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For the doctor residing at Nellis Air Force Base in Fallout: New Vegas, see Argyll. |
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Argyle was the "stalwart ghoul manservant" of the reputed adventurer Herbert "Daring" Dashwood who journeyed together around the Capital Wasteland until his death at Rockopolis where his remains can be found by the Lone Wanderer in Fallout 3.[Non-game 1]
Background[]
Originally born before the Great War, at some point in his 200+ years living as a ghoul, Argyle resided in the town of Shady Sands, developing his pickpocketing skills.[1] He first met his future companion Herbert Dashwood in 2241 when the adventurer seduced and stole his girlfriend. However, despite the initial misunderstanding, they became good friends. At some point during their adventures together, Argyle elected to become Dashwood's manservant.[2][Non-game 1][3]
Daring Dashwood's Deeds[]
The duo visited many places during their exploration of the wasteland. According to Dashwood, in the summer of 2248, they were given permission to take shelter inside Rockopolis by the ruling King Crag. But when Dashwood had an "incident" with Crag's daughter, the two were exiled from the underground city.[4] Another story of Dashwood's told that they often went to the Blue Destiny Brothel, which Dashwood renowned as the "best whorehouse in the Capital Wasteland"; although as Dashwood notes, the place was shut down in 2249 when most of its working girls died of a cholera outbreak.[5] The two also made frequent visits to Megaton[6] and Underworld, of which Dashwood claims that in 2251 he was named an "honorary ghoul" by the residents.[7]
The last adventure[]
According to the radio drama produced by Dashwood in his later years and broadcast on Galaxy News Radio, Argyle and Dashwood's final adventure together started when they were captured by the slavers of Paradise Falls but managed to get out of their slave collars. Before they could escape the slaver hub, Dashwood insisted on trying to rescue the mysterious woman that was imprisoned in "The Box." They subdued the guard and unlocked the Pulowski Preservation shelter to find that it was empty. Another guard found them and at gunpoint demanded they surrender, only for the mystery woman to appear striking the slaver down from behind and introduced herself as Penelope Chase, a fortune hunter. She claimed to have freed herself and came to help when she noticed the duo's predicament. While Argyle was hesitant to trust her, Dashwood was enthralled and, after a brief introduction, the trio made their escape.[8]
After dispatching the last of the slavers chasing them, they continued on through the wasteland while conversing further. In the process of questioning Miss Chase about her fortune hunting, they were again held up - this time by super mutants. While the other two were being defiant against the mutants' demands to surrender, Argyle snuck around the mutants and placed live grenades on their persons. After the trio took cover, when the literal smoke cleared, Argyle fondly reminisced on the effectiveness of the "Shady Sands Shuffle" and asked about the other two's well-being. Miss Chase was impressed with Argyle's skills and Dashwood commented on how he did not know how he got by without Argyle, with the ghoul reminding him that he did not get by and Dashwood immediately trying to change the subject. The sounds of a child screaming in the nearby ruins drew them to rush off to investigate the commotion.[1]
Sometime later, while the trio were being chased by more super mutants, Miss Chase noticed that they were near the hills where the hidden village of Rockopolis was located. When she lamented not knowing where it was, Dashwood immediately cut her off, and in an attempt to impress her, started bragging about how he and Argyle were old friends of the settlement, further revealing that they knew the secret knock and more. Against Argyle's concerns about readily trusting the woman with such privileged information, Dashwood assured his manservant that Miss Chase would not violate the secrets of Rockopolis, and furthermore, they needed a place to hide from the mutants.[9]
After moving through the boulder entrance with the secret knock and entering Rockopolis, Argyle interrupted a flirtatious Dashwood and Miss Chase to again point out the risk Dashwood took bringing them to one of the safest places in the wasteland and giving up its secrets to a stranger. As Dashwood attempted to dissuade his companion's outburst to Miss Chase, the "fortune hunter" revealed herself by pulling a gun on the pair and stating her slaver associates would be right behind them. Dashwood and Argyle realized immediately that "Penelope Chase" was really the Black Widow, then-leader of the slavers. As the Widow boasted about how the slavers could never have found the denizens of Rockopolis without Argyle and Dashwood,[9] and threatened Argyle not to try anything, the manservant launched a surprise attack with his kung fu skills, using a move he called the "Eagle Claw" to rip out her heart, killing her instantly.[10]
