#Lancer Captain Kells

[dustiedoodles]

I have left this dude on read many times, poor guys still waiting for me to finish half his orders

[darling-leech]

Nayda Kells(wife of Lancer Captain Kells)(She/Her)(50 years old).

And their children:

Frieda Kells. (She/Her)(23 years old).

Clio Kells. (She/Her)(19 years old).

Mateo Kells. (He/Him)(19 years old).

Rey Kells. (They/Them)(17 years old).

[callmewisteria]

Something Signalled (At The Precipice Of Something New Chapter XXXVII)

After killing Winlock and Barnes with the help of Piper, Cait, and Vadim, MacCready returns to Goodneighbour? Sturges arrives at Vault 88 to an utterly unpredictable scene? Shaun and Nate receive unexpectedly good news? The Brotherhood discuss Paladin Danse's latest report on the investigation into the so called Mechanist? After weeks and weeks of frustration, Nora, Nick, and Cait are called to the Railroad Headquarters due to a promising development in tracking a Courser?

I'm back and so is the story. Read it on AO3, ff.net, and/or wattpad!!!

[anxietymuffin]

Tales from the Wasteland: Chicken Soup for the War Veterans Soul

New story just dropped!

Tales from the Wasteland series: following side stories that happen during the timeline of my main fo4 story. Like side quests!

[sparrowsingsstories]

WIP Wednesday

Lookit me Participating! Um...I will tag @alder-berry because they've been working on Canary's story. And @bokatan and @bleumanouche but no stress!

I'm posting some of Fly Away Little Bird - Sparrow's story. Sparrow's birth name is Emma - and she hasn't taken on the name of Sparrow yet. So here, it's all Emma.

This is during what she refers to as "The BOS Shit."

***

She was wearing a little BOS uniform. Orange and gray, it was form fitting and comfortable. She had been issued three of them, all with her name on a piece of embroidery tape sewn onto her right shoulder. Her rank was below her name: Lancer-Initiate. Maxson had said she should be an Aspirant, but her initiative to save his life and her willingness to die in the name of the Brotherhood meant he wanted to reward her. Because of her new rank, she had some light combat armor issued. In keeping with her preferences, she had a light pistol and two knives. And a little bomber jacket that she planned on keeping if she ever got off the floating fortress.

She wiggled her toes in the supple boots she’d been given. She had to admit that the outfit was warm and fit well. And she had her own bed with her own blankets and pillow. It was in a room with other people, but it was her bed. And a big chest to put her things, even her wasterlander things. And when she was moved to the airport barracks, she’d get to take her chest. And she got food. As much as she could eat. And because she’d been hurt so badly, she was able to nap after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Though she wasn’t sure how that was going to go since she was meeting her new…mentor? Teacher? A Lancer named Sean Kennedy. She was meeting this Lancer Kennedy today and would be working with him every day. All day. Learning how a vertibird worked, how to fly one, how to fix one - everything about vertibirds. Maxson said it was because she was too small for power armor, so she couldn’t be a Knight or Paladin, and had problems with reading and writing, so she couldn’t be a Scribe. But she could learn to read maps and fly. And he said his goal was for her to be his personal pilot.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Or the way he looked so pleased with her. Or the way he introduced her. Or how he wanted to have dinner with her a couple times a week, even if he had meetings. She didn’t think she liked any of it, but wasn’t sure, yet, what to do about any of this. And she needed to meet this Sean and see how she felt about…him. 

She wiggled her toes one more time and then began her trek from her barracks room, up stairs, down hallways, and to Elder Maxson’s stately office. He was talking to a older man wearing a stiff, fancy uniform. Everything seemed to gleam or was laying with a terrifying precision. 

“Ah. Emma. I mean, Lancer-Initiate Emma. This is Lancer Captain Kells. Kells, this is Emma, our star recruit.”

“No last name?” Lancer Captain Kells asked.

“Timothy, that’s unaccountably rude,” Maxson said.

Emma thought that was rich coming from Maxson, but instead addressed Lancer Captain Kells.

“Lost family. No name now,” She said, pulling herself to the stiff upright standing called Attention.

“I see. Well, you are now a member of the Brotherhood family. I suppose Lancer-Initiate Emma will have to do. Ad Victoriam, Lancer-Initiate Emma.”

“A’Victor’am, Lancer Cap’n Kells,” Emma said, placing her right fist over her chest.

[danses-with-dogmeat]

Choose a favorite character whose name starts with "K"!

(Or a character you just want to see me write for 😁)

If you have any questions on these characters, please feel free to ask!

And if you think of someone who's not listed here that you would like to see, feel free to add a name to the comments/reblogs!

[mllemaenad]

It always strikes me as weird that there’s no point at which the Brotherhood and Minutemen automatically come into conflict that I can find. One would think that the Brotherhood’s methods of gathering supplies (basically racketeering) would automatically lead to issues with the Minutemen, whose job is to defend against such raiders. I know the game mechanics reason for this, but can you think of anything in-universe to explain it?

I think there are a few things going on here – some gameplay related, some thematically related. But to be honest I don't think it's always easy to separate those two things.

Point one - who's in charge?

