! You better not be going soft, not my own son, not one of those! No son of mine! Not as long as I live! Explain yourself!
Jack - Mother, I'm sorry, I... Just...
Wilhelmina - WHAT! JACK!
Emogene - Calm down mother, they were just asleep.
Wilhelmina - This better not happen again, I will not have it.
Thank you to @herachicwannabe for holding me to writing.
Here’s some of my Cabots through the years nonsense :
________
To walk on Mount Vernon Street in November was to , for a moment, find yourself suspended in a moment caught between progress and preservation, a divide softened by the beams of sun reaching through burnt orange trees. Even in the brisk air, everything felt warm. The bricks were red as ever, stained dark from years and years of being tread upon. Acorns still fell from slender branches, adorned with leaves, some colored like honey, but so many alternating between paprika and the same terracotta as those old bricks. But even still, houses built at the apex of the Gilded Age, when the family was at their prime themselves, were separated by paved roads. Mother didn’t like the presence of the new streets, insisting they invited rabble rousers. Emogene, for her part, welcomed cars, faster than ever before. For every “European tour” they ventured on, the family name, engraved above the door, welcomed her home.
“Can you believe they’re turning these houses into apartments now?” Mother balked as they returned home the autumn after the end of the Second World War (though certainly not the second Great one that would follow in the subsequent century). Emogene didn’t fight her, and instead, slipped away to refamiliarize herself with her childhood streets.
Emogene would stand at the top of Garden street, peering down and would imagine herself tumbling down to uncertain fate. At one point in time, she and Jack would sled down Garde and South Russel. But no more. Perhaps that was something the paved roads robbed of her.
And then at a certain point, even those paved roads were no more, instead replaced by blown apart rubble. Every home in Beacon Hill was but a shell of what it once was. Only the Cabots stood, unchanged yet tethered.
“I’m going out.” Emogene called out. Jack didn’t hear. Mother was upstairs. Edward jutted his chin in acknowledgement, though.
“Do you want someone to join you?”
Emogene shook her head, a small smile quivering on her face.
“You’re sweet, but no.”
And that was that.
Emogene walked back to the top of the ravaged hill that was once Joy street and braced herself, as always, for the unknown that awaited her. It was November, again, she realized, although dates didn’t matter as much anymore. Nobody particularly cared that at one point in time, November in Boston was tranquil and orange. She would try to pry memories out of Edward but, as always, he would shrug, stoic as ever. The past was dead. That’s what he said once. And in a flurry she had replied,
“It’s not even past!” But Tennessee Williams was before even Edward’s time.
She thought back, often, to Sarah and that eccentric collector of antiquities, Isabella, as she wove through the wreckage. After all this time, she couldn’t bring herself to go to the ruins of that home-turned museum-turned graveyard. So little interfered with her journey. Perhaps the creatures of the wasteland sensed that, if provoked and unrestrained, something deadly would come upon her.
Emogene would saddle at the bar, tucked away in Goodneighbor. Charlie was as good conversation as any. At the very least he humored her wistful questions.
currently thinking of starting a fallout story where all the long lost children of Emogene Cabot find each other around the commonwealth. Main character will probably be a girl and her kid sister who still lives in Cabot house but leaves when Emogene tries to make her take the serum. Her goal is to find all of the siblings written in one of Emogenes diaries. (With the help of a companions, Mac, Deeks, Valentine, or Hancock, haven’t decided yet)
Edward Deegan - It probably wouldn’t make sense for Edward to become a companion considering he works for Jack. But keep in mind that based on the choices you made at the end of the quest, Edward would no longer be in Jack’s employ. Edward seems like a reasonable, quiet and cool headed guy with an open mind. I also just really like Edward’s design. Maybe it’s his longer face but he doesn’t look like a generic ghoul. A solid character all round.
Jack Cabot - Just imagine the dialogue you can have with Jack as you travel the Common Wealth. He’s well over 200 years old and would offer interesting history and lore before and what happened during the fallout. Also consider how much of a missed opportunity it is that you couldn’t ask him to make a cure for MacCready’s son Duncan. Instead of finding the cure just siting on a table in a depilated building after 200 years. Jack as a companion may want to use his knowledge to help the people in the Common Wealth before his last days. Jack seems very curious, maybe a bit overly excitable about his passions and it bit of a brat when annoyed. Just listen to his dialogue when he tells Edward not to interrupt or when his mother asks him to look for Emogene. I think his annoyed quips could be really funny.
