"Snails" – The Methodical Gunslinger Super Mutant

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🧬 CHARACTER PROFILE: "Snails" – The Methodical Gunslinger Super Mutant

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I. Identity & Nickname

• Name: Unknown (nicknamed "Snails")

• Nickname Origin: Earned due to his slow gait, deep drawl, and methodical approach to nearly everything — except his gunplay, which is blindingly fast and deadly precise.

• Faction Affiliation: Formerly of a rogue experimental unit; now a freelance ally often found near mutant-neutral settlements or sniper nests.

• Role: Loyal sidekick / precision marksman / tactical overwatch companion

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II. Personality & Behavior

• Temperament: Calm, calculated, observant

• Pace of Action: Walks slow, talks slow, thinks deep — but shoots fast and without wasted movement

• Speech Style: Deep voice with a slow, cowboy-like cadence; often delivers metaphors or sniper wisdom with long pauses

• Combat Behavior: Prefers overwatch positions; calls out targets, uses cover masterfully, rarely misses a shot

• Loyalty: Once he rides with you, you're under his protection like a "star-stamped cattle in a thunderstorm"

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III. Physical Description

• Size: Massive Super Mutant frame, but slightly leaner than average — more "marksman" than "tank"

• Skin Tone: Ashy green with burn scars around his left arm and back

• Facial Features: Deep sunken eyes, 5 o’clock shadow (unusual for a mutant), and a heavy jawline

• Headgear:

  • Hat: Large hunter green cowboy hat, wide-brimmed with a black leather band, front brim bent upwards like a sniper’s sunshade

  • Eyewear: Tech-monocle (attached by a bronze hinge + headstrap), featuring:

    • Long-distance zoom

    • Time-dilation visual overlay (perceived slow-mo)

    • Enemy heat signatures & bullet path prediction

• Mouth: Constantly chewing on a black chew stick, never seen without it

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IV. Outfit & Loadout

• Neckwear: Large dust-covered handkerchief (dark red), tied loosely with a brass clasp

• Vest: Black combat vest adorned with faded beige stars (faded U.S. Marshal motif from pre-War days)

• Holsters:

  • Hip: Dual rawhide holsters (right-side dominant) for custom revolvers/sniper pistols

  • Back: Reinforced back scabbard for his unique, oversized shotgun

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V. Signature Weapons

1. “Whisperclap” – Custom Scoped Shotgun

   • Looks bulky, rust-silver finish, with internal tech mods

   • Capable of firing custom scatterburst rounds or precision-slugs

   • Features a temporal dampener module that "slows" targets hit in vital areas

   • Emits a brief sonic echo (hence the nickname)

2. “Dustdrillers” – Twin Semi-Sniper Pistols

   • Custom revolvers with long barrels, stabilized grips

   • Mods allow for microburst bursts or single high-caliber shots

   • Engraved on the handle: “Slow ‘til I see the whites.”

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VI. Perk & Ability Highlights

• Dead-Eye Trigger: 90% faster aim speed when in combat (despite slow demeanor)

• Tactical Patience: Gains higher crit chance the longer he’s stationary before a shot

• Bullet Ballet: Can execute synchronized shots on up to 3 enemies at once with timed input from the player

• Mutant Marksman: Immune to scope sway, night-blindness, and environmental sniping penalties

• Echo Focus (Monocle Ability): Temporarily slows time and highlights moving threats, usable once per encounter

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VII. Companion Perks (When Traveling With Player)

• Overwatch Bonus: Increases player accuracy when crouched near Snails

• Snail’s Trail: Reduces noise from footsteps and reloads for both player and companion

• Star of the Dust: Enemies are 10% more likely to miss first shot when Snails is present and active in combat

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VIII. Story Hooks

• Origin Mystery: May have once been a part of a failed super-soldier program trying to combine sniper-level intelligence with mutant strength

• Side Quest Idea: “Fast Hands, Slow Heart” — Track down old sniper rivalries from before Snails’ mutation

• Secret Weakness: If deprived of his chew stick, his accuracy and reflexes drop by 25%

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🗣️ COMPANION RECRUITMENT DIALOGUE — “Snails”

📍Location:

Old West Overlook Sniper’s Nest (an abandoned ranger tower in the highlands, littered with brass casings, thermal scopes, and mutant jerky)

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🧍Initial Encounter Dialogue (Player Approaches)

[Snails is seated on a wooden crate cleaning his shotgun. He doesn’t look up immediately.]

Snails:
“You ain't a bounty hunter, are ya? ‘Cause I already shot two this week. One didn’t know he was dead ‘til the dust settled.”

Dialogue Options:

• [Charisma 4+] “Not here to hunt you. Just passing through.”

“Hm. Then keep passin’. Unless you got a reason to talk or a cause to ride with.”

• “You’re Snails, right? Heard stories about your aim. They true?”

“Stories are just smoke. But I got fire if you wanna see it burn.”

• “Why the name Snails?”

“’Cause I take my sweet time 'til it's time to strike. Then? You blink, and you're leaking.”

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📜Recruitment Trigger (After Completing Initial Side Mission or Persuasion Check)

Snails:
“I don’t ride with just anybody. But you move smart, not loud. Tell ya what — help me settle an old debt, and I’ll watch your six. Deal?”

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🧭 SIDE MISSION: “Faster Than His Shadow”

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📝 Mission Summary:

Snails wants your help hunting down an old partner-turned-warlord named Hawkspur, a fellow experiment who betrayed their unit and now leads a rogue sniper gang known as The Crosshairs.

