The MODUS Files - A Fallout Audio Drama Podcast Series

The dust of the old world settles over the ruins of Ohio, but the ghosts of Appalachia refuse to rest. For Shadow, the road has been long—a path carved through wreckage and regret. He is a man forged in the crucible of Vault 76, haunted by the calculated cruelties of a woman who mistakes her delusions of grandeur for a righteous mission. While the Overseer marches westward, fueled by a dangerous faith that she holds the keys to humanity's salvation, Shadow follows in her wake—a silent hunter closing in on the final name on his list. As their paths converge at the gates of Vault 199, the collision between a self-appointed savior and a monster of the Wasteland’s making is inevitable. The reckoning has arrived, but in a world built on lies, the line between hero and villain is as thin as the edge of a blade.

What happens when you mix Moonshine, Dynamite, a whole heapin’ helping of mutated bears and one pissed off Cryptid named Trader Red? Well, the Baileys are about to find out. The Dead Boone Forest is full of surprises and our intrepid travelers have only begun to scratch the surface. With a long and winding road ahead, they have no idea what dangers lie around the next bend.

No good deed goes unpunished. That’s what Red’s crazy Uncle Remus used to say. It’s a lesson Red never really thought about…until she was staring down the barrels of three rifles, aimed by the folks she had intended to save. Maybe it was inevitable that her extras would get exposed…that the Baileys would find out she wasn’t quite human, not anymore. Now, in the middle of the Dead Boone Forest, Red and the Baileys have a choice to make. Are they still able to trust one another or will the wasteland claim yet another set of victims?Dangers wait around every corner, choices have consequences…and the Ballad of Trader Red continues.

The Great War changed the landscape of America in ways the survivors could barely comprehend. Once bountiful fields were now nothing but barren deserts, while the towering forests - at least those not clear-cut to provide resources for the war effort - were either blasted expanses of burnt matchstick trunks, or in some cases, something far, far worse. The long winding road leads Red and the Baileys towards Tennessee, but the path will prove to be a treacherous one, as both human and beast stand in the way of their destination. And as the old maps used to say, when one steps into the unknown…”Here Be Monsters.”

The Golden Rule of the Wasteland - “Thou shalt get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time.” Red finds herself burdened with responsibilities she neither wanted nor needed, but a job is a job…just like her Pa used to say. The Baileys are still coming to terms with their mysterious benefactor, hoping that she’ll be enough to get them to points south and the beginnings of a new life. Tensions remain, however, and trust comes hard on those lonely Kentucky roads. And Red’s past may soon come to haunt them all, because the Reavers don’t forget and they don’t forgive…and an act of mercy might prove to be Red’s worst mistake of them all.

Kentucky…once part of the East Central Commonwealth before the Great War, had been a place of Whiskey and Thoroughbreds, where the elite came to witness the Great Kentucky Derby while the factories of Louisville and Lexington turned out armaments for the conflict with China. The horses are long gone, as are the elites and their factories, leaving a broken and blighted landscape behind for the survivors. Now known more as a place you pass through - casting glances at the remains of the old world on your way to somewhere else - old Kentucky ain’t what it used to be.Trader Red hadn’t meant to get herself caught in the middle of yet another mess…but here she was, watching over a bunch of folks she neither knew nor really cared to, as her eyes were still cast to those hills far to the south in Tennessee. But the Wasteland has a habit of turning any straight line into one damn twisted pretzel…and choices, good or bad, have consequences long down the line.

The story of Appalachia has come to a close, but a new story has just become. The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee are calling and Trader Red is going home...what will follow is an epic tale of revenge and remembrance. The Wasteland is a treacherous place, full of dangers both human and monster. On an old Kentucky road, a waylaid family, a group of Raiders, and Trader Red are on a collision course. In the middle of a suffocating dust storm...the Ballad Begins.

For those who missed it, we were able to participate in an amazing Panel at the Fallout Celebration in Goodsprings. The creators of The MODUS Files and True Vault Escapades discuss their podcasts, stories, characters and history, while also taking questions from fans! Enjoy the discussion!

