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Okay, so we all know about the mysterious circumstances surrounding Tau evolution (Rapid rate of cultural and physical advancement, strange warp storm cutting them off from the rest of the galaxy for a time).

One theory that I've heard is that the Deceiver is behind their evolution, and is planning to use them in one of its schemes. The evidence that the fellow making the theory used was that the Tau have almost no signature in the Warp (Much like the C'tan and their Necron servants), and that the markings on the foreheads of the Tau are rather similar to the one upon the Deceiver's head. The problem I see with this theory is that a Warp storm cut the Tau off... And since when can the C'tan manipulate the Warp?

Another theory is that one of the Ruinous Powers had something to do with their isolation from the rest of the galaxy, as well as their evolution. The reasoning for this is almost the exact opposite used for the Deceiver theory: The power of Chaos stems from the Warp. The Tau were isolated by a Warp storm. Therefore, Chaos made Warp storm?

Then, finally, I've also heard whisperings that the Eldar might have caused the Warp storm with their impressive psyker powers, using the Tau for their own purposes, etc. etc. etc.

What do you all think?

i think it was a random occurrence GW made up in order to create a new race and gain cash.

I think it was the last old one's (perhaps in some kind of stasis until the necrons reawoke) dying action, one last attempt at creating the pefect race to stop the necrons that were only just starting to awaken.

As far as i can tell, the Eldar are behind the Tau. They could have made the warp storm, and i cannot remember where, but some where i read something the heavily implied that ethereals are manipulated by Eldar

Soviet Yam wrote:As far as i can tell, the Eldar are behind the Tau. They could have made the warp storm, and i cannot remember where, but some where i read something the heavily implied that ethereals are manipulated by Eldar

Eldar make the most sense.

They are space Commies though so they are a bit weird.

Hmmm. Interesting. I wonder what reasons the Eldar would have for cultivating the Tau.

I'm gonna have to go with the Deus Ex Machina angle myself.

I also agree that is the last plot of the surviving old ones to make a perfect race to eliminate the necrons and the c'tan.

The xenology book describes an insect race on the other side of the galaxy from the tau which have a gland used by the queen to control the minions, which is the same gland that is in the forehead of the ethereals, if I remember correctly. It is implied that the Eldar were behind this.

I think the warp storms and rapid evolution is just coincidence. I think the Tau are a wild card in the 40k universe. Ask a Eldar Farseer about the Tau and He/She would say "The Tau are, unexpected".

Shelegelah wrote:Hmmm. Interesting. I wonder what reasons the Eldar would have for cultivating the Tau.

It could be that the Tau are a destablizing force in that area of the galaxy for the Imperium. The Tau also like to use diplomacy first, which if the Eldar WERE behind it all, they could make some deals with the Tau as the Tau listen and humanity does not.

I'm supporting the Eldar theory. Evidence?

Eldar Pathfinder --> Tau Pathfinder

The case has been solved.

I like the old ones theory myself. Think about it, the Old Ones realize that while the warp is very very useful, it also has the potential for incredibly wide spread destruction i.e. Enslaver plague.

During the plague they lay the seeds for a race that has no need for the warp, or at least won't be close to it like the eldar and orks. This race won't experience their rapid expansion until they are needed (such as when the Necrons all decide to wake up). This way they'll be safer than if they had expanded and been noticed by a power they weren't ready to deal with before they had a chance to become extremely powerful.

That way assuming the Necrons ever do finally close off the warp or whatever they're trying to do to it, this new race will be able to hypothetically function just as well as before when they had the warp. Presumably the old ones assumed the tau would make their own FTL drives like the Necrons over time so if the necrons really did manage to close off the warp the tau would just shrug and say "meh". The warp storms around their planet could have either been a freak incident, or a defense mechanism left in place by the old ones.

Just my two cents, feel free to begin poking holes in my theory now

well, my chapter backround is rapid evolution of fish that appear because of a tyanid spore that grow the plants for digestion which is the chapter recruits

It could be that the Tau are a destablizing force in that area of the galaxy for the Imperium. The Tau also like to use diplomacy first, which if the Eldar WERE behind it all, they could make some deals with the Tau as the Tau listen and humanity does not.