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🧱 Objectives:

1. Find Hawkspur's Trail

   • Search recon camps (3 POIs across the map with sniper perches)

   • Collect “Deadshot Tags” and a holotape from Snails' former squad

2. Infiltrate Crosshairs Hideout

   • A cliffside cave base with tripwire mines, booby-trapped ammo crates, and snipers in ghillie suits

   • Optional: Sabotage sniper posts before full assault

3. Confront Hawkspur

   • Hawkspur is armed with a plasma-scope railgun and uses timed cloaking

   • Combat takes place during a dust storm (low visibility)

   • Player and Snails must use coordinated marksmanship (scripted sequences or VATS assist cues)

4. Decision Point: Spare or Kill Hawkspur

   • If spared, he drops valuable prototype optics (Monocle Upgrade Module)

   • If killed, Snails executes him with cinematic finisher and earns “Echo Revenge” perk

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🎁 Rewards:

• Unlock Snails as Permanent Companion

• Gain Echo Marksman Perk: Increased VATS accuracy and crit chance with scoped weapons

• Monocle Upgrade: Time-dilation lasts longer and enemy weak spots glow faint red

• Access to Snails’ Nest as a player-usable sniper tower and stash spot

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📘 MODDER-FRIENDLY CHARACTER SHEET (GECK/Creation Kit Format)

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Base Companion Template

Property	Value
Editor ID	CompanionSnails
Full Name	Snails
Race	SuperMutantCompanionRace (custom variant with increased perception)
Voice Type	SuperMutantSniperVoice (custom voice set)
Template NPC	SuperMutantSniperTemplate01
Essential	Yes
Aggro Radius	700
Combat Style	CS_SniperMethodical
Faction	PlayerAllyFaction, MutantNeutralFaction, SnailsFaction
Companion Slot	CompSlotStandard
Leveling	Scales with Player (min: 15, max: 65)
Inventory	OutfitSnails_Cowboy, Weapon_WhisperclapShotgun, Weapon_Dustdrillers
Scripted Abilities	Ability_SnailsFocusMode, Ability_SnailsPerkTracker

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Custom Perks

📍Perk: EchoMarksman

• Effect: +15% Scoped Crit Chance / +10% Scoped Accuracy

• Condition: Player has Snails as active companion

• Trigger: Applied on companion join; removed on parting

📍Perk: BulletBallet_Snails

• Effect: Can VATS-mark up to 3 targets at once with revolvers

• Cooldown: 90 seconds (scripted perk via AbilityMagicEffect)

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Unique Weapons

Weapon_WhisperclapShotgun

• Base: Combat Shotgun

• Mods:

  • Long Barrel

  • Custom Tech Core (slow field emitter on slug impact)

  • Tight spread choke

• Scripted Effect: 10% chance to "slow" enemies (movement and reload speed) for 4s

Weapon_Dustdrillers

• Type: Semi-sniper revolvers (tuned .44 Mag with scope)

• Alt Fire: Can queue synchronized dual shots on two enemies

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Outfit: OutfitSnails_Cowboy

Piece	Details
Hat	Hunter Green Cowboy Hat (with black band, upturned brim, custom mesh)
Vest	Black Star Vest (custom mesh with beige faded marshal stars)
Handkerchief	Dusty red bandana
Holsters	Rawhide dual hip and back holster (animated support for draw actions)

Alternate Version of Snails

🐌 Character Name: “Snails”

Role: Unique Super Mutant Sidekick (Companion)
Type: Precision Gunner / Sharpshooter Specialist
Nickname Origin: Called “Snails” due to his deliberate, slow-moving demeanor, despite his blindingly fast weapon accuracy and reflex-based combat style.

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🔻 VISUAL PROFILE

🧟‍♂️ Body and Face

• Build: Towering, hunched but intimidating — slightly slimmer than a Behemoth-class mutant, with toned precision-focused muscle rather than brute-force mass.

• Skin: Deep moss green with pale cracks and cybernetic scars, hinting at Institute or Enclave experimentation.

• Eyes: One glowing yellow pupil (left), the other is cybernetic (right) and integrated into his high-tech monocle.

• Facial Features: Rugged with a stubborn square jaw, permanent 5 o'clock shadow (rare among mutants), wide cracked lips holding a black chew stick.

• Expression: Calm, disinterested — his gaze lingers as if scanning probabilities.

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🧢 Headwear

• Hat: A large dark green gallon cowboy hat, dusty and creased.

  • Black band wraps around the base.

  • Front brim is bent upwards, almost like a salute.

  • Rear brim droops slightly, with torn holes showing past bullet grazes.

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🦾 Tech Monocle

• Attached with semi-welded metal screws around his skull.

• HUD Functionality:

  • Target slowdown (perceived bullet-time).

  • Thermal and tactical threat detection.

  • Distance and wind-calculated auto-compensator.

  • Zoom scope overlay for sniping without needing a scope.

  • Rare “Anticipation Algorithm” to predict enemy movement.

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👕 Outfit & Gear

• Shirt: Oversized dark pink T-shirt with torn sleeves. Faded Vault-Tec logo barely visible on the back.

• Vest: Black rawhide vest stitched with beige stars, gives old-world gunslinger vibes.

• Handkerchief: Large white one, tied cowboy-style around his thick green neck.

• Grenade Belts: Two belts of plasma and frag grenades form an X across his chest.

• Pants: Black cargo pants cut and stitched to fit his bulk.

• Boots: Custom super mutant boots with brass-plated toes and spiked soles.

• Holsters:

  • Rawhide thigh holsters for dual revolvers or pistols (see weapons below).

