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Liniment[]
it states this in the "Bugs" section: "In the Xbox 360 version, sometimes you will recieve the barkskin perk after you apply Birch's Sap or Laurel's Liniment. " is that true? i've been watching info about this game for along time now and never heard of anything like that happening in this quest. anyone else confirm?--Mookeylama 13:21, 17 January 2009 (UTC)
in the original game guide it is said the Harold's strain of F.E.V gives Your Damage Resistance is now +10 and Endurance is +1 maybe a coment about this would be nice to avoid confusion ! confirmation of this is necessary (~~Soul shaper~~)
- This is verified and commented under Barkskin now. 208.97.121.178 16:10, 3 December 2008 (UTC)
Must talk with the Treeminders[]
I changed the page around to include the fact that you have to pass a speech check and/or execute dialog options with all the Treeminders that you wish to receive gifts from BEFORE you interact with Harold's heart. I tested this on the PS3 and found it to be true. If you go directly from the argument into the caves and speak with no one before the end of the quest then none of the Treeminders will give you their gifts despite being told that they will. However, if you do pass a speech check with the Treeminder or execute the proper dialog after the argument but before heading into the caves then you will be given the gift by that Treeminder after completing the quest. --69.69.50.98 08:33, 9 February 2009 (UTC)
This is untrue on the XBOX 360 version. I just checked, after reloading an earlier save to check the speech challenge / Yew's bear charm info. I did not speak to any of the Treeminders (other than Tree Father Birch and Leaf Mother Laurel) before going into the cave, and yet I still received the gifts from all of the decision-specific Treeminders regardless of whether I applied Laurel's liniment or Birch's sap. I am not altering the info on the article, however, since this may merely be a factor on the XBOX 360. If someone else can confirm this, then the info added regarding the quest rewards should be changed or removed. - Fembot G.g3 10:20, 26 February 2009 (UTC)
The experience gained by destroying the heart and talking to the tree father after that is 400. by Blackened (unregistered). Feel free to change my "post".
Glitch in XBOX360 version?[]
I destroyed Harold's heart and got barskin perk. It is impossible now to leave the area. The door to the Wasteland is closed. The red mark appears "REQUIRE A KEY". I spoke with everyone and pickpocketed everyone. There is no key.
- That happened to me aswell in the grove i cant get out unless i kill father birch User:AllanM 93
Quest broken?[]
When I did this quest, it seemed to put me in the exit section, when I went in the door (underwater, only one I could find in the area) it led to a dead-end room with a couple mirelurk kings and another mirelurk. The same room also had two skeletons and loot they had on them when they died.
Is this the exit room or did I spend 45 minutes and not see how to progress to the next area? I mean, there is a loose barrel that I could in theory use to jump up to what seems to be the intended way into the room, but that doesn't seem to fit this game at all. (or the physics of the barrels which topple easily)
- Yes that is the exit room! (Although some people do go there first to dispatch the Mirelurks.) But the way to do the quest is to leave The Grove after talking to Harold and go back to the Oasis, talk to everybody, and then go through Oasis Caverns (bottom of local map). --Sp3lly 21:12, 5 January 2009 (UTC)
- To leave the exit room, dive beneath the water in the North part of the cave. There is a passage way that leads to an enclosed area with a door beneath the water (and air above); go through this door to come out in The Grove. If you entered here first (prior to accessing Harold's Heart), you must go out and enter Oasis Caverns, located in the SW corner of Oasis. - Fembot G.g3 10:44, 26 February 2009 (UTC)
- I'd really like to punch the genius who designed this level in the face. If you miss the mission target and go straight to the exit section, there's no way to get back up and go back into the Sunken Chamber. Completely frustrating level design. --Bigs 24.99.241.94 03:00, April 13, 2010 (UTC)
Background[]
I found this to be the most thought-provoking quest in the whole game. The situation reminds me of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas (also see William James' The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life and Fyodor Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, esp. Ivan Karamazov in the "Rebellion" chapter). I think Le Guin won a Hugo for the story, but don't hold me to that.
- Option 1: destroy Harold's heart, essentially ending a utopia that is built upon the suffering of one individual.
- Option 2: perpetuate the individual's suffering either for the benefit of the few (Birch's option) or for the benefit of the many (Laurel's option).
