In the upcoming update “Steel Dawn,” the legendary Steel Brotherhood finally returns to Fallout 76. But what exactly makes the Brotherhood so special? MeinMMO gives you a little history lesson on Fallout and explains who these knights are, where they come from, and what their goals may be.
What is the Steel Brotherhood? Primarily, the Steel Brotherhood aims to preserve the technology of the old world before the war and safeguard it for the future of humanity.
It is essentially a military order with a strong hierarchy, originating from former soldiers and officers of the US troops, which has evolved over the decades. Goals and structures have continually changed.
The Brotherhood is such an important part of the Fallout world that it has appeared in every official installment of the series. It even received its own game, which, however, is not part of the official canon.
With its knights, paladins, and scribes, it is an iconic presence that every Fallout player has likely heard of at least once. Behind the somewhat mystical name, however, lies much more than just a group of daredevils in centimeter-thick steel armor wielding big guns.
“America has failed. Let us forge a Steel Brotherhood”
The origins of the legendary faction: The very first predecessors of the Steel Brotherhood were still officially soldiers of the US Army, who had served even before the Great War. A unit of the army served in 2076 under Captain Roger Maxson at the Mariposa military base in California.
There, they were to oversee a research project, amid fears from the US government of espionage by China. The project focused on the study of FEV, the “Forced Evolutionary Virus,” which would later lead to super mutants and even the Scorched and Flame Beasts in Fallout 76.
After Maxson’s unit learned that the scientists were conducting experiments with the virus on prisoners of war, they rebelled. Such a venture was against their moral standards.
However, through interrogations, Maxson found out that these projects were sanctioned by the government, and his faith in them was shaken. As the leader of the new rebellion, he declared his separation from the United States and only three days later, the bombs fell.
How was the Steel Brotherhood formed? After the atomic strikes, Maxson, his unit, and their families fled to Lost Hills, an old government bunker. This remains the main base of the Steel Brotherhood to this day.
Using satellite communications, Maxson sought out other survivors of the army and found Lieutenant Elizabeth “Lizzy” Taggerdy of the US Rangers, who was operating in Appalachia, West Virginia, at the time.
Maxson explained to Taggerdy what he had experienced in Mariposa and why governmental organizations are doomed to repeat the same mistakes that ultimately led to catastrophe.
He made it clear that America had failed and renounced governmental organizations. The Brotherhood was to operate explicitly outside the US government to prevent it from being misused as an army. He stated:
We cannot simply remain the US Army. Then it is only a matter of time before some general or damned politician comes out of a vault and starts commanding us around. And worse yet: They will order some soldier to start again with everything. Another round of atomic death.
Maxson in the holotape “Founding of the Steel Brotherhood”
In a holotape that can be found in Camp Venture in Fallout 76, Maxson gives a speech in which he mentions the Brotherhood by name for the first time, saying: “We will keep only the good from the past. And one day we will reclaim the lost. Let us forge a Steel Brotherhood!”
How is the Brotherhood organized? The Brotherhood is an order with a strictly military hierarchy. Every superior gives instructions to their direct subordinates, and they must obey.
The ranks are modeled on archaic structures. In the provisional first model, newcomers start as scribes or knights. Both can be promoted to paladins, though knights must first be dubbed as knights. Paladins then have the opportunity to be elected as elders. Later, these ranks are initially replaced by candidates who choose their path or are assigned one.
The system has been revised and expanded several times during the Brotherhood’s history, with the roles of scribes and knights, and at times also paladins, being further developed. Some chapters even later offered the role of “Lancers” to represent the air forces.
Register of Key Members
- Roger Maxson: Founder of the Steel Brotherhood, first elder, and now worshiped by many followers.
- Elizabeth “Lizzy” Taggerdy: The likely first paladin and leader of the Brotherhood in Appalachia.
- Grant McNamara: A civilian accepted by the Brotherhood in Appalachia, who was instrumental as a researcher in the fight against the Flame Beasts.
- Hailey Takano: A researcher working for the Brotherhood in the fight against the Flame Beasts and who trained Odessa Valdez.
- Odessa Valdez: One of the first keepers of the code and part of the expedition force that aims to restore the Brotherhood’s presence in Appalachia.
- Leila Rahmani: Leader of the expedition to Appalachia.
- Elder Elijah: Founder of the chapter in the Mojave Desert.
