#v9lore

[object-vault-9]

Object Anatomy pt 2

Wow last post on this was in 2024, wild ! To preface, none of this is supposed to be fully realistic since at the end of the day I like them as silly objects and I want to lean into them as fully being living inanimate objects, but it's still fun to think about! Below - mild blood/discussion of internal object anatomy

So in the original post here we mentioned how Vault 9 objects don't have organs or bones. Instead, that blue to teal goop that we call blood is basically what animates them and seperates them from an inanimate Because they don't have organs, when they breathe the blood/circulatory system somewhat pumps itself through their body, similar to how a slime mold pumps through its body by contracting itself. Because of their object bodies/limbs its not visible, though it can be picked up like a "pulse" with medical equipment/checking the right place. The deeper into the body the blood is, the thicker it is in consistency. So surface cuts bleed but deep damage might have a thicker consistency.

It concentrates the heaviest around the core and/or face of an object in order to give their eyes/mouth/teeth shape and to have the best access to air/nutrients Like that myth about blood, it's usually only lightly tinted/colorless except when reacting to air (or when concentrated in one place under the ""skin"" like a bruise or blush) which is why you can see through Uranium Glass and Inspector's faces.

It's also why, in addition to it being their faces, why damage to the head/face can be worse for an object (Or even traumatic enough to kill them, like Handheld Radio Objects that are hollow like To-Go, Thermos and Uranium Glass have it thinned out more, which helps with damage being less concentrated in one place but can leave them more prone to becoming light headed and recovering slower from damage. Objects that are thin also have this problem, though its less severe since it can still be displaced evenly. When healing, the goop thickens to hold the object together, like holding cracks in place when an object is a shattering risk, and then it mutates to seal in the cracks and imitate the inorganic material that makes up the object. Organic objects are closer to the make up of the organic components of the blood, and allow objects like plants to heal and regrow more effectively than objects like metal or plastic.

This is why Blue Spruce grew back her needles after being burned but Uranium Glass had the chip missing from her head that whole time.

Objects can supplement their largely organic diets with things like extra iron or silicone to grow/heal/develop better.

Their limbs I see as similar to an insect/wire frame, I'm not sure about texture but I'm leaning towards like a short velvet or smooth like cord? Idk suggestions welcome

[object-vault-9]

the parasite is so gosh darn cool!!! any fun facts about it?

I'm glad you think so ! Lets see.... -The parasite was developed unintentionally by scientists in Vault 13 and took over the vault. Dianthus and Firefly Petunia killed most of it off and escaped unscathed but enough of it remained in 2 surviving scientists to continue -The parasite is a hivemind, it uses the minds of the objects it takes over to think for itself and grows more intelligent/worldly as it spreads. If all hosts are destroyed it loses its ability to think and make rational decisions until it gains a new host. -Though it can access memories and information from its hosts, they're functionally dead when it has completely taken over their minds. Applying the treatment Vault 9 developed to Pineapple for example would leave them with a husk since her mind is gone

-There are probably more than just Pineapple and Clipboard in it now, though it favors its older hosts -Its goal is to spread and unite the wasteland, it doesn't consider itself evil -The process of assimilating a new host is long, but it roots in so well that without the treatment or drastic action it will continue to spring back. -It's unknown if Cactus' memories ended up in the bank of the parasite, though since she was destroyed it cannot use her as a vessel or to think

[object-vault-9]

Object Anatomy

Since I mentioned the vault and stuff in detail why not ! Warning for: Blood/mild object gore in a simple diagram/etc , mentions of death, etc, brief mention of a parasite 100% SFW, save for the minor blood and death mentions And the science isn't super realistic because they're objects haha, I want it to be fun more than anything rather than have to completely rationalize how objects are sentient. They just are

Objects in the v9 verse are animated by basically a special blue substance we've just been calling "blood", it serves as not just blood but a general life force for an object. Like a living animal, an object needs to breathe, drink and eat to sustain themselves, and they can become ill ! Illnesses affect how functional their special blood is, which is why illness or infections have been deadly so far Anatomy wise, what makes up an object is the same as what makes up the real equivalent of them. So for example, Cornerstone is solid stone, To-Go is hollow and Nectarine has fruit flesh/a stone Objects don't have organs, their blood basically fullfills this role too, though some objects with more advanced components might have issues with a compotent that might cause them health issues. For example if Dive Light's battery were to corrode it could cause him long term health problems. If it couldn't be fixed, an artificial replacement (like hand making a battery the right size for him to replace it) could work

Objects can sometimes survive with suprising amounts of damage, even if parts of their bodies are missing orcompromised, but that is sometimes just luck. With treatment or good health, even severe physical ailments like Oxy's corrosion can be slowed, though she is helped by the foundation's advanced medicine. Bad Apple (a bandit from earlier weeks) wasn't handling his rot, which presented similarly to the corrosion, very well, and it spread between his appearances. For both though it cause them discomfort/pain/loss of function in afflicted body parts

