https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/comments/5sfge2/really_good_screenshot_of_the_entrance_of/

When the whole world froze in place, followed by a welcoming message. “Hello there, wastelander, Welcome to Ardea.” the cheerful robotic voice that piped up almost enough for you to think that you really were insane, when a holographic projection of a boy appeared beside you, glowing faintly blue. “I notice that you are a first-time user, please select your current skill level, and attributes so we can get rolling.”

The screen that hovered into view in front of you, so enticingly familiar that you felt yourself beginning to relax. Perhaps this was indeed a game after all. Granted a game with insane graphics, not to mention sounds, smells, and sensations that were utterly terrifying, but a game nonetheless.

Quickly going through the selection menu, you select your attributes, skills, and optional traits, which could come in handy for future battles, when you realize that everything was set at zero.

Seeing the boy staring at you expectantly until you were finished, you clicked done, your finger lightly tapping the screen, when the boy smiled again. His chubby round cheeks giving you the impression of a creepy teenage boy with perfect white teeth, and dark eyes that never showed a hint of emotion, even when he was smiling

Hands clapping together in excitement, the boy exclaimed, "Excellent! Now for the rules! While you can steal, gamble, and kill in this simulation, you cannot cheat. Also it is noted that your body is linked to this gaming device, so any action that causes death will ultimately result in a real-time death. Thank you for choosing Vault-tec, your first choice in post-nuclear survival!"

Then just like that it was gone, leaving you there with a dark screen that highlighted your stats, inventory with the hunting rifle equipped. Data which said that you were on a quest called, Cassidy's crew, a map of an unknown area you were pretty sure wasn't in the original Fallout 4, as well as a radio with a static signal.

But even with the dawning realization that this game was dangerous, even life-threatening, something seemed to snap deep inside of you, focus your mind, until all that background noise was washed away. If this was to be a game, where your life was the stake, then you were going to beat it. Because that is what you do.

Teeth gritted together in a grim smile as you felt your fear dissipate, you swiftly moved to help Cassidy up to her feet. The left side of her face badly bruised, and clutching a deep gash in her right her shoulder as you grinned, "I think I'd like to kill a few muties if that's okay?"

Then before she could respond, your limbs which were usually clumsy, instinctively spun smoothly around, rifle raised up to your cheek as you gazed down the cold steel of the barrel. Your breathing, nice and slow as you tried to rely on your newfound abilities.

Hidden behind barbed wire trenches that intersected and crossed each other, you could make out at least three dozen super mutants firing an assortment of rifles, rockets, and miniguns. Their leader, a big burly scarred bastard that rested atop a sort of ridge, protected by sandbags piled up into a low wall around him as he shouted out insults, his body covered in that strange segmented armor that only super mutants could wear.

(Small arms Skill above 0%)

×15 rounds of .308.

Lever cocked back as you prepared to fire, you could hear the big bastard shouting something about being hungry, when you pulled back the trigger. The small explosion of heat and noise, sending a bullet to smack into the sandbags a few feet away from it as you quickly fired again, this time striking it in the arm. Its loud bellow of rage turned to fury as it turned its minigun on you, forcing you back down into the shelter of the Earth as gunfire roared, before you stood up again.

Sweat beading on your brow as you took another long deep measuring breath, you fired for the third time, and let out a sigh of relief as the bullet ricocheted off its armor to tear open its throat in a gurgling cry. The other super mutants taking the death of the leader as a sign to retreat.

Heart still thundering inside, you turned your attention to Cassidy who all but grinned from ear to ear as she laughed, "Not bad, rookie. Next time try to aim for the head, it will save you some ammo."

-3 rounds of .308

(Small arms Skill 25% or Perception 3.)

Lever cocked back as you prepared to fire, you could hear the big bastard shouting something about being hungry, when you pulled back the trigger. The small explosion of heat and noise, sending a bullet to smack into it in the arm. Its loud bellow of rage turned to fury as it fired back, forcing you down into the shelter of the Earth, before again you stood up.

Sweat beading on your brow as you took another long deep measuring breath, you fired for the second time, and let out a heavy sigh of relief as the bullet ricocheted off its armor to tear open its throat in a gurgling cry. The other super mutants taking the death of the leader as a sign to retreat.

Heart still thundering, you turned your attention to Cassidy who all but grinned from ear to ear as she laughed, "Not bad, rookie. Next time try to aim for the head, it will save you some ammo."

-2 rounds of .308

(Luck 3.)

Lever cocked back as you prepared to fire, you could hear the big bastard shouting something about being hungry, when you pulled back the trigger. The small explosion of heat and noise, sending a bullet to bounce off a rock, ricochet off the super mutant's thick armor, and tore open its throat in a gurgling cry. The other super mutants taking the death of the leader as a sign to retreat.

Heart still thundering inside at your luck, you turned your attention to Cassidy who all but grinned from ear to ear as she laughed, "well damn, rookie. You've got the luck of a gambler."

-1 round of .308

"Now come on, grab what you can from the dead, and come with me. We've got a place not too far from here that should be safe."

