The Prydwen (2024)

The Prydwen is an aircraft created and used by the Brotherhood of Steel and a location in the Commonwealth inFallout 4. It also makes an appearance^Note inthe Fallout TV series.

History[]

Background[]

The next generation of Brotherhood airships was born after the defeat of the Enclave at Adams Air Force Base in 2277, with work starting around 2278.^[1] The sharpest minds the Brotherhood had at its disposal spent two years on its design and assembling the necessary parts, salvaging scrap metal and Enclave equipment from the ruined AFB. Once the design process was complete around 2280,^[2] it took over two years to assemble the airship and launch its maiden voyage in 2282.^[3][4] With Proctor Ingram's oversight, the first post-War airship^{[Non-game 1]} has remained travel-ready and afloat,^[5] providing the Brotherhood with an unparalleled aerial advantage in the wasteland.^[6]

The airship was not initially under Arthur Maxson's command after its launch, instead operating outside the Capital Wasteland, nor did it have its name yet.^[7] It eventually was assigned to him and was christened the Prydwen by the Elder himself, a name he took from "historical fiction" about a man destined to be a king, and his journey to liberate his people from tyranny and oppression.^[8] Under the direction of its skipper, Lancer-Captain Kells, the Prydwen underwent extensive travels along the East Coast^[9] before it was re-deployed to the Commonwealth in 2287, in response to the reports by Recon Squad Gladius confirming the existence of the Institute. Its deployment signaled to the Brotherhood that they were going into full-scale war against their enemy.^[10]

Arriving in the region shortly after the Sole Survivor entered Fort Hagen looking for Conrad Kellogg, Boston Airport was chosen as the sight of the airship's mooring, as it had intact pre-War electrical systems to support the Prydwen's massive energy requirements without wasting fuel, and was remote enough to allow most incoming threats to be seen while simultaneously keeping it within striking distance of the city.^[11][12]

Conflict in the Commonwealth[]

Over the course of the War of the Commonwealth, the carrier serves as the flagship, mobile command center, and headquarters for the organization. Lancer-Captain Kells is posted on the bridge on the command deck's bottom level, overseeing field operations, while Elder Maxson himself resides on the top level. Proctor Teagan, head of the Order of the Sword, acts as the Prydwen's quartermaster, with his station in the armory on the main deck. The head of the airport supply depot, Knight-Sergeant Gavil, answers directly to him. Proctor Ingram, head of the Order of the Shield, works in the power armor maintenance bay on the main deck. She oversees engineering and maintenance duties both aboard the Prydwen and at the airport. It's her job to ensure the reactor remains operational and the ship airborne. She also works towards restoring Liberty Prime, the keystone of Elder Maxson's stratagem against the Institute. Proctor Quinlan, head of the Order of the Quill, oversees research and recovery operations from his quarters on the main deck, opposite the clinic. All field scribes answer to him, and he personally checks every technical document brought in from the field by scribes or other Brotherhood operatives.

Apart from the elder, captain and proctors, the chapter has other prominent members posted onboard the Prydwen. Knight-Captain Cade, one of the Brotherhood's most talented physicians, works in the clinic on the main deck, treating wounded soldiers and assessing new recruits to confirm whether they are ready for combat. He is notoriously strict such as refusing Paladin Brandis for duty (should the paladin choose to return) until either The Nuclear Option for the Brotherhood or Mass Fusion for the Institute while working for the Railroad is completed. Senior Scribe Neriah is the head of the Brotherhood's biological research department, and works in her lab on the main deck's top level. She is responsible for the dissection and analysis of fallen foes (such as super mutants and synths) in the hopes of finding any weaknesses or special traits that may be useful to the Brotherhood. She also works to develop a new anti-radiation medicine more potent than Rad-X but needs more viable blood samples from the Commonwealth's creatures to create it.

Traveling West[]

In 2296, the Prydwen was redeployed from the East Coast to the West Coast, traveling to a Brotherhood base in an unknown location with its vertibird fleet carrying a platoon of knights. The knights were soon after assigned squires to help complete their mission of locating Dr. Siggi Wilzig, a defector from the Enclave, was found to be escaping to New California.

Later that same year, the aircraft traveled with its fleet to Filly, where the Brotherhood occupied the town. Not long after, it was deployed to the Griffith Observatory, commencing the operation to seize the cold fusion technology from the New California Republic remnants led by Lee Moldaver.

