You guys ever use a Zembahk worm as a P.C. or a ally?

[Shorty Lickens]

If so was it on Earth or somewhere in the three galaxies?
What kind of adventures did it join and was it a valuable or interesting member of the party?

[Warshield73]

It's been a long time but right after Atlantis came out my players got involved in a slave revolt and rescue. After this a few freed slaves joined them in a trip to either Tolkeen or Lazlo (I forget which) and among these were a dozen Zembahk. Over the next few years several of these Zembahk helped them several times with information, psionic and magic healing, even figuring out Mechanoid technology (telemechanics).

The player interaction with the Zembahk was interesting and in the few instances where they took them into battle zones and had help them move and protect them were too. Although, between TK force fields, armor ithan, decent natural MDC and a few other powers they could be fairly tough combatants.

Never had a player ask to play them but I think that is mostly about them not being able to learn new skills or really pilot any vehicle.

[Rifter11]

If so was it on Earth or somewhere in the three galaxies?
What kind of adventures did it join and was it a valuable or interesting member of the party?

I had a Zembakh NPC in my latest game. He was an appendage (actually coming out the side of the neck) of a Titan Cyberknight. The Cyberknight had been part of a group working to liberate slaves in Atlantis. They raided a Bio-Wizardry Clinic where the Zembakh was about to be labotomized and implanted as an appendage. The Zembakh could no longer live on its own (the surgery had already started) and in order to save him the Cyberknight (and friends) forced the Bio-Wizard to finish the operation (just on himself instead of the original client) without the labotomy.

They only appeared in one episode of the game...so the players didn't have much of a chance to get to know them.

[Shorty Lickens]

OK, coming back to this again. I think for my Atlantis campaign I will include one Zembahk as an ally or helper. It can give the player info and maybe even solve a problem or two for them. But it looks like nobody wants to play as one. Too limited, and cant grow or learn like a normal playable character. I sometimes wonder if anybody ever ran a campaign with nothing but weird RCC's. We've talked about it once or twice in my group. Usually not worms though. Fairy folk or alternative humanoids from the conversion books, or the weird stuff from Dark Conversions.

But one day I'd like to set up a proper D-bee campaign. Can never get anyone on board.

[Warshield73]

OK, coming back to this again. I think for my Atlantis campaign I will include one Zembahk as an ally or helper. It can give the player info and maybe even solve a problem or two for them. But it looks like nobody wants to play as one. Too limited, and cant grow or learn like a normal playable character. I sometimes wonder if anybody ever ran a campaign with nothing but weird RCC's. We've talked about it once or twice in my group. Usually not worms though. Fairy folk or alternative humanoids from the conversion books, or the weird stuff from Dark Conversions.

But one day I'd like to set up a proper D-bee campaign. Can never get anyone on board.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I have had players play lots of weird, even non-humanoid, characters in games. In my Rifts convention games one of the most popular characters to play is the sphinx. You can't use modern weapons of any kind but they have a lot of abilities that offset that. I even had a regular player run a sphinx mage for a while and he loved it. In Phase World convention games people love the Zebuloid and even the Durosk is interesting to most players who have used him. Again these are characters that are different but have some advantages and can grow over time.

[Shorty Lickens]

OK, coming back to this again. I think for my Atlantis campaign I will include one Zembahk as an ally or helper. It can give the player info and maybe even solve a problem or two for them. But it looks like nobody wants to play as one. Too limited, and cant grow or learn like a normal playable character. I sometimes wonder if anybody ever ran a campaign with nothing but weird RCC's. We've talked about it once or twice in my group. Usually not worms though. Fairy folk or alternative humanoids from the conversion books, or the weird stuff from Dark Conversions.

But one day I'd like to set up a proper D-bee campaign. Can never get anyone on board.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I have had players play lots of weird, even non-humanoid, characters in games. In my Rifts convention games one of the most popular characters to play is the sphinx. You can't use modern weapons of any kind but they have a lot of abilities that offset that. I even had a regular player run a sphinx mage for a while and he loved it. In Phase World convention games people love the Zebuloid and even the Durosk is interesting to most players who have used him. Again these are characters that are different but have some advantages and can grow over time.

Yeah, maybe a big fantastical creature with some potential. That could work long term.

[Curbludgeon]

I've been putting time in on a game involving refugees from magical exploitation establishing astral realms as a beachhead for guerilla action. One focus is on how victimization can be weaponized via militaristic and religious propaganda. Some otherwise peaceful beings, such as the Zembakh, might find themselves driven to behavior they never would have otherwise considered, and have to reconcile that with their otherwise peaceful culture.

One way I've tried to do this is by having some Zembakh making use of/entering symbiotic relationships with either friendly or non-sapient biomancy/bio-wizardry. A combat unit may consist of a Zembakh temporarily joined with an Octo-Arm, Sea Eye, Pathic Healer, and Glimmerstar, and covered with a Bio-Skin or Whale Singer woven kelp. It's akin to someone with PTSD carrying around a support group.