Mang'shas Sept

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*Some ambient music for you to enjoy while you read - "The Greater Good" by Ninja Tracks.*

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## Mang'shas Sept

Mang'shas Sept icon.

Mont'yr'Shi, Fire Warrior of Mang'shas Sept.

**Long Name (T'au Lexicon)**:
*Shas'Ui Mang'shas Mont'yr'Shi*
**Long Name (Translation)**:
Veteran Victory-Blooded of the Mang'shas Sept, Fire Caste

## Tau Sept

### **Secondary Commanders**

Shas'El Brightblaze
Shas'El Victorystar
Shas'El Pridelight
Shas'El Skyblade

### **Motto/Warcry**

T’urlal denta urchaa Ky’h sio xan auxa suam barxa.
Translation: Craft the Spirit as you do the Weapon, with Strength, Fire and Pride.

### **Enemies**

Imperium of Man
Orks of the Red Sun Systems

### **Specialty**

Weapon crafting, Armoured Assaults, Siege Warfare

### **Sept Colour(s)**

Sept Colour: Orange
Armour Colour: Dark Grey
Fatigues: Orange

## Prime World Information

### **Orb. Distance**

1.5 AU (Astronomical Units, approximately same distance as Mars is to Sol)

### **Temperature**

Between -10°C/40°C, averages at the high 20s to mid 30s

### **Population**

Approximately 3,100,000,000 within the Sept
Main Species: Tau, Gue'vesa, Demiurg and Kroot

### **Other Notable Planets**

Ban'tal
Lan'han
Osha'vi
Other planets are deemed uninhabitable but are rich in various minerals.

### **Moon(s)**

Mang'shasal
Suu'lo

### **Location**

Located to the West of The Tau'n Sept, on the edge of the Western Veil Nebula.

"*A mineral on its own is a simple thing, it can do little save be used like a fancy rock. However, when it is changed, tempered it becomes a metal, that when combined with other such materials crafts the weapon upon which the Greater Good is protected. We of the T'au Empire are the same, the Greater Good is the flame upon which we are tempered, made into something better and then brought together to make something that can change the Galaxy.*"
—Shas'O Firespark to his troops
The **Mang'shas Sept** is a Sept of the T'au Empire founded during the Third Sphere of Expansion. Colonising a system full of mineral-rich planets and asteroids and the Prime World being a Volcanic Savanna world, the Sept has become a manufacturing powerhouse, specialising particularly in crafting weapons, vehicles and battlesuits. The warriors of the Mang'shas Sept are renowned for their tenacity and endurance, their masterfully crafted weapons, and their eagerness to prove their effectiveness upon their enemies. The members of the Mang'shas Sept have become a hardy and proud people who take great pride in the weapons they produce and wielding them against the enemies of the T'au Empire. This culture has further developed thanks to the presence of Demiurgs and defectors of the Adeptus Mechanicus; these cultures have only added to the Sept's forging culture.

The Sept’s existence has only become known to the Imperium of Man in recent years due to recent engagements between the Sept's forces and those of the Imperium as part of the ongoing Fifth Sphere of Expansion. This is due to the Sept's location at the very edge of the Western Veil Nebula on its eastern side; the Tau themselves only learnt of the system’s existence a few years prior to the Third Sphere of Expansion. Thus its capabilities and its exact location are unknown to the Imperium.

## History

### Discovery

For most of the T'au Empires history, it was believed that no habitable systems that could support a Sept existed near the Western Veil Nebula, the closest being the Sept's of Vior’la and Tau’n, as no scouting missions ever found any, and all attempts to find any stars by the Nebula proved futile. Thus, throughout the First and Second Spheres of Expansion, the Veil was ignored, and no expansion fleets were sent.

However, this was to change in the lead-up to the Third Sphere of expansion. In the aftermath of the Damocles Gulf Crusade, there was an attempt by members of the Earth Caste, primarily from the Sept of Bork'an, to see if the Western Veil Nebula could be crossed, to allow the empire to much more efficiently supply the Damocles Gulf Region. Unfortunately, these efforts proved futile, as finding any opening that would allow for a relay beacon to be placed was impossible. Thus, the research was abandoned. However, it was noted that some unusual data was collected that warranted further study, but this was forgotten soon after the research. That was until in the year 990.M41, when a member of the Earth Caste of Bork'an, Fio'el Bork'an Sho'ur (Strongsight), later known as M'Yen Suun (Hidden Star), rediscovered the data and realising that it pertained to the Veil Nebula decided to study it and figure out what it was.

This was, to his mind, of keen interest to the Empire, as the Great War of Confederation was still ongoing when the largest Ork WAAAGH! in the Empire’s history emerged from the Western Veil Nebula and spread out to attack the nearby Sept's of Vior'la, Tau'n and Sa'cea before breaking up further and invading a dozen worlds. His initial belief was that it could potentially lead to the Empire discovering how the Orks arrived through the Nebula and thus fortify it.

As he analysed the data, aided by more advanced technology than the original researchers had, Sho'ur began to realise that the data appeared consistent with the signs of a star system; this made him research the data even further to be sure. Finally, after months of painstaking analyses, Sho'ur was left with a single conclusion, there was a Star System on the edge of the Veil Nebulas east, which had most likely, due to its proximity to the Nebula, avoided detection for thousands of years. He had discovered a whole new star system and one that potentially could even be colonised.

Sho'ur took his findings to the leading Earth Caste of Bork'an and requested that a scouting expedition be sent to the system. However, the Earth Caste was concerned about sending an expedition out to a star system so close to where the Orks had emerged and the demands of the ongoing war with the Orks. They thus felt it was not worth the risk and cost for what could just be an anomaly. However, Fio'O Bork'an Ol'dras (Brightstone), one of the most brilliant analysts and authorities on celestial bodies within the Sept, decided that she would look over Sho'urs work and, after her research, came to the same conclusion as he had. This was followed by the visiting Fio'O Fal'shia H'anawa (Truewalker) of Fal'shia, who agreed with the two that it seemed almost certain that a star system was there.

With the backing of 2 highly respected Engineers, the leading Earth Caste of Bork'an acquiesced to Sho'ur. It petitioned for a scouting expedition to be sent to where they believed the Star System was. This expedition was launched in 991.M41, upon the expedition’s arrival, they indeed found a star system that, upon their scans and investigations, was both mineral-rich, among the richest found anywhere in the T'au Empire and possessed four habitable worlds, with the potential for some to be successfully terraformed. However, the expedition was unable to perform the standard thorough analyse and scouting due to the side effects the proximity of the Nebula had on their scanning systems. Thus they could not say if the system was wholly uninhabited, especially regarding Orks, or how rich it was. But its initial findings were more than sufficient that the Ethereal Council of the Sept put the System forward as a potential candidate for the upcoming Third Sphere of Expansion to the Ethereal High Council.

### Settlement

Following the end of the Great War of Confederation, the Ethereal High Council decided that this new system would be colonised in the Third Sphere of Expansion, seeing that the systems resources could be of great value, as well as the potential of the system being a fortress to help guard and monitor the Nebula so that there would never be a repeat of the near calamity of the Great War of Confederation. They also wished to prevent the Orks from gaining such a valuable and strategic system for themselves, and if they were already present, they would need to be purged. They decided to send colonists from the Sept's of Bork'an, Fal'shia and Vior'la; among the colonists was Sho'ur, now named Fio'O Bork'an M'Yen Suun (Hidden Star) in honour of his discovery and was now one of the leading Earth Caste who were tasked with building this new Sept. The Expansion fleet was escorted by a Commune, or Kavaal, from the Sept's, under the overall command of Shas'O Vior'la Nel'ur, Strongblade, a veteran of the Great War of Confederation with a detachment of Kroot and Gue'vesa auxiliaries to both secure the system and if needed wipe out any Orks. Upon arrival, the expansion fleet found, as the scouting fleet had initially believed, the system to be wholly uninhabited; the only challenge they faced was the effect of the Nebula on specific systems, however thanks to the scientists from Bork'an and Fal'shia, this was soon fixed, and soon all their systems were immune to the Nebula's effects. The Commune remained behind to help fortify the Sept and enact the Ethereal's plans of turning the Sept into a fortress.

The bulk of the expansion fleet settled on a Savanna world that was very mountainous and very volcanically active, and incredibly mineral rich. The three other habitable planets of the system were settled during this time; as the cities quickly sprung up and the Sept began to prosper due to its peaceful colonisation, the character of the Sept started to take shape. The systems incredibly rich amount of minerals and materials that could be used to create weapons led to many industries developing weapons, here the fiercely proud and aggressive militarists from Vior'la combined with the scientific and technologically driven Bork'an and Fal'shia industrialists to create a proud culture of weapon crafters, a culture that only grew the more the Sept grew, leading to it being named in late 997.M41, making it one of the first new Sept's of the Third Sphere of Expansion, Mang'shas or To Hammer Fire, a reference to the practice of forging and a perfect name for the Sept's culture.

Over the next two years, the Sept would further develop and grow, its people becoming highly skilled weapon crafters and testers whilst maintaining the martial pride of Vior'la. However, this had been tempered by mixing those from Bork'an and Fal'shia. By 999.M41, the Sept was reasonably well established, boasting a reasonably large population for such a system, numerous mining operations and weapon factories. In 715.999.M41, a fleet of Demiurg arrived and, keen to mine the system themselves and prospect its vast mineral wealth, petitioned the Sept for the right to settle and mine within the system in exchange for military and technological aid, to which the Sept gladly agreed. This pact was to prove to be the Sept’s saviour not long after the arrival of the Demiurg with the coming of an Ork WAAAGH!

### WAAAGH! Gurgit and Kroolhacka

In 859.999.M41, the Ork Big Mek Gurgit, ruler of the Ork world of Gurgit’s Mekworld, launched a WAAAGH! against the T'au Empire. The WAAAGH! was primarily composed of Ork walkers, which Gurgit believed, based on his previous battles with the Tau, would make them impervious to the Empire's weapons. He was proven wrong at the Battle of Gunner Ridge, where the Tau easily defeated his WAAAGH! and ended the threat it posed to their Empire, or so they believed.

Unbeknownst to the Empire, a large group of Orks from the WAAAGH! led by Warboss Kroolhacka had split from the main WAAAGH! before the battle. Kroolhacka had heard about a system full of loot, Roks (asteroids), and enemies to fight and thus wished to lead his own WAAAGH! He thus broke off from Gurgits WAAAGH! and led his Boyz to the system. That System was the Sept of Mang'shas.

