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Overview

Hidden Valley is the home of the Brotherhood of Steel. If you wander into their bunker (via Exit A) without Veronica, then they won't be happy to see you, and they'll force you to begin the quest Still in the Dark. If you don't want to take orders from the Brotherhood, then you can also kill them (some routes to the end of the game will even require this), but it's a good idea to complete their quests first, since the Brotherhood provides the easiest way to receive power armor training (the only other way is to complete the quest For Auld Lang Syne).


1 - Bunker

Behind the "average" locked door in this bunker, you'll find some 5.56mm Rounds (by the door), two Mini Nukes (in the right corner), and a Stimpak (in the left corner).


2 - Bunker

Behind the "easy" locked door in this bunker, you'll find some 5.56mm Rounds (by the door) and some 5mm Rounds (in the left corner).


3 - Bunker

Behind the "hard" locked door in this bunker, you'll find a Frag Grenade (in the left corner), some 5.56mm Rounds (in the debris to the left), and three ammunition boxes and a Mini Nuke (in the far right corner). Depending on when you enter the bunker, you might also find two grenade bouquets (hanging from the ceiling at the bottom of the staircase) or an NCR ranger named Dobson (during the quest Still in the Dark).


4 - Door / Intercom

If you have Veronica with you, then the Brotherhood will be happy to see you. They'll open this door for you, and you'll be allowed to move around the bunker without restriction. Otherwise, if you try to go through the door uninvited -- by giving the password (which you can find on dead Brotherhood patrols in the wasteland) or by picking the door's "very hard" lock -- then three Brotherhood paladins will enter the room and demand that you relinquish your weapons and armor (depending on where you are in the game, the paladins might also just come through the door and "greet" you when you arrive). If you comply with their request, then you'll be sent into the bunker, and you'll begin the quest Still in the Dark. If you refuse, then you'll become vilified by the Brotherhood, and you'll be forced to fight them.


5 - Ramos' Office

This is where you'll meet Senior Paladin Ramos, the Brotherhood's chief of security. He's involved in the quest Still in the Dark. If you kill Ramos, then you'll find a suit of Brotherhood T-51b Power Armor, a T-51b Power Helmet, a Gauss Rifle, and more on his corpse. You'll also be able to steal the Hidden Valley Bunker Key (which opens the door at #4) from him.

Also in the office you'll discover two terminals. If you hack the "very easy" terminal on the desk, then you'll be able to read Ramos' journal. If you hack the "hard" terminal on the wall, then you'll be able to recalibrate or deactivate the turrets in the bunker. The turrets are pretty powerful, so if you set them to attack Brotherhood personnel, then they'll do a good job of clearing out the bunker for you, and you won't gain any infamy with the Brotherhood.


6 - Shooting Range


7 - Depot

This is where you'll meet Knight Torres, the bunker's quartermaster. When you first talk to Torres, she'll refuse to sell you anything, but later, after accepting Part 2 of the quest Still in the Dark (where you're asked to find the missing patrols), she'll sell you a limited amount of stock. To see everything, you'll need to complete the quest Still in the Dark and join the Brotherhood.

Note: If you steal the Hidden Valley Depot Key from Knight Torres, then you'll be able to use it to gain access to the depot (via the under walkway), where you'll find a selection of weapons and ammunition, plus multiple sets of T-45d Power Armor and T-45d Power Helmets.

Once Torres begins selling you items, she'll also mention that a Laser Pistol recently went missing. This will trigger the mini-quest "Missing Laser Pistol." To find the pistol, you'll first need to talk to the (unnamed) paladin in charge of the shooting range (#7). He should be sitting at the desk in the shooting range during the day (but if not, then just talk to every paladin you can find, or leave the bunker, wait for a while and then come back and try again). The paladin will tell you that Initiate Stanton was the last one to check out the Laser Pistol, but that the records show he returned it a day later.

You'll find Stanton somewhere on the first level of the bunker, usually in the initiate barracks (#9) or in the classroom (#11). He'll immediately cave in and tell you that he and Apprentice Watkins went out to Scorpion Gulch for some target practice, but that he dropped the pistol when things got a little too exciting.

