Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel,[2] alternatively referred to as the Capital Wasteland detachment, is a chapter of the wider Brotherhood of Steel operating in the Capital Wasteland in 2277.[3] Headquartered at the Citadel and led by Elder Owyn Lyons, they serve as a major faction in Fallout 3 and its add-on Broken Steel. The chapter was originally an expeditionary force led by Lyons that arrived in the Capital Wasteland during 2255, and subsequently diverged from the wider Brotherhood for a period of time from the Schism in 2276 until 2283.
For a detailed list of characters, see this article.
History[]
In 2254,[4] the Brotherhood's ruling council, based in the Lost Hills bunker in Southern California, decided to send a contingent to the East Coast, with one primary objective: recover any and all advanced technology from East Coast cities and bases.[5][6][7] The contingent was placed under the command of Star Paladin Owyn Lyons, accompanied by technological adviser Scribe Reginald Rothchild, who was privately Owyn's friend, as well as several veteran members of the Brotherhood, including the paladins Henry Casdin, Ishmael Ashur and Tristan.
Lyons' group finally arrived in the Capital Wasteland in 2255, establishing a base of operations within the Pentagon in the first few months.[8] Though the Pentagon was largely destroyed, its sub-levels remained, for the most part, intact, and its surviving stockpiles contained undisturbed pre-War technology and weaponry to sustain their operations. The crown jewel though was Liberty Prime,[6] a technological marvel that, if restored, could help the Brotherhood of Steel rebuild a strength and reputation that had been declining steadily for years.
The discovery of Liberty Prime earned Star Paladin Lyons a new directive from his superiors in Southern California: to establish a new, permanent Brotherhood base in the Capital Wasteland, and continue the search for any other advanced technology hidden in the former capital city’s ruins.[9]
Scourging the Pitt[]
One of the Brotherhood's first targets was Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After reconnoitering the city, plagued by raiders, mutations and trogs, Star Paladin Lyons ordered a a purge of the city. In a single night, his force swept through the city, eliminating anyone who fought back, and looting everything of significant value. A certain item of value was also recovered, but only Lyons was privy to what it was. All who knew Lyons noted a major shift in the Brotherhood's mode of operation after The Scourge and the slaughter of an entire city.[Non-game 1] Lyons' force also took about twenty unmutated children with them out of the city, who were later initiated into the Brotherhood.[10] Most continued their career as brothers, although many also fell in battle, and by 2277 only one remained at the Citadel: Greg Bear, code-name Kodiak, stationed with Lyons' Pride.[11]
During the Scourge Lyons' forces suffered only one casualty, Initiate Ishmael Ashur, buried in rubble during the fighting and presumed dead. However, Ashur survived and established firm control of The Pitt, transforming it into an industrial powerhouse, supported by Brotherhood technological know-how. At the same time, he abandoned the Brotherhood and its teachings, recognizing the inherent failure of the unsustainable, scavenger nature of the Brotherhood's ways and trying to build a new civilization from the ashes.[Non-game 1]
New threats and change in profile[]
The Citadel
After returning to the Citadel and refocusing on surveying the Capital Wasteland, the newly promoted Elder[9] Lyons began changing in the wake of the Scourge when scouts identified a new threat in the area: a peculiar breed of super mutants, infesting the deserted ruins of downtown D.C., he changed priorities. Convinced that they are the primary threat to the people of the wasteland, Lyons initiated a protracted campaign of eradication at the expense of the Brotherhood's original mission of technological recovery, this would make their entry into the Capital Wasteland super mutant conflict.[12] The Brotherhood also assisted local scientists in relief projects, including James and Catherine. They were attempting to build a mass-scale purifier to supply the wasteland with a virtually inexhaustible source of fresh, purified water, in order to reduce their dependence on local purification methods. However, Project Purity failed to take off, despite the Brotherhood's involvement. Frustrated, Lyons withdrew his forces, leaving the project to fend for itself. Project Purity died shortly afterwards, in July 2258,[13] together with Catherine, James' wife.[14] However, Lyons did not withdraw support entirely; he granted his seneschal, Star Paladin Cross, permission to escort James and his child to Vault 101, protecting them against wasteland threats.[15]
Other alliances were most beneficial. The Brotherhood secured the cooperation of Rivet City, performing regular recruitment runs at the derelict carrier. Volunteers were inducted into the Brotherhood as initiates, after an existing member agreed to sponsor them. Danse, who would become a future paladin, was one acquisitions.[16] Another beneficial relationship was established years later, in 2272, with Three Dog, who gave the Brotherhood access to the plaza outside the GNR building and spoke well of the group in return for protection and tech support. From that point onward, the GNR plaza became a Brotherhood stronghold in the D.C. ruins, doubling as a propaganda radio station for Lyons.[17]
However, many questions remained: how had these local super mutants been created? Were they related to the super mutants of New California in the west? Why were they capturing the people of the Capital Wasteland? Where were they taking them?[9]
Going rogue[]
Finding these answers would ultimately become Owyn Lyons' obsession. The newly appointed elder decided that the super mutants were a threat not just to the Brotherhood and their scouts in D.C., but all the people in the wasteland.[6] Resources funneled towards the extermination campaign resulted in technological recovery coming to a virtual halt. The Brotherhood's presence across the wasteland, once stretching as far as the MDPL mass relay station up the Potomac River and extending protection to the communities of post-War Virginia, Megaton included, began to shrink.[18][6]
