The Church of One is a quasi-religous faction operating out of the regional West Tek plant as well as their nearby makeshift church. While claiming to be a Post-War relgious, worshipping an entity known only as "The One", it is largely a front employed by the Super Mutant Stephen to rebuild the Master's Army, under the belief that Stephen and his comrades were guided by the Masters will to the West Tek plant...and the vats of FEV contained within.
Background[]
Following the defeat of the Master, and the destruction of the Cathedral, due to the efforts of the Vault Dweller, many of the Super Mutants who made up the bulk of his mutant army found themselves feeling lost and disorriented. The Unity that the Master had strived to achieve had been undone in an instant. When the Vault Dweller later stormed the Mariposa Base, most of the Mutant army dispersed, many heading East while a large contingent marched northwards. Stephen, a first generation Super Mutant who had been gifted with heigtened intelligence, led one such band.
When the Super Mutants arrived in the Seattle Expanse, they began a brief reign of terror over the "normal" populace, even managing to drive the infamous Wild Dogs raider tribe to near extinction. However, due to the combined efforts of the local chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel as well as the resistance of the then nascent Inner Circle, the remnants of the Masters army were once again defeated. However, the Mutants were not completely destroyed.
Some years later, when The Inner Circle and the Brotherhood had at last come to blows, Stephen and what few Super Mutants still followed him found their way to the local West tek plant. Inside, they found a pair of Brotherhood Paladins still defending the lower levels of the facility, which had been sealed prior to the Inner Circles offensive against the Brotherhood. Though almost half his remaining followers lost their lives, their deaths bought Stephen possibly the greatest asset he could have hoped for in the entire wasteland; enough FEV to not only rebuild the Masters Army, but to create a force that eclipsed it.
Organisation[]
The Church of One operates on two different branches; The actual Church and religion itself as well as the growing Mutant army that bases itself out of the West tek plant while terrorizing the Seattle Expanse. The Church is headed by Dimitri Nikita, a wastelander who had come to admire the Super Mutants (Particularly Stephen) and believed them superior to humanity in every way. He gathers around him a cult of followers who act as spies within settlements as well as attempting to lure people to join the cult where they are put to use in Stephens maddened schemes either as a part of the cult...or as a new recruit for his mutant army.
The Mutant Army, at its core, is a pale imitation of the Masters Army, lacking the cohesion brought about by the telepathic control the Master exerted over his minions. Despite numbering over three hundred strong, their force is still incapable of overcoming any of the major powers, save for possibly The Cabal.
Equipment[]
The Cultists of the Church of One are largely unarmed but a few of them (Barely twenty) are trained in the usage of Pistols for personal defence, namely a 9mm pistol. The majority of the armor and weaponry employed by the Church of One is utilised by the Super Mutants. While crude Pipe Weapons are a common sight amongst its ranks, Pre-War Military hardware is often employed by a number of Mutants in various "packs", particularly Miniguns and Rocket Launchers. Bumper Swords, Rebar Clubs and even large boards are frequently employed as Melee weapons.
Relations[]
NCR[]
The NCR was founded following the Unity crisis, in which the Masters Army attempted to kill the people of New California...or turn them into Super Mutants. While peaceful relations between Normals, Ghouls and Super Mutants have been achieved in the past, the Church of One (and the Mutant Army it is building) has no interest of peace with the NCR...only a count of how many Mutants it would take to conquer it.
Winters Enclave[]
The Enclave has always been anti-mutant in its leanings, and the Super Mutants represent the fears of Pre-War america realised in the post-apocalyptic wastes. As such, Winters Enclave is bent on the Church's destruction.
The Inner Circle[]
The Inner Circle has already discerned the truth of the Church of One. As such, peace between the two is not only unachievable...it expired a while ago.
The Cabal[]
Perhaps the only group interested in the Church's survival, if the Cabal were to learn the secret of the church while discreetly disposing of both Stephen and Dimitri then perhaps the leadership of the Cabal would step in and repurpose the Mutant Army, and the FEV, for their own goals.