When the Orks first arrived on the edge of the system, the Tau of Mang'shas thought it had to be an error but, to their horror, realised that a sizable Ork fleet had arrived and immediately sent a call for aid out whilst making all preparations to repel the invading Orks. Shas'O Nel'ur, Commander Strongblade, who remained in overall command, gathered his forces and, knowing full well that the Orks would wreak havoc on any of the worlds they landed on, endeavoured to save the young Sept from such a fate that could set it back decades. He thus opted for his preferred tactic, Mont'ka, to deliver as swift and devastating a blow as possible to the Orks.

To this end, he also petitioned the Demiurg for their assistance, to which they agreed to help. The combined fleet thus engaged the Orks and destroyed many Ork spaceships. Unfortunately, many survived the engagement and made straight for the Sept's Prime World of Mang'shas. Strongblade thus was forced to make for the planet as fast as possible to lead the defence whilst ordering the rest of his forces, scattered around the system, to make for Mang'shas. Thankfully, the Orks made planetfall in the highly volcanic Firesmoke range, allowing Strongblade to garrison the passes and build up his defence as he gathered a force to deliver the killing blow he needed. The Orks, for their part, now angered at the lack of a good fight, charged out from their landing sight in all directions and attacked the Tau on all fronts; the fighting, as ever when the Orks are involved, was a brutal affair. The Orks charged the Tau positions and smashed into their defences, trying to break them apart. The Tau of Mang'shas fought back with pride and tenacity, enduring the lava flows, eruptions, and tremours caused by the battle; they fought for their new Sept and would not see it fall to the hated Orks. Many of the Fire Caste were veterans of the Great War of Confederation and once again fought with the skill and determination that had seen them triumph.

The Tau were not the only ones who fought well; the Kroot, as ever, fought with a savagery that nearly matched the Orks, helping to keep the melees from going in their favour. The Gue'vesa also fought well, fighting as stubbornly and heroically as any Tau. The weapons they had crafted with pride saw themselves blooded in these battles and soon proved why they had taken such pride in their work, for they claimed a bloody toll on the enemy. However, despite all this, the Orks still inflicted many losses on the defenders and more than once, Strongblade had to lead a counterattack to reclaim a lost position and re-plug the hole in their defence. This would last for weeks until the rest of the Sept's military and the Demiurg arrived, and Strongblade could finally launch his killing blow to kill Kroolhacka.

When the Warboss was located, Strongblade gathered his forces and made for Kroolhacka. Strongblades force attacked the Warboss and his Mob with overwhelming force, deploying armoured vehicles, battlesuits and more, supported by the Demiurg’s own formidable forces. However, Kroolhacka and his mob were not so easily defeated as he rallied his Nobz and soon had Boyz pouring into the fight, surrounding the Tau and their allies. Realising that he needed to end this now, Strongblade led his Bodyguard Team towards the Warboss and engaged him in combat. The fight was brutal as Kroolhacka was a skilled warrior, managing to slay one of Strongblades bodyguards; the Warboss turned his attention to the Commander and launched a vicious assault on Strongblade. Strongblade found himself on the back foot until he was knocked to the ground, with the Warboss grinning as he brought his Klaw up to land the killing blow. That was until the last of Strongblades bodyguards took the impact, causing the Orks weapon to become stuck in the Suits' chassis. Seeing his chance and refusing to allow his bodyguard’s sacrifice to be in vain, Strongblade blasted Kroolhacka in the face with his Plasma Rifle, the Warboss's headless corpse hit the ground and as soon as the Orks realised their Warboss was dead, they broke into a panicked retreat. The battle had been won.

However, Strongblade would not allow the Orks to get away and be allowed to fester and remain a constant danger to the Sept. He thus ordered all of his forces defending their positions to go on the offensive and drive the Orks towards their landed spacecraft. The subsequent counterattack further drove the Orks back, who found all routes, but those leading to their ships were full of Tau warriors who cut down the Orks with their accurate fire. Eventually, the Orks were all driven to their ships which they had turned into a makeshift scrap fortress; Strongblade laid siege to them and, utilising his air and firepower superiority hammered the fort relentlessly. After a week of this, Strongblade led an assault of XV8 Crisis Battlesuits to deliver the final killing blow, which eradicated the Orks.

In the aftermath, the Tau saw to it that the Firesmoke range was cleansed thoroughly of all traces of Ork spores, and the area would be monitored closely for decades to follow until they were certain that the Orks had been wiped out. All the Ork’s weapons, equipment and metal deemed safe to do so were ceremonially dropped into the planet’s Volcanoes, to as Strongblade said, give back to the World we have bled and died to preserve. Following this victory, the Tau, Kroot, Gue'vesa and Demiurg found they had forged a deep bond over their joint defence against the vile Orks. Thus the Tau of Mang'shas accepted them as equals within the Sept and even permitted the Demiurg and Humans to be involved in the scientific development and crafting of the numerous weapons the Sept began to produce in great quantity and quality. The Sept soon alerted the T'au Empire that the Ork threat had been dealt with and thus also learnt of the Empire’s Victory at Gunners Ridge.

### The Great Rift

Not long after the Sept's victory, the T'au Empire, and the galaxy as a whole, would bear witness to the birth of the Great Rift; vicious warp storms sprang across the Empire killing millions, to further add to the crisis not long after the Tau launched the ill-fated Fourth Sphere of Expansion. However, during this time of galactic crisis and anarchy, the Sept of Mang'shas would receive an unexpected boon, the arrival of a fleet of human refugees and defectors of non-other than the Adeptus Mechanicus.

To the Galactic North East of the mighty Forgeworld of Accatran lies the Varsolak system, home to the Minor Forgeworld of Varsolak V. Varsolak V was colonised over 6,000 years ago by the Martian Mechanicus of Red Mars, and thus it follows the Martian Orthodoxy. However, there was a secret sect within the Forgeworld, a group of Xenorites who had come from Stygies VIII nearly two millennia ago and had remained hidden ever since. These Xenophile Adepts, having studied the few pieces of Tau Technology the forge world had received from nearby Tigras, had become determined to leave what they saw as a stagnant and technologically barbaric Imperium and Mechanicus. They thus spent centuries planning in secret, and by 999.M41, they had managed to assemble an Explorator fleet under the guise of seeking an STC, when in reality, they planned to make for the T'au Empire.

However, when the Great Rift opened, the Fleet was grounded, and soon the Orthodox Priesthood of Varsolak became suspicious about the fleet members. The Xenorites soon realised they would be found out and figured that now, as contact with the Imperium was gone, they had the best chance to avoid being hunted down. Deciding that it was better to risk the warp and its horrors than to face the Priesthood, the fleet jumped towards the T'au Empire, seeking to try and reach it in one jump, an incredibly perilous and dangerous jump at the best of times, now all but suicidal with the light of the Astronomicon gone. Most of the fleet was destroyed and lost within the warp, its passengers and crew suffering fates far worse than anything the Mechanicus could have devised.

However, some ships survived the jump by a miracle and were spat out of the warp within the Mang'shas Sept. At first, the Tau were shocked that the small fleet had appeared out of nowhere and made ready to meet what it thought was a threat. However, as the Fleet made for the Mechanicus fleet, they received hails and pleas for peace and to talk. The Tau agreed, and upon the Xenorites explaining what had happened and their desire to join the Tau, the Sept's Ethereal Council decided to allow them to settle within the Sept. These Hereteks soon had their crude Bionics and implants replaced with superior, advanced Tau ones. Their Mechadendrites were also quickly replaced with floating ones that could be controlled with their minds using special implants. These Tau Techpriests, or Gue'vesa'anan, literally robot human helpers, soon proved very valuable for their scientific skills and, of particular interest to the Sept, their ability to make weapons.

These Tau Techpriests, for their part, flourished in their adopted home, able to at last study science free of the constraints and maddening religious dogmatism they saw increasingly as the reason for humanity’s stagnation and suffering. Despite this, they still worshipped the Machine God, which has led to some tensions with the Taus philosophy of the Greater Good, however thanks to the Taus tolerance and the techpriest’s Xenophilia, this has not led to any significant issues, and unlike the vast majority of Hereteks they still held onto their morality. Soon other Humans in the Sept that showed potential were inducted into their ranks, and the Tau and Humans soon found themselves working alongside the settled Demiurg. These three highly skilled scientific races combined their knowledge and skills to further expand the Sept's talent in weapons manufacturing and testing to the point that many within the Empire expect the Sept to become a Major Sept and one of the critical scientific and manufacturing centres of the Empire soon, especially in regards to weapons.

### The Nightgaunts Raid

Not long after the Fourth Sphere Expansion disappeared and was presumed lost, Mang’shas would endure a threat and horror the likes of which it had never faced before, Chaos.

The Nightgaunts Warband had millennia prior, in M38, launched a bold and large-scale incursion into the Eastern Fringes, leading to contact with the young T’au Empire. The relative ease of operating against a foe that could not utilise faster-than-light travel allowed the Nightgaunts to bloody the Tau in ill-advised, though ultimately successful engagements. In the aftermath, the Nightgaunts would launch the occasional foray into T’au space but nothing to the scale of their first incursion. That was until the Era Indomitus and the Great Rift's opening. With the return of the Lord Regent of the Imperium Roboute Guilliman and the ongoing Indomitus Crusade, the Nightgaunts decided to launch their largest incursion into T’au space to harry the T’au in a place of power.

Traversing the Damocles Gulf Region, the Nightgaunts, numbered 50-100, first began their raid in the Western Veil Nebula, towards Mang’shas. Unfortunately for the Sept, the Nightgaunts arrived at an opportune moment as many of the Sept's Fleet and Fire Caste were currently involved in an operation to contain an incursion of Orks from the Red Sun Stars. Thus, the Sept was not prepared to confront such a threat. The Nightgaunts chose first to attack the furthest inhabited planet, Lan’han. Not wishing to allow the T’au to know of their presence after making planetfall after slipping through the T’au defences, the Nightgaunts used the vast seas and storms to obfuscate their movements. At the same time, their accompanying fleet tried to lay in cover.

What would occur Lan’han was nothing short of a nightmare. The Nightgaunts would sneak from the shallows into the shoal cities, abducting and massacring the inhabitants in the dead of night before returning to the sea. The acts committed by the Nightgaunts were truly the stuff of the most deranged and twisted nightmares, but even worse to the T’aus horror, those that the Nightgaunts slew would rise from the depths and aid the Nightgaunts in claiming their former kin on land.

