The-Great-Game-Houses-of-the-Landsraad

THE GREAT GAME HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD

II Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. 2nd Floor, 39 Harwood Rd, London SW6 4QP, United Kingdom [email protected] www.modiphius.net The 2d20 system and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. 2023. All 2d20 system text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with actual people and events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for those people and events described in an historical context. Dune © 2023 Legendary. Dune: Adventures in the Imperium is an officially sub-licensed property from Gale Force Nine, a Battlefront Group Company. All Rights Reserved., except the Modiphius Logo which is Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. II

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD III THE GREAT GAME - HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD - HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD

IV C r e d i t s Cr e at i v e Le a d Andrew Peregrine Wr i t e r s Richard August Simon Berman Jason Durall Keith Garrett Jack Norris Andrew Peregrine Hilary Sklar Devinder Thiara Mari Tokuda Rachel J. Wilkinson Ca n o n Ed i t o r Rachel J. Wilkinson Li n e Ed i t o r Bryce Johnston Gr aph ic De s i g n e r Chris Webb Art Di r ect o r Rocío Martín Pérez Cov e r Art i s t Carlos Cabrera In t e r i o r Art i s t s Eren Arik Avishek Banjeree Alexander Guillen Brox Simon Carr Carmen Cornet Kyle Enochs Susanah Grace Nick Greenwood Olivier Hennart Mikhail Palamarchuk Hans Park Rodrigo Gonzalez Toledo Adrián Sánchez Jonny Sun Justin Usher Lixin Yin Pro o f r e a d e r Erin Willard Project Ma n ag e r Daniel Lade Br a n d Ma n ag e m e n t Joe LeFavi for Genuine Entertainment Tech n ical Adv ice Brian Herbert Kimberley Herbert Byron Merritt Kevin J Anderson The Herbert Properties Team Wi t h Th a nks t o John-Paul Brisigotti Peter Simunovich for Gale Force Nine Brian Herbert Kevin J. Anderson The Herbert Properties team And our wonderful partners at Legendary and the extraordinary filmmakers without whom this game could not have been made. And Frank Herbert, author and creator of the Dune Universe, whose singular vision and imagination have inspired us all. Modiphius Entertainment Ltd., 39 Harwood Rd, London, SW6 4QP, United Kingdom [email protected] www.modiphius.net The 2d20 system and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. 2020. All 2d20 system text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with actual people and events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for those people and events described in an historical context. Dune TM & © [2023] Legendary. All Rights Reserved. Dune: Adventures in the Imperium is an officially sub-licensed property from Gale Force Nine, a Battlefront Group Company. All Rights Reserved., except the Modiphius Logo which is Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Ch i e f Cr e at i v e Of f ice r Chris Birch Ch i e f Ope r at i o n s Of f ice r Rita Birch Ma n ag i n g Di r ect o r Cameron Dicks He a d o f Pro d uct Samantha Webb He a d o f De v elopm e n t Sophie Williams He a d o f Cr e at i v e Se rv ice s Jon Webb Cr e at i v e Co o r d i n at o r Kieran Street Fi n a nci al Co n t rolle r Luc Woolfenden Lo g i s t ics a n d Pro d uct i o n Ma n ag e r Peter Grochulski Art Di r ect o r s Kris Aubin Rocío Martín Pérez St u d i o Co o r d i n at o r Rocío Martín Pérez Ph o t o g r aph e r Fátima Martín Pérez Le a d 3D De s i g n e r Jonathan La Trobe-Lewis Se n i o r 3D De s i g n e r s Colin Grayson Christopher Peacey Domingo Díaz Fermín 3D De s i g n e r s Ben de Bosdari Joana Abbott Sean Bullough Le a d Gr aph ic De s i g n e r Michal E. Cross Gr aph ic De s i g n e r s Chris Webb Leigh Woosey Mark Whittington Stephanie Toro Gurumendi Au d i o a n d Vi d e o Pro d uce r Steve Daldry Ed i t o r Bryce Johnston De v elopm e n t Co o r d i n at o r Jason Enos De v elope r s Ethan Heywood Jono Green 2d20 De v elope r Nathan Dowdell QA Te s t e r s Dominic Westerland Nathan Perry Samantha Laydon Se n i o r Project Ma n ag e r Gavin Dady Project Ma n ag e r s Ben Maunder Chris Shepperson Daniel Lade James Barry As s i s ta n t Project Ma n ag e r s Haralampos Tsakiris Ope r at i o n s Ma n ag e r John Wilson Fact o ry Ma n ag e r Martin Jones Se n i o r Pro d uct i o n Ope r at i v e s Drew Cox Warwick Voyzey Le a d Pro d uct i o n Ope r at i v e Anthony Morris Pro d uct i o n Ope r at i v e s Joshua FroudSilverstone Louis Paul Hartle Jake Pink Miles Turner Thomas Bull To ol Make r s Alex Taylor Luke Gill David Hextall Cu s t o m e r Se rv ice & Acco u n t s Ma n ag e r Lloyd Gyan Ev e n t s Ma n ag e r Gregoire Boisbelaud Co m m u n i t y Ma n ag e r April Hill Tr a n slat i o n s a n d Publi s h i n g Ma n ag e r Matt Timm Di s t r ibu t i o n & Ke y Acco u n t s Ma n ag e r Gary Moore Ma rke t i n g Ma n ag e r Ben O'Briend Ma rke t i n g Co o r d i n at o r Shaun Hocking Cu s t o m e r Suppo rt Repr e s e n tat i v e Chris Dann Webs t o r e Ma n ag e r Apinya Ramakomud Bo okke epe r Valya Mkrtchyan

C o n t e n t s INTRODUCTION ........................................ 2 The Guild and the Bene Gesserit ......................3 Houses, Major and Minor..................................3 Titles and Banners.............................................4 Conflict in the Imperium ...................................4 SOURCE BOOK OVERVIEW ........................ 5 CHAPTER � THE GREAT GAME THE LANDSRAAD COUNCIL ..................... 8 The High Council ..............................................9 The Great Convention.......................................9 The Nature of the Landsraad ............................9 Meetings of Representatives ........................9 Assembling a Quorum.................................10 Positions Within the Landsraad ...................10 Powers of the Landsraad .............................10 Subdivisions ....................................................11 The Landsraad’s Bureaucracy.......................11 Kaitain .............................................................11 The Landsraad Hall of Oratory ....................12 Progress of a Landsraad Meeting................13 On the Sidelines ..........................................13 CHOAM.......................................................... 14 The Structure of CHOAM................................15 CHOAM and the Landsraad ...........................15 CHOAM and the Guild Bank ..........................15 The Imperial Audit .........................................16 CHOAM PLAYER CHARACTERS .............. 17 Roles ...............................................................17 CHOAM Agent............................................17 Archetypes ......................................................17 Traits, Skills, Focuses, and Drives ....................17 CHOAM Agent................................................17 Talents ............................................................18 Audit ...........................................................18 Check the Books..........................................18 Deep Pockets...............................................18 Dirty Money .................................................18 Hand of CHOAM .........................................18 Master of Coin.............................................18 Report Malfeasance.....................................18 HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD ................. 19 Becoming a House..........................................20 Houses Great and Small..................................20 Membership in the High Council.................20 Houses Major...............................................20 Houses Minor...............................................20 Ties to the Throne .......................................21 Renegade Houses ...........................................21 Tupile ...........................................................22 Relationships within the Landsraad .................23 The Imperial Connection .............................23 Relations with CHOAM................................23 Atomics and Renegades..............................23 Hail the God Emperor! ................................24 Relations Between Houses..............................24 Between Houses Major................................24 Between Major and Minor...........................25 Between Vassal Minor Houses.....................25 Between Other Minor Houses .....................26 Relations with Other Groups...........................26 The Art of Kanly ..............................................27 A War of Assassins.......................................27 CHAPTER � HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD HOUSE ALEXIN ........................................... 30 HOUSE ATREIDES ....................................... 32 HOUSE ECAZ................................................ 34 HOUSE HAGAL ............................................ 36 HOUSE HARKONNEN ................................ 38 HOUSE KENOLA.......................................... 40 HOUSE LINDAREN ..................................... 42 HOUSE MAROS............................................. 44 HOUSE MIKARROL..................................... 46 HOUSE MORITANI ..................................... 48 HOUSE MUTELLI......................................... 50 HOUSE NOVEBRUNS .................................. 52 HOUSE RICHESE ......................................... 54 HOUSE SPINNETTE.................................... 56 HOUSE TALIGARI ....................................... 58 HOUSE THORVALD..................................... 60 HOUSE VERNIUS ......................................... 62 HOUSE WYDRAS ......................................... 64 CHAPTER� THE SPACING GUILD The Guild Bank ...............................................68 The Guild, CHOAM, and the Landsraad ..............68 Junction ..........................................................69 ORGANIZATION & PERSONNEL................ 69 Brokers.........................................................70 Guild Bank Representatives ........................70 Technicians ..................................................70 Ambassadors ..............................................70 Administrators ............................................70 Navigators ..................................................70 GUILD AGENTS .......................................... 71 Independent Agents....................................71 New Spacing Guild Archetypes ......................72 Guild Engineer.............................................72 Guild Financier.............................................72 Guild Inspector............................................73 Guild Scientist..............................................73 Guild Scout..................................................73 Guild Spy .....................................................73 New Focuses...................................................74 New Talents.....................................................74 Code of Secrecy .........................................74 Guild Peace ................................................74 Guild Upbringing ........................................74 Methodical Efficiency ..................................74 Minor Spice Mutation .................................74 Nose for Cargo ...........................................75 Play Both Ends Against the Middle .............75 Power of Neutrality .....................................75 Space Power ...............................................75 Spacer .........................................................75 The Cylinder Must Get Through..................75 TRAVELING THE UNIVERSE .................... 76 Journey and Loading Times...........................76 Guild Heighliners ............................................77 Traveling without the Guild.............................77 House Wayku ..................................................78 Playing as House Wayku..............................78 Variant Heighliners ..........................................79 Armed Heighliner ........................................79 Colony Heighliner........................................79 Courier Heighliner .......................................79 CREATING PLANETS.................................. 80 Planet Type ..................................................81 Political Affiliation ........................................81 Military Power..............................................82 Population and Lifestyle ..............................82 Example of Creating a World ......................83 Vallabhi ........................................................83 CHAPTER � MANAGING YOUR HOUSE HOUSE MANAGEMENT ............................ 87 Features ..........................................................87 The Rhythm of Play .........................................87 HOUSE STATISTICS .................................... 88 House Skills .....................................................88 Determining Starting House Skills ...............88 Non-Player Character Houses and Drives ........88 STATUS AND REPUTATION ...................... 90 Starting Status.................................................91 Reputation.......................................................91 DOMAINS...................................................... 92 Planetary Scale................................................92 Minor Houses and Major Houses ....................93 Starting Domains.............................................94 Recording Domains.........................................94 HOUSE ROLES .............................................. 95 RUNNING HOUSE MANAGEMENT ........... 96 News from the Imperium................................ 96 Income ............................................................ 97 Converting Wealth and Resources ................97 Events.............................................................. 98 Upkeep .......................................................... 101 Military Power..............................................101 Population Loyalty.......................................101 Lifestyle .......................................................102 House Skills .................................................103 House Roles.................................................103 Ventures ........................................................ 104 Managing Ventures....................................104 Expanding Domains......................................105 Losing a Domain ...........................................105 Construction Ventures...................................106 Claim Domain............................................106 Domain Facility ..........................................106 Expand Estate............................................107 Expand Land .............................................107 Festival.......................................................107 Fortifications ..............................................108 Great Monument ......................................108 Hidden Area ..............................................108 Industrialize................................................108 Military Base ..............................................108 Military Development................................108 Mine ..........................................................109 Orbital Facility ...........................................109 Planetary Feature ......................................109 Pleasure District.........................................109 Spaceport ..................................................109 Transit System............................................109 Storage Facility .........................................109 Major and Great Houses............................110 Boon Ventures...............................................110 Balk Enemy ................................................110 Bene Gesserit Alliance...............................110 CHOAM Agreement..................................110 CHOAM Influence .....................................111 Cultivate Initiative......................................111 Cultivate Obedience..................................111 Cultivate Unity ...........................................111 Enlist Ally ...................................................111 Establish Reputation..................................111 Favor of the Bene Gesserit........................111 Favor of the Spacing Guild........................111 Fill a House Role........................................111 Fund Discovery..........................................111 Gain Reputation.........................................112 Gain Territory .............................................112 Guild Alliance ............................................112 Heighliner Charter .....................................112 Humanitarian Aid.......................................112 Improve Skills.............................................112 Mount Invasion ..........................................112 Prepare for War..........................................113 Reduce Status............................................113 Saber Rattling ............................................113 Secret Store ...............................................113 End of Year and Downtime ........................... 114 Personal Ventures..........................................114 Affirm Allegiance .......................................114 Combat Training........................................114 Craft Item...................................................114 Create Composition ..................................115 Develop Contact........................................115 Heal Complication.....................................115 Skill Training...............................................115 Monitor Enemies .......................................115 Romantic Connection ................................115 Seek Consort .............................................115 Seek House Favor......................................115 Train Subordinates .....................................115 WARFARE.................................................... 116 FROM MINOR TO MAJOR........................ 117 From Nascent to Established Minor ..........117 From Minor to Major .................................117 From Major to Great..................................117 PLANET RECORD SHEET........................... 118 MOON RECORD SHEET ............................. 119 HOUSE MANAGEMENT RECORD SHEET ..................................... 119 HOUSE RECORD SHEET............................. 120 HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD V