Too bad you can't explore the effects of your choice beyond a couple of dialog options, but it's a wonderful ethical dilemma. Marstinson 22:46, 23 November 2008 (UTC)
- I agree that this was one of the most interesting quests in the game, I especially liked Harold's reaction if he lived. I saved at his Heart so I could go through all 3 main resolutions before I made my final choice, but my preconceived notion was that the right thing to do would be to end his life. However I really liked Harold's reaction if you let him live, where he not only accepted his fate, he expressed regret that his own wish would have been the "selfish" route.
And while the game leaves it up to you to decide how you want to resolve things, the loot makes me think that in their opinion the best choice was to increase Harold's growth rate. And given that you can't see the long-term effects of your decision (without Harold alive does the Oasis die? If you increase his growth rate do raiders find the oasis and take it over?) this was ultimately the resolution I chose as well. JazzX 04:32, 2 December 2008 (UTC) - rights (as in human rights) have no meaning when the well being of the many comes first, I think Birch is on the same level of evilness as Eden (only surpassed by me burning Harold), and good intentions don't change the fact that Laurel is doing evil either. So I think the only non evil path, without getting the mutation (potentialy taking Harolds place ;p) is doing nothing Colors 23:26, December 26, 2009 (UTC)
- I agree that this was one of the most interesting quests in the game, I especially liked Harold's reaction if he lived. I saved at his Heart so I could go through all 3 main resolutions before I made my final choice, but my preconceived notion was that the right thing to do would be to end his life. However I really liked Harold's reaction if you let him live, where he not only accepted his fate, he expressed regret that his own wish would have been the "selfish" route.
you can burn Harold down? Ive gotta try that! die tree-hugger! lol
- I cant believe a couple of gamers actually found a philosophical (spell check?) argument in a video game quest. But, while were at it; My initial reaction was to end Harold's suffering as well (boyhood experience, clipped a robins wing with a bb gun), but then I realized that were this a real life situation, these people would A. kill me, and B. be lost without their 'God'. In the end I thought that allowing the oasis to grow would be the best choice, and should misfourtune fall upon it (raiders or whatever) then that would be the outcome, but maybe, it just might work out and that's the chance that I based my decision off of.
Ol' Painless 09:56, 29 December 2008 (UTC)
If you want to read more philosophical dilemmas go to the Pitt Discussion page. Its more complicated than you think. --Kelloth 23:25, September 26, 2009 (UTC)
My initial thought was to honor his wishes, but I was frustrated that there were no dialogue options to discuss possibilities with him - he mentions that he can "see" via every leave, etc. So, if you accept the acceleration path, he could conceivably spread his influence and perception beyond the grove, effectively experiencing the entire world (theoretically), no longer being limited to his mere physical existence in the grove. I took a gamble that the acceleration route might actually make him happy. If not, I could always go back and end his suffering (I assumed). Interesting stuff for a video game. (And kind of sad that some people only see it as "what armor can I get" type of thing) Roygbiv666 11:48, May 16, 2012 (UTC)
Karma[]
So... what's the Karma change for the three options?
- I believe the Karma chage is negative if you burn him, and none for all the others. I may be mistaken. I chose the acceleration path and enjoyed it too much to go back just to ponder over the other three, but it had no karma change, so that's my partially educated guess. Bluesurge7 09:49, 9 December 2008 (UTC)
Sapling Yew[]
Why was mention of Sapling Yew's reward/Speech challenge removed? --DarkJeff 03:15, 5 December 2008 (UTC)
- It appears to be from 75.119.239.120 who is the same guy that vandalized the Nuka Cola Challenge page. I'll revert. --DarkJeff 03:37, 5 December 2008 (UTC)
its kool that this site's information can be modified freely but im sure people like that must realy get on your nerves.
I just did the quest and do not have the lady killer or the child related perks. I didn't have any option to ask about getting an item from Yew. Thought that might help you guys out.
