Clem the rogue Grineer
(Warframe)
Context
Clem is our *friend*.
More specifically, he’s a minor character in the Warframe video game. If you’re not familiar with that, you should first hit our Warframe setting article for a primer.
Clem originally appeared in nonsensical fan drawings by one Datareaper. The studio eventually added Clem to the game – as an absurd but oddly endearing ally.
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Powers & Abilities
Clem is a Grineer clone trooper. As such, he’s a minor super-soldier.
He’s also a talented gunfighter. Clem is fast, accurate, hard to hit and fairly agile.
Clem isn’t on the level of a warframe, but he’s something of an action hero. He also seems to be a capable operative.
Fighting class
Clem has a number of mutations. This is common among Grineer troops. The cloning technology is in poor shape, and current Grineers are copies of copies of copies etc. ad nauseamA thing repeated so often you become sick of it..
- Like most Grineers Clem has some malformed organs and body parts, particularly the feet (cue 1990s Rob Liefeld joke). But, as with other Grineer troops, these are compensated for by crude cybernetic replacements.
- Clem is markedly smaller than equivalent Grineer soldiers. He seems to be roughly 6′ (1.82m) tall, maybe a bit less.
- Clem has a “defect” that means he doesn’t reflexively obey high-ranking Orokin. Normally, Orokin servants are genetically primed to do so. This also means that he had to find a reason for living.
Grakata!
Clem is clad in Lancer-class Grineer body armour.
Normally, Lancers are armed with a Grakata assault rifle. However, Clem *dual-wields* Grakatas. The version he uses is smaller, but not that much.
Though Grakatas spray bullets at an alarming rate, Clem has no problem shooting them both at once, and reloading both at once. BRRRRRTTT clack clack BRRRRRTTT clack clack etc.
He can go through *thousands* of bullets in a gunfight.
History
Clem, not being genetically loyal to the Twin Orokin Queens, was considered an abomination.
He managed to flee, and tried to create a life for himself in the Origin System.
Since all he could do was soldiering, he became a mercenary.
Hey, Tenno. Do you like deals ?
His excellent track record attracted the attention of rogue trader Darvo Bek.
Darvo is a shady merchant. He deals in “alternatively procured” goods that just fell off an orbiter and heh, he happened to find them okay ?
Despite his shifty dealings, Darvo is firmly aligned with the Tenno. The Lotus thus considers him a valuable asset. Which means that when Darvo gets into trouble, The Lotus will likely send in a fearsome commando of warframes to bail him out.
Darvo cultivates this relationship by offering constant deals, free surplus resources, access to an amazing selection of weapons, etc.. Much of this stuff is stolen for him by hand-picked mercenaries, with Clem being Darvo’s best muscle.
As Darvo kept proving his value to The Lotus, he came to offer paid contracts for Tenno warframes to operate along Clem when he’s over his head.
Description
Clem makes clumsy attempts to affirm some individuality in his appearance, but it’s… odd.
He wears two lancer masks atop one another, the top one being slightly askew.
There’s also a seeker grenade glued atop the back of his armour. One gets the vague impression that it’s meant as a sort of pet rock.
When not expecting combat, Clem usually carries a Latron semi-automatic precision rifle. Apparently, it was a gift.
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Personality
Clem is an eager, courageous fighter – though he might be a bit reckless.
Like Darvo, Clem is loyal to the Tenno.
This silly character only ever says two words — “Clem !” and “Grakata !” — over and over. But the delivery is funny, making this goofball sound endearing.
And though this may not be intended, it… actually makes sense.
- “Clem” or “Klem” is a frequent word in Grineer troops barksCanned, repetitive lines uttered by video game characters (usually during combat).. It seems to mean “enemy” or “outsider”. Which, from a Grineer point of view, is the same thing anyway. Thus Clem would be called “Clem” as the word for outsider, but would also exclaim “Clem !” to designate enemies or as the equivalent of “incoming !”.
- A Grakata is a type of assault rifle. But the name is presumably an onomatopoeia for automatic gunfire. Thus, “grakata !” could credibly mean “an automatic firearm”, “to shoot bursts”, and by metonymy “to kill”. The exact meaning can be inferred from context.
(Out-of-universe, “klem” is the result of the sound filters used for Grineer speech. It’s the word “them” getting deformed by that algorithm.)
Video
On one hand, it’s only 45 seconds. On the other, Clem only ever says two words.
I *think* that the voice actor is Erich Preston, one of the game’s sound designers. The game started as a scrappy, low-budget thing. And thus, many of the early characters are simply voiced by the staff (devs, PR team, some random intern wearing a chulo, etc.).
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Clem
| Dex: 06 | Str: 05 | Bod: 06 |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 03 | Min: 04 |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 04 |
| Init: 016 | HP: 025 |
Skills:
Acrobatics: 04, Thief (Stealth, Security systems): 04, Weaponry (Firearms): 06
Advantages:
Schtick (Paired weapons (Grakata !)).
Connections:
Darvo (Low).
Drawbacks:
Exile (Involuntary). Clem also presumably has a number of medical issues due to bad cloning and mutations.
Motivation:
Grakata !
Occupation:
Clem !
Wealth:
004
Equipment:
- CUSTOM LANCER ARMOUR [/BODY/ 08].
- Custom grakata (x2) [BODY 05, Projectile weapons: 08, Range: 05, Sharpness (Projectile weapons): 02, Ammo: 15, Recommended STR 05, Advantage : Autofire, Drawback: PW has No Range, used the listed Range instead, Descriptor: Bludgeon].
Source of Character: Warframe video games.
Helper(s): Clem !
Writeup completed on the 15th of Grakata, 2019.