Human (Clone)
human clone
Special Abilities: Clones start the game with one rank in Knowledge (Warfare) and one rank in Resilience. They still may not train these skills above rank 2 during character creation.
Kamino Training: Clones start with one rank in the Physical Training talent
As the Clone Wars drag on, the stress of combat and the high casualties cause cracks and strains in the ranks of the clone soldiers. Personality quirks, once considered harmless or even essential to the mental development of these soldiers, now express themselves in extreme and polarizing ways.
Naive new clones, fresh from the clone tanks, find themselves fighting alongside veterans who have experienced years of combat, the deaths of comrades, objectives gained or failed, and the often-ineffectual civilian Republic leadership. Some veterans have developed a skepticism of Republic bureaucracy that shocks even the most cynical of rookie clones.
Though the vast majority of clones remain loyal to the Republic, a small number have begun to question their strict obedience. Unlike most “natural” species, in which the youth question their elders, it is the older clones of the Grand Army of the Republic who find themselves questioning their values and traditions. These clones still find meaning in service and comfort in the company of their brothers, but life no longer seems as cut and dry as it did at the start of the war.
Clones are physically identical, based on the genetic template of the bounty hunter Jango Fett. They share his black hair, dark-brown eye color, and light-brown skin tone. Insufficient or rushed field care has left most veterans with deep physical scars. These soldiers wear their scars with pride, and some even refuse rehabilitative treatment to remove them, even when the Republic can spare the resources for such cosmetic issues.
The soldiers of the Grand Army consider their brothers-in-arms to be their family, bonding most closely with their immediate squad mates. They fight for their brothers, die for their brothers, and support their brothers. While admirable, this quality also can keep them from seeing the bigger picture and can make them willfully ignorant of the Republic’s politics.
After the intense conflict of the war so far, the clones’ minor personality quirks have been amplified by constant battle and sustained stress. Each unit has its own rituals, small ways to identify squad mates, those from the same company. Veterans of specific campaigns often do likewise. A soldier who talks about “cracking that crystal” identifies himself as a veteran of Christophsis and the assault on Crystal City, while an officer calling targets “bugs” reveals he fought in the hives on Geonosis. Clones respect a fellow soldier with a different background, but may feel separated by time, space, and the unique aspects of his struggle.
On their off hours, the clones continue their training, but for their mental health, command has given them permission to pursue hobbies, within limited parameters. This has improved morale and recovery, but has also given them insight into how the “other side,” the civilian side, lives. These differences continue to highlight the clones’ place in the universe. Non-clones can go home to their families. Jedi can return to the temple for thoughtful contemplation. When the war ends, the Republic intends to retire them, but neither the government nor the clones know what that means.
Clones consider Kamino their homeworld, just as official records do. They spend the first decade of their life on the ocean world. They train and study under the soft white lights of the clone facilities, feeling the hum of the never-ending storms that batter the towers. Most never see the rain, ocean, clouds, or sky until they leave for combat.
Still, from the moment of their birth, clones receive encouragement from their trainers and genetic engineers to leave Kamino, to be soldiers among the stars. Kamino represents where clones came from, but not where they belong.
Clones speak Basic, the language of the Galactic Republic. Those who spend a lot of time stationed on a specific planet may adopt a patois of the local language. Clones tend to litter their speech with military jargon or slang—such as “clankers” for droids—incomprehensible to a civilian or a Jedi unfamiliar with military culture.
Clones talk about retirement as a reward for their service in the war, but few know what that entails. When a soldier brings the subject up, their commander quickly puts an end to the idle chatter to focus on immediate mission objectives. A few commanders and forward-looking clones have contemplated work in corporate security or consultation with local militaries. However, their loyalty to the Republic remains strong, which may conflict with any work outside of a galactic military.
Some hints may reveal the clones’ futures. A minute few have deserted, seeking lives away from war and combat. Politicians have vetted certain officers about staying in a formalized and permanent Republic military to maintain the peace, and a few exceptional clones have been approached with the idea of their own run for office. They have proven their loyalty to the Republic, and the civilian populace loves military heroes. If only the clones didn’t have such disdain for politicking, they could be ideal candidates.
The clones suffer a decade’s worth of painful accelerated growth before they reach maturity. Meanwhile, they endure nonstop training, simulations, and testing. Though encouraged to identify with their cohort, they receive no time to form friendships beyond a soldier’s bond. Throughout their growth and training, the clones receive letter and number designations to eliminate any sense of individuality. The cloners and trainers on Kamino treat them as pieces of a machine, not people.
The endless mental and physical drills bleed into their “recreation, ” where they participate in sports and games that resemble battle simulations. The inevitable bouts of anger and rebellion get treated over time in retraining pods, essentially isolation tanks. Throughout clones’ time on Kamino, their engineers mutter veiled threats of disposal if the clones fail their testing. The Jedi have clamped down on the more egregious attitudes, but the engineers of Kamino still treat the clones as a product.