If you follow Fallout 4's opening quests then you are the General of the Minutemen. That means that your Sole Survivor gets to make big important decisions like "do we go to war with this new group?" You do not lead the Brotherhood, Railroad or Institute (you may, of course, inherit control of the Institute at the end of the game, but that's after all these decisions take place) and consequently decisions about who your enemies are take place over your head. You can pick a side if two factions you belong to come into conflict ... but you can't ultimately change their politics.

There is no point in the story where you are forced to go to war with the Brotherhood as the General of the Minutemen ... but you absolutely can go to war with the Brotherhood as the General of the Minutemen.

So this is both a gameplay and narrative point: what does your Sole Survivor think of the Brotherhood of Steel? Maybe they are also a dedicated member of the Brotherhood, and have no problem with them "commandeering" supplies. Maybe you work with the Railroad, and their attitudes frighten you. Maybe you're a pure Minuteman character and just resent another group of raiders causing problems for your settlements.

Every other faction makes the decision of when to invoke "War never changes" for you. This one's on you.

Point two – who shot first?

Obviously, the Brotherhood of Steel does end up in forced conflict with the Railroad as part of the main quest. There's no way to make peace between them, no matter how many quests you've done for either faction.

But. Well. I mean – there's an obvious aggressor in this one. It's not like Desdemona wakes up one morning, finishes her Sugar Bombs and coffee and says "Hey, guys, given that we've just barely clawed our way back from extinction, doesn't picking a fight with a group of heavily armed thugs sound like a great idea?"

There are no Railroad quests that require you to directly attack the Brotherhood until after the Brotherhood tries to murder them. While Brotherhood and Railroad ideals are pretty clearly in conflict, the Railroad absolutely does not want to start another war. They're up to their eyeballs dealing with the Institute. The Brotherhood impose that conflict on them.

Why? Well, they tell you. The first reason is that the Brotherhood are intent on committing genocide, and they are aware that the Railroad's mission would require them to rescue and protect synths.

Even with their relatively small numbers, the Railroad is a constant threat to our operations. They've already proven to be resilient against superior forces, with a knack for disappearing when cornered. Worse still, they possess the capability to help synths flee the Institute. If we intend to end the synth menace, we need to plug the leaks. – Lancer Captain Kells Dialogue, Fallout 4

The other reason is because the Railroad has PAM, and the Brotherhood wants to steal her.

Our sources tell us that the Railroad has some sort of experimental or prototype robot in their headquarters. They're calling the "Predictive Analytic Machine," or "P.A.M." for short. Cute, huh? They use the robot for complex strategic calculations that are much more efficient than anything we can generate here. If you could use this holotape to decrypt the security on P.A.M.'s terminal, it will force the unit to return to the Prydwen. I'm certain we could put P.A.M.'s computing power to good use. Otherwise, destroy it. We wouldn't want it to fall into the Institute's hands. – Proctor Ingram Dialogue, Fallout 4

The conflict between the Brotherhood and Railroad occurs purely at the Brotherhood's instigation. While the Railroad doesn't like the Brotherhood they don't want to fight them unless they have to.

Which brings me back to the Minutemen. As an organisation, the Minutemen are pretty well indifferent to synths. Oh, they're one hundred percent opposed to the Institute sacking settlements with Gen 2s, or people being replaced by synths, or any other scenario where the people they've pledged to protect get hurt ... but there's no official policy on synths themselves.

Preston is broadly pro-freeing the synths because he's a good guy:

I never really thought about synths that way before, but it's hard to argue that they don't deserve freedom like everyone else. – Preston Garvey Dialogue, Fallout 4

But nothing about being involved with the Minutemen actually forces you to help a synth. So they are not on the Brotherhood's radar the way the Railroad are.

The Minutemen is also a pretty low tech organisation. Their signature weapon is the laser musket. Their big rebuilding quest, Old Guns, is about setting up some very old-school artillery. Nothing about that is going to make the Brotherhood start salivating and plotting to steal their stuff. Now, obviously that artillery can turn out to be very effective at dealing with the Prydwen if it comes to that, but that's a very Brotherhood mistake: they think shiny tech will protect them from superior numbers and rational tactics. They made the same error at HELIOS ONE.

So unlike the Railroad, the Minutemen are unlikely targets for Brotherhood aggression at this stage. They aren't forcing a conflict. But like the Railroad, the Minutemen start the game a hair's breadth from annihilation. Most of the game is spent rebuilding both their forces and their credibility. They clear raider strongholds and nests of feral ghouls. They're not much more likely to be actively pushing for an all-out-war than the Railroad.

Point Three - who the hell are these guys, anyway?

After all of that, I recognise there's still a problem, though. Because Feeding the Troops is still a pretty obnoxious quest and it does feel like a thing that would cause issues.

Fallout 4 does a lot with misinformation; appearance versus reality; what someone says and then what they do. I know I've brought it up before, but a big one is the difference between Diamond City and Goodneighbor. And one of the key points about that is that things change: Diamond City wasn't always run by the Institute; Goodneighbor wasn't always setting itself up as a haven for the lost. Things change. Bad things can improve, and good things can slip into evil.

