Following the allied victory in the second world war, an era of Cold War emerged between nuclear
armed capitalist and communist superpowers who maintained and expanded their influence
through proxy wars and puppet regimes, allowing them to steal resources from poorer nations,
using any means necessary to secure their economic, political and military interests.
Though there was a strong need for oil and more traditional energy sources,
many also invested in nuclear power, making great technological strides in compact nuclear fusion
generators and miniturized nuclear fission as well as massive supercomputers, advanced robotics,
artificial intelligence, cybernetics, power armor, laser weapons and genetic engineering.
As populations grew and resources like fossil fuels and uranium dwindled throughout the 20th
and 21st centuries, the world’s larger factions acted increasingly aggressive
leading to the Resource Wars and a growing fear of nuclear apocalypse.
Recognizing the severity of this threat, the American government collaborated with
Vault Tec industries on Project Safehouse, starting isolation experiments in 2040 so
that by 2054 they were ready to build 122 underground Vaults, under the pretense of
providing fallout shelters for segments of the population in case of nuclear war.
However, in working with the Enclave, a conspiracy of deep-state government officials, these shelters
had a larger, secret mission, with only 17 vaults designed to act normally as controls,
while the other 105 were divided between some of the largest corporations in America,
giving them a monopoly over the future of humanity, allowing them to conduct whatever
social, physical and psychological experiments they desired, implementing sometimes cruel,
violent or extreme conditions to see what succeeded and what failed,
thereby finding the best way to rebuild civilization under their leadership. The
Enclave meanwhile had it’s own goals, planning to gather data from these vaults and use it to
either conquer the wasteland or possibly leave Earth on a generational starship.
The world’s energy crisis then worsened in 2066, when the United States stopped all oil exports,
leaving China so desperate they invaded Alaska to secure some of the world’s last oil fields,
beginning the Sino-American war, the first ever direct confrontation between nuclear
armed superpowers. Tipping the scales of battle toward America, their military produced T-45d
Power Armor in 2067, suits of metal providing individual soldiers enormous protection and
the strength to carry heavy weaponry. In time these suits were upgraded further,
creating the T-51 and T-60 series. This enormous technological advantage allowed the United States
to invade mainland China and secure Alaska, so that by 2077 the government in Beijing
was on the brink of collapse. Despite their approaching victory in the Sino-American war,
the United States had many problems at home, with the New Plague killing thousands in 2053,
causing the government to close their borders and impose a national quarantine.
Two years later in 2055, the West Tec corporation ordered their California Research Facility to
start working on a cure, and while they ultimately failed, their work was repurposed in 2073 toward
the Pan-Immunity Virion Project, aiming to protect the population from biological attack. Conducting
tests in other locations across America, including Huntersville Appalachia, their research into
altering the DNA of living being made significant progress so that by 2076 the US government sent
the military to secure and oversee the project, renamed the Forced Evolutionary Virus. Under
the command of Colonel Robert Spindel aided by his second in command captain Roger Maxson, a military
contingent was sent to the WT research facility until 2077 when they and all FEV research moved
to the Mariposa Military Base. Vut everything fell apart on October 10th, when their soldiers learned
about the monstrous human experiments conducted by FEV researchers. Outraged by this revelation
all discipline broke down and the soldiers were in chaos, finding no answers or aid from their
commander Robert Spindel who had a nervous breakdown and locked himself in his office.
It therefore fell to Captain Roger Maxson to restore order, arresting,
interrogating and ultimately executing every scientist, at first refusing to believe their
work was sanctioned by the government, until eventually convinced by their corroborating
stories. As Colonel Spindel refused to cooperate, Maxson and his men broke down
the door just in time to see their commander apologize and take his own life. Rising to
face this incredible challenge, Maxson took charge and sent out a message of rebellion,
severing ties with the United States government. Shocked to receive no response, Maxson feared what
might come and so ordered his men and their families to take shelter in the facility.
These preparations proved wise as on Oct 23rd 2077, the Great War began and ended
in a matter of hours when the nations of the world launched their nuclear weapons,
resulting in the destruction of human civilization and the death of billions.