Design[]

Weighing in at 40,000 tons, the Prydwen is a rigid-frame dirigible,^{[Non-game 2]} held afloat by four giant gasbags inside the frame of the ship. Due to the rarity of helium, the Brotherhood used hydrogen as a lifting gas,^[13] with heavy armor surrounding the main deck to protect the gasbags and all the people and equipment stored within from harm.^[14] The plating is designed to take plenty of punishment without losing the ability to fly,^[15] while the gas bags inside are maintained around the clock by a team of scribes overseen by a senior scribe,^[16] and off limits to anyone but authorized personnel.^[17] Even then, they'd require explosives to rupture and ignite the hydrogen inside,^[18] though any open flame is recommended to be kept outside the hull as a precaution.^[19]

The heart of the Prydwen is a nuclear fusion plant, providing power to the systems and powering the main engines: Four massive propellers at the stern of the ship, supported by four large thrusters mounted on the flight deck. Before the journey to the Commonwealth, the original power plant was replaced with an updated fusion plant pulled by the Brotherhood from an aircraft carrier wreckage, and reached almost one hundred percent efficiency by arrival. However, the need to keep such a massive airship afloat puts a strain on the system, in particular the cooling, and requires constant supply of coolant^[20] to pass through the four main heat exchangers located on the exterior of the main deck. The thrusters also require regular maintenance, due to the proximity of the navigational beacon.^[21] While Ingram stays ahead of repairs and there's plenty of fuel for the fusion reactor, coolant remains a critical issue,^[22] as it may require the Prydwen to land if it runs out.^[20] Otherwise, a crash is likely.^[23]

The Prydwen itself is not built for fighting,^[24] as any onboard weapon systems would just slow her down.^[25] Instead, it relies on its complement of troops, Vertibirds, and supplies to engage threats. The flight deck can service up to four Vertibirds simultaneously,^[26] and if all fails, the airship can take evasive action to avoid incoming fire. The only threat aside from internal sabotage is an overwhelming first strike,^[27][28] making evasion impossible. Any such attack only has one chance to succeed, as otherwise the Brotherhood would take it out of harms way.^[29] The greatest defense the Prydwen has is the degree of coordination it provides: As the nerve center and supply base,^[12] its sensors and computer systems provide a constant stream of intel to field units,^[30] while onboard spaces can be readily converted to labs to study the enemy and provide a further edge in battle.^[31]

While it's well known she's a design prioritizing safety and reliability over looks,^[14] she is considered to be a triumph of Brotherhood engineering^[32] and serving aboard an honor^[33] (though the actual quality of life aboard is sorely lacking due to 18 hour shifts and the smell).^[34] Those so honored may be doubly "honored" by being reassigned to rust scraping duty on the outside, a method of reinforcing discipline favored by Captain Kells.^[35] To outsiders, it is a behemoth stretching the definition of airship,^[36] capable of bringing entire armies to a region.^[5][37]

Layout[]

The Prydwen is not available as an accessible location until advancing the main quest Reunions up to killing Kellogg and using the elevator in the command center to travel to the roof of Fort Hagen, whereupon it will appear flying in over the map's western mountain range, crossing the Commonwealth and Boston until reaching its destination at Boston Airport. One can then advance Shadow of Steel by talking to Paladin Danse at the Cambridge Police Station. If one has not yet dealt with the Brotherhood of Steel when the Prydwen shows up (by avoiding advancing Fire Support at the Police Station), the alternative Brotherhood quest Reveille begins, where the vessel is only referenced as "the Brotherhood of Steel airship."

The exterior of the airship is contained in one cell, with the flight deck stretching under the main deck and a small foredeck in front of the ship, accessible from the command deck, and a forecastle accessible from the main deck. The interior is divided between three cells: The command deck, the main deck, and personal quarters which are granted to the player after Blind Betrayal.The Prydwen is oriented with the bow pointing west and stern east, but due to an apparent error, the main deck is oriented north to south. As such, references to position are made using the bow and stern (front and back) of the ship).

If the Prydwen is destroyed during either Airship Down (Institute), Rockets' Red Glare (Railroad), or With Our Powers Combined (Minutemen), its remains can be visited, and respawning Brotherhood corpses can be found and looted. Brotherhood scribes, knights, and paladins may appear and attack the player character. However, Brotherhood squires will disappear from the game after its destruction.