Scorpion Gulch is located to the southeast of Hidden Valley. Conveniently, you'll find a break in the fence in that direction, so you won't have to travel out of your way to get there. You'll probably encounter lots of scorpions during your trek, both before and after picking up the Missing Laser Pistol from the boulder in the center gulch, so be prepared. If you can't find the pistol, then just fast travel to the gulch and turn east. The boulder with the pistol should be right in front of you.

When you deliver the Missing Laser Pistol to Torres, she'll thank you for your help, and she'll give you a Tri-Beam Laser Rifle in exchange. You'll also earn 100 xp and some fame with the Brotherhood.


8 - Clinic

Inside the clinic you'll meet Senior Scribe Schuler. She'll perform regular doctor duties, and she'll sell you medical supplies. In the basket next to Schuler's desk you'll find a copy of Nikola Tesla and You. If you hack the "average" terminal on the eastern side of the clinic, then you'll be able to read Schuler's journal.


9 - Initiate Barracks


10 - Lorenzo's Terminal (Under Level)

If you hack the "average" security on this terminal, then you'll be able to read Lorenzo's journal.


11 - Classroom


12 - Computer Lab

Inside this lab you'll meet Scribe Ibsen. If you talk to him, then he'll tell you that the terminals in the lab are infected with a virus, and that he could use your help. To defeat the virus, you'll need to detect and isolate the three terminals that it is currently infecting -- all within 60 seconds. With a Science score of 70, you'll be able to partition the infected terminals, thus preventing the virus from jumping away from them. That means in future attempts at defeating the virus, those terminals will already be found, making the sequence much easier to complete.

There are 14 terminals in the lab, and you'll probably only be able to check out half of them before time is up. To improve your odds of detecting the infected terminals, don't wait for the terminals to display their information. If you see that a datastore is full of gibberish, then immediately power down the terminal and move on. You can also save your game when the timer starts. The infected terminals will remain fixed for your current try at detecting the virus, and so you can just keep loading your game until you've found all of the infected terminals.

After isolating the virus, when you talk to Ibsen again, he'll give you permission to use the terminals. You won't be able to access much at first (although you will be able to learn about the DERVISH camouflage system that causes the wind storms on the surface), but later you'll be able to use the terminals during the quest Still in the Dark.


13 - Workshop

In this room you'll find a workbench, a reloading bench, and a bunch of broken weapons and armor that you won't be able to do anything with. You'll also usually meet Senior Knight Lorenzo here. He's involved in the quests ED-E My Love and Still in the Dark.


14 - VR Lab

This is where you'll meet Head Scribe Taggart. He'll be "too busy" to talk to you, but that's fine since he isn't involved in any quests. Also in the lab you'll find an unlocked self-destruct authorization terminal and a "very hard" self-destruct terminal. If you loot or steal the keycards from Taggart, McNamara (#15), and Hardin (#16), then you'll be able to use them with the authorization terminal to unlock the self-destruct terminal. Meanwhile, the self-destruct terminal will allow you to blow up the bunker, but doing so will cost you some karma, plus cause you to become vilified by the Brotherhood.


15 - Command Room

This is where you'll find Elder McNamara. He's involved in the quest Still in the Dark, and if he stays in power then he can also give you the quest Eyesight to the Blind.


16 - Hardin's Room

This is where you'll usually find Head Paladin Hardin. He's involved in the quest Still in the Dark, and if he becomes elder, then he'll give you the quest Tend to Your Business. Also in the room you'll find some useful equipment sitting out: a Super Sledge, a Plasma Pistol, a Plasma Rifle, T-45d Power Armor, and a T-45d Power Helmet.


17 - Footlocker

After completing the quest Still in the Dark and joining the Brotherhood, a footlocker will appear here, and Brotherhood scribes will regularly fill it with energy weapon ammunition for you.


Exits:

1. Entrance to Brotherhood of Steel bunker.
2. Entrance to Bunker Level 1.
3. Entrance to Bunker Level 2.