Unfortunately for the Nightgaunts, their hopes of a quick and easy bloodbath would be ruined when news of the attacks reached the authorities on Lan’han, who, upon realising the scale of the catastrophe, immediately made to alert the Sept. Upon learning this, the Nightgaunts attempted to disable the communications network but were foiled, and thus the entire Sept was alerted to the attack. Upon receiving news of the attack, Aun’El Suun’oya immediately ordered all available forces to be deployed to protect Lan’han and for the word to be sent to the newly promoted Shas’O Firespark to return from their mission against the Orks and protect the Sept, declaring he would not see the Sept defiled by these wretched monsters and see to it that vengeance was enacted.

Realising that the Sept had discovered their presence and wishing to complete their raid, the Nightgaunts fleet made its presence known by engaging elements of the T’au fleet; whilst they could not prevent all the Sept's reinforcements from arriving, they managed to hold the majority at bay. These reinforcements, while greatly needed, were insufficient to turn the tide against the Nightgaunts, but they fought with the bravery and tenacity for which their Sept was becoming known. But the Nightgaunts still held the upper hand.

However, this was to change with the arrival of reinforcements in the form of numerous Kroot Kindreds from Osha’vi led by Master Shaper Yuka’to Rhekk, a grizzled veteran who had faced the forces of Chaos before. Taking charge of the situation and defence, the Old Shaper would lead his Kroot against the Nightgaunts and hand them a series of defeats that allowed the T’au to begin evacuating the population with the cover of the fleet now bolstered with the arrival of their Demirug allies. However, despite this, the battle was still at a standstill, which would inevitably favour the T’au as the Nightgaunts realised they had become far too engaged and needed to exit soon.

However, the Nightgaunts would never get the chance. As their flotilla of nearly 12 ships engaged the orbital defences and the Sept's fleet, a sizeable T’au fleet arrived from behind and engaged the now outnumbered Nightgaunts. The fleet was the main part of the Mang’shas force that had been engaged with the Orks, but upon learning of the attack on their Sept, made full speed for it and now, with a vengeance in their hearts, sought to punish the attackers. Caught in a crossfire, the fleet was decimated and soon was forced to flee with only three ships remaining; worse still, the remaining Nightgaunts were now trapped on Lan’han and to be left at the mercy of the T’au.

However, fate was to provide a different means to their demise. Whilst most of the debris from the Nightgaunts ships remained in orbit, to the horror of the T’au, some began to fall through the atmosphere of Lan’han; the T’au immediately began to efforts to stop the debris, realising they would cause an impact like meteors and made every effort to evacuate as many of the defenders as they could. Whilst some were stopped and the remaining population were evacuated, not many of the defenders managed to escape before the first piece of debris made impact; among those who barely escaped was Rhekk, who watched on in horror as the fate that befell many of his kindreds.

When the debris made impact, it hit with the power of a meteor. The water miles around it was instantly vaporised, the shockwave causing tsunamis of a scale unimaginable to form, crashing against the land, covering almost every bit of land. The atmosphere was thrown into chaos with storms of such intensity that they tore apart huge swathes of habitation blocks and covered the entire planet in a world-spanning superstorm. Both the Nightgaunts and remaining defenders were killed in the aftermath in their totality.

After conditions had calmed sufficiently, the T’au immediately began efforts to recover all material and bodies of the Nightgaunts to contain any taint they might spread and to study this enemy and learn how best to counter them. However, to the confusion and frustration of the T’au, no bodies or trace of the wreckage could be found outside the craters and damage they had caused on impact, and no sign of any taint could be detected; it was as if they had never existed.

The T’au of Mang’shas had won and annihilated the Nightgaunt force that had come to raid the Empire, but it was a pyrrhic victory that few could truly celebrate. Lan’han, thanks to the cataclysm, was deemed all but uninhabitable, with the Earth Caste scientists predicting it could take thousands of years for the planet’s atmosphere and climate to recover. The T’au had lost many brave defenders who had sold their lives to protect their home, and the Kroot had lost many kindreds, a point that saw Master Shaper Yuka’to Rhekk swear an oath of hatred and vengeance against the forces of Chaos forevermore. And whilst they had managed to evacuate the population, the Nightgaunts had claimed nearly 30% of its people, and now millions were displaced and had lost their homes.

However, in the depths of sorrow and despair, hope would come from the most unlikely of sources, Solantum Kelbix, the leader of the Mechanicus defectors of Varsolak, a man who had only arrived a year prior to the attack. Kelbix had been an Artisan upon Varsolak and one of the many who had seen to the maintenance of one of the Forgeworlds greatest technological marvels, the Atmospherian Recreatians. A relic of the Dark Age of Technology, the Recreatians had the capacity to restore a planet’s atmosphere and other systems based on data put into them. However, this marvel had become the only means the forgeworld kept its atmosphere remotely intact, and the means to improve them was lost. As such, Kelbix had an intimate understanding of the schematics and functionality; at least mostly, he still required other technology to make them work. Thus, seeing a chance to both solidify his and his people’s acceptance within their new home and the potential to replicate technology from the Dark Age of Technology, Kelbix boldly claimed to the Sept's Council that he had the means to restore the planet’s atmosphere and that it would require tremendous resources and the support of the Earth Caste and the Demiurg but that he believed he could do it.

The council at first was not convinced and seemed likely to deny Kelbix until Aun’El Suun’oya gave his full support to the project. Thus the council sided with him, and Kelbix and all the Adeptus Mechanicus priests, with the Earth Caste and Demiurg’s assistance, began researching and building the devices. At first, to the frustration of all involved, their efforts seemed to lead nowhere, and after a few months, the council seemed set to shut down the project. However, after a particularly late night of research and testing, Kelbix combined certain elements of T’au, Imperium and Kin technology, and to his utter shock and excitement, he saw it worked; he had made the breakthrough. After this discovery, the project sped ahead with the technology refined and perfected to the point it soon was as good, if not better, than the Recreatians. With this, the Sept poured the resources into the project allowing numerous devices to be built, which Kelbix named the Atmospheric Restoration Engines.

The Engines were soon placed across Lan’han, on land, air and within the sea, which, thanks to the work of the Earth Caste, were quickly filled with vast quantities of data of Lan’han before the cataclysm. The engines began, and to the amazement of all, within nine months, the world-spanning storm had disappeared. This amazement was further amplified when readings and data gathered suggested that, bar a few differences and anomalies, Lan’hans climate, atmosphere and systems had been restored; upon further research, it was found that the engines were keeping this state of affairs and also speeding the recovery of the planet, to the point the Earth caste believed within a scant 200 years the engines could be turned off.

The Sept celebrated the restoration of Lan’han, and the word was proudly spread across the Empire, the T’au seeing it as the hope in the darkness and what the power of the Tau’va could achieve. For his work and effort, Solantum Kelbix was granted the rank of Fio’O and the mechanicus or Gue'vesa'anan, as they had become known, were made members of the Earth Caste. The planet’s wildlife was also restored thanks to the numerous samples and specimens the Earth Caste had collected for study, thus whilst the world now bore the scars of what had transpired and always would, it was now restored and, as the Tau’va, stood as a testament to the power of the Greater Good and the Hope it offered the galaxy.

    The planet was recolonised soon after, and the cities and habitation blocks were restored. The defence and detection systems of the Sept were dramatically improved, and more fire castes were trained and raised to help defend the Sept. Never again would the enemies of the Empire find Mang’shas an easy target.

### Fifth Sphere of Expansion

By the time the Fifth Sphere of Expansion began under commander Shadowsun, Mang'shas had grown into a powerful Sept; its industry had increased dramatically, as had its skill in weapons manufacturing, and its military was both sizable and well trained and motivated and thus, when it was decided that the Fifth Sphere of Expansion would be launched that Mang'shas would provide warriors to aid in the Expansion. For its part, the Sept was more than happy to oblige, feeling a great sense of pride that their relatively young Sept was deemed significant and established enough to be asked to provide such a force. Additionally, expeditions into nearby systems were launched to discover the suitability of colonisation and expansion, hoping to allow the Sept to grow even larger.

During this ongoing Expansion, the Imperium would encounter the forces of Mang'shas for the first time. The warriors of the Sept were noted for their higher-than-average quality weapons, their skill in armoured assaults, and their tenacity and endurance.

## Notable Campaigns

Gah’ky’xolbo’t’anda’avlod H’tav’em’ya’sitqu Urgsa’ten’grii’shas’t’an’barxa’shasaar’lynu’naiki’tau’va
Translation in Low Gothic: *We shall join our fellow Sept's in the righteous Fifth Sphere [of expansion]* *my warriors, go forth into the stars [heavens]* *with pride in your hearts, fire in your resolve and hope in the greater good.*
- Commander Firespark speaking to the Warriors of Mang'shas as they prepare to embark on the 5th Sphere of Expansion.

The Sept has only been an active military force for the empire since the Fourth and Fifth Spheres of Expansion. Thus the Sept's military record and honours are not as long or as extensive as many older Sept's. However, this has not prevented the Sept from having notable campaigns, earning them honour and winning impressive victories.