I'm supporting the Eldar theory. Evidence?

Eldar Pathfinder --> Tau Pathfinder

The case has been solved.

lord of the ghosts wrote:well, my chapter backround is rapid evolution of fish that appear because of a tyanid spore that grow the plants for digestion which is the chapter recruits

Please say this is a joke... Please...

Then again after that guy who's chaplain was an etheral working for tzeentch from the future i guess anything is possible...

lord of the ghosts wrote:well, my chapter backround is rapid evolution of fish that appear because of a tyanid spore that grow the plants for digestion which is the chapter recruits

It could be that the Tau are a destablizing force in that area of the galaxy for the Imperium. The Tau also like to use diplomacy first, which if the Eldar WERE behind it all, they could make some deals with the Tau as the Tau listen and humanity does not.

I'm supporting the Eldar theory. Evidence?

Eldar Pathfinder --> Tau Pathfinder

The case has been solved.

I like what this guy is saying.

lord of the ghosts wrote:

Shelegelah wrote:Hmmm. Interesting. I wonder what reasons the Eldar would have for cultivating the Tau.

It could be that the Tau are a destablizing force in that area of the galaxy for the Imperium. The Tau also like to use diplomacy first, which if the Eldar WERE behind it all, they could make some deals with the Tau as the Tau listen and humanity does not.

I'm supporting the Eldar theory. Evidence?

Eldar Pathfinder --> Tau Pathfinder

The case has been solved.

So if an Imperial Guard Sniper was called a "Pathfinder" in his Regiment's tongue, that would make him Eldar associated too?

That's not really very strong "Evidence". In fact it isn't really evidence at all. The fact that they both call a sniper/scout unit a Pathfinder means nothing. I do agree that it's most likely the Eldar who're responsible for the rapid advancement of the Tau, but I seriously doubt that the shared term "Pathfinder" has any relevance at all. It's just another name for a scouting unit.

metallifan wrote:

Doombot001 wrote:

Shelegelah wrote:Hmmm. Interesting. I wonder what reasons the Eldar would have for cultivating the Tau.

It could be that the Tau are a destablizing force in that area of the galaxy for the Imperium. The Tau also like to use diplomacy first, which if the Eldar WERE behind it all, they could make some deals with the Tau as the Tau listen and humanity does not.

I'm supporting the Eldar theory. Evidence?

Eldar Pathfinder --> Tau Pathfinder

The case has been solved.

So if an Imperial Guard Sniper was called a "Pathfinder" in his Regiment's tongue, that would make him Eldar associated too?

That's not really very strong "Evidence". In fact it isn't really evidence at all. The fact that they both call a sniper/scout unit a Pathfinder means nothing. I do agree that it's most likely the Eldar who're responsible for the rapid advancement of the Tau, but I seriously doubt that the shared term "Pathfinder" has any relevance at all. It's just another name for a scouting unit.

Whoa whoa whoa...too serious, people!

My main reason for the Eldar argument is the fact that the Tau are a destabilizing force in that region of space where the Imperium has to deal with. The Tau aren't like all the other "major" factions meaning shoot first, ask questions never. They use diplomacy as a means to an end. The Tau destabilize the region, Imperial-wise, but they also create a hub of relative stability for all the other alien races (provided they are all Tau-friendly).

Out of all the "major" races, the Eldar can talk to the Tau. As the Tau are a younger race and the Eldar is one of the oldest races, the Eldar can manipulate the Tau to do what they want...or at least guide them for the Eldar's own end.

I'm betting Tau are actually an experiment of one of the long lost brain boyz. After creating and genetically programming the Ork race, they discovered the one horrible flaw- nothing could beat the Orks. Wipe them out, and they regrow wild and restless, then battle themselves to death. They flourish in combat, but turn peace into combat immediately.

The brain boys tried again, but instead made a race designed to bring the galaxy together with wussy diplomacy and predictable technology. Even the idea of culture was produced.

The proof of this theory- both Gork and Mork would find something horribly wrong with this plan. Even a cunningly brutal god would call this plan fishy. The Tau smell and taste fishy. This was the last inside joke that the brainboy could engineer into a peaceful and stable society.

corpsesarefun wrote:

...

