Desdemona

"This isn't the Railroad's darkest hour. We will make it through."

Desdemona is the leader of the Railroad faction in The Commonwealth in Fallout 4.

Background
Desdemona's cautious nature and professional demeanor make getting to know her difficult. These personality traits also leave her history enigmatic. At some point in her life, she knew someone called Sam, who was most likely dear to her - and is most likely deceased, since her last words are of Sam and that she is "coming home" to them.

Other interactions

 * The Sole Survivor must seek her aid after dealing with the Courser, and getting his chip; as she and her people are the only ones who can decode it.
 * If the player does not speak to Desdemona prior to entering The Institute and accepting a mission, she shuns the player character and the Railroad questline ends.
 * If one is a Railroad agent but is Banished from the Institute then this also ends the Railroad questline as the player remaining undercover was vital to the plan. Desdemona encourages the player to stop the Institute with the Commonwealth Minutemen as she sees it as the best remaining option for protecting the synths.

Appearances
Desdemona appears only in Fallout 4.

Behind the scenes
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello, wherein Desdemona is accused of being an adulterer and sleeping with Othello's comrade, Cassio. Desdemona is then suffocated with a pillow by her husband, the aforementioned Othello (though she is crushed with the ceiling of a house in the original Italian version).

Bugs

 * After completing the main quest line with the support of the Commonwealth Minutemen, if you are on good terms with The Railroad and you return to their hideout, Desdemona will speak of Glory as if she had died even though you'll see Glory walking about. If you try to interact with Glory she will stay silent and not say any dialogue.
 * In her speech to Railroad HQ informing them of the Sole Survivor's successful infiltration of The Institute, she may incorrectly refer to him or her as "Wanderer" even if he or she chose a different code name when joining the Railroad.

Desdémona Дездемона