Lyons lied to the West Coast for years, convincing them to send reinforcements and supplies, claiming to continue tech recovery, but in reality, he continued to order his subordinates to save people by killing super mutants. However, no lie can be sustained indefinitely. Things came to a head when Lyons outright refused to follow a direct order from the elder council. In response, the West Coast cut him loose, shutting off communications and denying all reinforcements. By 2277, communications between Lyons' Brotherhood and Lost Hills had completely ceased, as did reinforcements.[19]
Left to fend for itself, Lyons' Brotherhood started to wane. The conflict with the mutants dragged on, straining resources and manpower to the breaking point: A single super mutant strike squad was perfectly capable of wiping out a five-man Brotherhood squad armed to the teeth, and came in a seemingly endless supply.[20] Lyons' men continued to stick with him and follow his orders, primarily out of the doctrine of loyalty the Brotherhood taught them from birth. However, this had its limits, and eventually led to the single most devastating blow Lyons' Brotherhood would receive in its short history.[21]
The Schism[]
- Main articles: Brotherhood Outcasts, Schism
Segments of knights and paladins became dissatisfied with Lyons' focus on protecting the wasteland and its people, seeing it as an ineffectual waste of men and resources that would ultimately destroy the Brotherhood. The situation gradually worsened, finally tipping in 2276,[22] when Elder Lyons ignored their repeated requests to recover tech from Fort Independence, a pre-War scientific military base.[23] Rallying behind Paladin Henry Casdin,[24] the dissenters abandoned Lyons' command and left the Citadel, taking a large part of its weapons and equipment stockpiles with them. Lyons lost more soldiers in that single moment than he did over the 23 years of fighting mutants.[25][26] The loss of men and materiel had a significant negative impact on the combat performance of Lyons' chapter, as the Outcasts confiscated a great deal of essential equipment, uncatalogued salvage, and the resulting shortage of spare parts greatly reduced Lyons' ability to sustain its campaign.[24]
Under Casdin's command, the rogue scribes, knights and paladins seized Fort Independence, where they pushed back the indigenous raider groups and adapted the former military base for use as their main headquarters. Termed "Outcasts" by their angered former brothers and sisters, the renegade soldiers adopted the name as a badge of honor,[27] and painted their armor red and black to distinguish themselves from the organization in which they no longer believed. A year after the split, the Outcasts organized a system of regular patrols, scouring the wasteland for technology, and began to excavate several locations, including the Virtual Strategic Simulations facility, to complete the original mission objectives. They planned to regroup with loyalist chapters in the West, after strengthening their position and expanding beyond Fort Independence.[28]
In his capacity as elder, Lyons judged the Outcasts and struck their names from the Codex as deserters.[29] He also passed a prohibition on mentioning their names at the Citadel, refusing to discuss them or their fate.[25][26] What's notable, he held no ill will towards them. He understood their mockery and respected their dedication to the Brotherhood's goals.[30] He consistently refused to discuss their fate or entertain the idea of waging war on them, even though his daughter, Sentinel Lyons, was chomping at the bit to destroy the dissenters.[31]
Turning point[]
Graffiti marking, used to denote outposts or waypoints
Lyons' Brotherhood entered 2277 as a diminished, weakened force, suffering from a shortage of qualified combat personnel and severely depleted stocks of weapons and equipment. The Brotherhood's presence outside the Citadel shrunk to a fraction of what it once was, with only a handful of reinforced outposts scattered across the District of Columbia metropolitan area.[32] Lyons' leadership seemed to have failed, with forces dwindled, stuck between numerous existential threats.[33] Members took solace in Brotherhood teachings, despite the breaking of ties with the West, trusting the technology and creations of the ancients, that they would bring triump over the horrors of the ancients, trusting their bellow brothers, their elder, and trusting in victory, Brotherhood fights on, with surrender not an option.[34][35] Lyons himself put on a brave face for his men, but began to doubt his ability as leader, considering passing the mantle of elder to a more capable leader, his daughter.[36]
His charisma was instrumental in keeping the remnants together. While the Brotherhood continued to recruit and even conscript wastelanders into its ranks, training them at a rapid pace, they were often rushed into combat. Undertrained and lacking discipline, they had a vicious attrition rate,[37] leading Brotherhood elites to consider them useless wasteland trash. Especially Sentinel Lyons.[38] In fact, Sentinel Lyons' elite unit, the Lyons' Pride, was instrumental in maintaining the ability of the Brotherhood to hold the line, coming whenever regular Brotherhood forces needed additional firepower.[39] The Brotherhood did its best to contain the mutants to D.C., away from human communities.[40]
It is in this weakened state that the Brotherhood was forced to face the Enclave. The purifier they once abandoned was reactivated by its former head researcher, James, with assistance from his child, known now only as the Lone Wanderer. The seizure of the purifier by the Enclave and arrival of Dr. Madison Li at the Citadel with information that the Purifier can be made functional, despite previous data to the contrary, forced Elder Lyons to make a decision. The elder decided that having Enclave extremists in control of the wasteland could not be allowed.[41][42] To this end, he began to muster what little forces he had and gear them up for a campaign against the Enclave, while assigning the Lone Wanderer to retrieve the key to Project Purity: the Garden of Creation Kit from Vault 87. Meanwhile, Madison Li and Scribe Rothchild set out to devise a way to make Liberty Prime operational.[43]