  • Large back holster for his signature custom shotgun.

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🔫 UNIQUE WEAPON SET

1. “Slowburn” – Dual Energy Revolvers

• Ammo: Plasma micro-shells or precision laser cartridges.

• Effect: Disintegration over time; slower impact but spreads across armor.

• Modifications:

  • Target-lock assist via monocle.

  • Trigger-pressure-sensitive burst speed.

  • Uncanny silence — shots are unnaturally quiet.

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2. “Mirecrusher” – Signature Shotgun

• Type: Oversized triple-barreled scatter blaster.

• Ammo: Mixed custom shells — flame, cryo, flechette, or high-density lead.

• Secondary Mode: Slam the shotgun into the ground for an AoE seismic shock (slows enemies).

• Look: Engraved with snail spirals and tally marks; steel-reinforced dark wood with a glowing green underlight.

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🎯 COMBAT STYLE

• Out-of-combat: Moves at a snail’s pace — arms crossed, low grumbles, deliberate footsteps.

• In combat:

  • Instantaneous snap-aim speed.

  • Calls out weak points (“Left elbow... knee joint… reloading.”)

  • Dodges with unnatural bursts, using slow movement to lull enemies.

  • Will sometimes hum classical tunes when sniping.

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💬 DIALOGUE & PERSONALITY

Tone:

• Deep, dry, methodical voice with faint southern drawl.

• Mix of old soldier and reluctant philosopher.

• Loves metaphors. (“War’s a stew… some folks just don’t stir it right.”)

Sample Lines:

• “Fast hands. Slow steps. That’s how you live.”

• “Folks think moving quick wins wars. Nah… planning slow does.”

• “These grenades? Only throw ’em when the wind whistles right.”

• “Used to guard a Vault door. Now I guard truth.”

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🧠 BACKSTORY (Brief)

• Origin: Vault Mutant Experiment gone wrong—he was slow in everything but showed precision in training exercises.

• Factions: Hunted by the Enclave for his anomalous enhancement potential.

• Join Conditions:

  • Found protecting an abandoned sniper’s tower filled with tech scraps and notes on bullet trajectory theory.

  • Respects players who don’t rush decisions or score high-accuracy hits.

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🔧 COMPANION ABILITIES

Passive Perk: “Dead Aim”

• Slows down time briefly when lining up long-range shots.

• Increases critical hit chance for all scoped weapons.

Special Skill: “Tactical Crawl”

• Snails temporarily tanks while crouching forward — absorbs damage and marks enemies for you with monocle scans.

🧭 QUESTLINE HOOKS & RECRUITMENT

🔓 Intro Quest: “Slow Is Smooth, Smooth Is Fast”

Location: The ruined outskirts of an old military observatory turned sniper academy.

• Objective: Investigate rumors of “a mutant who can shoot a bottle off a ghoul's head from 500 yards.”

• You discover a sniper's roost littered with target dummies bearing precise single-shot wounds and piles of unused ammo.

• Snails watches you from afar, only approaching after you pass a trial:

  • Hit a sequence of targets using long-range weapons.

  • Complete a patience trial: defend the location without moving more than 10 meters.

• Upon success, he mutters: “You know when not to rush. That’s rare.”

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🪖 COMPANION SYNERGY & STRATEGY

🔷 Combat Pairing Benefits:

• Player Stealth Builds: Snails enhances perception and grants bonus critical chance at long range.

• Heavy Gunners: Snails draws aggro with his deliberate movements, giving you time to flank.

• Sniper Builds: Unlocks “Twin Slowshot”, where you and Snails fire synchronously for a guaranteed critical.

🔶 Tactical AI Style:

• Rarely rushes enemies.

• Often takes cover, scans, and executes high-priority targets.

• Uses grenades only when terrain and elevation are optimal.

• Can be instructed to prioritize limbs, armor, or weapons (via companion command menu).

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💠 COMPANION INTERACTIONS & DYNAMIC REACTIONS

🧭 With Environment:

• At scenic overlooks: “Used to sit and watch radstorms for fun. Guess I’m sentimental.”

• In hostile bases: “Lots of noise in here. Time to clear some space.”

• Near mutated snails or insects: “Heh. Family reunion.”

🧍 With Other NPCs:

• Vault-Tec Salesman (Ghoul): “I slow-cooked in a vault, while you hustled door to door? Funny world.”

• Brotherhood Scribe: “Tech’s like a stew. Don’t stir it right, it curdles.”

• Raider Boss (Post-defeat): “Tried runnin’. Should’ve tried thinkin’.”

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🕳️ PERSONAL QUIRKS & HABITS

✅ Daily Companion Routines:

• Always does a "gear check" at night before sleep.

• Sometimes walks off to "listen to the wind" during travel.

• Collects snail shells and polishes them — stores them in his vest pocket.

🎵 Hums and Sounds:

• Will hum slow harmonica tunes.

• Sometimes taps his shotgun rhythmically while waiting.

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🧬 LATE-GAME EVOLUTION

🧪 Companion Upgrade Quest: “The Speed of Stillness”

You discover Snails was once part of an Institute experiment, Project “Shellshock,” designed to create mutant sharpshooters with time perception enhancements.

• Retrieve his neural inhibitor module to unlock his true abilities.

• After installation:

  • Unlocks SnailTime: slows time for all enemies for 4 seconds when Snails is below 50% health.

  • Shotgun adds kinetic deflection — enemies hit at close range are knocked backward violently.