Armour[]
is there anything special about this armouris it the same as the other outcast armour or is it different--M0N5T3RR 02:36, 15 January 2009 (UTC):Just compare the stats in the infoboxes to the right of Outcast power armor and Linden's Outcast power armor. Ausir 02:54, 15 January 2009 (UTC)
- it adds to big guns by about 5? (correct if wrong) thats it it has no helmet but you can use anpther BOS outcast hel for that. Onikage01 19:17, 15 January 2009 (UTC)
it also has a -1 agility as opposed to the regular BOS outcast armor having agility -2.LuciusZelgius 01:03, 28 March 2009 (UTC)
WHAT CHOICE IS BEST[]
so there is the different roots but which one is the best? --M0N5T3RR 00:30, 17 January 2009 (UTC)
- Well, I'm not 100% sure what you just asked, but, destroying the heart gets you a +5 armor bonus. The other options don't really do anything.
Whoever said this is an idiot! Did you even look at the main page of this article? -- "99.139.231.54" from "15:07, April 4, 2010"
- I just signed your comment for you, "99.139.231.54"... since you didn't do it yourself. Note that if you the previous poster had signed his, you could have seen easily when that comment was posted. Did you consider that the page didn't look the same back then as it does now? Note also, it's rather amusing that you referred to someone else as "idiot" when you didn't indent your reply properly.
- How about joining the community and then becoming part of it by acting in a positive way? --Faran Brygo 13:26, April 5, 2010 (UTC)
WHAT IF YOU TRY TO DESTROY HAROLD'S HEART AFTER COMPLETING THE QUEST?[]
Has anyone tried going back AFTER using the sap or the liniment, getting your rewards, completing the quest, etc. and THEN destroying his heart? I'd try but I'm tired. Desmay 07:24, 15 June 2009 (UTC)
- I dunno, but I do know that you can still burn him after gettign your rewards
- Not sure about the birch sap, but if you use the linement then it tells you can't destroy his heart as it has been strengthened. You can see the heart sorta grew a tough, white exterior. I'm sure the sap is something similar. 76.114.198.95 14:52, 15 August 2009 (UTC)
- You can't, to destroy the heart is a dialogue, which is inaccessible once you have already destroyed it, used the sap or the liniment.--Pratstercs 15:12, 15 August 2009 (UTC)
Afterwards...[]
Can't you still burn down Harold after increasing or stopping his growth?
- does it gain you anything?
AshRandom (Talk) 22:40, 21 January 2009 (UTC)
- Bad Karma, and the satisfaction of having deprived the wasteland of the only oasis in it. These things are enough of a reward for me.
Does anyone know if anything happens in to the area around the oasis, if you cause him to spread? New trees further out or anything? Did anyone push time far forward to see if the oasis spreads? DocGratis 75.148.199.242 15:19, 10 February 2009 (UTC)
- Nothing happens to the area around Oasis, regardless of the choice made. And get an account. System Error 23:20, 11 February 2009 (UTC)
Mysterious Stranger stranger[]
While in the caverns I've had an absolute ton of mysterious stranger visits (almost one for every battle), not that I'm complaining, has anyone else had similar results
- Nope. You were just very, very lucky. Incomprehensibly, unbelievably lucky. You shoulda bought a lottery ticket that day or something.
Easter Egg[]
I found a possible Easter Egg. As you approach Birch and Laurel to view the argument encounter, if you look down at this exact spot you can see numbers and possibly letters in the "crease" of the ground textures. I spotted the letter "M" and the numbers "2005" as well as some other numbers/letters. (XBox360) Jack 19:23, 17 May 2009
- Interesting. You're right. I would say it was a mistake with the texture, but if that was the case then those letters would be tiled along the whole oasis, I assume. Very strange.Nagaoka 02:19, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
Poplars Hood/Crypress Glitch- Still need help![]
I can't get the hood. Ive tried doing the heart acceleration about 3 times, I've left the cave before doing it and talked to poplar again, I've tried talking to her before and after I talk to linden, but nothings working. Help please- I really can't countinue the game until this is fixed.--TheFrogger 23:32, 12 June 2009 (UTC)
- Don't you need to talk to Leaf mother laural first? Fat Man Spoon 23:42, 13 June 2009 (UTC)
I think I did, I'll try again I guess. --TheFrogger 23:45, 13 June 2009 (UTC) Nope.--TheFrogger 00:02, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
- How about Harald as well? After Laural aswell. Fat Man Spoon 00:05, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
Yes, I have. I've tried talking to almost everyone before and after, I've talked to linden and yew before and after, I've said everything to Laurel including the gifts about 3 times. Ive even tried doing it in the day and at night. I can only say to her "whats my future" and "what will you do"--TheFrogger 00:07, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
- Ok, try a different option,(Stop growth) and see if the gifts work then. If it doesn't, you have a MAJOR bug on your hands. Fat Man Spoon 00:09, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
I can get Lindens armor though- thats the weird thing. And Yew's bear charm. I'll try that, though. Thanks.--TheFrogger 00:21, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
- I can get maples garb, but I can't get anything from Cypress- he dosent have the dialouge choice, like Poplar.--TheFrogger 00:31, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
Dude, I admit that hat is awesome, and great for stealth characters, but its not game-stopping if you don't get it. Just spend 10 points in stealth next level up.