Flight deck[]

The flight deck is the first section accessible docking via four retractable struts. The Prydwen docking is simple - the Vertibird hovers in position, while the strut connects with its dorsal apparatus, then slowly lifts it into a docking position, while the gunship folds its nacelles and rotors for docking. At the aft end of the deck is an elevated air traffic control and storage room overlooking the area. At the fore is a walkway leading to the command deck, with another section at the very front of the airship connected to the assault ramp (retracted in the game), accessible through the command deck.

During the quest Shadow of Steel, the player character's Vertibird docks at the flight deck's northern gantry. In Survival mode, travel to and from the Prydwen is only possible via the transit Vertibirds situated on the helipad in Boston Airport and a docking point on the flight deck. If the player character becomes enemies with the Brotherhood in Survival mode, it is no longer possible to reach the Prydwen (other than during the quest Rockets' Red Glare).

It is possible to fast travel to the Prydwen even if the player character has become enemies with the Brotherhood.

Command deck[]

The command deck has three levels. Directly in front of the entrance from the flight deck is a ladder leading up to the main deck, with an observation room providing a view of the area in front of the ship - the skyline of Boston during the war in the Commonwealth. It is the preferred location of Elder Arthur Maxson. The middle level is the staging area for the foredeck and storage for anyone going down the gangway. The lowest level has the bridge, overseen by Captain Kells, which has the navigation computers and the helm.

Main deck[]

The heart of the Prydwen, the main deck is built into the main envelope of the airship, right beneath the massive gasbags keeping it afloat. Entered through a ladder straight from the command deck, the main deck can be divided into three distinct levels, depending on where they are relative to the deck structure:

• The upper level consists of the walkways connecting the gas bags to the deck structure and the forecastle, as well as the roof. The roof is used for two purposes: The fore section is used by the crew as living quarters, containing bunks and eating areas, as well as storing miscellaneous gear. The aft section has been adapted for a field research station under Senior Scribe Neriah, responsible for analyzing the foes the Brotherhood faces (usually by dissecting their corpses) and various additional projects. The laboratory also contains a botany station, though it has been recently vacated after the Senior Botany Scribe took to drinking glowleaf tea.^[38][39]
• The central level, or the interior of the deck structure, is the most robust and multi-functional part of the deck. It contains the private quarters of the top members of the Brotherhood, most importantly Elder Maxson, as well as a fully stocked infirmary and medical lab ran by Knight-Captain Cade, archives maintained by Proctor Quinlan, the primary mess hall (where food is served on a first-come, first-served basis), the power armor bays and workshops supervised by Proctor Ingram, and the quartermastery ran by Proctor Teagan.
• The lower level is situated directly above the flight deck and is used primarily for storage. The aft section is dedicated to heavy munitions, such as Fat Man rounds recovered from Fort Strong. The front section has been organized by Ingram and Teagan into a recreation area, with a supply of alcohol, cigarettes, and a terminal for swapping messages. The terminal has been disconnected from the ship's network for the sake of convenience.

Prydwen quarters, located just next to Elder Maxson's quarters, belong to Paladin Danse, the ranking officer on the ground. After Blind Betrayal, they are assigned to the Sole Survivor, along with a promotion to Paladin.

Forecastle[]

The most forward part of the airship, jutting forward and providing troops stationed on it with unparalleled vision range and ability to hit any target they choose. For this reason, the Prydwen's forecastle is outfitted with an unique sharpshooter's stowage, containing a charging laser sniper rifle. The forecastle is also used to hold memorial services for fallen brothers and sisters.^[40]

Inhabitants[]

Named[]

• Elder Maxson, head of the Brotherhood
• Knight-Captain Cade, medical officer of the Prydwen
• Lancer-Captain Kells, skipper of the Prydwen
• Proctor Ingram, head of the Order of the Shield and main maintenance person responsible for keeping the Prydwen operational
• Proctor Quinlan, head of the Order of the Quill, responsible for tech salvage operations and overseeing field scribes
• Proctor Teagan, head of the Order of the Sword and the Prydwen's quartermaster
• Senior Scribe Neriah, responsible for research into synths and mutants

Optional crew members[]

• Madison Li, if convinced to join during the quest From Within.
• Paladin Brandis, if convinced to rejoin during the quest The Lost Patrol.
• P.A.M., if reprogrammed during the quest Tactical Thinking.
• Professor Scara, if convinced to join during the quest Liberty Reprimed.
• Scribe Haylen, if the player character has become enemies with the Brotherhood.