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HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 1

I n t ro d u c t i o n Good government never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders. —Law and Governance, The Spacing Guild Manual The Landsraad is the wheel upon which the Known Universe turns. A wheel that rotates around the Imperial throne at its center, and which is kept in motion by the power of the Spacing Guild. The council of the Landsraad keeps the peace between the Houses, and maintains the Great Convention, through enlightened self-interest. The peace and status quo of the Imperium has made the Houses that control the Landsraad wealthy and powerful, and so this council of peers works hard to ensure things stay as they are. While the Emperor officially controls the Imperium, the Landsraad must manage a very careful balance between the hundreds of noble Houses that administer it in their name. Without the Spacing Guild to maintain the connections between humanity and the noble Houses to manage the local administration of the thousands of planets of the Known Universe, the Imperium would fall apart. While the political map of the Imperium has held strong for ten thousand years, it remains a complex web of rivalries, favors, and compromises that might collapse at any moment. Aside from the Great Convention, all that keeps the peace is that the current situation is generally advantageous to the most powerful noble Houses. But if that should change, the Imperium could easily tear itself apart in moments. In this sourcebook we take a look at the cornerstone of Imperial politics, the great council of noble Houses known as the Landsraad. We look at what it means to be a noble House and how this collection of allies and deadly rivals manage to trade, negotiate, and manipulate each other to achieve their ends. We offer new options for intrigue conflicts and detail the House management system where Houses might be pitted against each other and build their reputation across the Known Universe. We offer new insight into the Guild, allowing you to expand your campaign away from the sands of Arrakis and into the vastness of the Imperium and its deadly politics. You will need to take care, though, for as deadly as Arrakis can be, the dangers there were at least obvious. In the corridors of power, a knife might come from any shadow, figuratively and literally. 2

The Landsraad is the name of the collective body of the Major Houses of the Imperium. Officially the Landsraad is an advisory body, a way for the Emperor to weigh the concerns of the Great Houses before making a decision that will affect the Empire. However, while the Landsraad may have little official power to curtail the Emperor, in practice it is not quite so simple. The Emperor can only rule with the backing of the Landsraad, as House Corrino alone cannot possibly administrate the entire galaxy. So, the Emperor must listen to the concerns of the Houses and try not to upset too many of them, for fear of losing control. The relationship between the Landsraad assembly and the Imperial throne is further complicated by the multitude of trade agreements across the Known Universe embodied by the Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles (CHOAM). As every noble House has shares in CHOAM to some degree, the relationship between the advisory council of the Landsraad and this trading organization is exceptionally close. This means that each noble House can exert power through politics within the Landsraad or with trade through CHOAM. With every House having connections to both organizations, to upset the Landsraad is to upset CHOAM, and vice versa. However, few noble Houses have the same level of influence in both organizations. So, the reaction to any unfavorable Imperial edict reverberates through the corridors of power in very different ways. While any individual House might exert all its influence to stand against the change, where and how it can exert that influence will depend on where its power lies. This is not to say the Emperor is unable to do anything unpopular. Fear of the Sardaukar keeps most Houses in line. So long as the Emperor punishes one House at a time and doesn’t move against anyone too popular, few Houses dare stand against the throne, lest they become an object lesson in humility. While the Great Spice War was quite recent, the memory of what the Sardaukar did to House Taligari and House Richese will never be forgotten. So, when conflict brews between the throne and the Landsraad, most Houses let someone else be the first to voice dissent and see what happens to them. In theory, every House Major has a voice on this council, although some voices are heard louder than others. In the vast Landsraad ‘Hall of Oratory’ on Kaitain, there is a seat and a space for every member House to attend, or at least send a representative. This means there could be several hundred, if not thousands, of delegates. However, while there is a space for every member House, this does not mean every House can attend. When the Emperor addresses the Landsraad, they do so only to those in the hall, and they expect others to relay the news across the Imperium. Not every House can afford to keep a representative (much less a Lord or Lady of their House) on Kaitain, so it is very rare for the Landsraad hall to be full every time the Emperor attends. As such, not every House hears every edict and piece of news as quickly as any other. This means it is vital for any courtier to follow the mood of the court and the Emperor, so they strive to be present when an important edict is likely to be presented. With little direct influence on the Emperor, the most useful function of the Landsraad is as oversight to the collected noble Houses. Any dispute not important enough to warrant Imperial attention is adjudicated by the Landsraad. The body can appoint a council of neutral member Houses to sit in judgment on their peers. Their ruling will be backed by the collected power of the Landsraad as a whole, as stipulated in Imperial law. It is this power to settle arguments that makes it a vital place to make allies and secret allegiances. After all, if one’s House is accused of a crime, it is a lot easier to get a favorable judgment if the supposedly neutral arbiters appointed all happen to owe that House a favor. T h e G u i l d a n d t h e B e n e G e s s e r i t As they do not represent noble Houses, the Guild and Bene Gesserit do not have seats in the Landsraad. Because the Landsraadacts as an advisory council rather than a voting one, neither the Guild nor the Bene Gesserit sees a need to get involved. A brief attempt to gain more influence for the Bene Gesserit was made by Empress Anirul, herself a Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank, when she insisted on being able to attend Landsraad gatherings by the side of the Emperor as his wife. But this option died with Anirul, and the Bene Gesserit (like the Guild) choose to exert their influence in other ways. While they rarely attend as such, the Bene Tleilax are technically a noble House (in the loosest possible term) and so might claim a seat. But they choose to stand aloof from the Landsraad in the same way as the Guild and Bene Gesserit. H o u s e s , Ma j o r a n d Mi n o r The noble Houses of the Imperium are many and varied, and while the division into Major and Minor Houses may seem simple, it is anything but that in practice. Officially, a House can only claim to be a House Major if it controls a planet of its own and owes fealty only to the Emperor. Any House that cannot claim either independence or their own world is therefore a Minor House. However, in truth the title any House claims depends entirely on what it has the power to take. Most Houses Minor are small dynasties holding a fief on behalf of the House Major that controls the planet. But in some cases, a House Minor may have amassed more wealth than some Major Houses. Some hold a moon or planet (albeit usually a small one)as a fief on behalf of their HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 3

liege House. Such power is usually granted to those who are very trusted or who need to be appeased by their ruling House Major. A few Major Houses lose so much of their power and prestige they become Houses Minor, some even forced to depend upon another House for protection. One example is House Richese, who do not owe vassalage and still control a whole planet, but who no longer have the political power or resources to claim House Major status. While many Houses Minor rankle at the control their liege House might exert, the position is not without its advantages. To a certain degree, a House Minor is ‘out of the game’, as they are not really powerful enough to be a useful ally or a dangerous-enough enemy. In this way a House with less ambition that has things just as they would like them may be happy to stay out of the limelight. Additionally, where a House Minor owes fealty to a House Major, it is also owed protection in return. To attack a House Minor is to attack the House Major it serves. Of course, should the House Major enter some form of warfare, the House Minor is expected to back it up, so life as a House Minor does not guarantee existence free from threat of violence. T i t l e s a n d B a n n e r s Every noble House has a right to its own banners and arms. Unlike the complex ancient heraldry systems of ancient Europe on Earth, the symbol of any House is rarely more than a single sigil and color. However, some take similar images to Houses they have a strong connection to (such as through marriage) or a House they serve, though in some cases the symbols were chosen so long ago they are no longer relevant, but they remain nonetheless. The Landsraad registers the sigils and colors of every House to avoid any clashes. From then on, the new House can put its sigil on anything and everything it owns, a way to stake a claim and remind others that what they are looking at is claimed by someone of power. Essential to the formation of a noble House is a noble title, which can only be bestowed by the Emperor. Many such titles date back to the Battle of Corrin and the victory over the thinking machines, although a rare few are even older. Unlike the ancient times, all titles are effectively equal. There is little difference between a Duke, Baron, or Count (or a Duke and a Duchess). The real power of a House is in its holdings and resources, and it is these that determines the respect it is owed. However, the original title is often awarded relative to the service the founder gave to the Empire. As such, it is a permanent reminder that the origins of some Houses are just that little bit better than some others. While it may rankle some Houses to have a ‘lesser’ title than their peers, some see it as a badge of honor. For Houses such as Harkonnen, the comparatively low title of Baron on one of the most powerful Houses of the Landsraad says ‘Look how far I’ve come’ and as such serves as a warning not to get in its way. Conversely, a high title on a fallen House can be a reminder they have failed to live up to the promise of their ancestors. C o n f l i c t i n t h e I m p e r i u m While the noble Houses of the Imperium do not get along, open warfare is very rare. However, this is not due to any reticence toward violence. Two pillars maintain the peace in the Imperium: the Great Convention and the will of the Spacing Guild. The Great Convention is a complex agreement signed by all the Houses of the Landsraad. It states which weapons may and may not be used in warfare. Given the technology of the Imperium, there are terrible weapons that might scour whole planets. The Great Convention restricts their use to ensure that should war break out, there will still be an Imperium left when the dust settles. The most renowned weapon ban is that on atomic weapons. This extends to any atomic or pseudo-atomic detonation and, as such, moderates the use of lasguns where shields may be in play. It ensures that where shields are present on vehicles and important facilities, their presence means enemies would be fools to bring lasguns to a fight. It could therefore be argued that the Great Convention actually offers more protection than that shield! The Great Convention not only keeps the peace between Houses but also enforces a code that allows any noble House to have some idea where an attack might come from. As this makes them all feel safer, the Landsraad is brutal to any House that breaks these rules. If found guilty of breaking the Great Convention, a House may be declared renegade. As such, its holdings and resources are divided among its peers, and its members are no longer protected by any of the laws of the Imperium. Their enemies can hunt down the members of the House and murder them with impunity. In addition to the Great Convention and the price for breaking its tenets, the will of the Spacing Guild cannot be underestimated. The Guild relies on a steady flow of spice. War and conflict can only endanger the safe and constant delivery of this vital commodity. So, the Guild charges exorbitant fees for transporting weapons of war from one planet to another. Most Houses cannot send troops, tanks, or battleships against their enemies, not because they lack the will or military power, but because they simply cannot afford the transport fees. Delivering a large invasion force might nearly bankrupt a House if it cannot deliver a decisive blow and claim spoils from its enemy. However, while outright warfare is rare, it still occurs. House Moritani has often used military force to make direct attacks on their enemy House Ginaz, even going as far to attack the Ginaz Swordmaster School. Most Houses, 4

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 5 though, pursue other means to destroy each other and pursue vendetta. Where an army is expensive to transport, a skilled assassin is not. Where a lasgun cannot be used, poison in a drink or on a blade serves just as well. The art of assassination is moderated by the rules of kanly. This body of ancient laws and traditions ensure that a vendetta remains limited to the feuding Houses and reduces collateral damage. An important part of these rules is a declaration of kanly, which warns an enemy House that they have offended another and offers them an opportunity to apologize and make amends before bloodshed begins. Unfortunately, for most Houses who reach this point, an apology is out of the question, but it does formalize the conflict and allow other Houses to give them a wide berth. Once two Houses lock themselves into conflict, it can usually only end with the utter eradication of one or the other. Within the rules of this deadly game are all manner of deceptions and traps. Anyone with noble blood is in danger, anyone may be an assassin, and any life might be snuffed out in moments. Even with a code, the conflict allows for terrible brutality and retribution. An enemy may emerge with a knife in the shadows, use soldiers, or foster rumor and hearsay to drive away allies. And thus, the threat of violence, in any form, from any quarter, is daily life for those who participate in the ‘great game’ of politics in the Imperium. S o u rc e B o o k O v e rv i e w CHAPTER 1 – THE GREAT GAME This chapter details the nature of the Landsraad and the political map of the Imperium. We take an in-depth look at the Landsraad itself, how it is organized and how individual Houses try to take power among the rivalries and positions of the organization. We also examine CHOAM and offer new options for player characters. Here also is guidance on both playing and running political campaigns. CHAPTER 2 – HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD This chapter lists sixteen renowned Houses of the Landsraad ready to be brought into campaigns: Alexin, Atreides, Ecaz, Hagel, Harkonnen, Kenola, Lindaren, Maros, Mikarrol, Moritani, Mutelli, Novebruns, Richese, Spinette, Taligari, Thorvald, Vernius, and Wydras. Each entry details the homeworld, history, rulers, and agenda of each House, as well as their banners and coats-of-arms. The motives of each House offer several adventure possibilities and ways the player character’s House might find a way to get close to them. CHAPTER 4 – HOUSE MANAGEMENT In this chapter we offer a detailed system for managing the affairs of a House. We look at how domains create wealth, and how that wealth can be spent to build new holdings and advance a House’s reputation. We look at the process of declaring kanly, managing allies and enemies, and how to use this system to provoke new adventures and scenario hooks. CHAPTER 3 – THE GUILD The Spacing Guild is the glue that binds the Imperium together. So, in this chapter we look at the Guild as the transport and communication network of the Imperium. We detail the organization of the Guild and how it also works as a banking institution. We include new options and Talents for Guild Agent characters. We then look at what it is like to travel on a Heighliner, how to book passage, and how to deal with the mysterious House Wayku. We also offer new rules for creating planets for the player characters to visit or as the domains of allied or enemy Houses.

