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The Biscopea, also called the "Forge of Strength" or the "Warrior's Vigour" (within the Silver Skulls Chapter), is the third of the 19 gene-seed organs implanted into a neophyte Space Marine during the induction process to create a new Astartes.

These organs enhance a Space Marine's physical combat ability and survivability to superhuman levels should he live to become a full Astartes of a Space Marine Chapter.

The Biscopea is implanted into the chest cavity. It is small, approximately spherical in shape and, like the Ossmodula, its primary action upon the body is hormonal. The presence of the Biscopea greatly stimulates muscle growth throughout the body, increasing a Space Marine's physical strength beyond the Human norm.

It can be implanted at the same time as the first two organs, the Secondary Heart and the Ossmodula, generally between the 10th and 12th standard years of age of the neophyte.

In at least one known case, a Silver Skulls neophyte suffered an undetected discontinuity in his psycho-conditioning which led to a traumatic stop in the action of inhibiting genes. This allowed the Biscopea to keep producing muscle hypertropics which could not be detected until the process was irreversible.

The subject was removed from the implantation process and physically restrained within the Apothecarion's Reclusia until the accelerating muscle growth caused the fracture of the reinforced skeleton and even the inner organs, killing the hapless aspirant.

Nevertheless, Chief Apothecary Malus considered that, in a controlled environment, muscle overgrowth could be beneficial for the creation of more efficient assault warriors.

Sources

  • White Dwarf 98 (UK) (1988) "Chapter Approved: The Origins of the Legiones Astartes" by Rick Priestley, pg. 13
  • Warhammer 40,000: Compendium (2nd Edition), "The Origins of the Legiones Astartes" by Rick Priestley, pg. 7
  • Index Astartes I, "Rites of Initiation - The Creation of a Space Marine" by Rick Priestley & Gav Thorpe, pp. 3, 7
  • Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pg. 45
  • Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition), pg. 10
  • Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), "The Making of a Space Marine," pg. 11
  • Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "The Forging of Heroes"
  • Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pp. 10-11
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