Earlier games had a karma system associated with them: this is good, this is bad. Fallout 4 replaces this with companion opinions, which fits pretty well with its themes and ideas. It's not going to tell you which one is the good karma option. You've got to play the game and figure it out. And yes, sometimes the answer is "there's no good answer".

Two things about the Brotherhood: they arrive relatively late in the game, at the start of Act 2 ... and they were the good guys in Fallout 3. They were very explicitly the good karma option in Fallout 3. While, obviously, each game is going to pick up a bunch of new players who haven't played the older ones, it's also important to recognise that Fallout is a series, and the narrative continues from one game to the next.

By the time Fallout 4 starts all the various factions in the Commonwealth have been locked in conflict with the Institute for decades. Asking them to pivot and immediately start fighting these guys who turned up last Tuesday is a lot. While the Sole Survivor could never have heard of the Brotherhood of Steel, there's a really solid chance that you, the player, have heard of them. And you might make some assumptions, based on that.

They were the good guys, right? Okay, yes, kind of arseholes and a bit of a problem if you were from Underworld but ... they fought the Enclave! They defended Project Purity! They protected people from super mutants! It's a whole thing!

But. Well, there's clearly been a change in leadership since then. And they've specifically reintegrated the Outcasts, i.e. the anti-helping people Brotherhood faction.

Also, the Commonwealth is not the Capital Wasteland. The conflict there was Brotherhood-versus-Enclave and the Enclave was so very bad that virtually anyone could look heroic opposing them. The super mutants never coalesced into a coherent faction who wanted anything; they operated more like a plague. Simpler times. In the Commonwealth there are more factions, more differing ideals. The water needs purifying, sure, but if we could solve the political problems farming wouldn't be a major issue.

You see all this difficulty and ambivalence in the game's characters, too:

The Brotherhood. In Capital Wasteland, they really weren't bad. But now. – Deacon Dialogue, Fallout 4 Those Super Mutants are a threat to everyone in the whole Commonwealth. I'm glad to have the Brotherhood's help to take them out. – Preston Garvey Dialogue, Fallout 4 Long as the Brotherhood of Steel keeps the heavy artillery out of the city limits, they're welcome here. – Diamond City Security Dialogue, Fallout 4 Flying that ship into the heart of the Commonwealth. Mark my words, the Brotherhood's here to start a war. – Nick Valentine Dialogue, Fallout 4

Characters are aware that the Brotherhood did good in the past. They're concerned about the giant airship in their space. They're grateful when the Brotherhood does something that happens to be helpful, even if their reasons were selfish. The decision about what do about them is floating in the air, from the day they turn up.

So now I'm back to my first point. You're the General of the Minutemen. Odds are, defending the Commonwealth as a Minuteman was one of the very first pledges you made at the start of the game. And sure, you're visiting all the factions and doing their quests, because that's how these games work.

Cool. So – I mean, they've asked you to bully and steal from the farmers you swore to protect. If you take your non-human companions to the Prydwen they will say the most horrible things about them. They've sent you to murder your friend Danse, even though he hasn't done anything and it's not like he can choose to not be a synth. They're powering up this really scary robot they can use to terrorise people. They're sending you to slaughter the Railroad, unprovoked, because they want their robot. At what point have you had enough? At what point do you go "Ohhhhh. This is the bad karma faction"?

There's a warning, right at the beginning of their quest line, from Haylen:

Field Scribe Haylen, personal log entry 324A. I'm starting to wonder if joining the Brotherhood of Steel was a good choice. I originally signed up seeking protection and comradeship but I'm worried that I've traded away a bit of my humanity in the process. The Brotherhood's message of hope for the future is idealistic and noble but their methods leave a lot to be desired. The leadership seems especially misguided. Instead of diplomacy, they wield violent confrontation to exert control. Despite all that, I've been successfully avoiding the fighting by following the career path of a field scribe. I suppose only time will tell how long I can stand the sight of spilled blood over my own moral fiber. – Scribe Haylen's Personal Log, Fallout 4

If you can recognise some foreshadowing, you can see where this is going.

I think the game doesn't force you to fight the Brotherhood with the Minutemen because you are the General of the Minutemen. It doesn't have karma options, it asks you to review the situation and make a decision what to do. You can fight the Brotherhood, if you choose to. In fact, you kind of swore that you would.

Yeah, they're running a protection racket. What are you going to do about it?

And I think that's very in line with the sort of story Fallout 4 wants to tell.

[ana6aena]

Captain lancer Kells cos at this point I'm just drawing random people

[hrefna-the-raven]

Heart of Steel

Fallout masterlist - main masterlist

Chapter 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

Song for this chapter:

(Not the same 50s style song but the emotions fit the chapter perfectly)

Summary: The data you recovered from the Institute reveals that Paladin Danse isn't what everyone thought he was. How will this affect your position within the Brotherhood and your relationship with Maxson?