The Lone Wanderer's mission did not go as planned. The Enclave managed to infiltrate Vault 87 some time prior and captured the Lone Wanderer and the G.E.C.K.[43] However, due to President Eden and Colonel Autumn's disagreements, the Lone Wanderer escaped Raven Rock and regrouped with Lyons' forces at the Citadel. Despite having barely enough men to keep the Citadel defended,[44] Elder Lyons ordered the freshly activated, jury rigged[45] Liberty Prime deployed, to become the sledgehammer opening up Enclave lines for penetration by Lyons' Pride. Preventing the Enclave from activating the purifier became the order of the day.[46]
Confrontation[]
Unprepared for such an attack, the Enclave could not defeat Liberty Prime, especially as the Pride and the Lone Wanderer moved in behind him to mop up any survivors.[47] The spearhead carved a path through the perimeter around the purifier, including photonic resonance barriers, and finally, Sarah Lyons and the Lone Wanderer punched through the remaining defenders, reaching the control room. Upon inputting the access code, Project Purity was activated and immediately began purifying the tidal basin in D.C. However, the shock wave generated at the moment of activation threw both Sarah Lyons and the Lone Wanderer into a coma.[46]
The Lone Wanderer later awoke from their coma two weeks later in the Citadel's infirmary, and was inducted into the Brotherhood as a knight, by Elder Lyons himself. The wasteland changed in the fourteen days that passed. The defeat at the purifier threw remaining Enclave forces into disarray, allowing the Pride and other Lyons units, supported by Liberty Prime, to destroy several key installations throughout the wastes, first and foremost being Raven Rock.[48] With it lost, Enclave remnants in the Capital Wasteland became disorganized and uncoordinated, making it easier for the still weak Brotherhood to openly attack and rout them, particularly with Liberty Prime's support.[49]
A second major change in the landscape was the appearance of water caravans. Elder Lyons made the decision to provide water to all major settlements in the wasteland, completely free of charge.[50] Elder Lyons' insistence on providing water for free has made finding resources and funding for the operation extremely hard. So hard, in fact, that they forced Scribe Bigsley, the man in charge of the entire venture, to go against his orders and sell water, in order to actually be able to accomplish what he's been ordered to do.[51][52] Another problem was that bottling water had to be accomplished manually, as the Brotherhood is too preoccupied with reverse-engineering Enclave tech to devise a bottling machine.[53] The entire operation was also severely hampered by a general lack of resources and planning.[54][55]
But even with the Brotherhood slowly gaining the upper hand, the Enclave would prove hard to defeat. They lured Lyons and his men into a false sense of security, eventually drawing them to the satellite relay station to the west of the wasteland. There, Liberty Prime was completely destroyed by an orbital strike, at the cost of dozens of Enclave soldiers' lives.[56] This has turned the tide completely, as Lyons' forces lost the only real military advantage they had over the Enclave.[57][58] Even the encrypted data recovered from the ruins of the Rockland facility could not compensate.[59]
The destruction of Liberty Prime put the Brotherhood in a very difficult position, as it removed the only significant military advantage it had over the Enclave.[57] Lyons had little in the way of men and resources at the beginning of the conflict with the Enclave, and after the loss of Liberty Prime all of these problems surfaced, exacerbated by the ongoing water delivery program. With the resources pooled into defense against the Enclave, the newly inducted knight, the Lone Wanderer, was ordered to infiltrate the Olney Powerworks to retrieve a Tesla coil.[60] The coil was a technological marvel necessary for Scribe Rothchild to begin manufacturing Tesla cannons, heavy duty pre-War energy weapons, to reduce the technological gap between the Brotherhood and the Enclave.[61]
The Lone Wanderer was successful in their mission, which allowed Rothchild and the scribes to begin assembling cannons after quickly reverse-engineering the Tesla coil. At this point, the Lone Wanderer became Lyons' most capable field operative and was tasked with an assignment of adequate importance; based on data recovered during the ill fated attack on the relay station, the Brotherhood identified a second base of operations used by the Enclave, in the ruins of the Adams Air Force Base. The Lone Wanderer was given orders to infiltrate the base, alone, and destroy the headquarters of the Enclave, while the rest of the Brotherhood created a distraction to allow the Lone Wanderer to slip in undetected.[62][56]
Again, with considerable effort, the Lone Wanderer managed to single handedly infiltrate Adams AFB and destroy the Enclave's mobile base crawler, effectively wiping out the remaining Enclave command structure, breaking its back in the East for the second time (and third in history).[63][64]
Reunification[]
Following the conflict with the Enclave, the Brotherhood enjoyed a stable, but hardly unrivaled position. Suffering from severely depleted stockpiles and shortage of manpower at the beginning of the conflict,[32][33][34][35] casualties taken during the fight with the Enclave and the loss of their most important military asset, Liberty Prime, made the future uncertain. Occupied by its research into the Enclave technology and the amount of gear and weapons it recovered, the Brotherhood slowly regained strength as it slowly chipped away at the years-long process.[65][66] One of the greatest achievements of the Brotherhood of this time was starting the construction of the Prydwen, an armored airship greatly increasing the Brotherhood's ability to project power.[67]
