Index Xenos: Physsian Stratocracy

[Phatsquirre1]

Greetings honored 'O and 'El of the Shas'ar'tol Bork'an,

 

As you requested, I have taken it upon myself to create a dossier on the alien species known as the "Physsian Stratocracy", which will hopefully serve as a primer and guide to our vaunted field-commanders, admirals, and diplomats, in order to better understand this closed-off and secretive race.

 

I will endeavor to continue my research into their customs and ways of life, but expect this journey to be tough, seeing as the Physsians are guarded even at the best of times. However, any data uncovered will be recorded here and transmitted with all haste, in order to better serve the Empire.

 

Please, feel free to contact me with any personal inquiries or requests, as it is likely I will miss certain aspects of their culture and hierarchy during my studies.

 

Glory to the Empire,

Por'el Bork'an Saum'lai Tal'Shoh

 

Origins and Basic History

 

The xenos known as the Physsians are reptilian humanoids who evolved on the planet Physsos approximately thirty-two thousand Tau'cyr before the T'au.¹

 

A long-lived and militaristic people, the Physsians exploded early on in their evolution, with rudimentary spaceflight first attempted after only a couple thousand Tau'cyr  of existence, and a primitive interstellar empire, known as the Physsian Khanate, followed soon after.

 

However, this sudden surge in population and technology led the Physsians to engage in numerous conflicts with neighboring races, where their militaristic tendencies forced them into a series of wars that likely could have been avoided. Further conflicts, both internally and externally, led to a period of stagnation known to the Physsians as the 'Tempering', which afforded them time to consolidate their gains and revolutionize their internal politicking. According to fragmentary reports, the high point of this period was the refinement of 'Obsydine' into a usable material, while the low point is known as the "Harvester's Tithe".²

 

Despite this, approximately 23,000 Tau'cyr after their initial forays into space, the Physsians had become a people that inhabited a large number of systems in an area of space known as the 'Salient Cluster', and made up the primary faction of the Adakine Triumvirate, a federation of xenos races and human factions that had banded together to resist the predations of other, more violent space-faring races. The Triumvirate existed for but a thousand tau'cyr, and yet remains the "greatest accomplishment of the Physsian people", despite its relative young age at the time of collapse. While extant details of the collapse remain scarce, it is believed that unprecedented numbers of Gue'ron'sha overwhelmed the empire in a cataclysmic genocide that left almost 60% of the Physsian populace routed or dead.³

 

With their homeworld of Physsos burned to ash, the survivors of the Physsian people fled the cluster, residing on ark-ships for millennia while intermittently searching for resources, other Physsians, and a new home. This search continued for thousands of tau'cyr, until the Physsian Ark-Fleet landed on a world in the south-eastern fringe of the galaxy not far from T'au, which it colonized and named Phy'rakos- the Second Hope, Light of Physsos. Turning inwards to focus on colonization and its people, the Physsians lived in ignorance of our expansion in the Eastern Gulf, and was bypassed by numerous T'au fleets until about thirty Tau'cyr ago, when T'au ships happened upon alien vessels in a backwater system long thought uninhabitable. Negotiations were opened, and soon concluded- with no great military power (on a galactic scale) and limited holdings, the ruling body of the Physsians- the Rae'ta Council- agreed to join the T'au Empire and provide military support and materials in return for Equipment and Semi-Autonomy for their fledgling Empire. 

 

Aging and Political System

 

As a people, the Physsians can live for up to a Millennia, and break their lives into a number of cycles that determine age and position in Physsian society. The Rae'ta-Vor Council, for example, is the ruling body of the Physsian people, and is made up of Rae'ta-Vor (Council-Commanders),  senior Physsians whose experiences in battle and leadership help decide the direction in which the Physsians will go as a people. Similarly, the Sae'ta-Vor (Void-Generals) command Physsian Armies in battle, while under them the Sae'ta-Khal (Void-Captains) take control of Company sized forces and smaller, acting in many ways similarly to that of our Fireblades. Beyond that, the Physsian Military has largely adopted the T'au rank system in order to ease combat operations, and for the most part now follow the Fire Castes' conventions at the rank of Shas'vre and lower.