With Argyle cracking a pun and Dashwood congratulating his sense of humor, King Crag arrived at the scene, despondent at seeing Dashwood again and shocked at the dead woman in front of them. When Dashwood informed him of the impending slaver attack, Crag became so furious that he ordered his people to kill the duo, forcing them to immediately take off running into the cave system. Their path eventually brought them to a wide gorge and the cliff edge on the far side requiring them to jump. Dashwood went first and almost fell, barely clinging on as Argyle rushed to help.[10]
The exact events that occurred afterward are unclear, as the radio drama cuts off after that point and no further episodes were made. Furthermore, the Lone Wanderer can find Argyle's dead body lying near the entrance to Rockopolis in 2277, seemingly nowhere near any cliffs. What is known is that the Widow's threats came true and the city of Rockopolis was later invaded by slavers who captured as many as they could and sold them off, with most being taken north to the Pitt.[11] The death of the Black Widow also allowed for Harmon Jurley to take over as leader of the Paradise Falls slavers for the next two decades.[12][13]
As for Dashwood, he last saw Argyle in Rockopolis decades ago but never lost hope of seeing his friend and manservant again, believing that Argyle would outlive him by at least one hundred years.[14][3][4] As the Lone Wanderer can reveal to him, however, this was not the case.[Non-game 1][15]
Personality[]
From his representation in the radio plays, Argyle appears to have been a very irritable individual, constantly exasperated by his master's recklessness and how easily he fell for the charms of women. Nevertheless, Argyle was very loyal to Dashwood, refusing to abandon him and always saving him even in the worst of situations, no matter how much effort, time and skill was required.[16][17]
Due to his experience surviving in the wasteland, Argyle took serious measures to train as a master of martial arts, specifically kung fu, and developed a move known as the "Eagle Claw" capable of ripping out a person's heart (which he later became famous for)[Non-game 1]; his mastery also extended to being able to kill a mirelurk literally single-handed.[18] Another invention of Argyle's included kicking open doors with a move called the "Lotus kick." He also developed the skill to disarm slave collars, in his words, "with [his] eyes closed," indicating that he also picked up experience in mechanical tinkering and handling explosives.[8] One of Argyle's greatest skills was pick-pocketing, so much so that he named his favorite trick the "Shady Sands Shuffle": planting a live grenade on the victim without their knowledge.[1] According to Dashwood, whenever they encountered feral ghouls, Argyle expressed enjoyment in killing them, viewing it as a form of revenge against God for his own ghoulification.[19]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests[]
- A Manhandled Manservant: Argyle's corpse can be found in Rockopolis. This information can then be given to Dashwood for a reward, much to the ex-adventurer's sorrow.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items |
|---|---|---|
| Merc grunt outfit | Bottle cap x20 |
Notable quotes[]
- "They're gaining on us boss! That cliff up ahead - you think you can jump it? You ain't as spry as you used to be..."
- "Funny business? Miss Chase, you hurt my feelings. I mean, there ain't nothin' funny about... the Eagle Clawwww!!!"
- "Ah, I always knew this broad was heartless. Get it, boss? Heartless?"
- "Heh heh. The old 'Shady Sands Shuffle.' It sure brings me back. You two smoothskins okay?"
- "Listen to yourself, boss! This is Rockopolis; one of the safest places in the wasteland; and you just showed a stranger where it is!"
Appearances[]
The corpse of Argyle appears only in Fallout 3.
Bugs[]
Argyle's body might disappear after installing the Xbox 360 patch.[verified]
References[]
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Non-game
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.61:
"Argyle:
A manservant of Herbert 'Daring' Dashwood of the highest repute, Argyle was a faithful retainer, as well as an accomplished martial artist. The story goes that he died battling an earlier leader of the Slavers named Penelope Chase, ripping out her hart with a technique known as the 'eagle claw.' His body is still inside the Rockopolis, but his adventures live on in the radio plays sometimes hosted by Galaxy News Radio."