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I always thought the Pheromones thing was kind of goofy. In the fluff the Ethereals are woven into the Tau history basically at a creation myth level, they are the ones that elevated Tau from savage animals to a co operative society.

I see it more like an Aztec thing. Ethereals are of the same physical form as Tau, but they are a spiritual step above and thus the natural leaders. society takes care of the rest with free thinkers and dissidents, shunning them or making them disappear.

@Kroot: mobile response, so quoting is difficult. I'd prefer a comparison of individualistic vs collectivist comparison to east vs west, although, it certainly is an apt comparison, removing the analogy helps to define the argument.

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Collectivist_and_individualist_cultures

The east asian cultures are certainly inspiration for the Tau, but looking at the kroot as well adds an interesting level of depth to the issue.
Also, while thinking about it, the kroot strongly mirror done aspects of native american cultures, collectivism, woodland ambush tactics, tribal society, and even eating the flesh. A shaper/aun comparison tau kroot comparison would be interesting to explore. Thoughts?

http://m.voices.yahoo.com/cannibalism-among-iroquois-algonquian-5824118.html

I agree that individualistic vs collectivist culture is a fitting alternative expression of what I wanted to say.
The main inspiration for Kroot is the stereotype of the "noble savage".

yes "individualistic vs collectivist culture" is the idea
for etherials i belive that they spiritually guilde the Empire.about that Xenologi wrote it was : 1st from a mad savle of a necron lord and 2nd a posibility. i think that the sacks in their head is to comunicate each other , something like Private messages

Or it could be simply a larger version of our pituitary gland, or a sinus cavity...

I hated the phermone idea the moment I read it in xenology! It ran opposed to my idea of Tau society... I hope that it is simply that they are charismatic and versed leaders, leading a troop through belief in an ideal, spirituality being the closest option in my opinion.

There are no Tau psykers so psychic means are unlikely. Pheromones do not work over great distances and appear to be impractical.
Intense indoctrination aided by the somewhat collectivist nature of the Tau society appears, at least to me, the only logical answer.
The reversal to a more barbaric mindset/ the loss of control once an Etheral is killed off, can be explained as a psychological reaction.

It might be better if it was psychic. That way you can have aun with cool psychic powers and things. Pheromones, bla they really don't bring anything cool with them.

about pheromoes i thought 1 other thing : if they were exist , wouldnt ehteriasl sent 1 other etherial to Farsight and so he would calm down?

Yes Pada, the answer to your question is yes.

nomotog wrote:It might be better if it was psychic. That way you can have aun with cool psychic powers and things. Pheromones, bla they really don't bring anything cool with them.

Do you know anything about the Tau fluff?

If Tau became psychic, it would remove EVERYTHING unique about them, and a lot of people wouldn't instantly stop playing them...

Personally, when the new dex comes out I'll prob start, the fluff is awesome, the models are mostly good etc

OT: I like the whole society thing. They believe in something greater than themselves, it annoys me that everyone says they can't be like that, it's not 'grimdark enough. Humans may not be like it, but Tau aren't humans


Von Chogg

A mix of all of the above.

Ethereals are not from tau homeworld. At least the fluff points that way.

One night Tau look up in the night sky see flash of lights flying in the sky. Next day the first Ethereals show up.

So the question is who or what made them and why?

I would have to say group polarization. When people are in a group with the same thoughts and feelings things tend to get more extreme. So when a bunch of ethereals are in a group with other Tau Caste members this influences them, thus causing them to become more extreme. At least I think

The Ethereals could simply be from an isolated part of thier home world. An island, or valley, or possibly mountain peaks. They could have simply been the wise old elders or a culmination of Tau pacifists seeking refuge. The lights could have been a meteor storm or the warp storms dispersing. The Ethereals could have taken this as a sign that their time has come, as thousands of human societies have believed throughout time. They are too much like the Tau to have evolved independently though. They would have to originate at some point from the Tau world.

A) Cant be psykers... would be the same issue saying necons as psykers
B) No one is 'good' in 40k
C) They smell minty fresh

Steel Angel wrote:Ethereals are not from tau homeworld. At least the fluff points that way.

One night Tau look up in the night sky see flash of lights flying in the sky. Next day the first Ethereals show up.

So the question is who or what made them and why?

The answer to that question is the Eldar.

Ability to created warp storms? Check.

Enjoy manipulating others? Check.

Entire BL publication backing that claim? Check.

I think it's kind of funny that some people think that the pheramone theory would make them quit the Tau and they use the Deathwatch book as defence of their beliefs.

The other side of that coin is people like me... I think the pheramone idea is awesome and the Deathwatch books killed the Deathwatch Chapter for me.

Which publication supports this claim again?

DeffDred wrote:

Steel Angel wrote:Ethereals are not from tau homeworld. At least the fluff points that way.

One night Tau look up in the night sky see flash of lights flying in the sky. Next day the first Ethereals show up.

So the question is who or what made them and why?

The answer to that question is the Eldar.

Ability to created warp storms? Check.

Enjoy manipulating others? Check.

Entire BL publication backing that claim? Check.

I think it's kind of funny that some people think that the pheramone theory would make them quit the Tau and they use the Deathwatch book as defence of their beliefs.

