Subject: On Tau-Eldar interactions:
Author:
Posted on: 2017-10-25 15:47:00 UTC

"I have followed the myriad potential futures of the Tau with great interest. Though barely even striplings compared to us, I feel a strange protectiveness towards them. In time I believe they will exceed even our greatest feats and master the darkness within their souls."
-- Eldrad Ulthran, Farseer of Ulthwé Craftworld

With the addition of hyperdrive technology and cloning tech, as well as the ultra-mobile XV97-0s, I rather feel that the opinions of the above Farseer are going to be spreading, at least throughout Ulthwé. Not only that, but Ulthwé is on the borders of the Eye of Terror, and with Palpy's new toy chucking the energy output of whole stars around the place I can see Ulthran leading a small mission through the Webway as a decapitation strike later on, perhaps seeing the fall of the Suam'kha and aiding (subtlely) in the escape of the remains of the Alliance fleet.

Webway portals are straight-up better than hyperdrive, but the hyperdrive itself is a marvel of engineering, and I think that the Eldar would at least respect it from a "oh, that's neat" standpoint. It's also a lot more complete than the Webway, which was burnt out in large part during the Fall, and that has its advantages as well. In Ulthwé in particular, I can see a closer relationship with the Tau-Rebel Alliance forming over the years; at first somewhat faddish, akin to Orientalism in our world, but slowly growing more respectful - especially since the Tau pay them respect in turn. The Greater Good and the Path system are not as incompatible as they first seem, though the Tau are bemused at the Path's focus on individual desires while the Eldar are pointedly sarcastic about the Tau'va's rigidity and social micromanagement.

You bring up the Ynnari and soulstones, and I think that the Tau reaction would be absolutely hagiographic. Think about it: even in death, these Eldar can become integral parts of their race's future, preserving and protecting long after their mortal flesh has turned to dust. If that isn't catnip to people who believe in the Greater Good, I don't know what is.

Finally, the Force is powerful, and unknown to the Eldar; this probably confuses them as much as it intrigues them. Was it some lost creation of the Old Ones, a bioweapon (hi midichlorians!) tested and abandoned, as the Orks were? Or is there something more at work, some strange tide within the universe created by life... all life.

Perhaps Isha's ghost walks among the Rebels...

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