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📘 LORE ENTRY EXCERPT (Found in Institute Logs or Brotherhood Database)

Subject: SN-08-A “SNAILS”
Super mutant anomaly exhibiting decelerated physical tempo but hyper-accelerated cognitive aiming response. Subject retained rudimentary speech patterns and exhibits non-hostile behavior unless provoked. Marked “too unpredictable” and scrapped. Escaped containment. Likely adapted to Wasteland conditions. Capable of precision beyond standard humanoid soldiers. Surveillance ended due to three operatives being found cleanly executed from 700 yards.

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🏕️ SETTLEMENT INTERACTIONS

• If assigned to sniper towers: Grants +20% defense rating during nighttime or fog events.

• Can train settlers to increase VATS critical chance for defending units.

• Adds “Snailshot Range” as a buildable target practice structure — raises Perception for settlers.

• Reacts to player romance/companions: “Folks move fast these days. Not always a bad thing.”

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🎭 OPTIONAL ADD-ONS / CUSTOMIZATION

🛠 Cosmetic Swaps:

• Replace his dark pink T-shirt with:

  • Desert-tan duster

  • Custom Brotherhood recon chestplate with stars painted on

  • Old NCR sniper cloak

• Option to craft custom hat badges or change monocle lens color.

🎒 Alternate Loadouts:

• “Gunslinger Loadout”: Dual laser pistols instead of revolvers, faster reloads.

• “Heavy Artillery Loadout”: Sawed-off mini-nuke launcher (SnailShell Bombard) on cooldown.

💞 COMPANION BOND SYSTEM (Non-Romantic, Deep Loyalty)

🔷 Trust Levels:

Snails doesn’t form romantic bonds, but develops a deeply loyal protector’s bond with the player.
This bond has four tiers:

1. Drifter (Default)

   • Limited dialogue, occasionally passive-aggressive.

   • Won’t use full skillset in battle.

2. Sharpshooter's Respect

   • Unlocks special VATS assist ability (Pinpoint Pierce).

   • Opens up nighttime conversations about his past.

3. Snail-Shell Brotherhood

   • Will sacrifice himself to revive you once per in-game week.

   • Craftable “Snails’ Bond Totem” that boosts defense at camps.

4. Eternal Gunhand

   • Unlocks “Last Shot Pact”: If the player dies in Hardcore Mode, Snails activates one last sniper round that clears the area before fading out — cinematic death bond.

How to Raise Bond:

• Score headshots while he’s watching.

• Avoid fast travel; he respects walking journeys.

• Choose dialogue options that involve patience or observation.

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🛡️ FACTIONAL REACTIONS TO SNAILS

🟤 Brotherhood of Steel:

• Mixed. Elder Maxson sends scouts to observe him.

• Some want to study the monocle tech; others label him a “mutant aberration with untrustworthy intellect.”

🟢 Followers of the Apocalypse:

• View Snails as proof of adaptable evolution.

• Want to study him, offer medical upgrades to extend his neural implants’ efficiency.

🔴 The Enclave (if present):

• Actively hunt him. Specific bounty posters found in their bases show him listed as:
  “Rogue Shell-Type Asset: Priority Red – Do Not Engage Alone.”

🟡 Settlers and Civilians:

• Children are fascinated by his hat and call him “Uncle Slow.”

• Traders whisper about a “ghost sniper who moves like molasses but shoots like lightning.”

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🧟 ENEMY REACTIONS & COMBAT BANTER

Raiders:

• “Why the hell’s that snail lookin’ at me like he’s paintin’ a picture?”

• “He’s too slow to kill me—wait, where’d my gun go?!”

Mutant Hounds:

• Snails growls softly, then drops them in one clean shot:
  “No wasted movement. One shot, one soul.”

Super Mutant Behemoths:

• “You not Snail. You smell like Vault soup! DIE FAST!”

• Snails: “I’m the slow spoon. Stir you till you break.”

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🐛 SPECIAL ENCOUNTER: INSECT INTUITION

Snails has an unusual link to mutated insects, especially rad-snails, bloated glow snails, and giant fire beetles.

• Passive Perk: Insect enemies are 50% less likely to target him.

• Unique Dialogue:

  • “They know. I carry the old pace.”

  • “Shell recognizes shell.”

Rare Encounter Event:

• A radiated snail stampede (yes!) during a mission. Snails can pacify them if he's your active companion, creating an alternate escape path or chaos in battle.

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🔚 POST-GAME LEGACY OPTIONS

1. “Snail's Watch” Settlement Monument

• If Snails dies or retires, you can build a monumental sniper tower where he once stood guard.

• Buffs long-range perception and critical hits for settlers assigned there.

2. “The Shellkeeper” Ending Slide

• If he survives and bonds to the max:

  • Final slide shows him slowly walking across a dried wasteland, leaving perfect sniper holes in skulls behind.

  • His voice narrates:
    “Fast fades. Slow lasts. Like me. Like you.”

3. Ghost Companion (Optional Perk)

• In Hardcore+ Mode, Snails can become a spectral mentor after death:

  • Randomly gives bullet trajectory tips in VATS.

  • Has a chance to auto-slow a fatal enemy shot once per in-game month.

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🎮 MODULAR GAMEPLAY EXPANSIONS

📦 Optional DLC-style Additions:

• “Snails’ Old War” mini-DLC:

  • Travel to the Crawltown Ruins, where an old Institute bunker beneath a snail sanctuary holds his true origin.

  • Uncover early sniper prototype mutants that never made it out — and must now be put down.

🧩 Companion Puzzle Mission:

• Snails can lead you to an ancient Pre-War shooting gallery sealed inside a buried train yard.

