The Motherlode (2024)

“Uncover the secret of Hornwright Industrial's "Motherlode."”

The Motherlode is a side quest in Fallout 76. This quest can be discovered while exploring Hornwright Industrial Headquarters.

Quick walkthrough[]

Detailed walkthrough[]

There are two ways to enter the headquarters. There is a chance super mutants or Scorched may spawn upon ariving, killing one another. The player may choose to either enter view the roof access, or by the first floor entrance, which leads to the lobby. In the lobby of the Hornwright Industrial HQ is an office belonging to Yvette Wiesman. Using the terminal and accessing the archived message dated 9.29.77 will finish the miscelanous quest "Explore Hornwright Industrial HQ" and begin The Motherlode. The water on the floor is highly toxic. The player character will be instructed to search Penny's (Penelope Hornwright - Sr. Ops Exec) office for more information. Her office is located on the fourth floor of the building. There is also an elevator door in this room that the player character will return to later on. In Penny's office upstairs, there is another terminal to use. Accessing the archived message dated 9.30.77 will progress the quest.

The player will need to acquire an ID card, which allows access to the elevators located in the lobby floor. Located on the third floor of the building, inside of an office to the left is the Hornwright Hiring System. To obtain the ID card necessary for progression, the player must find a resume and hire themselves with the terminal. Note the Hornwright Senior Exam is optional, and all 5 answers must be answered correctly to pass it. The answers are as follows.

• Q1: 2
• Q2: 2 or 3
• Q3: 1
• Q4: 2
• Q5: 1

The next room on the floor has a desk where one can find the Senior executive exam updates holotape, which when played will update the mission. The player must now head to the company archives room on the second floor and use the terminal inside. Accessing the Human Resources files and selecting Penny's resume file will add her resume to the player inventory for use in the testing room. Once the resume has been acquired, deposit the resume into the resume receptacle.

The room connected to the testing room has the ID card printer, sitting on top of a file cabinet. Activating it will grant the player the ID card required to access the Executive level. Once on the executive level, the player must walk through the now deactivated laser grid, and activate the external connection system terminal. The computer will request a repair beacon, which can be found inside the same room. Afterwards, the player must look for a set of terminals behind the ECS terminal, up a short set of steps. Interact with the research terminal and access the research notations, then power struggles. This will give the player character the beacon code (36984).

Use the keypad to put the code into the security box behind the research terminal. This will dispense a repair beacon in the machine to the left. Activate the dispenser to gain the beacon. Afterwards, the player must head to the room opposite of them, which is now open, and find the elevator, then take it to the "sub room." The beacon launcher is standing in toxic water, and must be reached to activate it. The player will encounter Mole miners, which must be dealt with before moving on. Afterwards, a large drilling machine will appear from the floor. After it leaves, access the motherlode at the docking station dispenser in the same room.

Rewards[]

Quest stages[]

Quest stages
Stage	Status	Description	Log Entry
?		Explore Hornwright Industrial HQ
?		Search Penny's office for info about the "Motherlode"	Sound like this Penny Hornwright might be able to help me get to the bottom of this "Motherlode." Maybe if I search her office I can find more information.
?		Find a way to acquire an ID to access the upper floors.	It seems I'm going to need to gain access to the Hornwright R&D lab in order to find out more about this "Motherlode," but I can't get in there without a Senior Executive ID. Sounds like I might be able to pick one up in the HR department. OR It seems Hornwright Industrial was working on a project codenamed "The Motherlode" but I'm going to need to need find a Senior Executive ID to find out more. Apparently I might be able to get one from HR.
?		Find a way to impersonate a Senior Executive	Apparently only Senior Executives can print out new ID cards. Great. Maybe there's some way I can trick the system into thinking I'm an exec.
?		Find a Senior Executive resume	I've got two options to fake my way into a Senior Executive position - turn in a resume to the hiring system or ace the Senior Executive hiring exam. Maybe they've got an old resume on file I could use? Or maybe a list of the exam answers around here somewhere?
?		Pass the Hornwright Senior Executive Exam
?		(Optional) Find the answers for the Senior Executive Exam	I found the answers to the Senior Executive Exam. Hornwright Industrial's about to have a new employee.
?		(Optional) Collect the exam answers from Tech Support
?		Search the company archives for an Executive Resume	I found the resume of Penny Hornwright, one of the company's executives. I should turn this in to the hiring system.
?		Deposit the resume in the receptacle
?		Return to the hiring system for your results	Looks like I aced the Hornwright Senior Executive Exam. Now I just have to check in with hiring system.
?		Explore the building's upper floor for info on the "Motherlode"	Hornwright Senior Executive ID acquired. Now I should be able to get into the offices on the upper floors.
?		Search the lab for information on where to find a Repair Beacon	I spoke to the Motherlode ... I think. It's a robot? It didn't sound like it was in great shape. It asked me to get it a "Repair Beacon." Maybe I can find one nearby.
?		Requisition the repair beacon - Code 36984	I found the requisition code for the repair beacon: 36984. Now I just need to plug it in.
?		Collect the repair beacon	Repair beacon issued! Now I just need to collect it and I should be able to use it to help the Motherlode.
?		Deploy the repair beacon	Repair beacon acquired. It sounds like I'll need to head down the elevator to deploy it to help the Motherlode.
?		Collect the Motherlode's gift	It appears the Motherlode left me a thank you present for helping to repair it and said it would be in contact in the future. Friendliest drill I've ever met.

Notes[]

• The answers to the exam are now located on the third floor, laying on a printer inside of a room.
• A Hazmat suit, Radaway, or Rad-X is advised for the room containing the Radar Beacon, due to the nature of the toxic water.

Gallery[]

See also[]

• System voice