* **The Greentide repelled again** - Not long after the Great Rifts opening, Mang'shas finds itself once again having to repel an Ork invasion, this time in a nearby system comprised of just asteroid fields and the debris, the worlds of the system all having been destroyed by some unknown weapon millennia before the Tau even came into existence. A fleet of Orks from the Red Sun Stars arrives to claim the vast array of Asteroids to turn them into Roks and a base from which to launch attacks against the Tau. They make short work of the mining fleet present before beginning the process of converting the Asteroids. However, the mining fleet manages to alert the Tau before it is destroyed and seeing that Mang'shas is the closest, the Ethereal High Council orders the Sept to purge the system of the Orks. The forces of Mang'shas soon arrive, and the Sept's fleet manages to destroy the Orks fleet. However, many of the Orks have now fortified themselves within the newly made Roks and the Tau are forced to board them and clear each one. What follows is a brutal series of battles as the forces of Mang'shas clear each Rok of Orks one by one, with all the Fire Warriors equipped as Breacher Teams to handle the close-quarter combat. After a month, the forces of Mang'shas clear all the Roks of Orks, once again allowing the empire to return to mining the system and denying the Orks a valuable prize.
* **The Lightnings Taming** - During the Fifth Sphere of Expansion, the forces of Mang'shas are deployed alongside other Sept's, under the overall command of commander Shadowsun, to push out of the newly acquired territory of the Fourth Sphere of Expansion. On the world of Lacron II, the Tau are resisted by Astra Militarum regiments, the most notable being the elite 51st Locae Lightningsworn Armoured Regiment, who score several victories over the Tau, forcing them on the back foot. Realising that the regiment needed to be destroyed Shas'El Skyblade devises a plan to destroy the regiment using the metastrategy of *Kauyon*. Using Piranha and XV8 Battlesuits’ hit-and-run attacks as bait, she draws the majority of the regiment into a Mesa field. When the regiment drives down between two large Mesas, Skyblade springs her ambush. A rain of missiles rains down on the Tanks from Sky Rays using pre-placed marker lights; this is followed by XV88 Broadside Battlesuits and XV104 Riptide Battlesuits, who suddenly appear on top of the Mesas and rain fire down upon the enemy. Hammerhead Gunships then appear in the front and open fire with Skyblade leading teams of XV8 Battlesuits to rain fire from above, the 51st being fired at on four fronts is decimated. Within 30 minutes, the regiment loses 72% of its vehicles and the vast majority of its officer corp; without the support of the 51st, the remaining regiments are soon defeated by the Tau, and the battle for Lacron II is a victory for the T'au Empire.
* **The Bloody Goblet** - Upon the Shrine world of Cesstavit Quintus, The Order of the Red Goblet fights a brutal battle against the forces of the invading Tau. The world’s cities fall one by one until only the Fortress Cathedral City of Covenant remains. However, despite the T’aus’ best efforts, they cannot breach the city, and the defenders quickly attack and destroy any breakthrough. Shas'El Brightblaze decides to gather 3 Mang'shas Assault Clearance Cadres to lead them in an assault to clear a section of the defences and then clear it of defenders to allow the remaining Tau to fill the breach. Leading the veteran Cadres, with the support of 2 stealth teams and a broadside team, Brightblaze first attacks the city’s fortifications, with the Clearance Cadres sweeping each bunker and trench for enemies and clearing them out in brutal close-quarters firefights. Soon the breach is made, and Brightblaze leads his force into the city before being set upon by the defenders. What follows is a bloody fight as the Sister’s ferocity clashes with the Tau and their ally’s skill; the Kroot match the Sister’s blade for blade, hacking them down, whilst the Demirug support the force and breaking many sisters upon their stalwart lines, the Gue'vesa fight with a ferocity and skill of veterans who have seen many a brutal close quarter fight and hold, whilst the Breacher Teams fire devasting fire into the defenders. Brightblaze leads the Battlesuits in supporting and clearing the area, the Stealth Suits locating the enemy and clearing strong points as the broadsides demolish them. Finally, after much bitter fighting and bloodshed, Brightblaze and his force clear the area and allow the remaining Tau to pour in from their breach. Covenant soon falls thanks to the skill of the Mang'shas Assault Clearance Cadres.
* **The Flash of War** - On the world of Gidrexis XI, the Tau encounter Orks led by Da Flash Skrappaz Tribe of the Bad Moons Klan. The Orks launch a full-on attack utilising many vehicles, walkers, and numerous guns. The Tau counter-attack with one of the chief forces being led by Shas'El Victorystar; she leads Mang'shas Armoured Hunter Cadres to take strategic objectives and support other cadres, winning several victories against the Orks. However, when the Ork Warboss launches a massive attack, leading the assault in his Stompa, the Tau give ground to avoid facing such a foe. However, Victorystar seeing a chance to land a killing blow, decides to gather as large a force as possible; managing to muster a Contingent of 3 Armoured Hunter Cadres, 2 Standard Hunter Cadres and a Firebase Support Cadre, she leads the force to cut off the Stompa and bring it down. Her Contingent manages to cut the Stompa off and begin firing on it using the Gunships; Victorystar has the remainder of her forces focus fire down on the Orks to keep them from interfering. The Stompa ignores the smaller enemies preferring to fight the larger threats. Victorystar then leads all the XV8 Battlesuits she can in an attack on the Stompa, supported by the Piranhas, Gunships and Firebase Support Cadre. Soon after much punishment a shot from one of the Broadsides Railguns goes straight through the Stompa, piercing its reactor and causing a chain reaction, resulting in the Stompa falling apart. Victorystar pulls back her forces as the Orks surge past the Stompa, only for it to explode, tearing the horde apart. With the Stompa and their Warboss lost, the Orks are easily broken and routed by Victorystars counterattack. The Battle proves a turning point as the Orks steadily lose more and more ground until, finally, the planet is cleared of Orks.
* **The Price of Freedom** - On Isstvura Zeta, the Tau and Imperium fight over control of the planet. The battle first goes in the T’aus’ favour, with several victories granting them control of key areas and strategic objectives. However, to counterbalance this, the Imperium deploys vast numbers of Penal legions from nearby Penal Worlds and the Planet’s prisons. Whilst these Penal Legions are thrown in incredibly costly human wave assaults, the Tau are put on the back foot, forced to give ground and lose several objectives. The Imperium’s advance is halted when they feel they have pushed far enough and decide to dig in, knowing that the Tau seldom do well in static and attrition warfare and thus choose to bleed them out. Like all their kind, the Penal Legionnaires are equipped with explosive slave-collars around their necks, controlled by the Adeptus Mechanicus personnel accompanying the force. Knowing that without the means to detonate the collars, the Imperials would most likely lose control of the Penal Legions, Shas'El Pridelight proposes that the Tau simply kill the Techpriests and broadcast it and let the Penal Legions turn on the Imperium. However, he is rebuked by his fellow commanders, telling him that the Imperium knows of such a weakness and thus has kept their tech priests behind the front line in bunkers, defended by powerful anti-air defences and that the bunkers were measured to be specifically just out of reach of even their KV128 Stormsurges. Pridelight, however, proudly states that whilst theirs may not be able to reach the Bunkers, the ones of Mang'shas can, and he would prove it so. To this end, he gathers 3 Heavy Retribution Cadres, and sends the XV95 Ghostkeels ahead to spot and provide the Stormsurges with the targeting data. The Stealthsuits easily slip past the Imperiums lines, and soon all the bunkers are marked, Pridelight then orders the Stormsurges to fire whilst sending drones to show the Penal Legions what is happening. To the shock of both the Imperium and Tau commanders, the Stormsurges hit their marks, obliterating the bunkers and killing off the vast majority of the Techpriests and a large chunk of the officers in a single blow. Pridelight states that the Penal Legions were free. However, what followed afterwards non could have expected, as Pridelight had hoped, the Penal legions, free from the threat of their collars, begin to turn on the Imperium. However, some remain loyal, and an incredibly brutal civil war breaks out, made worse by the freeing of the other inmates of the world’s prison. The carnage and anarchy are so widespread that the Tau are forced to leave the planet and observe the slaughter from orbit. Eventually, the fighting dies down, but Isstvura Zeta has lost a horrifying 94% of its population, and all that remain are the surviving Penal Legionnaires who are quickly dealt with by the Tau who prepare the world for re-colonisation.
* **Orphanthaean's fall** - Upon the world of Septaos VIII, the forces of the Imperium and Tau clash for control of the powerful manufacturing world. Forces from multiple Sept's are deployed to counter the Astra Militarum Regiments sent to stop them, at first the battle seems to favour the Tau until the sudden arrival of the Infamous Knight Warden Freeblade Orphanthaean, piloted by the fanatically Xenophobic Edmabev Horthhelm. Orphanthaean was well known to the Tau for its past atrocities against them during the Damocles Gulf Crusade. With the Freeblade’s support, the Imperium soon gains the upper hand and looks set to hand the Tau a severe defeat, leading Shas'O Firespark of Mang'shas to devise a plan to turn the tide. Realising how much the Imperial defenders revered and now relied upon the Knight, Firespark realises that if he can destroy it, it will land a perfect killing blow to the Imperium and turn the tide of the war. When Orphanthaean leads a charge against the Tau and becomes isolated, Firespark sees his chance and deploys at the head of a Retaliation Cadre supported by 2 Armoured Interdiction Cadres, as well as ordering 3 Hunter Cadres to stand back close in reserve. At first the Knight resists doggedly its Ion Shield managing to handle the assault and it destroys some of the Battlesuits and Hammerheads, that is until all the Sky Rays manage to lock onto the Knight, and firing a large number of missiles that manage to overwhelm the shield destroying it. Firespark then orders all his forces to open fire on the joints and weak spots of the Knight; the resulting fire shatters its right knee joint, rendering the leg all but useless and sees its mighty Avenger Gatling Cannon disabled. Just before Firespark can deliver the killing blow he notices the imperial forces making for the Knight to catch up and, realising he has a chance to make his killing blow even more complete, he does not hesitate and begins opening fire with his Novasurge Pulse Rifle into the cockpit to finish it off. However, despite his shots firing true the Knight refuses to die and its roar of defiance can be heard by incoming Imperials, finally as the imperials are within range to see what is happening to Orphanthaean, Firespark, in his XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit, lands on top of the knight and within full sight of the Imperium, using his Fusion blaster, shoots into the Throne Mechanicum, disintegrating Horthhelm and causing the mighty Knight to fall backwords, a lifeless wreck. At the sight of the Knight Wardens fall, the Imperials lose heart and fall back, pursued relentlessly by Firespark and his Cadres supported by the Hunter Cadres he had kept in reserve for just such a moment, the forces of Mang'shas inflict staggering losses on the Imperials. The subsequent route leads to a domino effect as the imperials lose heart and suffer a series of defeats leading to the planet’s fall to the Tau in a brilliant display of *Mont'ka*. For his role in the victory and the slaying of the hated Orphanthaean Firespark is granted the honorific title *Kais* by Shadowsun herself.

## Sept Worlds

The Mang'shas Sept/System comprises 10 Planetary bodies, and 3 Asteroid Belts, 2 of the planets are Gas Giants with 4 and 8 moons; the remaining planets, bar 2, have a Moon each and Lan'han has 2. Of these ten planets, only four are currently habitable and only 2 of the 20 moons. However, the Sept is increasing this number to allow the Sept to grow further via terraforming, and it has two orbital cities which are constantly expanding. However, the Sept has a presence on every world and moon due to its incredible mineral wealth. Thus mining operations are found on each planet and moon.

### Mang'shas

The Prime World of the Sept, Mang'shas, is a giant planet with three large continents and two minor ones and numerous islands and archipelagos. It is a relatively dry world; the planet experiences long dry seasons of no rain followed by short and incredibly intense wet seasons. These rains travel north-south; thus, the seasons are generally opposite across the world’s equator. This has led the planet to be dominated by a Savanna ecosystem, with its native fauna migrating with the rains. The world, however, is also incredibly volcanically active and geologically unstable, with numerous large mountain and volcano ranges found across the planet. These constant eruptions constantly cause wildfires, making the land around them incredibly hostile. Yet miraculously, life persists as many florae in and around these ranges have evolved to only germinate after the fires and in some species when covered in magma.

