One Dangerously Newbish question: Tau in a Chaos army?

[Stubber]

Originally Posted by Azalar

Ahhh. Ok. My bad.

I thought that Etherals were Physic so were open to Possession.

The Ethereals are able to controll the other Tau because of a pheromone they give off.
The Tau (or at least the Ethereals) were created by the Eldar as a race that couldn't be corrupted by chaos. (Unoffical Fluff)

Originally Posted by Azalar

Ahhh. Ok. My bad.

I thought that Etherals were Physic so were open to Possession.

The going thing is, in my gatherings from Liber Chaotica, Xenos and a few other books, the Etherals have an ability akin to the psyker, but based entirely upon their pheromones.

[Stubber]

Originally Posted by Lord Commander Erus

The going thing is, in my gatherings from Liber Chaotica, Xenos and a few other books, the Etherals have an ability akin to the psyker, but based entirely upon their pheromones.

Xenos? That's the first part of the Eisenhorn trilogy.

Do you mean Xenologly?

[Azalar]

So let me get this right.

The Tau Etherals, becuase they give of pheromones, can call upon the Phsyic Powers of the Warp?

Wow, So the smell funny, they get Powers.

Might give up Bathing for a few weeks to see if I get Pysker Powers.

[Killermoose]

No, what I think Erus and Stubber are saying is that their absolute control over the rest of the Tau race is down to the phermones they give off, not any physic power. However, another race looking at them would think that they are pyskers, as they hold so much sway over the Tau. It's all in the physical makeup, not in the mental, so they can't be possessed easily (if at all).

Originally Posted by Killermoose

No, what I think Erus and Stubber are saying is that their absolute control over the rest of the Tau race is down to the phermones they give off, not any physic power. However, another race looking at them would think that they are pyskers, as they hold so much sway over the Tau. It's all in the physical makeup, not in the mental, so they can't be possessed easily (if at all).

Exactly. It has also been noted that quite a few other races (vespid, kroot, etc..) fall under the sway of said pheremones, though not as completely as the T'au. Most humans and pretty much any being in the T'au Empire is under the influence of Ethereal pheremone control. Whether they were subdued into the Empire by it, or came of free will, they are under the influence somehow.

And yes, I did mean Xenology! Sorry! Also, there are cases (this is from someone else who has a book, the title of which escapes me) of warp entities trying to possess the T'au. Most ended in the horrible death of the host.

[Dan296]

ethreals have no psycic powers at all. they, like normal tau, are untouchable. by having them possesed through deamonic adversaries wouldnt be the best idea because that would cause a ripple of morale checks in your dudes.

[Ides]

So the Greater good is all down to the Ethereals brainwashing other races then.

[Cagarner]

Yes.

The greater good is the will of the Ethereals. What ever the Ethereals think is the greater good, so shall it be.

[Ides]

Then there is potential for chaos/evil tau, and potential for something to negate said pheromone...

[Stubber]

Said Pheromone hasn't been spotted by Tau scientists and other races haven't had enough opportunity to test Ethereals to find the pheromone.

Simply seperating normal Tau from Ethereals for extended periods should do the trick (as in the Farsight Enclaves)

[Ides]

True, but I am thinking from a resistance perspective. If humanity/chaos/whatever managed to engineer a counter agent to that pheromone, then their armies could engage the ethereals, even on supposedly conquered worlds, relatively without fear.

[Gnr. Keil]

The only group i would see doing that would be Dark Eldar. Just to cause havoc and take slaves. But first they would have to capture an ethereal wich would be a feat on to itself. The Gam T'au Fire Warrior explains alought at the end. Mainly that T'au are all but usless to Chaos.

[Azalar]

I come across another little fact on the Tau Empire.
Not only do Etherals give out Phremons, but so do Kroot.
So maybe thats why Kroot and Vespid were merged into the Tau Empire.
For thier abilty to give off Pheramons.

[Ides]

I assume you mean Kroot Shapers.

[Stubber]

The Kroot fight for the Tau because they are Mercenaries looking to increase their own gains.
No one really knows why the Vespid allied with the Tau so easy but it may have something to do with the Tau built communication helms worn by all the important memberes of the race.

[Gnr. Keil]

iI think he is talking about the musk the kroot produce wich they use as a form of communication and when the T'au are around humor. Speculation here but the Kroot just might react to the pheromones the Ethereals create because they are already sensitive type of non-verbal communication.