While an object of course would die if completely destroyed, the sudden shock of a traumatic injury, especially if around a seemingly important part of them like their face or the core of the object, can also kill them

Even though objects are made of non-biological materials, they can still heal like a living creature, and even scar. Thats why though Kite has torn a few times the fabric has sealed back together, or Dive Light's gouge in the plastic remains. The materials from an object are often a little sturdier than their real equivalent too, though fragile objects are still more fragile than other types, like Tea Cup being prone to cracking Though because they may be hollow and stuff, things that might kill a person might not hurt an object as much. Impaling Kite hasn't scarred him yet Trauma to their bodies/limbs can still affect them after the injury has healed too, like Shovel's chronic arm pain They can't regrow their living features, like limbs or facial features. Some naturally growing objects (like Blue Spruce) can regrow missing features like when she regrew her needles after the fire, but Uranium Glass couldn't regrow the shard missing from the rim of her glass

Objects are basically completely sexless, though some might present ""gendered"" traits. Objects can also transition to different genders

When an object has a kid, the parents choose a small piece of an inanimate object to basically "link to". The more similar it is to the parents, the higher chance of success it is ! So for example, a Shovel is well inbetween a Trowel and a Rake and using the handle of one was a safe bet. Usually an object that is very similar to one parent, or an object that feels somewhere between both parents, is chosen.

The object is influenced by the parents, and fills out into a whole object. If using more than one shard, sometimes twins can occur, or if the linked piece breaks while developing, there could be identical twins ! An object may occassionally have traits from a parent that aren't common in the real version of it, like the hc that Apricot's leaves can cause irritation like his father Nettle, or a flower object having a different number of petals than the norm to match a parent.

They can also inherit facial features, like eyebrows/eye lashes/freckles/etc or color schemes Objects develop at the rate a human does, and in good health/circumstances live as long as a human is expected to too. Their size isn't 1:1 on real objects proportionally, which is why while Spruce is tall and Microchip is very small, they are both still closer to the range of object heights that are expected Also I just like to think even serious objects are inherently a little goofy and whimsical and stuff Thats all I can think of for now !

[object-vault-9]

About the previous update (141 pt 4)

So the New Order's outreach in this area is somewhat limited. They have a small temporary camp with Captain E, Hercules and like a dozen or so other soldiers. It's more out of their way than they have the resources to settle in, which is why they'd use a plane to bring resources over.

A lot of the times in new regions, instead of establishing their own towns they'll "adopt" local ones and provide them with protection and resources, and in turn they're expected to grow and support the order. Though the move is often beneficial for struggling communities it also restricts their personal freedoms. Not every town or community is in liberty of saying no when they get strong armed into the deal, which means that they have to come to expect that keeping the peace also means keeping most of the Order's laws of values. 

Basically the New Order controlled towns are safer, and provide stability, but the Order, despite how they see themselves, are not always 'the good guys'. Kite defected for a reason. Shovel didn't even get to be included in this conversation because it doesn't matter what she says. 

That being said, they won't be prevented from closing the vault (and leaving the area for them to take over later) and in the hypothetical town establishment Shovel would keep her position, she'd just also be expected to work with the Order.

Some other things:

-There is no close town in this region. There's a few small farms and ranches, and then a small settlement that was burned down at the beginning of the comic (where Downy Feather came from). Other settlements like the ones Dr Candy and EMF Meter are from are a significant distance away, and the city that's near the vault's territory is just ruins (though it has people living in it too, like a few of the wasteland joiners like Exit, and people like The Door)

-They came to investigate the plane crash, I wanted to have them interrogate Hehe on what happened to the cargo but they don't know anything, it would have been a boring conversation. They either did it off screen or I'll find a way to show that 

-The significance of letting the "defector" stay is important too because Kite would have been shot over that. He's basically been given a pass, and doesn't have to worry about the consequences of it, he's already suffered from it anyhow 

-Kite and Inspector set up the meeting, Triangle came because he was worried about Kite's safety the last time. I do think that pair is a fun one for Hehe to have though, they both also left their old factions 

-The New Order is allies with the Foundation, Enemies with Hush (and Mountain Gods) and unaware of Vault 13

[object-vault-9]

Mountain Gods

Small, kind of rambly exploration of the group/ex members (King Pin, Bowling Pin, Charger)

(Despite it not covering everything, it's still a little long. Warning for undetailed mentions of violence (even against family) )

Mountain Gods:

King Pin:

A legend, he's referred to by his gang with god-like reverence. The mountain gods are a huge organization, not a small scale gang like the bandits the vault members typically tussle with. The "wars" between them are nothing compared to the gods conflicts with other large groups like The New Order and other large raider gangs.