Warnings: heartache, emotions, swearing and a tiny King Arthur reference

Notes: Blind Betrayal...we're finally here and it's gonna be a hard chapter, I apologise in advance^^

Chapter 11 - Blind Betrayal

He read the lines of the messages over and over again. It couldn't be true, it had to be a mistake, an error in the system, deceit propagated by the Institute. It had to be anything but the truth. He cross-checked the data from the holotape, comparing it with their own records, and it consistently aligned, even down to the photo of him and he hadn't even aged a day. Of course Kells had already forwarded the message to everyone, dragging Maxson into the situation by claiming it was on his orders, leaving him no opportunity to address it privately before involving everyone else. A frustrated groan escaped him as he rose from his seat, hurling it against the wall, cursing continuously as he paced back and forth his private quarters. The lancer captain was merely fulfilling his duty and yet... How was he supposed to handle this? How could he back up the order to kill not only one of his most trusted paladins but also his friend? He looked up as a beeping sound emanated from his terminal, indicating a new message had arrived. You had just arrived at the airport and were sent to the command deck to receive the instructions for your new assignment.

"Fucking hell Kells", Maxson muttered to himself.

Given your opinion on synths and the fact that Danse had been acting as your mentor, he intended to keep you away from the current disaster but the lancer captain apparently had other plans. Arthur poured himself a glass of vodka and downed it to calm his nerves, taking a deep breath before proceeding to the observation room where you were already waiting for him. The smile you gave him shattered his heart and he could feel his stomach turn, nausea spreading through his body. Kells was situated directly below this room, and with the knight positioned at the entrance, he wouldn't even have an opportunity to explain the situation to you.

Your inner alarm went off as soon as you spotted the grim faces of everyone at the airport. The Knight stationed at the gate promptly instructed you to make your way to the observation room on the Elder's orders. The moment you stepped in, you noticed that something was wrong.

He maintained his usual stern face but the sadness in his eyes was worrying. Before you could even begin to comprehend the situation, he pulled you into a hug and whispered softly in your ear.

"I'm sorry", he took a few steps back, avoiding your gaze before turning towards the window.

"Proctor Quinlan completed the decryption of the data you retrieved from the Institute", Arthur took a deep breath, concentrating on not revealing the trembling of his voice as he continued, "Danse is a synth. He represents everything we hate... a monstrosity of technology."

"That's impossible!", you almost shouted.

Your mind froze at his words, their meaning as well as the tone he delivered them felt like a slap into the face. The weight of it all dragged you down into a pit of anguish and despair. The fact that your lost son was the enemy's leader hadn't fully sunk in yet and here you stood paralysed as the man you loved more than anything in this world revealed to you that Danse had been a creation of the same organisation that destroyed your family.

"I'm afraid not. The evidence is quite damning. To make matters worse, he's gone AWOL. And here you arrive at the same time he disappears without a trace. Is there anything you wish to tell me, Knight?"

The hatred dripping from his voice scared you and you instinctively took a step back at his accusation. Your whole world fell apart, betrayed and played by your own son, only to endure the accusation of treason by the man you had hoped to spend the rest of your days with. Anger surged deep within you, you were done with life throwing shit at you and you were done taking it. All that sadness and uncertainty transformed into an ugly beast and you you no longer cared if it roamed freely.

"After everything I've done for the Brotherhood, for you, you have some nerve accusing me of lying! You should be ashamed!", you spat back at him.

Maxson finally turned around, his lips quivering as he prodded a finger into your chest. He teetered on the edge of losing control, fully aware that his anger and desperation should have been directed at someone else, but he felt powerless. All these emotions felt foreign to him, like a distant haze on the horizon, a realm beyond his grasp.

"How dare you speak to me in that tone of voice!", his voice cracked, the pain evident within it, "I'm ordering you to hunt down Danse and execute him. This is not up for judgment or debate! Scribe Haylen has some information on Danse's location that she will only disclose to you. Find her and execute my order! You're dismissed!"

Before your mind could even consider the consequences, your hands shot up to his chest and you shoved him backwards with full force until his back collided with the window. You span around and stormed out of the room, heading straight down the airport to see Scribe Haylen.

Maxson remained rooted, back against the window, his heart pounding so violently as though it might burst from his chest at any given moment. His hands held up, he observed the trembling as his breaths grew heavier and the room began to spin around him. He should have been angry at you, punish, no, exile you from the Brotherhood for your insubordination but he couldn't. At the very back of his mind, hidden within the darkness, echoed a familiar voice, whispering a truth he didn't dare to voice out loud. He wanted you to refuse his order, for there was something within him that recognised your righteousness. No matter the hierarchy or the orders issued, you would always choose to do what was right. And yet, at the very same time he tried to silence that voice with the Brotherhood's codex, the one thing that kept him going all those years and dictated every aspect of his existence.

Haylen wiped away the tears streaming down your cheeks, comforting you. She whispered words of approval, grateful that her faith in you had not been misplaced and that you were willing to extend a chance to Danse. You both found comfort in knowing that not everyone within the Brotherhood would agree with Maxson's order to kill Danse, although you hoped to find him first. She wanted to accompany you, but you convinced her to stay behind out of fear that it might risk her position within the Brotherhood. This was your mission and you'd do everything to save Danse and prove Maxson wrong.