• Unlocks “Snail’s Spiral Trigger”, a mod kit that applies his aiming mechanics to the player’s long-range weapons.

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🌍 1. WORLD INTERACTION SYSTEMS

🧱 Terrain-Based Reactions:

Snails has unique commentary and mechanics depending on the environment type:

Environment	Snails' Interaction or Commentary
Ash dunes (post-volcanic zones)	Walks barefoot, leaving massive spiral footprints. Says: “Ground's been hurt. Tread soft.”
Urban Ruins	Prefers rooftop navigation; will climb vantage points independently and scout ahead.
Foggy Swamps	Monocle lens glows brighter, switches to “cold target” mode. “Swamps don’t hide. They warn.”
Pre-war labs	Stops suddenly in certain hallways and marks floors with a chalk spiral. Says: “We were watched here.”

🔍 Special Action: “Snails’ Slow Tag”

• Allows you to mark a location with a chalk spiral.

• That location becomes a perceptual anchor — Snails will prioritize returning to this spot during retreats or as fallback.

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🔧 2. SCAVENGER FIELD LOGIC & PASSIVE SEARCH

Snails has a passive resource foraging trait due to his keen, methodical searching:

🪙 Passive Ability: “Slow Finder”

Every 6 in-game hours, Snails has a chance to hand the player one of the following:

• Precision parts (for weapon mods)

• Bullet molds (used in handloading unique ammo)

• Discarded Vault memory tiles (scraps for lore)

• Radio fuses or targeting optics (used in high-tech gear upgrades)

🔧 Snails Commentary Example:

• “Saw this hidin’ in plain sight. Not fast enough to escape my eye.”

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🌬️ 3. SLOW-TIME SURVIVAL TRAIT: “Stillheart Surge”

When player health dips below 25%, and Snails is nearby:

• Triggers time-deceleration field lasting 4 seconds.

• During this time, you can:

  • Heal

  • Aim a shot

  • Dodge

  • Issue orders

HUD Cue:

• Vignette darkens with a spiraling border.

• Snails’ voice echoes softly:
  “Hold steady. Real power’s in the pause.”

Recharge: 1 in-game day or manual campfire rest.

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🎯 4. PLAYER CHALLENGES & UNLOCKS: “Snail Trials”

These are challenge milestones based on traveling with Snails and adopting his combat philosophy.

Challenge	Unlock
Never sprint for 12 in-game hours	"Snail Steps" perk: +10% stealth rating while crouching
Land 10 headshots without moving 3 steps	"Stillshot" badge: +15% VATS accuracy at low AP
Complete 3 bounties without fast travel	New weapon mod: Spiral Chamber for custom sniper
Defeat a legendary enemy while Snails never fires a shot	Companion skin unlock: Dustcoat with star badge

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🎬 5. CINEMATIC FLASHBACK CUTSCENE: “The Vault Spiral Awakens”

Trigger Condition: Collect all Snail Trials + complete Vault 291.

Scene Overview:

• Begins in black and white, showing Snails as a test subject in a spinning observation room.

• A lab tech is urging Snails to “accelerate threat responses” — but he does nothing.

• Time slows to nothing. Snails’ eyes lock onto the tech’s heartbeat.

• He raises his revolver—not in rage, but precision—and aims at the observation lens, breaking the test cycle.

• Final frame: Spiral chalked onto the lab floor with the word “Enough.”

Unlockable Outcome:

• Companion Ability: “Spiral Mark”

  • Snails marks one enemy in combat with a glowing spiral.

  • That enemy becomes vulnerable to critical shots from both player and Snails for 8 seconds.

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🛡️ 6. LEGENDARY HUNTS: “Echo of the Spiral”

A special endgame event chain where Snails leads you across the Wasteland to hunt former Vault 291 escapees, each with a distinct pace-modified combat trait.

Sample Targets:

1. “Shatterstep” – Hyper-fast energy sword wielder, leaves blur trails.

2. “Lurcher” – Intermittently teleporting brute with high armor.

3. “The Spiral Twins” – Two mutant snipers that fire in mirrored sync.

Each hunt features:

• Custom voice logs

• Unique terrain designs

• Unlocks pieces of Snails’ Pre-Escape File (full backstory compilation)

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🧩 7. SNAILS’ SECRET CODE LANGUAGE: “The Spiral Script”

As a final worldbuilding layer, Snails sometimes leaves spiral-shaped messages the player can decode if they find all 12 spiral cipher keys.

Examples of Spiral Script:

• Spiral 01 (found on a rock):
  “The faster they speak, the less they know.”

• Spiral 06 (burned into a Brotherhood wall):
  “Aim with soul. Fire with silence.”

Upon decoding all, you unlock:

• Companion Skin: “The Spiral Monk” — a ceremonial cloak woven with chalk lines

• Dialogue Option: Speak the Spiral Language back to Snails, unlocking secret commentary on other NPCs and places

📣 1. PLAYER-RUN RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN: “The Snails Doctrine”

After reaching full bond, the player may choose to publicly associate with Snails’ ideology across settlements:

🪧 Propaganda & Philosophy:

• You can post up spiral symbol posters with quotes:

  • “Speed makes noise. Wisdom makes echoes.”

  • “The Wasteland will listen to those who pause.”

• Offers dialogue events with settlers and faction leaders who react with either reverence or mockery.

🎓 Recruitable Follower Sub-Class: “Snail Acolytes”

• Special sharpshooter settlers trained under Snails’ sniper doctrine.

