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Notable Areas

1. The Cathedral building
   1. Morpheus' Quarters (4th floor)
   2. Lasher's Quarters
   3. Entrance to the Vault
   4. Prayer Room
2. Cathedral Vault
   1. Psychers' Quarters (Level 2)
   2. Prison Quarters (Level 2)
   3. Cathedral Control Center (Level 3)
   4. Master's Quarters (Level 3)
   5. The nuclear bomb chamber (Level 4)

Notable Characters

1. Cathedral figureheads/techs (purplee robes)
2. Chanters of the Children of the Catthedral (brown robes)
3. Followers of the Children of the Caathedral (Ton, etc.)
4. Nightkin guards (ground and tower llevels only)
5. Super Mutant guards (vault only)
6. Mad Scientists
7. Prisoners
8. Robots
9. Lasher, High Priest
10. Dr. Wu, COC medic (He won't heal you.)
11. Ton, mean guy (tries to seduce you if you are female)
12. Francine, a devout Cathedral believer
13. Morpheus, High Priest and leader of the Cathedral
14. Laura, Follower spy
15. Jeremiah, COC member who opens door for you
16. Gideon, Psychotic nut who will give you nullifier
17. Viscious, Strong mutant who guards north area
18. The Master of the Super Mutants

Stuff to get

1. Red Cathedral Key (barter from Ton)
2. Black Cathedral Key (kill Morpheus)
3. Robes (if you still haven't got them, get them after you kill Morpheus)
4. Psychic Nullifier

Notes

1. Kill Morpheus and his nightkin guards. Alternatively, you can slaughter everyone in the Cathedral for the 'Cowboy' approach. - OR - You can skip steps 2-6 if you speak with Morpheus and ask him to take you to the Master. Choose this option only if you have robes and Vree's autopsy disk.
2. Head on to the Cathedral Vault, and wait for approximately a minute for Jeremiah to open the door. Rush in with your robes on. - OR - Examine the bookcase directly to the left of the secret doorway (wall with irregularities). Go on the left of the bookcase and use traps on it. I got it open with two tries with 38% traps and 5 luck.
3. BS the mutants that are guarding the Vault entrance that you have business to do.
4. Hack into the computer on the first floor.
5. Free the prisoners on Level 2.
6. Speak with Gideon and ask him to 'anoint' you (he'll give you the Psychic Nullifier)
7. Either...
   • Kill the Master with your gun (Cowboy)
   • If you have brought the key from the military base (and have insanely high lockpick skill), use the key to arm the nuke.
   • Talk the Master out of his plans (only if you have Vree's autopsy report and/or have read it, and have robes on.)
8. Escape from the Cathedral after your confrontation with the Master.

NOTE

Like the Military Base, there are many ways you can blow up the Cathedral. These include two infiltration methods and of course, the cowboy method.

If you have spoken with Ismarc, then you should already know the location of the Boneyards. The Cathedral is to the south of the Boneyards by two square units.

NOTE

Many people in the Cathedral will refuse to speak with you if you have a weapon in your active weapon slot, and some might even turn hostile.

NOTE

Unlike the Military Base, the members of the Cathedral (first floor) won't turn hostile if you kill Morpheus and his mutant guards. The same applies if you kill mutants on the second floor and enter the third. The members do say threatening dialogue and might turn hostile towards you.

The Cathedral Vault is a sealed area. If you kill members on the first floor, you can enter the second and third floors without any of the mutants turning hostile towards you (provided that you have the robes on). But if you kill the Master, the entire Cathedral Vault will be under alert.

Contents 1 Diplomatic-Infiltration approach 2 Diplomatic approach 3 Cowboy approach 4 James Bond approach

[edit] Diplomatic-Infiltration approach

Enter the Cathedral in your Power Armor. Once you get into the main prayer area, there should be a man in leather armor. Speak with him, and barter for his red cathedral key. (After that, you can call him little man or whatever...) Use the cathedral key on the locked door next to the lady in the leather jacket. After the door is unlocked, climb the stairs until you reach the fourth floor.

NOTE

Another way of getting the key is bartering it from Sister Francis or by asking Lasher really nicely. Also, you can lockpick the door (80% with lockpicks works).

When you reach the fourth floor, put the combat shotgun or .223 pistol in the inactive weapon slot. Open the door that goes to Morpheus' room (he is the guy in the robes), hit 'A' to go to combat, and kill him. There are three nightkin (Super Mutants) who are his guards; two are equipped with a flamethrower and one has a minigun. Dispose of his guards, and examine Morpheus' corpse and take his black Cathedral key.

Go back to the first floor, and put on your robes and equip the black Cathedral key in your active item slot. There is a locked door leading to a room with a bookcase on it; use the black cathedral key there. Enter the stairwell that leads to the basement.

When you descend down the stairwell, you will enter the Cathedral basement. There is a secret door in the basement that leads to the Cathedral vault. Here is an ASCII map showing you where the secret entrance is:

   Stairs   
 |       |
 |       |
 |       |
                      b = bookcase
   . . .              * = bookcase with trapdoor switch.   

|        |----
|           b
|           *
|            secret doorway
|-------------

There are two ways into the Cathedral vault. One is to wait for a minute until Jeremiah (Master's messenger) opens the door and goes up the stairs. The second way is to examine the bookcase that is directly to the left of the secret entrance. On the left of the bookcase, examine it. After your examination, use the traps skill on the bookcase. Eventually, you will find a hidden switch (I got it with two tries on 38% skill and 5 luck). Then examine it again to open the door. Rush in.