Emogene Cabot - Emogene has a lot of story potential. The terminals says after what happened to her dad she changed. When we meet her she seems to be lashing out and going on drunken stopers with questionable men. The relationship with her family is a bit rocky. Jack’s seems to be completely over her antics. Her mother worries but they also fight over the serum that keeps them young. Emogene could have had a personal quest where she comes to terms with whatever feelings she has on her family and their situation. She may not seem good in a fight but it is implied the serum gives the Cabot family increased strength. So I wouldn’t worry she can’t hold her own. She be like Cait except she for chems she like alcohol and likes when you’re mean. After her quest she dislikes alcohol and likes charity.
Mel & Sonya - I just really like Mel from The Big Dig Quest. He had some funny interactions with Bobbi No Nose. Seems like he would have humor similar to Deacon. But unlike Deacon who uses rifles, Mel is a melee fighter and Sonya’s pulse would stun robot enemies.
Darla - You like being bad? Darla does. She was willing to kill her mobster boyfriend because the sole survivor can charm her into thinking they’re more of a badass than her mobster boyfriend. The more mean and blood thirsty you are the better. Maybe don’t take her to dilapidated places. She’s not a delicate flower but her nice dress and hair implies that she still likes a cushy life style.
Honorable mention
Pickman - A companion that is a serial killer could make for an interesting challenge. By interesting I mean if you like to suffer. If you’re one of those players who plays survival or defeating Fallout 4 with only a stimpack type players. Pickman is an unhinged character that insta-kills you because he didn’t like the options you chose. You think the raider amor and weapons looks cool? You better use it on unless you want to be insta-killed. Did a raider ask you to do something and you responded with anything but no? Dead.
Sidenote, how terrify would it be while having the Nuka Cola World dlc installed and you play as a raider there’s a random encounter where Pickman insta-kills like the mysterious stranger. You’re just walking around the raider camp and there’s a kill cam of a random raider. You the player run over to the body and find Pickman’s calling card. Or maybe when you’re aligned with raiders it happens to you.
Hi, imma start by saying I love your blog and work. I was wondering what your opinion was on The cabot family/quest in fo4. Mostly Jack Cabot. I personally really loved the quest and wish it can be somehow used to make similar quests in the future. Thanks in advance for answering my ask. 😊
A little smattering of caps for this one, but thank you for the kind words! 💙💛
While I can't help but feel a pull to compare the Cabot family with the Cullen family from Twilight, I actually think that makes them more interesting as characters overall. What does one do with eternal life, especially if it's bought with the suffering of your own father? Are the Cabots merciful, or monsters? I actually see the imprisonment of Lorenzo Cabot as a sort of narrative parallel to the Institute and synths - the Institute argues that keeping synths imprisoned is for their own good, for the Commonwealth's own good, and there is plenty of in-game evidence to support either side of that argument. Lorenzo, meanwhile, is 100 percent the villain that the Institute makes its escaped synths out to be, but the question of whether Jack is justified in keeping him imprisoned still stands. What rights does a telekinetic madman have? Should the Cabots be allowed to use his powers to prolong their lives? How long would he even remain contained if they were to pass away of their extreme old age?
And that's not even getting into the Cabot family's existential logistics. How do you dodge the inevitable questions? How do you let go of the friends and family that you had, outside the circle of immediate relatives? Do you bother making new connections? Do you find them distractions at best, disposable at worst? How do you view time, as more and more years pass and the country around you begins to crumble and grow dangerously desperate? Do you try to stop the decline, and risk everything? Do you hide and hope your wealth and influence are enough to keep you safe from nuclear fire? And how did Edward Deegan and the rest of the Cabot family's ghoulified associates feel, after the bombs fell and their superiors continued on unaffected, forever youthful? The agony of basic existence as a ghoul is perhaps best reflected in characters like the Cabots and the sole survivor, who don't suffer the usual consequences that come with Fallout-bestowed immortality. As the Vault-Tec rep said, ghouls had to get to the future "the hard way."