King Pin is so respected that if he told one of his members jump off a bridge they would. To keep control over his gang, he treats it in a monarchy fashion, planning for one of his 9 children to take over, and pushing them into often violent competition with one another for a chance at his approval. The fact they all look so much like him is intentional, making him into an almost immortal figure.

Like Charger, he enforces control with fear, but also respect. He rewards people generously and punishes them severely. It's important to him his 'subjects' eat well, stay healthy and feel indebted to him and the group. 

King Pin wasn't the original founder, but he led it into its greatest 'era' after a fight to the death with the previous head after serving as their right hand man for years.

They control the whole mountain range, making it difficult for groups to pass through, and leading to the vault built into the base of the range's isolation. They're unaware of it having opened, but as long as the vault continues to keep to itself, would tolerate its existence.

Bowling Pin: 

One of the younger children of King Pin, he bears the closest physical resemblance to him, leading to him being feared by other members of the gang without having to do anything to earn that reputation.

Privately, his father sees him as a bit of a screw up. Bowling Pin has never been the best fighter of his siblings, and they'd often become easily distracted, starting flings with other gang members that die out due to how hard it is to establish a real connection with a reputation like his.

Despite being considered a failure, and lacking the cruel edge and competitive streak of his siblings, Bowling Pin's progress is kept secret from the other members. The danger with staking your legacy on your children is that when they make mistakes you have to cover them up.

Bowling Pin fled the gang after [REDACTED] and is now hiding out at the vault, where for the first time people actually got to see the real him without his father's shadow constantly hanging over him. 

The Hush Bandits are currently unaware of his uprooted life, and avoid stepping on his toes lest he lets his father know about the defected new gang. 

Amongst his family, who are all bowling pins, and the gang, he was known as Seven, or Lucky Number Seven. 

2-6 are his older siblings, 8-10 are his youngest... 1 is Kingpin himself.

Charger:

Charger is a little younger than King Pin and grew up along side him. From childhood friend to attack dog, Charger saw all of it.

Charger grew to be an enforcer of Bowling Pins, and with his unnatural size and strength, was often made to inflict punishments with just his bare hands, giving him a terrifying beast-like reputation. No one ever crossed him- and by extension - no one crossed King Pin.

When they were both young, in their 20s, King Pin had almost complete control over Charger. He was hardly his own person. No one even knew him as one at least, just the dangerous extension of his 'friend' the pin. At one point in his life, King Pin and the previous boss even had him kill one of his own parents who committed treason against the group. 

But despite knowing the pin so long, Charger's role in his life became smaller and smaller with each passing year. King Pin surrounded himself with people that would get him further than Charger ever could. Smarter people, people with more connections, etc.

When King Pin took over the gang and became King Pin, Charger was still Charger. 

Charger finally snapped, and voiced his frustration to a small group in his unit, and they defected to become their own group. Some out of the hope that they'd have a better chance at personal power by forming their own group, others out of fear or disagreements of King Pin (or fear of Charger himself).

To the rest of the gang, the disappearance of him and the small group he took is unsolved, but they're thought to be dead after a rockslide occurred the night they left.

Charger now acts like he has complete power over his new group, and he's vengeful enough to want to inflict the damage King Pin inflicted on him back... but truthfully he's deathly afraid of King Pin finding them. Even now, despite Charger likely being strong enough to over power him one on one, King Pin knows everything about Charger... his is insecurities, his weaknesses, what makes him tick. He'd crumble.

[object-vault-9]

Question I have about the vault itself, do you have an idea of what it looks like? The whole interior layout and everything? I've been wondering for some time now...

Ohh I should really sit down in a map maker and put it together ! A lot of the inspiration for the layout comes from Vault 101 and Vault 76 in the fallout games, plus a huge agricultural inspiration is from Vault 33 This is gonna be long and have pictures from the games/show/my comic/etc so it'll be under a break, might include some rambling about the way the vault used to operate too ! Very rambly/unorganized for now

Vault 9 is built into a cliff face, and behind it is a mountain range.

The vault was built for much more people that currently live there, and large portions of it are ominously empty. You can genuinely get lost in there, even Timer/Shovel/Mousetrap can even get turned around in there and they were born and raised there. Had Car Key survived he was intended to be the one that knew the layout almost perfectly, being the head security officer (and lone survivor of the security teams prior to the opening of the vault). If I were to draw less visited parts of the vault, portions of it would be roped off. The largest open areas in the vault are the farm (above) and the cafeteria