The Green on the Wasteland?[]
Alright. So here's a question for the kids. I just got done with this quest, and during my decision making process (as with anyone with this quest), my brother tells me that if I side with Laurel, then green patches will appear across the wasteland; that is, he will continue to grow. That didn't color my decision in the slightest. But that notwithstanding, I let Harold have his wish and die. Later in the game, after I tromped to the Dunwich Building, I found myself at Wheaton's Armory. Interestingly enough, off on a slope, green grass was growing. So, was this is glitch? A miscoloration of the X-Box 360 version of the game?
Obviously, I'll need more evidence and more instances of green grass and shrubs to suddenly populate where they weren't before. Despite this, anyone else notice this? Penguindeskjob 21:47, 24 July 2009 (UTC)
- Well, this reply is pretty late but the green patch near the F. Scott Key Trail & Campground that you refer to is unrelated to outcome of this quest. It seems that it's always there. Why it's there I don't know, but it's mentioned in the article. As for the Wheaton Armory, I don't know of the green patch so I can't say anything. Flash's gun is awesome 07:16, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
Quest Glitch or Bug.[]
I get this glitch every time I try to do the quest.
"Sometimes when going through the path with the beds to the chain link fence, the game will lock your PC Being unable to Move, Use Pipboy, and Shoot Guns. All you can do is look around, crouch and change view as if you’re sitting on a chair style."
Is there anyway to get past this glitch on the PS3 version?
Burning Weaponry[]
Oddly while frag grenades have no effect, using a missile launcher will ignite Harold and kill him. --KittenyKat, 75.48.229.41 04:41, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
Multiple rewards[]
I have an idea to get multiple reward items, but first I need someone on a pc to check something. If you get up on the rocks on the outside of oasis, there is a door where oasis is. I need someone to make it say "open". Then go through the ceremony when you "purify" yourself with the drink. Before you talk to harold, go through the damp cave and see if you can open the door to the sunken chambers. I'm thinking that the gate might open the door to the chambers. I would do it myself, but I use an xbox and it takes hours to stack the 5mm ammo to make the stairs.Tehuberleetmaster 01:31, November 8, 2009 (UTC)
I had issue with the quest[]
What are the best ways to complete this quest?OutcastNeedhelp 00:23, November 10, 2009 (UTC)
- Well all are valid paths. You can either end the obvious suffering that Harold has been going through in last twenty years. Seriously I spoke to him exstensively, the very thought was painful to him. Or you can let him live and if you let him live you can either slow his growth so that Oasis has less chance of being discovered by the outside world, and destroyed. Or you can strengthen his heart and help him grow so that the wasteland will slowly become green again (not that you'll see that happening. We're talking generation here.) Either way Harold accepts his fate and the treeminders accept your choice. As long as you don't burn him. Personally i chose to grant his quest and kill him. The guy has clearly suffered by being rooted to the ground for 2 decades, unable to move, eat, sleep etc. It clearly pains him when he thinks he could be stuck there for centries more. A Pickering 10:16, February 2, 2010 (UTC)
What Choice to make[]
I'm having trouble picking the path i wanna take. If i just kill the people in oasis will i be able to get maples garb and things like that because if so ill just murder them all. im thinking about just stoping his growth becaus i think those are the best rewards. so can i get all of them or no?76.253.51.50 22:29, March 3, 2010 (UTC)
p.s. i made this before i got an account God damn ghouls 22:36, April 14, 2010 (UTC)
Game crash on 2nd Dialogue phrase with the "Talking tree"[]
It seems like not many people are getting a crash here, but I experience a crash when I try to choose any of the three dialogue options when first meeting the talking tree. After the first phrase, the game will crash, apparently when it attempts to play the sound file relating to the second phrase, since I can still see the sub captioning before the crash. Windows Event Viewer reports an Application Popup in the System section, with a description as follows:
Application popup: Fallout3.exe - Application Error: The instruction at 0x00bdc0f1 referenced memory at 0x00000000. The memory could not be read.