 

Military

 

Militarily, Physsian warriors serve in the same roles and functions as our Fire Warriors and Pathfinders, albeit with a preference for close-ranged, highly-mobile combat as opposed to distanced engagements. As such, a number of Breacher and Carbine-armed Strike team analogues supplement the typical Hunter cadre examples, and the our alliance has resulted in an influx of TY7 Devilfish and TX7 Hammerheads to boost the Physsian military strength, and replace the aging Cyclone-class Gun-skiffs that have served the Physsians since their original flight from Physsos itself. Similarly, T'au aircraft and drones have made many Physsian models obsolete, with exception to a few notable examples such as the Sibilance and Xenith-class Interceptors.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Pl5aGx0.jpg?1

- A Squad of Physsian Pathfinders, in modern battle-plate

 

However, the Physsians have experienced a number of issues in terms of Battlesuit integration, as their bodies and neural systems are far unlike our own, forcing them to rely on cadres of Fire Caste reinforcements to provide battlesuit support. While some inroads have been made by Physsian scientists to create a prototype variation of the XV25 Stealth-suits and XV8 Crisis suit, the T'au, for the most part, are content to utilize the Physsians as line troops and airmobile reserves while retaining control over battle suit systems, giving them an edge should they ever need it.⁴

 

Still, for the most part both races get along well and see eye-to-eye, the Physsians recognizing T'au supremacy as their best chance of survival, while the T'au see Physsians as excellent close-quarters soldiers, lacking in the kroot's hand-to-hand skills but with an increased durability and without the Kroot's distasteful habits.

 

Technology

 

Physsian combat technology is based around an substance known as Obsidyne (no relation to Obsidian), whose charge and strength has resulted in the creation of the hardlight-weaponry used so commonly by Physsian Soldiery. Cores of Obsidyne power and provide the ammunition for these weapons, eliminating the need for magazines, replacing them with a ventilation system that cools the weapon down and prevents overheat and misfires. In practice, these are very much similar to the T'au Pulse Carbine, and even though shipments of actual Pulse Carbines have been issued to a number of Physsian units, many are abandoned in favor of the Hardlight-Repeaters that have served the Physsian people for millennia.⁵

 

http://i.imgur.com/1gynRUW.jpg?1

-A Physsian Strike Team deploying into combat. These Physsians are armed with Hardlight Repeaters, and wear the older, bulkier combat armor of the Adakine era.

 

In terms of armor, Physsians once used metallic compounds similar to those found in Imperial Carapace armor, but this has been largely superseded by T'au compounds and armor patterns since the alliance.

 

Appearance and Climate

 

As stated above, the Physsians are a species of warm-blooded humanoid reptiles, who favor colder arid climates and savannah-like biomes, and prefer environments with higher levels of carbon dioxide and methane than most species. This makes existence on worlds with a T'au-like atmosphere unpleasant, if not outright uninhabitable for Physsians. As a result, any serious duration of time spent on one of these worlds must be done with a pressure-suit, encapsulating the Physsian in an environment more conducive to their respiratory systems. Due to this, most Physsians are seen in their enclosed battle-plate, hiding a face that bears various crest and brood-markings, some which are echoed on their breather-helms in order to identify specific individuals. Under the rest of the pressure suit lays a skin covered in scales and crests, ranging in coloration from a deep grey or blue, up to an olive green.

 

http://i.imgur.com/bnErRDH.jpg?3

- A Physsian Sae'ta-Khal (Void-Captain), utilizing modern equipment

 

Physsian extremities are also curious, as while their fore-claws mimick our own in the number of digits, their legs instead end in a set of splayed claws that are displayed in a 2x2x1 pattern. They are often hidden by Physsian pressure-sheath boots, giving outsiders the impression of T'au hooves instead of claws. While this makes issues of supply relatively simple thanks to these boots' similar appearance to the T'au hoof, the resulting confusion of inexperienced doctors and medics when faced with this realization has forced a doctrine of medical-segregation when it comes to Physsian combat casualties.

