Archived: Damocles League

The Damocles League, also known simply as the League, is a stellar confederation of worlds situated within the former Imperium of Man's Ultima Segmentum, near the Eastern Fringes of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Damocles League was founded by the Tau Water Caste following the Second Mon'tau and former Imperium worlds following the Desolation of the Gulf. It began as a trade bloc, but overtime evolved into a confederation, united by the inherited Tau faith known as the Greater Good.

Several intelligent alien races (the Kroot, Vespid, Nicassar and the Demiurg) have allied themselves with the Tau and Humans of the League. The League borders the Imperial faction under Cleophus Crios, and lies within the reach of the Astronomican.

Society
Each race within the Damocles League, has a unique and different society. However all races have one common belief in the Greater Good. The Greater Good, or Tau'va (Tau), known to the Humans commonly as the Rite of the Ethereals, is the founding principle of the League's society. The Tau'va system is based on Castes and is designed to allow for the advancement of the entire League society together towards a more successful, prosperous and easier existence in the future. It was adopted following the establishment of the trade league, swiftly spreading among the human worlds.

The caste system adopted from the Tau following the Second Mon'tau was reformed, with the addition of a sixth caste (the Life Caste replaced the Ethereal Caste following its destruction during the Second Mon'tau, it encompasses all non-Tau and non-Human races), the Soul Caste, which constitutes the Human population. The Air, Earth, Fire and Water castes are retained for the Tau population. Although sources differ, it is widely believed that the Human's caste was named such as a result of their effect on the Immaterium.

League Worlds
As a confederation, the League is highly de-centralised, in terms of population and military power it is two largest contingents are the Gulf Worlds, which constitute the former Imperium worlds and the Tau Zone which includes the original septs of the Tau Empire prior to the Second Mon'tau. The Other Worlds constitute the homeworlds and colonies of the League's minor races.