Generic characters[]

• Brotherhood soldiers
• Brotherhood squires

Notable loot[]

• Commando armor, Honor, Death from Above, Vengeance, and Sentinel's Plasmacaster - Sold by Proctor Teagan. "Honor" and "Death from Above" become available after becoming a paladin, while "Vengeance" and "Sentinel's Plasmacaster" become available after becoming a sentinel.
• Lucia's personal key - On the main deck's top level, in Initiate Clarke's footlocker during Duty or Dishonor.
• X-01 power armor Mk I helmet, Gauss rifle, Fat Man, two mini nukes, fusion core, and a large amount of ammo - On the main deck's middle level, in Proctor Teagan's armory to the north, behind a Master-locked security gate controlled by a Master-locked terminal. All are marked as "owned" and must be stolen.
• Nuka-Cola Quantum - On the main deck's bottom level, on a metal shelf opposite the recreation terminal in the east.
• Three mini nukes - On the main deck's bottom level, next to the mini nuke crates in the north that are recovered from the Fort Strong armory during the quest Show No Mercy. Two are on top of the crates, and the third is on the floor next to the northwestern crate.
• Long range laser rifle - On the forecastle, in a crate labeled "sharpshooter stowage."
• BoS II T-60b power armor - Reward for completing Shadow of Steel.
  • The two suits of T-60 power armor in the power armor stations can be accessed via the stations, allowing them to be upgraded and looted without stealing.
  • It is still possible to access the player character's own assigned power armor and power armor station on the main deck, even if they are now enemies with the Brotherhood.
• Steadfast BOS combat armor chest piece - Reward from Lancer-Captain Kells for completing The Lost Patrol; the armor is not received if the quest is instead turned in to Paladin Danse.
• Exemplar's T-60c torso - Reward from Lancer-Captain Kells for completing Duty or Dishonor, only if Initiate Clarke was persuaded to turn himself in.
• Visionary's T-60c helmet - Reward from Lancer-Captain Kells for completing A Loose End.
• Two bottles of Vodka; this is not the consumable item, but rather a junk item which uses the same item model and name as regular vodka.
  • One in the mess hall to the left of the drink dispenser.
  • One to the left of the player's bed in the common quarters as indicated by their personal storage box.

Holotapes and notes[]

• C.I.T. recon report holotape - On the command deck's bottom level, on top of one of the southern computer stations to the left of the helm.
• Knight-Captain Cade's report holotape - On the main deck's middle level, next to the terminal in Knight-Captain Cade's clinic.
• Quinlan to be deleted holotape - On the main deck's middle level, on top of a file cabinet in Proctor Quinlan's quarters.
• Maxson was right holotape - On the main deck's top level, on a nightstand between two beds in the southwest.
• Your new assignment holotape - On the main deck's top level, on a barrel next to a bed in the southeast.
• Personal log - 142 holotape - On the main deck's top level, on a nightstand opposite the outgoing mail terminal in the east.
• From Lucia - On the main deck's top level, in Initiate Clarke's footlocker during the quest Duty or Dishonor.
• Knight Lucia's log - On the main deck's top level, in Knight Lucia's footlocker during the quest Duty or Dishonor.

Pickpocket or dropped on death[]

• Eight complete BOS II T-60 power armor suits - All must be stolen (however, see also the Notes section below regarding free access to the two suits in the power armor stations). Three are worn by the patrolling sentries, three are worn by the stationary sentries on the flight deck, command deck, and main deck, and two are in the power armor stations on the main deck. (The sentries will maintain their patrols and posts even after their armor is stolen, but if they are killed, they will eventually respawn with new sets of armor.)
• Prydwen armory key - Held by a Brotherhood knight-captain on the main deck.
• Final Judgment - Held by Elder Maxson.
• Maxson's battlecoat - Worn by Elder Maxson.
• Brotherhood medic fatigues - Worn by Knight-Captain Cade.
• Brotherhood officer fatigues - Worn by Lancer-Captain Kells.
• Airship captain's hat - Worn by Lancer-Captain Kells.
• Quinlan's armor - Worn by Proctor Quinlan.
• Teagan's armor - Worn by Proctor Teagan.
• Science scribe's armor - Worn by Senior Scribe Neriah.
• Bomber jacket - Worn by some Brotherhood crew.
• Engineer's armor - Worn by some Brotherhood crew.
• Medical goggles - Worn by some Brotherhood crew.
• Welding helmet - Worn by some Brotherhood crew.

