Brotherhood of Steel (Fallout Alternate History)

The **Brotherhood of Steel** (commonly abbreviated to **BoS**) is a post-War techno-religious organization with chapters operating across the ruins of America. The group has its roots in the United States Armed Forces, founded by a United States Army security team stationed at Mariposa Military Base before the Great War. While the goals of the Brotherhood vary from chapter to chapter, they share a core mission centered on seizing and regulating pre-War technology throughout the wasteland. Though small, the Brotherhood has been an influential group in the history of the wasteland, first as a survivalist group, then a major research and development house, then finally as a governing faction in New California, fighting a bitter war for control of technology in New California. Having suffered defeats in the West, the Brotherhood would be strengthened on the Eastern reaches of the continent, under Elder Arthur Maxson.

## Background

The Brotherhood of Steel traces its roots to the pre-War United States Armed Forces, as their founder led an Army security team stationed at Mariposa Military Base before the bombs fell.

The Brotherhood has its roots in the United States Armed Forces, founded by a United States Army security team stationed at Mariposa Military Base before the Great War. While the goals of the Brotherhood vary from chapter to chapter, they share a core mission centered on seizing and regulating pre-War technology throughout the wasteland. Though small, the Brotherhood has been an influential group in the history of the wasteland, first as a survivalist group, then a major research and development house, then finally as an enemy of the New California Republic, fighting a war against the New California Republic on the west coast. Their motto is "Ad Victoriam".

## Ranks and structure

The Brotherhood is a highly regimented and disciplinary society owing to its military foundations, with distinct ranks and positions. Structurally-speaking, they operate with a strict hierarchy and rank system.

### Path of the Scribe

Initiates who show a keen interest in the intellectual or scientific pursuits of the Brotherhood tend to choose the path of the scribe after a time of tutelage under a master scribe. The scribes are a subset of the Brotherhood of Steel that are tasked with creating and keeping records of technology, maintaining and cataloguing technology recovered by salvage teams, and experimenting with new weapons or useful devices to be used in the field by knights and paladins. Another significant subset of scribes dedicate themselves to the study of history and culture, preserving knowledge and the Brotherhood's tradition; these scribes are tasked with the education of the Brotherhood's children.

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#### Apprentice Scribe

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**Scribes** are a caste in the Brotherhood of Steel. They are tasked with creating and keeping records of the technology recovered and used by the Brotherhood and experimenting with new weapons and other useful devices to be used in the field by the Knights and Paladins. Scribes rarely leave the safety of the BoS bunkers, but they are sometimes called into the field to examine a piece of technology or perform a task beyond the skills of the Brotherhood soldiers. The attitude of many scribes in the Brotherhood can be described as techno-centric. While a great number study history and cultures, the majority of scribes focus their studies on subjects related to the acquisition, repair, or creation of technology.

### High Elder

At the top of the hierarchy sits the High Elder, the leader of the Lost Hills chapter and the Brotherhood as a whole. The High Elder is elected by the Elder Council and, if they accept the position, are expected to serve for life. Any attempt on the part of the High Elder to resign is seen as a derelict of a sacred duty and punishable by banishment or death. Most of the High Elders have been members of the Maxson bloodline (originating with the order's progenitor, Roger Maxson), but that is not an official rule—nor is it an official rule that Elders must be former Paladins, even though every High Elder and most council or chapter Elders have been selected from the former Paladin caste. The High Elder's leadership position is twofold: he is the active head of the Lost Hills Chapter (also known as the Home Chapter), and has the power to make decisions ranging from what meals his subordinates will eat to how military campaigns will be waged; but he is also the supreme leader of the Brotherhood as a whole, which means he coordinates with the Brotherhood's regional chapters and serves as the superior for all regional Elders, but due to distance and scope of the regional chapters' missions, he does not actively make day-to-day decisions for them. As his name implies, he is also looked up to as the wisest of the order, and his position earns him a certain amount of veneration and obedience.

### Elders

The second-highest position in the Brotherhood hierarchy is Elder, which is a position appointed by the High Elder and afforded to the best and most capable of their order. The Elders are divided between two subgroups: Council Elders and Chapter Elders. Council Elders are Elders from the Lost Hills Chapter that sit on the Elder Council, which serves as the electing body and advisory board for the High Elder, as well as being the court that passes judgement on members of the Brotherhood. Each Council Elder is typically a master at some sort of field associated with being a Knight or a Scribe, whether that be military tactics, weapons or armour maintenance, technological innovation, or scholarly knowledge. In addition, they will typically oversee projects related to said field of study and be the final arbiter of project management decisions within the Lost Hills Chapter.