 

Language

 

The Physsian language is one that most races would struggle to master, a special arrangement in their vocal chords and the use of pheromones in conversation a limiting factor to anyone trying to learn their language. Thankfully, upon their assimilation into the T'au Empire, they developed communications suites that have now been installed into every Physsian's helm, and most Physsian Officers have been sent to T'olku and Bork'an to receive training in T'au language and culture, allowing them to converse without the need for translator software. This has also resulted in an amalgamation of Physsian and T'au culture, with the Physsians adopting many facets of the T'au language into their own, including addition of the apostrophe into the Physsian language in order to ease T'au attempts to pronounce their official ranks. Examples of this evolution can be found from the basic education a young Physsian now receives up to the ranks of the High Commanders of the Physsian Armies, and even the pronunciation of the Physsian home world- where once it was Phyrakos, it is now Phy'rakos, a sign of mutual cooperation between the T'au and their new subjects.

 

Diplomacy

 

In terms of relationships between the Physsians and the races of the T'au Empire, there is an interesting development. Where once an open-minded and welcoming species existed, now resentment blooms, with some species in particular- and is at least common enough that T'au diplomats have acknowledged the need to limit inter-species contact between the Physsians and some specific races. Below is a list of major T'au races' relations with the Physsian people.

 

T'au-

As the dominant race in the T'au empire, the Physsians view the T'au with a mix of respect and derision. While no Physsian would ever dare be outright hostile to one of the T'au, there is some evidence that many see our "short-lived and young race" as "naive and belligerent in many respects", and it is no secret that the Physsians see the T'au as being as liable to prove themselves capable of galactic conquest as suicidally foolish. This has led to some friction between our commanders in field operations, seeing as the long-lived Physsian Officers chafe under the command of the younger T'au Shas'O. Fortunately, the clarity of T'au dominance has forestalled any serious incidents, although the number of assignments of particularly outspoken Physsian commanders has curiously shifted towards protection and patrol operations as part of Physsian exclusive forces. Whether this is the result of orders from the Rae'ta Council or some other unknown factor is unclear.

 

Vespids- 

The Physsians see the Vespid as a noble and proud ally, and although contact with them is limited for the most part, the few interactions between these two races has proven amiable. In particular, there seems to be a friendly rivalry between certain Vespid Strains and members of the Physsian Dher'avashi- or Void-Hammers- whose use of jump-jet thusters mimics the aerial abilities of the Vespid.

 

Kroot-

Of any race, the Physsians seem to get along best with that of the Kroot of Pech, their martial origins and clan structure similar in many ways to the Physsian's own ancestors. Even the reviled practice of assimilating DNA- while seen as unusual- is accepted by the Physsian people as a part of the Kroot mindset, and combined with their prowess as hunters and fighters has resulted in a large number of Kroot kindreds appearing among the ranks of the Physsian military.

 

Nicassar-

As a race, the Physsians seem not to care for the Nicassar, apart from those assigned to their ships for purposes of research and navigation, who are tolerated. However, as members of the Empire and a largely unthreatening species in the eyes of the Physsians, the Nicassar are permitted access to most Physsian installations, should they desire to travel there, and will be met with interest, if not open arms.

 

Gue'vesa-

Gue'la, as a whole, are the most problematic for the Physsians to deal with. Thanks to their role in the destruction of the Adakine Empire, Physsians will meet humans with resentment and even hostility, which extends to the Gue'vesa of the T'au, an particularly those who once served in the Imperial army. Exceptions exist, but for the most part, humans and Physsians have been separated from contact unless T'au protection can be present, and while the water caste and ethereals have attempted to rectify this issue, for now a travel warning exists that has been issued to any Gue'la trying to make their way to any Physsian realms- "Your protection is not guaranteed".

 

Ideology

 

The Physsian people do not have any significant religious tendencies in the modern era, as while the original worship of the Adakine Triumvirate still exists in slight numbers, it is not enough to constitute a true race-wide concept. Instead, on a micro-scale, many Physsians pay homage to their ancestral lines and specific matriarchs and patriarchs of their broods. This is similar in many ways to the Kroot mentality of shapers, albeit with Physsian Brood-leaders, (also known as Emyrs) serving in a supporting capacity rather than in an active one leading their families. This allows the Emyrs to focus on internal issues while matters of war, science, and exploration are served by the Rae'ta-Council, and in this way are Emyrs the teachers and protectors of the Physsian culture.

