Owyn Lyons

Elder Owyn Lyons (2202-2278) is the leader of Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel in  Fallout 3.

Background
Lyons was born in 2202, and was originally a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin stationed at the Lost Hills bunker in South California. In 2254 the Brotherhood's ruling council decided to send a contingent of soldiers to the East Coast, to scour the ruins of east coast cities and bases for technology. A small but hardened contingent of Brotherhood of Steel soldiers, led by Paladin Lyons (and accompanied by his three year-old daughter Sarah, friend and technological adviser Scribe Rothchild, as well as Star Paladin Cross, Paladin Henry Casdin, Initiate Ishmael Ashur, Paladin Tristan, Knight Captain Colvin and Paladin Gunny) set out from Lost Hills and began the long trek east to what was once Washington, D.C.

On their way during their journey to the Capital Wasteland, the Brotherhood's expeditionary force came across the ruins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In a single night, the Brotherhood swept through the city from their staging area at Mount Wash, eliminating any resident who put up a fight. The intent of the Scourge remains unclear, however several unmutated children were taken from The Pitt by the Brotherhood and placed into initiate training. The motivations for the Scourge remain unclear, but many in the Brotherhood note that it was a marked change in the way the Brotherhood operates. Additionally, it is known that something was recovered from The Pitt during the Scourge, although to date it would seem that only Elder Lyons knows what it was. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.43-44: "Pitt Raiders Pitt Slaves Trogs Wildmen Following the Great War, survivors established a settlement on the remains of a city at the confluence of rivers. The rivers seem to provide a clear resource, and enough of the city was cleared by the bombs that a new settlement could be established. However, radioactive material and unidentified mutagens mixed into the groundwater, causing it to become slightly mutagenic and highly carcinogenic. As a result, the people in the new settlement began to change ever so slightly. ''The changes were subtle, not nearly to the degree of the Super Mutants or the various Wasteland creatures, but over the next 140 years, it became undeniable that something was affecting the people of The Pitt. Starting from the first few years, children were often born with strange growths or extra vestigial limbs. The mutations never went far beyond the occasional hunchback or cleft palate, but it wasn't long before the vast majority of the residents of The Pitt developed some sort of physical deformity in their lifetimes. Although many children were born "clean," the older they got, the more likely that a problem would develop. The most disturbing change that the environment caused was not nearly as noticeable as the physical deformities. The infected water and poisoned sky began to cause neurological damage to those exposed to it. People became more hostile, violent, and short-tempered; they became known as "Wildmen." Their emotions became out of control, and their actions often teetered on primal. In severe cases, mutated humans devolved into hunched, savage beasts nicknamed "Trogs." Over the first 50 years, The Pitt quickly degenerated into a dangerous den of murderers and rapists; even cannibalism was not uncommon. The only loyalty was in strength, and the only organization was between those who were strong enough to control others and those who were controlled. Rumors of the horrors of The Pitt spread throughout the Wasteland, and all travelers knew to avoid it at all costs. However, The Pitt became one of the most self-sufficient communities in the Wastes. Granted, their self-sufficiency relied on the citizens occasionally eating one another, but they functioned without trade or export. In 2042 [sic], Star Paladin Lyons of the Brotherhood of Steel led the Scourge, a large-scale military action that wiped out nearly the entire population of The Pitt. In a single night, the Brotherhood swept through the city, eliminating any resident who put up a fight. Although the intent of the Scourge remains unclear, several unmutated children were taken from The Pitt by the Brotherhood and placed into initiate training. The motivations for the Scourge are unclear to this day, but many in the Brotherhood note that it was a marked change in the way the Brotherhood operates. Additionally, it is known that something was recovered from The Pitt during the Scourge, although to date it would seem that only Elder Lyons knows what it was. It is said that a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin from the Scourge stayed on in The Pitt, seeking to bring law and order to the unwashed masses and creating an underclass of Pitt Slaves in the process, guarded by Pitt Raiders under his personal command. However, in the decades following the events of the Scourge, nobody has heard anything from The Pitt. Travelers who have gone to investigate have not returned, and no survivors have emerged."'' (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide faction profiles)

