People of the Wastelands
Other than unmutated humans - also referred to as 'smoothskins' by ghouls - there are two other main peoples that can be found throughout the Commonwealth Wastelands.
GHOULS
​Ghouls are mutated humans or animals affected by the phenomenon of ghoulification. Despite their zombie-like appearance, the flesh of ghouls is not actually rotten. Intense and prolonged radiation has ravaged their skin, much of their flesh, and in some cases many of their ligaments. Despite their infertility, and in some cases mental deterioration, they have greatly extended overall lifespans and are immune to (and sometimes even healed by) background radiation and/or nuclear fallout.
​
The history of ghouls is a mixture of suffering and plight. The bulk of ghouls emerged as a result of the Great War, although there are cases of some using controlled exposure to radiation to ghoulify themselves and ride out the upcoming war. There was also an experimental radiation drug being tested somewhere in the Commonwealth.
​
The transformation can take anywhere from hours, to weeks, to as much as a year, depending on exposure levels. Once it is completed, the ghouls take on the aforementioned appearance, at a rate influenced largely by the manner of their exposure: the more radiation received in a short amount of time causes drastic changes, while symptoms of ghoulification are more gradual with chronic exposure. As a rule, ghouls generally lose hair along with the skin, though this varies due to the unpredictable nature of the change. Vocal cords and the larynx are also usually affected by the change, resulting in a raspy voice – though again, this varies.
​
The mutated physiology still requires ghouls to provide adequate nourishment for their systems, including providing water and food. The loss of the sense of smell allows ghouls to eat food humans would consider repulsive, which coupled with the resilience of their digestive tract allows them to subsist on any edible foodstuff. As an added benefit, a ghoul is also immune to most common diseases that affect unmutated humans. However, that doesn't mean ghouls are immune to all diseases, and diseases of the mind (not just feralization) can still affect a ghoul. A side-effect of the mutation is that recreational drugs like Jet have a diminished effect on their physiology, requiring double doses or increased potency to work. This is likely because of the regenerative properties of ghoulification.
​
SYNTHS
Synth (short for synthetic humanoids, also called androids or artificial humans) is a common term used to refer to the bio-synthetic robots manufactured within the Institute's laboratories. Synths can range from early skeletal models to those nearly indistinguishable from human beings, save for a specific implanted component only discoverable after death.
​
They are derived from pre-War DNA extensively modified using the Institute's own research, combining advantageous adaptations with the versatility of the human body shape. This allowed the Institute to create varieties of synths of different races and appearances despite the base DNA coming from only one source. Third generation synthetics represent the pinnacle of synth technology, being virtually indistinguishable from natural-born humans right down to the cellular level. Each Gen 3 synth is built from lab-grown bones, muscles and other tissues that are assembled and brought to life at the Institute's Robotics lab, and are "born" with the bodies and mental faculties of full-grown adult humans.
These third generation synths are unlike humans, and some liberated synths do not consider themselves human at all. The reasons for this are multiple - chief among them is the assembly process. Most synths do not require sleep at all to function properly, are completely immune to disease and do not require the intake of food or water to generate energy for their bodies.