 

On a macro-scale, this homage translates into a reverence for history, and even further, a desire to return to what the Physsian people once were and could've been. Whilst rarely discussed outside the most extreme Physsian circles of belief, a common trend is that of the "Physsian Right", which argues that the Physsian people will be the rulers of the galactic plane at some point, and other races will bend their knee to Physsian command. However, longevity brings clarity, and most Physsians realize that this will not be the case for many millennia to come.

 

In terms of the Physsian opinion of the Greater Good, or Tau'va, while it is accepted and taught in Physsian society, Ta'u scholars believe that there is no real conviction behind its belief amongst Physsian broods, as Physsians were forced to live by a similar doctrine during their flight from Physsos, where an ideology was formed out of necessity that espoused service before self. As such, most Physsians are reluctant to subscribe to the mentality of the Greater Good, and while this has caused consternation amongst many T'au scholars, the similarities between the two races beliefs' has quelled any attempts to convert the Physsians outright, and is a matter that will be re-examined in time.

 

However, it must be noted that each Physsian is a fully individualistic being, free of thought and action, and is as capable of honor and loyalty as he or she is of betrayal and cowardice. While modern Physsians are usually content to serve their people, examples do exist of behavior seen as inconceivable to the T'au springing up, including the murder of Emyrs and Council-members, and small but violent conflicts springing up between various broods. At the largest level, this has even resulted in breakaway factions of Physsians abandoning Phy'rakos and the T'au empire, either as a result of ideological differences, political exile, or even pure selfishness. It is this facet that has the our Aun worried the most, and efforts have been diverted to try and limit such actions inside the boundaries of the Empire.

 

Planetary Holdings

 

The Physsian people, in their millennia of settlement, have settled three known worlds:

1. Phy'rakos- Capital of the Physsian Stratocracy, and new homeworld of the Physsian people. Its colder climates and sweeping plains of long-stalk algae have helped the Physsians spread across the planet rapidly, and it now resembles a T'au sept in function, if not name. Most Physsian forces hail from here.
2. Phy'rasael- A mining world that neighbors Phy'rakos, it is the second Physsian expansion, settled only one-hundred years before the discovery of the T'au. It is also here that the T'au have established an outpost to monitor the Physsian people, an orbital station in geosynchronous orbit that houses a number of garrisoned Hunter Cadres.
3. Phy'rakmas- The first expansion of the Physsians in an interstellar capacity, this world was settled in 960.M41. It is currently being colonized with assistance of the T'au- a joint-species endeavor that will likely help solidify relations.
4. The Veil- existing only in snatched communiques and thin rumors, the "Veil" (as it is known to our intelligence officers) is located in an unspecified region of space, and supposedly houses the surviving Physsian arks, a fall back in case disaster even overtook the Physsian race again. This area is hidden from all but the highest ranking Physsians, including the T'au, although it is likely located at the edge of a solar system not too far from Phy'rakos. Contact with this fleet is limited, and most Physsians assigned there are believed to be of a patient and dour mentality, vetted for loyalty and behavior before being assigned to the fleet-watch that is known as the "Veil-guard". While currently under investigation, the low-risk nature of this fleet has meant almost all the resources it requires are being diverted to more pressing matters.

Panoply of War:

 

Below are some examples of native Physsian uniforms, although considering their reclusiveness and recent adoption of the Fire Caste's own conventions, these are increasingly difficult to exhibit.

 

 

 

The above are image-stills of Sae'ta-Tath Verkuud, previously sect-born to Senn-Nal'Sanalq, now reassigned to Bork'an cadre support operations orbiting Phy'rasael.⁶ The uniform presented is likely the livery of the Nal'Sanalq (trans. Frigate Sanalq), prior to its disappearance during operations in the Western Veil Nebula.