• Move slowly, take cover constantly, high single-shot damage.

• Armor is handmade—lightweight dusters, spiral-buckled belts, tech monocles of their own.

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🪙 2. SNAILS-THEMED COLLECTIBLES: “Pace Tokens”

A new collectible currency associated only with Snails:

🔶 Pace Tokens:

• Small, hexagonal brass tokens etched with different snail trail symbols.

• Found in:

  • Abandoned sniper nests

  • On precision kill bodies

  • As gifts from NPCs who "respect the method"

Uses:

• Trade for Snail-lore items at hidden vendors.

• Unlock aesthetic enhancements:

  • Custom scope reticles (spiral lens, ripple crosshairs)

  • Monocle glow color shifts (red, amber, ultraviolet)

  • Shot sound style packs: echo, silence, whistle

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🧘 3. SPIRITUAL ARC: “Echoes of the Slowborn”

Some factions begin treating Snails as a spiritual figure, believing he represents a counter-force to entropy.

Cult of the Spiral Breath:

• Secretive monks wearing obsidian spiral masks.

• Build temples with sniper balconies where they meditate on bullet paths.

• Believe Snails is the living incarnation of pre-war stillness.

Player Encounter:

• If Snails is with you, a monk will kneel and hand you a Snailscript Codex Scroll.

  • Contains wisdom entries like:

    • “Let your hands act slower than your eyes react.”

    • “One path seen well outweighs five choices unscouted.”

Unlocks “Calm Presence” Aura:

• Reduces enemy detection range in passive zones by 25% when Snails is your current companion.

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🧠 4. PERSONALITY SYNC DYNAMIC – “The Slow Mirror”

Snails’ personality begins to evolve subtly based on your behavior.

Your Playstyle	Snails' Reaction Over Time
Reckless, aggressive choices	He becomes more somber, frequently disappointed.
Precision-based, methodical	He shows pride, becomes more talkative.
Pacifist routes or non-lethal	He speaks about “war without war.”
Mass looting and chaos-driven	He begins cleaning your messes at camp silently.

At Peak Sync:

• Snails will start finishing your sentences with murmured affirmations.

• You unlock the Spiral Echo Command:

  • You mark a spot.

  • Snails will take position without needing a command wheel, preloading sniper overwatch.

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🪦 5. LEGACY ECHO: THE SLOW SUCCESSORS

In certain epilogue variations or long-form save cycles, if Snails is kept alive:

🧬 Snails' Echo AI

• A recorded voice training log of Snails is embedded in a Pip-Boy AI companion for your descendants.

• In survival+ mode, if your character dies, the AI can activate:

  • Echo Mode: Overwrites your next character’s HUD with spiral targeting tips and filtered objectives.

  • Companion Boosts: Allies get brief precision bonuses as if Snails still watches over them.

🔔 Monument System:

• In settlements, you can erect the Snailstone, a stone spiral with an embedded scope.

• Acts as:

  • Defensive buff to all long-range defenders.

  • Optional memorial interaction: you can leave bullet casings, and they disappear the next day—implying someone is still collecting them.

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🧪 6. MUTANT DIPLOMACY TRIGGERS

Snails becomes a bridge character between humans and intelligent mutants:

Special Quests Only Trigger if You Have Snails:

1. “The Unspokens” – Meet a hidden colony of mutants who adopted silence as survival.

2. “Project Slowfall” – Recover a crashed Vertibird carrying experimental neuro-stabilization treatments intended to make more Snails-like mutants.

Resulting Outcomes:

• You can establish a neutral zone where mutants and humans co-habitate—only possible if Snails negotiates.

• Unlocks "Mixed Spiral Tactics": a special settlement-wide defense protocol allowing both human and super mutant guards to operate together with layered sniper logic.

🧭 1. “Snails' Map of Stillness” – A Strategic Overlay System

Once Snails fully bonds with the player and you unlock his unique monocle’s final module, a special tactical map overlay becomes available via the Pip-Boy.

🔹 Features:

• Highlights long-range vantage points across the region.

• Predicts enemy patrol pacing patterns based on wind, terrain, and noise data.

• Shows “Still Zones” — areas where silence is unnaturally prevalent (good for ambushes or stealth kills).

• Can overlay spiral logic lines, indicating where sniper fire will travel if unimpeded — ideal for planning chokepoints.

🔑 How to Unlock:

• Collect 6 “Slowdata Nodes” (USB-like relics from Vault 291).

• Restore monocle’s EchoLogik Chipset at an old sniper R&D terminal.

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🐌 2. Snails' Slow Challenge Board – Optional Solo Quests

At any of your settlements or major faction outposts, you can place the Slow Challenge Board, a unique bounty/ethics mission system curated by Snails.

🪓 Sample Challenges:

1. “Three Shots, One Truth” – Eliminate three targets across the map without fast traveling.

2. “The Watch” – Camp in one location and protect it from waves without ever leaving the roof.

3. “The Slower Bullet” – Craft three special rounds and use them only when enemy is unaware.

4. “No Sprint, No Sound” – Complete an entire infiltration mission without breaking walking speed.

🏅 Rewards:

• “Snailshade” Armor Weave: Reduces detection during night ambushes.

• Unique kill animations.

• Chalk-marked goggles that slightly slow time when you draw a long gun.

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🛤️ 3. Echo Trail Events – Roaming Encounters Spawned by Snails

After certain missions, Snails leaves behind “Echo Trails” in areas of past conflict. These trigger organic world encounters:

Echo Trail Zone	What Happens
Desert ridge	Lone sniper from an enemy faction tracks Snails by chalk scent. A sniper duel erupts.
Urban rooftop	A “Shell Prophet” awaits to deliver a message in spiral code.
Forest ambush site	You find a robed, dying former Spiral Acolyte offering you his “Last Thought Round”—a custom bullet that can be loaded once.

