T’au is the home world of the T’au species and the capital of both the T’au Empire and T’au Sept. It’s a hot, dry planet in the Eastern Fringe, and it’s where the Ethereals’ ruling council sits.
What T’au is like
T’au is a small, arid world with a single continent, mostly covered in savannah and scattered mountain ranges. It’s known for its striking sunsets.
The cities are a world away from Imperial hives: white marble towers rising into the sky, built by the Earth Caste. The little farmland there is run as efficient collective farms.
The capital sits on the equator, and no human has ever walked its streets. Imperial scans can’t penetrate it, blocked by T’au technology. At its centre is a heavily defended fortress, likely the seat of the Ethereal high council.
T’au also has a large moon, Lu’val, which became the T’au Empire’s first off-world colony in 533.M37.
Why it matters
This is where the T’au story starts. The planet was cut off by vast warp storms, and during that isolation it fell into a brutal civil war the T’au call the Mont’au, or ‘the Terror’.
The war ended with the arrival of the mysterious Ethereals, who unified the planet. From there, the T’au expanded fast: within about six thousand years, their empire covered 300 light years.
T’au is also the template for every new T’au colony. New worlds copy its battlesuit combat techniques and its way of war.
First contact with the Imperium
An Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator vessel, the Land’s Vision, found the planet in 789.M35, just before the Age of Apostasy.
The Imperium marked it for cleansing and re-colonisation, but the fleet sent to do it was destroyed in a freak warp storm. When the Imperium came back later, the T’au had already built an empire, and the Imperium managed to conquer several of their worlds.
T’au at a glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Role | T’au home world, T’au Empire capital, T’au Sept capital |
| Location | Eastern Fringe, Ultima Segmentum, north of Ultramar |
| Terrain | Hot, dry, savannah and mountains, one continent |
| Moon | Lu’val, first T’au colony (533.M37) |
| Sept colours | White markings; tan, brown and black armour |
Key facts
- T’au is the home world and capital of the T’au Empire and T’au Sept.
- It’s a hot, dry savannah world with a single continent and white marble cities.
- The Ethereals unified the planet after the civil war known as the Mont’au.
- Lu’val, its moon, was the T’au Empire’s first off-world colony in 533.M37.
- The Imperium discovered T’au in 789.M35 but lost its fleet to a warp storm.
FAQ
Is T’au the same as the T’au Empire?
No. T’au is the planet and the capital. The T’au Empire is the interstellar state that grew out from it and other Septs.
Who rules T’au?
The Ethereals. Their high council is believed to meet in a fortress at the centre of the capital city.
What happened during the Mont’au?
It was a brutal civil war on T’au during the planet’s isolation by warp storms. It ended when the Ethereals appeared and unified the T’au.