 

Footnotes:

1. This planet is believed to lie in a sector of space previously uncharted by T'au fleets. Physsian maps, while helpful, are in many cases partially fragmented and may be inaccurate as a result.
2. The "Harvester's Tithe", which is also known in some documents as the "Rethremaere Holocaust", was an extinction-level event that befell the Physsian Khanate some 15,000 Tau'cyr after they first achieved spaceflight. Despite a lack of information on the event in question, the "Harvester's Tithe" is believed to be their Mont'au, and has left a racial imprint on every Physsian since. Of data that can be collected on the cataclysm, logs record that of some 70 Billion Physsians, about 52 Billion perished, and further data shows the Physsian never recovered from this purge. What the event was or what entity (if any) perpetrated such a genocide is unknown, and despite my best efforts may remain that way.
3. Hard as it is to believe, the Physsians state that Gue'ron'sha numbers used to far eclipse current findings, and were organized into much larger fighting forces (see file "Space Marine Legions"). I have already forwarded the most relevant data to the Bork'an Uash'o, long with several copies of reports corroborating such numbers.
4. Unconfirmed reports exist of native Physsian Battle-Constructs fighting alongside rebellious enclaves and pure Physsian armies, but without further evidence, such fanciful tales should be discarded.
5. This "Obsidyne" has never shown up on T'au elemental charts or been seen before, and wherever the Physsians are finding this material, (if they are finding any at all), they are not being forthcoming with the information. Theories range from an organic substance grown in the "Veil" to some undiscovered power-source, but as of yet no breakthroughs have been made with the fragments acquired from confiscated hard-light repeaters.

6. The light blue crest and silver pip seem to denote the rank of Sae'ta-Tath in the Physsian lexicon, which is analogous to that of our own Shas'vre. In the Physsian armies, they serve as honored and respected veterans, commanding various fireteams (known as Tath'al), as junior officers. 

    

    

    

 

(Further data will be updated when available...aka To be Continued...)

Edited February 24, 2021 by Phatsquirre1

[Olis]

Very nice start, brother. A compelling read. One thing that stood out to me was the use of the apostrophe for Physsian ranks and names - this does sound quite Tau-ish. Is this intentional, say, because the names have been Tau-ified? Is so this may be something worth mentioning in further instalments. 

[Phatsquirre1]

Thank you.  Honestly, I had considered the names to be written according to Physsian language, and not changed from their original spelling. However, that's good point regarding the "Tau-fication" of names and ranks, and something I will have to give more thought to. In fact, in regards to Vehicles and Battlesuits, (when I get around to them) I think it will be certainty that they will be more likely to have been "Tau-ified" due to their ties with the T'au Empire, and their names should match that as a result.  

 

Edit: I added a footnote to the original post. After some more thought, it does make more sense the way you put it. I'll talk about it more when I get to language/culture/etc.

Edited June 18, 2017 by Ninjaman

[Knight of the Raven]

I wonder if these guys recognize the Iron Warriors as the space marines who nearly wiped out their people ten millenia ago, what with how chaotic even the less-corrupted of them look now.

 

I like their helmets.

 

a prototype variation of the XV22 Stealth-suits

Do you mean the XV25 stealth battlesuit? The XV22 was a prototype granted to commanders like Shadowsun (as well as Kais and Or'es'Ka if the first Dawn of War series is to be considered canon) and that was intended to replace the older XV15, but Ultramarines getting their hands on that specific technology made the Earth Caste choose the easier-to-produce XV25 to replace the possibly-about-to-be-countered XV15 as fast as they could.

[Conn Eremon]

I think that this article would read very well if rewritten from the narrative perspective of the T'au Empire. It's already a very good article, but I've noticed things like Terra coming up often. Maybe compare it to T'au (the world) instead? They are already pretty comparable, as T'au is described as mostly an arid prairie world. Only the atmospheric ingredients differentiate them.

 

For now, it's good as-is, but I think it'll really improve this way. Plus, it can better incorporate Olis's suggestion.

 

I'd also like to see if the previous Physsian-Human interactions had an impact on their relationship with the T'au, who have often been at war with the Imperium. Surely their experiences would be a valuable commodity to the T'au, something the Physsians can utilize to leverage for their desired level of autonomy?

[Phatsquirre1]

I wonder if these guys recognize the Iron Warriors as the space marines who nearly wiped out their people ten millenia ago, what with how chaotic even the less-corrupted of them look now.