Then again after that guy who's chaplain was an etheral working for tzeentch from the future i guess anything is possible...

That. Is. Awesome!

They're hardly destablilizing though. The Tau Empire is so small that most Imperial maps don't even show it. If the Imperium attacks the Tau, as was the case in the Damocles Crusade, it's because the Tau had the gall to try and conquer several Imperial worlds.

True that the Eldar hardly consider the Tau worth negotiating with (Then again they think that about everyone, even other Eldar Craftworlds). The Eldar are more likely to manipulate the Tau which, as another user stated, is likely the reason Tau have that gland in their foreheads. That feature is something they share with other races that the Eldar commonly employ as cats paws.

I think judging by the amount of tomb worlds surrounding the Tau Empire, as well as the number of Hive Fleet tendrils in the surrounding area, the Eldar use the Tau as a bulwark against the Necrons and Tyranids, and a means to strike quickly at any threat from either without losing 'more valuable' Eldar lives

metallifan wrote:They're hardly destablilizing though. The Tau Empire is so small that most Imperial maps don't even show it. If the Imperium attacks the Tau, as was the case in the Damocles Crusade, it's because the Tau had the gall to try and conquer several Imperial worlds.

True that the Eldar hardly consider the Tau worth negotiating with (Then again they think that about everyone, even other Eldar Craftworlds). The Eldar are more likely to manipulate the Tau which, as another user stated, is likely the reason Tau have that gland in their foreheads. That feature is something they share with other races that the Eldar commonly employ as cats paws.

I think judging by the amount of tomb worlds surrounding the Tau Empire, as well as the number of Hive Fleet tendrils in the surrounding area, the Eldar use the Tau as a bulwark against the Necrons and Tyranids, and a means to strike quickly at any threat from either without losing 'more valuable' Eldar lives

Bingo! This is exactly what I was trying to say. Eldar using the Tau as pawns for their own ends.

Hmm, these are some very interesting theories. I'm glad to see some healthy debate over this.

well, my chapter backround is rapid evolution of fish that appear because of a tyanid spore

Are you saying that your chapter of Space Marines recruits Tyranid Hivefish?

Then again after that guy who's chaplain was an etheral working for tzeentch from the future i guess anything is possible...

Agreed, awesome.

I'm having trouble deciding between the Eldar theory and the Old One theory... Although both might be true to a certain extent. The Old Ones could have created the Tau, then withdrawn from the galaxy at large (as they have done), leaving their creations to grow as they would. The Eldar (also created by the Old Ones, interestingly enough) might have stepped in and began to cultivate them to their own ends, using them as a bulwark/shield, etc. etc.

The whole gland thing is very, very interesting to me... Is there any way I could learn more about this? Some reference material, maybe? And someone said that other races that the Eldar use possess that gland too? I find all this very fascinating.

I think the main question is about the natur of the Etherals, not the Tau race. (First where is this warp storm story from, i havent played in about 4 years but my ememory isnt that bad). The tau race was descoverd my an imperial ship looking throught the galaxcy for new habital worlds, it found the Tau at a cave man level, the imperial ship decided that he race should be culed but when the ship sent to cull them arived much much later the tau were a force to be recond with. The Tau race i understood were not very psycic becosue they evolved so far away from the warp that they never evolved an psycic tendancys, not that they were designed to be none psycic. the history of the speacis is not hinted at at being mesteriius, its the etherals that are left unansered, a race of Tau that are somehow able to controll all other casts unite an enite race and bring they to a high of technology far create than humanity which has existed for some 39,000 years longer, that ones a bit fishy.

Uhm, perhaps check out the Lexicanum article on the Tau, and read the Tau codex again, because there was most definitely a warp storm that cut the Tau off from the Imperium/rest of the galaxy shortly after the Inquisitors found them at caveman level, conveniently preventing their extinction. It is also stated that they somehow rapidly evolved over a very short period of time, and that their civilization advanced very quickly, along with their technology. I will agree, however, that the Ethereals are also a very mysterious part of the Tau fluff. I'm guessing that they're the lynchpin of the whole thing, and were probably genetically engineered by some interloping race, whether it was the Eldar or the Old Ones or both.