- Nolan McNamara: Elder of the chapter in the Mojave Desert, ensured the Brotherhood’s survival after the war with the NCR (New California Republic). Possibly related to Grant McNamara.
- Owyn Lyons: Founder of the chapter on the East Coast, revolutionized the Brotherhood’s hierarchy. His vision for the Brotherhood was to help others instead of just seeking technology.
- Henry Casdin: Founded the “Brotherhood Outcasts,” outcasts who disagreed with Lyons’ ideas. He wanted to return to the original mission.
- Arthur Maxson: Descendant of Roger Maxson and current leader of the Brotherhood on the East Coast/Commonwealth. He adopted Lyons’ model and further refined it. He also brought back the Outcasts into the Brotherhood.
“New Traditions and Our Own Mythology” – The Brotherhood’s Goals
What is its mission? Although the idea and desire of most soldiers just before and after the founding of the Brotherhood was to help others, the goals soon changed.
Under Roger Maxson’s leadership, the Brotherhood was still supposed to help other people, but this became secondary. The main mission became to find and preserve the technologies of the old world as a kind of guardian organization.
With this, the Brotherhood aims to ensure that knowledge from the past is preserved for humanity while also preventing it from being misused.
To rebuild civilization, to reclaim it, our successors will need the secrets of the past. And these secrets are at risk of being lost forever […]
Until now, the Brotherhood has been a well-armed combat force. In the future, we will be the guardians of civilization. Therefore, we must gather every blueprint, every holotape, every book, and every damned note that contains the building blocks of the old world before it is too late.
Our scribes will take them, keep them safe, and perhaps even gain new insights. The knights will protect them like a hard shell around a precious seed. One day […] this seed will blossom into a new civilization […]
Helping fellow humans is a good goal, the goal of a soldier. But in this way … we will be the driving force that changes the world.
Maxson in the holotape “Preservation of Technology”
The Brotherhood’s Religion: After Maxson’s death in 2135, the Brotherhood’s mission evolved into something akin to a religion. Many members referred to him as the “Founder” and “Savior” and nearly worshipped him.
The code created by the scribes, containing Maxson’s ideologies, is seen as something like the holy scripture of the Brotherhood. Thus, this quasi-military organization transformed over time into a proper order.
“West vs. East” – Divided Views in the Brotherhood
What is this inner conflict? These views, however, led to the development of various currents within the Brotherhood. Some members placed more value on helping their fellow humans, while others viewed Maxson’s mission to preserve technology as the highest good.
This development was further exacerbated by the Brotherhood being scattered throughout North America. Although their numbers were relatively small, expeditions were launched in many different areas.
This led to the establishment of new “chapters,” groups within the Brotherhood, each led by its own elder in their respective area. As each chapter faced its own challenges and had different conditions, many different ideas of the Brotherhood emerged from this.
The Chapters of the Brotherhood
The Steel Brotherhood: The original Brotherhood based in Lost Hills with several outposts. This is where the Council of Elders operates and manages all chapters of the Brotherhood.
The Steel Brotherhood in Appalachia: The sister organization of the Brotherhood led by Lizzy Taggerdy, which was founded almost simultaneously. It was wiped out a few years after its founding when the knights were overwhelmed by Flame Beasts.
The Mojave Chapter: Founded by Elder Elijah, who betrayed and abandoned the Brotherhood at the height of the war with the NCR. It is now led by Elder McNamara, who has since isolated the chapter from the outside world.
Lyons’ Steel Brotherhood: A chapter led by Owyn Lyons that openly disregarded the orders of the Elder Council. The chapter’s primary goal is humanitarian aid rather than the forced preservation of knowledge. At some point, the Brotherhood withdrew all support from this chapter.
The Eastern Chapter: Led by Arthur Maxson, who founded the new chapter in the Commonwealth from the remnants of Lyons’ Brotherhood and the Outcasts. Currently active in the wasteland around the capital and in the Commonwealth.
The “Circle of Steel”
To maintain order within the Brotherhood despite the many currents and ideas, there exists something akin to an internal affairs department: the “Circle of Steel.” Members of the Circle ensure that rules within the Brotherhood are followed and violations are punished.