When you enter the cavern entrance to the vault, there will be several grotesque creatures, namely floaters and centaurs. They'll ignore you since you are wearing the robes.

Like Vault 13, this vault has an entrance on the north corner guarded by two super mutants. They'll stop you as you go in, but since you have your robes on, you can BS them easily. Just say that you are on important business, and give them a blessing. You'll get 750 xp.

There is a computer next to the elevator. Use science on it to find the location of the military base... (even though you know it already, it gives you 1250 xp). Enter the elevator, and go to level 2.

On Level 2, go to the room with a lone super mutant guard with some scientists. Enter the room, and go south. You'll see some trapped prisoners. Go to the terminal on the wall, use it, and the prisoners will be free. You will get 2000 xp for your efforts. (BTW, once the prisoners escape and reach the terminal, they'll be blown away...no known way to stop this.)

Go in the northwest of level 2, and enter the room on the left of the prayer room (the room with people in COC robes and two super mutants). Speak with the man with the green shirt, and ask him for a nullifier. He'll give you one, and you'll receive 1000 xp. Also, be sure to equip the nullifier in your active item slot. Go back to the elevator for level 3.

When you enter level 3, head south and take a turn (your right or your character's left). There should be a mutant walking towards you. He won't talk to you or attack, so there is no need to worry. Head towards the control area (the area with the goo-covered computers) and open the door. Go through the door, through the passageway, and you should see the master. Speak with him. Now, here is the conversation:

Master

So what shall it be? Do you join the Unity or do you die here?

Join! Die! Join! Die!

You

If you can prove to me that your Unity is the best course for humanity, then I will help you.

Master

I don't have to prove anything to you! Prove.

You

I can't know you represent the best future unless you prove it to me.

Master

Very demanding for one in your tenuous position. But I can respect your needs.

You

So tell me.

Master

The Unity will bring about the Master race...to our destiny.

Destiny!

You

That race being the mutants, of course.

Master

Of course. Mutants are best equipped to deal with the world...age of mutants. Mutants!

You

You mean to change others into mutants, as well.

Master

All that resist, yes...last of their race.

You

You've got a problem with your master plan.

Master

And what is that?

You

I happen to know that your mutants are sterile.

Master

Preposterous! The FEV-2 virus doesn't destroy the reproductive organs of those it mutates.

You

Have you talked to any of your mutants about this? (NOTE: you have read report, but do not have it)

Master

I believe I shall. Don't move.

My scientists assure me that nothing is wrong. What do you say to that?

You

How about a female mutant?

Master

Reasonable. One moment. Are you sure? What about the other females?

It cannot be. Be.

You

Sorry, your race is doomed.

Master

But it cannot be...failure...be.

You

Sorry, this isn't an option for you...race...die.

Master

< Last speech...choose 'done' and leave Cathedral immediately. >

NOTE

You'll need high intelligence to get this conversation. Eight works, six or seven might work. High speech skill is also a good idea to have. The "smooth talker" can help in this area, if your intelligence is a bit lacking.

After the conversation, run down to the elevator, down to the first level, and exit out of the Vault cavern through the secret door and basement. After you go climb the stairwell that leads to the first floor, leave the Cathedral through the entrance that takes you outside. After you get outside (with some people in leather armor and brown robes), run to the red exit. You'll see a video of the Cathedral blowing up, and the game will be over.

[edit] Diplomatic approach

This one is pretty much the same as the above. Instead, wear your robes from the outset and barter for a red key. Use the key to open the locked door, and go to Morpheus' room. Talk to Morpheus, and tell him that you have some information for the Master, namely Vault 13. Morpheus will take you to the Master. After you're there, do the same conversation approach, and after he realizes the fault with his plan, leave the Cathedral.

[edit] Cowboy approach

This method is pretty much the same as the above, but you kill everything that moves. Be sure to don your Power Armor, use stims often, and also save. Be sure to pick up heavy weapons from the dead mutants.

On Level 2, be sure to free the prisoners and get the Psychic Nullifier if you can.

Level 3 will probably be the hardest area to fight. There are several assault robots and many super mutants, each with at least 100 hit points. Then there is the Master as well. (For tips on defeating the Master, see the 'tactics' section.)

After the battle with the Master, you have to run from the Cathedral.

[edit] James Bond approach

A bit different from the traditional infiltration approach, this one goes through in the same way as the original one, except that it requires you to have the Lieutenant's key to arm the nuke. Vree's holodisc is not required.

When you have gone to the third level, head to the south and to the west, and enter the room that's full of super mutants. Use the electronic lockpicks on the door that is locked (if you don't have them, they can be found on the fourth floor of the Cathedral). After you've locked that door, lockpick the elevator door. (You can't use your picks.) Enter the elevator and go to the fourth level. When you go to the fourth level, again, you can't use your lockpicks to open the door. After you open the door, equip the key in one of your active item slots. Enter combat mode, put the key into the atomic computer, and then put on your power armor kill the two mutants. After the two mutants are dead, remove your power armor and escape from the Cathedral.

NOTE

You'll need good lockpick skill to complete this mission, and electronic lockpicks are highly recommended. I tried this with 80% skill, and I know for a fact that 60% and below will not work.