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I was going to base my Tau off as worshippers of the Imperial Cult. Any history of this fluff wise? /

I'd think it'd be hard to justify. Biologically, the Tau are engineered to be easily controlled by the Ethreals, and thus susceptible to being brainwashed into believing whole-heartedly in the Greater Good.

Only Commander Farsight has splintered off from the main Tau Empire, and he's certainly not pro-Imperial.

However, humans allying with the with the Tau, and taking up the call of the Greater Good Is common.

"Hard to justify"?

It's completely impossible to justify.

Yeah what the other guys said.
Basically impossible to justify.

Wait...wait...what? Why would any Tau start following the Imperial cult?

camboyaz wrote:I was going to base my Tau off as worshippers of the Imperial Cult. Any history of this fluff wise? /

There's a whole lot of history of this fluff wise... of the exact opposite. What you suggest is essentially impossible.

ph34r wrote:

camboyaz wrote:I was going to base my Tau off as worshippers of the Imperial Cult. Any history of this fluff wise? /

There's a whole lot of history of this fluff wise... of the exact opposite. What you suggest is essentially impossible.

Unless by 'Tau' you mean Kroot. Then go for it. Although to be honest they're mercenaries not cultists.

camboyaz wrote:I was going to base my Tau off as worshippers of the Imperial Cult. Any history of this fluff wise? /

I would have to agree with the above posters. Why believe in something that is incompatible with Tau society? A Gue'Vesa ( Human helpers ) auxiliary army would be alot more fitting as there are a sizeable amount of humans now involved with tau society. Tau are willing to co operate and bring in many races but as long as they can get on board with the greater good philosophy. Worshipping a superhuman that believes its mankinds sole right and duty to rule the galaxy doesn't fit with that ideology.

Human loyalists under Tau dominion, or even Tau seperatists akin to Farsight's rebellion, would be believable. But there is little reason for your typical Tau to reject the teachings of Ethereals and Greater Good only to immerse themselves in a Creed that actively calls for their destruction.

Emperors Faithful wrote:Human loyalists under Tau dominion,....

How are they considered loyal?

The Emperor cannot be reduced to a religious figure, breaking your alliegence with him may attract unwanted attention and leads to a undesirable Fate:

1hadhq wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:Human loyalists under Tau dominion,....

How are they considered loyal?

Imperial Activists operating under Tau occupation. Loyal as in they never accepted the yoke of alien oppresion even when the Tau swept over the planetary defence forces.

Why not do female Space Marines or Chaos Grey Knights like everyone else?
Or good Sith Lords in Star Wars?
Or a US Marine Corps joining Al-Kaida?

Kroothawk wrote:Why not do female Space Marines or Chaos Grey Knights like everyone else?

Hey, now dats jus ridickulus.

Or good Sith Lords in Star Wars?
Or a US Marine Corps joining Al-Kaida?

These however, could go somewhere...

Emperors Faithful wrote:

1hadhq wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:Human loyalists under Tau dominion,....

How are they considered loyal?

Imperial Activists operating under Tau occupation. Loyal as in they never accepted the yoke of alien oppresion even when the Tau swept over the planetary defence forces.

So they re-educate the oppressors and these kill themselves in his name?
Pretty cunning..

Emperors Faithful wrote:
These however, could go somewhere...

Exactly, US marines and al-kaida are pure fiction...

1hadhq wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:Human loyalists under Tau dominion,....

How are they considered loyal?

The Emperor cannot be reduced to a religious figure, breaking your alliegence with him may attract unwanted attention and leads to a undesirable Fate:

lots of human worlds leave the IoM AND stop following the imperial creed.

if you have read the actual fluff its pretty clear, IG left stranded after the crusade either had the option of being killed or joining the tau empire, after generations the humans prefer tau rule to the IoM.

That is mostly impossible.

BluntmanDC wrote:

lots of human worlds leave the IoM AND stop following the imperial creed.

if you have read the actual fluff its pretty clear, IG left stranded after the crusade either had the option of being killed or joining the tau empire, after generations the humans prefer tau rule to the IoM.