Once upon a time, many years ago in a place called Vault 76, the best and brightest of the old world were safe from the ravages of nuclear fire and destruction. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The Vaults were designed to safeguard the future of humanity…at least some of them were. Many survivors were subjected to the most inhumane and vile experiments, all in the name of preserving the future of the species. Vault 76 wasn’t supposed to be that way…it was a control Vault, a special place exactly as described in the Vault Tec Propaganda. However, not even the Garden of Eden was perfect…and deep underground, when presented with her own opportunity to take a bite of the Fruit of Knowledge, the Overseer will cross the line and create a monster of her own, all in the name of the greater good.

Earlier this month, we got together with the incomparable Jessica Star and members of our cast to take a look back at our main story and three complete seasons of the MODUS Files. From very humble beginnings, our podcast has grown to become one of the most popular Fallout podcasts in the world, telling a compelling story of the fate of Appalachia. Listen to our cast relate their experiences and share time with us as we discuss the characters, the lore, and the behind of the scenes of The MODUS Files.

Well Darlins', Trader Red is gonna take us on an adventure all the way down to Skyline Valley. This here ain't no ordinary trip...because it's Spooky Season in Appalachia. Not only is the whole Valley covered in storms and full of weird creatures...not to mention a whole heapin' of secrets of its own...but it's also where we'll find Mischief Night. An event the likes of which Appalachians haven't seen in years, you'll join Trader Red and the Eyebot JES-SR on a wild ride of explosions, mayhem...and forkin' the lawn at the old Rapidan Camp. So let's take a trip down south and spread some Spooky Season mischief!

Trader Red is taking her tour to Point Pleasant, to get a peek at the Mothman Cult...but something strange is brewing on the other side of the Ohio River. In this special episode, our community gets a special preview of one of the largest expansions of Fallout 76 ever. Come with us as Trader Red embarks into uncharted territory and learn more about what we'll find in "the Burning Springs."

Something strange is happening in Appalachia...and that's saying something. Brahmin have gone missing from Foundation and folks have been seeing strange lights in the sky. Trader Red is on the case...and she aims to find out what's causing all the commotion, and if she can, put a stop to it. Join Trader Red as she finds herself face to face with "Invaders from Beyond!" a Fallout 76 Community Event.

Well, look what the Molerat dragged in. Folks in these parts call me Trader Red, and I heard tell that ya’ll are newcomers to old Appalachia. Mind you, these hills aren’t quite what they used to be…full of Super Mutants, Ghouls…things we call Scorched, and a cryptid or two might cross your path. But you’re darn lucky to have little old me as your tour guide. See, I ain’t from around these parts…I’m a backwoods Tennessee gal, through and through, but let’s just say that Appalachia is my home away from home. Figure you guessed the whole Trader part, right? I’m the best at finding the things folks need…guns, ‘shine, and the odd doo-dad and thingamajig that might tickle your fancy. And finding those things means I go all over…from Morgantown to Lewisburg, and Berkeley Springs to Watoga, no one knows these hills like Trader Red. So, if you wanna see the sights, learn some history, and not get eaten at the same time, follow old Trader Red here as we wander through the Wasteland of post-war Appalachia, and maybe, just maybe, uncover some juicy tidbits and secrets along the way.

There is an old saying in the Wasteland…War, war never changes. Humanity’s progress was defined by our conflicts…over land…over ideas…and finally over the resources needed to fuel that very progress. On October 23rd, 2077, the Great War reached its climax and nuclear fire rolled across the planet.It only took a single day to wipe human civilization from the earth, nearly humanity itself. Our weapons had become terrifyingly powerful…but war, war never changes. In the years since, the survivors were caught in a constant struggle against the horrors of mutation and radiation…beset by the rising tide of barbarism…and authoritarian remnants, utilizing technology from the old world to attempt to conquer the new. A new tune and new dance partners, but war, war never changes. In the Capital Wasteland, one such conflict pitted the Enclave from Raven Rock against the forces of Elder Lyon’s Brotherhood of Steel to secure the technology of Project Purity and the promise of clean drinking water…and all the power and influence that comes with it. Ending in the destruction of the Enclave at Adams Air Force Base, it appeared that yet another bloody chapter of human conflict had come to a close…again, without our species learning any meaningful lessons. Or had it? Fleeing the destruction, a single damaged Vertibird struggled to maintain altitude as it crossed over the broken landscape…and unknowingly headed to a date with destiny, nearly two hundred years in the making.