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HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 7 C h a p t e r 1 : T h e G r e at G a m e “Immobility is often mistaken for peace.” —Emperor Elrood Corrino IX

Th e La n d s r a a d Co u ncil n any society made up of many great Houses, nobles come together to negotiate deals, make treaties, declare wars, and where there is an overall ruler, to balance that ruler’s power. There are many parallels throughout ancient history, most barely remembered. Immediately prior to the Butlerian Jihad there was a body known as the League of Nobles which, by the end of the war with the thinking machines, held sway over more than 13,300 worlds. With the ascension of Faykan Corrino I to the Lion Throne, the Houses established the Landsraad in something close to its current form. Although there has been some evolution in the rituals and methods of the Landsraad, its status and functions have remained largely the same for more than ten millennia. Tradition has a significant role to play when holding powerful Houses in check, and the Houses are, almost by their very nature, conservative. Under the Faufreluches caste system, the Landsraad is one of the pillars, along with the Padishah Emperor and the Guild, keeping the Imperium stable. As power ebbs and flows between the Great and Major Houses, so does the nature of the Landsraad change, but a greater influence is the attitude of the Padishah Emperors. The Landsraad acts as a check and balance to Corrino power, but there is little the Landsraad can do without Imperial ratification. Should the Great and Major Houses ever manage to unite, their military power might equal the Emperor’s Sardaukar, but should this come to pass, the Spacing Guild would determine the likely outcome. Most Padishah Emperors, therefore, have used the Landsraad to ensure the Houses remain divided, pitting them against one another to keep them in check. This tension limits the effectiveness of the Landsraad. I 8

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 9 T h e H i g h C o u n c i l As collecting the entire Landsraad is problematic at best, many of the more day-to-day rulings are made by the High Council. This group of around twenty to thirty House representatives is the central power of the Landsraad. However, who actually sits on the council depends on a number of factors. In theory it is made up of the most powerful Houses, but not every powerful House is interested in Landsraad politics. While there is influence in being a part of it, the constant meetings can be very dull and often unimportant. As there are many such meetings, it is more often the most reliable Houses with constant representatives on Kaitain that actually take the seats. Like any Landsraad meeting, not every seat is filled each time a council is called. This means that membership in the High Council constantly fluctuates, although a few particular Houses can be reliably assumed to be in attendance. While it does have a lot of authority, its lack of certain power players (such as both the Harkonnen and Atreides) means a few Houses don’t take it as seriously as they perhaps ought to. I like Dune. T h e G r e at C o n v e n t i o n The Great Convention keeps the Great Houses in balance and ensures their conflicts are minimized. Most Houses possess atomic weapons, though their state and amounts are unknown. These weapons are part status symbol and part military deterrent. The Great Convention bans utterly the use of atomic weapons against civilian targets and dictates that any House defying this ban is considered to be renegade. However, this declaration of renegade status needs the agreement of both the Landsraad and the Emperor, but once declared, a renegade House faces massive retaliation from other Houses, up to and including obliteration of their home planet. Some Houses have courted this danger, committing atrocities without being declared renegade. Acts of war conducted within the rules of the Great Convention and not involving atomic weapons rarely lead to renegade status. There is an ongoing debate about stone burners in the Landsraad, conventional weapons that nonetheless use atomics for fuel. Though stone burners skirt the intentions of the Great Convention, they do not actually break it and thus far, their use has never led to a House being declared renegade. Non-atomic weapons do not fall under the Great Convention, though it is necessary to respect certain forms surrounding their use. These forms include the issuance of some form of announcement, warning, or declaration of war prior to the commencement of hostilities in accordance with The Assassins’ Handbook. Much lively debate in the Landsraad centers around whether a specific action was in accordance with the Great Convention. The more support a House has in the Landsraad, the more they are likely to get away with a borderline case. The Great Convention allows for limited warfare, known as a War of Assassins. A War of Assassins can involve armies and battleships and lead to a huge amount of destruction of cities, industries, and indeed, the civilian population of a planet. Biological weapons are an interesting case. Some argue they are banned by Imperial decree, and they are not covered in the The Assassins’ Handbook, but Imperial decrees do not have the status of the Great Convention, and from time to time the Landsraad has allowed their use. Kanly takes the form of a feud or vendetta between two Houses and, while proxies may be employed, does not allow violence upon civilians. Kanly is highly ritualized, and once declared in the Landsraad, the assembly usually records it as legitimate. A War of Assassins can have consequences for the civilian population of a planet, but kanly must avoid creating a large amount of collateral damage. Kanly is discussed in greater detail on p.27. T h e N at u r e o f t h e L a n d s r a a d The Landsraad is a large and unwieldy body, consisting of the heads of all the Great, Major, and Minor Houses, several hundred strong, a precise number that has varied over history. Each House has a single vote. Minor Houses almost invariably vote along with their Major House. It is not always feasible for the head of a House to attend in person, so Houses may send proxies in their stead. Each attendee carries the seal of the House they represent. Not everything brought before the Landsraad requires a vote. Landsraad meetings are not just about the hearing of declarations and voting on motions. They also provide an opportunity for the heads of Houses (or their proxies) to get together, make and seal deals, and cement social relationships. Many noble marriages are arranged on Kaitain at the grand social events surrounding Landsraad meetings. MEETINGS OF REPRESENTATIVES Meetings of the Landsraad occur on a regular basis every three Standard Years. Any House can call for an extraordinary meeting to deal with an urgent situation, but such a request requires the approval of the High Council. The Emperor has no voice on the High Council, as one of the principal functions of this elite body is to act as a check and balance to the Padishah Emperor. Although the Emperor does not have to ratify the decision to hold an emergency meeting, several times in the

10 past, decisions at such a meeting have been declared illegitimate because the Emperor refused to attend and ratify those decisions. Though the regular meetings of the Landsraad are always at the same time and arranged place they are poorly attended. Extraordinary meetings take a while to arrange because heralds must travel to all the Houses of the Imperium to inform them of the appointed date. Most Houses keep staff stationed on Kaitain to facilitate this. ASSEMBLING A QUORUM Seats in the Hall of Oratory are often empty during meetings, although nearly every House sends a representative. Sometimes this is a docent or a trusted employee, but more frequently, the head of a House gives their seal to another House within the same faction, someone they trust to vote the way they would vote had they been able to be present. There is no limit to the number of votes an individual may carry. To pass, a motion put to the entire Landsraad requires a two-thirds majority of all Houses eligible to vote, not just a majority of those present. Some motions (such as declaring a House renegade) also require the Emperor’s ratification. POSITIONS WITHIN THE LANDSRAAD Within the Landsraad, every head of House is considered equal, and the Padishah Emperor is first among equals. In truth, the more-powerful Houses dictate most of the policy and the Major Houses ensure the Minor Houses associated with them do not undermine their agendas. It is therefore difficult to get agreement upon who should occupy any position within the Landsraad. The responsibility for taking minutes rests with the Secretary, a position which rotates between members of the High Council. Each meeting the Secretary of the Landsraad appoints a member of their own House (usually a Mentat) to do the actual minute taking. Recording of the proceedings is routine, so it is a simple matter to check the minutes for accuracy. Occasionally there are attempts to create other positions, but rivalries between the Houses make these short-lived. Anything that places one House above the others in appearance invariably leads to trouble. The Padishah Emperor acts as the Landsraad’s chair and has a casting vote. The High Council appoints Judges of the Change, often in consultation with the Landsraad at large, but always with the Emperor’s ratification. Like Liet Kynes, Imperial Planetologist of Arrakis, these are often Imperial servants, as they are the only neutral parties between the Houses. Each has a specific remit to monitor the implementation of a Landsraad decision, such as a change in fief, a kanly negotiation, or a War of Assassins. Once appointed, a Judge’s authority becomes almost impossible to overturn, requiring the complainant to submit their grievance to the High Council in a Bill of Particulars. Even the High Council cannot overturn the Judge’s decision unless the Emperor is present in person. Complex negotiation and much debate inevitably surrounds the appointment of a Judge of the Change, and the wise regard their decisions as final. POWERS OF THE LANDSRAAD The Landsraad has limited powers. The head of each House has absolute authority over their own subjects, although Minor Houses risk suffering greatly if they do not carry out the wishes of the Major House to whom they owe fealty. As such, it is difficult for the Landsraad to force the head of a House to do anything. The major functions of the Landsraad are to ratify the Emperor’s decisions and to act as a form of check and balance on Imperial power. However, it really has little power to do anything but voice its concerns. The Landsraad has been in place for a long time and has spanned the reigns of 81 consecutive Corrino emperors, some of whom paid more attention to the authority and sensibilities of the Landsraad than others. Shaddam II, for instance, treated the High Council as if they were his personal advisors, giving them full honors and taking heed of their advice. Renata III, on the other hand, despised the Landsraad and tried to disband it, her efforts ceasing only with her assassination. The Landsraad’s power is both complex and indirect. As a body it can convene councils of noble Houses to sit in judgment of their own. But who is picked and what they decide is often mired in politics. The Landsraad can assign and remove CHOAM directorships and try to persuade the Emperor to do likewise. The economic power of such a directorship means that it usually suffices to bring errant Houses into line. But again, such appointments are mired in politics. Where the Landsraad is most useful and respected is in arbitrating disputes between Houses and groups of Houses. If the Landsraad cannot provide an acceptable solution, the High Council can request that the Emperor appoint a Judge of the Change to monitor the hostilities. The Landsraad also hears cases where there has been an accusation that a House has broken the Great Convention or violated any of the decisions laid down by previous sessions of the Landsraad or, with the Emperor’s ratification, violated an Imperial decree. Technically, the Landsraad can call upon the Emperor to send his Sardaukar against insubordinate or renegade Houses. But in practice, few Houses like to see these

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 11 terror troops let off the leash, as the Emperor might turn them on anyone. So, for the most part, troubles between Houses are dealt with by kanly, which the Landsraad can moderate and oversee. Here, it has the most success, with most Houses following the rules of vendetta while being respectful of the oversight of their peers. Additionally, every 400 years, negotiations between the Guild, the Landsraad, and the Emperor set the purchasing power of the solari, the standard unit of currency in the Imperium. S u b d i v i s i o n s The only formal subdivisions within the Landsraad are the High Council and the Landsraad as a whole. The High Council is a smaller body consisting only of the most powerful individuals in the Known Universe. At times it has functioned as a privy council to the Emperor and at other times it has held a purely ceremonial function. Much depends on the attitude of the Emperor. The Landsraad as a whole is big and unwieldy, meets rarely, and reaches a majority decision only with great difficulty. The High Council remains in closer touch and can act surprisingly quickly, as several renegade Houses have learned to their detriment. Subcommittees are set up from time to time on an as-needed basis. This comes about when there is a need for cooperation of Houses within a single domain. For example, relief for a famine might be a task for a subcommittee made up of representatives of Agricultural Houses. Heads of Houses are inclined to delegate this detailed, bureaucratic work to docents, Mentats, or other suitable members of their staff. Such a subcommittee might employ scientists to research the cause of the famine, then liaise with the Guild to supply relief to those planets affected, and liaise with CHOAM to supply finances to fund the relief. There are also informal caucuses made up of Houses with interests in the same domain. Scientific Houses, for instance, might wish to share data or ask the opinions of their peers. Industrial Houses might wish to share the latest technological advances or, more likely, sell these to other Houses who could help increase production. These caucuses have no formal structure and tend to meet on the sidelines of the regular Landsraad meetings on an as-needed basis. While like-minded Houses often get together, full subcommittees are usually brought together and broken up quickly. They are convened for a specific purpose and disbanded as soon as that purpose is complete. This allows every House to have a ‘turn’ at being on a committee to share out the power. It also stops these committees becoming long-term power blocs within the Landsraad. As such, their temporary and open nature is the key to their success. THE LANDSRAAD’S BUREAUCRACY Due to the feudal nature of society in the Known Universe, nearly all competent individuals are employed by one of the Houses and expected to remain loyal to their House. As such, the Landsraad employs only a few civil servants to do the paperwork and administer its decisions. Exceptions are when a competent individual is working for the Guild, CHOAM, or the Bene Gesserit (who tend only to employ their own initiates). In such cases, the assumption is that the employee’s loyalty is to their faction. Aside from administration, the Landsraad has need of experts to advise on specialist issues. The solution to this is each House putting forward a cohort of its own people to fulfill these functions. It is a great honor to serve one’s House in this manner and to spend time working on Kaitain, keeping in close touch with the House leadership back home. Many of these scribes, experts, and administrators double as ambassadors for their House on Kaitain. Nearly all serve a term of duty and return home to be replaced by another employee of the House. Some trusted representatives are permitted to take their families and household servants to Kaitain with them. These employees are allotted space in House accommodation on Kaitain in accordance with their status and the degree to which they enjoy the trust of their House. It is not unknown for a House representative to be corrupted during their tour of duty on Kaitain, and each House is responsible for the consequences if their representative is found to be guilty of such behavior. Depending on the infraction and the nature of the House, this may range from dismissal of duties to summary execution. Ka i ta i n The Imperial capital planet Kaitain is a living demonstration of the power of the Corrino emperors. The capital of Corrinth City is the center of the Known Universe and is full of impressive palaces, galleries, parks, and the famed zoological gardens. A few of these facilities are open to the public and more are open to the Emperor’s invited guests. The Diplomatic Quarter is not far from the vast Imperial Palace and there, space is allocated for every House in the Landsraad. All land on Kaitain is owned by the Emperor, but use is granted to the Houses so that they might serve the Imperium and the Landsraad. Each House with land has built on their allotted land with the aim of expressing its own glory, power, and wealth. Individual Houses take care not to compete with the Emperor, but there are grand mansions here, capable of sustaining a sizable permanent staff. Envoys, diplomats, and those assigned to carry out administrative and consulting duties for the Landsraad live in these. Within each of these lodgings are extensive suites capable of being rapidly

