"For The Greater Good..."- Tau Commander Shas 'O' Kais

The Tau are a young race of technologically-oriented beings from the Eastern Fringe. T'au, the Tau home planet, was discovered in 789.M35 by the Adeptus Mechanicus ship Land's Vision. Adeptus Mechanicus records indicate that at that time, the Tau species had mastered the use of simple tools and weapons, as well as fire.


Tau Society and Physiology
Tau society and physiology revolve around the Sept they are part of. Each caste could almost become a subspecies of their own, such are the variations between the caste members.

Society
The Tau are the most open and tolerant of the races in the galaxy, which means that they prefer not to destroy all other races on sight and are nowhere near as xenophobic as the Imperium. They are appreciative of the ways of the humans, Eldar, and other sentient races, but hold their own values as superior above all others.

Their tolerance also extends to themselves, as the Tau recognize even lowly Fio'la workers as being as important to the operation and well-being of the Empire as Shas'vre Battlesuit leaders or even the highest Aun'o.

Tau names are generally seen in the Imperium as long, complicated, and unwieldy, but they can be broken down into the following:

Caste and rank within that caste.
Sept of birth.
Personal name (which is often determined/extended by their notable actions or achievements)
Castes and Rank
The Caste System organizes all Tau into five different castes and each one of them has a defined social role, be it military, trade, diplomacy, or leadership. The members of a caste are further classified by a specific rank.

Sept
Tau come from many planetary systems, or Septs, and these shape and define their methods of work. Some of these are:

T'au
Vior'la
Sa'cea
Personal Name
Tau personal names, unlike those of humans, usually mean things in their language, depending on the deeds in their lives.

Example
Thus, the Tau named "Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr" (Commander Farsight) would be broken down as follows:

Shas - The individual is a member of the Fire Caste...
O - ...who is a high-ranking Commander and hero...
Vior'la - ...who comes from the Sept of Vior'la...
...and has a personal name translated as being far-sighted (Shovah), skilled (Kais), and having seen many battles (Mont'yr, meaning "blooded").