The biggest setback suffered by the chapter was the death of Elder Owyn Lyons circa 2278 and the loss of his successor, Elder Sarah Lyons, later that same year. With the seat of power emptied, the remaining Brotherhood members elected multiple ineffectual leaders, while the adolescent Squire Arthur Maxson matured into a capable warrior and tactician, eventually securing a victory over Shepherd, the new warboss of the Capital Wasteland super mutants, in 2282. This feat earned him a provisional leadership position. In fact, this position was bestowed by West Coast Elders, who revealed that they still monitored their errant brethren.[1] Maxson's position solidified in 2283, when he negotiated a treaty with the Brotherhood Outcasts, bringing them back into the fold and reforming the entire organization, merging Lyons' Doctrine with salvageable elements of traditional doctrines. Lyons' Brotherhood became a distant memory as Maxson took the united Brotherhood forces into a new direction.[1] While a few members found this distasteful and deserted,[68] many more remained, proud to serve a refocused Brotherhood.[69]
Expedition to the Commonwealth[]
Starting in 2280, while still operating under the Lyons doctrine, the Capital Wasteland chapter of the Brotherhood would begin investigating the Commonwealth. The Brotherhood would send a total of three reconnaissance missions into the Boston region. In 2280, an unnamed recon squad volunteered to go into the Commonwealth. The first recon team was hugely successful, bringing back crates full of pre-War technology and historical documents and proving that further exploration would be fruitful.[70]
The Capital Wasteland chapter, reinstated and now under the command of Elder Arthur Maxson dispatched a second team, Recon Squad Artemis to the Commonwealth in 2284.[71] Artemis had problems beginning at their drop-off point in Malden, ambushed by a unknown party following just a few communications sent back to command.[70] After encountering various threats, they suffered everal casualties over a period of time. Eventually, the only survivor was the commanding officer, Paladin Brandis, who was forced to retreat to take shelter at Recon bunker Theta.[72][73][74] Subsequent teams were dispatched to look for Artemis, but none succeeded.[71] If found by the Sole Survivor, Brandis, can be convinced to return to active service in the Brotherhood.[75]
Recon Squad Gladius subsequently entered the region in 2287. Tasked with the same goals as the preceding squads, they were also given the goal of determining Artemis' fate. They encountered similar resistance from raiders as the previous recon team and, over the course of several weeks, managed to secure a base of operations at the Cambridge Police Station, but lost four knights in various confrontations.[70][76] Listening Post Bravo was designated by the squad commander Paladin Danse to be their fallback outpost if they ever needed to regroup.[77] Despite their losses, and their failure to find Artemis, they made one important discovery that would significantly influence the state of affairs in the Commonwealth: Scribe Haylen detected a series of mysterious short-lived energy readings only possible for an organization with a high level of technology. Concerned that whatever group was generating these readings would be a threat, the squad made it their top priority to transmit their findings back to the Capital Wasteland.[78]
Departure of the expedition[]
In 2287, the greater Brotherhood in the Capital Wasteland received Recon Squad Gladius' findings of mysterious energy readings in the Commonwealth. Analysis by Archivist Knox concluded that these readings were being produced by the Institute and were associated with some type of extremely advanced technology. Concerned that this technology would have devastating consequences for humanity, Elder Maxson immediately ordered for an expeditionary force to be sent to the Commonwealth, to gauge the situation and deal with the threat.[79] At Adams Air Force Base the Prydwen was prepared for departure on very short notice; while enough time was taken to organize a full expedition. This contained a large combat force, along with accompanying logistics, research teams and a plethora of other support personnel. Some of the changes made to the Prydwen were not fully tested,[80] and due to the missions level of importance, very few of the personnel were even told where their destination would be.[81] This would eventually lead to the creation of the Commonwealth Detachment of the Brotherhood.
Members[]
- Elder Owyn Lyons
(until 2278) - Unnamed elders
(2278-2283) - Elder Arthur Maxson
(2283-present) - Sentinel Sarah Lyons
(Elder - 2278) - Star Paladin Cross
- Paladin Bael
- Paladin Berrings
- Paladin Blanchett
- Paladin Glade
- Paladin Gunny
- Paladin Hoss
- Paladin Jennings
- Paladin Jensen
- Paladin Kodiak
- Paladin Krieg
- Paladin Sawagachi
- Paladin Stein
- Paladin Tristan
- Paladin Vargas
- Operations Officer Edwards
- Pendelton
- Knight-Captain Colvin
- Knight-Captain Durga
- Knight-Captain Dusk
- Knight-Captain Gallows
- Knight-Sergeant Wilks
- Lone Wanderer (Knight)
- Knight Artemis
- Knight Artoro
- Knight Casserly
- Knight Church
- Knight Conard
- Knight Cutler
- Knight Dillon
- Knight Finley
- Knight Ianelli
- Knight Lazarus
- Knight Marcus
- Knight Patriarcus
- Senior Scribe Rothchild
- Senior Scribe Yearling
- Scribe Bigsley
- Scribe Bowditch
- Scribe Jameson
- Scribe Peabody
- Scribe Vallincourt
- Unnamed scribe
- Archivist Knox
- Initiate Jennings
- Initiate Loring
- Initiate Pek
- Initiate Porter
- Initiate Quintana
- Initiate Reddin
- Initiate Ruo
- Initiate Verona
- Initiate Ashur1
- Squire Arthur Maxson (2277)
- Generic & Robots
- Brotherhood of Steel Pilot
- Brotherhood paladins
- Brotherhood knights
- Brotherhood scribes
- Brotherhood initiates
- Sawbones
- Brotherhood Sentrybots
- Brotherhood Protectrons
- Brotherhood Robobrains
- Prior to Schism
- Paladin Casdin
- Paladin McGraw
- Knight Linden
- Knight Morgan
- Knight Morrill
- Knight Rockfowl
- Knight Sibley
- Knight Harper
- Scribe Olin
- Scribe Benning
- Scribe Bowser
- Scribe Smith
- Scribe Rogers
- Scribe Brown
- Scribe Rasting
- Scribe Vasquez
- Scribe Wakefield
- Outcasts Sentrybots
- Outcasts Mister Gutsies
- Outcasts Protectrons
- Outcasts Robobrains
- Commonwealth Expeditionary Force
- Elder Maxson
- Lancer-Captain Kells
- Proctor Ingram
- Proctor Quinlan
- Proctor Teagan
- Paladin Brandis
- Paladin Danse
- Paladin Hudson
- Knight-Captain Cade
- Knight-Sergeant Dawes
- Knight-Sergeant Gavil
- Knight Astlin
- Knight Brach
- Knight Keane
- Knight Lucia
- Knight Rhys
- Knight Varham
- Knight Worwick
- Senior Scribe Neriah
- Scribe Faris
- Scribe Haylen
- 1Formerly
- 2Optional
Divisions[]
- Lyons' Pride
- 2nd Monument Defense Detachment
- Water Distribution Network
- First Recon Team
- Recon Squad Gladius