 

I like their helmets.

 

a prototype variation of the XV22 Stealth-suits

Do you mean the XV25 stealth battlesuit? The XV22 was a prototype granted to commanders like Shadowsun (as well as Kais and Or'es'Ka if the first Dawn of War series is to be considered canon) and that was intended to replace the older XV15, but Ultramarines getting their hands on that specific technology made the Earth Caste choose the easier-to-produce XV25 to replace the possibly-about-to-be-countered XV15 as fast as they could.

 

They see the Imperium as the real force of evil in the galaxy, and ironically (thanks to time and some records being lost) think that the Iron Hands (and not the Iron Warriors) and their successors are the murderers of the Adakine Empire and Physsos. Due to their seclusion on their ark-fleet, they have very little idea of the scope of the Heresy or the Traitor Legions (besides, their warp signature is almost nil, so there's that). Still, to a Physsian, Space Marines are a no-go in general, and despite their martial pride, more than one battle has taken a sideways turn when Physsians have abandoned doctrine to engage Space Marines, often dying in the process.

 

Good catch on the XV22/XV25. Critical brain-fart in progress, must reboot....

 

I think that this article would read very well if rewritten from the narrative perspective of the T'au Empire. It's already a very good article, but I've noticed things like Terra coming up often. Maybe compare it to T'au (the world) instead? They are already pretty comparable, as T'au is described as mostly an arid prairie world. Only the atmospheric ingredients differentiate them.

 

For now, it's good as-is, but I think it'll really improve this way. Plus, it can better incorporate Olis's suggestion.

 

I'd also like to see if the previous Physsian-Human interactions had an impact on their relationship with the T'au, who have often been at war with the Imperium. Surely their experiences would be a valuable commodity to the T'au, something the Physsians can utilize to leverage for their desired level of autonomy?

 

There's a lot of history I have for the Physsians that haven't posted up yet, but Terra is significant for a couple reasons- i) It's easier to compare against since we're all human on the B&C, ii) the Physsians are far older than the Tau are, iii) Physsos was originally located far from where Phy'rakos and the Tau Empire are, closer to Earth than the Eastern Fringe, iv) the Tau have a lot of fluff and we see vassal races from their POV in the canon- I wanted to try something else.

 

Part of the Physsian psyche (which I have yet to discuss) is their innate beliefs and their views in the galaxy. They are a people of real individualism and identity, far more like humans than Tau, and while pragmatic enough to recognize a need for aid, they see themselves as inheritors of the galaxy, much as humans do in 30k, just in a really bad era. For them (and likely vice versa) the T'au are a tool to help the Physsian people return to glory, something to tie themselves to while they recover from millennia of just trying to survive on board their fleets. There's a lot of recovery that needs to happen, and the Physsians of the 40k era are vastly changed from their 30k incarnation- so as much as the T'au tech has helped them, if they had been what they once were, they likely wouldn't have allied themselves to the Tau, and been destroyed in the process.

 

With that said, I did make the ties to the T'au intentional, in order to facilitate their inclusion into the T'au empire. Don't get me wrong, the T'au are very much wary of the intentions of these new guys that popped up behind them, but their commonalities have helped the two species form a bond that has allowed the two races to exist in the manner of Overlord-Vassal without many of the more grimderp aspects the T'au have been rewritten to include (Hey-o communion helms). The Physsians are very individualistic, but also not dumb- they know full well the Tau would crush them at the first sign of betrayal, and furthermore, they have no reason to double-cross the T'au- for now, both species want the same thing.

 

Still, I appreciate the critique, and will take that into account when I do some more fluff for their eventual project log. Actually, it would be cool to get a POV from a Tau Commander assigned to watch the Physsians...and I know just the guy. 

 

Edit: That last part is exactly right. The Physsians see the Tau as their best chance to reconquer Physsos, although the Tau have no intention of spreading that far into Imperial Space. Their experience as void-specialists, history with the Imperium, and mineral wealth of Phy'rakos have proven useful towards autonomy and acceptance, but the majority of their battles were from the age of the Legions, making it somewhat obsolete now in light of their reorganization into Chapters.