At least that's the important stuff, everything else is what the message box would have said, supposing it had actually "popped" up.
I have tried disabling all *.ESM files, and I have even tried using the Unofficial patch. Nothing seems to work. Tgp1994 14:12, April 24, 2010 (UTC)
Glitch[]
Why is the glitch that says "Sometimes when going through the path with the beds to the chain link fence, the game will lock your PC being unable to move, use your Pip-Boy,etc..." labeled as a pc/360/ps3 glitch when it mentions pc during it multiple times? Mechacode 04:34, October 8, 2010 (UTC)
- In this context, PC stands for Player Character. It doesn't lock up the game. --Kris
04:40, October 8, 2010 (UTC)
Quest Rewards Question[]
I haven't personally been able to access my Xbox 360 for a while now, but this has been bugging me.
I was wondering if there is any possible way to get both Poplar's hood and Maple's garb, without mods, or console commands, as I have already mentioned I have but an Xbox 360. I realize you can get one or the other in quest rewards normally. I was wondering this, as the Missile launcher is an easily found weapon (ammo rarity notwithstanding). Linden's Outcast power armor is an okay reward, but as my character is more inclined to sneak (or, at least, I like to get the sneak criticals and use Sniper rifles and the like) the power armor would be something I'd just throw into a locker and forget about, or maybe give to a follower if I stopped needing to carry so much stuff, and I also don't have the Power Armor Training perk on most of my characters.
As a side question, why is there a hood to increase sneak, rewarded along with heavy power armor? They seem to contradict one another, while the rocket launcher (okay, missile launcher) is so rarely used/easily obtained that it seems they intended the robes as the best reward, thinking adding in a throwaway weapon along with it would make people believe other rewards better. The robes also match with the hood. They both have twigs in them, unlike other Oasis apparel.
Any answers would be helpful. Thanks in advance, I am Darth, therefore I'm Darth Jedi I have turned 20:10, 28 March 2009 (UTC) 21:18, July 21, 2010 (UTC)
- I would expect that giving a sneak reward along with a power armor reward provides the right kind of reward for all characters: each character sells or stashes the part of the reward they don't normally use. The same applies to the weapons, and while I don't normally use the rocket launcher either, I sometimes like to snipe with one from an overpass. The intent is to balance out the rewards so that your Harold choice is based on actual ethics and not on choosing the one choice of value to you. Even killing Harold balances out with Barkskin (fighter) and the Yew Bear Charm (sneaker/talker). --Webgiant 17:37, August 29, 2010 (UTC)
Okay, thanks. I didn't realize that, lol. 67.140.1.139 14:18, September 4, 2010 (UTC)
- I still think it stinks that one of the rewards is a Missile Launcher. It might just be my experience, but I trip over those things too often. Of course, people unlike me that use them might enjoy the reward a bit more, but it might have been better to include a unique Missile Launcher to go with the unique Druid outfit instead of just a normal Launcher. Since Laurel's path ends with two unique rewards, the hood and the power armor, why shouldn't Birch's path get two as well? RolandWolfheart 18:42, October 12, 2010 (UTC)
oops...[]
Accidentally reverted the edit that reverted the edit I was trying to revert... lol but I fixed it. Kris mailbox 22:47, August 8, 2010 (UTC)
Poplar's hood unobtainable???[]
I can't get Poplar's hood. I applied Laurel's Liniment and afterward talked to Laurel. She said Branchtender Linden, Bloomseer Poplar and Sapling Yew had gifts for me. I can get Linden's armor and Yew's charm, but Poplar doesn't have the speach option where you can get your gift. This is very annoying since I rely quite a bit on my sneak skill, and I want the hood pretty badly.
I already tried:
- killing Poplar
- killing everyone in Oasis
- burning Harold
- burning Harold and killing Poplar
- burning Harold and killing everone in Oasis
- applying Birch's Sap to Harold's heart
- destroying Harold's heart
- waiting for over an ingame week
Does anyone have the same problem or knows a solution to this?