“Swampfolk have no organized society or creed, but seem to mark their territory with totems of wood, bones and dolls.”— Fallout 3 loading screen, Point Lookout
Swampfolk are considered hostile creatures to the player whenever encountered at Point Lookout in 2277. However, there is evidence that they are capable of trade with some local merchants. Their physical deformities are the result of inbreeding, coupled with radiation or exposure to other toxic wastes in the Point Lookout area and the pollutants washed down the river from the north.
Although Point Lookout did not suffer a direct hit during the Great War, the radioactive fallout can be seen in the indigenous population that have slowly degenerated over the decades, and now sport the "Point Lookout look." Sporting sinewy, pockmarked bodies oozing with strength and pus, the swampfolk are a violent and stupid bunch, and they don't take well to strangers. They have a rudimentary belief system, and mark their territory with fetishes: straw dolls hanging from trees and bone totems. Anthropologists have speculated the swampfolk have a belief in the occult, and some postulate they pray to a hitherto unknown entity named Ug-Qualtoth.[1]
Characteristics
Biology
“The Swampfolk denizens of Point Lookout are the product of exposure to heavy radiation and generations of poor breeding.”— Fallout 3 loading screen, Point Lookout
Products of radiation and incest (although there are no female swampfolk shown), the swampfolk all act, look and sound like stereotypical "hicks," from the odd ways they walk to their vocabulary, such as "There you is!" and "I gonna kill you!" Further reasoning for the swampfolk's mutation is recorded on the Medical Terminal in the Administration tent at the Disaster relief outpost; suggesting the New Plague has affected the population.
They are very territorial, and they are hostile to outsiders. Areas in which they live are all decorated with bones, strung-up dolls, teddy bears, and mannequin heads (scavenged from the Pilgrim's Landing). These decorations serve as both a warning to outsiders and as a part of their own religion, which is based on worshiping unknown deities.
Swampfolk carry out bloody rituals at the sacred Ritual Site. The Krivbeknih, a book believed to possess an occult power, is kept there as a holy artifact.
Gameplay attributes
Swampfolk usually attack in groups of two to five. They are territorial, and even though they are marked as enemies in the HUD, they do not actually become hostile until you get too close to them or shoot at them. However, the range at which they become hostile is quite far, more than one hundred feet.
Their tactics and strength are far greater than one would think. Usually, the groups will consist of at least one melee attacker which is often the strongest of the group, with the others behind them attacking with firearms. While the melee attacker charges at the enemy, the other two will attack with firearms.
Swampfolk, like tribals, do an additional 35 damage to the player with all of the weapons they normally use, due to an object enhancement in the DLC's data files. Swampfolk are also extremely resistant to damage.
They can set a trap for players while looting the basement of the trapper's shack. The trap consists of frag mines surrounding the entrance to the basement and a number of hidden swampfolk. Because of this, lower leveled characters may have trouble defeating them.
Bruisers and trackers shield their faces with their mutated arms when charging, making a clean headshot difficult. Despite this, V.A.T.S. may still display 95% as the calculated success chance.
Variants
Brawler
Brawlers are large, but not as large as trackers and bruisers. They wear clothes that actually fit them, which is overalls and an orange shirt underneath. It is safe to say that brawlers are the most "normal" looking of the swampfolk. They are tougher than scrappers, but somewhat weaker than creepers, and are roughly on par with a super mutant brute in terms of durability and skill.
Bruisers are stronger and have substantially more health than trackers and, like creepers, are covered in blood. They wear a very bloody "Bill's" mechanic outfit, with the "Bill's" tag still readable. Like trackers, they engage only in melee combat and use axes. Like the tracker, even when unequipped, they can still inflict extreme amounts of damage with only their fists. In fact, bruisers have an even higher unarmed damage rating than deathclaws, and do even more damage when unarmed than when equipped with an axe. They also punch very fast, making blocking very difficult. Like their tracker cousins, they are slower than deathclaws or feral ghoul reavers, and lack ranged attacks. Likewise, their exposed bellies bear stitches, suggesting that the swampfolk have at least some medical capabilities.
Creepers share the same body structure as scrappers, but have blonde hair and blood on their hands, chest, mouth, trousers, and boots. They are stronger and have almost three times as much health as scrappers, and are slightly more durable than a super mutant master.
Scrappers are the smallest and weakest of the swampfolk. They're skinny with distended bellies and only wear trousers. They have somewhat more health than regular super mutants.
Trackers are very large swampfolk (standing roughly seven feet tall) who use axes to attack strangers in close combat. Trackers will either attack you in hand-to-hand combat or use melee weapons, like axes, due to the fact that trackers have extremely swollen or clubbed fingers, possibly due to radiation. This means it would be nearly impossible to fit their fingers into a firearm. They run with an interesting hop to their step, and are very strong and durable. Like the bruiser, even when unequipped, they can still inflict extreme amounts of damage with only their fists. Trackers are not strongly affected by the dart gun, as even after having their legs crippled they can still run at close to their normal speed. Also, while they run, they show at least a small amount of intelligence (or at least instinct), as they put one of their swollen arms in front of their face, making it harder to score a headshot in V.A.T.S. They can survive somewhat more damage than a deathclaw or sentry bot, but fortunately are noticeably slower than deathclaws and also lack ranged attacks. They also have stitches on their stomachs like the bruisers.
There are a few characters in the Point Lookout who, while technically not regular swampfolk, have some ties to them.
Kenny - this boy was born to swampfolk parents, but lacked their deformities and thus became an outcast.
Marguerite - the moonshine-making woman who lives in the bog with the swampfolk. While she lacks severe deformities, she is still considered to be a local by others. They probably tolerate her because of her moonshining skills.
Obadiah Blackhall - the Blackhall family shares some traditions and religion with the swampfolk, but Obadiah nevertheless keeps his distance from them. He seems to be scared of them, and a beheaded creeper can be found in Blackhall Manor's basement.
Haley - while Haley is not one of the swampfolk, he is believed to be a local and does some trading with them. He may be tolerated because he's a trader and has access to some goods the swampfolk lack or couldn't find.
Madame Panada - while there is no actual evidence of her trading with the swampfolk, she has an inventory full of local stuff and apparently there are not many people around to trade with except the swampfolk.
Notes
Swampfolk are registered as creatures (part of the super mutant faction) in the G.E.C.K. and function like Point Lookout's version of super mutants. They also make the same walking sound as a super mutant, even the smaller ones such as the creepers and scrappers.
The player character can wait and fast travel while close to swampfolk that haven't noticed them.
Trackers and bruisers seem to have extremely flexible knees. When they are dead, their knees can bend to unnatural degrees well beyond 45 degrees away from them. It is unknown whether this is some kind of a mutation (which would explain why they walk so oddly), or if it is just a bug.
Creepers and scrappers can fire lever-action rifles at speeds comparable to firing a sniper rifle at top speed.
The swampfolk were hostile to outsiders since before the Great War. This is revealed at the jet crash site when immediately after the bombs fell, swampfolk attacked and killed a pilot and a prison guard.
The swampfolk mark their territory with voodoo-like idols.
"Swampfolk have no organized society or creed, but seem to mark their territory with totems of wood, bones and dolls." – Fallout 3 loading screen, Point Lookout
PC One specific scrapper, creeper, or bruiser near the Ritual Site will spawn one frag grenade every 30 seconds as long as you stay in the same cell as the dead swampfolk. [verified]
PC Swampfolk may be targeted in V.A.T.S, after exiting V.A.T.S the Swampfolk may spawn several feet in front of you. [verified]