Finally, I just like seeing aliens and kooky mind powers in Fallout (I adored Fallout 3's Mothership Zeta DLC and Fallout 76's Invaders from Beyond event, despite their flaws). It's a sign that the writers aren't taking themselves too seriously, while still paying homage to vintage pulp science fiction. And full disclosure, I'm the person who spent half their time playing Skyrim just wandering around Dwemer ruins, utterly entranced, so the idea of a buried city in the middle of the Rub' al Khali immediately piques my interest. I just have to temper it with a self-reminder that "ancient aliens" narratives can take away the historic accomplishments of real-world peoples: The lost city in the Empty Quarter may really surface someday, and it wouldn't do to diminish its builders by tying it to extra-terrestrial influence. Still, I wouldn't mind some alien-centric quests tied to the Cabot family's adventures after sorting out the business with their patriarch. Maybe luring aliens in with the artifact in order to study them, or using it to root out other alien artifacts across the Commonwealth for Jack's research.
A more thorough draft of the scene between Adrian and Emogene in Vault 118. 1500+ words.
Excerpt:
“Don’t you wanna’ travel with em?” He asked, confused by her response and her tone. “See where life takes ‘em? Hell, have your own adventures? Now that you’re all free?”
“I mean, of course part of me does.” Her typing slowed, and eventually stopped, and she lifted her gaze to meet Adrian’s. “You know, it’s strange. Before all this, I didn’t care either way. I just felt tired of existing. The same old thing, day-in and day-out. Feeling like a prisoner in my own home. It was so goddamn boring. So boring that you just don’t really want to do it anymore.”
Green eyes watched with interest as Emogene bent over and started to peck at the keys on the terminal before her. She produced a few holotapes from her satchel and sat them down on the desk, well within reach for when she was ready for them.
“Well, what’s on your mind?” She asked. “I’m sure you didn’t just follow me in here to watch me work my wonders on a terminal, did you?”
“How astute of you.” Adrian couldn’t help but chuckle as he drew nearer, finding a spot next to the desk she was working at and resting his weight against the wall with a resigned sigh, and folded his arms across his chest. For a brief second, he caught her gaze meeting his, before flicking back to the terminal screen. She was waiting for some kind of answer. He hadn’t known her long, but it’s one thing Adrian had appreciated about her; the woman knew what she want, and she pulled no punches. “I guess I just kinda’ wanted to see how you’re holding up through all of this?”
She gave pause for a moment, taken somewhat aback by such a simple question, but ultimately, she offered only a shrug.
“I guess as well as can be expected, given the circumstances.” She answers flatly, still pecking away at the keys under her expert fingers without a hitch. “Jack’s been working on the serum and the rest of us are… just taking things one day at a time. It’s all we really can do. But at least now we don’t have to worry about mother, so that’s one less thing weighing on our collective conscience.”
Adrian nods sagely to himself. He was glad to be able to help with that particular concern, but even more glad that something actually worked.
“Wouldn’t it be ironic if she ends up outliving all of us?” Emogene scoffed, still focused on her task.
Odd, Adrian thought. He didn’t sense any doubt in her tone, but her statement itself suggested otherwise.
“Well, you said he’s working on it, right? And if he does solve the whole serum ordeal, it sounds like he and Edward are set on traveling west. Your mother’s probably going to stay here. But…” He knit his brow. “- what about you?”
For the first time, he notices a slight hitch in her fluid, determined movements. But it was only mere seconds before she got back on track. “I dunno.”
The General looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, trying to ponder just what she might be thinking. If he was being honest, there had been an out-of-place sort of melancholy in her demeanor for the last couple of weeks. “Do you think he can do it?”
“I do.” Emogene said, no hesitation in her voice whatsoever. “I just… haven’t decided what I wanna’ do if he does.”
“Don’t you wanna’ travel with em?” He asked, confused by her response and her tone. “See where life takes ‘em? Hell, have your own adventures? Now that you’re all free?”
“I mean, of course part of me does.” Her typing slowed, and eventually stopped, and she lifted her gaze to meet Adrian’s. “You know, it’s strange. Before all this, I didn’t care either way. I just felt tired of existing. The same old thing, day-in and day-out. Feeling like a prisoner in my own home. It was so goddamn boring. So boring that you just don’t really want to do it anymore.”
Even if he had something to say to such a heavy admission, he opted to keep his mouth shut; to keep the floor open for her, since she was finally showing a vulnerable side and talking about things.
She noticed this, and she appreciated it greatly. She offered him a small, bittersweet smile before she continued.
“For the first time in the last 200 years, I’m not sure I’ve felt that. Not since everything happened.” The slightest of wistful expressions took over her features, if only for a second. “We’ve kept busy. We’ve done new things. Gone places we’ve never been, and even revisited places we haven’t seen since before the war. And it’s been so… jarring that it’s hard not to second-guess it all. I’ve spent so long hoping for an easy way out, but now I feel more conflicted than ever.”