prepared for a visit by the head of House and their entourage. Rooms are also available for the House’s senior members and staff should they have cause to visit Kaitain. Minor Houses rarely have such estates, and many must find public accommodation or rely on their allied House Major for hospitality. Fierce rivalries between Houses play out frequently in the Diplomatic Quarter. Elsewhere, one would have to take a Heighliner to encounter one’s equivalent from a rival House, or at least undertake a journey requiring some planning. Here, an Atreides clerk could run into a Harkonnen attendant at a concert, at the market, or in a local tavern. Great conflicts play out here on a smaller scale. While each House is responsible for its own security and the behavior of its employees, from time to time the Emperor has been forced to deploy the city guard to quell a battle in the streets of the Diplomatic Quarter, lest innocent bystanders suffer injury, or the brawl escalate too far. While Sardaukar do have some ceremonial duties, they are rarely deployed on the streets of Kaitain. They are soldiers bred for battle, not peacekeepers or police. It is, however, relatively rare for rivalries in the Diplomatic Quarter to descend into serious violence. Rather than fists and blades, intrigue is the preferred weapon, and espionage is a popular sideline among staff stationed in Kaitain. THE LANDSRAAD HALL OF ORATORY The most recent incarnation of the Landsraad’s major meeting place, sometimes known as the ‘New Assembly’ or the ‘Landsraad Assembly Hall’ but most commonly referred to as the ‘Hall of Oratory’, covers an area of 750,000 square meters. Not all of it is under cover, so it is possible to arrange assignations in the landscaped gardens. Each House has rooms assigned according to its status. Over the years there have been some exchanges of quarters as Houses rose and fell in status. The individual Houses concerned have negotiated these exchanges, although the ratification of a full Landsraad meeting is needed to finalize the rearrangement. Even the most powerful Houses do not have extensive space inside the complex. But there are many rooms with a bedroom and an office available for anyone considered a ‘guest of the Emperor’. The rooms are very useful for those occasions when attendees can’t return to the Diplomatic Quarter during an overnight break in proceedings. Larger apartments also have a dining area with a small connecting kitchen and a board room capable of seating up to a dozen people. The central assembly hall itself is huge. Banked rows of seats, each bearing the House’s crest and having access to a console and a microphone, form circles around a raised central podium which contains a throne for the Emperor (and at times, a lesser throne for the Emperor’s

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 13 consort). The acoustics are perfect. Small windows, set high above the delegates, have adjustable shading so the chamber can enjoy optimal natural light as the day progresses. At night, artfully placed spotlights come into play, illuminating whoever is speaking and limiting distraction from others by leaving them in the shade. Murals depicting historical scenes in which various emperors distinguished themselves decorate the walls. The standards and banners of the assembled Houses are hung throughout, though none as large or well positioned as House Corrino’s lion banner. Around the top of the hall is the so-called ‘public gallery’, which is not actually public at all. Three tiers of cramped and unupholstered benches are available for those who advise the heads of Houses. While there is a little space for representatives to sit with advisors or consorts, there is never enough, so most sit here if they wish to be present. Many advisors prefer to stay in their comfortable quarters and listen to the live broadcast of the proceedings. But others, particularly Mentats and those with Bene Gesserit training, can learn more by being physically present, able to watch the smallest movements and expressions of the delegates. Indeed, some take oil lenses into the public gallery to observe those on the other side of the hall more closely. Close by the main hall are several smaller meeting rooms, each simply furnished with a polished table and chairs. In these, negotiation of the fine detail of treaties can take place without taking up the time of the general assembly. These rooms also allow the heads of Houses to consult with any advisory staff they have brought along. Rumors of a widespread network of secret passages through the Hall of Oratory on Kaitain are always in circulation. There are certainly passages running through the walls, floors, and ceilings, supplying electricity and air to various parts of the building. There are also underground service areas. Maps of these and their interconnections are on sale in the back streets of Kaitain, though not all these maps are accurate. Being able to get surreptitious entry to an area, or even being able to eavesdrop on private negotiations, can provide a House with substantial advantages. PROGRESS OF A LANDSRAAD MEETING A session of the Landsraad council lasts at least three days, sometimes longer. The agenda is determined by the High Council in consultation with the Emperor who has one of their heralds post it on the door of the assembly chamber. For convenience, heralds arrange for copies to be sent to the envoys of all the Major Houses who are, in turn, expected to communicate it to Minor Houses. Any House can ask for an alteration to the agenda. Such requests must be submitted at least a month ahead of the meeting and, at the discretion of the High Council and the Emperor, are incorporated into the final agenda two weeks before the scheduled start of the meeting. Further alterations are only possible if proposed ‘from the floor’ during the meeting itself. The inclusion of such extra items is put to the entire Landsraad and only accepted if they receive a straight majority of the votes. The progress of meetings is straightforward. The Emperor acts as chair, determining who may speak and in what order. Motions are put to the meeting and speeches made in support and in opposition to the motion, with a mechanism for recording votes at each seat. A Mentat in the Emperor’s employ tallies the votes, under the supervision of staff from each House with a seat on the High Council. Some emperors have delegated this function to the High Council, and others have attempted to exclude some High Council members. There is always a certain amount of politicking going on over who gets to count the votes. ON THE SIDELINES Not all the work of a Landsraad meeting takes place in the Hall of Oratory. The meetings are a rare opportunity for heads of Houses to come together in person. Many decisions taken in assembly are merely formal ratifications of the results of negotiations occurring during the surrounding social events. On the night before the commencement of an important meeting, it is traditional for the Emperor to throw a banquet for the heads of Houses and their consorts. On subsequent nights, guests to Kaitain are free to enjoy its wonders. Some Houses might also provide entertainment in the hope of gaining the favor of their peers or to impress them with their wealth and generosity. Life on Kaitain can be a whirl of dinner parties, balls, wrestling matches, athletic contests, and even more novel and imaginative entertainments. These are all opportunities for negotiations, intrigue, and the furtherance of kanly. Houses with an agenda to further during the Assembly often call more formal meetings in boardrooms with invited representatives sitting round a table. Enormous amounts of solaris and priceless gifts change hands, subtle threats are made, and deals are concluded. Weddings have taken place on the sidelines of an Assembly, and with so many powerful individuals bearing witness to the happy event, the bonds formed between the contracting parties are especially strong. It is not surprising that many delegates remember their visits to the capital with something approaching a sense of wonder. With so many sights to astound and entertainments to enjoy, not to mention the opportunities for advancement, it is no wonder that there is often fierce competition among House staff for the opportunity to accompany their head of House to a meeting of the Landsraad on Kaitain.

C HOAM t is the nature of galactic feudalism that, simply put, the Emperor owns everything within the Imperium. Every living being is his vassal and servant, and everything they own, from the clothes on their backs to the roofs they sleep under, is, by right, the Emperor’s. From his position upon the Lion Throne, the Emperor entrusts the administration and governance over his property to the many Houses of the Landsraad, Great and Minor. While holdings are ancestral and have been with the Houses for untold generations, this is tradition and not law. The Emperor can give or take away anything he wishes, even planets, a use of his power he wields judiciously, when at all. As such, the various noble Houses are expected to be able to enforce the Emperor’s will and to ensure that his holdings are both cared for and profitable. While the Houses enforce their rule through military and other means, all of this is to ultimately protect the Emperor’s property and wring profits from it. A vast and all-encompassing organization is required to coordinate this massive endeavor. This organization, called the Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles (CHOAM), represents the single greatest concentration of wealth in the Imperium other than that possessed by the Emperor himself. Every single major faction within the Imperium — the Emperor, the Landsraad and all its Houses, the Bene Gesserit, and the Spacing Guild — has shares in CHOAM and works directly with it, as it controls and taxes almost all goods bought and sold everywhere, from goods as common as pundi rice to services as esoteric as space travel. Obviously, the most lucrative substance CHOAM deals with is the spice melange, and thus the spice is the foundation of the economy of the Imperium, with all prices set according to the market value of spice. CHOAM is described further in the Dune Core Rulebook, p. 30, 43–46. I

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 15 T h e S t ru c t u r e o f C HOAM All Houses and the Imperial Court itself draw their wealth from CHOAM, and as such, it is the most zealously guarded and influential organization within all the Imperium, though it exerts only soft power in the form of economic policies, rarely exerting its political might. CHOAM’s leaders are its directors, appointed by the Emperor and usually the leaders of the Great Houses of the Imperium, though some Houses Minor are represented. Though their interests overlap strongly with CHOAM, the Spacing Guild and the Bene Gesserit are silent partners, with no official directorships or voting privileges within CHOAM. Ultimately, CHOAM is a massive bureaucracy governing trade, setting economic policy, assessing value and taxes, and enforcing fairness in trade between Houses, but it does not produce or sell any goods itself. It is nonetheless perhaps the most influential organization in the Imperium save perhaps for the Spacing Guild, and arguably its reach goes further and is more integral to the Landsraad, the source from which all Houses draw their wealth. The current President of CHOAM is a man named Frankos Aru, the public face of the organization. He, in turn, however, answers to two other superiors. The first is CHOAM’s chief director, the Emperor, whom Aru serves loyally, and the second is the secretive ur-director, the ‘urdir’ Malina Aru, his mother. It is rare that any conflict of interest emerges between these three, as inevitably they share a goal of making CHOAM, and by extension, the Landsraad and the Emperor, wealthier. C HOAM a n d t h e L a n d s r a a d At the highest level of CHOAM’s organizational structure is the board of directors, the positions on it referred to as directors. Directorships are generally hereditary and are usually assigned solely to the Great Houses of the Landsraad, rarely to a House Minor unless the Great House it falls under also holds a directorship. With each directorship as with all other things in the Imperium, the office of director is the Emperor’s to give and to take away, accompanied with a significant gain or loss of wealth, power, and prestige. Each House in the Landsraad holds shares in CHOAM, with the Emperor representing the largest single shareholder. Directors hold more shares than normal shareholders. Through each House’s economic policies and taxation of their people, CHOAM takes a share of every transaction made in the Imperium, no matter how small. CHOAM’s share is assessed and held by the Guild Bank, which disburses profits accordingly, as instructed by CHOAM and its armies of accountants. CHOAM’s share of profits goes into its own coffers and is divided up proportionately by the tens of thousands of shares in CHOAM. Thus, any unprofitable enterprise or activity that affects business ripples out to affect every shareholder in CHOAM. This makes the Landsraad extremely interested in retaining the status quo when it is profitable, and exerting what political sway it can to change things when profits are impacted. For the most part, the directors are made up of leaders of Great Houses, while the rank-and-file bureaucracy are denizens of their homeworlds or are recruited into CHOAM from the population of Kaitain, where stands the Silver Needle that is the symbolic center of their power. To be a member of CHOAM is to be immersed in an immense and all-encompassing organization focused single-mindedly on the maintenance of economic stability and the pursuit of profit. Just as the Spacing Guild’s overriding concern is to keep secure the flow of spice, CHOAM’s ultimate agenda is sustaining the galactic feudalism that is the Faufreluches, with “a place for everyone and everyone in their place”. Despite the seeming obeisance to the Emperor, CHOAM maintains a high degree of political power of its own and is occasionally used as an instrument of the Landsraad to enforce its will upon the Imperium. In a recent example, the Emperor’s folly of the Great Spice War and his attempt to manufacture a spice replacement earned admonishment from CHOAM and the Spacing Guild, being forced to accept representatives from those groups and the Landsraad into his inner council, ostensibly to ensure that he would not act so rashly again. C HOAM a n d t h e G u i l d B a n k Just as much as it is interwoven with the structure of the Landsraad, CHOAM is also tied inextricably to the Guild Bank, the Spacing Guild’s financial division, which transports goods across the universe and carefully monitors all off-planet trade. This makes them virtually indistinguishable to most Houses, as CHOAM and the Guild Bank move in lockstep with one another, rarely if ever disagreeing publicly or acting independently of one another. The section on the Spacing Guild and CHOAM (p.68) discusses the relationship between these two organizations in additional detail.