Lots?
Some turn renegade and fall to chaos


Maybe I shall point to the actual fluff, where no Human prefers any Xenos to rule?
How about source?

The availble fluff does support the IG valiantly opposing any threat and also Tau usually killing the IG/PDF/civilians because they would never give up their correct belief in the Emperor. Since codices, rulebook, expansions and BL run with this, where do you draw this obvious Propaganda of Humans defying the IoM from?

A case of the lies of the Xenos it seems. Ask your local ministorum priest to guide your self-flaggelation for that.

Thus, you can't split the Imperial cult from beeing a Imperial world, so I still doubt it is possible to venerate the Emperor as a God and obey to someone else as
the Emperor (and the High Lords in his name) encompasses the whole role of leading Mankind, politically and religiously.

- so either loyal to the IoM and participating in the Imperial cult or none of both.

1hadhq wrote:Maybe I shall point to the actual fluff, where no Human prefers any Xenos to rule?
How about source?

What? That's what makes the Tau Empire so threatening for it's size. The promises and (admittedly) higher standard of life they promise does indeed cause many humans to welcome the Tau with open arms.

The availble fluff does support the IG valiantly opposing any threat and also Tau usually killing the IG/PDF/civilians because they would never give up their correct belief in the Emperor. Since codices, rulebook, expansions and BL run with this, where do you draw this obvious Propaganda of Humans defying the IoM from?

A case of the lies of the Xenos it seems. Ask your local ministorum priest to guide your self-flaggelation for that.

It took me a while to realise this was a joke.

Thus, you can't split the Imperial cult from beeing a Imperial world, so I still doubt it is possible to venerate the Emperor as a God and obey to someone else as
the Emperor (and the High Lords in his name) encompasses the whole role of leading Mankind, politically and religiously.

- so either loyal to the IoM and participating in the Imperial cult or none of both.

I don't think you're grasping exactly what the Imperial Cult entails, which is a great deal of fanatiscm. Sure, the Emperor is regarded as a God in one form or the other, but the Emperor does not have to be worshipped to the extent that the Imperial Cult does to mark them as loyalists.

Emperors Faithful wrote: But there is little reason for your typical Tau to reject the teachings of Ethereals and Greater Good only to immerse themselves in a Creed that actively calls for their destruction.

Waht if their were no Ethereals around to teach these Tau for genorations, the teachings forgotten, and lets say a friendly IOM governer let a them into his System/Planet as long as the worshipped the God-Emperor?

Emperors Faithful wrote:

What? That's what makes the Tau Empire so threatening for it's size. The promises and (admittedly) higher standard of life they promise does indeed cause many humans to welcome the Tau with open arms.

I don't think you're grasping exactly what the Imperial Cult entails, which is a great deal of fanatiscm. Sure, the Emperor is regarded as a God in one form or the other, but the Emperor does not have to be worshipped to the extent that the Imperial Cult does to mark them as loyalists.

First they welcome the xenos, then they receive the well deserved judgement in form of extermination.

To be mislead by false promises and weakwilled enough to give up the protection of the IoM to join those who attempt to befriend just any Necron/Darkspaceelf,etc... they can find? Bad decisions still.

The Imperial cult may vary but is standardized under the sway of the Ecclesiarchy.
So , yes, Imperial cult = subscribing to Emperor=God-emperor, to be praised and more.
Loyalists are usually those pledging allegiance to the Imperium/Emperor.
Thougtht I said you can't separate the political and religious aspect and therefore every member of the Imperial cult would be also a member of the IoM.
Beeing a loyalist and/or follower of the Imperial cult may be typically associated with Humans.
Thus xenos screaming "for the emperor" is weird, and the OP's idea isn't worth trying.

1hadhq wrote:Thus xenos screaming "for the emperor" is weird, and the OP's idea isn't worth trying.

Well, yes. In all honesty it's ridiculous. I was pointing out that the Imperial Creed is only the standardised version, worship of the Emperor is as varied as the cultures that venerate him. Such as some planets regarding him as the 'God-predator' in the night, while others view him as the 'Pillar' of humanity. His actual existence on Terra is not even widely known in the more primitive worlds.