It is in this world of extremes that the majority of the Sept's population calls home, centred around numerous large cities located in various strategic and valuable locations. Mang'shas is also incredibly rich in many different minerals, due in part to the geology and conditions of the planet; this has resulted in many large mines in the most valuable deposits, which are dutifully and efficiently extracted to be refined and smelted in the numerous manufactories. The material produced is typically brought to one of the many massive weapon factories that dot the cities. Within these Tau, Demiurg and Human engineers and crafters work tirelessly and proudly to produce numerous weapons, battlesuits and gunships, each treated like a smith forging a mighty weapon with precision, skill and excellence. Despite this, these weapon factories are able to produce vast quantities to be handed to the Fire Caste, who then test to ensure their quality before they are given to the Sept's Warriors.

The largest of these cities is Mang'thas, meaning To Hammer Lava, located along a large river that flows from a nearby volcanic range. Here, the Sept's Ethereal Council resides, directing the Sept and deciding its future. Above the planet floats the central orbital station where various ships make port and the formidable orbital defences that serve to protect the Prime World and make the Sept the Fortress the Ethereal High Council had wanted it to be. In recent years, with the arrival of the Gue'vesa'anan, Mechanicus defectors, the Prime World has seen a significant increase in its human population from immigrants wishing to be a part of this Tau techpriesthood and for the Sept's reputation for treating humans as equals. Whilst this may be a cause for alarm on most Sept's, the Tau of Mang'shas forged a strong bond of friendship with the human auxiliaries from their battle against the Orks of WAAAGH! Kroolhacka, thus the Tau of Mang'shas, openly welcomes all humans, T’au and Demiurg, who wish to join their Sept so long as they are willing to work as hard as everyone else.

Mang'shas also has a noticeable Demiurg minority; these Kin come from a fleet that was granted the right to mine the system alongside the Sept and settle the world. Thus it is not considered shocking to see Demiurg, Human and Tau working together on the same weapon or trying to develop new designs and upgrade existing ones. The Kins headquarters is located in both the Orbital Station and Mang'thas. From here, the Demiurg and their leaders discuss and work with the Tau authorities. Recently another headquarters was opened within Mang'thas, the headquarters of the Gue'vesa, most notably the Gue'vesa'anan, who, in keeping with their old traditions, have built it into the largest of the city’s vast weapon factories. From here, the Gue'vesa council meets and works to help the Human population better integrate with the Xenos.

#### Mang'shasal

Mang'shasal is the moon of Mang'shas and is among only 2 to be colonised within the system. It can support life and, in many ways, is a miniature version of Mang'shas hence its name Mang'shasal, meaning Little To Hammer Fire. The moon does have a city and population present. However, it is primarily used as the garrison of most of the Sept's Fire Caste, with numerous barracks, fortresses, and defences, making it almost as well defended as the Prime World. The principal idea is to ensure that if the enemy makes it through to the Prime World, they must engage the forces of the moon to avoid being struck in the back, saving the Prime World from devastation. Likewise, if the Prime World is invaded, the Moon and its defences serve as the perfect haven for the population.

### Ban'tal

Ban'tal is the least populated of all the Sept's habitable worlds. It is a harsh Desert World comprised of a world-spanning desert that is only broken up by a number of inland seas. It is the land around these seas where habitation is possible due to the rivers that flow into them, with only scattered oases providing any other source of water and food. Thus, all of the settlements are located around these seas.

Despite these challenges, the Sept has been keen to colonise the planet because it is incredibly rich in pyro-chemical deposits that the Tau use to fuel their vehicles and create chemicals and materials with many other utilities. Thus the desert is pockmarked with many extractors, with the chemicals being pumped to refineries within the settlements where they are purified and refined into fuel or other chemicals. It is also seen as a good training ground for the Sept's recruits, who are trained in the deserts to improve their endurance and survival skills.

### Lan'han

Lan'han is an Ocean World, covered in a world-spanning ocean with only 9% of the surface covered in land, all islands. It suffers from frequent storms of extreme intensity, and the planet is located very close to the 2nd asteroid field. The shallow seas are incredibly rich in biodiversity, and all settlements are built on the few islands, most being built on a series of islands and connected to create cities that stretch entire archipelagos. Lan'han also boasts the second largest orbital station and the largest Orbital City within the Sept, with plans to further expand these facilities. These two factors combine to make the planet the main recruitment ground and training area for the Sept's Air Caste, with recruits trained to avoid the asteroids and navigate the extreme weather. Lan'han was almost lost to the Sept when debris from the Nightgaunts destroyed fleet crashed into the planet, causing the effect of a dozen meteors and causing massive damage to the climate, atmosphere and rendering the world all but uninhabitable for thousands of years by the Earth Castes estimations.

However, with the creation of the Atmospheric Restoration Engines due to the combined work of Tau, Human and Kin the atmosphere was restored in under a year and whilst the Engines are the only thing keeping the atmosphere and climate stable it is believed within a few hundred years the restoration will have become permanent. Thus Lan'han has become symbolic not just to the Sept, but the empire as a whole of the power of the Greater Good and the hope in the Darkness.

#### Suu'lo

Suu'lo is the largest of Lan'hans moons and is among the most fertile within the Sept. Due to the planet’s soil and mineral composition, the world is almost unnaturally fertile, with harvests able to be gathered all year. As such Suu'lo provides large quantities of food and other biological material that the Sept consumes, primarily helping to keep the various mining colonies fed.

### Osha'vi

A Temperate world, Osha'vi is home to the majority of the Sept's Kroot population. Whilst the Kroot are found on the other planets, these are usually only a few Kindreds, whilst the majority were granted the world of Osha'vi to settle in exchange for the Sept being permitted to mine the world’s mineral wealth. Osha'vi is broken up into four major and minor continents, and each is generally covered by massive continent-spanning forests, broken apart with open plains and mountain ranges, in many regards mirroring the Kroot homeworld of Pech. Whilst the Native fauna still exists, the Sept expects them to be replaced by the Kroot and their cousin species shortly, to this end, they have captured specimens of the native fauna to release them into one of the terraformed worlds or moons to both grant it an ecology to help speed up the habitability of the planet and to preserve the species of the world. The Kroot of Osha'vi are considered particularly tenacious and hardy, as well as boasting all their key cousin species such as Krootox, Kroot Hounds and Knarlocs. Thus complimenting the Sept's forces well.

### Other Planets and Asteroids

Besides the currently inhabited planets, the Sept has six other planets, of which four are candidates for terraforming. However, in the meantime, they all have mining operations and colonies present to extract each world's vast resources; the same stands for the various moons. The system also contains three asteroid belts, called the Neg'em'yse, Kor'em'yse and the Gur'em'yse or the First, Second and Third Belts, respectively, with eight of the ten planets being located between the first and second, with the other two between the second and third. These asteroid belts are also rich in various minerals and thus are mined, Demiurg as per the agreement with the Sept are granted areas of the belts to mine for themselves entirely. Therefore the Demiurg of the Sept are most commonly found among the asteroids mining them. They also are used as a training ground for the Sept's Air Caste pilots. Additionally, another Orbital city located in the middle between the first and second belt serves as one of the main recruitment grounds of the Sept's Air Caste.

## Sept Culture

T’urlal denta urchaa Ky’h sio xan auxa suam barxa
Translation in Low Gothic: *Craft the Spirit as you do the Weapon, with Strength, Fire and Pride.*
- Common Motto of the Sept.

The culture of Mang'shas can be best described as one of Pride, Endurance and Crafting. In many ways, it is a melding of the cultures and characters of the Sept's of Vior'la, Fal'shia and Bork'an, all of whom sent colonists and contributed to the Commune sent to defend the new Sept. The pride, aggression and hardy survivalism of Vior'la were combined with the problem-solving, artisanship and technological savvy of Fal'shia and the industriousness, intellect and restraint of Bork'an. The result was a culture whose aggression was tamed by intellect but not wholly removed, whose hardiness and skill became a source of great pride, and whose drive was melded with the industry and artisanry of its people. Thus the Sept's citizens became a proud people of tough and hardy workers who were driven to build and create the greatest weapons and were more than happy to fight for their Sept and the Empire. This culture has only been enhanced with the joining of the Gue'vesa'anan, Mechanicus defectors, and Demiurg, Kin, to the Sept's population.

The population of the Sept take great pride in their work and their role within the T'au Empire. They were among the first of the new Sept's of the Third Sphere of Expansion, the first to settle an unknown star, the Bastion of the Western Veil Nebula, to protect the Empire; they managed to defend themselves alone against an Ork invasion. This has only added to their pride, but it has not made them arrogant. Pride for them must be measured, for one’s pride is only worth as much as one is capable of and their work.

Life within the Sept, whilst not as hard or challenging as that of Vior'la, is still a challenging one. Mang’shas suffers from constant volcanic and geological activity to devastating effect, and it endures extreme seasons of wet and dry; Lan’han has barely any land to call home, the fauna is incredibly dangerous and suffers from frequent and extremely violent storms, whilst Ban'tal is a desolate scorching world, with only a few small areas around the inland seas capable of supporting life, the rest is barely habitable. These conditions, and the ones in the mines found on almost every world, moon and asteroid belt, have bred a hardy frontier-like spirit. The Humans, Demiurg and Tau, are forced to work hard and endure much to keep the Sept functioning and to help it expand and grow, but they do so with pride shoulder to shoulder.

Nowhere is the Sept's’ character and culture showcased more clearly than within the weapon manufactories, here the Earth Caste, along with Humans and Demiurg, Kin, work side by side tirelessly to craft weapons, battlesuits and vehicles from the materials they have made from the Sept's vast resources. Combining these materials with masterful skill and precision to create the tools upon which the Greater Good and the Empire are preserved fills its makers with pride. Each weapon, battlesuit and vehicle is given the attention a master smith would provide to their masterpiece; only the finest work, the best process, and the most outstanding care will suffice for such a piece. However, despite this, what some might call ridiculous, attention to detail and quality, the weapon crafters of the Sept are capable of producing vast quantities of weapons, battlesuits and vehicles to match their quality, a fact the Sept takes no small amount of pride in. They also show great respect for them, seeing in them the means upon which all the T'au Empire stands for and can bring to the galaxy can be preserved from those who would seek to snuff out the flame of hope.