Chapter Elders on the other hand are Elders that lead regional chapters of the Brotherhood of Steel, such as the Mojave or Montana Chapters. This distinction is not a matter of an official rank distinction, it is simply a unofficial title due to their unique role in comparison to the Elders of Lost Hills; Chapter Elders remain equal in rank and dignity to Council Elders. These Elders are typically elected by the highest-ranking Paladins of the chapter, but some chapters, such as the Midwestern one, had their first Elder appointed by Lost Hills, although subsequent Elders were elected locally. Within their own chapter, these Elders hold powers similar to the High Elder does in Lost Hills, but they nonetheless remain subordinate to him. The farther away from Lost Hills a chapter is located, the more freedom a Chapter Elder has to accomplish the Brotherhood's mission as they see fit. This freedom of operation has sparked several conflicts between regional chapters and the High Elder, to the point where there was an official break between the Midwestern chapter and the Lost Hills chapter over induction of outsiders and sharing technology with the local population.

### Paladins

Paladins are the highest-ranking members of the ordinary Brotherhood military command. In peacetime they are in charge of security, trading on behalf of the elders, engaging in scouting missions, and military policing duties. Paladins are selected among knights who show themselves as embodying the spirit of the Brotherhood and show the upmost dedication in accomplishing its stated goal. Another major duty of paladins is to train Brotherhood initiates, with paladins often taking an Initiate under his tutelage. Paladins wear their signature T-51b power armor and consist of three ranks: Paladin, Senior Paladin, and Head Paladin who leads the paladins of the Lost Hills chapter.

The promotion of knights and their initiation into the paladinate is a matter of some ceremony. They receive their personal suit of T-51b power armor in a commemoration attended by fellow paladins, and they are given a Brotherhood-manufactured Super Sledgehammer, the staple weapon of a paladin.

### Knights

Knights are the most common of the rank-and-file Brotherhood, and described by High Elder John Maxson as "the craftsmen and foot soldiers of the Brotherhood." Much like the enlisted personnel of the United States Army that they were formed from, knights are the backbone of the Brotherhood's mission. The duties and responsibilities of a knight can vary depending on their skillsets, but generally-speaking, knights are in charge of maintaining the Brotherhood's advanced armour and weapons systems, providing technical services where required, serve as foot soldiers and support for paladins in offensive operation, go on patrols and reconnaissance missions, and producing or procuring the necessary goods to replenish the Brotherhood's stocks. Knights that focus on honing their combat skills, after sufficient training and experience, can be eligible to become paladins on recommendation from senior paladins or elders.

The knighthood in the Brotherhood of Steel consists of several ranks. Newly-knighted Brotherhood initiates are known as apprentice knights. Although they have been inducted by the elders, they are still usually under the tutelage of a paladin and will continue doing missions in tandem with them. However, as the knight gains experience, they will start to operate more independently until their paladin tutor recommends their promotion to the head knight.

* **Knight:** Responsible for creating and maintaining new weapons They keep track of all equipment as well as go out on patrols, scouting assignments, and provide support for paladins. Knights can advance to become a paladin or elder. Knights are allowed to wear power armor, similar to paladins. Leaders of the rank are known as head knights.

1. Scribes are scientists, responsible for researching and reverse engineering recovered technologies, maintaining the Brotherhood's scientific knowledge, and even experimenting with new ones (though the Brotherhood's focus on preservation means this is rather rare). Scribes rarely leave the safety of the bunkers, but they are sometimes called into the field to examine a piece of technology or perform a task beyond the skills of the Brotherhood soldiers. Due to their stationary duties, Scribes typically staff medical facilities, responsible for intensive and long-term care of Brotherhood members.
3. Paladins are the primary combat force of the Brotherhood, in charge of all security and outside activities. Equipped with the best military technology the Brotherhood has to offer, they are some of the most fearsome foes in the wasteland. The ranks of the Paladins are reinforced by promoting exceptional Knights and it's generally impossible to become a Paladin any other way. Notably, while power armor was reserved for Paladin use in the first century of the Brotherhood's existence, the restrictions were relaxed over the decades, allowing Knights and in extreme cases even Initiates to use power armor (usually older models, such as the T-45).

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* **Paladin:** In charge of security, trading on behalf of the elders, and engaging in scouting missions. Described as a role "expected to be a symbol of integrity to our brothers and sisters," paladins wear power armor, led by a high paladin. Under normal circumstances, paladins are the only rank eligible to become elder. A star paladin is a unique rank among paladins, and others are referred to as operations officer.

