Since Deathwatch is the game that has the Tau as enemies, I thought this would be the best place to put this. Just another new topic from yours truly.

Now we all know that one of the great mysteries of the Tau is their rulers, the Ethereal Caste, who somehow are able to inspire almost absurd levels of obedience and loyalty in their subjects. How this is done is never explained in the lore as far as I know, though theories abound. Just as great a mystery, though not nearly as prominent, is the origin of this sub-species. According to legend, the Ethereals just appeared one day while the Fire and Earth Castes were at war and negotiated a ceasefire within that same day.

It seems pretty obvious that the powers that be have left this blank so that we can come up with our own explanations, but that only works if we actually Do come up with our own explanations. I've got one for myself, which might be uncovered by the Deathwatch if they were to seek answers about the Tau. But I suppose it could use some work. So I want inspiration. Anyone else ever thought about this? What's your explanation for why the Tau jump when told to jump?

One thing I did read somewhere says that the Ethereals have some sort of extra organ or mutation which makes them different from the rest of the species. This organ is then theorised to give off some sort of pheromone which is what they use to control nearby Tau almost in a way that bees and other creatures operate. So essentially by being in their presence (which is generally how loyalty seems to work which supports this being valid), the hormone takes effect and convinces the nearby Tau to fight and defend their Ethereals. It's an intriguing one if true and would suggest that those of the Farsight Enclave are better trained to resist and shrug off the effect of the mind altering chemicals etc.

I don't believe it to be anything warp based as Tau are a psychically inert race. They don't often register if at all so it would not be that or anything similar like synapse as that can also register.

I guess I'd go witht the pheromone theory too. Can't come up with any other ideas that don't sound completely ridiculous.

What about their plans, or goals? A lot of people think they're up to dodgy stuff, but what exactly are they after?

In my campaign (the one in my head), Ethereals are (or were) the creations of The Cabal. Like I said before, I haven't worked out jiall the details, but the basic idea is that some of the Cabal members saw in the Tau the potential to conquer the Galaxy and, with their diminished warp presence, starve out Chaos. The different sub-species already had the talent, they just need the guidance (control). So the Cabal used Old One tech to give the Ethereals their influencing powers over the Tau and lead them against the rest of the Galaxy.

There's a few things left open in this idea for me to change as I want later. Like, what will happen to the species that join the Tau once the Galaxy is conquered? (Probably be slowly phased out by sterilizing programs over time so the tau become the most populous. Grimdark.) on the lighter side of things, I also haven't quite decided whether the Ethereals themselves are aware of their origins. Maybe the highest leaders like Aun'Va know what the truth is, but lower-rank Ethereals aren't even aware of the control they have (like Aun'Shi, the one who is looking for Farsight) . Just opens up a couple different role-playing ideas for my characters. What do you think?

The concept of what the Ethereals want or their aim is perhaps what most want, unity and an end to conflict. To be fair so far I have little to go on which suggests their motives are benign as their goal seems to be to unify the different ideas and skills of the Tau behind a common goal of the Greater Good. However though you could indeed have the suggestion that there were some modifications during that time and influence during the 6000 years the planet was surrounded by warp storms. Their lack of presence in the warp does mean that they are of less interest than many other races and the current fluff suggests that no Tau has ever become corrupted by Chaos as their souls are of no value. A perfect weapon to fight them as while they are ignored by most malevolent entities, that doesn't mean Tau are less likely to unleash twin linked railguns at a daemons face so there is logic to that.

In theory they may also be the best race capable of expanding and becoming a true technological threat as well as one day being able to tackle the greatest threat. This is because Imperial tech is mostly unknown and on the decline with few knowing how it works and new developments being rare (unless the Empire suddenly redoes all the fluff and have them find an STC). Eldar race are also slowly dying off faster than they can reproduce and the Orks...well bugger them.

Now with Tau colonisations, the belief will likely be that eventually they will either be indoctrinated in a sense that they are occupied by Tau who will eventually encourage Tau beliefs and philosophy or the alternative is indeed the sterilisation as was demonstrated at the end of Dawn of War Dark Crusade whereby the human birth rate in cities across Kronus was steadily dropping as Tau subjugated the human population present. In either case it allows them to adapt the most useful technologies and assets into their society in a slightly nicer way. This could indeed be the concept and perhaps the highest ranked ethereals are aware of this, maybe all are aware of the truth of the matter and they suppress it from the rest lest they discover and revolt, throwing the Empire into disarray again.

Long story short while I can see merit in the idea and there is a premise for it, it's not one I would run myself as it doesn't seem to fit with me but I'd be happy to help out however I can.

