(Seal of The Institute)
Territory and Geography:The Institute itself. A hermetically sealed, underground facility complete with research labs, manufacturing capabilities, spacious living quarters, and a pleasing aesthetic environment for its denizens to enjoy which includes a simulated night and day environment. The Institute is located directly under the old ruins of The Commonwealth Institute of Technology in Boston.
History:After the “Sole Survivor of Vault 111” emerged in later 2287, no-one expected him to survive, let alone thrive, in the hellish wasteland that was once his former home. Least of all his own son.
When Shaun, who had become known as “Father” to the scientists in The Institute, released Nathaniel from cryostasis, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He was surprised, and intrigued, when it became clear that not only was Nathaniel going to live, but he seemed hell-bent on finding his son and avenging his wife. Eventually with the help of some resourceful friends in The Commonwealth, he did both.
Nathaniel killed the mercenary Kellog and after utilizing the dead cyborg’s memories, he infiltrated The Institute and discovered that not only was his son still alive, but he had become The Institute’s leader. Now an old man, Shaun greeted his father warmly and offered Nathaniel a place with him at The Institute. Nathaniel was reluctant, but not wishing to lose his son for a second time, stood with him. He even aided his son in completing a personal dream: the completion of the Phase 3 Project which would enable The Institute to have sustainable power for generations to come. But secretly Nathaniel also began to work for his own interests. He framed Dr. Justin Ayo, head of the SRB, for facilitating Synth escapes and got him banished to the surface: a veritable death sentence. Some thought it improbable that Dr. Ayo could have had anything to do with the escapes, but as he was an unpopular man, those that questioned the investigation simply shrugged and believed it to be for the best...
It was then in a shocking move, that Shaun announced that Nathaniel would take his place as Director of The Institute when he passed, which given the advanced stage of cancer which was ravaging his body, would likely be soon. Despite their reservations, the scientists of The Institute trusted Father, and believed his choice of heir to be a sound one and that the legacy of the son would be continued by his own parent.
They were wrong.
When his son died, Nathaniel began a personal campaign to ensure The Institute would never again inflict the damage it had done to his own family. He forced it to open itself to the surface by sending synths to Diamond City laden with food, water rations, and with medical supplies. He also ordered an immediate halt to further operations on the surface including any and all kidnapping, experimentation, or replacement by Gen-3 operatives.
These actions, while divisive, were largely borne by the scientists in The Institute with only minor grumblings. Many of them did feel some sort of guilt for the things they’d done, or at least some notion that it might be adversely affecting those above. Others however, lamented the restrictions to their scientific efforts and resources. This calm response would not last with Nathaniel’s next act however.
Nathaniel then ordered an immediate halt to the Gen-3 program and charged Robotics with destroying its Gen-3 production facility and immolating any notes related to the project. He then tasked The Institute’s Coursers with rounding up any and all remaining synths to bring them to The Institute for decommissioning: wipe their minds, and disintegrate their bodies. The Courser’s complied with usual absolute obedience. Several scientists in The Institute believed this had now gone too far. Whatever faith Father had in this outsider was obviously widely misplaced, and his appointment was a sham. The scientists, led by doctors Max Loken and Lawrence Higgs, stormed the Bioscience labs. Lawrence, as a leading member in Facilities charged with security, had access to the security systems in the area and quickly took control of both the Synths tasked to guard the location as well as the doors and automated turrets. They declared their intent to hold out here until The Director resigned and left his position, leaving The Institute to return to the surface. With them in control of The Institute’s food supply, it was not an idle threat.
What they did not count on was how Nathaniel had been waiting for just such an opportunity to present itself. Utilizing a secret Director’s override to the Bioscience labs, Nathaniel could have simply shut down the security and apprehended the group. Instead, he utilized the override to power down the Synth gorilla habitat in Bioscience. Dr. Holdren’s aggressive personal “pets” were unleashed on the protesting scientists, tearing many limb from limb in a horrific display of brutality. Courser squads then burst into the Bioscience and rounded up any who survived. Nathaniel, a pre-war soldier who’d seen the worst that the Alaskan Front had to offer, wanted to make it clear that there was going to be no debate: no questions or doubts. He was in charge now. The surviving ‘rebels’ were teleported to the surface, lined up against a wall in Cambridge, and executed by firing squad. Nathaniel made sure that anyone in The Institute who might need to personally see this act: did. There was no resistance within The Institute after that, and Nathaniel finished the work of recalling The Gen-3 program. The Railroad did attempt to stop the recall of those Gen-3’s already in The Commonwealth and still under Institute control, but despite a heroic guerrilla action they were ultimately unable to prevent it.
