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The Nucleus, known before the War as the Mount Desert Island Naval Facility,[2] is a location on the Island in 2287.

Background[]

The Nucleus is a pre-War United States Navy submarine base, still housing the derelict USS Democracy in its dry dock. While there for repairs and refitting,[3] the submarine's reactor was sabotaged by the captain, Arnold Wabash. With the Democracy's nuclear reactor leaking radiation, its crew and captain were recalled while a hazmat team worked around the clock to clean the facility and make the submarine usable again. However, the process would take weeks to complete. Admiral Edward Grath suspected foul play, and informed Captain Wabash that he would file the court-martial personally if he was responsible.[4] However, before the investigation could be conducted, the War struck. The personnel of the base would survive the nuclear bombardment, and so would the admiral,[5] but not the captain.[6]

Following the War, the base lay idle, the radiation leaking from the docked submarine keeping people away, until around 2178. After DiMA landed on the Island, he found the facility and made it his home. Some time later, after the Children of Atom were exiled from Far Harbor, the congregation led by Confessor Martin were guided to the facility by the Mother of the Fog.[7][8][9] Afterward, DiMA departed to found Acadia, entrusting the base to the Children. They renamed the base the "Nucleus," converting it into a holy site of their cult.[10] The fanatics seek to use the submarine's intact and functional nuclear warheads to enact a "Great Division." They tried and failed to hack the system, but without the nuclear launch key, they cannot activate the missiles.[11]

Prior to leaving the facility, DiMA used its computers to expand his limited storage capacity, offloading his oldest memories onto the command center's databanks.[12] In return for the Children's new home,[13] Confessor Martin agreed to guard the synth's memories.[citation needed]

Layout[]

The facility's exterior is built into the side of a mountain along a small bay. Crude wooden fortifications and Grand Zealot Richter guard the concrete bunker entrance. Beyond the entrance is a corridor, with two doors on the left leading to a locker room and a restroom, and a pair of decontamination arches between (currently not functional). In the restroom is an unowned mattress that can be used by the player character. At the end of the corridor is the main area of the base, a cavernous space lined with metal catwalks and clusters of wooden shacks.

On the right is the Vessel, a pre-War submarine. Through a shack ahead is a wooden ramp ascending to Sister Mai's store and an armor workbench, with the Archemist's clinic and its chemistry station just beyond. Up the metal stairs along the southern wall of the base behind the clinic is an armor workbench and then Brother Kane's store, which includes a weapons workbench and a power armor station. There is no cooking station in this location and no uncontaminated water source. Continuing up the stairs leads to the entrance to the Nucleus Command Center high in the southern wall, guarded by a zealot.

Just beyond the Archemist's clinic, a wooden ramp ascends slightly to the right, while a set of metal stairs in the southwest corner of the base descends to the left. The ramp on the right continues through several wooden shacks to the entrance on top of the Vessel. The stairs on the left lead to Zealot Ware, then to another set of stairs on the right that spiral down to the partly flooded and irradiated lowest level of the base below the submarine.

Inhabitants[]

Notable loot[]

Related quests[]

Notes[]

  • When visiting the location while wearing power armor, the Children may comment that they don't like the suit because it protects from "division," or that it "runs on the glow, so perhaps it's not all bad."
  • There are four torpedo tubes on top of the Vessel's south end, but no torpedo room inside the submarine. The points on top of the tubes are extremely irradiated, emitting roughly 70-90 rads per second.
  • The toxic waste barrels scattered around the external wooden fortifications that guard the bunker entrance do not emit any radiation.
  • The music heard in the Nucleus closely resembles Vats of Goo from Fallout performed in Gregorian chant, accompanied by chimes. Both tracks consist of monotone panned droning and echoed ringing sounds, periodically interrupted by a short rising-and-falling motif. This track is absent from Fallout 4: Music from Far Harbor & Nuka World and has no given title.
    • If played simultaneously, they synchronize and resonate appreciably. This can be heard here. The siren from Vats of Goo can be heard in the Nucleus track.
    • Strange indistinct whispers can be heard at several points in the track.

Appearances[]

The Nucleus appears only in the Fallout 4 add-on Far Harbor.

