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This overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated Brotherhood Scribe has the thankless and overwhelming task of setting up and managing the water distribution. He hasn't slept since the water purifier started working. Lyons wants water to go everywhere; the rest of the Brotherhood resents being sent on deliveries. Bigsley is caught in the middle. He agrees with those who feel they should charge for the water, to let the free market set up the distribution network, but he will follow orders as best he can. He's worked out a deal with Rivet City to use their security force supplement the Brotherhood escorts of the water caravans and hopes to soon hand over the entire distribution nightmare to Rivet City, but they seem reluctant and are having trouble with bandits. There is literally a line of acolytes outside his door with various questions, reports, armfuls of paperwork, and requests regarding the water distribution. Bigsley is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.[1]
Talking to him reveals that he was kicked out of all three orders, after (he claims) the lead Scribe of each order felt threatened by his ability and intellect. For example, his modified laser rifles resulted in the wounding of some initiates (due to the initiates' inability to handle the extra power output, at least according to Bigsley). After being transferred to the Order of the Shield, he antagonized Scribe Bowditch by calling the latter's theories "outdated". He was then transferred to the Order of the Quill, where he quickly ran afoul with Scribe Jameson (who previously condemned Scribe Yearling to a life-threatening assignment at the Arlington Library for similar reasons). He also, like many others, questions Elder Lyons. In the end, he even felt that he had lost the support of Scribe Rothchild, who transferred him to the Purifier project, an assignment Bigsley feels is akin to exile.
Holy Water, Protecting the Water Way, The Amazing Aqua Cura!: Once the Purifier has been activated, Bigsley and several neophyte scribes take up residence at the Jefferson Memorial. They work on solving the problem of delivering the processed fresh water around the Capital Wasteland and provide the player with the side quests of Broken Steel, all related to the water problem.
When visiting Bigsley, several Scribes can be seen waiting outside of his office. There are always Scribes waiting to give their reports and will engage him in several interesting conversations that the player can listen to.
Hacking his computer will allow the player to read multiple log entries as well as notes on the success of the water distribution.
One entry in particular hints that he may have been responsible for someone's death, of which he carries a degree of guilt.
There is an entry on his computer about receiving reports from Megaton that the Aqua Pura caravans are not arriving there, even if you blew up Megaton before the caravans started running.
Bigsley will sometimes fall asleep at his desk.
Although his actions seem to be contrary, his logs imply that he still does care about the purifier as a whole.
Bigsley looks quite similar to Dyus of Mytheria from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Not only are they visually similar, they both sit all day long and both have a lethargic demeanor. Also, both are voiced by actor Wes Johnson.
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