Ulysses

Background/History

Ulysses was once a member of the Twisted Hairs tribe in Arizona which forged an alliance with Caesar's Legion in 2247, the tribe became scouts of the Legion in Arizona. Ulysses was one of the most successful scouts in the Twisted Hairs, traveling vast distances in search of the enemies of both Caesar's Legion and the Twisted Hairs. The tribe lost its usefulness to Caesar after his conquest of Arizona and Caesar betrayed them, he conquered and enslaved them erasing their tribe and it's identity. Any who fought back were executed. Ulysses had lost his tribe and home but due to his dedication to Caesar and the legion he remained with the legion.

Ulysses' abilities and forceful personality meant he became an extremely important Frumentarius for the Legion. He walked the wastes as a courier like many other Frumentarii did. Ulysses was among the first to cross the Colorado river and see the NCR and the Hoover dam. Ulysses reported back to Caesar on the NCR and the dam leading to his obsession with taking the dam and defeating the NCR.

Ulysses continued to travel the wasteland exploring for Caesar. Sometime between 2274 and 2277 Ulysses found a community called the Divide. He himself described as "a nation taking it's first breath" and saw the potential for this to be his home and the beginning of a new nation and a new world. The divide was soon annexed by the NCR and the legion sent troops to take it although before any side could act the Courier delivered a package from Navarro containing an ED-E eye-bot before leaving.

The device was a harbinger of destruction, it was activated and began speaking. It activated several of the nuclear warheads stored in underground silos beneath the divide, they detonated destroying the prospering community and killing the settlers, NCR troops and Legion guerillas in the area. Ulysses himself was nearly killed but saved by medical eye-bots activated by ED-E because they saw the old american flag he wore. This disaster changed his life and his world view. Ulysses saw how one person could have a huge impact on history. He saw the Courier as solely responsible for what happened to the divide. He returned to the legion in 2277 lerning of Caesar's defeat at Hoover dam.

Caesar sent Ulysses to the Great Salt Lake as his eyes and to rally the white legs tribes to destroy New canaan and their new leader the still surviving Joshua Graham. Ulysses became their leader calling him the "flag-bearer" dor the flag he carried. He taught them the ways of the legion, showing them supply caches and bunkers across Utah telling them how Caesar was proud of the use of firearms by the tribe, a lie. Ulysses had problems with this deceit as he was doing the same thing Vulpes Icnulta had to the twisted hairs. after the Sacking of New Canaan the white legs bean to braid their hair like he did an un-knowing insult to his former tribe as they did not know the meaning of the braids. Soon after Ulysses left the White legs to their own devices and set out to change history himself and re-awaken america as he saw neither the legion or the NCR had any long-term answer for the future of America. He stopped at Wolfhorn Ranch to decide what to do next.

Later Ulysses found Big MT by tracking the storms it causes he found the old world facility and became embroiled in the conflict between father Elijah and Knight Royce. Ulysses made contact with Elijah and sent him toward the Sierra Madre casino knowing it would be his end. Ulysses saved Royce from the Y-17 facility and helped her recover in a nearby cave. From her he learned the brotherhood of steel could not forge the future he foresaw.

Ulysses spoke with Dr Klein of the Think Tank asking about the history of the old world. He also spoke with Dr Mobius. Ulysses' questions of history along with the old world flag on his back awoke the Think Tank who remembered the flag, the idea they had once believed in and cared for. Awakened they told him the "divide giants" still carried "America's voice". The Nuclear Missile silos throughout the divide and the device to activate them. The Think tank later deleted their memory of the conversation to ensure their stay in the Big empty. Ulysses left deciding to re-shape the post-apocalyptic wasteland alone much like the Courier did in the Divide.

In 2281 Victor hired Ulysses to carry the Platinum chip to the Strip. He came to Primm to receive the package but saw the Courier's name on the list and said "No, let Courier six carry the package" expecting the Mojave wasteland to kill the Courier he had already believed dead at the Divide.

On October 19th 2281 Ulysses broadcasts a simple message for the Courier: the coordinates for the wreckage west of Primm leading to the Divide, and the words "Courier Six. -Ulysses". He wanted to destroy their new home in his re-shaping of america and he wanted the Courier to see the impact of one man on history similar to the Courier's own impact on history due to his own actions at the Divide years earlier.

Ulysses and the Courier

Ulysses as the sole survivor of the Divide is the only person with knowledge of what happened there and is fascinated with the idea that one man can have a huge impact on history. The Courier has no knowledge of what happened having left after delivering the package. Chris Avellone explained how the idea of the courier being hunted for something he unknowingly caused was very interesting as well as the idea of the smallest actions such as the Courier delivering the package to the Divide having a massive impact on other people or places.

Interactions with Player

the Courier hears of Ulysses from characters throughout the Dead Money, Honest hearts and Old world Blues from father Elijah, Dr Klein and Joshua Graham as well as finding evidence of his time in the Big empty and Zion canyon.

A message from Ulysses starts the Lonesome Road DLC and throughout Lonesome Road the Courier pursues Ulysses confronting him at his Ulysses' Temple at the end of the Courier's mile deep in the Divide. The Courier then has the choice to kill him or convince him what he is doing is wrong through speech skill checks of 90 and 100 or evidence gathered from logs recorded by Ulysses scattered throughout the Divide and the surrounding area.

If Ulysses survives the events of Lonesome Road he can be found at the Canyon wreckage near Primm or standing vigil over the Hopeville ruins and his lost dream of re-awakening America. Ulysses will comment on the Courier's actions such as killing Mr House, tips on fighting Legate Lanius and general history of America, the Divide and the Wasteland as well as teaching the Courier campfire recipes.

Trivia

• Ulysses was originally meant to be in the base game although due to time constraints his story was pushed to DLC and a new story constructed around him.
• Ulysses was going to be in the Cancelled Black-isle developed Fallout 3.
• He is named after the American general Ulysses S Grant who fought to unite warring tribes as Ulysses does.
• He still has some kind of respect or loyalty to Caesars's Legion.
• One of the few Charcaters in the game to have full 10 points in all SPECIAL skills.

Quotes

• "My history isn't revenge, or hate. The road that brought us both here - isn't about that. It's about the message you carried. The one in that package whether you knew it or not."
• "No need for bombs, when hate will do."
• "Burn away the flags. Begin again."