- Recon Squad Artemis
- Alpha Squad
Major outposts and locations[]
The East Coast Brotherhood is a major military power boasting a significant amount of supplies, manpower, cutting-edge technology, and scientific research in all fields, enabling them to project power and influence all across the Eastern Seaboard. They hold many strongholds and bases throughout the wasteland, including the following:
The Citadel[]
The Citadel is the bastion of the East Coast Brotherhood. Built amid the ruins of the Pentagon, the courtyard was reserved for the training of initiates, who were trained by Paladin Gunny. From there, one could go to the Citadel laboratory, where scribes tediously multitask between their duties to their order (The Sword, Shield, or Quill) and a special assignment by Head Scribe Rothchild; more specifically, Liberty Prime. Paladin Bael is in charge of security outside of the Citadel, while Knight Captain Colvin (via Sarah Lyons) is in charge of security on the inside. Surrounding the central area containing Liberty Prime are A-Ring and B-Ring. In A-Ring The Brotherhood's council chambers are located (known as the Great Hall), where they either plan for future operations or direct field units. There are two small passageways connected to the Great Hall, used for storage, and both storing food and miscellaneous items. The northernmost room is known as the "Lyons Den," which serves as the rest and resupply reserved only for members of the Lyons Pride. The southernmost room is reserved for the Order of the Quill and all historical records pertaining to the East Coast Brotherhood, the Maxson bloodline, vaults in the Capital Wasteland, and the pre-War Pentagon.[82]
GNR Radio studio[]
In 2277, when Owyn Lyons was elder, the Brotherhood had a large presence at Galaxy News Radio, a news radio station in the middle of Washington D.C. It was tactically and strategically important as it was a defensible location in the middle of the ruins of D.C., as well as having a mutual relationship with the DJ of the studio, Three Dog.[83]
Washington Monument[]
Also in 2277, a small Brotherhood unit composed of five soldiers was stationed here to defend the memorial, which had GNR's satellite on top of it. Because of the chaos in this area (with slavers in the Lincoln Memorial, Talon Company, super mutants and the Enclave in a three-way battle to seize the Capitol building, and super mutants having a foothold in the National Archives and the numerous bunkers established by the Brotherhood after making a push towards the Lincoln Memorial), casualties were high and the satellite dish often got knocked off, which resulted in the troops there simply using the same dish over and over again. After one such incident, the dish was irreparable, which resulted in a wild goose chase for another one.[84]
Pennsylvania Avenue[]
The Brotherhood has a minor rest and resupply area near the nuked remains of the White House, making their home in an abandoned Hotel, where they rarely sleep, due to the constant super mutant advances upon this location.[85][86]
Arlington Library[]
The Brotherhood has a major presence at the Arlington Library (officially the Library of Congress), where, in 2277, Elder Lyons has Scribe Yearling searching for intact pre-War books to add to their collection. They are also trying to wipe out the raiders who have fortified themselves in the library and who have become an annoyance to the soldiers trying to salvage the library for books or anything of use.[87]
Project Purity[]
After the near-end of the war with the Enclave, the Brotherhood established a foothold in the scientific complex known as Project Purity, which was underneath the Jefferson Memorial. The Brotherhood employed Rivet City's Security Services to help them transport the water as well as protect the project.[88]
Adams Air Force Base[]
After the destruction of the Enclave's mobile base crawler, the Brotherhood set up a permanent base camp at Adams, attempting to gather what they could from the wreckage to construct the Prydwen. Arthur Maxson directed all resources to the construction of the Prydwen. After six years, the huge airship was constructed and served as a mobile command base for five years in the Capital Wasteland before setting off for the Commonwealth.[89]
Rockland Car Tunnel[]
In 2277, during the Brotherhood's war against the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland, the Brotherhood broke through their defenses and occupied the Rockland Car Tunnel. The tunnel served as a key entrance to the Enclave satellite relay station. Following its occupation by a group of soldiers led by Operations Officer, Paladin Edwards, the Brotherhood used the location as a outpost and staging area for their troops prior to the Battle of Rockland. The tunnel contains a few barricades, turrets, and several supply crates. The Brotherhood were able to refurbish some pre-war military trucks, and utilized them to transport supplies and provisions like Aqua Pura from Washington to the front-line.[90]
Fort Bannister[]
Following the Battle for Project Purity, the Brotherhood of Steel would begin to distribute fresh water to the people of the Wasteland. The Talon Company mercenary group began staging attacks on Brotherhood water caravans. As a response to this, the Brotherhood of Steel would launch a assault on Fort Bannister, the mercenaries headquarters. A assault team of paladins, known as Alpha Squad, was dispatched to the area under command of Paladin Jensen. Paladin Jensen would order the rest of the squad to maintain position while he conducted recon on the fort. But while doing so he was captured by the Talon Company. After being rescued by fellow Brotherhood member, the Lone Wanderer, Jensen alongside Alpha Squad charge towards the fort.[91] After killing those outside they entered the facility and immediately proceeded to Commander Jabsco location to eliminate their leader. After eliminating the Talon Company mercs inside, the Brotherhood occupies Fort Bannister to be used as a outpost. Paladin Jensen and the others will also patrol the exterior of the complex.[92][93]
Falls Church[]
