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Mentioned-only character
Roger Maxson
Biography and appearance
RaceHuman
GenderMale
AffiliationUnited States of America (formerly)
United States Army (formerly)
Brotherhood of Steel
RoleMariposa Military Base security force second in command
Founder of the Brotherhood of Steel
RankCaptain
High Elder
FamilyMrs. Maxson (unnamed wife)
Maxson II (son)
John Maxson (grandson)
Jeremy Maxson (descendant) Van BurenGametitle-VB
Jessica Maxson (descendant)
Arthur Maxson (descendant)[1]
Gameplay
Mentioned inFallout
Fallout 3
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout Bible
Fallout 76
Technical
Editor IDBoSRogerMaxson
 
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO3Gametitle-FNVGametitle-F76Gametitle-FB
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO3Gametitle-FNVGametitle-F76Gametitle-FB

...They remember Jefferson Davis. What will history say about me?

Cpt. Maxon's diary, October 20, 2077

High Elder Roger Maxson (service number 072389) was a Captain of the United States Army and the founder of the Brotherhood of Steel and its first High Elder after the Great War.

Biography[]

In 2076, the NBC division of West-Tek achieved breakthrough results in the Pan-Immunity Virion Project. The United States Defense Department, in fear of international espionage, moved a military team under the command of Colonel Robert Spindel and Captain Roger Maxson onto the site to secure and oversee the project, now dubbed the FEV (Forced Evolutionary Virus) project.[2] On January 7, 2077, all FEV research was moved to the newly constructed Mariposa Military Base to commence testing of the virus on human subjects.[3][4] The security team was transferred to the newly constructed base as well, to provide protection for the research going on within the facility. They were not informed of the nature of the research.[5]

The secrecy backfired shortly before October 10, 2077, when soldiers stationed at the base discovered the human testing that was going on at the base, made worse by the fact that the scientists were using military prisoners as test subjects. Colonel Spindel suffered a nervous breakdown, locking himself in his office, leaving Captain Maxson to handle the deteriorating situation at the base. The soldiers were screaming for blood and became increasingly aggressive. When two days later, on October 12, the Captain stopped a soldier from murdering a scientist, he ordered the scientists to be interrogated.[5]

The first scientist to be interrogated by Captain Maxson was Robert Anderson, Chief Researcher of the research team at Mariposa. Anderson explained that the testing at the facility was sanctioned and, in fact, ordered by the government, as he outlined the experiments to the Captain. When Maxson refused to believe him, the scientist lost his nerve and started screaming how he was just following orders and that he was also a military man. In response, Captain Maxson murdered him.[5]

This established Maxson as the leader of the rebellion. His position was further reinforced on October 15, when Colonel Spindel committed suicide as his men broke into his office. Subsequent scientist interrogations invariably ended in executions. By October 18, the scientists of the project were all dead, murdered by Captain Maxson. Erin Shellman held out the longest, almost convincing the Captain that the experiments were really ordered by the government.[5] On October 20, 2077, Captain Maxson declared his unit in full secession from the United States, attempting to force the government to respond to the situation at Mariposa. No response came. A day later, he ordered the families of soldiers under his command to take shelter within the facility.[5]

On October 23, 2077, the Great War struck. As Maxson was halfway through prying the story from Leon von Felden at West Tek, he was cut off by the nuclear detonation at the West Tek research facility. Spared the nuclear devastation, Mariposa protected the inhabitants from nuclear fallout and the wild FEV flooding the wasteland. Fearing that China would soon make up for the oversight, on October 24, Maxson ordered his soldiers and their families to prepare to vacate the base the next day.[6].

On October 25, Sgt. Platner volunteered to take atmospheric readings outside the base. Reporting no significant amounts of radiation in the atmosphere, final preparations for the exodus were undertaken. On October 26, Maxson ordered the remains of the scientists to be buried in the wastes outside the base. A day later, on October 27, former US servicemen and their families left the base under the lead of Captain Roger Maxson, heading for the Lost Hills government bunker in the south.[5]

In November, a few weeks later, the refugees arrived at the bunker. The people suffered casualties along the way, as while the soldiers enjoyed the protection afforded by their T-51 power armor, their families had naught. Marauders that attacked the caravan on its quickly learned to target the unprotected civilians. Although for every lost civilian two raiders fell, many lives were lost, including Roger Maxson's wife (but not his teenage son).[7][8] Several soldiers broke off during the Exodus as well, under Sergeant Dennis Allen.[9] He demanded the leadership to allow him and his group to explore the ruins of the West Tek Research Facility for advanced technologies left behind. Ignoring warnings from Captain Maxson, Allen's faction separated from the main caravan and ventured southeast to the Glow, taking their power armor with them. They were never heard from again.[10]

The remaining Exodus survivors claimed the bunker as their own. Lost Hills became the headquarters of the newly formed Brotherhood of Steel. The refugees expanded and adapted it to fit their own needs, becoming a bastion of technology in a world that has lost centuries of technological development overnight.[11]

