So. The T'au. I should preface this by saying that I have no immediate access to primary sources, but I faced them in combat during their 'Second Sphere' expansion during my time as a - ugh I hate to use this term instead of the correct words but none will understand otherwise - a 'Warp Spider' (
honestly), and later had a brief relationship with a lovely Water Caste diplomat named/ranked Por'ui Kor My'en (she found out that I'd been involved in the bombardment of one of the garden worlds we'd fought the T'au on during that time and was, rightfully, disgusted by my actions leading to the definitive end of that relationship; hoorah for war). So I do know
something about them from primary sources.
Firstly, if you think the opening of the T'au codex is less defamatory than their treatment of your people, you are less used to word-games than I, cousin. Let us examine it again.
Bright burns the light of the T'au Empire. Relentless is its advance. They come first with words of friendship, promising enlightenment and strength through unity. Denied, they come again in a sudden storm of fire. Selfless and swift are their warriors. Mighty are their weapons of war. Yet it is their unwavering dedication to the T'au'va, the Greater Good, that is their deadliest weapon of all.
Yes, nothing says positive thoughts like saying they offer friendship then immediately attack. That doesn't make them sound like duplicitous liars at all. As we know from later in the Codex we know how their selflessness will be presented - as some horrifying curbing of all individuality (which isn't... entirely wrong, but still) which somewhat reframes that 'compliment'. And the same goes for the presentation of their devotion to the T'au'va.
It is presented more politely, you aren't wrong - the words aren't dripping with the contempt they have for the Drukhari, because the T'au aren't openly sexual, and nothing horrifies the Imperium more than blatant sexuality. But it is
just as defamatory.
You then ask, reasonably enough, '...Why are the Imperium so respectful to the T'au in this book?', and...
Well, you are not
entirely wrong to say they are both cut from similar cloths in some ways. I think a part of the Imperium sees a small young empire clawing desperately to expand and colonise with a system that is... somewhat disapproving of individuality, and it can't help but see it as something like itself. In fact, it is so desperate to see how it governs itself as the only valid form of governance, that it attempts to describe the T'au as more akin to the Imperium than they actually are, including as a threat - the T'au are potent fighters but they hold as many worlds as the Rak'ghol. Yet you will find no Rak'ghol codex, despite them being more stereotypically 'fearsome' xenos, acting as pirates and marauders - why? Because there is no threat of anyone in the Imperium defecting to become a Rak'ghol raider. There is
considerable threat of a citizen of the Imperium peering past the sodden dregs of their awful life and seeing the clean, happy standard of living most Gue'vesa exist under and deciding that it is better.
So therefore, it is
crucial for any piece of Imperial propaganda to insist they are both a galactic threat, and fundamentally the same as the Imperium at their core. That fundamentally, service to the Imperium and service to the T'au'va are, for all intents and purposes, identical. That they are just as oppressive and cruel behind closed doors. And again, this is not a comparison without a kernel of truth. But one cannot look at the squalid state of an Imperial hive city, a teeming mass of wretches forced to live among sewage while others dwell in opulent halls dining on whatever they desire, and compare it to a T'au city and claim that they are both the same, actually.
A brief aside to rant about the depiction of T'au myths in this 'codex'. What the actual
fuck does this mean -
During their early days, ancestors of the T'au rapidly outpaced their moral growth with their practical and martial development.
As though humanity didn't have its own share of pointless and immoral wars in its history! As though
every fucking species doesn't! As though there is some sort of proscribed path of morality, like a fucking - tree or road - ugh!
And of course they then imply the Ethereals were extraterrestrial in origin. Because of course, 'violent, tribal xenos' can't have resolved any historical conflicts themselves - without external influence, they'd be just like any other 'godless' xenos, of course! They can't have formed their civilisation
themselves, or have come upon their morality naturally -
Ugh.
Which brings us to the T'au and their caste system. Which - in truth, cousin, I am perturbed by it too. It is...
strange to me, to imagine living all one's life in a single role. The way Kor explained it to me though it is more akin to - so a crucial part of the T'au'va is a form of belief in predestination, I suppose. Everyone has one thing they are absolutely
perfect for. It may not be immediately obvious what it is, but society should be shaped -
people should be shaped - to help them realise what that thing is as soon as possible. She attempted to explain that it was akin to how certain Aspect Shrines call certain people extended to the whole of society which - I had problems with as an analogy, but isn't entirely unuseful I suppose, ignoring my own pedantry.
But of course in this codex it is presented as some rigid thing which smiling, brainwashed slaves do. Because that is how the Imperium sees the rigidly defined roles its citizens are born into. So of course, the T'au must be the same. There's not even a
mention of how you take a new name upon taking a new role, because you are no longer the same person who was suited to your previous role, something that is flatly
horrifying to me, but is a fascinating part of their culture.
And is the explanation for why they have records of assassinating Aun'Va yet he 'still' exists - it's a title, you scabrous, imbecilic fools! He didn't live for centuries, new Ethereals took the role and name! ARGH!