Players can follow chalk spirals on the ground to reveal their location.

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🧠 4. Snails’ Mental Terrain Memory System

Over time, if you travel frequently with Snails, his mental recall of past zones becomes an interactive feature.

🔍 System Details:

• When you return to previously visited ruins or battlefields, Snails may whisper:

  • “Saw three snipers up there last time… pattern might repeat.”

  • “Dead tree here. Good cover then, better now.”

📜 Use:

• Unlocks “Snailsight Mode” (a short-term perception overlay of enemy likely routes based on memory and experience).

• Stackable with map markers and slow-time modules for full environmental control.

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🔊 5. Snails’ Whisper Marks – Psychological Warfare System

When used with a stealth sniper approach, Snails can leave messages or marks on enemy territory.

⚠️ Mechanics:

• If enemies discover these chalk spirals and markings, their behavior changes:

  • Raiders become paranoid, shoot walls, argue among themselves.

  • Gunners investigate and regroup, wasting time.

  • Synths freeze for 2–4 seconds analyzing the symbol.

🧨 Combination Effect:

• When paired with Whispershells or Echo Resin ammo, Snails’ markings cause:

  • Lowered enemy defense

  • Tracer shots to glow

  • Intimidation debuffs in battle

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🗿 6. “The Spiral Monument” World Event

Once major questlines are resolved (especially Vault 291 or the Mutant Reconciliation Path), Snails may propose a world-impacting construction.

🌀 The Spiral Monument:

• A tall, coiled tower built from reclaimed sniper towers and rusted Vault steel.

• Serves as:

  • A neutral sniper refuge.

  • A broadcasting tower of peaceful observation.

  • A slow zone, where time perception for all combatants is slightly altered.

🌐 Global Effect (if built):

• In survival mode, enemy AI pathing slows during weather events.

• Spiral cults and certain NPCs begin migrating to the site to “feel the pace.”

• Triggers a secret post-game mission: The Hourglass Falls—a large-scale battle staged in slow motion.

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🎤 7. Wasteland Radio Drama: “Echoes of a Sniper”

Once Snails becomes a folk legend, certain radio stations begin airing dramatized stories based on his past missions.

• Stylized with quiet narration, wind effects, and deliberate pacing.

• Sample snippet:

  “He walked into the canyon slow... too slow for death to see him. When he raised his hand, the bullet didn’t fire... the mountain did.”

These broadcasts build public myth, and if you listen to all 5:

• Unlock the “Snailcaller” Mod: summons Snails to your location once per week, even if he’s not your active companion.

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🧱 Snails-Themed Settlement Construction Integration

📂 Menu Category: SPECIAL STRUCTURES → SPIRAL DOCTRINE SET

All items become available once:

• Snails is your companion and his bond level reaches “Spiral Oath”

• You’ve completed at least one Echo Trail Event

• You've unlocked the Spiral Monument Blueprint from Vault 291 archives

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🏗️ I. Structural Pieces

1. Spiral Watchtower

• Function: Acts as an elevated sniper platform with 360° visibility

• Buff: +15% accuracy to settlement defenders stationed here

• Visuals: Circular frame with spiraling steel rails, chalk marks etched in weathered wood

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2. Snailback Barricade Wall

• Function: Defensive wall with built-in slits for long guns

• Buff: Enemy ranged attacks deal 10% less damage to NPCs behind this wall

• Unique Feature: Embedded spiral shell symbols emit a low hum during storms

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3. Slowstep Perimeter Lamps

• Function: Dim, pulsing ground-level lights for night patrols

• Buff: Reduces enemy ambush risk by 25% in fog or darkness

• Aesthetic: Lanterns shaped like snail shells with amber-glow spirals inside

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🎖️ II. Symbolic Decor

4. “Chalk of Memory” Wall Art

• Function: Cosmetic art made from bullet holes and white chalk

• Bonus: Boosts settler happiness when placed in communal spaces

• Variants:

  • Spiral burst

  • Slowpath glyph

  • “One Shot” quote mural (“The longer I wait, the closer I am.”)

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5. “Snailshell Throne” Chair

• Function: Assignable seat for the player or settlers

• Bonus: If used during defense phase, gives 10% increased turret accuracy

• Visuals: Bent rebar and polished shell plates shaped into a twisted-back throne

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6. Wasteland Spiral Banner

• Function: Faction-style flag system for aesthetic purposes

• Effect: Unlocks optional dialogue from wandering Spiral Acolytes and Snail Acolyte recruits

• Designs:

  • The coiled lens (Snails' monocle symbol)

  • The triple spiral glyph (represents patience, memory, accuracy)

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🔫 III. Tactical Utilities

7. “Echo Relay Post”

• Function: Remote sniper alert node

• Effect: Marks incoming enemies on HUD before they enter view range

• Cooldown: 2 in-game hours

• Aesthetic: Built from scavenged recon relay dish and a chalk spiral platform

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8. Spiral Turret Nest

• Function: Modified turret post with shell-based armor

• Buff: 20% slower fire rate, but 40% increased accuracy and penetration

• Mod Slot: Monocle targeting upgrade (findable with Snails)

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🎙️ IV. Atmospheric Additions