Behind the scenes[]

Like "Vats of Goo," the music heard in the Nucleus resembles "Alternative 3" by Brian Eno.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. DiMA: "I've discovered a curious record inside the prewar data files of this submarine base. The marines here were equipped with an advanced model of combat armor. There are several suits already in the base, in various states of deterioration. But there were more shipments of the armor on its way to the base, the day the bombs fell. They could be in prime condition if the sealants have held. I have no use for them, but you never know. Maybe they'll be worth digging up one day..."
    (DiMA's dialogue)
  2. The Nucleus terminal entries; Captain Wabash's terminal
  3. The Nucleus terminal entries; Captain Wabash's terminal, SUBJ: VR System
  4. The Nucleus terminal entries; Captain Wabash's terminal, SUBJ: Containment Leak: "... A containment leak on the Democracy? Convenient, Arnold. Well, you got what you wanted. Your crew's been recalled and a hazmat team's been dispatched to clean the facility. It's going to be weeks until anyone can get inside safely, let alone deploy the sub."
    "For your sake, Arnold, I seriously hope this leak was an accident. Because if it wasn't, I'm going to file the court-martial paperwork myself."
  5. The Nucleus terminal entries; Captain Wabash's terminal, SUBJ: Where are you: "... We finally reestablished comms with Mount Desert today and now your XO tells me you haven't checked in in a week. To boot, he says the sub's launch key is missing. I should've thrown you in a cell when I had the chance. The East Coast is gone and if the Democracy was out there, maybe we could've saved New York. Or Washington. Or Boston."
    "This is on you, Arnold. Their deaths are on you. And if by some sick twist of fate you survived this mess, I'll personally make sure it's temporary."
  6. Safe room security tape
  7. The Sole Survivor: "How is it you came to this place?"
    Tektus: "We were guided here, many years ago, after our exile from Far Harbor. The first of us, my predecessor Martin and I, had come north at the behest of Atom's great prophet, Confessor Cromwell... ...from a small refuge in the Capital Wastes. When we arrived on the island, we found a few souls receptive to Atom's message. Anna... the Archemist... was formerly Far Harbor's doctor before she found the Light. But most... they thought us a menace. We were chased from the town, driven into the wilds. Barely escaped with our lives. Some of us were... never the same. It was only thanks to the grace of Atom that we survived... and finally found a place that we could call home."
    (Tektus' dialogue)
  8. The Sole Survivor: "What can you tell me about the Mother of the Fog?"
    Tektus: "The Mother is one of Atom's most revered messengers. Many years ago, when we were driven from Far Harbor, it was she who guided us through the wilds to this sanctuary. We might all have been lost if it wasn't for her. You should be honored she found you so... interesting."
    (Tektus' dialogue)
  9. Brian Richter: "Hmph. You're back. More than I expected. Did Atom reveal something to you?"
    The Sole Survivor: "I drank from the spring and a woman led me to this icon. Does this mean something?"
    Brian Richter: "A woman? Led you to that icon? What woman? What did you see?"
    The Sole Survivor: "Is there something special about this thing?"
    Brian Richter: "I think it may be a message from someone very important. So I need you tell me what you saw."
    The Sole Survivor: "It was... otherwordly. The woman, she was like a living shadow, cloaked in mist."
    Brian Richter: "Atom above. You really did see her. The Mother of the Fog. The Mother is a messenger from Atom. Acts as a guide to those important to His plans and the future of this family. She's the one who led the first of us to this place. And if she revealed herself to you... then I'd say the path He's lain for you is clear. If you are prepared to take the next step, then I believe there is a place for you among Atom's children."
    The Sole Survivor: "So what exactly happened to me at the spring?"
    Brian Richter: "Seems Atom granted you a vision. Only those deemed worthy of joining the Children have them... and live. But for some rare souls, he sends... more. A messenger. Or in your case, the Mother."
    The Sole Survivor: "So was the Mother real?"
    Brian Richter: "Most believe she's some sort of spirit, a creature of the wilds, though a few claim she's just an old hermit. Regardless, our family wouldn't be here without her. If she figured in your vision... well, there are few signs clearer you're meant to be one of us."
    (Richter's dialogue)
  10. The Sole Survivor: "The Children of Atom on this island. You were helping them?"
    DiMA: "Yes. I know their faith in radiation as a type of god is a bit... different, but who am I to judge? I was using a submarine base as a home when Martin and his followers stumbled inside. They had been cast out of Far Harbor for their beliefs. When I left to found Acadia, I knew the base would be in safe hands. They needed a home. A place to belong, just like I did. But now Martin is gone, and his successor, Tektus, wants to finally end the feud with Far Harbor, by letting the Fog swallow them."
    (DiMA's dialogue)
  11. The Sole Survivor: "What can you tell me about the sub?"
    Aubert: "Launch key's missing. System can't be hacked. Trust me. We've tried."
    (Aubert's dialogue)
  12. The Sole Survivor: "You left your memories behind? How does that work?"
    DiMA: "As a prototype synth, my... raw data capacity is limited. I began using computer banks to expand. To give me room to ponder. See new things. I had to leave some of my earliest memories behind when I left the sub base to the Children of Atom. I thought they were safe."
    (DiMA's dialogue)
  13. Far Harbor loading screen hints: "The Nucleus is home to the Children of Atom. It is built out of a prewar nuclear submarine base that the Children have converted into a town and center of worship."
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