Necromunda: Tech-Priest Biologis Introduces ‘Malstrain Mechanicus’ To The Grimdark
Forget the Dark Mechanicus because things just got even weirder. Tech-Priest Biologis Hermiatus is coming and he’s bringing the Malstrain Mechanicus with him.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you crossed the Adeptus Mechanicus with the Genestealer Cult? If you have, first report to your nearest Ecclesiarchy office for re-education. Secondly, this is probably your fault then. Your nightmare dream has come to the grimdark in a horrifying way.
After his increasingly deranged experiments went wrong and the Genestealer he had brought to Necromunda got loose, the hive around him rapidly fell to anarchy and sedition. Once the Tech-Priest’s crimes were uncovered, he was captured and purged by the Inquisition… but an echo of Hermiatus lives on, captured in the gestalt psychic consciousness of the Malstrain.
As if cursed by some cosmic irony, the entity known as Hermiatus the Second Son is the creation of the Malstrain Patriarch, a genetic memory dredged up and given form over and again. Also referred to as Hermiatus Reborn, Son of the Malstrain, or the Hermaphage Magos, this accursed being carries on the work of the true Hermiatus, continuing to tinker with Genestealer DNA in an attempt to spread the infection.
Tech-Priest Biologis Hermiatus
So …yeah. We’ve got a Rogue Tech-Priest that keeps getting reborn by the Malstrain Patriarch to carry out his work. That work, of course, being to continue to manipulate the genetic material of the Genestealer DNA in order to make them even more infectious on the planet. Now I’m really starting to think nuking Hive Secundus from orbit was a good idea. Too bad they didn’t quite finish the job.
The whole irony of the situation isn’t lost on me either. It’s the Tech-Priest Biologis Hermiatus’ fault for the Genestealer problem in the first place. Now those same Genestealers are using his genetic memory to continue his twisted work. But what’s even more terrifying is this development:
“Although he is afforded an unusual amount of autonomy by the Malstrain Patriarch to continue his research, Hermiatus also fills the role of a more traditional Genestealer Cult’s Magus, providing tutelage to his creations and ushering them across the ash wastes.”
Just let that sink in for a moment. This hybrid is also given enough autonomy to continue his research. That means this member of the Malstrain hive-mind can basically think for itself. There’s a lot of implications with that and a lot of other possibilities there too.
Tech-Priest Biologis and Genestealer Magos All-In-One
As far as in-game effects, Hermiatus is also considered a Psyker and has access to some powers as well. He can help extend the reach of the Malstrain’s Patriarch beyond the reach of the Underhells — and that is a scary proposition.
I think this is a really interesting character and the hybrid of a Mechanicus Tech-Priest and a Genestealer Magos is a cool concept. I think this shows some ingenuity from the Malstrain Patriarch (even if this started out as some sort of revenge against the one who caught him in the first place). It’s also making want to root for the Spyrers now.
Initially, I was thinking that maybe deep in the Underhells there might be some way to weaponize the Malstrain into repelling the Tyranid Fleets. However, now that we’ve seen what happens to those who attempt to experiment on the Genestealers, I’m inclined to go with the Imperial reaction and just launch more orbital strikes. And this time finish the job.
Hive Secundus is turning out to be quite the interesting place!
