The Children of Atom are a religious cult faction from Bethesda's Fallout franchise. They are a little more recent to the series, having first appeared in Fallout 3 and continuing to be seen in Fallout 4. Their religion worships radiation and sees nuclear annihilation as a blessing rather than a curse. For obvious reasons, they are not a well-respected faction among the folk of the wasteland and tend to keep to themselves.
There is a lot to dissect when it comes to the Children of Atom, from their beliefs to their founding and history. Over the years, they have gained ground, spreading from the Capital Wasteland and into the Commonwealth. While the faction is small, there is a chance it may become bigger and more hungry for power as the games continue.
The History Of The Cult
The founding of the cult began where Megaton would be built. The founders were refugees that took shelter in a crater after the Great War. At the center of the crater was a bomb that did not yet go off, and the refugees began to worship it. Along with their worship, they built around the bomb a town that would be Megaton. All were welcome in the town as long as they did not disturb the bomb, which was considered a holy relic.
The first notable worshipper of Atom was Confessor Cromwell, who arrived in Megaton in his early 20s. He grew into someone worshippers would later call a prophet, as he protected Megaton and tried to spread the word of the cult to any who would listen. Between the 2260s and 2270s, the cult left Megaton and split into two. One half settled in the Commonwealth and the other set up near Far Harbor.
Mother Isolde lead the flock in the Commonwealth, where they settled in a place they named the Crater of Atom in the Glowing Sea where they associated very little with outsiders. Confessor Martin led his people to Far Harbor, but they were exiled for their unconventional beliefs and had to move into the Mount Desert Island Naval Facility which they would call the Nucleus. The Children of Atom in the Nucleus began a war against Far Harbor, hoping to spread the island's radioactive fog to every corner.
The Beliefs Of Atom
While their history is short and simple, the beliefs of the Children of Atom are more complex. They believe in a deity named Atom, and that every atomic mass has a universe within it. Atom seeks to create new worlds through nuclear fission (which the Children call Division). These beliefs are what makes them think the Great War is a divine event, as the nuclear bombs created many universes in a short span of time.
Radiation is seen as a blessing, and the Children call it Atom's Glow. They believe radiation is not sickness, but betterment that can lead to more Division. Those who die from radiation release all the worlds trapped inside them. In terms of how Division is done, the Children of Atom believe nuclear explosions are the greatest method due to their quickness, but natural radiation is also fine with them. Most shrines to Atom are erected in places the Children find that are particularly irradiated. They tend to collect nuclear weapons, as they believe others will use them in a way that offends Atom instead of glorifying him.
Like many religions, the Children of Atom put themselves under strict self-discipline to reject indulgences and the material world. While the Children do not typically seek out violence, they are known to retaliate with violence if someone tries to interfere with the spread of radiation. They see anyone trying to stop radiation as blasphemers. While some of its worshippers are blessed with an immunity to radiation, those that are not immune are allowed to take medication such as Radaway and Rad-X. Some even see ridding the radiation of one's body as a form of penitence that allows them to renew their embrace with Atom's Glow.
Revelations, Hierarchy, And Technology
A major part of the cult is that some believers get to have revelations. It is believed Atom sends messages to the most faithful, and his messengers can take many forms. In Far Harbor, the Mother of the Fog is the most revered messenger of all. She is believed to be one of the original Children to settle on the island and made most of the shrines. Some believe she is a spirit while others believe she is just a hermit who occasionally helps them. Whatever the case may be, it is a fact that she led the Children from Far Harbor to the Nucleus when they were exiled. Revelations can also be given from irradiated animals, such as radiated stags. Children have told stories of seeing visions of glowing animals that they have followed to safe passage.
The highest leaders of the Children of Atom are Mothers and Confessors, who all Children must follow with extreme loyalty. Confessors and Mothers typically have Inquisitors, whose job is to make sure there is no dissent in the ranks of the group. Those that fight and defend are called Zealots, and they are often people who used to be raiders or mercenaries before they converted to the Church of Atom. Among the Zealots is a Grand Zealot who instructs the others. Those who wish to convert to the Church typically have to undergo a ceremony that includes drinking irradiated water. Some people die in this ceremony while others are discovered to have Atom's blessing by having a revelation or being immune to the radiation.
In terms of technology, the Children of Atom typically care little for high-tech equipment. They are salvagers that dress in rags that believe their faith will protect them more than armor would. However, there are certain groups and individuals with more tech than others. In the Glowing Sea branch, there is a reprogrammed assaultron named Atom's Wrath that lives among the Children. By the Nucleus, the Children use radium rifles and armor as a means to prepare for war against Far Harbor.
Fallout 4 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.