Falls Church was used by the Brotherhood of Steel to conduct training exercises for long-range reconnaissance patrols. Such designated areas have previously been swept by the Brotherhood and are supposed to be "clear areas." They are used to train initiates, who are accompanied by veteran members.[94][95] One such training mission in Falls Church went wrong when a recon team that included Paladin Hoss, Knight Church, Initiate Pek and a unnamed paladin were ambushed by super mutants. They are assisted by the Lone Wanderer and save the initiate, but Knight Church is killed.[96]
MDPL mass relay station[]
Prior to 2277, the MDPL mass relay station was once a Brotherhood of Steel outpost, their emblem is still present on the wall next to the entrance. For a unknown reason the Brotherhood chose to abandon the outpost. It was later overrun by raiders under the leadership of Torcher.[97]
Brotherhood quarry[]
The Brotherhood of Steel were once in possession of a unnamed quarry located near the Capital Wasteland. It was said to be similar to the Dunwich Borers marble quarry according to Paladin Danse. The Brotherhood would eventually abandon this location as it was, in his words "more trouble than it was worth."[98]
Following unification
Fort Independence[]
Following the war between the Brotherhood and the Enclave. In 2283, reunification occurred between the Capital Wasteland detachment under Elder Maxson and the Brotherhood Outcasts led by Protector Casdin.[99] Situated just west of the Fairfax ruins, Fort Independence served as the headquarters for the Outcasts. The former US military complex is home to a moderate stockpile of weapons and technology. The facility was also utilized for post-war research into different technologies that were collected, from heavy weapons like missile launchers and miniguns, to energy based weapons like laser and plasma rifles. In 2277, they were even conducting substantial research on the Enclave 's advanced power armor Mk II.[100]
Fairfax[]
The Brotherhood Outcasts operate within the town of Fairfax located just to the East of their headquarters, Fort Independence. Prior to issues with raiders, the Outcasts had actually began to occupy the city. However, due to a large gang of raiders deciding to occupy Fairfax at the same time as the Brotherhood of Steel splinter faction - the town turned into a battleground. The Brotherhood Outcasts inflicted very high casualties on the raiders, killing many and forcing others to flee. But regardless of their efforts, the raiders always seemed to regroup and return with what was described by Protector Casdin as a endless supply of manpower. The raiders had even begun attempting to infiltrate Fort Independence to steal weaponry, only to inevitably be caught and killed. Due to how well-informed the raiders seemed to be, the Outcasts expected there may be a leak from within their ranks. Regardless, unanswered requests for further reinforcements left the Outcasts unable to completely occupy the town.[101]
As a response the Outcasts continued their operations in Fairfax, launching raids of their own against the raiders. Also realizing that they had occupied subterranean portions of the cities subway and maintenance systems, the Outcasts began to launch patrols into the tunnels to conduct reconnaissance. One such patrol which involved Defender Rockfowl and Defender Morgan discovered the three entrances to the underground maintenance tunnels that we're being utilized by the raiders. They even discovered a cache of weapons, but were discovered after preparing explosives to destroy it, this forced them to disengage and pull back due to protocol.[102][103]
VSS outpost[]
The VSS Outpost is a small complex that was controlled by the Brotherhood Outcast's prior to their reintegration into the East Coast Brotherhood. The compound is located in a relatively pristine pre-War military bunker in the Capital Wasteland. The bunker also contains a considerable cache of weapons and technology.[104]
Bailey's Crossroads[]
Bailey's Crossroads is a neighborhood surrounding the VSS outpost. The area is used to by the Brotherhood Outcasts to defend the approach to their outpost. Defender Morrill leads a squad of three other Brotherhood Outcasts that constantly clash with super mutants and centaurs to protect the facility. The exterior of the building itself is also defended by two mark IV automated turrets.[105]
Brotherhood Outcasts shack[]
The Brotherhood Outcast shack is small outpost residing in an unmarked located in between Mason Dixon Salvage and SatCom Array NN-03d. The location consists of two rusted metal shacks used by Outcast patrols as a rest and recuperation area. Usually guarded by a couple Brotherhood Outcasts, the shacks contains a workbench, several tins of ammunition, and a rest area.[106]
Organization[]
A squad of Paladins patrols the terrace in front of Pentagon's River Entrance facade
From 2276, until 2283, Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel was a rogue chapter of the Brotherhood, that has retained much of the customs of their parent organizations, with a few minor tweaks. As the original, it is essentially a techno-religious, pseudo-knightly military order, led by a single elder, Owyn Lyons. The elder has total control over the organization and its every aspect, from outlining the overarching goals, to assigning individual members duties to fulfill. Unlike the original Brotherhood, Lyons' chapter has folded the knight and paladin castes into one,[107] whose duties are focused on combat. Scribes, on the other hand, are tasked with both research, as well as manufacture of technologies. The division into the Orders of Sword, Shield and Quill are retained.[108]
Military details[]
In the field, the Brotherhood operates in a squad based system, utilizing proper military tactics and maintaining strict hierarchy. Due to a lack of radio equipment, most units act as independent cells without standing orders, sometimes not reporting to the Citadel for weeks or months.[109][110] Members of the military arm of the Brotherhood can be divided into three clear groups:
- Initiates are born into the Brotherhood or are local volunteers who are recruited to become members. In recent years however, this has become a problem, with many of the initiates lacking proper training and being rushed into combat. These are the most numerous members of the Brotherhoods ground forces.[111]
- Knights and knight captains and members who have served time in the Brotherhood and had become fully fledged members. They are the main backbone, less common than initiates, but much better fighters.