Among the Fire Caste of the Sept, this pride and respect for their weapons are just as strong as those who make them, for the Fire Caste of the Sept play a pivotal role in testing the weapons to make sure they are of the standard expected and demanded. If any weapon does not meet this standard, it is returned to be fixed or destroyed. Thus the Fire Caste of the Sept form a vital part of the manufacturing process of the Sept's weapons, battlesuits and vehicles, and the same occurs for the Air Caste, who similarly test all aircraft before it is approved for use. This testing process is something all members of the Fire and Air Caste partake in, thus ensuring all can be a part of the process and having the additional benefit of granting them a deeper insight into the workings of their weapons than most Sept's. This is the same for any new weapons invented, with the Fire and Air Caste always eager to test a new weapon, vehicle, battlesuit or aircraft and be a part of the process, despite the risk of such prototypes.

The Air and Water Castes are no less proud, hardy and skilled. The Air Caste of the Sept may not be the most numerous or talented, for that honour belongs to Tau'n. Still, they are skilled, training extensively on Lan'han through its storms, Mang'shas to avoid the lava eruptions, the desert of Ban'tal to push their aircraft to their limits and the asteroid belts to master their manoeuvres. The Air Caste of the Sept takes great pride in their aircraft and ships, a pride that burns no less bright than the Earth and Fire Castes for their works and weapons. The Water Caste of the Sept is regarded as proud but knowledgeable and can always justify the pride with which they speak. They are known as hard bargainers, understanding full well the worth of their goods, and whilst they can drive a hard bargain, it is always fair for what they provide. Its diplomats are no less driven and proud, who are known to deliver their messages and lead their negotiations with a fiery passion and a restrained and cerebral intellect.

The Military culture of the Sept is, in many ways, a mirror of their own. Its warriors are considered hardy and skilled, well-trained and learned, but very proud and driven to the point of aggression. The centre of this is the impressive Nel'ur Military Academy founded in honour of Shas'O Vior'la Nel'ur, Strongblade, the saviour of the Sept. The academy is by no means the most prestigious, most extensive or even well-developed, having existed for decades compared to the ancient and renowned ones of Vior'la, Sa'cea, Dal'yth and Bork'an. However, it has produced some impressive leaders in its relatively young history, and many expect it to grow with the Sept in importance and prestige; some dare whisper that it may even dare to eclipse far older academies. In keeping with Strongblades’ beliefs, it specialises in teaching the Metastrategy of *Mont'ka*. However, it does also teach *Kauyon*.

The Sept also displays a marked tolerance and acceptance of its auxiliary species, the Humans, Kroot and Demiurg. Whilst the relationship between the Kroot and Tau has always been the strongest of the many between the Tau and other Xenos, the relationship between Mang'shas and its Kroot went as far as granting them the entire planet of Osha'vi to settle themselves, one of only four habitable within the system. The Humans of the Sept are treated exceptionally well, enjoying almost complete status as the Tau, working alongside the Tau in the Mines, Farms, Universities, Manufactories, and War. Whilst to some Sept's this would be a cause for some alarm Mang'shas sees Humans as an equal species, a bond that was forged in the battle against WAAAGH! Kroolhacka and one that the humans of the Sept have shown the merits of time and again. The Demiurg, Kin who were granted the right to live and settle and mine the system meld well with the Sept's culture, its character in many ways reflecting their own which has only helped the bond between them and the Sept's citizens grow, even though of all the other species the Kin keep the most distance, more out of wishing to preserve their secrets and more valuable technology from the Tau.

A unique aspect of the Sept's culture is that of the Gue'vesa'anan, Robot Human Helpers, the defectors of the Adeptus Mechanicus. These Tech-Priests are in ways similar to their loyal brethren and equally wholly different; they still worship the Machine God, though now they see Xeno tech as not heretical or an abomination, just another expression of the Ommnisiah, one humanity is generally now thanks to the imperium too blind to realise. However, it has led to the occasional heated debate over some developments, practices and scientific pursuits of the Tau, but these have never led to anything genuinely problematic. They are still proud forgers and builders who have overseen the construction of several new weapons factories; however, the treatment of the workers is far more humane than on the Forgeworlds. Their view of the weakness of the flesh is still prevalent; however, it no longer leads to the hideous, almost inhuman visages that they once sported, now thanks to much smoother and more advanced Tau bionics, they now appear less like mechanical monsters and more like technological wisemen and preachers, their Mechadendrites now floating commanded by their minds and drones which help them in their work. This Priesthood has grown with the induction of humans who have shown a sufficient desire and skill, and some Gue'vesa'anan have even begun teaching at academies and universities. They are all considered Earth Caste, and any human wishing to join the Earth Caste will likely be drawn into the Gue'vesa'anan.

## Organisation and Tactical Doctrine

Mang'shas warriors are proud and resilient soldiers who take pride in their skill and weapons. They are noted to have a drive that comes close to the aggression of their Vior'la forefathers but tempered with the wisdom of Bork'an and Fal'shia. The Tau of Mang'shas, in many ways, fight rather typically of the Tau, preferring to use combined arms and range to minimise losses and keep engagements favourable. They utilise combined arms to be tactically flexible, abhor static warfare and seek to always be on the move. If the enemy fights close quarters, then the Kroot Auxiliary's are used to match the enemy, followed by the Gue'vesa and Demiurg who are far more open to fighting hand to hand, allowing the Tau to pull back and resume firing from an advantageous distance.

Due to its culture, the Sept prefers the Metastrategy of '*Mont'ka*' (Killing Blow), where with one well-placed strike, they can win an entire battle, thus perfectly demonstrating the quality of their weapons in a single blow. However, they are not ignorant of the second Metastrategy of '*Kauyon*' (Patient Hunter) and thus have been known to employ it, showing their skill in picking the enemy apart before finishing them off. The Sept is known to utilise many heavy weapons, battlesuits and vehicles to deliver the most devastating blows to the enemy. The Sept has also been noted for being skilled in siege operations, a remnant from their purging of the Ork scrapforts on their Prime World. Their warriors being particularly skilled in clearing out such urban environments to allow their heavy weapons to move unimpeded.

Despite the Septs’ young age, it has already produced an impressive arsenal of battlesuits, vehicles and weapons of all major designs and marks utilised by far older and well-established Sept's. Thus Mang'shas has in its possession the means to equip almost all the main types of Cadres within the Tau Military, the Sept for its part utilises nearly all types of Cadres in its war-making, taking just as much pride in the performance of their XV25 Stealth Battlesuits weapons as those of the devastating KV128 Stormsurge. However, some differences exist to other Sept's.

Among the most notable is that Human Auxiliaries are more utilised than many other Sept's, as the Tau of Mang'shas see them as just as skilled as they, thanks to their experience against the Orks of WAAAGH! Kroolhacka. Demiurg Auxiliaries are also utilised by the Sept, a rarity within the Empire. Another difference is the lack of Vespids, which are a commonly seen Auxiliary, however, Mang'shas has no Vespid to draw on and thus only utilises them if combined with other Sept's who have them. The Human Auxiliaries of Mang'shas are noted as being some of the most skilled and driven Gue'vesa within the Empire, and among the best equipped, though they still have not been granted the right to use battlesuits.

### Unique formations

Mang'shas has 2 unique Cadres, the Assault Clearance Cadre and the Armoured Hunter Cadre.

The Assault Clearance Cadre are the elite Close-Quarter combat specialists of the Sept, who excel in clearing enemy fortifications and urban areas to allow for the safe movement of other forces. Assault Clearance Cadres are comprised of a team of XV8 Crisis Battlesuits, 2 Fire Warrior Breacher Teams, 2 Gue'vesa Squads, 1 Kroot Carnivore Squad and a single Demiurg Squad, equivalent to Hearthkyn Warriors. The Battlesuit team is comprised of 1 *Shas'vre* in an XV8-02 Crisis Iridium Battlesuit, armed with a Twin-linked Plasma Rifle, a Fusion Blaster and a Shield Generator; 2 *Shas'ui* armed with a Plasma Rifle, Burst Cannon, Flamer and shield generator each, all three suits are accompanied by 2 Gun Drones. The Cadre is capable of devastating close-quarters firefights, with its arsenal of weapons more than sufficient to wipe out enemy infantry of all kinds. In combat, Breacher teams with a Gue'vesa squad equipped for close-quarters clear objectives supported by a Battlesuit Shas'Ui, with the humans more open to fighting in melee, allowing the Breachers to continue providing support fire. The Kroot, Demiurg and Shas'Vre deploy to support these two teams where necessary, the Kroot to aid in hunting down enemies and engaging them in melee, with the Demiurg acting as a bulwark to fallback behind and support and the Shas'Vre providing the firepower to take on heavy targets. These elite Cadres are capable of clearing almost any fortification and urban area of enemies.

The Armoured Hunter Cadre is the armoured fist of the Sept, improving upon the already formidable power of the Armoured Interdiction Cadre by combining it with the flexibility and objective securing capacity of a Hunter Cadre. Armoured Hunter Cadres are comprised of 3 XV8 Crisis Battlesuit teams, 2 Hammerheads, 1 Sky Ray, 4 Fire Warrior Strike and/or Breacher teams, a Devilfish for each team and 1 Piranha team, and sometimes an additional 2 Gue'vesa teams are attached with their own Devilfish. This makes the Armoured Hunter Cadre an incredibly effective assault force, able to be equipped to handle numerous situations and threats, with the Piranhas flying ahead to scout and identify targets, whilst the heavy weapons of the Hammerheads and Sky Ray can handle most heavy threats. It allows for the infantry to keep up with the Gunships and disembark to take objectives with close-range support of the Gunships, Battlesuits and Piranhas, whilst the Gunships can move with safety supported by the infantry who can pin down anti-armour units, the Battlesuits meanwhile supporting all elements and acting as a mobile reserve to quickly deploy where needed. In many regards, the Armoured Hunter Cadre is like a Mechanised infantry company with attached armour and artillery support. These mobile and hard-hitting Cadres can secure almost any objective and hold it until further reinforcements arrive or are equally as effective at reinforcing positions and other Cadres, providing large amounts of firepower to take on heavy targets whilst also providing other forms of support in the form of the infantry and Battlesuits.