T h e I m p e r i a l A u d i t Save for losing a directorship and/or shares in CHOAM, there is no greater threat to the economic viability of a House than an Imperial audit. This can be an especially tense and precarious situation for any House to be in, as any potentially questionable behavior or activity on their part might be seen in the wrong light. An Imperial audit could prove to be the beginning of the end for a House that’s operating illegally. An audit can be called by the Emperor or the President of CHOAM, though the Bene Gesserit and Spacing Guild each may suggest one and expect it to be carried out. The auditing process involves a specially appointed team from CHOAM and the Guild Bank landing upon the primary planet of the House being audited and putting an immediate and all-encompassing freeze on all economic activity and trade the House is currently performing, only allowing select industries to continue (spice harvesting, for example). They require complete access to all financial records and reports from the House being audited, and the House is expected to cooperate fully with their agents. In such instances, CHOAM has sent Mentats and even involved Bene Gesserit where necessary. The auditors have ultimate discretion in their investigation, answering directly to the Emperor. When complete, their report goes directly to the Emperor and the President and ur-director of CHOAM for their examination and decision about the actions to be taken. This might result in mild to heavy fines, economic sanctions, or denial of Guild access. In more serious cases, it could mean loss of a directorship, loss of shares, and even stripping a House from its status as a House Major and demoting it to House Minor, or even revoking its official status entirely, removing it from the Landsraad. 16

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 17 CHOAM Play e r C h a r act e r s Creating a player character with allegiance to CHOAM presents an interesting dynamic. Wherever money and business go, CHOAM follows. A player character focused on trade can be a valuable addition to any House, despite the apparent narrowness of their field of interest. CHOAM-based characters are most often found in Houses with the Artistic, Farming, Industrial, Military, or Science areas of expertise, particularly when those House activities are centered on trade with the rest of the Landsraad. It might be that a CHOAM agent is assisting a House for their internal, on-planet or in-system business and economic ventures, but for the most part they’ll be there to ensure that the House gets rich and that that CHOAM gets their rightful share of the profits. Thus, a member of CHOAM who is also an active part of a House may find themselves challenged if the House performs any actions that threaten trade, or if they are trading dishonestly. No one expects business practices to be kind, but the last thing any House wants is an Imperial audit, inevitably uncovering far more than the House may wish to have revealed. We have provided a CHOAM Agent faction template for creating such a character, and the following sections describe CHOAM-based character options in more detail. R o l e s When devising a CHOAM character, roles from the Dune Core Rulebook (p. 94–95) that are especially appropriate include the following: @ Advisor: Like a Master of Assassins or a Swordmaster, the CHOAM advisor wields the understated yet powerful weapon that is a House’s wealth, counseling the House’s ruler and their family in all matters relating to trade, CHOAM, and the Guild Bank. @ Envoy: A House with a CHOAM envoy almost inevitably enjoys a directorship or is being groomed for such an honor. Envoys oversee and negotiate trade deals between the House and other organizations and see to it that CHOAM profits as much as does the House they serve. @ Treasurer: Whether an accountant or the House’s business master, the CHOAM-based treasurer sees that the House’s finances are in order and able to withstand the dreaded threat of a CHOAM audit. They ensure that taxes are being assessed properly and that the House gets the best out of every venture it participates in, assessing lucrative endeavors versus risky or potentially ruinous ones. These are not the only roles available for a CHOAM-based character — after all, a wealthy House can have a ruler with strong ties to CHOAM, even a directorship, and a consort may use subtle power to sway the House’s finances — but the three roles described above are the most common and probable. The following character template is equivalent to those on p. 110–112 of the Dune Core Rulebook and can be used for a quick concept or guidance for character creation. CHOAM AGENT “What is CHOAM but the weather vane of our times?” — Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam Serving two masters, the CHOAM agent is embedded within their House and works to ensure the House’s profitability and its compliance with the vast trade bureaucracy that allows profit to flow into its coffers, enriching all the Landsraad. But they also serve CHOAM’s greater interest and can occasionally be asked to spy upon their own House for the corporation. CHOAM agents may serve as treasurers, advisors, or envoys, all the while keeping an eye on the bottom line, assessing risk versus reward, loss versus gain. @ Additional Trait: CHOAM Agent @ Suggested Archetypes: Analyst, Courtier, Envoy, Steward, Strategist @ Mandatory Talents: Hand of CHOAM A rc h e t y p e s The most likely and useful archetypes CHOAM-based characters can pick from are as follows: Analyst, Courtier, Envoy, Steward, and Strategist with the associated primary and secondary skills (Dune Core Rulebook, p. 113). Other options are subtler and perhaps narrower in focus, such as an Infiltrator or Spy (a business- and espionage-oriented insider, perhaps spying on other Houses for economic supremacy), a Messenger (essentially a trade ambassador), or even a Smuggler (working with the House illegally, a highly dangerous position to be in). T r a i t s , S k i ll s , F o c u s e s , a n d D r i v e s The most obvious trait a CHOAM-connected character should invoke is their CHOAM status and its relation to the House, probably drawn from the character’s role. Examples include CHOAM Advisor, CHOAM Envoy, CHOAM Treasurer, and so forth.

18 A CHOAM-focused character should ideally be strong with the Communicate and Understand skills, though Discipline may also be highly useful when attempting to dominate others in trade deals or negotiations. For focuses, the most useful are those for the Understand skill, such as CHOAM Bureaucracy, Data Analysis, Etiquette, Imperial Politics, and perhaps even Smuggling. Communicate focuses such as Bartering, Charm, Deceit, and Persuasion are essential for success, as are Discipline focuses like Composure. Drives, on the other hand, are much broader and less proscriptive, and a CHOAM character may have any of these as their primary drive. Most likely, Power is going to be the one that makes things happen, as in the economic world, it represents everything of note, whether money or a strong negotiating position. Generally, their ambition is going to be something related to wealth or money, or the House’s overall economic prosperity. T a l e n t s The Dune Core Rulebook provides no special talents for CHOAM-based characters, but the following are especially useful: Advisor, Dual Fealty (House and CHOAM), Hidden Motives, Improved Resources, and Subtle Words. Additionally, the following talents are added to the roster: AUDIT (CHOAM TALENT) As an agent of CHOAM you have the right to check the accounts of those who trade with the organization. You may spend 1 Momentum to insist a House or other CHOAM trade member show you the records of their recent trade dealings. These accounts may be falsified, but they must at least show you something. Doing this too often for spurious reasons may cause CHOAM to remove the talent. CHECK THE BOOKS (CHOAM/GUILD AGENT TALENT) You know all the secrets of ‘creative accounting’ and can spot when others are using them. When you are looking over financial records of any kind and spend a point of Momentum to Obtain Information, you may ask two questions for the first point of Momentum spent, rather than one. DEEP POCKETS (CHOAM / GUILD AGENT TALENT) You can always lay your hands on extra solaris. Once per session you may create an asset of Wealth to use in trade deals or just make purchases. This temporary asset is lost at the end of the scene and cannot be made permanent. But you may increase its Quality when you create it, by 1 for each Momentum spent. DIRTY MONEY (CHOAM TALENT) Every House has its secrets. You know where the real money has been earned and where it has gone. When facing any sort of challenge or test relating to concealing the source of wealth or any illegitimate financial transactions, with a successful Discipline test you may spend 1+ Momentum to transform one illegal asset (or one level of Quality an asset possesses) into a legitimate and thoroughly legal asset for the duration of a scene. For 2 Momentum per asset (or level of Quality) for one scene you may temporarily make an asset belonging to another character or House suspect, potentially subject to punitive actions by CHOAM and the rest of the Landsraad. HAND OF CHOAM (CHOAM TALENT) You can flex your influence over the trade affairs of the Imperium. When you are involved (acting or assisting) in a test dealing with planetary or galactic trade, you may use your influence as a member of CHOAM. Once per session on such a test you may apply the effects of spending a point of Determination on the Trade test. Doing so reveals your CHOAM connections to all involved by necessity. MASTER OF COIN (CHOAM TALENT) You know how to wring every last solari out of a deal. Whenever making a financial- or economic-related skill test, you may re-roll 1d20 if it is not a success, specifically when dealing with circumstances when CHOAM’s influence would be relevant. When using the House management system, you can add +5 to your House’s Wealth status for the duration of a session by making a Challenging (D2) Understand test. REPORT MALFEASANCE (CHOAM TALENT) You can make accusations of financial misdealing that will be taken seriously by CHOAM and investigated. You may at any time give another character the complication ‘Reported to CHOAM’. This represents your having sent a report to CHOAM of illegal or unfair trading or financial affairs on the part of the target. The target must be someone who would be bothered by a CHOAM audit, such as a House agent rather than a street market trader. The complication lasts until the target can prove their innocence or a CHOAM investigation is complete. While the CHOAM agent can use this talent as often as they like, too many spurious claims will lead CHOAM to take punitive measures on them for wasting their time. This might be the removal of the talent or even expulsion from CHOAM.

H o u s e s o f t h e L a n d s r a a d he noble House is a major building block of the Imperium. As holders of countless fiefs across known space, they govern in the name of the Emperor. Focused on providing stability and productivity, the nobles of the Imperium balance personal ambition and family pride with the needs of their people and the throne. Other forces, such as the Bene Gesserit and Spacing Guild, work within this feudal system to manipulate, elevate, diminish, and alter these nobles as they deem necessary. Thus, nobles in Dune are puppeteer and puppets, master and servant, and builders and destroyers. Each noble House is organized around its central fief. Even a House lucky enough to hold multiple planets, cities, continents, or other important locations, has one rising above the others. Often this is an ancestral holding, a place important to the House for several generations. Other times it is a holding of immense value. For many Houses Major and the most powerful Minor ones, it is both. They are usually referred to as homeworlds, even though the House may have originated far from their current residence. Nobility in the Imperium is a matter of pedigree and pragmatism. Many Houses can trace their lineage back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, thus proving to themselves and others they are destined and bred to rule. The best of these Houses strive to prove themselves worthy of this honor, while the worst abuse the lower classes, confident their superior breeding allows this. Other Minor Houses descend from commoners elevated for great service or out of necessity. These Houses struggle to prove themselves among their ancient peers but are often secretly admired and even feared for their talent and ambition. Thus ‘noble birth’ is quite important in founding a House — unless it isn’t, because someone in power said so. Thus are the politics of empire. T HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 19

20 B e c o m i n g a H o u s e Houses are recognized by the Landsraad, an outgrowth of the pre-Guild era League of Nobles. Should a new House emerge, it must petition the member Houses for inclusion. Once recorded and accepted, a vote is called, and the House is either accepted or rejected. However, even with the acceptance of its peers, a new House must be ratified by the Emperor. Without the assent of the throne, there can be no new House. Admission is a matter of practicality and popularity. Even a hated enemy rarely seeks to stop a powerful faction with popular support and strong ties to existing nobility from joining the Landsraad. The embarrassment of the inevitable failure of preventing a destined House’s rise is too great — it suggests poor judgment and exploitable weakness. Thus, usually only weak or unpopular Houses must fight for inclusion. H o u s e s G r e at a n d S m a ll While all non-outlaw Houses belong to the Landsraad, they are not all created equal. The bulk of the institution’s power rests with the Houses Major. These often ancient and powerful noble clans hold the most important planets and resources in the galaxy, though with the approval and permission of the Emperor, CHOAM, and other powerful factions. However, many lesser Houses or Houses Minor hold important positions as well, usually due to some special resource or talents of their members. MEMBERSHIP IN THE HIGH COUNCIL The Great Houses of the High Council are first among their peers, serving as the voice of the Landsraad, bringing concerns and problems to the Emperor. Membership on the High Council, like many things in the Imperium, is a double-edged blade. The influence and power it brings are undeniable but come with responsibility and expectations. A High Council member cannot simply act how they want. They are expected to behave as a representative of the Landsraad and to protect that institution. No one expects them to harm themselves or their House, but they must be careful that their actions do not overly benefit their House over others. Abuse of this power could result in the loss of the council seat. HOUSES MAJOR Outside the High Council, other Houses Major hold power through a mixture of tradition and resources. All control important resources or territory, granting them a reach beyond others in the Landsraad. Note that despite the power of the High Council, other Houses Major can hold positions that render them difficult to harm or influence overtly. Great Houses generally control multiple worlds or holdings. For practicality, these worlds are usually in the same solar system. As the only way for a House to maintain two connected fiefs outside the same system relies on Guildbased space travel, few nobles wish to tie their fates so closely to the Spacing Guild. The other option is to leave control of a world to a loyal House Minor. But in the past, some especially powerful Minor Houses have used such a position to break with their liege House and claim such territory as their own. As such, being in the good graces of the Emperor can be essential to ensure no internal betrayal, to say nothing of protecting against the jealousy of the other Houses. Well-known nobles who held multiple worlds, such as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen or Earl Dominic Vernius, were conversely allies or favorites of the Emperor — at least while they held their power. Most of the Great Houses are ancient, some existing for thousands of years. It takes time to grow in power and rise to the top of the Landsraad nobility. However, it is possible for a sufficient increase in fortunes to elevate any Minor House to House Major status. Amazing inventions or newly discovered and valuable resources could rocket Minor Houses to prominence. But they would need to survive their immediate enemies, Great Houses looking to absorb them, and agents of various factions conspiring against them. Many smaller Houses have not survived this difficult time and have been absorbed into larger Houses, or they exist solely as titles without land or power, relying on their alliances with other Houses to maintain their existence. HOUSES MINOR While the Houses Major and High Council understandably draw the most attention, there are far more Houses Minor belonging to the Landsraad than there are Major. Most are attached to a House Major, though this is not universal. Generally, a House Minor is any House without a full planetary fiefdom. Instead, they rule or control some smaller but significant location or resource. A House Minor might govern a remote city-state or control a particular industry on a world owned by a House Major. Due to the realities of space travel and interstellar communication, Houses Minor are vital to helping their Houses Major administer and maintain holdings on multiple planets, especially those located in different solar systems. Some Great Houses have virtually no vassal lesser Houses, others have several. The Imperial House Corrino has had dozens throughout its history. Lesser Houses are often elevated by a House Major when a loyal vassal or retainer is offered control over a vital location or industry. This is done to reward loyal service, but also help the Major Houses administer their own vast holdings. Other reasons for creating a Minor House exist: keeping an ambitious or restless vassal busy to keep them from trouble, rewarding a family absorbed into a House Major with their own holdings as a matter of respect and status, or allowing the creator or controller of a valuable new resource to administer it for the House Major. Houses Minor must be recognized and approved by the Landsraad and Emperor upon creation.