On October 23rd, 2102, the residents of Vault 76 stepped out into the new world of post-war Appalachia. The twenty-five years spent in the safety and security of the Vault could not prepare them for what was to come. Those same residents became the heroes and villains of a much larger story…one that has finally led us all here, to the final tale of our Appalachia. As one story ends, it is but the beginning of many others. Putting the blasted and blighted wastes behind them, our characters walk forward into a brand new future.

From the moment the residents of Vault 76 stepped outside into the Wasteland of Appalachia their story has been leading to this moment. One final, desperate battle is being fought to determine the fate of not only Appalachia, but the future of humanity itself... Join us as our story reaches its thrilling climax!

"What was that, Spike? Visitors? Oh Wow, I wonder if any of them want to go hug a Deathclaw!" But seriously, welcome to Top of the World all you wanna-be Raiders & Goons! I’m Rose, the local RaiderBot extraordinaire! It seems like your normal host, that Stuffed Shirt calling himself the Operative appears to have departed this mortal coil or some such nonsense. From here, y'all have a fantastic view of all the chaos that Appalachia has to offer. While the Whitespring might be a smoking crater, I hear tell that the old missile silos are ready to pop and that tough old Colonel is making one last throw of the dice to do something about it. Doesn’t matter to me…I’m a bot and all, but hey, if you want to root for her, go right ahead!Vault Town is getting stomped and everyone is running for the Ohio…and old Trader Red and her pet Deathclaw are gonna try to convince the Cult of the Mothman to let them go. Good luck with that! Anyway, Appalachia is coming apart at the seams and I am so here for it! So, sit back, join me for a dose or two of Psycho, and we’ll watch the fireworks together!

Plans within plans…moves and countermoves. The PACT unleashes their Oni on Vault Town while finishing their work in the Silos. MODUS has a front row seat to the new apocalypse as he watches from the lens of the Kovac Muldoon. With one last throw of the dice, Valeria puts her desperate plan into motion to save the future…Stein finds his life coming full circle, allied with SODUS to ensure a final confrontation with MODUS…and the chance at true redemption for the sins of the past. As the defenders of Vault Town prepare to lay down their lives to give the refugees of Appalachia time to escape, the column of civilians finds itself in even greater danger, caught between the Cultists at Point Pleasant and the Oni now advancing behind them. It’s up to Trader Red to convince the crazed cultists to let the civilians pass…and if she fails, Point Pleasant will once again become the graveyard of what remains of Appalachia. And at Silo Bravo, Valeria and her team face nearly insurmountable odds… In these final hours, “they who sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind.”

When the residents of Vault 76 stepped foot onto the soil of Appalachia on October 23rd, 2102, they expected to begin the process of rebuilding a new world out of the ashes of the old. Instead, they found themselves engulfed in a cycle of violence against unspeakable horrors and unimaginable threats. Just as the original survivors of Appalachia made their last stand against the Scorched, the residents of Vault Town and the remaining members of the factions of the region face their own final battle. The PACT is nearly ready to launch their plague-ridden missiles, to forever change the course of human history, while MODUS prepares his own plans to help craft a future encased in metal. In the face of the onrushing tide, the survivors find a moment of peace in the calm before the storm as they cling to some small measure of hope, even as they prepare for what could be the end for them all. The Colonel prepares for one final mission, while Stein and SODUS plot their revenge against MODUS. Desperate times require desperate measures…and Appalachia will not go gently into that good night, instead raging against the dying of the light.