Mesa Verde Hidden away in the shadows of a large cliff , near the top of a mesa rising from the desert floor , is the village of Mesa Verde . It is the home of the Ciphers , a . k . a . the Painted People , thanks to their extensive use of body paint . They ' re one of the smallest tribes in the area , but their hard - to - reach village on the mesa enables them to hold out against superior numbers of aggressors . The Ciphers are unusual tribals because they ' re skilled in mathematics and electronics , as illustrated by the extensive schematics on the walls of their village . They don ' t realize it , but they have the schematic for a chip necessary to release the remaining rocket at Bloomfield from its docking clamps . If the clamps aren ' t released , the rocket goes nowhere and will most likely explode on the launchpad . Background . In the weeks following the War , a group of scientists and soldiers based at the atomic laboratory at Los Alamos , New Mexico , wandered north with a band of other survivors ( looking a bit like the group in " " ) , searching for a place of relative safety . They assumed that they were the only " civilized " people left , since everyone else they encountered attacked them , trying to take their food , water , and clothes . When they discovered one of the ancient pueblos at Mesa Verde , they decided to set up camp there . The group carried only a limited amount of technology with them . The soldiers had pistols and rifles , and the scientists carried one barely working computer , enough parts to build several water makers and a crude wind turbine to power them , several lead - lined boxes containing enriched uranium , and a small supply of medicine . The rest of the band had a variety of miscellaneous gear which most contributed for group use . A decade later , the computer began to fail . Fearing that the technology of the Old World would be forever lost , the scientists began painting and carving electronic schematics into the walls of the pit ( called a " kiva " by the builders of the pueblo ) . At the same time , they insisted that mathematics be emphasized when educating the village children so that their descendants would understand how to use the schematics . Because they were steeped in math from a very early age , the villagers tend to use a lot of math terms to express themselves . This occasionally confusing , cryptic way of speaking caused them to be dubbed " Ciphers " by educated wasteland dwellers who thought they might be speaking in some type of code . The Ciphers merely shrugged and accepted the name . As the years passed , the Ciphers forgot their disciplined , scientific roots and became more concerned with everyday survival rather than scientific theories . When it comes to electronic devices and weapons , the Ciphers know more about how to use it than how it works : " The symbols say put this and this together , and then this happens . Why ? Who knows ? As long as the numbers are right , who cares ? " The emphasis on mathematics in their culture has led to Ciphers to assign an almost mystical significance to specific numbers . It ' s the closest thing to a religion they have . Each Cipher is believed to have a personal number , determined by the Nemonik at their birth . Ciphers will take their personal number into consideration when doing almost anything , from heading out to hunt on the sixth day of the month to choosing whom to marry . It ' s all very confusing to outsiders . The village at Mesa Verde was tiny to begin with , having barely enough room to house all the scientists , soldiers , and other survivors . Nearly a century later , the descendants of the original settlers had outgrown the space and resources available . Many families chose to adopt a nomadic lifestyle to avoid the perpetual thirst and hunger . Only those families with very young children or those Ciphers too old and feeble to travel remain full - time in the village . Both Cipher men and women are capable fighters , and even the children are taught how to fight as soon as they ' re able as a matter of practicality . A typical Cipher nomad band consists of two to three families traveling together . They usually have at least one type of electronic device like a cattle prod or an ultrasonic generator to ward off wild animals . At the top of the mesa , the Ciphers have an array of water makers which condense moisture from the air and produce drinkable water . They have a wind turbine which generates a small amount of electricity , enough to power the water makers . However , it ' s not a very quick operation , and barely enough water is produced each day to serve the village ' s needs . Layout . Village . A small adobe pueblo built along the underside of an overhanging cliff . A chasm splits the village into three sections , requiring the Ciphers to use rope suspension bridges to span the gap . The two most apparent features of the village are a large covered pit near the village entrance and a partially complete laser cannon aimed at the Viper camp down on the canyon floor . Mesa Top . A small abode pueblo built along the underside of an overhanging cliff . A chasm splits the village in two , requiring the Ciphers to use rope suspension bridges to span the gap . The two most apparent features of the village are a large covered pit near the village entrance and a partially complete laser cannon aimed at the Viper camp down on the canyon floor . Canyon . Rocky canyons surrounding the base of the mesa . At a junction of several canyons , including the one which leads to the village , is a Viper encampment . They stop anyone who ' s trying to go to or come from the Cipher village . Caves . These short series of caves run underneath the Mesa Verde canyon . They were once home to a rather hefty population of molerats , but that population has since been decimated by the Vipers ' pet two - headed rattlesnakes . The player character can use these caves to bypass the Viper blockade , but they will probably have to deal with the snakes . Appearances . Mesa Verde did not appear in any of the published games , but was to appear in " Van Buren " , the canceled " Fallout 3 " project by Black Isle Studios .