Biotica

“So many dismiss the flesh as weak but it was that very flesh that got us to where we are now and it is that same flesh that has allowed humanity to survive this galaxy of horrors. Perhaps we should not be so quick to cast it aside” - Arch Magos Alaaina Heuya

The Biotica stands apart from the rest of the Mechanicus because they don’t worship or have any sort of reverence to conventional technology saving such adoration for its organic counterpart.

### Beliefs

completely reject machine worship and instead believe that it is the mechanisms of organic life that are the future in which mankind's dominance lies.

The Biotica are not the first within the Biologis to argue the superiority of biological organs over their technological counterparts but they are the first to apply that principle in such a rigorous manner, completely rejecting any mechanical implants and opting exclusively for cloned organs and biological enhancements. Many even go as far as to look for organic counterparts to novel technologies such as houses, weapons, etc in which they are surprisingly successful in for the most part

This has made the Biotica home to many of the most talented experts in biotechnology throughout the imperium and despite the disdain shown to them by the rest of the Mechanicus , they managed to expand far and wide thanks to under the table support from other imperial organizations that benefited from their expertise.

The Biotica have something of a schism when it comes to terraforming with some believing it to be simply the greatest expression of humanity’s mastery of the biological to be able to reshape planets to its whim and need while others abhor it as stagnating humanity’s potential and dulling its genetic adaptability. It's no accident that many Biotca colonization missions chose to willingly settle death worlds that all others flee from .

they are also believe greatly in domestication of living organisms be they be plants, animals or otherwise using genetic engineering so that they might be perfected what purpose they are used for which might seem contradictory to their belief in living in harmony with nature but the Biotica belief that change has to go both ways , just as humans adapt to the environment the environment can be adapted to human needs.

Many also want to improve humanity’s genetic makeup by splicing useful dna from other species but wisely keep their beliefs under wraps and limit any changes they make to the human genome to already existing genes and mild mutations est they be punished for heresy and blasphemy. For the most part , members have no problem with adding non human DNA of non sapient creatures to the human genome but a small yet vocal sect believes in splicing the genetic material of xeno species with that of humanity. Conversely another sect goes in the opposite direction believing in the purity of the human form and their gene mods focus on improving traits humanity already possess rather than adding any new abilities.

The Biotica's ultimate goal is to twofold : to create a biologically perfect human who can survive and even thrive in any environment and to bring about organic replacements for every piece of technology.

### Status in the dominion

Atlantis, with its abundance of highly dangerous and one of a kind wildlife has become a Mecca for Biotica adepts who are constantly at work unlocking the secrets behind the Wildlife’s incredible abilities. As long as more and more hyper lethal critters are discovered, it is unlikely the tide of the organophilic adepts will ever stop.

The Biotica are also responsible for the dominion’s revolutionary cloning and growth vat technology which they are tasked with maintaining as well as being key in many gene engineering experiments and initiatives.

The second hub for Biotica activity in the dominion is Akhnajin which in complete contrast to Atlantis has an entire biosphere in which each organism is somehow helpful to mankind in some way or form. The Biotica presence there long outdated the founding of the dominion but hasn’t been able to do much research thanks to a lack of support from the imperium but now with the dominion being far more eager than their predecessors to unlock the paradise’s world secrets ; the Biotica might experience a renaissance on the jewel of Helios

### Status outside the dominion

The Mechanicus had tolerated the Biotica partially as they weren’t that prominent of a faction at the beginning and because of their similarities with some of the more acceptable philosophies held within the Biologis. Even the inquisition found no issue with them and often employed their services

In fact many Biotica “Forgeworlds” (the planets in question deviating greatly from the standards of regular Forgeworlds) were given official sanction by Mars (mostly to get rid of more highly ranked members of the faction) and for a while these “Bioworlds” as they were unofficially called were successes with many a lifeless rock or backwater feudal world becoming civilized garden worlds that nonetheless seemed to churn much more supplies in food and medicine than their tithes demanded.

Unfortunately, that very same success made them a threat and Mars wasted no time in declaring the Biotica to be a heretical chaos cult and have its members hunted down mercilessly and their worlds sterilises to remove their populations’ “genetic taint from existence”. Almost every other organization in the imperium abandoned and known members were forced to go on the run where they barter their services to survive .

### Bonuses when facion is the majority

* -50% research costs and times to biologis actions
* +20 to wildlife domestication rolls
* +50 rolls to any biotech or organic technology research rolls
* +10% bonus to clone production facilities
* Costs for large scale genetic engineering projects reduced by 30%