I suppose most campaigns don't go into the Galaxy changing level of importance. I mean, the Deathwatch setting is pretty much a single sector, and uncovering the ultimate truth behind the Ethereals would be one of those realm-shaking events that could change the course of Mankind's future. Still, it's fun to dream, right?

This is the sort of thing that can happen in the longest running games. Example: after irl five years of dodging orcs, vampires, wraiths, trolls and other minions of Melkor (reenacting the Silmarillion, basically) one party member became the first Beorning and another slew Gorthaur (Sauron), died, was denied the halls of Mandos, ascended to become a Maia, and effectively became Sauron.

In Deathwatch, I could see a similarly epic-scale game resulting in the destruction of the Tyranid menace and the hijacking of the Ethereal Effect and concomitant enslavement of the Tau as a species. Just saying.

Ethereals...

Bah! Humbug! Who gives a **** finding out their secret. Kill 'em all I say. Burn them at the stake!

(I think I really give off the fact that I hate aliens. Am I that obvious?)

I have a strange theory that ethereals are actually old ones (I know, I know, pretty lame) that after running away from the Necrontyr (way better name than necrons) they came back. This could account for the control of many different species like the kroot, vespids, tau even humans. My group thinks I'm nuts but hey, it could work.

Ethereals...

Bah! Humbug! Who gives a **** finding out their secret. Kill 'em all I say. Burn them at the stake!

(I think I really give off the fact that I hate aliens. Am I that obvious?)

A shallow minded belief Brother Misha. For to know of the weapons of the enemy helps to weaken or turn such weapon against them!

Ethereals...

Bah! Humbug! Who gives a **** finding out their secret. Kill 'em all I say. Burn them at the stake!

(I think I really give off the fact that I hate aliens. Am I that obvious?)

A shallow minded belief Brother Misha. For to know of the weapons of the enemy helps to weaken or turn such weapon against them!

Especially if said weapon is a frikkin' GUNDAM!

Tough the weapons leaders of the xenos are many, a bolter kills just as asuredly a cardinal inspires more fervor.

For the Emperor!

Ps. Some ordo xenos inquisitors have theorised that the Ethereals are actualy a fifth caste, called the Void Caste. So named because they dont contribute and just boss the other castes around while they sit around being the cushy job caste.

The search goes on for the illusive 6th caste, rumored to be their jokers and stand-op commedians. I mean naming your (skimmer) vehicles after fish is surely their attempt at humor! Vile xenos humor at that!

In the book Xenology the Magos Biologis dissects an Ethereal and discovers an extra diamond shaped organ in his skull containing "ultra dense chemo/hormonal fluids" analogous to some pheromone glands.

Interestingly the Magos also finds an identical organ in a Q'orl; and an translated text tells of a battle where the Eldar aided the Q'orl, and then demanded on of their queens in payment, and took no argument (and the queen). The Q'orl have never forgiven them.

Are the Ethereals the masters of the Tau, or are they all puppets of the elder?

DW

Ethereals...

Bah! Humbug! Who gives a **** finding out their secret. Kill 'em all I say. Burn them at the stake!

(I think I really give off the fact that I hate aliens. Am I that obvious?)

I have a strange theory that ethereals are actually old ones (I know, I know, pretty lame) that after running away from the Necrontyr (way better name than necrons) they came back. This could account for the control of many different species like the kroot, vespids, tau even humans. My group thinks I'm nuts but hey, it could work.

Ethereals...

Bah! Humbug! Who gives a **** finding out their secret. Kill 'em all I say. Burn them at the stake!

(I think I really give off the fact that I hate aliens. Am I that obvious?)

A shallow minded belief Brother Misha. For to know of the weapons of the enemy helps to weaken or turn such weapon against them!

Freaking right, Misha. Kill the alien, purge the alien, and suffer not the alien to live!

A dangerous path you thread, Calgor. One cannot help but wonder from where your...interest for the alien comes.

Know thy enemy...knowledge is power, guard it well..

In the book Xenology the Magos Biologis dissects an Ethereal and discovers an extra diamond shaped organ in his skull containing "ultra dense chemo/hormonal fluids" analogous to some pheromone glands.

iirc one of the Deathwatch RPG books sort of parodies it when an Inquisitor from FFG's version of the setting cuts an Ethereal open, expecting to find that very same organ, but being disappointed over there not being anything out of the ordinary.

No canon means a myriad of possibilities! Xenology also wants to tell us that Orks have green blood, or that Tau have toes instead of hooves. Make of that what you will.

In the book Xenology the Magos Biologis dissects an Ethereal and discovers an extra diamond shaped organ in his skull containing "ultra dense chemo/hormonal fluids" analogous to some pheromone glands.

iirc one of the Deathwatch RPG books sort of parodies it when an Inquisitor from FFG's version of the setting cuts an Ethereal open, expecting to find that very same organ, but being disappointed over there not being anything out of the ordinary.

