Hey everyone,

I'm thinking of using a magos biologis heretek as one of the main baddies in my game. I was just curious as to a few things. From any fluff I've read I can't really recall any facts about these fellows. Are they actually part of the Adeptus Mechanicus, or is this something different? What type of dress are they generally in, the red robes of the tech-priests, or something else? I'm going to assume that they'd be more likely to carry mechandrites then be pyskers, but any comments on that topic?

Any help is much appreciated!,

Thanks!

Wel I would think the A.M. does biological research and I wouldn't find it strange if one of them would go heretic.

I could imagen a thin man, coughing constantly, a lot of tubular mechadendrites containing syringes, scalples and needles sprouting from his back.
I think if he is a wanted heretic he would dump the red robes and go for some white labcoat.

The magos biologis are tech-priests who study "biological machines" (which is to say living things) rather than technological machines. They are sometimes (but not always) prone to having fewer implants than their brethren, since they don't see the flesh as "flawed" or "weak." They are the doctors and genetic researchers of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

The Churirgeon in Edge of Darkness (the free DH adventure) is, IMO, a great example of a rogue magos biologis and her assorted creepy minions are good examples of the kind of things such a heretek would be capable of.

Hooray!

Thanks guys. I'll get to work on this. >: )

Just as an addendum to what's been said, all Magi of the Adaptus Mechanicus have their specialty included in their title such as: Magos Alchemys (chimisty), Magos Biologis (biology), Magos Logis (math), Magos Xenologis (xenos society and history), Magos Lexmechanicus (record keeping), Magos Cybernetica (cybernetics, robotics, etc), Magos Xenobiologis (xeno-biology), Magos Astrologicus (astronomy), Magos Fabricator (construction)... etc.

Graver said:

There are ranks other than Magos as well.

According to the old Codex Imperialis: Rune Priests (experts at figuring out how to use machines when conventional methods aren't working - intuitive mechanics, speculation, improvisation, and lateral thinking), Electro Priests, Enginseers, Transmechanics (communications experts) and Lexmechanics (experts in collating, sorting, compiling and analysing data) form the Priesthood Ordinary, the majority of Tech-Priests. The Ruling Cult members include the rank of Magos , but also Logis (statisticians who use vast amounts of data to discern future needs, blended with mysticism and arcane technology; imagine prophecy via mathematics), Genetor (geneticists, often accompanying explorers to study new life - there's an overlap in concept between Genetors and Magos Biologis) and Artisan (designers, architects, shipwrights and masters of manufacture, overseeing billions of labourers and servitors).

i remember that one of the adventures in the adventure contest that won was about a mad biologis. also there is something in desciples of the dark gods about one as well if im remembering correctly...maybe it was CA im sorry i cant remember

Wow, thanks a lot guys. The list of titles and occupations of the Magos is excellent for other future things as well!

Huzzah! Thanks again everyone!

You made mention of Psykers in your original post. Traditional Adeptus Mechanicus are more unaccepting of Wytchcraft and Psykers than a pissed-off Monodominant Inquisitor who watched his parents be devoured by ferral wyrd-wolf-mutants as a general rule, so even if he is fallen Mechanicus the odds are beyond low for the main villain having Psyk. Of course there is nothing preventing you from hatching a nefarious plot to tinker with some dangerous xeno-genetics and tissue grafts on some *ahem* helpful test subjects to build a small personal army of do-it-yourself Psyker-minions of dubious stability... Fun ensues!

You could likewise do the comic-book extrapolation of the Nazi "Übermensch" idea and have the big-bad working on building "superhuman" agents, all the better to prove his heretical theories and pound the snot out of any annoying Mechanicus, Arbites or Inquisition meddlers that come calling.

The first Dark Heresy mini-campaign I ran had the players collecting psykers for their Inquisitor. It turned out he had gone mad and had ordered loyal tech-adepts to alter them into "Psyvitors", heavily brainwashed minions mechanically augmented for extra survivability and increased psychic ability. Too dumb to realise that using their abilities would aggravate psychic phenomenon so literally "knee deep in blood" once they were activated.

Additionally there's a great character in Xenology of a heretic magos biologis.

Interesting Villain concept. If your looking for help in the spirit of the NPC, You don't have to look any further than the heretic Fabius Bile.

Fabius is an independent character in the current GW Chaos Codex, also he plays a key role in the Horus Heresy novel: Fulgrim. That novel really flirts with the beginning of Fabius and the other Emperor's Children. Fabius actually begins to create new specialized organs from conquered Xeno's species and surgically retro-fitting his brother space marines with these. In the book he actually creates an organ that gives a particular Chaplain a sonic scream that becomes a tide turner in one of the major fights. In the more common GW material Fabius is actually working toward recreating the Gene-seeds, to make new primarchs.

The cool thing about this idea is that it doesn't have to be villainy for the sake of villainy. One of the things i liked to play with as a judge is the idea that even the greatest Heresies begin with a single miss-step. How about a Volg Hive biologis that began experimenting on mutants trying to solve the mysteries of their afflictions. But his efforts to recreate mutations to get a baseline have gone . . . awry.

Someone posted a reference to the Nazi "Ubermench" programs of WWII. That fits so amazingly its not even funny. (may have to borrow that one :-)

If your running adventures that tie in with the current printed adventures, how about a heretic biologis who creates new and horrific creatures for The Beast House (or whatever that organizations name is).

All sorts of fun things you can do with it. As far as imagery for the NPC's lots of medical gear. I can see numerous mechadendrites with whiring chain-scalpels. Maybe two large shoulder mounted vat tanks full of antiseptic and artificial coagulants (glowing all sorts of day glow colors).

Lithium

*Yeah i know this post is about 2 weeks out of date, wanna fight about it*

I went ironic.

My biologic Heretek turned out to be a "False man of Nomen Ryne". I loved the idea of a robot doing experiments on humans to learn more about them.

Goodwin, let us know what you come up with, will you? I have a soft spot for Magos Biologis, something about the apparent contradiction, I suppose.

OnceFatal said:

Pretty much the character of of great robotic mind, Erasmus, which was separated from the rest of the Evermind in the latter Dune novels, and also in the Bulerian Jihad portions of the Dune saga.

Worth reading if only for that character for that sort of thing, a few detailed comments on the experiments he'd performed on humans too.

Another great, great source of evil Mechanicus inspiration is "the novel "Dark Mechanicus"of Ben Counter. Good stuff!