## Notable Members

* **Shas'O Mang'shas Shas'saro Kais AKA Commander Firespark** - Shas'O Mang'shas Shas'saro Kais, or Commander Firespark, is the current highest ranking Tau Commander of the Sept of Mang'shas. Born on Mang'shas, Firespark's parents came from Vior'la and Fal'shia; he was instilled with a determination and aggression from his father, which was tempered by his mother’s restrained and cerebral calm, his training in the commune only served to enhance this. During this time, he would meet another Tau, later known as Victorystar, and the two would form a deep bond of friendship and comradery. Firespark had a drive and ability that set him apart from his fellow Tau; joining the Sept's Fire Warriors as soon as he came of age alongside Victorystar, he very quickly rose the ranks seeing combat against Orks from the Red Sun System, soon becoming a Shas'El under the aged Commander Strongblade. He then would become a student of the late Commander Strongblade, who in his final years imparted all of his experience and wisdom from his long service in the Great War of Confederation to Firespark, who became Shas'O not long before Strongblade finally succumbed to old age. Firespark is a skilled strategist and tactician who has led the forces of his Sept masterfully in the art of *Mont'ka*, against Orks and the Imperium and time and again has won, usually fighting in the thick of the action side by side with his warriors. He is a proud warrior who takes pride in his skill and that of his warriors. However, he refuses to allow this pride to grow beyond his and his Sept's capabilities; he firmly believes in the greater good and the destiny of the Tau. His most notable action to date has been the masterful victory over the Imperium at Septaos VIII; he not only turned the tide of the battle but also slew the hated Knight Warden Freeblade Orphanthaean. For this, he was granted the honorific *Kais*, Skilled, by non-other than Commander Shadowsun herself, who seems to be watching the young commanders rise with interest. He goes into battle piloting an XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit, usually equipped with a Prototype Novasurge Pulse Rifle, a Cyclic Ion Blaster, a Fusion Blaster, a Shield Generator and a Marker and Shield drone.
* ***Shas'El Mang'shas Am'Nir B'kak* AKA Brightblaze** - Shas'El Am'Nir B'kak, Brightblaze is among the most aggressive commander of Mang'shas, his fellow commanders saying he has far too much Vior'la blood in him for his good. Born on Ban'tal to parents from Vior'la, Brightblaze was raised with the fiery aggression of Vior'la, life in his commune was considered particularly harsh as the climate weeded out the weak fast and mercilessly. Despite this, Brightblaze is no mere berserker; his aggression, while marked, is tempered by his experience in close-quarter firefights, a remnant of his time as a member of a Breacher Team; the lessons he learned from the experience have remained with him ever since. He is a determined character, among the most xenophile of the Sept's commanders, and a rather inspirational leader, always putting himself in as much danger if not more than his warriors to push them on to victory. To this end, he excels in leading Assault Clearance Cadres, to the point that he is considered the best leader of the Sept's close-quarter specialists. This was demonstrated most recently in his victory on the Shrine World of Cesstavit Quintus, where he led 3 of these Cadres to make a breach in the final city of the world and cleared it of Sisters of The Order of the Red Goblet and Frateris Militia. In battle, he uses an XV8-02 Crisis Iridium Battlesuit, always equipped with a Fusion Blaster, Burst Cannon, Plasma Rifle and Flamer, accompanied by a shield and gun drone.
* ***Shas'El Mang'shas Suun'shi* AKA Victorystar** - Shas'El Suun'shi, Victorystar, is one of the most brilliant Commanders of the Sept, second only to Firespark and is widely believed to be made a Shas'O next among her fellow Shas'El. Born on Mang'shas to parents from Bork'an and Fal'shia, she was raised and educated by her parents. She showed her intellect in her problem-solving; despite this, she was no less strong or tough than any of the others in the Commune, and the training she received only saw her excel. She was only outshone by her friend Firespark, the two forming a deep bond over their training and growing up together. Both would attain the rank of Shas'La and serve in the same unit of fire warriors and then a crisis team. However, Firespark would reach the rank of Shas'O before her. She is a driven yet thoughtful commander, never allowing herself to make a rash decision if she can avoid it, who leads her warriors with a keen mind to the strategy of *Mont'ka*. This makes her well suited to leading the Sept's unique Armoured Hunter Cadres, allowing her to strike with devastating yet thoughtful precision. She is also among one of the only commanders that Firespark grants the right to command full-size contingents of 6 Cadres. Her skill was proven most recently in her leading a full contingent against an Ork horde led by a Stompa on the world of Gidrexis XI, and not only managing to destroy the Gargant but also decimate the Orks in a counterattack that has resulted in Firespark putting her forward for the Rank of Shas'O to Shadowsun who is currently in the process of considering it. In battle, she pilots an XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit, often equipped with 2 Missile Pods, a Plasma Rifle and a Fusion Blaster, and accompanied by a marker and shield drone.
* ***Shas'El Mang'shas Vsum'aata* AKA Pridelight** - Shas'El Vsum'aata, Pridelight, is one of the proudest commanders of the Sept, a commander whose pride is only matched by his ability to justify such pride. Born on Mang'shasal, Pridelight was sent to Mang'shas to a commune to train; his commune was located next to one of the many weapon factories on the planet, and as such, his Commune often helped test the weapons, incorporating it into the training regime. Pridelight proved adept at testing the weapons, and his knowledge of them grew to the point that he could tell what was wrong with the weapon without the input of the Earth Caste. When he became a Shas'La, he joined a Strike team, often being tasked with setting up the support turret; he soon rose through the ranks, becoming a Broadside Battlesuit pilot before making it into the ranks of the Shas'El under Firespark. He is a proud commander whose knowledge of the Sept's weapons, battlesuits and vehicles makes him well suited to commanding many different types of Cadres, knowing their capabilities and limits, though often boasting the former over the latter. His most notable action to date was the successful obliteration of the Imperium tech-priests and officers during the battle for Isstvura Zeta, using the Sept's superior weapons to allow his stormsurges to obliterate the bunkers they were in, to the shock of both Imperial and Tau command. The following blood bath, however, sat ill with him; a feeling of guilt seems to have tamed his once prideful heart, feeling responsible for the slaughter to a degree. However, he has not allowed this to get in the way of his duty and is still a devout follower of the greater good, for now. He leads his warriors in an XV8 Crisis Battlesuit, equipped with a Plasma Rifle, Airbursting Fragmentation Projector and a Cyclic Ion Blaster, with a Multi-tracker support system and a shield and marker drone.
* ***Shas'El Mang'shas Nel'thun* AKA Skyblade** - Shas'El Nel'thun, or Skyblade, is in many ways an oddity compared to her fellow secondary commanders. Where they are proud, she is humble; where they are aggressive, she is calm; where they are a mighty fist, she is a delicate blade. Despite all this, none can deny her skill and leadership. Skyblade was born on Lan'han to parents from Bork'an; growing up and training in her commune, she often watched the native fauna hunt in her spare time, watching with fascination the patience displayed by the predators, endearing her towards the *Kauyon* way of war. This was helped by the academy she entered, the only one in the Sept at the time who specialised in the *Kauyon* way of war. She devoured all it could teach her before passing the Trial of Fire and joining the Shas'La. Climbing the ranks, she became a Shas'El under Firespark, where she soon proved herself the most competent commander in the art of *Kauyon* within the Sept. Thanks to her skill and effectiveness, the Sept has seen fit to expand the teaching of *Kauyon* across the Sept, with many a future student thanking her for the chance, though the Sept still prefers Mont'ka. She pilots one of the few XV86 Coldstar Battlesuits the Sept has managed to produce to quickly move across the battlefield and launch her ambushes. It has a High Output Burst Cannon, a Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, a Target Lock and Positional Relay System, and two marker drones. Her mastery of the Patient Hunter was recently demonstrated on Lecron II, where she managed to draw the elite 51st Locae Lightningsworn Armoured Regiment into a trap and all but destroy it, leading to the Imperium losing the world.
* **Aun'El Suun'oya** - Aun'El Suun'oya, Bravestar, is the Highest ranking Ethereal within the Sept of Mang'shas and has been present from its earliest days. Unlike the rest of the colonists and other Ethereals of the Sept, Suun'oya came from T'au itself, the Homeworld of the Tau. A member of the Ethereal High Council, he was tasked by non-other than the Aun'o'Tau'Acaya'Va'Denta, the Master of the Undying Spirit, Aun'va himself, to help guide the young Sept and see to its growth and prosperity, a task with which he dutifully follows to this day. He has, for his part, mostly allowed the Sept to grow itself, guiding it and adding his input occasionally but in his mind at critical moments, it was Suun'oya who helped seal the pact between the Sept and the Demiurg, who managed to persuade the Ethereal council of the Sept to allow the defectors of the Mechanicus to join the sept and who calmed the High Council when the Sept began to treat humans far better than elsewhere. With these and more, Suun'oya has seen the Sept grow at a pace that has eclipsed most of the Sept's of the Third Sphere of Expansion, a source of no small amount of pride for the Ethereal. He is considered by many to be a wise and pragmatic individual, and he is also known in his younger days to have fought at the forefront of the forces of the T'au Sept itself, inspiring and leading the warriors towards victory. Thus he is well respected by the Fire Caste. Suun'oya is an Ethereal whose intellect and political savvy have seen him remain the dominant Ethereal of the Sept throughout its history. However, he is now approaching the end of his life, already considered ancient by Tau standards at nearly 80 years old; he can feel his time is soon to come and thus will have to decide on a successor, although there are several candidates he has yet to show the slightest favour to any, with some coming to think he will allow the Sept to decided for itself. In the meantime, though, he still guides the Sept with the Diligence and Wisdom that have seen the Sept reach such heights in such time.
* ***Kor'O Qim'tsang'eo* AKA Voidshark** - Kor'O Qim'tsang'eo, or Voidshark, is the most experienced Admiral of the Sept and has been given the title the Guardian of the Western Veil. Voidshark is not from Mang'shas, she was born to the Sept of Bork'an, where, like all Air Caste, her life was devoted to the absolute mastery of the pilot's art. She faced off against Orks primarily during the Great War of Confederation and subsequent attacks from the Red Sun Systems. These engagements shaped the Air Caste Pilot to take a more aggressive stance in combat, showing a noticeable ferocity and tenacity that earned her the name Voidshark. By the time of the 3rd Sphere of Expansion, she had reached the rank of Kor'O or Admiral, where she was assigned to the fleet sent to escort and establish the new Sept on the border of the Western Veil Nebula.
* **Fio'O Gue'vesa'anan Solantum Kelbix** - Fio'O Gue'vesa'anan Solantum Kelbix is the leading member of the Hereteks of the Sept who defected to the T'au Empire and among one of the Sept's foremost scientific minds. Back on Varsolak, Kelbix was an Artisan under Archmagos Hyiel Seromax, the leader of the Xenorite faction on the Forgeworld; Kelbix was far from the high ranks of the faction but was a devout believer in their beliefs and desired to leave the Imperium. Unfortunately, when the Great Rift opened and grounded their fleet, the Xenorites, realising that the Orthodox Priests of Varsolak had discovered their secret, jumped to the T'au Empire, hoping they could reach it in one jump. However, the fleet was torn apart in the Warp; the majority of the ships were either lost or destroyed, with only one cruiser and three escorts surviving the jump. When the survivors came about, they realised they had lost most of their leaders. A schism between the survivors was only prevented when they saw Tau ships making for them. Upon realising they had made it and were now potential to be fired upon, Kelbix took the lead by sending an urgent message to the Tau explaining what had happened and their desire to join. To his and the survivor’s relief, the Tau told them they would be spared and taken to the Prime world to put their story to the Council. Kelbix once again took centre stage, convincing the Tau that there was no treachery to his words and those of his fellow survivors, with the council convinced they allowed him and the Hereteks to settle on Mang'shas itself. Not long after Kelbix had the vast majority of his Bionics and implants replaced with superior Tau ones, sparing only those that could not be removed, he also received an implant that allowed him to control a set of floating Mechadendrites. He soon flourished in Mang'shas, devouring the Tau and Demiurg’s knowledge and applying it to what he knew. He then would achieve his greatest technological feat to date, the replication of a device from the Dark Age of Technology by combining the knowledge of all 3 races he had accumulated, creating the Atmospheric Restoration Engines, which he used to reverse the damage to the World of Lan'han and allow for its recolonisation in the aftermath of the Nightgaunts attack. For this he recieved the rank of Fio'O, and capitalising on his new found respect and influence soon oversaw the construction of a new and genuinely colossal weapon factory, which soon produced among the finest weapons in the sept. He then persuaded the Council to grant him and his fellow Hereteks, or as they were called now Gue'vesa'anan, entry into the Earth Caste, and he currently sits on its council as a Fio'O, as well as building the Gue'vesa councils headquarters in his factory and becoming its head, as well as see the induction of new tech-priests in this new far more forward-thinking and scientifically driven priesthood. He is a driven man whose quest for knowledge and understanding drives him to learn more and advance technology. Despite his still fervent belief in the Ommnisiah, he has come increasingly to view the Imperium as doomed due to its barbarity and self-inflicted technological stagnation. He has also, from the experiences of the warp, been diligent in keeping the Gue'vesa'anan in line and ensuring they do not become like the vast majority of Hereteks and lose all morality.
* **Gue'vesa'vres Decima Rendik** - Gue'vesa'vres Decima Rendik is a commander of a number of gue'vesa cadres of Mang'shas, and considered by many to be the best human strategist and tactician within the Sept. Though she has achieved a reputation within the Fifth Sphere Expansion as the **Angel of Cadimus Prime** after helping to liberate the planet from a Genestealer Cult. Her new found fame, enhanced by the propaganda of the Water Caste, caused many squads and regiments of the Astra Militarum and Planetary Defense Forces to join her informal Contingent called Gi'yanni'ka ("Absolving Host") in her campaign to liberate more humans to pursue a better tomorrow in the name of the Greater Good.
* **Gue'vesa'vres Karbak Al'Shehaijem** - Gue'vesa'vres Karbak Al'Shehaijem is a Veteran soldier of the Sept and among one of the most celebrated Heroes of the Gue'vesa of Mang'shas. Descended of Guardmens who joined the Empire after being abandoned by the Imperium after the Damocles Gulf Crusade, Karbak comes from a long line of loyal Gue'vesa of the Tau. Born on Mang'shas, he was destined for military service at a young age as he showed great strength and intellect, and he was thus sent to a military academy for Humans on the Prime World. Karbak excelled and scored the highest in the academy’s history; therefore, upon reaching age he was recruited into a Gue'vesa Squad as second in command. The following years would see him fight Greenskins at first, earning him more than a few scars and promotion to veteran and being assigned to one of the Elite Assault Clearence Cadres of the Sept. it was in this role he would see action against the imperium of man in the Fifth Sphere of Expansion, seeing action on numerous worlds and each one earning him more praise and respect. However it was on the world of Hulsata, now a veteran of nearly half a dozen wars, that Karbak would attain the rank of Hero for selflessly charging into a lost position to try and save a Shas'El from another Sept, which against all the odds he manged to do. For this he was granted the title of Gue'vesa'vres by Firespark himself, who showered Karbak with praise and stated that if he could do so he would make him a battlesuit pilot. He know serves as the equivalent of a Cadre Fireblade within one of the most Elite Hunter Cadres of the Sept. However, there are some that believe that if the Ethereals were to allow the Gue'vesa to pilot battlesuits then Karbak could likely be one of the first human to be granted the right to pilot a battlesuit.
* **Master Shaper Yuka'to Rhekk** - Master Shaper Yuka'to Rhekk is the leading Kroot shaper of Osha'vi, an old and battled scared veteran of many wars, few can match his skill in combat and he has led his kindred well in his long reign as Shaper.
* **Ymmê Fyrgrîte** - Ymmê Fyrgrîte is the highest ranking Demiurg, or Kin, within the Sept of Mang'shas and leads them in their relationship and partnership with the Sept. It was Ymmê who led her fleet to the mineral-rich Sept and who made the agreement with the Ethereal's of the new Sept; she who helped lead the Kin alongside Strongblade against Kroolhacka and who has seen the Sept grow and prosper and the Kin grow in numbers and wealth in the process. She commands an authority not unlike a Kâhl and has more than once led her fellow Kin into battle beside their Mang'shas allies. She has also overseen the working together of the Human, Tau and Kin scientific minds and the creation of new weapons and technology the three races have built and innovated. Despite this, she has been weary of the Tau and Humans, careful not to allow the Kins’ most valuable knowledge and technology to be shared. Despite this, Ymmê feels a sense of loyalty to the Sept, and whilst the Philosophy of the Greater Good holds little to no sway over her, she does see in the Sept and, by proxy, the Empire as a whole as having the potential to lead to something better for the Galaxy.