Nathaniel looked to utilize The Institute’s remaining military forces to restore order to The Commonwealth. Coursers and Gen-2 units were deployed to eliminate the many raider and super-mutant bands still operating in the wastes with brutal efficiency. Despite their incredible combat skill, many Coursers were lost in battle after battle across The Commonwealth and it soon became clear what The Director’s eventual goal was. Once enough of their number had been cut down, Nathaniel ordered the remaining Courser units to also be ‘decommissioned.’ In his mind, he had just killed two birds with one stone.
His work was far from done though and with so much yet left to do, Nathaniel, the ‘sole survivor’ found that the memories of his family and the world he’d left behind weighed on him heavily. He’d survived the Sino-American War and The Great War that it led to, but the horrors of everything he’d seen and experienced along with the loss of his wife and only child was a burden he could no longer bear. He stopped eating, slept little, and slowly began to recede into seclusion. The Director’s Quarters in The Institute became a secretive hermit’s holdout. The windows and doors sealed shut while Gen-2 Synths stood guard outside. Soon, no one saw or spoke to The Director at all. Finally, a gunshot rang out in The Institute’s concourse one day. Synth security forced their way into the quarters to find a tragic scene: Nathaniel was dead. Lying next to him in a pool of his own blood was a damaged pre-war photo of his wife and son, and a .44 magnum revolver.
Nathaniel was buried with little fanfare at his home in Sanctuary Hills, and following his death Madison Li assumed the directorship. She’d worked closely with Nathaniel ever since he’d taken The Directorship and she’d tried her best to reign in his most hot-headed impulses. She had disagreed with the execution of the rebellious Institute scientists, but could do little to stop it. She had however counseled him closely when relations with the surface were initiated. When she took the position of Director, a collective sigh of relief was felt across The Institute and there was hope that things might become business as usual again. Much to the chagrin of some who simply wanted things to return to that status quo, Madison continued the policies that Nathaniel had implemented: restoring relations with the surface and reigning in The Institute’s lines of experimentation.
Madison also proceeded to banish those scientists she felt had personally wronged her. Dr. Holdren, spared from the sole survivor's wrath by virtue of his work and vehement protestations of innocence, was banished as Madison knew he’d played some part in both the FEV program and her friend, Dr. Brian Virgil’s, disappearance. So too was the recently returned Dr. Zimmerman, who’d come across Madison Li ten years ago when she was still in The Capital Wasteland working as a scientist at Rivet City. Li banished him simply for the insults he levied against her all those years ago. A scientist named Dr. Xavier Morales watched these banishments with interest...knowing that more were likely to follow.
For these three, enough was enough. It was clear that anyone from the surface was incapable of leading The Institute, and so the exiled Dr. Holdren and Dr. Zimmer established a secret laboratory in the abandoned Vault 88. From here they continue the work that Dr. Li has stifled. This includes research into the Gen-3 and FEV programs by utilizing documentation, materials, and research samples that the scientists managed to save before they could be destroyed. All while Xavier continues to feed them information from inside as he plays the obedient member of a nigh defunct and disempowered Directorate. The three of them plot to get rid of Li and return The Institute back to its former ways of isolation and ‘peaceful’ experimentation.
Madison meanwhile, is making her own maneuvers in The Commonwealth. With the establishment of the Commonwealth Provisional Government and herself as its de facto leader, Li is now the most one of the most powerful individuals in the region. She knows and understands that if The Commonwealth Provisional Government is to transform into the great nation she and others want it to be: The Institute is going to be an integral part of that. Now all she has to do is get its scientists to come along one way or the other….
Population: Approx. 1,000 scientists and their families. Along with an unknown number of Gen 1 and Gen 2 Synths.
Government/Domestic Politics:The Institute is divided administratively into five separate research divisions and each of its scientists fall into one of these divisions. They are:
Robotics - Synth research and production. Since the Gen-3 recall, it is limited to Gen-1, Gen-2 production and tasked with limited enhancements to both of these.
Facilities - Engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, public health and safety, and internal security systems.
Advanced Systems - Energy research, weapons development, and ‘cutting edge’ projects.
Bioscience - Biological and chemical research, medicine, and food production.
