Female legion character?

[Sterki]

So yeah, I want to start a legion character, but I never tried a female one for more than a while (more for testing pruposes, actually) mostly because I can't find any good reason for my hypotetical female character to support the legion.

I tried the ruthless mercenary reason, but that's the opposite to original for obvious reasons and the idealistic reason doesn't make sense because it would mean said woman would have to believe in the legion's ideology.

So why not? because the legion believes women only have the prupose to serve men and breed, something said character would believe as well (and that would prevent her from fighting). I guess the fact Caesar himself sends an invitation to the Courier to work for the legion regardless of gender would mean said female, legion idealistic courier would believe her to have a greater prupose than the average woman, but I'm not sure that's a solid reason either.

[DollhouseDoll]

I was thinking the same throughout my months and years of playing F:NV.

 

Normally there is no reason for a normal travelling woman to support the Legion but the Courier's unique role in the Mojave during the events of F:NV would bestow her a unique importance in shaping the future of New Vegas. WIth Caesar's initial respect for her tenacity, and role in wresting control of New Vegas from Mr House she would be a respected ally indeed.

 

No doubt there is the risk of being cast aside as a typical slave after the events of F:NV but you may be surprised. With Caesar's weakness the Courier could have some influence in the Legion, enough to carve out a respectable niche as someone who had (despite the Legion's gender male dominated culture) more or less singlehandedly handed a great victory to the Legion.

 

As in-game lore would state, the Legion currently has a 'scorched earth' policy of looting and destruction. Having conquered New Vegas and lost many Legionaries in the Second Battle of Hoover Dam could exhaust the Legion's momentum. In order to actually hold their new gains they must learn to cultivate the land and develop New Vegas as a thriving community.

 

They may have 'conquered 83 tribes' using raze and burn tactics in the past but the NCR is huge and there's nothing stopping them from taking back NV with a more organized counteroffensive. If the Legion doesn't consolidate and fortify, very soon they will start running out of essential supplies. In all realism, one may win an ambush scenario with machetes and power fists, but one cannot hope to fight a war against a modern army with melee weapons. Ditto for feeding an army. NCR has a huge supply network (even if its shown as totally FUBARed in F:NV game time) and the Legion will eventually run out of places to pillage.

 

This need for a strategic review, plus the lady Courier's involvement in shaping the events of F:NV, may prove to the Legion once and for all that women too have roles to play, and can be as capable as men both in politics and in the field.

 

Also we must bear in mind that while the Legion men are never hesitant to abuse "weaker" females, they do have an ironic sense of dread against women who are stronger than them or can perform roles they are incapable of - the NCR Ranger in the Arena for one arguably has a reputation as a vicious gladiator, and Vulpes Inculta could also be observed as very protective of one of his female spies when he discovered she may be under threat from the Omertas.

 

This is just my two cents and while my points may have been coherent, this is my first time actually posting in an online FNV community. I typically talk these out IRL with like minded people and we can be quite radical about it :)

 

If it would help your decision making - here is what I typically do with a Legion female PC:

 

1) Get pissed off with the incompetent NCR rats and self serving idiots populating the wasteland

2) Watch in glee as Vulpes Inculta razes Nipton for "their sins"

3) Discreetly sabotage NCR plans, Benny's plans, oh, and Mr House's too

4) Allow myself to be recruited into the Legion. Once again, infiltrate the organization, earn Caesar's favour (Hey, at least he values me, not sees me as a piece of meat... for now)

5) Sabotage the NCR!!! Stupid disorganized politicians fighting amongst each other, easy pickings.

6) You fill in the rest :) Sometimes I side with the NCR in the end to create a strong Independent Vegas, other times, I aim to slay Caesar so I can take his place and proclaim myself Queen :P

Edited October 20, 2012 by DollhouseDoll

[Sterki]

That makes sense, but it bothers me how while Caesar and other high ranking legion individuals respect you, the bulk of the legion still treats you like meat. I think Obsidian should have worked on that detail a bit more, but it's still a good idea and even Ulysses is surprised by seeing a female Courier working for the legion, commenting on how such a static organization is prone to eventually change (in regards of women working for them as something else than meat).

