T'au quest

This article covers the **T'au quest**.

## Chapter 1: The Greater Good

You should not be here. You cannot be here.

Your ship was an ark, carrying the races and ideas of the T'au to new worlds, following Commander Surestrike's fleet. You should be with him and your Fourth Sphere comrades, proselytizing the Greater Good to new souls.

Instead, in the Vash'aun'an, the 'space between the stars', a dream of corruption swallowed the fleet, Your auxiliaries were lost or twisted to darkness. And in that timeless nightmare an impossible many-handed being saved your ship, alone of the fleet. Landed it here. On this gue'la Hive World, ruined by war, full of hostile aliens and trapped by storms.

As the ranking Shas'El not in stasis, the Ethereal Aun'Dak'E has named you Comander. He assigns you a new task - to take this planet for the T'au.

Bu, first, he demands that you chase down your errant auxiliaries.

**Walkthrough**

Use Convert Auxiliary on an errant auxiliary (a neutral Kroot Hound or Vespid Stingwing unit).

Rewards: 50 Influence

### Stage 1

You're studying a dissected Vespid when Kor'Daron of the Air Caste arrives. His slender frame looms over the body, recoiling a little when he sees the signature deformities - the warped oculi, the unusual patterns grown under the mesoplarum, the oozing tergite.

"It is better dead." he says, lugubriously, making the hand sign of the dove. "We are lucky we caught it amongst the pack. I am told that our orders say we should eliminate all the Mal'kor - but our scouts report that other Vespid out there who do not bear the Mont taint. Would it not be right to at least attempt to bring them back to the Way? You agree - as they say Sa'cea, 'the Way is always open'. And, as you admit to Kor'Daron honestly, the troops will come in useful. You order the Fire Warriors to prepare their Drones for war.

**Walkthrough**

Research MV1 Gun Drones, deploy MV1 Gun Drones, and use Markerlight on an enemy unit.

Rewards: Vespid Stingwings, they will spawn in your capital.

### Ending

The Vespid unit your recruited has been thoroughly tested by Earth Caste technicians and cleared - the taint seems to have affected only a minority of the auxiliary races. Your relief is unbounded - for you, the T'au was always more than the T'au race.

## Chapter 2: Virtue Before Duty

In your cell, your meditations are interrupted. That familiar cloying scent heralds the first among your ark's Ethereals, the ruthless Aun'Dak'E.

"Commander, the stars are strange." says Aun'Dak'E. "We are adrift in space and time, and the homeworlds are lost. We may be the last of the T'au." You feel the truth of what he says.

He turns an iron gaze on you. "So when we requested the elimination of the auxiliaries, it was because we could not afford to gamble. Your actions risked our entire civilization, even if they seemed to bolster the good." He orders you to purge any auxiliary or T'au that displays any signs of corruption - physical, mental, or spiritual.

He leaves, but pauses on the threshold. "And you need better guidance - retrieve the Stasis Pods."

**Walkthrough**

Research Shan'ar'tol Stasis, construct Shan'ar'tol Stasis.

Rewards: 50 Influence.

### Stage 1

Carefully, carefully, the Bentusin technicians have manoeuvred the stasis pods from your ark to the colony city. Inside is your most precious treasure - the sleeping forms of your experts and leaders, Engineers, Ethereals, Fireblades and the Commanders.

Aun'Dak'E comes to you again. "Kor'Doran's scout drones have identified ancient structures beneath the planet's surface. I must investigate this personally. I need to know we can rely on you in our absence. Can we?" His face is impassive, but his hand gestures are hostile, expectant.

You reassure him, your loyalty burning in your eyes, and prepare for his expedition.

**Walkthrough**

Research Ethereal, produce Ethereal, visit highlighted two tiles with Ethereal.

Rewards: 100 research.

### Stage 2

This is the first time since your home on Sa'cea that you have been without Ethereal guidance. Oddly, your daily meditations on the Good seem somehow richer, more complete. You feel a oneness with all life, even this planet's innumerable foes.

Though you know Aun'Dak'E has always commanded the use of force first - and now you think how strange that is for someone so committed to the greater good - your inclination is persuasion first. You send the water caste to treat with human refugees, bringing them to the Way, and bend your efforts to proper harmony and happiness amongst the various races in your city.

**Walkthrough**

Research Many Mouths, use Many Mouths to purchase food. Research Proselytise, use Proselytise on your city. Generate 3 loyalty from Utopia per turn.

Rewards: 100 influence.

### Ending

Surely this is the Greater Good. It feels like you are doing the right thing - the thing \*she\* would have done. Though you swore not to think of her.

## Chapter 3: The Unconvertibles

Aun'Dak'E sends encrypted signals. He has found something unique under the planet and is attempting to communicate with it. But he is disgusted by your lack of military action - particularly against the greenskinned Be'gel - and orders you to wake a higher-ranking Commander to deal with them. It will be their task to lead in the field against the unconvertibles: the Be'gel, the swarm Y'he, the giant Gue'ron'sha humans, their Mont counterparts, the machine ancients and worse...

There is only one more senior than you, as he well knows. You must wake her - the one known as Shas'O Sa'Cea Lawlasa. Known to the fleet as Commander Coldflame. Known to you as ta'lissera - blood-bonded.

**Walkthrough**

Research Commander, produce Commander, reach level 5 with Commander.

Rewards: XV8 Crisis Battlesuits.