### Property and trade

The Brotherhood utilizes scrip for internal trades. Necessary operations, supplies, and other amenities are provided free of charge to working members of the Brotherhood at Lost Hills (though in case of new initiates coming from the outside, they must serve for ten years before the Brotherhood will provide its most advanced services without charge). Every member receives an allotment of rations to maintain their health and they may be traded between members. All equipment beyond personal items is issued by the Brotherhood and issued items, especially weapons, are carefully tracked by serial number.

The Mojave chapter will not sell any equipment to any outsider unless the elder gives permission. Under Elder Lyons' rule, the Brotherhood was known to trade with outsiders, but as of 2277, there were many incidents that dissuaded the Brotherhood from such activities. As of 2287, the Eastern division has resumed trade relations in the Capital Wasteland and established new ones in the Commonwealth. While standard issue gear and weapons are available for free to members, more specialized weapons and equipment must be purchased from the quartermasters.

### Belief system

The beliefs of the Brotherhood were shaped by the experiences of Roger Maxson at Mariposa Military Base and in the aftermath of the Great War. At first, the Brotherhood focused on aiding survivors to the best of its ability, acting as an armed fighting force, rather than the military order it would become. The change came with the realization that the collective knowledge of humanity was in danger of being lost for generations to come. To keep the secrets of the past alive, Maxson decided to dedicate the Brotherhood to the preservation of technology and human knowledge, collecting it in order that the Brotherhood might become the catalyst for humanity's rebirth. As the guardians of civilization, the Brotherhood would focus on the big picture, with direct aid considered a secondary concern.

Major changes were introduced under Elder Arthur Maxson in the 2280s. Like the Brotherhood of the 22nd century, the Eastern division dedicated itself to the advancement of humanity. Beyond taking an active role in wasteland politics, the Brotherhood embraced Elder Lyons' policies of eradicating abominations, combining them with a new approach to controlling technology. Abominations of nature brought about by mankind's meddling are viewed as a scourge that needs to be destroyed in order for humanity to prosper. The list typically involves super mutants and feral ghouls, although the Brotherhood also eliminates raiders and other threats as a matter of course.

Control of technology is seen as a means to an end. As a result, the Brotherhood seeks to understand the nature of technology, its power and meaning to humans, and fights those who would abuse said power for their own ends, endangering mankind in the process. The most noticeable way in which this policy is implemented is the collection of technology from pre-War sites, to prevent its abuse.

## Society

### Codex

The Codex is the foundational text upon which the Brotherhood of Steel formulates its core tenets, doctrines, and responsibilities of its members, as well as other essential elements of the Brotherhood's ideology and organization. Members of the order are expected to abide by its contents, with topics not covered by the Codex considered unimportant, such as idle conversation. It was first formulated by the order's founder, Roger Maxson, in the first decades of the Brotherhood.

The Codex is fairly comprehensive, covering everything from the Brotherhood's history, their doctrines, the chain of command, and information and achievements of its members past and present.

#### Scrolls

The Scrolls are an integral part of the Codex, and records the lives, achievements, and details of each member of the Brotherhood of Steel. This information includes the member's current rank, personal details, and a summary of their service. Additional details include the circumstance of their entry into the Brotherhood, a description of their personality and standing, notable deeds (ranging from battles, promotions, tech recoveries, or research milestones), and may otherwise end with a description of their death or reassignment.

The responsibility for maintaining the Scrolls of its members typically fall to the Head Librarian of a Brotherhood bunker, a scribe whose charge is the maintenance of a bunker's records. In lieu of a Head Librarian, any scribe can be appointed to update the Scrolls. Members who are executed or banished from the Brotherhood will have their scroll wiped from the Codex.

#### Writ

The Writ is a compendium of wisdom and teachings of the Brotherhood's founder, Roger Maxson.

## Contents

The Codex contains text that formulate the Brotherhood's core tenets, doctrines, responsibilities of its members, and other essential elements of the Brotherhood's ideology and organization. Members of the order are expected to abide by its contents, with topics not covered by the Codex considered unimportant, such as idle conversation.

It also serves as a record of the Brotherhood's history, in conjunction with its essential component, the Scrolls, and contains axioms attributed to the Founder, Roger Maxson. One of the duties of the Brotherhood's scribes is to maintain and update it. Theoretically, a scribe could alter any part of the Codex, even the axioms, but there would be consequences were they to be caught doing so.