Sergeant Bitter-Root is an NCR 1st Recon sniper stationed at Camp McCarran in 2281.
Background
Bitter-Root is a sniper with the NCR's 1st Recon at Camp McCarran. He is very unfriendly and does not like to talk; however, if told this, he says that he doesn't "mean anything by it", and that it's only his nature. His bitterness comes from his tragic past which he tells to the player.
As a child his parents were members of the Great Khans living in Bitter Springs. His father was a sadistic murderer with an alcohol problem who used to take Bitter-Root out shooting NCR (military personnel and civilians alike) since the age of three, later laughing with his fellow drug addicts about the killings. Bitter-Root's mother was an insipid person whose only useful quality to the group seemed to be her being, to quote Bitter-Root's father, "a smokin' hot piece of ass", attempting unsuccessfully to sell her son into slavery to score drugs, and likely whoring herself for the same purpose. He loathed his parents and the upbringing he received.
Bitter-Root was "liberated" from this environment during the Bitter Springs Massacre by the NCR troops and Major Dhatri (who was a Captain at the time), who took him in as his son - which is why he sometimes refers to him as his father. He claims he does not remember anything about the massacre but when pressed (skill check—Intelligence 7) he admits that after the battle the blood he was covered with wasn't necessarily all spilled by the NCR, and that perhaps he had some scores of his own to settle, implying that used the confusion of the attack to kill several Khans (most likely his own parents included).This may explain why he was not killed by NCR along with the other children at Bitter Springs.
Bitter-Root's name is part of an old Khan ritual; upon reaching the age of adulthood all Khan children are severely beaten in a rite of passage in which they choose their own new name. Although too young to undergo the beat-down himself, he chose the name Bitter-Root and feels that the Bitter Springs Massacre was his ritual, and that the Khans "owe" him his name. His choice of name has a double meaning, referring both to his bitter roots (i.e., his parents) as well as to the traumatic event that he considered his rite of passage - the Bitter Springs Massacre.
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character is a permanent companion. They grant the - perk. | |
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This character is a temporary companion. | |
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This character starts quests. |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
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This character is a doctor. |
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This character is a merchant. |  -Sells: - |
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This character can repair items. | Max Repair condition: - |
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This character can modify weapons. |
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This character rents beds. | -.
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Quests
- I Don't Hurt Anymore: Bitter-Root is needed for one of the paths to convince Betsy to seek help for trauma.
- Three-Card Bounty: Bitter-Root and the rest of 1st Recon can be brought along to take down Driver Nephi.
Effects of player's actions
- After the completion of Three-Card Bounty, Bitter-Root and the rest of the 1st Recon will move out to Camp Forlorn Hope.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCR armor 1st Recon beret |
Hunting rifle | - | - |
Notes
Sergeant Bitter-Root is the only active member of 1st Recon that actually sleeps at night. The others simply stand or sit around.
Notable quotes
- "I figured I grew up around the bastards...they owed me a name, after all they put me through."
- "I like to keep things simple. Just focus on now. That's why they made me a sniper. You let your mind wander back a ways, and you lose sight of what's in front of your eyes. Good way to miss a mark."
- "Could be that NCR found some blood on me, and none of it mine. Could be that a few of those Khans didn't die from NCR bullets."
Appearances
Sergeant Bitter-Root appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.
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