## Sept Symbol and Name Meaning

The Symbol of Man'shas like those of all Tau Sept's holds a meaning that is both as unique and meaningful as the Sept itself. The Line that divides it has three dots, each one representing one of the three Tau worlds, Bant'al to the left, Lan'han to the right and in the centre Mang'shas, whilst Osha'vi is inhabited it has been granted to the Kroot as a Kroot World, thus it is not displayed upon the Symbol. The disks on the top represent symbolically the Sun on the top, and the fire of the core at the bottom, to symbolise the Fire within and without, of both the Sept, the Worlds and its inhabitants, which has allowed the Sept to grow and achieve to the degree it has.

The Name Mang'shas is a combination of the Tau words Mang and Shas, which translated into Low Gothic mean To Hammer and Fire respectively, thus the Sept's name means To Hammer Fire, this is in reference to the act of forging metal and crafting weapons. This is both the name the Sept calls itself and is known by as they are seen as forgers and weapon makers.

## Relations

### Enemies

 Nightgaunts |      | The first encounter the Tau of Mang'shas had with Chaos came at the hands of the Nightgaunts of the Night Lords. The Nightgaunts ravaged and brought untold horror to Lan'han before the Sept realised what was happening and responded. The subsequent battle and destruction of the Heretics fleet would see the Nightgaunts present annihilated it would also cause a catastrophic disaster to befall Lan'han when debris would make planetfall and render the world uninhabitable. Only thanks to the work and innovation of the scientific minds of the Sept was the world restored and the scars still remain. To this day Mang'shas has prepared itself so it will never be caught in such a situation again and hopes that if the Nightgaunts return they will erase them from the galaxy.

## Notable Quotes

### By:

"*Now. You know what we can expect of these Greenskins. They're a race of rabid bastards who'll fight us tooth and nail! But they don't know what they're up against. The Tau'va is civilisation! The Tau'va is order! The Tau'va is hope! And we of Mang'shas have been granted the honour to fight for the Tau'va against these savages!*"
—Commander Strongblade inspiring his warriors before they begin the purging of the Orks in an asteroid belt.

"*The Gue’la war engines are indeed a formidable foe. Who tower over almost all they face and with their shields and weapons can defeat many. But remember, like any enemy it can be defeated with the right plan and technique. As we planned, first remove the shields by overwhelming them with missiles. Second hit the knee or both just like the Ka’t'cova Toig’is. Third at the same time or just after hit the elbow which carries the ballistic weapon, just like the Ka’t'cova Toxoi’is. Thus the engine can neither move nor shoot. Now those who practice Kau’yon would then let it sit and allow the Gue’la to come to its rescues allowing more to be trapped. But you know this is not my way, once the engine is disabled the Killing blow shall be delivered immediately. Thus, displaying the full might of Mont’ka and causing any Gue’la to likely flee at such a sight. Now let us do the deed and ensure the Tau’va is preserved and brought to this world.*"
—Commander Firespark addressing his warriors before setting of to destroy the Knight Warden Freeblade Orphanthaean on Septaos VIII during the 5th Sphere of Expansion.

"*I am Decima Rendik, Gue'vesa'vre of Mang'shas. Both you and the soldiers under your command have fought bravely, but there is no need for further bloodshed in the name of an Imperium that cares not for its honorable soldiers. Please stand down and I promise that you and your men will be given sanctuary.*"
—Decima Rendik, Gue'vesa'vre of Mang'shas convincing members of the Astra Militarum to surrender.
### About:

"*I was there you know, on Septaos VIII, I saw Orphanthaean and what a sight. He slew so many of those wretched Xenos, we were destined to win, the God Emperor was smiling on us. At least that's what we believed. Then I saw it, oh yes I saw it, Orphanthaean on its knees, or what was left of them, damaged and shot through so many times and yet still alive. Then he, the Commander of the Xenos, landed on top of him and looking at all of us, shot down and Orphanthaean fell forwards, dead. Yes we fell back, we couldn't win and you may call me a coward but I can at least warn you, which is more than many ever get.*"
—Guardswoman Hana describing the slaying of the Knight Freeblade Orphanthaean at the hands of Commander Firespark of Mang'shas

"*I had heard the stories of our distant kin of Mang'shas, I had heard of their skill and tenacity with which they slew the Orks and those monsters who brought the dead to life. I admit I was skeptical, I needed to see it to believe it. Now I have and I am left in no doubt to its truth and more, these Tau of Mang'shas, who came from our Sept, Vior'la bursts with barxa (pride).*"
—Shas'O Anukla'esavon, Hawk-Eye, of Vior'la commenting upon seeing Mang'shas Fire Warriors in Action

## Gallery

XV88 BroadsideKV128 StormsurgeXV95 GhostkeelXV104 RiptideMang'shas Razorshark