### Ending

Watching her in action through the drone-link, you are so proud of her - of Coldflame. And terrified for her at the same time. It is not accepted by the T'au to express emotion about kin but she is more than that to you - you are both bound by Ta'lissera, the bonding knife ritual, which is tighter than family.

So when she returns from her campaigns, her Battlesuit ruined and blooded, you are always waiting for her with the Cadre guard, pride and relief poorly hidden behind the formalities. As ta'lissera, she knows what that means.

## Chapter 4: The Experience Machine

Your meditation today was on humility and detachment. When you arose, Coldflame was lounging against your terminal. "Friend, I am proud of you." she smiles, her hand gestures jocular and warm. "The way of the T'au should not be to shoot first. And don't tell me not to call you 'friend' - the Ethereals aren't here and I outrank you, ha. Where are the Ethereals anyway?"

You explain that they are either in the field, in stasis or with Aun'Da'E, investigating the planet's secrets. "Well," she laughs, "I guess we get to work out what the Greater Good is today, hmm?" I've sent the Water Caste diplomats to treat with the human forces - and the survivors tell me they've agreed to a deal. If we can eliminate their Mont traitors, we'll have a truce."

You cannot go against her - both from rank and filial pride. But this is a dangerous path...

**Walkthrough**

Defeat the enemy camp. This will include an Imperial Bastion with Imperial Guard units.

Rewards: Dusk Blade.

### Stage 1

You are pleased with Codlflame for trying but the diplomatic endeavor has failed. The Imperium had no intention of dealing with the T'au truly. Whilst you were fighting their 'Chaos' enemies, they were preparing to attack. Already, Coldflame is turning her troops against them.

**Walkthrough**

Survive invasion. An Imperial Guard force will spawn.

Rewards: Ripyka'va: Reduces the cooldown of the Commander's metastrategies.

### Ending

You stand on a long ridge. The Imperial army lies spread out before you, fleeing or burning, insects before Coldflame's tactical brilliance. Betrayal and surprise were no advantage against your superior technology. You know that other foes await you - but you are confident that she can defeat anything now. She leaves, for her next conquest.

## Chapter 5: The Survival Lottery

Aun'Dak'e has returned, with fewer bodyguards and more scars. You can barely follow his boastful tale of his exploits beneath the planet's surface, but you understand when he gives the planet a new name - "Muort'va'ul' or the 'casque of the anvil'.

The Ethereals have even spoken to something intelligent in the depths. The Earth Caste and Bentusin are trying to understand it, but they say there is an ancient Ar'cea device built throughout the world - placed by the Eldar or their forebears millennia ago, to restrain a Necron god.

In some way it is alive and may give them an unique weapon against your foes, that could eliminate every non-T'au on the planet's surface - yes, your auxiliaries too. When Aun'Dak'E tells you this is the good, you believe it with fervour, He tells you what you must do.

**Walkthrough**

Construct 3 Bentu'sin Labs. Accumulate 1,000 research.

Rewards: AX3 Razorshark Strike Fighter

### Ending

The Earth Caste have used the Bentu'sin's labs to establish control of the device, though it will take time to activate. You relay Aun'Dak'E's plan to Commander Coldflame remotely - and you can hear her audibly recoil. "To'tau'va! How is this the Good, Shas'El? The death of our allies? Of the billion gue'la on this planet? There must be a better way. I will find it and stop this madness." She cuts the line - and this is the last time you talk to her. You will always regret not saying more.

## Chapter 6: The Trolley Problem

With so few Ethereals to spread calm and so much disorder from the journey here, the Coldflame rebellion spreads quickly. Hers is an open creed, accepting T'au, Gue'la, the auxiliary races... everyone save for the Ethereals who are shot on sight. Their Earth Caste rebels quickly fortify a human settlement.

Aun'Dak'E stays with you constantly, reassuring you. "The Gue'senshi-lovers have gathered in one place, Commander. This is your chance to redeem yourself. To kill that traitor, Coldflame." You look at the bonding knife, strapped to your hip. She is all to you - more than the T'au, perhaps? You hesitate.

But then Aun'Dak'E leans over, overwhelmingly close. "You want that, Commander, don't you?" And you want nothing more. You want nothing more.

**Walkthrough**

Defeat the enemy camp.

Rewards: XV104 Riptide Battlesuit.

### Stage 1

The settlement was a classic Kauyon - a feint to take your forces elsewhere. Inside... it was empty, worker drones faking activity, whilst Coldflame planned her attack elsewhere. It appears her Water Caste contacts with the Imperium paid off (is that pride you feel?) and they verified her tale about the device. They have turned up in force, to prevent you from using it.

**Walkthrough**

Survive the invasion.

Rewards: Victory!

### Ending

Aun'Dak'e watches with you as Coldflame dies. He tells you that you should be happy, that she was a traitor, that her death clears your name, that you are free from your bonds of oath and fealty. You smile and nod and inside you something breaks.

The Ethereal is gloating. He says you'll be able to make use of the technology inside the planet, soon - that this world will become a beacon for the Greater Good. He talks of finally supplanting Aun'Va. You feel that you can't but be happy for him.

And yet inside your broken bond burns, eating away at your reason. In your meditation, later, you twist your bonding knife over and over, careless of the cuts it inflicts. Away from Aun'Dak'E, you can only think of her - her empathy, her courage, her sacrifice. The Coldflame rebellion does not end here.

T'au

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