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You approach Atom's holy ground. Why? State your purpose, or be divided in his sight.

Mother Isolde is the spiritual leader of a peaceful sect of the Children of Atom living near the Commonwealth in the late 2280s.[1][RPG 1] Her congregation are the only human presence in the Glowing Sea region. Her village, called the Crater of Atom, was built at the detonation site of the high-yield nuke originally witnessed by the Sole Survivor two hundred years prior. Isolde once had a daughter named Dawn, who grew up within the cult alongside Brother Ogden.[RPG 2]

Background[]

Origin[]

The circumstances under which Isolde came to preside over the Crater are unspecified. The time of this group's arrival and their prior associations are not clarified, though Isolde has been a member of the group long enough to raise her daughter to adulthood.[RPG 2] There is no clear direct connection between this group and the historic Church at Megaton, though Isolde is known to respect the offshoot sect who live on the Island to the far north.[2]

By 2287, the settlement is well-established, consisting of post-War carpentry and welded metal, with some large items of pre-War furniture.

The Winter of Atom[]

No later than 2286, the Last Son of Atom joined Isolde's flock, claiming to have served Confessor Cromwell at Megaton. He resided there for some time, until Isolde exiled him for heresy. Several of her followers left with him, forming the basis of his sect.[RPG 1] Isolde still harbors guilt for having allowed this stranger to influence her village. She came to consider the Last Son a heretic and false prophet, leading the Children astray with promises of awakening Atom and opening gateways to other universes.[RPG 3][RPG 4]

Sister Dawn also left to follow the Last Son, and appeared to grow very close to him during this time.[RPG 2] However, she was only following this heretic to covertly monitor him on behalf of her mother. In pursuit of this mission, she remained close to him, even as he grew erratic from excessive chem use.[RPG 5] Ultimately, the cruel warlord captured her and transformed her into a titan known as the Great Glowing One. Dawn was set loose to stalk the Glowing Sea, devouring other glowing ones and growing larger.[RPG 6] Ultimately, under Isolde's auspices, a group of outsiders led by an Atomite guide hunted down the Great Glowing One and ended her suffering.

The Last Son was able to uncover an ancient buried city in the Glowing Sea, and declared it the City of Atom.[Non-game 1][RPG 7] Isolde condemns these cryptic primordial ruins, and considers the site unrelated to her deity.[RPG 8] The Buried City collapsed in the Winter of 2286.

In 2287[]

Recently, Mother Isolde has allowed Brian Virgil, a super mutant hiding from the Institute, to take shelter in a nearby cave. She attests that he has "sought refuge with Atom," but his presence is seen as an affront to Atom by some of her followers. She dispatched Brother Hoberman to assess Virgil as a threat. Under her advisement, the scout resolved to avoid interfering with him, but remained on standby for future orders.[3]

Interactions with the player character[]

Interactions overview[]

Interactions
FO76 ui icon quest
This character is involved in quests.

Quests[]

Other interactions[]

  • There are further dialogue options to learn more about why she and the other followers are in the Glowing Sea, how they survive in the radiation and generally about the Church of the Children of Atom.
  • Far Harbor (add-on) If the player has joined the Children of Atom at the Nucleus by completing Visions in the Fog, a new dialogue option will be available when the player meets Isolde. If the player claims to be a member of the Church, Isolde will cautiously grant them the privilege of exploring the crater, but remains suspicious of them. When Far Harbor is mentioned, Isolde speaks of the sacred Fog which envelops the Island. She identifies this radioactive phenomenon as Atom's veil,[2] a term commonly used by the sect at the Nucleus.

Inventory[]

Apparel Weapon Other items On death
Child of Atom rags Gamma gun Gamma round (varies)
Note from Brother Hoberman

Notable quotes[]

  • "Atom reached out and touched this world, bringing his Glow to us. It remains to this day, a reminder of his promise. Infinite worlds through divisions."
  • "Atom gave birth to this world, and all worlds. And within this world he gave us the promise of infinite rebirth. We are, all of us, universes without count, waiting for the Division to bring them all into being. We spread Atom's word, and his gifts, to those throughout the Commonwealth. They will see the truth of Atom's glow."

