Onward and Upward?
One of the things that a lot of Tau players worry about is the inconsistencies born out of the Farsight books by Phil Kelly and how they contradict elements of that author's own work (like Vash'Ya) and what other Black Library authors have already written (especially about Shadowsun).
There's no doubt that a LOT of people who like Tau like it because of the initial draw of these books and the mercurial aspects of one Commander Farsight and his giant soul devouring Dawnblade. So, whenever a new tidbit of information comes out the Tau community collectively holds its breath.
Dare I say... I'm hopeful this time around?
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2023/03/07/ethereals-hate-him-this-tau-commander-discovered-one-weird-trick-to-becoming-a-legend/
Earlier today the Warcom article was released with the same hammy, chummy, tone it's known for and a few ridiculous errors that may or may not allude to a retcon or reimagining of existing lore.
The following was summarized by This.is.Panda on the Tau 40.000 Discord with italicized texts from the Warcom article itself.
Highlights:
1. Here he was attacked by mysterious red-skinned aliens never before seen by the Empire.
Confirmed Etherals didnt know about Chaos before?
2. The experience left Farsight more than a little rattled. Now aware of the existence of Chaos, amongst the galaxy’s other unpleasant secrets, he came to see the Ethereals’ guidance as something far more sinister – control.
Farsight specifically is mad of Etheral absolute control over Tau, instead of Phil Kelly's lore that they were hiding Chaos?
3. Unwilling to follow any longer, but knowing that his fresh new outlook wouldn’t wash with the wider Empire, he took his Dawn Blade into self-imposed exile in his new Farsight Enclaves.
Phil Kelly said Farsight exiled himself because of a Khorne vision of him destroying the Tau Empire. Is this a retcon?
4. Despite this, Farsight returned during the Fifth Sphere Expansion to help his old classmate Shadowsun kick the Imperium out of Mu’gulath Bay – the apparent death of Aun’va no doubt giving him a chuckle.
Fifth Sphere?
5. The Ethereal Supreme has since been replaced by an AI hologram, as it was felt the T’au Empire wouldn’t survive his passing. Quite an achievement, given it lasted millennia before he showed up…
GW acknowledging Aun'Va AI is stupid?
6. So when one of Vashtorr’s Arks of Omen shows up to throw an almighty spanner in the works, Farsight might just feel the tug of the Blood God once more…
First time was with Khorne vision, GW going with chaos corruption again? Does that mean Phil Kelly lores are still canon?
As a reminder, the Warcom and community teams adopt the more carefree language to make the grimdarkness a little more palatable but, to many in the community, we regard everything they say as canon.
That's never a good idea, especially when you start talking about Xenos.
When the Leagues of Votann came out it was mentioned by the Warcom team that "Demiurg" was the Tau name for the Kin. It was quickly circulated throughout the internet and older, longer toothed, enthusiasts collectively pulled their beards and recalled that even Alpharius, ten thousand years ago, was calling the Demiurg by the same name. Indeed, a check at the Lexicon would show the Tau'sian word for the Demiurg is "Bentu'sin" (lit: wise, gifted people).
So, what is This.is.panda commenting on?
Well, it would seem that we're potentially moving away from the mustache twirling Ethereals who, in Kelly's books, had full knowledge of Chaos before the first contact event at Arthas Moloch and more of an ambiguous "shady" version of the ruling Caste.
It would also appear that we may be returning toward the more neutral reasoning that Farsight left the Spheres. Rather than expressly because the Ethereals knew about Chaos but also because the Ethereal's control over Tau society was too much. This would be closer to the Andy Chambers version of Farsight who implied that it had to do with Farsight's belief that a more brutal approach to the enemies of the Castes was the only way to survive in the Galaxy:
Each must find their own way. If those in our heartland had witnessed the savageries of the void as have we they would know this. The hand of each of the starfarers is turned against the other; none will join their strength together just to see their ancient enemies prosper. Neither should we.
~Farsight
Leaving it ambiguous or allowing players to supply their own reasoning for why Farsight left would be better for the hobby rather than offering rare specificity in a Warhammer 40k event. For me, Farsight will always be the "Colonel Kurtz" style commander who felt like command was holding him back from properly serving his people's needs by waging war in a more brutal way.
If you'd like to listen on the subject, take a look here.
For those of us desperate for any Tau details in the upcoming release, these generalized statements offer a bit of hope that the more extreme aspects of Kelly's work will be quietly shuffled to exist within their own volumes rather than spill out into the canonicity affirming pages of a codex/rulebook.
The fact that they got the 3rd Sphere battle for Agrellan/Mu'gulath Bay wrong and placed it in the 5th Sphere is just lazy researching and we can hope it's not indicative of other shortcomings in the summary.
I would be remiss to not mention that a few... disturbed... individuals are hoping for this.