The other side of that coin is people like me... I think the pheramone idea is awesome and the Deathwatch books killed the Deathwatch Chapter for me.

FR33Kandy wrote:Which publication supports this claim again?

No publication specifically states such. Back in 3rd/4th theEldar were much more powerful in the warp/psyker stuff fluff-wise. This led to speculation that Either the Eldar or the Old ones created the Tau.

As GW has added new fluff a case can now be made for many different factions having in some way influenced the Tau developement.

Here are a few speculations that I've heard over the years:

It was the Adeptus Mechanicus, They could have implanted the young Tau with the Artificial Enzymes found in Tau DNA. They could have then tampered with the sensor equipment to create the illusion of a 5000-6000 year warp storm.

It could be a Joke played by Cegorach-The Laughing God

It could all be a part of the Emperors plan. That he forsaw the need and ordered the Adeptus Mechanicus to accelerate the Taus developement.

Maybe the Necrons, They might have realized a future need for tech savvy maintenace slaves, that are also a fast growing food source.

Really, the orks, nids are the only races that don't lend themselves to a Tau creation story.

I might be wrong here, but isn't, "Suffer not the alien to live." a direct quote from the Emperor?

FR33Kandy wrote:I might be wrong here, but isn't, "Suffer not the alien to live." a direct quote from the Emperor?

Yet there are abhuman ratlings and ogryn in the Imperial forces.

If the Emperor is ok with such mixing of the races then maybe he plans on using the Tau to develope the anti-psyker/chaos/warp gene.


Not saying that it makes the best sense, just that with precedent from existing fluff people can create a 40k plausible backstory of how the Emperor created the Tau.
I mean, come on, the most astartes adherent of the SM chaptesr are now Battle buddies with the Tau.

Personally, I do not subcribe to this theory, just that it isn't any less likely than any of the others when you consider the ever changing backstory of the 40k universe.

Yea... Still kind of pissed that every player sees a different universe after reading the rule book... It gets annoying.


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Also atleast ratlings and ogryn bare human dna markers. Tau are their own species.

Well in 40k wikia it says that the tau dont register the warp at all and the only thing they know about the immaniterium is its existence and it is no place for the greater good

I think the Ethereals have a specific type of voice that goes with the pheromones. When you get a single whiff of the pheromones you are susceptible to their voice.

FR33Kandy wrote:Which publication supports this claim again?

Tau Codex 3rd edition.

Xeneology.

3rd is retconed by 4th, this is how fluff works for 40k.

And xeneology as mentioned before is written by a man so crazy and deranged that he believed an Ethereal right in front of him had feet and toes when all Ethereals have hooves by account of the codex 4th which overrides all other fluff, as is the way of GW. Anyone hallucinating to that degree is not to be trusted.

FR33Kandy wrote:3rd is retconed by 4th, this is how fluff works for 40k.

And xeneology as mentioned before is written by a man so crazy and deranged that he believed an Ethereal right in front of him had feet and toes when all Ethereals have hooves by account of the codex 4th which overrides all other fluff, as is the way of GW. Anyone hallucinating to that degree is not to be trusted.

Hooves are feet and toes. There are more types of hooves than that of the horse or deer.

Nothing was retconned in the 4th ed book. Just more info added.

And fluff in 40k works however an individual sees fit.

DeffDred wrote:Entire BL publication backing that claim? Check.

Fictional completely mad character speculating this reading cryptic evidence? Check. (Xenology)
Other 40k publication ridiculing and disproving this theory? Check. (Deathwatch)

Remember, I have several years of training in checking deliberately made up statements on Tau.

DeffDred wrote:Hooves are feet and toes. There are more types of hooves than that of the horse or deer.

Only Problem is that the pic clearly shows the wrong kind of hooves. But that my be an error of the artist not related to the author, but still: An obvious background mistake in the book.

hazal wrote:No one is 'good' in 40k

I like the idea of a newborn shouting "KILL, MAIM, BURN" , but somehow it feels wrong

Okay, sounds good. Nothing is retconed? So the void dragon is the machine spirit. The star gods are still a thing, and that last codex was a joke. Also a half elf space marine is out there trouncing about, also there are female orks and they reproduce sexually and the whole fungus thing, that was gw trolling us.

FR33Kandy wrote:Okay, sounds good. Nothing is retconed? So the void dragon is the machine spirit. The star gods are still a thing, and that last codex was a joke. Also a half elf space marine is out there trouncing about, also there are female orks and they reproduce sexually and the whole fungus thing, that was gw trolling us.

I was speaking about the Tau codex....

The void dragon is the machine spirit. (Cult of the Dragon, Mechanicus HH book)

Star Gods have never been fully explained.

There could very well be a half breed marine.

That female OrC is from fantasy. Blood Bowl I believe. A sport where every race plays football together...

If you don't like hooves that rhinos, hippos, elephants have that's fine.

If you don't like pheramones that's fine too.

I like the pheramone theory. I also like the Tau with "toes".

On the subject of toes vs hooves...

Who is to say that the different castes dont have different types of hooves?

There are several mutations between castes already.

Why would the air caste need hooves?