The most well-known member is Christine Royce, who is assigned to Elder Elijah in Fallout: New Vegas after he betrays the Brotherhood. The fact that she hunts him with a sniper rifle and camouflage gear shows roughly how the Circle carries out its missions.
Deserters and Outcasts
Throughout the many years of existence, numerous members of the Brotherhood have split off from it. Some of the most well-known include the Outcasts, who were later brought back under Maxson, and the chapter in Chicago, which severed all ties with the Brotherhood after a plane crash.
Most of the deserters harbor no ill will against the Brotherhood; they simply disagree with the leadership’s decisions or those of their chapter.
Hank Madigan was one of those former members. He separated from the Brotherhood after Roger Maxson’s plan to focus primarily on preserving knowledge and to make helping people a secondary concern. Madigan helped found the Fire Devils, a civilian aid organization in Appalachia that closely collaborated with the Brotherhood until tensions eventually arose.
The Steel Brotherhood in Fallout 76
What role does the Brotherhood play in Appalachia? Already before the events of Fallout 76, the Brotherhood chapter in Appalachia was wiped out. Like all the people that players can initially encounter, the knights and paladins are dead.
Nevertheless, they are an important part of the story, as players must undergo the initiation test so that they can ultimately succeed in the fight against the Flame Beasts and create a cure for the Scorched plague.
Since the Wastelanders update, in which the NPCs returned, there are again signs of activity from the Brotherhood. Over several weeks and months, players in Appalachia were able to receive encrypted radio signals.
These hinted, when decrypted, that the Brotherhood wants to return. In a new video, Bethesda itself tells the background of the Brotherhood in Appalachia:
How can I interact with it? During various community events, it was possible to donate resources to Russel Dorsey so that the Brotherhood could establish a base in Appalachia. Every week during the events, a specific material had to be donated.
This has been the only real interaction with the Brotherhood so far. Since the major “One Wasteland” update in Fallout 76, however, there is the quest “Breaking the Silence,” where you first truly come into contact with the Brotherhood.
The quest is linked to the new daily operations, in which you must complete a small scenario with special tasks and enemies for Vernon Dodge. In return, there are rewards corresponding to your performance that match the ranks of the Brotherhood.
When will the Brotherhood return? With the upcoming update “Steel Dawn,” scheduled for December 1st, the Brotherhood is finally set to return to Appalachia. However, there is no specific date for this yet.
Since the update “One Wasteland”, there have been increasingly concrete hints about what will actually happen. For example, we already know that scholar Odessa Valdez is traveling to Appalachia with the “First Expeditionary Unit of the Brotherhood.” Leila Rahmani, scholar Valdez, and knight Daniel Shin will settle with Russell Dorsey at the ATLAS Observatory.
Support comes directly from Lost Hills, the main base of the Steel Brotherhood, under the leadership of Leila Rahmani. She is to ensure that Appalachia becomes safer again.
The story of the Brotherhood will continue to be told in upcoming updates. This was revealed to us by Project Lead Jeff Gardiner and Lead Quest Designer Brianna Schneider in an interview here on MeinMMO.
The Steel Brotherhood after Fallout 76 – What Happens Next?
This is how the Brotherhood’s history will proceed: From the history of the other Fallout parts, we already know that the Brotherhood gets embroiled in a war with the New California Republic, in which they are nearly wiped out.
Moreover, some parts of the Brotherhood forget their origins and their mission or are at risk of ceasing to exist due to lack of successors.
However, the Brotherhood still exists in Fallout 4, which takes place nearly 200 years after Fallout 76. It will not find its end already in Appalachia.
What will players be involved in? There are currently no concrete details about what players in Fallout 76 will be able to do. However, the legendary Roger Maxson is still alive at this time.
He may even personally make an appearance, and you will help him lead the Brotherhood to the greatness it later achieves. However, you might also encounter descendants of Grant McNamara or ancestors of Nolan McNamara and watch as the Mojave chapter is established.
What the Brotherhood exactly intends to accomplish in Appalachia and how you can help with it is still uncertain. However, many players are already excited about the update and have even made suggestions on how it can be improved.
What are you particularly looking forward to? What do you think about the Brotherhood? Discuss in the comments and listen to our MeinMMO podcast with editor Leya Jankowski, GameStar editor-in-chief Michael Graf, and Fallout expert Benedict Grothaus, whether Fallout 76 can make a turnaround and how the Brotherhood can help with it.