9. Spiral Echo Windchimes

• Function: Mood and audio enhancement

• Effect: Emits ambient sniper harmonics and wind-reactive jingles

• Bonus: Slightly reduces settler agitation after raids

• Design: Hollow shells, spent casings, and bone spiral pieces hung on black wire

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10. “Snailspeaker” Public Terminal

• Function: Plays recovered radio dramas from Snails’ Vault logs

• Options:

  • Cycle through his philosophies (“Stillness and Sight” series)

  • Play the full Echoes of a Sniper radio drama

• Bonus: Adds +1 Charisma buff to any settler or player listening within 10 meters

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🧰 V. Workbench & Mod Station Additions

11. Snailsmithing Workbench Skin

• Adds: Spiral aesthetic reskin for existing weapon and armor benches

• Unique Feature: Clicking the chalk spiral allows for one Slowcraft ammo recipe per day

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12. Echo Calibration Console

• Function: Upgrade station for any scoped weapons or monocles

• Effect: Adds new spiral reticles and passive shot delay compensators

• Only available if you've installed Snails’ monocle blueprint from Vault 291

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🧾 Construction Requirements (for authenticity):

All Snails-themed items require:

• Scrap Steel + Electronics

• Chalk Resin (from ceramic and bone)

• Memory Casings (recovered from specific sniper kills)

• Echo Crystals (optional rare crafting item from Spiral cult sites)

🗺️ “The Spiral Bastion” – A Snails-Optimized Settlement Defense Blueprint

“If they want to get in fast, let them walk into focus.” – Snails

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🔄 OVERVIEW:

• Shape: Concentric Spiral Fortress (like a nautilus shell)

• Core Philosophy: Slow down enemies with layered terrain, obscure their entry, then eliminate with maximum precision from fixed, concealed positions.

• Ideal Biomes: Elevated terrain, rocky desert, abandoned radio relays, cliffside overlooks.

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📐 LAYOUT TIERS

🌀 Tier 1: Outer Spiral Perimeter – “The Misdirect Ring”

Components:

• Snailback Barricade Walls (angled outward)

• Camouflaged Dummy Entrances with audible squeaks and tripwire noise makers

• Echo Relay Posts embedded under weathered debris

Purpose:

• Delays fast-moving enemies

• Baits AI pathfinding into slow-curling routes

• Ideal for trapping Raiders, Ferals, or fast animal attacks

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🌀 Tier 2: Mid-Spiral Control Zone – “The Focus Ring”

Components:

• Spiral Turret Nests behind overlapping wall points

• Stillstep Perimeter Lamps pulsing in rhythm

• Remote-triggered Whispershell Traps

Tactics:

• Strategic line-of-sight blocks force enemies into “shoot-through funnels”

• All turret placements staggered to fire in rotation, not simultaneously—prevents waste

Placement Tip:

• Overlap sniper line from Spiral Watchtowers with Echo Trail Lines (visible via Snails’ map mode)

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🌀 Tier 3: Inner Spiral Commons – “The Still Zone”

Components:

• Snailspeaker Terminal (centerpiece)

• Snailsmithing Bench, Shell Memorial Garden

• Settler housing is sunken, not vertical—minimizes visual clutter for Snails' aiming

Buff Effects:

• Settlers inside this tier receive:

  • +1 Perception

  • +10% calm/morale rating

• Optional Spiral Meditation Seat lets the player gain a “Stillness” buff for 1 hour (slows AP drain)

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🎯 Tier 4: Heart of the Spiral – “Snails’ Roost”

Components:

• Custom-built Snailshell Throne Platform atop the hill or central spire

• Two Spiral Banners flanking the seating area

• Direct access to Echo Calibration Console and companion-only locker

Line of Fire:

• Covers:

  • 60% of outer spiral via arcing sniper window slits

  • Overlapping kill zones into dummy paths

  • Long-range pressure on fast enemies exiting Tier 1 traps

Bonus:

• If Snails is present during an attack, he delivers a slow-time sharpshot every 90 seconds to the highest priority threat within line of sight

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🔁 ROTATIONAL STRATEGY ZONES

Zone Name	Role	Active Personnel
Patience Ridge	Roof of Spiral Watchtower A	Snails or elite sniper NPC
The Coil Line	Inner-facing fence-line with sight breaks	Spiral-trained settler guards
Deadspace Alley	Corridor between wall breaks w/ no lighting	Whispershell mines + one Echo Relay turret
Silent Podium	Elevated hunting blind facing the weakest map side	Set for manual Overwatch shots

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🔧 MODULAR ADD-ONS (Placement Recommendations)

• Windchimes: On outer wall spikes and rear barricades only (calming effect + audio reverb)

• Wasteland Spiral Banner: Hang only near watchtower sightlines to avoid giving away stealth

• Echo Crystals (if found): Mount in tier transitions, they pulse when enemies cross

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🧠 NPC ASSIGNMENTS LOGIC (Recommended Roles)

NPC Role	Suggested Snail-aligned Behavior
Sniper Settler	Use Snailsmith-crafted rifles, low-fire-rate settings
Echo Technician	Maintains Echo Relay and turret delay patterns
Spiral Acolyte Guard	Patrols in circular paths rather than linear, simulating the spiral doctrine
Shellwalker Courier	Moves supplies between Tiers 2 and 3 on timed schedules only – never runs

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🌌 OPTIONAL NIGHT MODE SETTINGS

• Activate Spiral Lullaby Mode:

  • Dim lights cycle in spirals

  • Windchimes activate

  • Snailspeaker Terminal narrates a brief philosophy passage

  • All turret fire rate drops by 50% but accuracy increases by 100%