The Surface Security and Intelligence Bureau (or SSIB) - With the end of the Gen-3 program and the need to retain errant Gen-3’s no longer an issue, the former Synth Retention Bureau was retooled for surface security and intelligence operations. Director Li, despite her overtures to the surface, is not entirely trusting of those above-ground either and she recognizes the importance of the SSIB.
Notable People:Current Members of The Directorate:
Dr. Madison Li - Director of The Institute. Madison Li stepped up when Nathaniel, the ‘Sole Survivor’ tragically committed suicide. She’d been essentially hand-picked by Nathaniel as a natural next-in-line choice since he viewed her as an ‘outsider’ who had not fully become complicit with The Institute’s more egregious actions. She views her ascension to the Directorship as long-due. As far as she is concerned, The Institute’s work can begin in earnest now that a competent and capable leader is guiding policies.
Dr. Alan Binet - Division Head Head of Robotics, replaced Shaun/Father as Division Head. Binet was a steadfast proponent that the Gen-3 Synths were verging on becoming fully sentient constructs. He did not oppose the elimination of the Gen-3 program, as he thought it best that their production be stopped. Despite his reservations, Binet also did not oppose the decommissioning of existing Gen-3’s. His complacency was secured by granting an exemption for his Synth-wife, Eve, and appointing him to lead Robotics (a position he’d yearned after for years). This act of going along with the destruction of the Gen-3’s however, earned him more than a little resentment from his son.
Dr. Rosalind Orman - Division Head of Advanced Systems, appointed by Dr. Li to replace her so she might have more time to focus on surface affairs. Rosalind is both an energetic and incredibly intelligent woman. She’s less concerned about Institute politics and issues on the surface and more wrapped up in the science of it all.
Dr. Issac Karlin - Division Head of Bioscience, replaced Dr. Holdren following his exile. Dr. Karlin grew fond of The Warwick Family following his work on the Warwick Initiative. Not wishing to see the family without a father figure, Karlin lobbied to have the Gen-3 on assignment at Warwick Homestead wiped of Institute-related memories and allowed to remain. Thus, while he is not aware of it, Mr. Warwick is one of the few Gen-3’s allowed to remain on the surface. Since then Karlin has been an advocate for direct intervention on the surface, and regrets past Institute actions.
Dr. Allie Filmore - Division Head of Facilities - Allie has gone along with the recent shake ups in power and politics in The Institute with little fuss. Naturally as Head of Facilities, she is concerned with the day-to-day maintenance of The Institute and its people and she leaves long-term thinking to others. She continues to serve as a valuable source of advice and information to Madison Li.
Dr. Xavier Morales - Division Head of SSIB, replaced exiled member Justin Ayo and former head Alana Secord. Xavier began his career in the facilities division working with The Institute’s internal security systems. After moving to the SRB, he distinguished himself in the division and became notable for working late in the night. When the sole survivor arrived, Xavier found himself in an uncomfortable position as Justin Ayo was soon accused of aiding and abetting Synth escapes (a crime Xavier knew Ayo did not commit). When Ayo was banished and Alana Secord appointed as Division Head, Xavier saw the way things were heading and towed the line of the new regime. Once Madison Li took charge, and Alana shortly thereafter stepped down voluntarily from the role, Madison appointed Xavier to take Alana’s place as the head of the newly formed SSIB (Surface Security and Intelligence Bureau). Xavier has had to act the part of the dutiful watch-dog to Director Li, in secret however, he wants nothing more than to be rid of her and is in league with the exiled members to see that done. .
Exiled Members:Dr. Clayton Holdren- Former Division Head of Bioscience, exiled for his participation in the FEV Program. Clayton is an odd fellow, a man who is seemingly always friendly (to an uncomfortable degree) and who delights in his work. Those that truly know him however, understand that beneath this friendly facade is a scientist hell-bent on results and pushing the boundaries of biology. Holdren was an integral part of the FEV Program under former Director Shaun, and Dr. Brian Virgil reported directly to him on project progress. Because of his role in FEV at The Institute, as well as his potential involvement in Virgil’s death, Madison banished him permanently to the surface.
Dr. Victor Zimmer - Former Division Head of the now defunct SRB. Exiled member of The Institute. Dr. Zimmer had been away from The Institute for some time, pursuing his own agenda on the surface. When he returned to find it in chaos and none other than Madison Li in charge, he needed little other reason to agree to his own banishment.