Torn between duty and the undeniable pull towards you, a unsettling restlessness within him had urged Arthur to follow you to Listening Post Bravo. Observing from a distance, he witnessed your adeptness in dismantling the defensive measures set up by Danse before vanishing into the structure. His fingers tapped nervously on his leg as he sat there waiting. Despite the clear lines of what could and should happen here, his mind remained blank, refusing to grant him any coherent thought. In hushed whispers, he found himself reciting passages from the Brotherhood's codex, almost like a desperate prayer to whatever god would listen. It was the Elder who had followed you, but it was the uncertainty of the boy who sat there, unsure of what steps to take next. A faint recognition woven into the fabric of his heart, reminding him that this moment was an inevitable consequence of the connection he formed with you. His breath hitched as he caught sight of the blinking elevator light and moments later, you emerged alongside Danse. His body moved of its own, marching towards you and Danse and the words that left his mouth felt as as though they were spoken by someone else entirely, someone stronger, more resolute, taking over the vulnerability he saw in that boy from the Citadel.

"Knight! Why has this... this thing not been destroyed?", Maxson spat, his voice carrying a poison that seemed unfamiliar, not only to you but also to himself.

"Arthur", Danse interjected, "it's not her fault. It's mine."

"I'll deal with you in a moment."

"That thing?!", you interrupted Maxson before he could continue, "do you even hear what you're saying? He's still alive because you're wrong about him, you're wrong about the synths and your orders are ridiculous!"

Your voice grew louder as the anger and disappointment rose within you. The man standing before you was unrecognizable; he was not the one who shared his heart and soul in Goodneighbor, nor was he the one who went out of his way to illuminate the control tower with an array of candlelights.

"I see you've made your decision, Knight. How very disappointing. You'd be willing to sacrifice your career...us.... for the sake of a machine."

Arthur cried out internally, trapped within his own mind and body, helpless and weak. All those words left his lips but he wished for them to remain unspoken. The years spent entangled in the Brotherhood's beliefs, confined within the Citadel, were tormenting him. Why wasn't he able to break free from it? With a trembling hand, he reached for his laser pistol, aiming it at Danse, his finger hovering over the trigger but unable to pull it as if being held by an invisible force. You stepped in front of Danse, moving towards Maxson until the barrel of the gun pressed against your chest.

"You really wish to kill them all? And him? Why? Just because a few among them have the potential to do something bad? What kind of conclusion does that logic draw about humanity? Do you even understand what happened the last time people were too caught up in their own beliefs of who the enemy is? Do you know how the Great War started? Why the bombs were dropped? It was exactly because of idiotic ideologies like this! Take it from someone who was there, who fought the mindless battles of others, risking their own life every day over someone else's hatred. You can do whatever you deem right, what you want even but ask yourself this: do you really wanna be like those whom you blame for all this chaos? And by consequence I have to ask myself: was I really that blind and foolish when I saw something more in you, someone greater than this dividing bullshit?! If you want Danse dead, you'll have to shoot me first, Elder!", you spoke, your voice finally steady and composed.

A thousand thoughts raced like through Arthur's mind as his piercing blue eyes were fixed on yours. The way you spat his title cut through him like a knife. It bore witness to the pain, the affection and the glimmer of hope, a sharp reminder that there was more to him than the his title. But why did he feel so powerless? In this moment it felt as if the evil of this world did beget him. The Institute, the synth, would ruin the Commonwealth and the Brotherhood, they had to die for it. Cursed by the hour in which they were created and Danse was one of them. So why did it feel wrong? Why was he trapped in the limbo of uncertainty, held back by the heart while his rationality urged him to act? Arthur yearned to confess that he couldn't care less about what Danse truly was, that they had fought side by side for years, bound by friendship and that he would never consider him a traitor but a true brother. Despite all of this, the Elder found himself holding a gun, not only aimed at his friend, but also at the woman who meant everything to him - the love of his life who spoke reason and acted on it where he couldn't. He growled, the agony within his soul evident, and took the pistol away, taking a few steps back as you called out his name. He shook his head, unable to bring himself to look at either Danse or you.

"Danse. As far as I'm concerned, you're dead", Maxson's voice cracked, the bleeding heart sipping through as he continued, "you were pursued and slain by this Brotherhood Knight and your remains were incinerated. From this day forward, you are forbidden to set foot on the Prydwen, or speak to anyone from the Brotherhood of Steel. Should you choose to ignore me, know that you'll be fired upon immediately."

Danse let out a relieved sigh and nodded while a faint smile tugged the corners of his mouth. Your lips quivered, the weight of the unknown finally lifting and you took a deep breath you didn't realise you were holding in. The words that left the Elder's mouth had a harsh and angry tone yet his eyes revealed a deep sense of shame and sorrow, a testament that your Arthur took this decision, against all of what he believed in, against all that had falsely guided him through all those years.

"I'm returning to the Prydwen, Knight. Take some time, say your goodbyes, and then I expect to see you there."

Arthur turned abruptly, beginning to walk away, but your delicate fingers intertwined with his, compelling him to halt. He couldn't bring himself to look back, afraid of exposing the tears that now streamed freely down his face, afraid to discover the disdain you might hold for his actions.

"Arthur stay", you pleaded in a fragile tone.

He stood frozen, his lips quivering as he let out soft sobs, shutting his eyes tightly.

"Would....would you even want me to?", he whispered almost inaudibly.

The sweet but unexpected sound of your chuckle startled him.

"And here I thought you knew me better", you spoke softly, tightening your grip on his hand as you gently turned him around.