Guardians of Civilization[]

The beliefs of the Brotherhood were shaped by the experiences of Captain Maxson. At first, the Brotherhood focused on aiding survivors to the best of its ability, acting as an armed fighting force, rather than a military order it would become. The change came with the realization that the collective knowledge of humanity was in danger of being lost for generations to come. To keep the secrets of the past alive, Maxson decided to dedicate the Brotherhood to the preservation of technology and human knowledge, collecting it in order that the Brotherhood might become the catalyst of humanity's rebirth. As the guardian's of civilization, the Brotherhood would focus on the big picture, with direct aid considered a secondary concern.[12] While Scribes were originally considered second-rate members, tools to protect Knights and maintain the Brotherhood's bases, this change in priorities placed them on equal footing with soldiers of the Brotherhood, tasked with preserving and developing technologies recovered from the field by the Knights.[12]

Maxson's intention was to maintain the Brotherhood as an organization that works closely with people outside of the Brotherhood, as guardians of civilizations, not its gatekeepers. His idea of an open Brotherhood put him at odds with isolationist members of the Brotherhood, including his own son and Paladin Lizzy Taggerdy, head of the Appalachian chapter. Although nobody confronted him openly on the issue, out of respect for his role as founder, Roger Maxson was in the minority.[13]

In 2135, General Roger Maxson died of cancer. Already a legendary figure to the Brotherhood, he was deified as the Founder and Deliverer. His son, Maxson II, replaced him as the High Elder, while his grandson, John Maxson, joined the Paladin caste, showing great promise.[7] Although the new leadership paid lip service to his ideals, they moved to isolate the Brotherhood from the outside. The most noticeable effect of the change in leadership was the cessation of outside recruitment by 2141, relying solely on natural growth.[14]

Appearances in games[]

Roger Maxson is mentioned in Fallout, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. His speeches and conversations with Paladin Lizzy Taggerdy feature in Fallout 76, with Maxson receiving a voice for the first time in 21 years since the first game was released.