Appearances[]

Isolde appears in Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter Online, and Winter of Atom.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Her name alludes to the ISOLDE (an acronym for Isotope Separator On Line DEvice) which is an experimental infrastructure within the CERN complex of nuclear and particle physics experiments.
  • It's also a name found in Welsh, German, and Irish populations, which may mean "she who is gazed upon" in a Germanic context.
  • Her name also evokes Ysolda, a well-known NPC from Bethesda's previous game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Not only are NPCs at the Crater of Atom non-hostile, but they seem to be scripted to remain so even when attacked
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Far Harbor? Few know of the land shrouded beneath Atom's veil, let alone claim to have worshiped within its sacred fog." (Isolde's dialogue)
  3. Note from Brother Hoberman

Fallout: The Roleplaying Game[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "He has not listened to Isolde’s message but trusts her wisdom implicitly. She only told him their community was in danger, and that they required the PCs’ help.
    He met the Last Son of Atom once and found him a creepy, self-obsessed narcissist. Several of the Children in his community joined the Last Son’s sect and left.
    He is scared for his friends and family. They are a peaceful sect, but few in the Commonwealth trust the Church due to the Last Son’s heinous actions." (Winter of Atom, p. 200)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Brother Ogden approaches the PCs after hearing Sister Dawn is dead. He asks for details of their encounter and expresses deep sadness about her passing. Some things that may come up during the conversation:
    He and Dawn were childhood friends. He is upset and confused about why she left the settlement without telling him.
    Dawn moved into the same shack as the Last Son of Atom when he lived at the crater. They grew close before Mother Isolde exiled him. Ogden worries she may have left to join the Last Son’s cult. Dawn moved into the same shack as the Last Son of Atom when he lived at the crater. They grew close before Mother Isolde exiled him. Ogden worries she may have left to join the Last Son’s cult" (Winter of Atom, p. 211)
  3. Winter of Atom p.193: "Isolde considers him a heretic and false prophet, leading the Children astray with promises of awakening Atom and opening gateways to other universes."
  4. "“He left in search of ruins of an old-world military base— Whately Research Facility. What resides within is no gift of Atom’s.” Isolde reveals that she knows the Last Son’s location but does not elaborate on how she received the information. The facility is hidden underground beneath a buried church 12-hours trek west of the crater. The Last Son claimed that he would awaken Atom and open gateways to other universes once he found the facility. He promised those who followed him they would find paradise there—and their enemies would know hell." -Winter of Atom, p. 214
  5. "Mother Isolde assures me Atom will guide me and keep me safe on my mission, but I am still afraid. I remember the Last Son when he stayed here. So kind to us and helping with our struggles, so eager to please. He would smile and speak gently to offer me help, and I would have to play along and listen to his blasphemous ideas. It was worse after he started taking the chems. I watched him once. Berry Mentats, Ultra Jet, and X-Cell, all in one go. I was sure the mix would kill him, but it just made him more confident of his heresy. He was ranting and raving about how the chems would protect his mind from Atom’s Glow so he could lead his flock to paradise. He’d whisper at night of dreams about a child and an obelisk buried beneath the earth. I will do as she asks and follow the false prophet. I will discover the truth behind his lies so that all will know he is no Son of Atom and no Child of this Church. And when my mission is complete, I know Atom will reward me with his Glow as he rewards all his faithful."(Sister Dawn’s Journal, Winter of Atom, p. 211)
  6. "The Last Son captured Sister Dawn, Mother Isolde’s daughter. He experimented extensively on her using the device. Over time, Sister Dawn mutated into a thirty-foot tall, super-irradiated glowing one. Now, Dawn stalks the Glowing Sea, devouring other glowing ones and growing larger with every macabre meal." (Winter of Atom, p. 197)
  7. "The Last Son raises his hands with a peaceful gesture and addresses you in a calm, slightly strained voice. “Welcome to the City of Atom, my persistent friends. I am certain you have many questions. Before you ask them, hear my offer. It is not too late for you to know Atom’s Glow.”" -Winter of Atom, p.230
  8. Winter of Atom, p. 214: "“He left in search of ruins of an old-world military base— Whately Research Facility. What resides within is no gift of Atom’s.” Isolde reveals that she knows the Last Son’s location but does not elaborate on how she received the information. The facility is hidden underground beneath a buried church 12-hours trek west of the crater. The Last Son claimed that he would awaken Atom and open gateways to other universes once he found the facility. He promised those who followed him they would find paradise there—and their enemies would know hell."

Non-game

  1. modiphius.net; Fallout Friday: The Winter War: "The Winter of Atom’s main quest line is going to give players of this expansion for the Fallout tabletop RPG a unique challenge fighting a maniacal sect of the Church of Atom, with a radical megalomaniac leader at its helm. In this third chapter of the book—the middle part of the campaign—the Last Son of Atom’s followers unleash an all-out war on the Commonwealth, while the Last Son seeks out his real objective buried somewhere deep in the Glowing Sea. They say war never changes, but since when did a fighting force like this use a gargantuan mutated centipede as a siege weapon?"
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