The ice blue of his eyes was hidden behind a wall of tears and you traced a thumb over his quivering lips before you gently cupped his cheek.

"I'm proud of the decision you took today and you're always welcome to stay with me, Arthur."

The emphasis you placed on his name proved to be the breaking point, causing the dam of emotions he had suppressed for so long to burst forth. He pulled you into a hug, holding onto you with such force that it bordered on pain, tears streaming down his face as he pressed his cheek against your neck.

"I'm sorry", he managed to utter.

In response, you offered a comforting hum while your hands tenderly caressed his back and you pressed a tender kiss upon his temple.

You remained like this, frozen in the moment, for some time, the gentle breeze brushing against your skin and mingling with the cold touch of your tears. Time slipped away unnoticed until you caught sight of the setting sun. Danse emerged from the building, a duffel bag hanging over his shoulder.

"You should make your way to Greentop Nursery, it's not too far from here", you suggested.

"I don't know, I don't want to endanger the people living there", Danse sighed.

"You won't", Arthur assured him, "nobody will know you're there, I promise. Loose the armour, let your hair grow longer and you'll look as boring and unsuspecting as everyone else."

Danse couldn't help but chuckle at the Maxson's words. It would be difficult to live without the Brotherhood; they were like his second family. He'd miss the evenings he spent with you, with Arthur and the missions, fighting to make the world a better place. But he was still looking forward to his new life, you offered him a new purpose, aiding the Minutemen in protecting settlers. And maybe, he told himself, once the Institute was destroyed, you and Arthur would come to visit him. With a friendly tap on Arthur's shoulder and a final salute, Danse pulled you into a warm hug and bid his farewells.

You and Arthur made your way into the building, heading down as you decided that neither of you was ready to head back to the Prydwen after all that happened today. The air was still and a sense of calm settled around you like a protective shield. You sat beside each other on a dirty mattress in between old machinery and dusty desks, your fingers entwined, finding solace in each other's presence. In that moment, the world seemed to fade away and all that mattered was the love and understanding between you. The weight of Maxson's near-betrayal and the darkness that had threatened to consume him were momentarily forgotten and you finally dared to reveal what horrible truth had awaited you at the Institute. The very organisation you had set out to dismantle, presuming to hold Shaun captive, was led by none other than your own flesh and blood, the child you sought to rescue. The knowledge was like a knife twisting in your gut, yet you felt featherless as Arthur listened intently, his piercing blue eyes filled with a mix of concern and resolve while you unburdened your soul. He planted a tender kiss on your forehead, lingering for a moment before taking hold of your hands and pressing them against his chest.

"I promise you, love, I'll do everything in my power to destroy the Institute, for all the pain they brought upon you."

This was the very first time you heard him utter the promise of the Institute's destruction not for their technology or creation of their synths but solely for the pain they inflicted on you. It was a solemn vow emanating from the depths of his soul, fortified by the unwavering affection that resided within his heart. He was graced by the epiphany that had eluded him until now, dispelling the fog that had concealed the true path destiny had in store for him. A hopeful smile spread across his lips as he enveloped you in his arms and gently lowered you onto the mattress, holding you with tenderness and care.

"As soon as Liberty Prime is ready and we begin our final assault, I'll be fighting by your sight, protecting you and whatever happens, I won't leave your side", he whispered in your ear.

Exhausted, your eyelids became heavier and slowly, with the weight lifted from your heart and Arthur's soothing presence, you crossed the edge of dreams.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you, my dearest, but it'll be for another day. Sleep well", he whispered into your ear, closing his eyes, eagerly awaiting the comforting embrace of slumber.

Chapter 12 - A flame in your heart

Feel free to reblog if you enjoyed the story :)

[greatwargospel]

My thoughts on the commonwealth BOS

I think the brotherhood of steel is really interesting and is kind of ignored in a lot of ways past the gung-ho militancy, so im posting abou it :). inspired by recently doing blind betrayal and my sister having an oc of a brotherhood member who gets maxson court martialed by the other elders. A lot of this is my interpretation and what ive read on the wiki. Essentially, the brotherhood as it stands in the commonwealth is bad, not only by normal means but by brotherhood means in some regards.

Outsider Recruits & The Codex

The codex, much to my disappointment, is not completely written out rulebook for the player to read in any of the fallout games, so we must take what is given to us. There are two or so different instances where the codex is quoted to reaffirm the isolationist polices of the brotherhood, in both FNV and FO3.

"We do not help them, or let them in. We keep knowledge they must never have" - Elder McNamara (FNV)

Despite it being ruled that outsiders are only allowed to join under very specfic circumstances, the Maxson allows for multiple unimpressive wastelanders to join the faction, following the precedent set forth by Elder Lyons in DC (Despite their iteration looking down on Lyons' leadership as a whole). The reason Lyons had to recruit wastelanders was due to Lyons not recieving as much support from Lost Hills council and other western chapters.

The Chain That Binds

I am really surprised that no one brings up the chain that binds in discussion about the commonwealth brotherhood, especially in reference to blind betrayal.