- Paladins are veterans of the Brotherhood, many being members of Elder Lyons' original party that came out to D.C. They are among the best of the Brotherhood and are often high ranking field commanders or used in elite strike teams. Sentinel Lyons is the highest ranking field commander and answers directly to Elder Lyons, she heads up Lyon's Pride, the best soldiers of the Capital Wastelands' Brotherhood of Steel, in one squad.
Wastelanders could be accepted by the organization as initiates, on the condition that they would be sponsored by an existing Brotherhood member in good standing.[112] After 2276 and the formation of the Outcasts, the depleted ranks of the Brotherhood had to be bolstered with local recruits without the need for a sponsor.[22] However, the quality of those conscripted into Lyons' service is very low, as they are overeager, aggressive and unskilled.[111]
Outside relations[]
Paladins engaging super mutants in Falls Church
Before 2277, the Brotherhood was a more active player in the wasteland. It aided the protection of Megaton[18] and the construction of Project Purity before Elder Lyons decided it was a wasted effort.
By 2277, the Brotherhood has very limited relations with the outside. The Citadel itself is off limits to outsiders and Elder Lyons aborted nearly all military operations, with the exception of hunting super mutants in the ruins of Washington, D.C. (a fact mocked by the Outcasts as a pointless hunt for the white whale).[113] It still does limited trading with the outside, primarily for supplies.
The Brotherhood has little tolerance for ghouls, occasionally shooting them, either mistaking them for super mutants, or not caring about the differences.[114] They do not always shoot ghouls, however, as when Griffon sought to acquire Aqua Pura he was sent away instead of being shot, before later making a deal with Scribe Bigsley.[115]
After the Enclave reemerged in the wastelands, the Brotherhood became more active in the wastelands once more, establishing water delivery caravans from the purifier it controlled and leading incursions against the disorganized Enclave forces following their defeat at the Battle of Project Purity and the loss of Raven Rock. Following the establishment of the Water Distribution Network, the Brotherhood would also cooperate with local scavengers and merchants. Their knowledge of the landscape proved invaluable in guiding water caravans across the Capital Wasteland.[116]
Technology[]
Scribes working in the Citadel archives
The technological level of Lyons's Brotherhood is varied. After the Schism in 2276, the chapter has lost a great deal of its weapons, equipment and most importantly men, beginning 2277 as a greatly diminished force.[32][33][34][35] The shortage of supplies also means difficulties in maintaining weapons, armor, equipment and particualrly any potential research.[25] Although diminished, they did not stop researching new technologies,[117] and modifying current designs, including upgrading power armor despite the part shortages.[118][119]
The Brotherhood does, however, have access to an ample supply of T-45 power armor, which is standard issue to any personnel operating in the field, even initiates. However, due to the amount of untrained initiates in the ranks of Lyons' organization, the Brotherhood is losing equipment very fast, as every dead initiate that's left in the wasteland means one less suit of armor and one less loadout set. Their main weapons are either R91 or Type 93 assault rifles, AER9 laser rifle, or the CZ53 personal minigun.[120]
The campaign against the Enclave and the eventual victory, unlike the campaign against the super mutants, has provided the Brotherhood with a fresh supply of advanced technology, including advanced power armor variants scavenged from dead troopers and Enclave weaponry. While reverse engineering procedures are underway, it might take years for the technology to be fully understood, researched and retrieved from the wreckage of various bases in the wasteland.[65][66] However, it has come at the cost of losing Liberty Prime, the only truly unique war asset the Brotherhood had. The Brotherhood would not rebuild it until 2287, under new management.[121] The Enclave War forced the Brotherhood to invest in new research to deal with the Enclave's technical advantage. In particular they sought to create an energy-weapon that could destroy the heavily-armored Enclave Vertibirds which gave them a clear air-advantage. This research led to the development of the Tesla cannon which could successfully destroy a Vertibird in one shot. The plans for this technology would eventually make its way back west as far as the Mojave Wasteland. By 2287 the Brotherhood had not just integrated the Enclave Vertibirds looted in the war, but created their own line of them. However these Vertibirds lacked the same durability of the Enclave versions, being able to be taken down with small arms fire. The Brotherhood also developed the Prydwen over the course of the decade, an airship meant to cement Brotherhood air-power and allow them to project their forces over long distance.
