Guardian Citadel

## Layout

* Outskirts (Rem)
* Outer Sanctum (Rem)
* Inner Sanctum (Rem)
* Outskirts
* Outer Sanctum
* Inner Sanctum

The **Guardian Citadel** is the base of operations of the Guardians. It is a massive facility built into the side of a mountain in a valley in Arizona. The outer walls are made from obsidian, erupting from the valley floor like ebony teeth, and arch over the field in front of them like frozen waves. Watchtowers on their tops are patrolled by Guardians with energy weapons. Red flags mark the point beyond which Guardians stop warning and start shooting. Inside, most walls are carved from native rock, while the outer fortifications are antique and reinforced with layered stone.

## Background

A pre-War military launch facility and air base, the Citadel is one of the most heavily fortified locations in the wastes. Surrounded by tall fortifications out of dark concrete and carved into the living rock of the mountain, it became a prized piece of real estate. The group that claimed it and ultimately prevailed were the Guardians of the Old Order, who set up shop within and have been hoarding technology since the nuclear holocaust. It was only in 2087 that they were evicted (with overwhelming firepower) by the Desert Rangers. The Guardian Citadel became the Ranger Citadel.

## Layout

### Grand Hallway

The entrance to the Citadel leads through massive 25 ft bronze doors inscribed with Guardian sayings. While they seem impenetrable, great force (such as plastic explosives, RPG-7's or LAW rockets) can bring them down. You can also blast through certain places in the parapets: you will require multiple charges for this entry method. The doors are located in a cul-de-sac killing zone tailored to protect the defenders and allow them to waste any attackers. Beyond the doors, the great hallway, whose vaulted ceiling is lost in darkness, stands carved from native rock, inscribed with sayings in gold leaf.

This part of the Citadel also houses the Guardian's museum, which showcases several items from before the war, inclusing a Grazer Bat fetish and the glorious Premacorin mural "The Cycle of Man". To the west is the Guardian Armory, stocked with AK-97's and 7.62mm clips in one pile, and an Ion beamer, Power packs, and possibly other items on an energy weapons rack rigged to explode (second loot pile). The Guardian Mess Hall is located in the vicinity of the Museum, with Brother James being the chef. The Mess hall's wall separating it from the kitchen is painted with sentences such as "We're #2 but we try harder" or "All beef and beef byproducts. Is your dog worth it?". The other side of the hallway houses the Armory of the Guardians (which stockpiles the lower technology weapons and is booby trapped with a high yield explosive) and Brother Austin's office, whose secretary is Sister Wrath.

### Outer Sanctum

Beyond the entrance and the frontal part of the hallway lies the Outer Sanctum, carved from polished obsidian, purple in hue with pre-Holocaust items decorating its walls. The Grand Hallway is flanked by two corridors with massive sandstone pillars, where most Guardian facilities are located. The left corridor leads to the sleeping quarters of the Guardians, lined with beds. All have white sheets and either blue or red woolen blankets. The southern chamber's door was blown off and a trap with tungsten spikes laid in the place of the bed nearest to the door (reasons unknown). Opposite the southern chamber are the closets where basic equipment of the Guardians is kept. The northern chamber is similar to the northern, except for the trap, and opposite it is the Guardian library, overseen by Monk Johan. The library is stocked with books predating the bomb, including, but not limited to fiction and Demolitions, Alarm disarm, Bomb disarm, Electronics, Toaster Repair, Clone tech, energy weapon and Cyborg tech manuals. Most of the books are organized by subjects and some crumble to the touch.

The corridor to the right houses the meditation rooms (where some Guardians even play poker), Cardinal Scott's office with Sister Faith as secretary and a small Guardian chapel painted with grotesque portraits and a chapel altar with a bronze triptych on the front that depicts the rise, fall and resurrection of Man. The center plate covers a small vault that is designed to store relics. The chapel also has narrow shooting ports carved into its walls that allow Guardians to cover the grand hallway with weapon fire should any non-Guardian trespass. From this corridor the jail can be entered, where the Guardians keep their prisoners (Redhawk for instance).

The Grand hallway itself ends with gray marble stairs that lead from the Outer Sanctum to the Inner Sanctum above, flanked by bronze railing worked with a serpentine pattern. The Inner Sanctum can be sealed with a massive steel portcullis that is operated manually with a crank from behind the stairs (use Strength on the crank).

### Inner Sanctum

The Inner Sanctum was carved out of the gray, volcanic rock of the mountain. It is quite small, compared to the outer sanctum, and holds most of the Guardian's most cherished items. The central hall of the inner sanctum, where the marble stairs end, surrounded by the bronze railing, contains the Guardian's central vault. The vault is protected by a pair of gold doors that are very solid and traced with patterns of electronic circuitry. The doors are operated via an alphanumeric keyboard (keyword: **ROSEBUD**). The interior of the wall is finished smoothly and with much devotion, as it contains the most powerful and important element of the Guardian arsenal - the Power armor.

Two hallways lead from the main hall of the Inner Sanctum. The western leads to a smaller chamber and the treasury of the Guardians, protected by a squad of them led by Cardinal Chano (second-in-command of the Guardians). The treasury is protected by a massive reinforced wooden door. Beyond it, the polished, smooth walls are decorated with many fine works of art that can be recognized from books about the past. The tables inside are littered with all sorts of antiques and pieces of junk clutter this table, including an old sled with the word "**ROSEBUD**" on it and the Secpass B, an access card with the highest clearance, commonly used in US military bases of the late 20th/early 21st century. The treasury also has a closet which contains the Guardian robes.

The other hallway leads to a chamber roughly carved from the gray volcanic rock that houses the second most important relic of the Guardians - an AH-6503 Attack Helicopter. The chamber is very high, ending with massive doors on steel hinges that open to allow exit to the helicopter. The helipad itself is shielded by a steel wire fence, extending all the way to the ceiling. Also in the vicinity is a small repair bench perfect for reparing Broken toaster.

## References

1. ↑ Environmental description: "*Once upon a time this wall bore the words Citadel Launch Facility. Sadly, the letters were stolen by raiders.*"