Related quests[]

Notes[]

• Certain companions, when brought to the Airport and onto the Prydwen, will trigger unique reactions from the Brotherhood personnel:
  • They will insult Nick Valentine (which he will sometimes respond to) and question if he is a "spy."^[41]
  • They will insult John Hanco*ck (which he will sometimes respond to) and question if he is "tame."^[42]
  • They will be surprised at Strong.
  • They will be suspicious of X6-88.
  • They will either compliment or insult Dogmeat.
• When pickpocketed, most items will respawn periodically.

Behind the scenes[]

• Prydwen (Middle Welsh lit. "fair-faced," "handsome") is the name of King Arthur's ship in the native Welsh literature concerning the legendary character. Arthur and his men board it to sail to the otherworldly fortress of Annwn [pronounced: ah-noon] in the somewhat cryptic poem Preiddeu Annwfn [pronounced: Prey-they--Ann-oovn] as well as when they sail to and from Ireland in an attempt to gain a magical cauldron in the prose text Culhwch ac Olwen. It is not explicitly named in any other native Arthurian tale or poem, and in the Anglo-Norman literature that drew from the native material, Arthur does not appear to have a comparable vessel.
• The vessel's name is pronounced differently by certain characters. Military frequency AF95 broadcasts pronounce it "preed-win," whereas Paladin Danse, Lancer-Captain Kells, and most other characters pronounce it "prid-win." The native Welsh pronunciation is "prid-when."
• Several early concepts of the vessel appear in The Art of Fallout 4, giving additional details about its design.^{[Non-game 3]}
• Early concept art depicts the Prydwen with a vertibird capacity of six and a mounted laser cannon on its underside. Including another concept artwork that can be found in the files of Fallout 4, the Prydwen had at least four different concept designs before the version seen in-game was created. All other versions featured an additional deck on the top of the airship, a front-mounted mooring harpoon, rigging hanging from the exterior deck, and two cleaner versions had additional antenna equipment on the top while two others were noticeably more rusted.
• Using in-game measurements, the Prydwen measures at 180 yards (165 meters) in length. However, this may not be accurate to how it is depicted in lore.

TV series appearance[]

• ^^Note The Brotherhood airship that appears in Season 1 of the Fallout TV series bears the name Prydwen on its hull, with minor differences compared to the Prydwen's design seen in Fallout 4. This ship was referred to originally as the Caswennan in a pre-release article in Vanity Fair, though as of yet, there has not been any official confirmation on whether this was a simple production error, or a change that was introduced later to the story.
  • Confirmation that both ships are one and the same would seemingly also confirm that the Institute and Railroad endings of Fallout 4 did not take place and are to be considered non-canon, as both directly involve the Prydwen's destruction. If so, the Brotherhood and Minutemen endings both remain possible options for canonicity, since destroying the Prydwen in the Minutemen quest With Our Powers Combined is entirely optional.
  • This would seemingly depart from pre-release statements by showrunners and Bethesda Game Studios that the TV series would not make any attempt to canonize major events from the video games.

Bugs[]

• Stealing from the armory on the main deck can result in all Brotherhood members turning hostile against the Sole Survivor. This can happen regardless of whether the Survivor is detected, and even if a Stealth Boy is used. (However, this only happens if a significant amount of loot is stolen.) One solution is picking up the desired item and moving it outside the armory before stealing it, which will not alert the Brotherhood.^[verified]
• Killing the Brotherhood lancer-sergeant on the northern Vertibird gantry on the flight deck may result, after a save and reload, in an invisible corpse with an untargetable version of the NPC standing over it. The invisible corpse may be looted, and may even be moved, but will revert to its original position on reload. There is no known fix for this issue, but it is ultimately harmless. This bug has also been seen with the scribes on the flight deck.^[verified]
• After the completion of the quest Airship Down and the destruction of the Prydwen, the vessel will still appear as a fast travel destination in the Pip-Boy. Attempting to fast travel to the Prydwen will yield the message "Fast Travel is currently unavailable from this location," regardless of where it is attempted.^[verified]
• After killing Kellogg in the quest Reunions, the Prydwen may not be seen in the sky, and Military frequency AF95 may not play. It happens if the player does not use the elevator near the end to leave Fort Hagen behind, but uses a different exit. This can be fixed by either entering Fort Hagen again and then exiting via the elevator, or by using the console command setstage 2bf21 1, which will teleport you to the roof of the Cambridge Police Station and direct you to board the vertibird.^[verified]

Gallery[]

References[]

Non-game