Some Houses Minor exist independently, without serving as a vassal to a House Major. These Houses are often former Great Houses who have diminished in power and influence, but this category also includes entrepreneurs and highborn individuals who gained House status through Imperial favor or House sponsorship without vassalage attached. In some cases, they represent breakaway factions within a House, such as ambitious heirs capable of striking out on their own. Such Houses often have powerful allies to help them maintain their independence. TIES TO THE THRONE Most Houses Major and some prominent Houses Minor are linked to the Lion Throne by their bloodline. After millennia of intermarriage, this is not surprising. Often these ties are remote, but offer both problems and opportunity. A noble with a distant claim to the throne may seek to improve their chances through strategic marriage, assassination, cultivation of political influence, or a mix of all three. Vassals with Imperial bloodlines make valuable candidates for Houses Minor, with their sponsoring House Major hoping to elevate themselves if their subordinates ever come to power. A strong tie to the throne does not technically increase one’s power in the Landsraad by itself, but in practice, it makes a difference. Everyone wants powerful, wellconnected friends, and those with any claim to the throne can expect to be courted to exploit whatever influence they possess. The Bene Gesserit are always interested in such bloodlines and often protect families they feel are useful to their long-term breeding plans. R e n e g a d e H o u s e s As a punishment for the most heinous of crimes, or as an attempt to avoid a worse punishment, a House might be forced to go renegade. A renegade House is declared anathema, its lands and holdings forfeit and all its rights and privileges as both a noble House and a part of the Landsraad revoked. Its holdings and resources are divided among its peers, with most other Houses falling over each other to claim the choicest spoils. Most renegades retreat outside the Imperium to settle on some unknown world. Many do not survive the process or change into something unrecognizable from their former selves. Others manage to find a place to rebuild and plot their eventual return, hiding with loyal allies or on remote worlds within the Imperium itself. However, with all their enemies able to hunt them down, unencumbered by either respect, tradition, or the rules of kanly, it is a dangerous proposition. Most of all it requires either utmost secrecy or absolute trust in their allies, two things in very short supply in the Imperium. Renegade Houses often come about from a noble House rising too far and too fast, causing the Emperor or other powerful forces concern. This period of heightened

influence is both good news and bad news for any possible renegade House. It’s good news because the House has a period of great power and wealth, allowing it to acquire enough resources to go renegade if necessary. It’s bad news because the increased power brings more enemies and responsibilities, making it more likely the House will draw disfavor and be pushed into exile as renegades. This was the fate of House Vernius, formerly of Ix. For overreaching their family’s technological and political power, they went from favored Imperial ally to planetless renegades hunted across known space. Few, however, know the real reason was due to Imperial chagrin and a desire to claim their resources for secret experiments. It is also possible a House could become so unstable and dangerous it is driven into exile and forced to become renegade. However, a word of warning to those seeking to drive enemies to this fate: this outcome is unlikely. The politics of the Imperium may crush the unwise, overambitious, and unwary, but it rarely throws away potentially useful material. A House would need to be too erratic and disruptive to be allowed to survive, even as potential genetic material for the Bene Gesserit or useful hostages and marriage prospects for those seeking to increase their power. As such, powerful Houses acting against the Imperial will are given multiple chances to fall in line, and few are ruled by those foolish enough to squander every chance. A House and its holdings are simply too valuable. It is also important to note that declaration of a House as renegade is intentionally rare, for anarchy would quickly destroy the structures that maintain the Imperial peace. Renegade Houses cannot effectively retreat from the Imperium without sufficient resources to travel. If the House does not have spaceships of its own, the Spacing Guild must transport the noble family, their retainers, and their portable resources into unknown space, or relay them secretly to hideouts in the Imperium. Once out of the Spacing Guild’s care, a renegade House must also be protected from enemies seeking to hunt them to extinction. Most renegade Houses are destroyed trying to flee, becoming cautionary tales and subjects of revulsion and pity. Living as a renegade House is a daily struggle. If they cannot escape the Imperium into the unknown dangers outside it, they must live in secrecy, concealed within the holdings of a sympathetic House or faction. If they are discovered, their enemies will attack with no quarter. While such enemies usually target the noble family of the House, their servants and agents are also fair game. When a House goes renegade, no one who was ever part of it is safe. This is why some risk escaping outside the Known Universe by whatever means necessary. But those who go beyond are never heard from again, their fates lost to the void. TUPILE The ultimate destination of many surviving renegades is Tupile. A region of space known only to the Guild, many renegades pay for transport to Tupile, entering exile along with their families and surviving retainers. Once there, they survive as best they can, using whatever they brought with them or what they can secure.

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 23 Those who reach Tupile are considered to have sanctuary, but only if they remain there. Non-exiles avoid the region, not wishing to venture into functionally unknown space surrounded by those utterly disregarded by the Imperium. This means that exiles wishing to return to the Imperium from Tupile must either risk working covertly within the Imperium to reverse their exile or leave their fate in the hands of non-renegade allies willing to take up their case with the throne. In both cases, return is unlikely and costly. Little is known of the exact state and location of Tupile; its nature is a closely guarded Guild secret. However, given it is populated largely by exiled nobles and Guild agents, it can be assumed it is more of a gilded cage than a hellish wasteland. Exiles with enough wealth likely live well there, though haunted by faded glory and lost freedoms. Relat i o n s h ips w i t h i n t h e La n d s r a a d Relationships within the Landsraad and its Houses are an alarmingly complex affair. Colored by millennia of history and conflict, Houses Major and Minor work to keep their reputations and influence intact. It is not enough to simply rule and cultivate power; each House must consider the structure and flow of politics within the larger group they all belong to. This is especially true of the largest and smallest Houses, the former because of their power and long list of potential enemies, the latter because of their relative vulnerability. THE IMPERIAL CONNECTION While he sits on the throne of the Known Universe, the Emperor cannot rule effectively without the support of the Houses Major and the majority of the Landsraad. Likewise, the Landsraad and its Houses cannot stand against the unvarnished hostility of the Emperor. This long-standing relationship sways and teeters with personal plots and desires, but it remains mostly balanced — until, of course, it doesn’t. Despite the throne’s military power, the Landsraad’s control of resources and territory allows it to function as a check on the whims of most emperors. If enough Great Houses wished, they could topple the Emperor , and every Corrino who sits upon the Lion Throne is keenly aware of the fact. There are several reasons this does not occur. First, the Houses that form the Landsraad exist in a web of conflict, shared history, ambition, and envy. While some Houses may admire others, even consider them allies, they must maintain their own power and influence. To do otherwise risks losing their status. Thus, any major alliance of Houses capable of replacing or compelling the Emperor would need to survive the personal ambitions, failings, vendettas, and vices of the rulers of those Houses. This is exceedingly difficult. So while the Atreides, Harkonnens, and their peers could ally to dominate the Imperium, centuries of animosity and past problems prevent this. Second, the Emperor is aware of these conflicts, and while many who sat on the throne were flawed, they were not incompetent. Each Emperor devotes substantial resources and time to cultivating relationships with each Major House and several important Minor ones. The Emperor creates allies, encourages rivalries, and helps maintain the conflicted and fractured nature of the Landsraad. They do this to secure their own power and limit the ability of any one House — or alliance — to challenge them openly. Third, as powerful as the various Houses are, they must deal with other forces of equal or greater power. From the Spacing Guild to the Bene Gesserit, there are those capable of crippling or even destroying even the greatest of Houses, as demonstrated throughout history. Most of these groups are happy when a strong but appropriately malleable ruler sits on the Imperial throne. It is easier to influence one person instead of many, even if that person rules the Known Universe. Fourth and finally, while distant from its noble cousins, the House of the Emperor is also part of the Landsraad, the first among equals. It rarely flexes this influence, preferring instead to use the power of the throne and allowing the other Houses to feel independent of their reach within the Landsraad. However, the reality of the situation persists: the Imperial House is the mightiest of the Great Houses, and one must never forget that, lest they invite the Emperor’s wrath. RELATIONS WITH CHOAM CHOAM dominates the economy of the Known Universe. In a real sense, CHOAM is wealth, and without ties to CHOAM, most noble Houses would be impoverished landholders waiting for some emboldened neighbor to seize their holdings. A t o m i c s a n d R e n e g a d e s Many noble Houses have stockpiles of atomics. These weapons are hoarded in case their terrible power is needed against a threat too great to otherwise defeat. Unless specifically sanctioned by Imperial decree, use of these weapons against civilian populations is forbidden by the Great Convention, their use punishable by planetary annihilation. Once a House goes renegade, the state of their hoarded atomics becomes an important question. Many Houses seek to take their weapons with them into exile, hoping to use them later for leverage, or protection. It is the one advantage a renegade House has, as it cannot be in any worse trouble for using atomics than it already is. However, usually such atomics are sold or stolen, often by agents of other Houses. In campaigns involving a renegade House, the securing, smuggling, destroying, or acquiring of renegade atomics can make for high-stakes intrigue.

24 The most coveted position relating to CHOAM for the Houses is a directorship. With a CHOAM directorship, a House can dip into the nearly endless CHOAM coffers. While directors cannot withdraw funds without justification, the directors’ Houses have literally thousands of years of Mentat-driven economic data to help justify nearly any expense. More useful than just wealth is the power to push the House’s own trade agenda on the Imperium. With a directorship comes influence over CHOAM policy. Should that policy happen to benefit the trade interests of the House in question, this is simply considered a lucky coincidence. While all House industries intersect with CHOAM holdings, the spice trade is by far the most powerful and profitable. Those who control or operate in association with spice-related commerce are guaranteed strong relations with CHOAM, and the governorship of Arrakis comes with a de facto directorship. This makes Dune the most important world economically as well as politically, a constant prize to battle over and covet. Conflicts between Houses and CHOAM are resolved similarly to modern corporate and government disputes. Misuse of resources or poor business strategies can be brought to the board of directors, and violations of established regulations can become a matter for the Landsraad to adjudicate. But when most of the Landsraad are also running CHOAM, such conflicts are exceptionally rare. Any misdoings by CHOAM likely benefit a collection of very powerful Houses, which makes it hard for the other Houses to motivate the Landsraad to do anything about it. However, CHOAM is essentially a public company and must keep the bulk of the Houses (its shareholders) happy with its operations. So, any ‘irregularities’ that benefit the majority of the Landsraad usually pass without any mention. R e l at i o n s B e t w e e n H o u s e s Much of the history of the Imperium is defined by the relationships between different Houses. A conflict between Houses can destroy one or both. Sometimes the effects can topple or elevate others, even resulting in changes of who sits upon the throne. Alliances between powerful Houses are likewise important. Several Great Houses unified toward or against a cause cannot be ignored, not even by the Guild, the Bene Gesserit, or even the Emperor. The complexities of inter-House relations in the Imperium rival any empire at any point in human history. However, such arrangements are also deceptively simple: those with power want to keep what they have, share it only when necessary, and take it away from those they feel threatened by. In a universe where life can be extended, technology can repair nearly any injury, and most resources are varied and plentiful, the powerful fight quiet wars for the ability to control what they can and influence what they cannot. BETWEEN HOUSES MAJOR Relationships between Houses Major are incredibly important but rather limited. The greatest Houses, with all their power and influence, tend to treat their peers in one of three ways: they are allies, enemies, or conditionally both or neither. Some Houses are bitter enemies, with rivalries going back centuries or even millennia. The hostility between these extended families is epic, dramatic, and constantly renewed. Despite the dreams of the Bene Gesserit, there is no real path to sealing the breach between such enemies, and this reality generally extends to similar eternal foes. Perhaps individual members of these Houses might find friendship, but their families never will. Conversely, some Houses are strongly aligned by bonds going back generations. These alliances may strengthen or weaken depending on who runs each House, but they never really go away unless one or both Houses are destroyed. Despite these extremes, most Houses Major are allies or enemies of temporary and limited convenience. They may admire and like another noble and that noble’s House, but they are careful to give too much support unless they are sure it benefits them to do so. Alternatively, they may dislike another House or its leadership, but they show restraint unless they see an opening to attack freely. Hail the God Emperor! As in so many other things, Muad’Dib and especially his son, Leto II, broke the normal balance of power. This led to bloody crusades and millennia of controlled decline that changed the universe. Muad’Dib and his son also broke or diminished the power bases of many groups, including the Guild and the Bene Gesserit. The resulting upheavals strengthened the Imperial position and forced many enemies of the throne underground. Gamemasters focusing on the era following the ascension of Muad’Dib will find the Landsraad’s power diminished from its heyday. However, the Landsraad is still a potent part of the governance of humanity. Under the Atreides, the Houses of the Landsraad rule their holdings and planets with increased caution, fearful of the new Emperor’s crusades and iron-fisted controls over spice and other resources.