The Brotherhood had worked in tandem with the scientists of Rivet City to develop Project Purity, which had the goal of creating an unlimited amount of purified clean water to be distributed freely across the Capital Wasteland by purifying the Tidal Basin. However the Brotherhood support was pulled after the loss of two if its top two scientists, James and his wife. When James sought to restart the Project in 2277, it became the focus of the Brotherhood-Enclave War. However with the Brotherhood triumphant and back in control of a working Project Purity, they began freely distributing the clean water across the Wasteland.
Despite the refined military technology at its disposal, the chapter does not have access to radio communications, forcing its troops to rely on messengers and couriers to maintain contact. The situation also results in a greatly limited ability to keep the Scrolls updated.[122][110]
Notes[]
- The only person who uses the name "Lyon's Brotherhood of Steel" is Defender Morgan of the Brotherhood Outcasts; no member of Lyons' chapter makes that explicit distinction, and they consider themselves no different from the wider Brotherhood of Steel.
- The East Coast Brotherhood is the only chapter/division that is mentioned as currently having functioning aerial units. Although in the past there have been airships like the Prydwen built to explore eastward, the Brotherhood has not had a fighting force of Vertibirds shown or mentioned in a game until Fallout 4.
- Paladin Danse mentions that the Brotherhood once ruled a quarry somewhere outside of but near the Capital Wasteland, referring to the situation as "more trouble than it was worth."[123]
- By 2287, the Brotherhood appears to use a new flag which has an orange background with the Brotherhood logo in white.
- A Brotherhood of Steel knight aboard the Prydwen may directly reference the Capital Wasteland, saying "If you think the Commonwealth is bad, you should see the Capital Wasteland."
Appearances[]
The Brotherhood of Steel appears in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes[]
- The East Coast Brotherhood of Steel has some similarities and differences with other Fallout games:
- External recruitment is also present in Fallout Tactics, and for the "Texas Expedition" in Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.
- The Brotherhood Outcasts, renegades deserted from the newly established Eastern Brotherhood of Steel division, are similar to the Circle of Steel in Van Buren.
- Emil Pagliarulo wrote an out-of-game text source on the Brotherhood of Steel, a faction profile blog.
Developer quotes[]
Gallery[]
References[]
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Non-game
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.43-44:
"Pitt Raiders
Pitt Slaves
Trogs
Wildmen
Following the Great War, survivors established a settlement on the remains of a city at the confluence of rivers. The rivers seem to provide a clear resource, and enough of the city was cleared by the bombs that a new settlement could be established. However, radioactive material and unidentified mutagens mixed into the groundwater, causing it to become slightly mutagenic and highly carcinogenic. As a result, the people in the new settlement began to change ever so slightly.
The changes were subtle, not nearly to the degree of the Super Mutants or the various Wasteland creatures, but over the next 140 years, it became undeniable that something was affecting the people of The Pitt. Starting from the first few years, children were often born with strange growths or extra vestigial limbs. The mutations never went far beyond the occasional hunchback or cleft palate, but it wasn't long before the vast majority of the residents of The Pitt developed some sort of physical deformity in their lifetimes. Although many children were born "clean," the older they got, the more likely that a problem would develop.
The most disturbing change that the environment caused was not nearly as noticeable as the physical deformities. The infected water and poisoned sky began to cause neurological damage to those exposed to it. People became more hostile, violent, and short-tempered; they became known as "Wildmen." Their emotions became out of control, and their actions often teetered on primal. In severe cases, mutated humans devolved into hunched, savage beasts nicknamed "Trogs." Over the first 50 years, The Pitt quickly degenerated into a dangerous den of murderers and rapists; even cannibalism was not uncommon. The only loyalty was in strength, and the only organization was between those who were strong enough to control others and those who were controlled.
Rumors of the horrors of The Pitt spread throughout the Wasteland, and all travelers knew to avoid it at all costs. However, The Pitt became one of the most self-sufficient communities in the Wastes. Granted, their self-sufficiency relied on the citizens occasionally eating one another, but they functioned without trade or export.
In 2042, Star Paladin Lyons of the Brotherhood of Steel led the Scourge, a large-scale military action that wiped out nearly the entire population of The Pitt. In a single night, the Brotherhood swept through the city, eliminating any resident who put up a fight. Although the intent of the Scourge remains unclear, several unmutated children were taken from The Pitt by the Brotherhood and placed into initiate training. The motivations for the Scourge are unclear to this day, but many in the Brotherhood note that it was a marked change in the way the Brotherhood operates. Additionally, it is known that something was recovered from The Pitt during the Scourge, although to date it would seem that only Elder Lyons knows what it was.
It is said that a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin from the Scourge stayed on in The Pitt, seeking to bring law and order to the unwashed masses and creating an underclass of Pitt Slaves in the process, guarded by Pitt Raiders under his personal command. However, in the decades following the events of the Scourge, nobody has heard anything from The Pitt. Travelers who have gone to investigate have not returned, and no survivors have emerged."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide faction profiles)
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