No canon means a myriad of possibilities! Xenology also wants to tell us that Orks have green blood, or that Tau have toes instead of hooves. Make of that what you will.

Plus there's an article in white dwarf why orks have red blood. Mostly boiled down to "because it looks better" and something about oxygen in the blood and them being only partly fungus based etc...

Yeah, I remember that! The writer being like "green blood on green skin? eh.."

IF ANYONE IN MY CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO READ THIS...BE WARNED THERE IS POTENTIAL SPOILERS THAT WOULD MAKE YOU SAD TO KNOW IN ADVANCE.

One of my favorite Tau hooks in the Jericho reach is with regards to the way they travel in the warp and the connection to the gravity distortions of the Black Reef. Namely, it being potent enough to allow the Tau to lock onto it from such a long distance. It implies many arcs that could be potentially deployed that would deal the Tau a very big blow. I like the secret of the Ethereal caste remaining a secret for the most part. But if a way was found to prevent the Tau from being able to lock onto nearby stars, you could in effect quarantine the empire with the right resources. While such an effort would undoubtedly be larger scale than the normal scope of a deathwatch campaign. It is a fascinating angle to attempt to play, and elements of it have been incorporated into our version of the Jericho Reach.

We know that the Tau are studying the effects of the Black Reef and looking for ways to replicate the gravity well effect so that they can travel further distances. I do not think that stopping this from happening would qualify as a Galaxy changing event. I would also go so far as to say that if the Deathwatch were to find a way to shut down the disturbances of the Black Reef, the effect on Tau supply lines would be 100% devastating as the Tau in the Reach would be trapped there, and there would be no hope for reinforcement.

YES! A way to kill the Tau! Finally!

There already is one, just walk up to them and punch them. Simple.

Anyway Tau still use the warp for FTL travel by skimming it so you cannot fully isolate them just with affecting gravity points.

They can't Navigate the warp, so they skim it and Lock onto distant stars gravity signatures. That's how they are able to get so far from the empire to get to the Reach. It's why the Tau have to expand so methodically. But you can't let them develop the tech to create a better source to lock onto...or pretty soon Stealth Tau Ships will be seeding the galaxy with the things and tau will just skip about the galaxy all willy nilly.

I don't think you ever could fully lock them down, the difference between Tau and most other races is that Tau tech is prepared to adapt a little more and if you were able to do that then no doubt that the Empire would create some new fluff where they found a space faring race which effectively they used to play the role of navigators and then manage to make better ships. That or they just reverse engineer other tech like a Necron FTL drive...which is actually something I have in mind for a Deathwatch campaign I mentioned elsewhere on ze boards, Tau who reverse engineer and go beyond usual realms of reason.

I totally agree with you that it would be ridiculous for them to lock down the whole empire like that. Mostly I think that this could be used to break the Tau supply lines to the Jericho Reach

There's probably a logical way you could do it. The only thing which would likely throw off the Black Reef even more is a black hole. Necron technology is astounding compared to all known races in the Newcrons, and even the old ones had ideas of dimensional compression, "bigger on the inside" stuff and hints of creating a singularity. Some heretical or deranged Xeno-Magos may indeed be able to utilise such technology to adapt a device and create a black hole. It would throw off their locks as if they locked onto that then they would be finished. I'd be happy to discuss this theory in loads more detail but I fear I'm derailing: Anyway back to the plot, Ethereals, who knows. Pheromone or fear...

My fave trick they pulled was in the wordbearers trilogy. the chaos space marines had swiped a necron artifact that can ISOLATE AN ENTIRE SECTOR FROM THE WARP. Nothing gets in nothing gets out (not sure if it would affect the webway)

But thats not the best bit, the best bit was when the necrons awoke and got in their tombship and went to get the thing back. Now they couldn't travel trough the warp, so they used sublight drives for realspace- except this being the 'crons they can keep on accelerating! Yes they were going thousands of times the speed of light to fly to the blocked sector.

Spoiler ahead:

And when they took their artifact back the blockade was lifted, and the imperium warped in whats pretty much the entire Segment's battlefleet, dozens of SM battlebarges and a couple of mobile STAR FORTS!

Ah, the noble art of overkill...

Sorry to derail the conversation! I loved the Ordo Xenos artbook that released where the inquisitor was dissecting all these different breeds of xenos. He had an ethereal there that they were working very hard to figure out. Course then the necrons showed up and killed the hell out of him. I always thought that the pheromone theory would be REALLY easy to verify if an ethereal was captured by a magos biologis. How hard would it be to detect those chemicals. Maybe they only do it when other tau are around!