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 25 Regardless of the feelings between Houses Major, connections are often colored by the current politics. Great allies may behave coolly toward each other, or bitter enemies may act like friends, if the alternative would draw the wrong attention. This doesn’t change their true attitudes, but it may affect the faces they show in public until things change. BETWEEN MAJOR AND MINOR Houses Major mostly concern themselves with their own vassal Houses Minor and those few independent Houses with things they want or need. Otherwise, it is up to a House Minor to convince their larger and more powerful cohorts that they are worth dealing with. There is a usually fair presumption that a House Minor approaching an outside House Major is either acting on behalf of its ruling House Major, or up to something on its own. Without a House Major to back it up or some extenuating circumstances, it is simply too risky for a House Minor to pit themselves against a more-powerful House. Houses Minor usually enjoy decent relations with their House Major ‘parents’, but conflicts or problems do sometimes arise. A vassal may feel their patron House disrespects or disregards them, or perhaps a personal vendetta surfaces to harm relations. A wise House Major keeps its vassal Houses feeling content and valued. Even the Harkonnens, for all their famous abuses and cruel excess, treat their Houses Minor well enough — at least until they have reason to abandon or betray them. BETWEEN VASSAL MINOR HOUSES Vassals of the Minor Houses often intermarry, train together, or pool resources. This leads to practical alliances between these Houses Minor, as they cooperate to aid themselves and better serve their rulers. This is especially true of vassals who operate in the same area or enterprise. Two Houses Minor known for soldiering and military arms may become quite close over several generations, as may two Houses controlling sister cities on the same planet. Houses Minor serving the same House Major tend to relate to each other with a mix of fellowship and rivalry. Yes, they are all on the same team, so to speak, but everyone wants to be recognized as the most valuable player. Most Houses Major encourage rivalry and competition, though how much varies between Houses. A fair and honorable ruler wants their vassals to behave in ways challenging themselves and strengthening everyone involved. A cruel or tyrannical ruler favors bitter and bloody rivalries, keeping their subordinates too weak and distracted to turn against them.

BETWEEN OTHER MINOR HOUSES Unconnected lesser Houses usually interact according to their personal histories and current agendas. Getting too cozy with the Houses Minor of your ruler’s hated enemies or provoking the vassal of their allies would draw attention. But in most cases lesser Houses can freely associate with each other as needed. Some of these relationships bear fruit, creating new business opportunities or connections through marriage or close friendship. Given the cost of space travel, small poor Houses rarely reach out to their distant peers. Like other relations with Houses Minor, many assume that a vassal House is acting with the approval or in the interest of their House Major, or that they are doing something their patrons would not approve of or help with. R e l at i o n s w i t h O t h e r G ro u p s The Houses of the Landsraad are the largest employers of Mentat tutors, advisors, and assassins in the Imperium. Most Houses Major seek out and keep the best Mentats for themselves, and it is not unusual for the most talented Mentats to serve the same House for generations, or for them to be poached from fallen Houses. The Sisters of the Bene Gesserit are strongly connected to all the Houses, Major and Minor. Sisters and Bene Gesserit-trained candidates are assigned to noble Houses as concubines, wives, advisors, and Truthsayers. While many nobles view these women as subordinates, those paying attention soon realize that their lovers, spouses, and advisors are advancing the Sisterhood’s own goals, even while attending to their needs. Even those merely trained by the Bene Gesserit are usually loyal to the group, above all others. Only a fool treats a Bene Gesserit within their House as anything but a respected and capable ally. Some Houses have Spacing Guild agents attached to them, especially those Houses that ship goods and personnel regularly, which is to say most of them. The Guild maintains its trademark neutrality in these relations, but individual agents may come to favor and admire individual nobles and their Houses. Like the Bene Gesserit, the Landsraad tolerates these connections as long as they don’t undermine the stability and power of the collective nobility. Other groups and orders interact with the Landsraad and its Houses according to their abilities and resources. Ginaz Swordmasters and Suk Doctors are widely employed by the nobility, while smugglers and other criminal types find themselves either hunted or recruited, depending on their talents and methods.

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 27 T h e A rt o f Ka n ly Of the various institutions and cultural artifacts of the Imperium, few affect the Landsraad so much as the practice of kanly. Kanly gives form and regulation to political and personal conflict, reducing collateral damage and the likelihood of harm to innocent bystanders. The enforcement of kanly is largely cultural: Houses that reject its forms and rules are seen as dangerous, untrustworthy, and undeserving of consideration or assistance. While the rules may be constricting, if no House will break them then nobles can feel safe in certain circumstances. In the paranoid atmosphere of the Imperium, such a feeling is priceless. Even the dreaded Harkonnens or ruthless Moritani pay lip service to the practice of kanly. While it is true some Houses bend or break its customs and rules, rarely is it enough to warrant sanction or censure from their peers. Blatant violations are avoided for the consequences they bring. So, a Harkonnen noble might bomb a rival’s ornithopter even if the blast accidentally claims the lives of nearby innocents, but they would never use atomics to level an enemy stronghold — the political cost of such an act is too great. The rules of kanly are ancient and extensive. Kanly alters to allow for new technologies and methodologies, but its basic tenets remain these: @ That a conflict has become a vendetta must be formally announced to all parties by the offended House. The recipients of any declaration of kanly can’t refuse it, but they must be warned with enough time to offer amends. This is to encourage a last chance to end hostilities and to make sure no one can make an attack without some sort of fair warning. @ Weapons capable of causing large-scale collateral damage (against nonmilitary targets particularly) are discouraged or outright forbidden. Atomics are utterly out of the question (as per the Great Convention) and use of lasguns and shields in concert to create intentional pseudo-atomic explosions are similarly reviled. @ Double agents, spies, and traitors are all allowable. Breaking or converting agents of verified and strong loyalties — Bene Gesserit advisors, Sardaukar or other agents — is both admirable and dangerous. The Suk School claims its Doctors can never be swayed from their loyalties, using this as a selling point. Rarely forbidden, nobles who use such tactics to strike at their enemies must be careful to not become an active threat to general stability. @ Assassins are encouraged, though their methods must conform with accepted practices. @ Occasional peace offerings and diplomatic outreach is expected, even if they are often insincere formalities. Enemies need not accept such overtures, but they are expected to respond officially and politely. Such perfunctory efforts demonstrate noble character, even if solely for show. @ Kanly is allowed and expected, but it doesn’t excuse crimes. A noble may slaughter an enemy within its customs but still face an Imperial Truthsayer and investigation for the act, depending on who was killed. @ Despite various dangers and concerns, properly executed kanly is tolerated, and at times, even admired and romanticized. Epic vendettas are the stuff of legend, and Houses that pull them off sometimes find their social status and reputation elevated. @ Houses uninvolved with a vendetta often withdraw from conflict areas until everything blows over. The formal declaration of kanly offers them the opportunity to do so. Fair-weather allies often distance themselves from Houses engaged in an active conflict. This way they don’t accidentally back a losing side. Only the strongest connections between allied Houses survive extended acts of kanly. @ Enemy Houses may ally against a single target, though the forms and customs are still enforced. Even if a House is outgunned and outnumbered, it can hope for a certain amount of restraint in the interests of general peace. A WAR OF ASSASSINS A practical application of kanly is to formalize a War of Assassins between rival Houses. An approved form of limited conflict, this cold war of secret killers and deadly intrigue can nevertheless destroy even a House Major. During this conflict, parties seek to eliminate rulers and important members of a House through subterfuge and covert murder. The goal is to weaken a House beyond its ability to recover, causing it to diminish in status, flee into exile, or become dissolved or absorbed. Instituting a War of Assassins begins with bureaucracy. Declarations of intent must be filed with the Guild, the Landsraad, and the Imperial Court. The conflict is monitored by Imperial judges to ensure the conflict does not become too widespread or claim too many bystanders. The Emperor and other powerful factions are ideally neutral in such conflicts, but history is filled with rulers who secretly aided and abetted one House or hindered the other’s ability to defend itself. Approved methods of a War of Assassins are outlined in The Assassins’ Handbook, an ancient text well-known to nobles, their advisors, and especially their House Mentats and Masters of Assassins. These include, but are not limited to, the use of poisons, hunter-seekers, double agents, and other methods. Rules for limiting collateral damage are also defined, forbidding largescale wars and use of weapons capable of destroying uninvolved groups and individuals.

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C h a p t e r 2 : Ho u s e s o f t h e L a n d s r a a d “A Duke must always take control of his household, for if he does not rule those closest to him, he cannot hope to govern a planet.” —Duke Paulus Atreides HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 29

H o u s e A l e x i n 30 H o u s e A l e x i n “REAP AS YOU SOW” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Harvest Yellow Crest: Wheat Sheaf/Stalk of Wheat O v e rv i e w House Traits: Industrious, Pragmatic PRIMARY DOMAINS Farming (Produce): Wheat, gourds, and other traditional staple foods. SECONDARY DOMAINS Farming (Machinery): Automated farming and harvesting equipment. Logistics (Machinery): Transportation of bulk foodstuffs. H o m e w o r l d Keres (Kora II) is a lush, fecund world with large regions of arable land and mild climate. The world has many orbiting satellites, power stations, and reflective mirrors to enhance the farming operations to the point of using 95 percent of its surface for agriculture. Most operations are automated and only require supervisors and maintenance crews. Keres also hosts extensive spaceport facilities to manage the shipping offworld of all the food they produce. Keres has no central or ruling city but many small industry-focused cities to maximize the agribusiness. The Alexin family has a massive geo-orbital station where the throne room resides, along with the bureaucracy of the fiefdom. Future plans are to expand the space station into a geosynchronous ringworld. Other Holdings: Kobold (Kora III) is in the same system and is also a heavy farming planet. While Kobold is not as productive as Keres, House Alexin has invested in extensive orbital infrastructure to enhance its agriculture output. Covered in even more orbital mirrors, it is a beautiful sight to behold. Jo, the only moon of Keres, is atmosphere-free and covered in domed farming complexes. The moon is being mined to provide raw material for extensive orbital projects in the system, and the web-work of mined tunnels have been retrofitted for more farming projects. Keres’ moon also has geosynchronous mirrors in orbit around it and extensive spaceport facilities. House Alexin also has about a dozen other minor worlds under contract from other Houses that it runs as agricultural worlds as part of its fiefdom. This works well, as the owner House collects rent and with its superior agribusiness technology, House Alexin can make it profitable. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r House Alexin has never been considered top-tier among the Houses in terms of military power, but its extensive wealth has allowed it to buy and build excellent planetary defense stations for Kora, its main system. The secondary function of the defensive network is logistics and command functions to operate the extensive shipping fleet. In a pinch, though, the agricultural hullers could be pushed into military service to bolster the strength of House Alexin. Planetside there is a minimal security force and small professional army, as there are very few strategic points of interest to protect. If needed, House Alexin has the wealth to hire mercenaries to bolster any ground action. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Life for the most part is excellent for most of the common folk under House Alexin’s rule. The steady work of farming and flow of wealth from the top trickles down so that even the lowest farmhands can afford modest dwellings and some small luxuries that many inhabitants of the Imperium do without. The ruling family is wellliked, given their fair temperament and pragmatic approach to life. The agrarian lifestyle lends itself to sparse population density with the few city centers focused on commercial food processing and shipping industries. All higher education and training outside of agriculture is done offworld for the few socially able to move beyond the core business of House Alexin. A notable percentage of the population lives in the homeworld’s extensive orbital infrastructure, working for the shipping and logistical sides of the House. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Prince Kole Alexin (Ruler) – A young man newly appointed to the head of the family after his father retired, following a largely peaceful and uneventful reign. Prince Kole has had the benefit of the finest education and training available in the Imperium.

