The Ethereal lore is all about the fearless and driven leaders of the T’au. They rule the entire population with a single-minded purpose.
All the Ethereal are born into leadership and do their part to expand the greater good. Let’s all bring out our most royal robes and learn about the ruling elite of the T’au.
Ethereal Lore: Top Of The Heap
Are Ethereals the fifth element of 40k? After all, they are the fifth caste of the T’au and the ruling elite. While the other four castes make up the bulk of the population, only the Ethereals are born to lead. Must be nice, born into royalty, and just knowing you are the best.
Their numbers are far smaller than the rest of the castes but they maintain an authoritarian rule over the entire population. It is almost unheard of for another caste to question the decision of an Ethereal, what they say is the law.
They are trained from an early age to counsel, advise, and lead their fellow brethren. They have a duel role in society, at both times spiritual and political leaders. If T’au believed in spiritualism, the Ethereals would be their priests.
Making The Tough Decisions
They understand that they cannot make all the decisions themselves. They still make all the day to day decisions on their own, but when it gets to the big stuff they counsel senior members from each other caste. The Ethereals take their input into consideration, but in the end, it’s up to them to make the final decision. It is an honor to have an Ethereal call on you for your opinion, whether that opinion is used is another thing altogether.
They have a true vision of the Greater Good that the other castes just don’t understand. Even though they benefit the most from it… Still, they make every decision for the Greater Good of not only the T’au but the entire Universe. If they could just convince the pesky Imperium that their way is the best way.
The ultimate goal for any Ethereal is to become part of the Ethereal High Council. This group of high ranking individuals is headed by the Ethereal Supreme. This council makes the major decisions for the entire race that can change the course of history.
Combining The Spiritual And Political
They function as the spiritual guidance for the entire race. So not only do they make all the political decisions, but ones regarding morality as well. In this way, they shape every facet of T’au life. If you want to eat apples but they say no, well, no apples for you.
They don’t do this without tact, however. They are the ultimate motivators and get the most out of every caste. If you need an inspirational speech before the final play of the big game, bring in an Ethereal! A lifetime of training combines with a history of genetics to make the Ethereals some of the best leaders in the entire 40k Universe.
That does it for the leading caste of the T’au. While it may seem harsh, they can get more done than most races with such structure. Don’t underestimate what these Xenos are capable of!
Click for More on Tau & Ethereals
About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