The old ones were long gone by them... but your eldar theory does have something there. I have also heard one stating that the Tau were manipulated by the Necrons, thus the lack of psykers and the ability to navigate the warp.

With their lack of a soul (No psyc what so ever) i doubt they were created by the eldar, but one could argue otherwise. The necron theory is good, but it just doesn't seem very death robot like so they could be referring to the C'tan when they say necrons.

by any chance, does anyone know who or what the Tau worship? or are they like the 40k atheists.

Sanchez01 wrote:The old ones were long gone by them... but your eldar theory does have something there. I have also heard one stating that the Tau were manipulated by the Necrons, thus the lack of psykers and the ability to navigate the warp.

With their lack of a soul (No psyc what so ever) i doubt they were created by the eldar, but one could argue otherwise. The necron theory is good, but it just doesn't seem very death robot like so they could be referring to the C'tan when they say necrons.

by any chance, does anyone know who or what the Tau worship? or are they like the 40k atheists.

The old ones work in mysterious ways my friend...

But to play devils advocate, why would the eldar create a race that is similar to themselves? surely they would create race that is very different to cover their weakness (the warp).

I doubt its the necrons though, they were only just reawakening when the tau evolved.

Well to play the devils advocate if you want...

The Eldar believe in their great plan, and if I am right, what farseer would see so far into the future and conceive the plan to create/enhance a race to counter a threat. They would not create something as powerful as the Tau to counter some little threat.

If they did, the threat would have to be localized in that small region of the galaxy. They cannot travel the Warp, so it must be where they are. Also, the lack of warp could be seen as a safeguard in case the Tau turned on the Eldar, they would be localized and not become a threat. Great Idea, very thoughtful, very plausible. But there are Humans there, and in the fluff eldar have no problem manipulating the Humans to fight their battles. They simply could have done that instead of creating a whole new can of worms.

The Necron theory took off when alot of my budies read that fan fiction "Rise of the Tau" (I praise the auther for his skill, but I damn his story, but this should not be discussed here). Now the Necrons have taken humans and made them into the Phirahs or how ever they are spelled. So that must say that the Necrons, or the force controlling the necrons are not mindless slaughter machines. The Necrons hate the Warp. Why? I do not know, others may be better to enlighten us, but they do, and notably the Tau do not enter the warp, they cannot navigate the warp, and they cannot possess the warp. This basicly means they have no souls (yes, they are souless creatures, well they have no souls like humans and Eldar define souls) much like the Necrons.

Now please correct me if I am wrong, but the Old ones made the Orks for war, to fight and fight. Could the necrons have engineered the tau? The Tau seem to be atheist, they seem not to acknowledge other gods. They fight the other races who do not wish to be under their rule...

Well to be fair, the Tau are living creatures, so why would the necrons make something they despise to fight thier enemies?

So both ideas have links, but they both have flaws...

My theory of rapid evolution of Tau; the ruling class of the primitive tau, predecessors of the Ethereal caste, practice Eugenics or selective breeding on tau children, mainly for obedience, also for the desired characteristic of their class.
This would have been aided by the warp storm which I imagine would have shortened the life span requiring early (in a tau lifespan) procreation instincts, so lots of eugenicised/selectively bred generations would increase variation, enabling the relatively rapid change between the cavetau and the emerging superpower. Loyalty to the Ethereals would be occuring genetically, as disloyalty to the Ethereals mean you can't breed. Hence the inherrent dependance on the Ethereal.

Just a thought, I'm not brilliant on Tau fluff but it could work.

Well, the Necrons themselves wouldn't really genetically engineer or create anything, anyway. They're not mindless, but they're not free thinkers, and they wouldn't do anything with that kind of initiative. The more likely scenario is the C'tan, not the Necrons. The Necrons represent the C'tan's interests, but are more like the thugs or tools. The C'tan are the brains behind the operation.

The other bit of support for the Eldar connection is that in the first Tau Codex there is a top Eldar saying he likes the Tau and feels a kindred feeling with them. I don't think that bit was put into the Tau Empire codex.

There are hints that Tau have a psychic warp presence but it is highly focussed and beam-like, so warp entities find it very hard to discover.