Adrian cracked a small smile. “I thought a will to live was typically a good thing.”
“Sure. But when you’re jaded like I am, you’re always expecting it to come to an end. Because every time I’ve ever started to feel that will to live, it was never long before I’d get dragged back home. It never lasted. And because of that? For a long time, I just stopped allowing myself to enjoy it. And when you languish in that for long enough, you just get bored.” Emogene had since cast her gaze down at the blinking cursor, but Adrian still hung on every word. “And knowing how I am, we’d be halfway to Nevada and I’d get bored, and be looking for some way out, because any time I let myself enjoy things, they always get pulled from under me, you know?”
She looked back at the man who offered a sorrowful, understanding expression. He noticed the slight mist in her eyes, but he dare not comment on it.
“I don’t wanna’ do that to them. They’ve finally got their shot at freedom, at getting the hell away from here. They can start their own life, after all these years.” She admonished. “The last thing they need is me hampering them down with my bullshit. They don’t deserve that.”
The man looked back at her in surprise and a bit of sadness, but she quickly scoffed and tried to play it off.
“God, I didn’t mean to dump all that on you-”
“I asked, Emogene. You don’t need to apologize.” He offered her a smile; small but genuine and reassuring. “Let it all out if you want to. I can’t help but feel like you’ve probably been holding all this in.”
“Ha!” She choked out a sharp laugh through her tears, and wiped at her eyes, but she couldn’t help but grin. She wondered how someone as understanding and patient had ever found them, or how they’d ever found him. But she was glad they did. “Yeah, it’s not exactly easy to talk to anyone at home about it. Mother wouldn’t have given a damn, Jack’s been more or less in denial most of this time, and Edward’s had plenty of other nonsense on his plate. Only one I’ve ever really told about it is my terminal. So, I uh… I really appreciate it.”
“Happy to. Sometimes it’s nice just to finally get that kinda’ shit off your chest, ya know?” Adrian asked, lowering his arms and stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “And no judgement, but… can I be frank with you for a minute?”
Emogene sniffled, lifting her gaze to meet his again, and shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure, why not?”
“I understand why you’re not sure whether or not you wanna’ go, and I’m not trying to sway you either way, but…” Adrian worried at his lip for a moment as he chose his words. “- I can’t help but feel like they’d be a lot happier to have to deal with a little bit of your ‘bullshit’ on the trip than they would be if you weren’t there with them at all.”
The woman’s eyes softened a bit as his words sunk in.
“Even though I don’t actually think you’ll succumb to said bullshit.” He chuckled quietly, through that crooked grin of his, and his eyes crinkled a little. “I know it’s a lot, but… you don’t have to be afraid to let yourself feel anymore. This conversation’s a good starting point.”
She groaned and gave a sarcastic roll of her eyes, breathing a tired sigh before she met his smiling eyes again. “Eww. Keep talking like that, and next you’re gonna’ tell me I should talk to Jack about it-”
“You’re damn right I am. Please. You guys are the most emotionally constipated bunch I’ve ever met.” He laughed warmly, breaking into another contagious smile as he picked up on the playful tone in her voice, and relieved the mood was beginning to lighten. “Honestly? He’s been getting better about that sort of thing. I promise his tunnel vision is finally easing up.”
“I know, I know.” Emogene laughed quietly, a smile finally gracing her face. “Illl try. But I can’t make any promises.”
Adrian nods back at her. “That’s all I ask.”
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Emogene sat, considering his words, and Adrian stood patiently, not expecting anything further. But the blonde finally broke the silence -
“Adrian?”
“Hm?”
“… thank you.”
He beamed genuinely back at her, and nodded. And he couldn’t resist another chuckle when she snarled at him. “Feels kinda’ weird rolling off your tongue, huh?”
“Oh my god, shut up.” She half-laughed, half-scoffed, rolling her eyes as she turned her attention back to the terminal in front of her.
“Change of subject,” Adrian stated. “- NOW I wanna know what the hell it is you’re working on down here. What are you pecking away at like a madwoman?”
She glanced back at him for just a second, pursing her lips and knitting her brow. “Not really ready to talk about it right now - early days yet.”
“Y’know…” An involuntary smirk tugged at his lips again. “- your brother told me the exact same thing about his project.”