References

  1. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.98: "Squire Arthur Maxson
    Squire Maxson is a descendant of the legendary Roger Maxson, founder of the Brotherhood of Steel. His father, a high-ranking Paladin serving just outside the N.C.R. (New California Republic), was recently killed in battle, and his mother, the Lady Maxson, sent the boy east to be raised under the tutelage of the respected Elder Lyons. Squire Maxson tends toward timidity, which is the main reason his mother sent him to the Citadel."
    (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
  2. GPWRTERM.MSG: "{242}{}{In light of significant advances in 2076 by the NBC on the Pan-Immunity Virion Project, the United States Defense Department, in fear of international espionage,}"
    "{243}{}{ moved a team onto the site to secure and oversee the project, now dubbed the FEV (Forced Evolutionary Virus) project.}"
  3. GPWRTERM.MSG: "{236}{}{2077. FEV nears completion. Test on lab animals are at a near 100% success rate. Size and muscle density increase approximately 60%, and the protential intelligence increase by 200%. }"
    "{237}{}{Effects upon human subjects remain unknown; although they are theoretically promising. }"
    "{238}{}{The military, wishing to continue further testing, builds a large facility at the Mariposa military installation in central California. At this new facility, testing of the FEV virus continues on volunteer subjects from the military.}"
  4. FEV experiment disk: "Log Date January 7, 2077: Major Barnett has ordered transfer of all FEV research to the Mariposa Military Base. He plans to continue the project experiments on volunteer subjects. I am against this, and would like it noted here that research on human subjects is not recommended by myself or my staff."
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Captain Maxson's diary: "Oct 10, 2077: I, Roger Maxson, Captain, serial number 072389 have started this log because it doesn't look good for any of us, and I'd like for people to know what really happened here.
    All hell broke loose when we finally discovered what those scientist bastards were up to. The Colonel has locked himself in his office and seems to be having some sort of breakdown. The men are screaming for blood. They're looking to me for answers, and I'm not sure what to do. Someone has to do something, though, before this place sinks into an anarchistic bloodbath.
    Oct. 12 2077: Every time we get a report from higher up things get worse here. The war is going in a very bad direction and this place is about to go into full mutiny, with all the chaos that entails. I stopped one of the men from executing a scientist today, and demanded that we interrogate them to find out what their orders were.
    Oct.13 2077: I killed a man today. I was interrogating Chief Scientist Anderson and he was giving me the full details of their inhuman experiments. He said his orders came from the Gov't., but I didn't buy it. He started screaming about how he was following orders, how he was a military man, and I just shot him. I tell myself it was to keep him from causing a full mutiny among the men, but I'm not so sure.
    Oct.15 2077: I tried again to speak to the colonel through the door, but he seems to have completely lost touch with reality. I broke down the door with several of the men just in time to watch him blow his head off. Right before he pulled the trigger he said he was sorry.
    Oct. 18 2077: By killing the egghead, I seem to have confirmed my position as leader of the men. They follow me without question now. The interrogations invariably end up being executions. Shellman held out the longest, but the end result was the same. Her arguments about her orders were a bit too specific to be completely made up. I'm getting a real bad feeling in my gut about how this is all going to end up. I don't even lie to myself anymore about my reasons for executing the scientists.
    Oct.20 2077: I finally replied to the outside world over our radio. I don't know why they never sent anyone here to see what was happening when we stopped responding to their transmissions. It doesn't make any sense. Well, they'll come now. I declared ourselves seceded from the union. They remember Jefferson Davis. What will history say about me?
    Oct.22 2077: What the hell is going on? We declare ourselves to be in full desertion from the army and no longer under the Government's command and what happens? Nothing. Something bad is coming down.
    Oct. 23 2077: I can't believe those bastards finally did it. Damn them all to Hell. They finally let the A-Bombs fly. We were right in the middle of trying to pry the real story out of von Felden when we completely lost contact. I have a feeling the research center was hit hard. I don't know why, just call it a gut feeling. It seems inconceivable that we were not targeted. I'm sure China will make up for that oversight real soon. Luckily, we had moved our families from outside into the facility the day before yesterday. We do not yet know if the fallout has reached this area.
    Oct. 25 2077: Sgt. Platner volunteered to go outside today to take specific readings on the atmosphere. It seems the radiation has not spread this far. Since he was wearing his power armor, there was no threat to him from radiation, but if he had been exposed he would have had to be exiled. We don't have adequate decontamination facilities here.
    Oct. 26 2077: I convinced the men that we should bury the scientists. I don't know why...perhaps it was to ease my conscience. I finally started to believe their stories when the last one was dying. My God, what have I become?
    Oct. 27 2077: We're leaving this godforsaken place today. I'm leading the exodus to the old government bunker at Lost Hills. I'm leaving this log behind to be buried when this place goes in the next exchange. Who knows, maybe someone will find it someday....."
  6. Maxson log
  7. 7.0 7.1 Fallout Bible 0 Timeline repair: Second strike:
    "2077 Nov Captain Maxson, his men, and their families, arrive at the Lost Hills bunker a few weeks later, suffering many casualties along the way, including Maxson's wife (but not his teenage son). The Lost Hills bunker becomes the HQ of the Brotherhood of Steel the Vault Dweller finds in Fallout 1."
    "2135 Elder Roger Maxson dies of cancer, and his son, already an accomplished soldier, takes up the role of "General" (Elder) within the Brotherhood of Steel. John Maxson becomes a member of the Paladins, showing tremendous promise as a soldier."
  8. Sophia's tape: "The Exodus from the accursed base was a trying time for the men and their families. While there was no radioactive fallout to contend with, they were frequently beset by the fallout of humanity. Roving bands of psychotic marauders attempted several attacks on that noble group. The company itself was in no danger, for they wore the Armor of Power. Members of their families were not so lucky. Once the vermin found out they were easily repelled, they began to fire on the unarmed civilians from a distance. They took a great many casualties, yet for every member of the Exodus that was struck down in this way, our noble brethren took two lives from the wasteland."
  9. Cabbot's dialogue: "{226}{Cab_64}{Oh, well, in the Exodus, the Brotherhood split into two groups. The group that broke away robbed the others of some of the weapons an-and they went south. Then about ten years ago we sent out knights to look for them and all they found was ruins. No one knows what happened.}"
    "{1012}{}{Exodus}" (The Vault Dweller)
    "{1111}{Cab_64}{Oh, well, in the Exodus, the Brotherhood split into two groups. The group that broke away robbed the others of some of the weapons an-and went southwest. About ten years ago, we sent out knights to look for them, but all they found was ruins. No one knows what happened.}"
  10. Sophia's tape: "Yet there were those who sought still more. These restless souls demanded we look to the southeast for the advanced technology that was supposedly housed there. Capt. Maxson warned these impetuous youths that the research facility was doubtlessly destroyed when we were spared, but they would not hear his words. They took their sanctified armor and headed off to find their Holy Grail, but not before they spoke the Deliverer's name in vain, questioning his very bravery! These men were never heard from again."
  11. Sophia's tape: "In the fullness of time the bunker became our home, our temple and our salvation from the terrors of the outside world. We began to build and shape our fortress into something glorious, the beauty of which the technologically bereft world had never seen before."
  12. 12.0 12.1 Preservation of Technology
  13. Elder Maxson's Final Conversation
  14. John Maxson: "{106}{Gen_1}{Hello, youngster. Cabbot said you wanted to talk. Look I'm uh . . . I'm pretty stacked up right now, so I'll uh . . . I'll help you out as long as you don't start flappin' your gums too much. You know, outsiders are like that, always jawin' . . . Hehehe. Kinda like me, huh?}" The Vault Dweller: "{107}{}{Outsiders? What do you mean by that?}" John Maxson: "{113}{Gen_3}{An Initiate not born here. You're the first Outsider we've let join in a long, long time. Well, near on twenty years now. }" (MAXSON.MSG)"
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