Others:
Robert Joseph "RJ" MacCready - MacCready serves as The Institute’s essential replacement for the mercenary Kellogg. Having grown up in Little Lamplight and The Capital Wasteland, MacCready had heard of Madison Li and her work on Project Purity. MacCready was desperately seeking a cure for his son, Duncan, who had fallen mysteriously ill with an unknown malady. When Madison made her appearance as the new Director, MacCready managed to contact her and forged a deal. Intrigued by the mercenary’s apparent skill and reputation in The Commonwealth, and perhaps feeling a bit nostalgic in recognizing his connection to her old home, Madison drew up a contract. MacCready was furnished with treatment for his son, a home in Diamond City, and a comfortable pile of caps in exchange for his services above ground. MacCready reports directly to Director Li, and takes orders from no-one in The Institute but her.
Dr. Brian Virgil - Virgil, despite helping the Sole Survivor reach The Institute, Virgil was an unfortunate victim of The Institute’s current byzantine politics. Virgil stayed hidden for some time in the Glowing Sea after having made Nathaniel swear to not reveal his location or even that he was still alive to anyone. He was unable to recreate his mutant cure and continued to slowly deteriorate. Then when Madison Li took charge of The Institute he’d intended to reach out to her for help as soon as he was able. Before that could happen however, Virgil was killed under unknown circumstances. Madison eventually discovered where he’d gone, but by then it was too late. Madison, with good reason, suspects the killing of Virgil was done under orders from someone in The Institute itself.
Military: The Institute’s military is primarily composed of its Gen-1 and Gen-2 Synths. These older model units are still reliable and still highly advanced combat effective troops, serving as effective light to medium infantry in most situations. They are typically armed with a manufactured Institute energy weapon (pistol or rifle in most cases) and Gen-2 units are equipped with variants of a hardened plastic armor - with armor tending to protect vital points only on the synths body. All in all a fully equipped Gen-2 Synth is a decent match for a human combatant in strength and resilience, if not as intelligent as one.
The numbers of Synths the Institute has at its disposal is considerable, outnumbering its human population considerably as they are able to produce them relatively cheaply, and quickly.
Economy: The Institute’s economy is almost entirely self-sufficient as they are able to produce and manufacture nearly everything needed from within. Bioscience produces The Institute’s food while the Facilities division ensures nearly everything else from clothes to purified water to furniture is available to its residents via advanced manufacturing processes. About the only thing needed from outside is raw material, which the surface has in abundance. Previously The Institute would simply collect whatever it needed from The Commonwealth with little consideration given to who it affected or how. With Madison Li currently in charge that has obviously changed. Now The Institute has been forced both to scavenge sparing from the surface, and to focus more on raw material mining below ground. Acquiring raw materials has thus become a more tedious process, but less impactful on the surface dwellers overall.
Culture and Technology: Essentially a post-scarcity society compared to the rest of the post-apocalyptic world, the people of The Institute want for little and have access to a standard of living that exceeds that of even the pre-war world. Synths perform the day to day menial tasks which frees up the scientists to pursue both their work and other leisurely pursuits as they wish. The scientists are often extremely devoted to their chosen field of work and more often than not spend off-hours studying or pursuing minor projects associated with their research. As a result the work-culture of The Institute is extremely competitive and has evolved into a kind of strict meritocracy, where skill and experience is valued for advancement above all else. This of course is one of the reasons why Father’s (Shaun’s) appointment of Nathaniel to The Directorship was so controversial: they viewed the appointment as sheer nepotism given there were so many other qualified candidates for the role.
In terms of technology, The Institute is one of if not the most advanced groups in the world. With their technology spanning all known sciences from their research into Synths to even teleportation.
For those in the know, super-mutants are considered to be little more than failed experiments: with the Gen-3 Synth the perfected form of the FEV and the apex of research into the Forced Evolutionary Virus. They also condemn human slavery as a barbaric practice which only illustrates how far the surface has fallen (Gen-3’s are not considered human of course). But are highly unlikely to directly chastise anyone on the surface for practicing it.
Religion: There is no official religion in The Institute and by and large the scientists there are mostly atheist, agnostic, or some variant thereof. There are also no places of worship inside its walls. However a religious scientist would also not be unheard of, and there are some members who have at least some sense of spirituality (Alan Binet for example). Those that do largely keep these views to themselves as in The Institute if something cannot be backed up by the burden of scientific proof, it is meaningless to consider as anything more than speculative philosophy: something fun to chat about while enjoying coffee and nutritional supplements in the cafeteria, but irrelevant anywhere else.
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