Feeling a little shaky over killing something for the first time, you couldn't help but stare at its corpse as feral dogs began feeding on its carcass, and wondered if this was how soldiers felt on the inside, cold, and empty. Like you had fallen into a deep dark hole. The horror of the moment replaying itself in your head, and pushed back behind layers of barriers that blurred the images.

Eventually, a young boy about your age, tugged your arm, his face badly scarred as he silently gestured to Cassidy. The short woman rifling through the pockets of dead ghoul, uncaring for the dead as the boy signed something in the air to you.

Surprised that anyone still knew sign language, you wanted to ask him who had taught the boy, but thought that best left for another time when they weren't in danger. The wiry young man, darkly tanned with weathered skin, and deep-set green eyes, waving at you to move.

(Search the dead.)

Reluctant over touching someone’s dismembered carcass, you slowly bent down beside a pretty woman, her long red hair burnt away, and body half blackened by an explosion as you picked up her 10mm pistol, as well as a stimpak she had tucked up her sleeve. A pity she had not had the time to use it, before you moved you on. Finding caps, and bullets.

Inventory Items Added.

-10mm pistol

- ×12 10mm rounds.

- ×1 stimpak

- 57 bottle caps

- Mouldy bread +2 HP.

(Wait.)

Refusing to be a part of this desecration, you shook your head to the boy, and waited.

When finally they were all ready to leave, a total of eight survivors took to the road that stretched out west in patches overgrown with grass, toppled buildings on their left, and the grand vastness of the wasteland on their right. It’s pools of murky green water bubbling and popping with bloatflys hovering over them, strange plants that seemed so alien, and two-headed deer that skipped away. Even after all the games you had played, nothing could truly do the wasteland justice. Not because of its starkly surreal beauty, but because of the hushed quiet like someone was breathing slowly, allowing a new type of life to grow. You could never find this kind of peace in the city or country anymore.

Eyes watching the cracked and broken road, you watched Cassidy sidle up beside you, her left eyebrow raised in question at the hunting rifle slung on your shoulder. “You are an odd one, I’ll give you that. Normally a man surrounded by strangers would keep his weapon handy, but not you. Did you grow up in a vault or something?”

Head already shaking before you could stop yourself, you could see her frown in worry, and blurted, “I’m from a far off settlement. We don’t get much trouble there.”

Then almost berated yourself for being so hasty and not coming up with a better backstory, but Cassidy didn’t seem to mind, she simply shrugged her shoulders. The brown coat and jacket she wore armored with spikes as she replied, “I guess that would explain your pre-war clothing, although I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. You might want to talk to Jack when we get back, he can get you kitted out in some proper gear. The man’s a genius when it comes to tinkering and lined my coat with something that can turn a machete.”

“Machete?”

Gaze again narrowing as she looked at you. “Yes, machetes. You sure you're not from a vault?”

“I meant wouldn’t it be better to get something to protect myself from bullets?”

Half laughing, Cassidy turned to look back at the biggest man you had ever seen with long jet black hair that hung down to broad thick shoulders, bushy beard flecked with grey, and a face carved from iron. “You want to tell him, Bull?”

Smirking from behind his beard, his cold dark deep-set eyes locked onto yours, he cradled a heavy triple-barrelled shotgun in his hairy arms as he drawled. “It'd be my pleasure, miss.”

Head cocked back as he gazed up into the darkening sky, he continued, “you see, once we knew this fella called Pete. Pete was a quick little fucker, but some fool convinced the idiot to buy armor thick enough to stop a bullet. And him being the enterprising fool that he was he wanted to test it out.

One day while Pete was out wandering in the wasteland, raiders ambushed him in an alleyway. And while normally he’d just run away, he wanted to see if the armor would work. Sure enough, he took a few rounds and was fine, but with the armor he was slow. Eventually they caught him trying to run away, and cooked him alive.” He finished with a toothy grin that caused more than a few to laugh.

Trying to settle your rapidly beating heart, you decided you didn’t much like this tale.

Cassidy who seemed able to read your mind, slapping you on the back. “Easy rookie. So long as you’re in my crew, we’ll look out for you, but you’re better off getting something light that will stop you from being chopped up.”

Winding their way through some nearby buildings, which could have been part of a city at some point, they moved down an alleyway with everyone on guard, eyes watching the rooftops, and windows, while you stayed close to Cassidy. The street that opened up ahead of you, leading towards a brick wall with barbed wire above, and beside it a gate that reminded you very much of GoodNeighbour with its colorful lights, and pre-war logos.

Relieved to be within sight of safety, they quickly started towards the gate which was guarded by four ghouls in suits, their sour expressions glancing over them as submachine guns were hefted, before they were waved inside.

There in the bustling streets of a town made up of ramshackle buildings, market stalls set up to showcase weapons and armor, Cassidy held up her arms. “Welcome to Deliverance, our home away from home. You should see about getting yourself some proper gear and meeting up with us at Lucky Bill’s Tavern. I’ve got a proposition you’ll want to hear.”