 

Edit: Oh and btw, welcome to those forums, though it seems the fallout ones aren't as active as they used to be with all the Skyrim activity (a game I had to uninstall for like a fourth time after getting important features to break, making parts of the game unplayable).

Edited October 20, 2012 by Sterki

[DollhouseDoll]

Yeah it can feel wierd, what with being respected by the management and not by the rank and file. I assure you that is completely normal in real life too lol.

 

Living in that kind of situation makes it even more important to prove oneself's usefulness to the brass and gain as much influence as possible over the masses. While such a lifestyle can be said as "wrong" by many contemporary persons, it is the truth for certain corporate environments that you have to look upwards in order to secure a future for yourself, and not get lost in the wasteland. Quite ironic again, but as a corporate secretary I know that feeling very well lol.

 

It's never about wanting to place oneself above others, but rather, if I lowered myself to be approachable, what would happen to me? If one does not want to end up being a slave... work for Caesar personally. LOL. He is definitely a better boss than some snivelling NCR bastard who'll smile at you but make false promises now and forever.

 

Just don't piss him off, and lady Courier can have a long, honourable relationship lol.

 

From what I have experienced from PC and Companion conversations, Cass and Veronica both seem to "understand" the need to work with the Legion, even if personally, they kind of have a disgusting outlook against their species. Cass's hell bent quest for revenge too, makes her an asset to Caesar as a special operative in her own right (that hatred for NCR corruption can work to the Caesar's advantage in future if she were to be employed in the new post FNV Legion). Veronica too is an asset because her alliegiance is malleable and she follows the Courier's instructions without fail to the letter. Such loyal companions who understand the need for a new "world" order to fill in the vacuum of NCR corruption, also make good servants for a Legion mistress.

 

This type of thinking is seldom seen in the real world, except in certain closed, powerful social circles. You almost never seem them around, but you know that such societies exist, plotting, scheming, never co-existing with us mere mortals but almost lingering in our dreams and nightmares, depending on who we are in life.

 

On the other hand, if you tell real people about the things we are discussing in this thread, you may very likely end up with something like Boone's automatic hatred for everything Legion, even if it is strategically the correct thing to do for the Courier to help Caesar for at least halfway through the main quest of FNV.

 

This I guess is how gender differences alter perceptions. When I first played F3 and NV (long after they were released btw), the "do good" option appealed to me more. However, after certain life experiences, now I beg to differ. If it's a corrupt wasteland, Caesar's directness and stringent rule is more of an asset to an aspiring female Courier who wants to remembered as who she is, and not "just another Mojave chick" trying to be nice to everyone and failing.

[TrickyVein]

A woman legionnaire? Isn't that like a female priest?

 

She would have to hate herself, project this hatred on to all women, and have enormous penis-envy. Her zeal and drive would have to be fueled by her own self-destructiveness and hatred for what she is. Of course she herself would be blind to this, or unable to face her demons, instead finding comfort in directing her hatred onto her sex. Maybe she was abused, or her father left when she was young (isn't that always the case? Daddy issues?) It's like how people become racist. They have some personal failing that they can't come to terms with, and it's easier to just project their hatred on to something or someone else, and the more they do it, the more they convince themselves they're right. It's very sad.

 

I don't know if I would enjoy adopting this kind of mindset for a character. I much prefer a floaty and detached disposition to life and its people.

[Sterki]

Well, I mostly play the a-bit-crazed-yet-good-hearted-hero character type, but sometimes, I enjoy playing as messed up villains. Both of you gave me a bunch of good ideas on how to create a solid and beliveable female legion character, so thank you!

 

Edit: As for her traumatic background, maybe she was unable to protect her loved ones even though she had some skills, thus leading to her self hate?

Edited October 22, 2012 by Sterki

[Rekombo]

Female Courier may join The Legion if she wants to take revenge on NCR for her own reasons. Yes-man and Mr. House will not go farther than Mojave, only The Legion is a serious threat to NCR.

 

Please don't dig up old threads. Jim_UK