Edited June 18, 2017 by Ninjaman

[Conn Eremon]

There's a lot of history I have for the Physsians that haven't posted up yet, but Terra is significant for a couple reasons- i) It's easier to compare against since we're all human on the B&C, ii) the Physsians are far older than the Tau are, iii) Physsos was originally located far from where Phy'rakos and the Tau Empire are, closer to Earth than the Eastern Fringe.

Part of the Physsian psyche (which I have yet to discuss) is their innate beliefs and their views in the galaxy. They are a people of real individualism and identity, far more like humans than Tau, and while pragmatic enough to recognize a need for aid, they see themselves as inheritors of the galaxy, much as humans do in 30k, just in a really bad era. For them (and likely vice versa) the T'au are a tool to help the Physsian people return to glory, something to tie themselves to while they recover from millennia of just trying to survive on board their fleets. There's a lot of recovery that needs to happen, and the Physsians of the 40k era are vastly changed from their 30k incarnation- so as much as the T'au tech has helped them, if they had been what they once were, they likely wouldn't have allied themselves to the Tau, and been destroyed in the process.

 

With that said, I did make the ties to the T'au intentional, in order to facilitate their inclusion into the T'au empire. Don't get me wrong, the T'au are very much wary of the intentions of these new guys that popped up behind them, but their commonalities have helped the two species form a bond that has allowed the two races to exist in the manner of Overlord-Vassal without many of the more grimderp aspects the T'au have been rewritten to include (Hey-o communion helms). The Physsians are very individualistic, but also not dumb- they know full well the Tau would crush them at the first sign of betrayal, and furthermore, they have no reason to double-cross the T'au- for now, both species want the same thing.

 

These are all good points and interesting additions, but I do think they can be best phrased from the T'au perspective. Sort of like how some Imperial DIYs can be best told from the Inquisitorial perspective. This is your article, so I won't argue for it further beyond this final suggestion: experiment with it. Maybe wait until you've completed your true article, but afterwards give it a shot. It might make you think of your xenos race in a different way, perhaps you'll come up with something you really like and can improve upon. The experiment doesn't have to replace the original, it can exist within its own bubble that you can pop out of existence at will, or you can take from it what you've learned and liked.

[Phatsquirre1]

Fair enough, and I think your right in that excluding the T'au entirely would be a huge mistake and missed opportunity for some cool moments between the races. 

 

As an aside, do you have any ideas towards some interactions that might play off interestingly? Ethereals and Commanders are obvious choices, but anything else?

Edited June 18, 2017 by Ninjaman

[Knight of the Raven]

I agree with Conn Eremon with trying to write your race from the T'au's point of view, though for a different reason: practicing your writing skills, be they narration or world-building or anything else that might come out of this.

 

The Physsians see the Tau as their best chance to reconquer Physsos, although the Tau have no intention of spreading that far into Imperial Space.

To be fair, I doubt the T'au even know the Imperium is big enough to own (more or less) space on the other side of the galaxy.

[Phatsquirre1]

I agree with Conn Eremon with trying to write your race from the T'au's point of view, though for a different reason: practicing your writing skills, be they narration or world-building or anything else that might come out of this.

 

The Physsians see the Tau as their best chance to reconquer Physsos, although the Tau have no intention of spreading that far into Imperial Space.

To be fair, I doubt the T'au even know the Imperium is big enough to own (more or less) space on the other side of the galaxy.

I'll try it out, no harm in doing something new, right?

 

Yeah, I've seen as more of a "You want to go where? Oh...right...yeah, maybe we can give it a go once we get everything else sorted out. Maybe."

 

Basically, the Physsians know the likelihood of retaking Physsos is minuscule at best. Still, they hope.

[Phatsquirre1]

Language, Ideology, Diplomacy, and Planetary Holdings added to the original post.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Ninjaman

[Doctor Perils]

Hi there ninjaman,

I think it's a good idea that you are using the imperial dating system, however I'd indicate that the older dates (M7) are only estimated as they are from before old night.

I also like the idea of hardlight weaponry - is this from canon or a fan creation?

