Philip Lem

Philip Lem is a Powder Ganger living in Vault 19 in 2281.

Background
Philip Lem made his living by sneaking into NCR camps and stealing goods and made a well enough living. One day, however, he got sloppy and got caught, avoided hanging, and sent to NCR Correctional Facility. Once there, Lem was one of the first inmates involved with Samuel Cooke's prison break plan and took part by spreading the word to other useful inmates and eventually participated in the NCRCF prison break, like the other inmates.

Lem decided to follow Cooke's lead on the way out of NCRCF and to Vault 19 but after all was said and done, Lem began to think that the group should turn themselves in back to the NCR believing that the group can't sustain themselves on the limited resources they got and Cooke's overambitious agenda against the NCR will eventually just get them all killed. Currently, Lem is at odds with Cooke, who wants everyone to stay while Lem and his group want to leave and surrender to the NCR, leaving the group confused on who's actually leading.

Quests
Why Can't We Be Friends?: After planting the C-4 on the microcline rock, Philip asks the Courier to talk to Papa Khan to secure their alliance.

Effects of player's actions

 * If the player character sides with Cooke during the quest Why Can't We Be Friends?, the room to the blue overseer's office, where Lem resides, will be locked after the player character kills the fire geckos in the caves, with no option to lockpick the door. When the player character returns after speaking to Papa Khan about the convicts joining their ranks, they can enter the office, but will only find blood and some body parts on the floor. When spoken to about this, Cooke will confirm that he killed Lem to maintain control of the gang.
 * If the player character blows up the caves like Lem wanted, he is thankful and rewards the player character with caps. At this point, they can either allow Lem to turn himself and the other convicts in like he wanted, or convince him to join the Great Khans with a Speech check of 40.

Appearances
Philip Lem appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes
Phillip Lem's name is derived from the science-fiction writers Phillip K. Dick and Stanisław Lem. Sydney Wolfram, who designed Vault 19, was reading from both authors at the time.