At first I thought "Wow, this is a totally ridiculous idea. Then I thought "Well, if imperials sometimes change their allegiance, why couldn't another race?" This could apply to Tau or pretty much any other race. If some humans follow the greater good, why couldn't some Tau follow the Imperial cult?

camboyaz wrote:
What if there were no Ethereals around to teach these Tau for generations, the teachings forgotten, and lets say a friendly IOM governer let them into his System/Planet as long as they worshipped the God-Emperor?

We do not know how Farsights story turns out, maybe the Tau Empire hires some mercenaries to get rid of such separatists ( without the blame going on them obviously )
as any 'unbeliever' in their role as leaders threathens the position of etherals in Tau society. Your forgotten Tau-enclave would face the xenophobia of the humans
and why should Tau have interest in religion?

At best you get some desillusioned warriors to start a career as merceneries ( maybe alongside Kroot ) and work for profit.

1hadhq wrote:At best you get some desillusioned warriors to start a career as merceneries ( maybe alongside Kroot ) and work for profit.

This. Tau can't be part of the Imperial Cult as the Imperial Cult is xenophobic. That's not to say they wouldn't work alongside the Imperium however, being mercernaries, but there's little reason to be attracted to their Ideology.

camboyaz wrote:Waht if their were no Ethereals around to teach these Tau for genorations, the teachings forgotten, and lets say a friendly IOM governer let a them into his System/Planet as long as the worshipped the God-Emperor?

Even a tolerant human governor, whose daughter is married to a Necron Lord, can't convince pragmatic Tau to accept the "Kill all non-humans on sight!" part of the Imperial Creed.

GalacticDefender wrote:At first I thought "Wow, this is a totally ridiculous idea. Then I thought "Well, if imperials sometimes change their allegiance, why couldn't another race?" This could apply to Tau or pretty much any other race. If some humans follow the greater good, why couldn't some Tau follow the Imperial cult?

I agree. The Tau may have a varation of the Cult, so instead of: KILL ALL XENOS, it's: KILL MOST XENOS!

I can see the possibility of some Tau straying from the Greater Good, and choosing another ideal to worship from a different race, but not the IoM and not the Emperor.

Eldar = they're too cool to hang with the Tau
Chaos = would that even benefit the Chaos? Tau aren't psychic (at this point in time).
Dark Eldar = they don't really play weel with others, and they're Slaneesh groupies.
Tyranids = nope
Minor Race = possible, but not very likely

They could simply become renegades/mercenaries in the emply of a radical ordo xenos inquisitor.

GalacticDefender wrote:At first I thought "Wow, this is a totally ridiculous idea. Then I thought "Well, if imperials sometimes change their allegiance, why couldn't another race?" This could apply to Tau or pretty much any other race. If some humans follow the greater good, why couldn't some Tau follow the Imperial cult?

If Tau followed the Imperial Cult, the first thing they would have to do is kill themselves. Imperial Cult = humanity first, kill all xenos. Xeno mercenaries are occasionally used, for furthering the cause of killing xenos.

Unless I guess, a group of Tau collectively went nuts, and decided it needed to go on a crusade against the rest of the Tau and/or other Xenos to redeem themselves in the eyes of the Emperor for being born xeno. That could actually be pretty cool.

camboyaz wrote:

GalacticDefender wrote:At first I thought "Wow, this is a totally ridiculous idea. Then I thought "Well, if imperials sometimes change their allegiance, why couldn't another race?" This could apply to Tau or pretty much any other race. If some humans follow the greater good, why couldn't some Tau follow the Imperial cult?

I agree. The Tau may have a varation of the Cult, so instead of: KILL ALL XENOS, it's: KILL MOST XENOS!

The Imperial Cult puts humanity on a pedestal, preaching their (rightful) supremacy. There is nothing to attract any Tau to the creed, nor is it designed to, and there definitely isn't anything to convince a portion of their armed forces to defect (which is known to happen with Human Regiments to Tau). Basically, having a Tau member of the Imperial Cult would be akin to having a Black Guy in the KKK. Except far, faaar less education and tolerance.


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I will give you credence though for this being such a unique idea, but there is absolutely nothing in fluff to support it, and a lot that says the exact opposite.