 

Finally (for the moment) I wouldn't include your little indications in brackets "(think turians)" etc. Rather as footnotes with asterisks. Also, I'd update your original post with the most up to date version of the article, using other posts as a changelog :)

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks Lord Thorn,

 

Good point about estimates, and I think you're right that such footnotes may not have a place in the article. 

 

Hardlight weaponry is a fan-creation kind of thing, but is based on elements of laser weapons and from other sci-fi franchises (*cough* Halo *cough*).

[walter h]

I hate to say this, but you will have to paint these guys up. Once you paint them up you will be able to determine how they identify themselves ,the way they note their command structure ,and even identify their species. While they act as auxiliaries to, Tau they will have their own species specific symbol. Hope you keep moving forward with this.

[Phatsquirre1]

Don't hate to say it, lol, since its entirely true. I have some ideas for them but until they get painted up I won't be able to tell if they work or not. 

[walter h]

I have been thinking about taking the plunge myself,and creating a ,Tau auxiliary race as well using either beastmen heads ,or possibly skink heads with ,Tau bodies. If I used Skinks then I could maybe use Imperial Guard ,rules that would allow me to use Saurus warrier heads to represent Ogryn, using maybe the new Ogre bodies, just a thought.

[Phatsquirre1]

Cool idea man, go for it. I love the Seraphon *cough* Lizardman *cough* range myself, it'd be awesome to see them in 40k.

[walter h]

I'm going to hold off on that for a minute because there has been rumors of new races coming for ,Tau. Really want to see what they have planned.

[Phatsquirre1]

Original Post updated, made out to be more "T'au" in dating and point-of-view.

[Messor]

Way cool! I love seeing such depth given to a wholly original race concept. It's also interesting that we both featured instances of hardlight technology among T'au allies (though you were certainly doing so long before me). Any of these guys met the brush yet? The kitbash looks really cool.

[Phatsquirre1]

Hey Messor, thanks for the kind words! 

 

I always thought the idea of hardlight weaponry was very cool, and really fell for the idea when I saw it in Halo and Mass Effect. As it was, I thought it was pretty "underrepresented" in 40k, especially for the more advanced races, like the T'au. Glad to see someone is forging ahead with it, among other mysterious tech (cough A.I. cough). 

 

A couple have met the business end of the brush, but I haven't settled on a scheme yet- in fact i'm still toying with more alien ideas, additional conversions, etc. I'll see if I can post a photo sometime soon to get some C&C.

 

I also really want to source some bare heads for these guys before I move ahead with them, and build up a pre-contact/exile force (more on that to come). 

[walter h]

Hey, did you continue with project, or did you decide against the idea.

[Phatsquirre1]

Hey Walter, 

 

The Physsians took a backseat to a couple other projects for a while, and then with the pandemic I lost some of the motivation to work on them.

 

With that said, I have recently started working on them again, and am contemplating revisiting some of the models and fluff I have written. Part of me feels like they were pigeonholed somewhat by their ties to the T'au, and while I'm still interested in that angle in a sense, I'm also curious to see how the Physsians would work as a race that was unaligned with any major players or factions.

 

Similarly, I was a bit put off with how my previous conversions were basically fire warriors with alternate heads, and while I do like the models in their own way, I am looking into alternative ideas, which I hope will both be much more in line with the exile/historical aspects I was looking for, and unique looking.

 

With that said, I did grab a couple of terrible photos of my original color scheme, and updated the first post with them and some newer fluff. Not sure I'l stick with the scheme, as it is also the same one I use for my craftworld eldar, but I did like the look of it for an alien race. 

 

 

[walter h]

You wanted to create a new race,and Tau, offered an opportunity to do it. Their openness to other races to join them as a part of the greater good made it possible. None of the other races offered an opportunity.

I hope you will continue with this. The idea has merit. I think the color scheme is effective. Keep going .

Edited March 15, 2021 by walter h

[Urauloth]

I like these guys a lot. The way their integration with the Tau aligns with their history is a very interesting part of their whole deal and I definitely think it's worth keeping. If you do want to write about and/or model some non-Tau Physsians, you've given yourself room to do that with their range of ideological outlooks leading to breakaway factions.

 

It would be cool to see what other modelling ideas you have for representing them. I hope you work on them more!