Lyons' group finally arrived in the Capital Wasteland in 2255, establishing a base of operations within the Pentagon in the first few months. Though the Pentagon was largely destroyed its sub-levels remained intact and its stockpiles contained undisturbed pre-War technology and weaponry to sustain their operations. The crown jewel was Liberty Prime, a technological marvel that, if restored, could help the Brotherhood of Steel rebuild its strength and reputation that had been declining steadily for years. The discovery of Liberty Prime earned Paladin Lyons a battlefield promotion to Elder, and a new directive from his superiors in Southern California – to establish a new, permanent Brotherhood base in the Capital Wasteland, and continue the search for any other advanced technology hidden in the former capital city’s ruins.

Shortly after their arrival, Lyons' scouts have identified a new threat in the area: a peculiar breed of super mutants, infesting the deserted ruins of downtown D.C. Concerned by their presence and convinced that they are the primary threat to the Wasteland, Lyons initiated a protracted campaign of aggression to exterminate them. At the same time, Lyons lent assistance to James and Catherine, a pair of scientists attempting to build a mass-scale purifier, intending to supply the wasteland with a virtually inexhaustible source of fresh, purified water, reducing their dependence on local purification methods. But Project Purity failed to take off, despite the Brotherhood's involvement. Frustrated, Lyons withdrew his forces, leaving the Project to fend for himself. It died shortly after, together with Catherine, James wife.

The newly appointed Elder decided, in spite of evidence to the contrary, that the super mutants were a threat not just to the Brotherhood and their scouts in D.C., but all the people in the Wasteland. Thus, he began to direct resources towards fighting the mutants, gradually reducing the importance of fulfilling the primary mission objective, that is, recovering technology.

With the conflict straining his resources, Lyons attempted to persuade the West Coast, for several years to send reinforcements and supplies, claiming to be following the mission objectives, but in secret, he continued to order his subordinates to save people by killing super mutants. However, no lie can be sustained indefinitely. Things came to a head when Lyons outright refused to follow a direct order from the Elders. In response, the West Coast swiftly cut him loose, shutting off communications and denying any and all reinforcements. By 2277 there was no communication between the Lyons' chapter and Brotherhood HQ for years.

The conflict with the Super Mutants dragged on for years, straining resources and manpower to the breaking point. Without the Brotherhood's support, the situation became progressively worse. However, Lyons' men continued to stick with him and follow his orders, primarily out of the doctrine of loyalty the Brotherhood taught them from birth. However, there were soldiers under his command dissatisfied with Lyons' focus on protecting the wastes by killing supermutants, seeing it as an ineffectual waste of men and resources that would ultimately destroy the Brotherhood. The situation gradually worsened, finally tipping when Elder Lyons ignored their repeated requests to recover tech from Fort Independence, a pre-War scientific military base. Rallying behind Paladin Henry Casdin, the dissenters abandoned Lyons' command and left the Citadel, taking a large part of its weapons and equipment stockpiles with them. The loss of men and materiel had a significant negative impact on the combat performance of Lyons' chapter, greatly reducing its ability to project power throughout the Capital Wasteland.

As such, Lyons' Brotherhood began 2277 as a diminished, weakened force, suffering from a shortage of qualified combat personnel and severely depleted stocks of weapons and equipment. As a result, the Brotherhood had a limited presence outside the Citadel, with only a handful of reinforced outposts scattered across the Washington metropolitan area, making Elder Lyons incredibly tired by his inability to act. Lyons would eventually pass away around 2278, leaving behind leadership to his daughter Sarah Lyons.