"Orders are to observe the flow and not skip ranks. A superior may only give orders to his direct subordinates, and not to those beneath them..." - Hidden Valley Terminal Entries (FNV)

As a knight, you are sent to answer to Maxson about Paladin Danse's synthhood, after convincing him you were none the wiser, Maxson gives you a direct order as elder to execute danse. This order skips roughly 12 different ranks that couldve given the order. The issue is that danse is your sponsor and direct commanding officer. The immediate and emergency gap in chain of command causes an issue but i do feel like there were either senior/head knights or paladins that you could be placed in their charge to give you the execution order.

[EDIT: Danse only gives you one mission during the entire BOS questline. Maxson mightve broken the chain the moment he asks you to Fort Strong. The other quests given by the Proctors and Lancer-Captain Kells are more iffy due to them not being your commanding officer but being roughly above rank but in different fields]

Requisitions

Upon meeting Proctor Teagan for the first time in the Prydwen he informs you that you will have to purchase your own...everything from him, rather than it being assigned to you like a regular military. This in itself is not a big issue like breaking a codex rule but more on the difference the commonwealth order between western branches as members traditionally do not have to pay for the services within the brotherhood unless you are an outsider recruit.

"I'm sorry, but you are an outsider. After you're in the Brotherhood for ten years or so I'll be able to do the operation for free." - Dr. Lorri (Fallout)

This can be bypassed once again by extenuating circumstances and the outsider member being a higher ranking member, but due to the BOS allowing more outsiders to join up.

So What?

I am a fan of fallout and the writing and worldbuilding of the brotherhood, so i want to take ceratain aspects and not change them but enhance them, allow maxsons chapter to be fucked. There are certain things that the BOS participates in like harrasing/threatening settlements into giving over crops and looking down upon Lyons attempts at altruism that could be really interestingly handeled, thats just kind swept under the rug. This is just a list of like codex and brotherhood rules that the commonwealth chapter doesnt really abideby though.

[whatanightmaregrinch]

“Hellfire” from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame gives me Elder Maxson x Sole Survivor vibes- hear me out, lyrics such as

“ you know I am a righteous man, of my virtue I am justly proud” (here would be him explaining how much of a dick he is)

“Tell me, Maria, why I see her dancing there. Why her smouldering eyes still scorch my soul?” (Here would be after the brotherhood first arrive in their big ole airship and meeting the Sole Survivor for the first time. Maxson can’t understand these feelings he has, perhaps he is kept awake for the first night, maybe concerned he’s coming down with an illness but in actual fact he has the big ole feelings)

“This burning desire, is turning me to sin.” (Self explanatory, he realises his big ole feelings)

“It’s not my fault, if in god’s plan- he made the devil so much stronger than a man.” (Perhaps Blind Betrayal? I can liken this to a BoS Sole Survivor begging him to not order them to destroy Paladin Danse, Maxson standing his ground in his beliefs but quietly regretting the pain he’s causing. I can see this carrying on if the Sole Survivor passes the Charisma check to save Danse’s life- with Maxson purposely treating Danse as if he’s dead on the Sole Survivors return to the airship. I’m running with the idea that Maxson has not revealed his feelings, but they instead just influence his favouritism of Sole Survivor in giving them Danse’s position and things. He’s an angry tired 20 y/old I doubt he has much indication for romance beyond abusing his position. I’ve also taken liberties in suggesting that Sole Survivor is running double agency for the Rail Road, just to make things interesting)

“Destroy Esmeralda, And let her taste the fires of hell. Or else let her be mine and mine alone.” ( Maxson getting more aggressive in trying to sort out his feelings, perhaps reflection on Maxson threatening Danse that if he was ever seen by the Brotherhood again, he would be considered ‘shoot to kill’ )

“Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped.”

(What?) She's nowhere in the cathedral. She's gone.

But how, and—? Never mind. Get out, you idiot. I’ll find her. I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!” (Okay this makes me WEAK to consider- but let me rewrite it for you guys to think about. The context would be on Maxson finding out about the Sole Survivor’s betrayal in favour of the railroad, and Sole Survivor abandoning their post completely, their quarters on the Prydwen empty.)

{{Lancer-Captain Kells: Elder Maxson, the Paladin has escaped. (What?!) They’re nowhere on the Prydwen. They’re… gone.

Elder Maxson: But how?! Never mind. Get out you idiot! I’ll find them. I’ll find them even if I have to burn down all of Boston! }}

——————————————-

GOOOOD the concept makes me weak!!!! So many emotions, so much spice!!! aAAAAAA thankyou for coming to my ted talk about my feelings; I’m feeling some sort of way about elder Maxson recently so I might just post fanfic for the dumb boi.

[wasteiandbaby]

MASTERLIST

Key Symbols

Strikethrough = Taken Character

Italics = Reserved Character

Bold = Most Wanted

We are an indeed an OC friendly server for anyone wishing to know, originals can be found listed in the roster within the server.

BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL

Arthur Maxson

Aspirant Dane

Initiate Clarke

Knight Lucia

Knight Maximus

Knight Rhys

Knight-Captain Larsen

Lancer Captain Kells

Paladin Brandis

Scribe Haylen

CAESAR'S LEGION

Aurelius of Phoenix

Caesar

Gaius Magnus

Legate Lanius

Lucius

Salt-Upon-Wounds

Vulpes Inculta

MINUTEMEN

Mama Murphy

Ronnie Shaw

Sturges

NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC

10-Of-Spades

Carrie Boyd

Cassandra Moore

Chief Hanlon

Colonel Royez

Corporal Betsy

General Lee Oliver

James Hsu

Lieutenant Gorobets

Major Dhatri

Ranger Ghost

Sergeant Bitter-Root

NUKA-WORLD RAIDERS

Dixie

Lizzie Wyath

Mags Black

Mason

Nisha

Savoy

Sierra Petrovita

William Black

PLAYER CHARACTERS

Courier Six

Lone Wanderer

Sole Survivor

THE COMPANIONS

Ada

Arcade Gannon

Butch DeLoria

Cait

Charon

Christine Royce

Clover

Codsworth

Craig Boone

Curie

Deacon

Dean Domino

Dog/God

Fawkes

Jericho

John Hancock

Joshua Graham

Lily Bowen

Nick Valentine

Paladin Danse

Piper Wright

Porter Gage

Preston Garvey

Raul Tejada

Robert MacCready

Rose Of Sharon Cassidy

Star Paladin Cross

Strong

Veronica Santangelo

X6-88

THE INSTITUTE

Conrad Kellogg

Dr. Allie Filmore

Dr. Clayton Holdren

Dr. Justin Ayo

Dr. Madison Li

Father / Shaun

THE RAILROAD

Boxer

Desdemona

Dr. Stanley Carrington

Drummer Boy

Glory

High Rise

Old Man Stockton

Ricky Dalton

Terry

Tinker Tom

OTHERS

Benny Gecko

Cooper Howard

Daisy

Dr. Amari

Fahrenheit

Follows-Chalk

Irma

Kent Connolly

Lucy MacLean

Mr. House

The King

Ulysses

Waking Cloud

Yes Man

[thefalloutwiki]

Fallout 4: Airships

“There were less advanced versions of this ship built on the West Coast a long time ago. Historical records about their current status are in dispute, but we're fairly certain that they were destroyed.”

- Lancer Captain Kells, Fallout 4

Two Brotherhood Soldiers can engage in dialogue, mentioning that most Airships were destroyed fighting Super Mutants or scuttled for parts, with one crash landing “somewhere in the Midwest.” You can read more about Airships here:

https://fallout.wiki/wiki/Airship

[callmewisteria]

Something Left (At The Precipice Of Something New Chapter XXI)

MacCready finds the cure for his son? Nick, Nora, Cait, and Dogmeat return to Diamond City with a few things needing preservation? Paladin Danse and his team discuss their team's work in the Commonwealth with Elder Maxson and Lancer Captain Kells? Progress but a hint of concern continues in Advanced Systems? Vadim calls on the Atom Cats and a few friends to help shore up the confidence of a certain radio DJ?

Adrenaline has subsided but not the changes of the Commonwealth. Read it on AO3, ff.net, and/or wattpad!!!

[sleepy-n-info]

~My Fallout OC~

Basic Information:

Name: Rae

Race: Ghoul

Gender: Female

Pronouns: Mostly she/her

Age: 26

Raider Overboss at Nuka World

Messenger

Travel guide

Detectives companion

Morality: <------------<>----------------->

Good Evil

Factions They Like:

Nuka World Raiders

Pack

Disciples

Minutemen

Neighborhood Watch

Diamond City Security

Harbormen

Railroad (Out of respect)

Factions They Dislike:

Brotherhood of Steel

The Institute

Operators

Gunners

Trappers

Regular Raiders

Church of the Children of Atom

Creatures They Hate:

Supermutant Suiciders

Gulpers

Anglers

Mirelurks (Queens Especially)

Ants

Crickets

Bloodworms

Yao Guai

Anything aggressive that flies

Creatures They Like:

Deathclaws

Gatorclaws

Dogs/Wolves

Cats

Mole Rats

Brahmin

Gazelles

Radstags

Ferals (In an empathetic way)

Places They Like:

Nuka World

USS Constitution (Cool Ship)

Goodneighbor

Diamond City

Far Harbor

Glowing Sea

Places They Hate:

Any and all vaults

People They Like:

Porter Gage

Nick Valentine

John Hancock

Fahrenheit

Kent

Daisy

KL-E-O

Magnolia

Irma

Amari

Whitechapel Charlie

Arlen Glass

Ellie Perkins

Edward Deegan

Jack Cabot

Paladin Danse

Robert MacCready

Preston Garvey

Sturges

Kellogg (Mixed Feelings)

Mason

Nisha & Savoy

Redeye

Deacon (Complicated)

People They Hate:

Elder Maxon

Lancer Captain Kells

Desdemona

Bobbi No-Nose

Preston Garvey Impersinator

Mags & William Black (Operators)

Eddie Winters

Engaged with: [ Porter Gage ]

Sworn Enemies with: [ Elder Maxon ]

Jobs They Had:

Overboss (Ongoing)

Messenger (delivering messages to settlements)(Ongoing)

Travel guide (Traveling with someone as that persons protection)(Ongoing)

Detectives companion (Ongoing)

Child care taker/babysitter (Did this in her teens)

Daisy's supply runner (Ongoing)

[dorimei]

im right and all of you are wrong