The Mojave Boot-Riders[2] (referred to as the Boot Riders by members) were a nomadic tribe inhabiting the Mojave, before they settled in the ruins of Las Vegas and became the Chairmen.[3]
Background[edit]
A nomadic tribe of warriors, the Mojave Boot-Riders roamed the Mojave on foot wearing clothing made of Gecko Skins.[3][4] The tribe possessed a strict code of honor, with deeply held beliefs against treachery.[Pub 1] Disputes were settled in a straightforward manner, such as when the chief of the tribe Bingo challenged Benny to a knife fight over a disagreement regarding the future of the tribe.[1][Pub 2] At night the Boot-Riders would sing songs around the campfire about themselves.[Pub 3]
One day the Boot-Riders were approached by a Securitron east of Vegas, which the tribesmen destroyed it in a "minute flat." The following day, twenty Securitrons approached them and they were forced to negotiate with Mr. House. In return for shelter, food, and medical care, they would settle down, renovate the Tops, and work with Mr. House to establish the city of New Vegas. Most members of the tribe were against settling down, with one of the most vocal critics being Bingo, the chief at that time. Benny, on the other hand, saw it as an opportunity.[5]
The disagreement over this issue eventually led to a confrontation between Benny and Bingo. The latter challenged Benny to a knife fight over the disagreement. The fight occured three days after House had made his proposal. Benny's speed left him as the winner of the duel, and the new leader of the tribe.[1] The tribe moved to Vegas and began renovating the Tops, bringing it back to life. As they worked, a number of House's Securitrons dropped off boxes with suits, ties, and wingtip shoes, together with a message from their employer announcing they were the Chairmen now. The tribe was in an uproar over the new name, but Benny used his authority to force them to accept it. As he put it, it was "ciao to the old ways" and "time to swing in style."[3]
Publications[edit]
The Chairmen and their casino, The Tops, embody an ancient "cool" aesthetic of Vegas, plucked from Mr. House's historical data banks. Before The Strip's renovation in 2274, the Chairmen were a warrior tribe, and their traditions of honor continue to inform how they select their leadership and interact with each other and outsiders. Unbeknownst to the rest of the tribe, its current chief, Benny, has for months been scheming to seize control of Mr. House's technology an The Strip itself, violating the tribe's deeply-held values against duplicity and treachery.”— Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide/Faction Profiles
Appearances[edit]
The Mojave Boot-Riders appear in the graphic novel All Roads, and are mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Courier: "How long were you the head of the family?"
Benny: "Seven years. Took over three days after Mr. House introduced himself. Our chief at the time, mountain of a guy named Bingo, wanted to stay nomadic. I disagreed, so he challenged me to the knife. He looked so surprised when I stuck that knife in his neck. Thought he was so tough, but he was so slow. That's how I made chief. It's how things were back then."
(Benny's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "What were the original names of the other tribes?"
Mr. House: "The Chairmen, as we know them now, went by the unfortunate appellation of the "Mojave Boot-Riders." They were nomads, too. As for the White Glove Society, I afraid I'm contractually obligated not to reveal their original name."
(Mr. House's dialogue) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Courier: "Was your tribe always called the Chairmen?"
Benny: "Nah, in the way-back we called ourselves the Boot Riders. Silly name, but that's how we rode the Mojave, dig? - on our feet. We were nomadic badasses, not to be trifled with. A gang of ruffians, though with a certain panache. When House gave us the Tops to renovate, his robots dropped off boxes full of suits and ties and wingtip shoes. Told us we were the "Chairmen" now. That caused an uproar. But I said "the name sticks." Ciao to the old ways, baby - time to swing in style. If the shoes fit, you wear them."
(Benny's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "What do you know about Mr. House?"
Swank: "House is an all-right kind of guy. Sure, he keeps a pretty tight grip on the reins, but Vegas is a wild horse, and you can't just give her her head. Without Mr. House, we'd still be wearing gecko skins, poking around the ruins with pointy sticks and scalping people for giggles."
(Swank's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "How did Mr. House introduce himself?"
Benny: "We were east of Vegas when the first Securitron we ever saw rolled up on us. We junked it in a minute flat. The next day twenty roll up. So we listened. Said we'd been selected. Vegas needed us to defend it. In exchange, we'd get cushy digs, full stomachs, medical treatment. Everything a nomad never gets, in other words. Most of the tribe thought we should say no. I thought it was the best idea ever."
(Benny's dialogue)
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide: "The Chairmen and their casino, The Tops, embody an ancient “cool” aesthetic of Vegas, plucked from Mr. House’s historical data banks. Before The Strip’s renovation in 2274, the Chairmen were a warrior tribe, and their traditions of honor continue to inform how they select their leadership and interact with each other and outsiders. Unbeknownst to the rest of the tribe, its current chief, Benny, has for months been scheming to seize control of Mr. House’s technology and The Strip itself, violating the tribe’s deeply-held values against duplicity and treachery."
(Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide/Faction Profiles ) - ↑ All Roads page 06
- ↑ All Roads page 43
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