BRENDEN.MSG

{100}{}{You see a stern, young initiate with a book.}
{101}{}{You see Initiate Brenden.}
{102}{Brenden_001}{Good day. How may I be of assistance?}
{103}{Vault_Dweller_001a}{I'm looking for Master Scribe Vree.}
{104}{Vault_Dweller_001b}{I'm looking for General Maxson.}
{105}{Vault_Dweller_001c}{I'm looking for Paladin Rhombus.}
{106}{Vault_Dweller_001d}{What're you reading?}
{107}{Vault_Dweller_001e}{Gaahh.}
{108}{Brenden_002}{Hmm. Apparently I may not be of assistance.}
{109}{Brenden_003}{Master Scribe Vree is on level three, in the computer lab.}
{110}{Brenden_004}{General Maxson is usually on level four, in the council chambers.}
{111}{Brenden_005}{Paladin Rhombus spends most of his time on level one, in the supply room.}
{112}{Brenden_006}{Is there anything else I can help you with?}
{113}{}{Thanks. Good day.}
{114}{Brenden_007}{Actually, it is a journal that I am keeping. I'm working on a treatise on the social dynamics of the Brotherhood.}
{115}{Vault_Dweller_007a}{Hmm. Sounds interesting.}
{116}{Vault_Dweller_007b}{So, what's the point?}
{117}{Brenden_008}{Indeed. I've been researching information about our predecessors from before the war and about the societies of the outside world. I think that the Brotherhood comes closest in organization to the Knights Templar of the so-called 'Dark Ages'.}
{118}{Vault_Dweller_008a}{Why did you decide to study this?}
{119}{Vault_Dweller_008b}{The Knights Templar?}
{120}{Brenden_009}{Although the Brotherhood places a high emphasis on hard sciences and applications technology, there has been little in the way of research into the soft sciences, like psychology and sociology. For a well-rounded education, we must apply scientific thought to all endeavors.}
{121}{Vault_Dweller_009}{So what have you discovered?}
{122}{Brenden_010}{I've come to the conclusion that the Brotherhood functions mostly like a pseudo-religious organization. We have the strong military hierarchy, combined with codes of honor passed down from our ancestors. Combine this with our
technical skills and I think that there are two paths of development for the
Brotherhood: a techno-religious dictatorship or a benevolent research society.}
{123}{Vault_Dweller_010}{What could influence the development of the Brotherhood?}
{124}{Brenden_011}{Ultimately we have a command hierarchy, with the Elders at the top. The most influential positions, then, are the Elders and the High Elder. A charismatic High Elder could direct the Brotherhood almost completely. We need to be careful to make sure that we have a leader who is both strong and visionary. Thankfully, I think that General Maxson fits that description.}
{125}{Brenden_012}{According to my research, the Knights Templar were a military brotherhood which focused upon the acquisition of wealth and knowledge. Although they had some religious overtones in their structure, their quest for knowledge ultimately made them a secular organization. I think that they would have been a more theocratic organization if they had a greater interest in wealth and power, since the church of that era was primarily involved in control of gold and land.}
{126}{Vault_Dweller_012}{And how does this relate to the Brotherhood?}
{127}{Brenden_013}{We must understand our past if we are to recognize our directions for the future . . . but I'm sure you wouldn't understand that.}