Vault 9's structure and culture when established was less individual, there were not a lot of rec rooms, rooms were all bunks to hold multiple people, etc. A lot of stuff involves some degree of depersonalization, etc. So thats why despite there being so many empty rooms presumably, most characters are shown to share rooms when their rooms are shown. Lcukily, especially with a colorful cast of characters from different backgrounds and over a century past its establishment, people are more encouraged to be themselves here There's a few rooms set aside for professions, there's the clinic, plus a larger room beside it for long term patients, though with the small population Mousetrap keeps people close to better monitor them There are classrooms, pretty much always empty, Spade/Shovel/Timer/etc are among the last to "graduate", and school years were not hosted every year due to the diminishing amount of people being born. So while Timer is a little older than Spade and Shovel, and Push Pin was a little younger, they likely all attended the same "grades/classes" together. Usually the family will teach basics (basic math/reading/writing) before the official vault curriculum, with classes starting for older students (like 10+) instead of starting at kindergarten

The intention of Vault 9 was mostly on self sustaining populations, so most people were intended to be involved with the care of the farm over anything else. Other roles were security/education/medical/culinary/etc, as well as leadership roles like a peoples court and the overseer The armory is very small and depleted/half destroyed, and there is only one or two quarantine/prison rooms

The floor structure is built in a way that the further down you go, the less likely you need to be there, this is my vague idea of it but with floor plans some things might be rearranged The surface level is only the door, airlock and door controls. Some storage is kept up there too Second floor down/B2 is the largest area. Farm, cafeteria, public rooms, clinic, classrooms, etc. There's a small library Third floor/B3 down are the living quarters, as well as the overseers office, peoples court, and locker rooms for showering and stuff. The overseers office is the best furnished room in the vault, and it had personal living quarters for the overseers family that were nicer too Fourth floor/B4 are guard armory/small training room/most storage/certain aspects of vault maint, etc. Fifth/B5 is storage and machinery for the most part. The boiler/furnace/etc, there's also a work shop down there and where Hehe/Apricot/CoG hang out. There's also the columbarium and morgue down there

Lowest level, heavy clearance, is where the power is. It's still nuclear power, the intention is to keep it buried so a failure might destroy the vault but cause less damage on the surface

I'll revisit this soon and have drawings and floorplans hopefully

[object-vault-9]

Origins/Basics of Hush

The Hush bandits are a newly formed group that splintered off from a much larger raider gang, the one Bowling Pin is one of the 'heirs' to, Mountain Gods. They've only really exisited maybe a few months before the vault opened, so their histories started tangling pretty fast. Founded by Charger, who was, and still is, known for his brute force and unusual size/power for an object. Going from an enforcer type role to a leader, rather than using his brute strength to threaten the enemies of his old group he usually uses this to rule over his own smaller group with fear. He has no qualms about threatening, hurting or even killing his own members in order to keep them in line, though his ruthlessness has earned him the fear and respect of his peers. He's genuinely bad news.

Charger isn't the best leader, but no one really dares question him. He has a fly off the handle temper, he's known for picking fights and a has really vindictive streak

However, that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to leave his mark on things. Despite being a smaller group, they have a strong influence on their area, and they're known for completely destroying the places they attack. Often with fire, which is what made the ending of the "second war" the vault had with them somewhat fitting.

They usually target lone travelers over larger settlements. Loot wise they're mostly after weapons and supplies, though some of them like collecting other items, like Hat Rack collecting hats and going out of their way to attack people who're wearing hats.

The people that came over from the old gang were Charger, Bad Apple, Fungus, Fire Axe, Fig, Shale and Razor Blade. The others (like Blue Spruce, Splam, Frame, etc) joined later, in a similar fashion to new joiners findind the vault. Everyone in the gang joined willingly, though it can be difficult to leave. Fungus was the co-founder of the group in a way, but lost all of their influence after they dropped the ball with Shale, making it more salt in the wound that a newer member Frame is holding the second-in command spot. The assosiation with the color purple and the tagging was something formulated by Bad Apple and Fire Axe The mattress store was their original base, and they spent a lot of time building it up to be their home. Their new base is a tightly kept secret.

After their firey defeat at the hands of Bustopher, and the targetting they've recieved from the Foundation along side the vault, Hush keeps to themselves much more than they had in the past.

[object-vault-9]

I'm looking at those jobs,, if there wasn't the crop failure, what jobs would everyone have?

Car Key and Mousetrap would be the same, with the former being the head of security and Mousetrap being a doctor I think Timer would have wanted to go into security too, when she was young she found her parents' jobs to be a little boring Shovel and Spade wouldn't be overseer, it's supposed to be an electoral process. Spade would have wanted to do education but in a more recreational way like PE or art Shovel I could see being interested in medical, or maybe getting into vault management and politics in a more gradual way Push Pin would probably fool around too much and get stuck with one of the jobs the majority gets, like farming, but he'd be happy anyway And Cornerstone is retired and only worked on weekends, and started as a farmer and ended in food prep And every other vault character would be some place in the wasteland in their usual lives