Surviving the initial devastation, Roger Maxson led his soldiers and their families to
a government bunker in the Lost Hills of southern California. And while the men were protected by
Power armor, their families were not, losing many to raiders roaming the region. Killing twice the
numbers they lost, the fallen included Roger Maxson’s wife, though his young son survived.
At some point in the journey, Sergeant Dennis Allen disobeyed orders and led a faction to break
off from the others so they might scavenge the West Tek Research Facility, now called the Glow,
where most lost their lives to the security system while survivors perished soon after.
Arriving at the Lost Hills, Maxson saw the chaos and devastation around them but only grew more
determined to keep his men together, spending the next few years crafting an ideology and philosophy
to inspire and given them hope, offering a structure by which they might live honorable,
productive lives. He also sought to make this faction entirely independent of any
previous affiliations, thereby preventing any surviving politicians from trying to
exercise authority over these former American soldiers. Establishing a paramilitary faction
under a new banner with the mission of defending their own and preserving Pre-war Civilization,
Roger Maxson founded the Brotherhood of Steel, swearing in members with an
oath of fraternity while providing a Codex to explain their doctrine and responsibilities.
Accepting both men and women into their ranks, the Brotherhood established a new hierarchy which
grew more elaborate over time, beginning with the position of High Elder, granted to Roger Maxson
as the supreme commander of all their forces. Underneath their leader, there were the Elders,
who served on the advisory ruling council or else led individual chapters of the Brotherhood. Next
came the Paladins who largely oversaw operations and training, but might also command units into
battle. Then there were the Knights, focused primarily on combat and field operations. The
lowest rank of the Brotherhood were Initiates, young men and women under training so they might
eventually ascend to a higher position depending on their specific talents. When their technology
advanced to the point of reclaiming flight, they started the Lancers branch,
training them as pilots for transportation and deadly air support. Aside from the military ranks,
there was also the civilian Scribe branch of the Brotherhood, charged with research, keeping
records and improving upon existing technology. There were also some specialty ranks developed
throughout the years, like Knight-Errant, Officer of the Watch, Operations Officer and the east
coast Sentinels who bypassed the hierarchy to receive orders directly from an Elder.
Expanding their influence across the Wasteland, the Brotherhood was
eventually joined by a national guard unit stationed near the Mariposa base,
but Roger Maxson had larger aspirations, using satellites to send out communications,
seeking contact with any other surviving military units. Eventually he reached Lt Elizabeth Taggerdy
in Appalachia, a former comerade and friend of Maxson who was initially skeptical of his vision
for the Brotherhood, but eventually joined, becoming leader of their Appalachian branch.
Building up their forces in the east, Paladin Taggerdy allied with the local
Responders militia to defeat an army of super mutants in the Battle of Huntersville,
after which they were congratulated by Roger Maxson who announced the new
longterm mission for the Brotherhood of Steel, to one day restore civilization
specifically through the acquisition, utilization and preservation of technology.
After their victory in Huntersville, the Appalachian brotherhood turned their attention
to fighting back against the mutated humans and beasts suffering from the Scorched plague,
enduring so many losses Paladin Taggerdy requested permission to use nuclear missiles,
which was immediately dismissed by Maxson who refused to ever consider the use of
such weapons. When communication equipment broke down, cutting Appalachia off from the leadership
in New California, Taggerdy obeyed orders and continued the fight as best she could
until 2095 when they were destroyed in their last stand at Fort Defiance.
In 2103 Maxson sent the First Expeditionary Force led by Leila Rahmani to make contact with
the Appalachian branch, only to discover their eastern brethren were lost. Re-establishing the
organization, Rahmani eventually found and destroyed an Enclave communicator,
purposely cutting them off from contacting the leadership back West,
believing they were a hindrance to her personal mission of helping regular people. But not all
agreed with her decision, leading to conflict with her second in command Daniel Shin who
remained loyal to the Lost Hills and their original mission. Thanks to the intervention
of a hero from Vault 76, the question of leadership was finally decided in 2104.