THE ТАU EMPIRE
The Imperium has known about the alien race called the Tau since the 35th millennium. Five thousand years ago an Explorator vessel discovered and categorised their homeworld, Tau. Located far from Terra on the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, Tau was originally recorded as dry world but with areas of lush vegetation and a high population of terrestrial xenomorphs. The most advance of these xenomorphs had only just developed primitive weapons and mastered fire. They were regarded as no threat to the Imperium. The world was scheduled for routine cleansing and then re-colonisation. T'au's fledgingly inhabitants were saved when the Imperium's fleet, dispatched to clear and colonise Tau, was destroyed in a freak and violent warp storm, which cut off the world from further human contact. Unable to proceed, the Imperium moved on, forgetting about the new, but minor, alien race it had discovered for many, many years.
Saved from eradication by luck or fate, the Tau developed rapidly. Over the course of just a few thousand years the Tau evolved and developed a sophisticated culture and caste system, based of dynamic expansion and a holistic philosophy of 'all working together towards one end'. Driven by their ideal of 'the Greater Good', the Tau made huge and rapid strides in science and technology. By the 41st millenium they had become a space-faring race with a small but burgeoning empire. Given the Tau's ambitious desires to expand further into the cosmos it was inevitable that they would eventually come into contact with the Imperium of Man. In their quiet backwater on the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, the Tau finally encountered the Imperium again when one of their spacecraft, probably innocently, entered the Devlan system. Disregarding or misunderstanding all warnings the Tau vessel was attacked by Devlan's system defence ships, and was unable to make an escape before being destroyed by the Imperial Navy. News of the incident caused alarm within the Imperial Navy hierarchy. Who were this alien race which had suddenly appeared in Devlan, as if out of nowhere, with advanced spacecraft? Adeptus Mechanicus Genetors investigating DNA material taken from the destroyed ship discovered that the genetic material was the same as that originally found on Tau six millenia ago. it seems the primitive alien race that had so narrowly escaped extinction had rapidly grown up. Rogue Traders and Merchant Captains dispatched to the Eastern Fringe to investigate further, only to discover that the Tau had already expanded from their homeworld and started colonising other worlds throughout the out densely packed cluster of star systems around their homeworld. Several other minor alien races had been inducted into this small but growing empire. Worse still several of the Imperium's worlds had also started trading with the aliens, whose negotiators had learned human languages and customs and busied themselves making diplomatic contact with surrounding worlds. It was a threat that could not be ignored, and the Imperium, fearful of alien contamination and the threat the new race posed to the Emperor's safe rule, prepared an attack to destroy the Tau. In 742.M41 the Damocles Gulf Crusade was launched. It failed. Several Tau colony worlds were successfully captured, but a combination of the Tau's advanced military technology, their ferocious alien allies and an unshakeable belief in the cause of 'the Greater Good' eventually halted the Imperium's crusade after bloody fighting. The Tau Empire survived its first great threat and, in the subsequent years, continued to expand. Tau Society: Tau society is very homogenous, and characterised by an ethos of 'togetherness'. This is one of the race's greatest strengths. They always work together for the good of all Tau. Their society is divided into five Castes. Each Caste has its own broad areas of specialization and responsibility. The Water Caste are generally diplomats, politicians and administrators. The Earth Caste are artisans, constructors and labourers. The Air Caste are pilots, messengers and spaceship crew. The Fire Caste are warriors and protectors. Selective breeding within this caste has developed members which are slightly larger and stronger than other Tau. The final and smallest caste are the Ethereals. Ethereals are a group of councillors and advisors who seem to have a strong, almost religious, hold over other Tau. They are regarded with awe and veneration by the members of other Castes. The Ethereals act as guides to all the other Castes leaders. Unlike many of the alien races encountered by Mankind, the Tau are not naturally hostile or aggressive. The Tau's dynamic, young and energetic society means that their rapid expansion has brought them into contact with other alien races. It is known Tau military forces have fought and defeated several large Ork attacks. They have also recently encounter the Tyranid hive fleets, which are starting to threaten the borders of their Empire. Since first contact with the lmperium the relationship has never been good. The Imperium sees the Tau Empire as a threat (all be it not its greatest threat), and the Imperium's authorities will not standby and let aliens take over the Emperor's worlds or see its citizens forced to submit to alien domination. The Imperium has vowed to fight all Tau expansion. No doubt, in time, the twelve High Lords of Terra would like to see this minor but irritating alien threat quashed altogether. A genocidal crusade to exterminate the Tau would be welcomed. Indeed, the Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum has already drafted several sermons on this very subject. Currently such a crusade is just not possible. The Tau Empire although small by the Imperium's standards, still consists of some hundred worlds. The forces needed to conquer them all would be immense. The Tau military have already proven themselves a match for the Imperial Guard, and there are too many other more urgent wars, not least the threat of the Tyranid hive fleets, which are a huge drain on the Imperium's manpower. Lately, there is also the threat of Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade. In response, the Tau are quite willing to match fire with fire. When diplomatic means fail they are becoming well-versed and more confident in the use of military power to obtain their own ends. Raiding, bush-fire wars, invasions and counter-invasions are becoming increasingly common currency along the borders of Tau space. Tau Physiognomy: The Tau are a roughly humanoid, bi-pedial alien race. They are generally smaller in stature than humans, shorter and with less body weight and muscle mass. Their skin has a greyish-green or blue colouring. They have two eyes and a mouth but no obvious olfactory or auditory organs. Each hand has three digits, and a single opposable thumb. A major difference from humans is the bone structure of their lower legs, ankle and foot. Tau have far shorter tibia and fibia bones but their feet have elongated talus and cuneiform bones and two large, central, weight-bearing toes. The Tau have evolved to stand and move without the use of their heels. Tau Fire Warrior soldiers seem to possess many qualities broadly similar to human norms, such as endurance levels and pain tolerances.
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