Legacy
After Lyons' death, Elder Arthur Maxson would eventually succeed at Lyons' goal of exterminating the super mutants from the Capital Wasteland and would eventually recombine the Lyons' Brotherhood with the Outcasts into a once again unified Brotherhood of Steel. With the newly formed Brotherhood of Steel though, Lyons' previous accomplishments as the last long-standing Elder would be diminished in the wake of Elder Arthur Maxson's achievements. Despite being the Elder that was responsible for leading and navigating the original Brotherhood contingent through The Pitt, discovering the Citadel (and in turn Liberty Prime), leading during the Battle of Project Purity and then defeating the Enclave at Adams Air Force Base, little over a decade later, Elder Lyons would primarily be remembered as the foolish Elder that lead the Brotherhood astray from their true path of preserving technology. Its even espoused by some officers of reunified Brotherhood that Maxson is the sole reason for the Brotherhood's newfound momentum as a military force, and if not for him the Brotherhood on the east coast would still be a small group of stragglers in the Citadel.

Some members found the character assassination of Owyn Lyons under Elder Arthur Maxson distasteful and deserted out of respect for Lyons, however, those were a minority and majority remained with the newly reformed and refocused Brotherhood under Maxson

Personality
Elder Lyons has a powerful, charismatic personality and is one of the key factors keeping his chapter together. He cares for his men, but has several character flaws: he can be petty, banning any and all mention of the Outcasts in the Citadel after their departure, or threatening others with violence, particularly when they refuse to answer a query.

Relationships
His daughter, Sarah Lyons, is a member of the Brotherhood with the unique rank of Sentinel. Reginald Rothchild is an old friend of Elder Lyons.

Daily schedule
As the leader of Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel, Lyons spends most of his day in the Citadel Lab, A-Ring or B-Ring. He regularly converses with the Scribes Rothchild, Bowditch and Peabody on their various projects. In addition, he checks up on the progress on the Brotherhood's major project, rebuilding Liberty Prime, and supervises the armory as well as the smithy. When he is not working in the Citadel Lab, he is usually eating in the A-Ring's Great Hall, studying in his room in B-Ring or sleeping.

Quests

 * The Waters of Life: Lyons allows the Rivet City science department and the player safety within the Citadels walls.
 * Picking up the Trail: Lyons asks you to find a G.E.C.K. in Vault 87.
 * Take it Back!: After thought out deliberation, Elder Lyons gives the order to assault the Jefferson Memorial and retake Project Purity from the Enclave.
 * Death From Above: After waking up from two weeks of unconsciousness, Lyons tells the player what has happened in the past two weeks and directs you to Paladin Tristan who will brief the player on the Brotherhoods next move.

Other interactions

 * Elder Lyons can grant the player permission for training in the use of power armor with Paladin Gunny.
 * Elder Lyons can grant the player permission for trading with the Citadel's quartermaster, Knight Captain Durga.
 * Elder Lyons will pay the player 100 caps and good karma for any information on super mutants. The first piece of information can be found when exploring Vault 87, and discovering that it is a breeding ground for super mutants, though it is suspected that speaking to Uncle Leo about the "metal place" is required for the Lone Wanderer to figure out what Vault 87 really is. Other pieces can be obtained from Uncle Leo.

Effects of player actions

 * Choosing to destroy the Citadel in Who Dares Wins results in Owyn Lyons' death.

Behind the scenes
"I likened Elder Lyons's situation to that of the Vault Dweller in Fallout. Both of them were raised in an insular, xenophobic, technologically advanced society, were cast out of that society on a mission to find some important tech, and found themselves alone and in control of their destiny for the first time. And like the Vault Dweller ( at least, the Vault Dweller on my saved games ), he displayed that all-too human trait of compassion and went about helping people.

I think a lot of what kept the Brotherhood how the Brotherhood was, dogmatic, secretive, and so on, was their group-imposed isolation. Once you send a contingent out into the wastes, away from that continual feedback of norms and values, people are bound to start making up their own minds about things."

- Ricardo Gonzalez


 * Source of the above post.

Appearances
Owyn Lyons appears in Fallout 3 and Fallout Shelter as a legendary vault dweller, and is only mentioned in Fallout 4.