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 31 Kole is extremely intelligent and diligent, and greatness is expected from the family. However, he is not politically ambitious and is happy to leave the day-to-day running of the House to Godwyn, his Mentat advisor. The prince has his own ideas of how to measure success and what constitutes greatness. With little interest in politics and ruling a House, he focuses his energies on music. His metric of greatness would be to pen the perfect opera. Godwyn Alexin (Mentat Advisor) – Uncle to the prince of House Alexin, and the de facto ruler of the House. Godwyn indulges his nephew because the boy is very talented, quite possibly a prodigy. As the second son and more expendable than his elder brother, the House’s prior ruler, Godwyn was sent to be trained as a Mentat. As long as Godwyn is alive, he will carry the burden of ruling, and House Alexin will be strong. H i s t o ry House Alexin was not a major player in the Imperium until recent times. It has no history of heroism from the era of the Butlerian Jihad or any other of the many conflicts in the Imperium. Instead, it started from humble beginnings on a hinterland planet growing food and slowly building an agricultural empire. A simple gourd found on Keres with the unique property of not decaying and being viable for a decade or longer was the key to House Alexin’s prosperity. Due to the gourd’s longevity without need of refrigeration or other preserving methods, it proved to be an excellent product for export. It has also become a popular ration among the Imperium military and other places without abundant resources. Once the gourd is boiled in water, it becomes fleshy and edible. It can also be processed into breads and textured protein, used in many food preparations. The true growth of House Alexin began once it was able to identify the genome sequence in this gourd and synthesize it to other types of produce. Today the House grows bountiful harvests of wheat on multiple planets it owns and those rented from other Houses. Slowly its influence spread as it became a breadbasket for the Imperium. Even the mere threat of cutting off shipments of food is enough for most Houses to capitulate to the demands of House Alexin. With the flow of steady wealth, House Alexin has expanded their agricultural business into an industrial base, producing harvesting and farming equipment. Much of it is automated and contains advanced logistical management for peak efficiency. Many have speculated that this industry could easily be retooled for military applications, but that has not been the case so far. House Alexin has carefully avoided being dragged into conflicts with other Houses and has a historical policy of shunning such entanglements to maintain their neutral position, to be better able to sell to all parties. This, however, is beginning to change, with Godwyn being much more active in Imperium politics, and the House building a stronger presence in the Landsraad. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE TALOS Heads the research and development for the core agribusiness. It has produced many of the processes and workflows that keep the Imperium fed. HOUSE BARCA Responsible for maintaining and running the extensive fleet hullers used to move all the produce offplanet and around the Imperium. HOUSE TETRAM A newly established House whose function is not well-defined in House Alexin fiefdom. Current intelligence places it as an organization carrying out ‘special projects’. A g e n d a House Alexin currently enjoys a privileged position in the Landsraad, being a large-scale food provider to the Imperium. They are in some conflict with House Zerides, but this has not escalated to open hostilities or kanly. Being rivals as major agribusiness Houses in the Imperium, conflict is inevitable. Many scoff at the jumped-up farmers and mock their emblem of a wheat sheaf as a symbol of weakness. The founder of the House intended the heraldry to be a reminder of the humble beginnings of the House. As such, many of the regal portraits show the nobles of the House posing with produce in one hand, depicting harvest of their farms, a reminder the family clearly takes seriously. Godwyn Alexin has largely been responsible for the rise in fortunes of House Alexin. For the last 50 years the Mentat has systematically extended the House’s reach in the core businesses they excel at. Godwyn has brought in new worlds and expanded farming operations all over the Imperium. Additionally, during Godwyn’s shadow leadership the Kora system has been logistically and defensively upgraded. The military capabilities have also been expanded during this period. Continued expansion under Godwyn will clearly make House Alexin a Great House in his lifetime. While the House’s ambitions are modest by most standards, they seek to expand into the most desired product in the Imperium, the spice melange. Developments of more efficient harvesting equipment and spice refinement processes have been underway for decades. Currently, House Alexin is trying to find a way onto Arrakis to test this new equipment and their refinement processes. Provided the House is successful in proving its technology and logistic capabilities to produce more spice, a request for the directorship of Arrakis may not be out of reach. For now, their immediate goal is a small share in spice mining operations or even being listed as preferred supplier for harvesting equipment.

H o u s e A l e x i n 32 H o u s e A t r e i d e s “NO CALL WE DO NOT ANSWER” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Green and Black Crest: Hawk O v e rv i e w House Traits: Honorable, Popular PRIMARY DOMAINS Farming (Produce): The primary export of humble pundi rice — a staple food throughout the Imperium — keeps a steady stream of wealth flowing into the House’s coffers. SECONDARY DOMAINS Farming (Produce): The oceanic planet allows for much large-scale fishing, and Caladan’s moonfish are one of the most profitable fish, able to be used for oil and flesh, and their cartilage can be turned into other useful industrial products. Artistic (Understanding): The Atreides are long considered passionate and fair diplomats, and their talents at negotiation have helped sway many conflicts throughout the Imperium. Military (Expertise): Atreides tacticians and instructors are highly sought-after throughout the Imperium, though rare, as they are well-cared for and tend to remain under Atreides employ. H o m e w o r l d Caladan has been the ancestral home of the Atreides for 26 generations. It is a world dominated by massive oceans, rich in life, interrupted by a handful of small continental landmasses. Fishing and agriculture are the principal exports of the world, cultivated by a thriving people who are treated with respect and dignity by their feudal overlords. Vast fields of pundi rice can be found in the rainy lowlands of the Western Continent, a simple crop that has become a ubiquitous food source across the Imperium and is the source of House Atreides’ wealth and influence. Other Holdings: None Mi l i ta ry P ow e r Traditionally, the Atreides maintain a well-disciplined and ferociously loyal military as a defense force. Rarely leaving Caladan except in aid of their allies, these forces are focused on naval and air power, appropriate to their oceanic homeworld. At the direction of Duke Leto Atreides and under the command of his retainers, these forces have been further refined into a superbly lethal army. Though few, their prowess is believed to rival even the Imperial Sardaukar. When the Atreides takes feudal possession of Arrakis, they are in possession of one of the finest cadres of soldiers in the Known Universe. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e The people of Caladan have prospered under Atreides rule. The majority of the population have been engaged in commercial fishing and agriculture for many generations. Their labors are ultimately to the benefit of their Atreides rulers, but unlike many labor populations in the Imperium, the people of Caladan enjoy a high quality of life. Education and the arts are highly valued on Caladan, and individuals have considerable freedom in choosing their vocations. Most voluntarily choose to follow in their family professions, with some fishing fleets and farms having been worked by the same lineages for thousands of years. Others may volunteer for the Atreides military service, and it is even possible for an individual to be freed of feudal obligations to pursue a life elsewhere in the Imperium. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Duke Leto Atreides (Ruler) – Duke Leto inherited a respectable House from his father, but under his rule, the Atreides have risen to become one of the foremost powers of the Landsraad. He is well-liked by his peers and respected even by his enemies. The Duke is a just but pragmatic ruler who always acts in the interests of his House and his people. He is an impeccable judge of character, a skill that helps him surround himself with the finest retainers and advisors ever to be gathered by a ruler. Lady Jessica (Noble Consort) – Though she bears the title of consort, in truth the Lady Jessica is wife to Duke Leto in all but name. A Bene Gesserit of concealed lineage, her assignment to the Duke was arranged even before her birth. A woman of piercing intellect and duty-bound to the Sisterhood, Jessica seemed their perfect tool until she surprised them

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 33 all, including herself, by falling in love with Duke Leto. She became fiercely devoted to the Duke and the Atreides, even bearing a son for him against the wishes of her superiors. Paul Atreides (Heir) – The son of Duke Leto and the concubine Jessica, Paul Atreides has been groomed from a young age for leadership at the highest level. His loving parents ensured that he would be prepared for any challenge or threat, even going so far as to see him trained in the fundamentals of Mentat thinking. His tutors in warfare and the arts have been the finest to be found, and by the time he was a teenager he showed every sign of becoming a remarkable leader of men. It is at this age, shortly before the Atreides are due to take the fiefdom of Arrakis, that young Paul has begun to experience troubling dreams. The core noble family of the Atreides is quite small, but their retainers are so close to them as to be family members for all intents and purposes. The Duke’s judgment of character may be his greatest asset, second only to the sincerity of his own character. Consequently, the Duke has the pick of the Known Universe in choosing his aides-de-camp and tutors for his son. Among others, the Swordmaster Duncan Idaho, the Mentat Thufir Hawat, and the fighting man and troubadour Gurney Halleck are all utterly loyal to the Duke and his family, willing to give up their lives for the Atreides banner. H i s t o ry House Atreides bears a prestigious history, claiming roots in the most distant antiquity. Atreides legend claims they are the direct descendants of Atreus, a king of ancient Earth, father of Agamemnon, from whom they claim further descent. Whatever the truth of these mythic origins, the roots of the House can more provably be tied to time of the Butlerian Jihad and a military commander named Vorian Atreides. Vorian distinguished himself in battle against the thinking machines and particularly in the legendary Battle of Corrin, during which the ancient enmity between his descendants and those of the Harkonnens was born. In the aftermath of the Jihad, Vorian was a lauded hero and settled on Caladan. His descendants would one day earn the legitimacy of titles and a noble House as reward for Vorian’s actions during the Jihad. In the centuries that followed, House Atreides remained a small but respected force among the Great Houses of the Landsraad. While they shied away from aggressive political intervention, the nobles of the Atreides were nonetheless sought out as stalwart allies on liberal causes and were even signatories of the Great Convention in 1 A.G. For generations, the Atreides avoided entanglement in the worst of the schemes and conspiracies that regularly rocked the Landsraad, and generally chose the winning sides when they could not avoid involvement. This state of affairs might have persisted indefinitely were it not for the rise of Duke Leto and his masterful statesmanship as leader of the House. Under Duke Leto’s rule, the Atreides began to take a more aggressive role in the politics of the Imperium. The Duke saw it as their responsibility to seek justice where possible even if it should require them to make the most powerful enemies. During these years the Atreides were embroiled in the conflicts that ultimately freed Ix from the control of the Bene Tleilax and drew the ire of the Emperor himself. Leto also pretended to join the violent Noble Commonwealth movement and helped to bring the rebellion down from within. It was a consequence of these events that led to the Atreides being offered the fiefdom of Arrakis and all the perils it presents. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE STEWART The Stewarts have largely stayed out of the affairs of the Imperium but their loyalty to the Atreides is unquestioned. The heavily fortified moons of their homeworld have sometimes served as safehouses for the Atreides and their retainers. HOUSE BERRETH Though only a minor power, the ruling Viziers of House Berreth have historically emphasized learning and matters of jurisprudence. The keen legal minds of their nobles have advised the Atreides for generations. HOUSE FLUXSPEAR A Minor House whose economy is driven by food production. A significant portion of the Atreides pundi rice crop is processed by House Fluxspear into shelf-stable foods. A g e n d a Honor has always been the watchword of House Atreides. For over twenty generations the nobles of the Atreides have been dedicated to principles of honor and fairness. While not every duke of the Atreides pursued these aims with the same vigor, the House has always maintained its good reputation. Historically, the Atreides focused on the management of their own affairs, steering clear of the twisted agendas of their peers in the Landsraad when they could avoid it. However, they have never shied away from a challenge, and their political acumen was more than sufficient to retain their status as a Great House, their power growing over the generations. With the rise of Duke Leto, the Atreides became increasingly involved in the high politics of the Imperium, despite the Duke’s wishes. His involvement in the affairs of Ix forced the Atreides to take sides against the Tleilaxu, angering and humiliating the Emperor in the process. Leto’s work against a dangerous rebel leader, saving Emperor Shaddam and his Empress after the disaster on Otorio, brought him to even greater prominence before the Landsraad. When the Duke’s actions became known, he was lauded by many other Houses as an exemplary man of principle and good character. His rising popularity made him even more dangerous to the Emperor, a fact of which the Duke was keenly aware.

H o u s e A l e x i n 34 B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Light Green Crest: Tree (Yggdrasil) O v e rv i e w House Traits: Just, Determined PRIMARY DOMAINS Farming (Produce) Forestry: The House’s rich worlds and forests produce a variety of products, including elacca wood, fogwood, and tent silk. SECONDARY DOMAINS Science (Produce) Pharmaceuticals: Ecaz’s rich jungles also provide the basis for many pharmaceutical products used throughout the Imperium, such as elacca, semuta, verite, and sapho. Political (Understanding): Landsraad Politics. H o m e w o r l d Ecaz (Alpha Centauri B IV) is an ecologically rich jungle world and source of elacca wood and fogwood. The latter is favored by artists as it can be shaped by human thought. The world is sometimes called “the Sculptor’s Paradise” for this reason. The great biodiversity of this world has made it a cornucopia of pharmaceutical harvests. Many drugs and medicines are only available from Ecaz, and thus they have a near monopoly on that trade. The other major source of income for the homeworld is export of Ecazi sculptures and timber from the bloodwood forests. Furniture made from elacca wood is highly prized in the wealthier offices of the Imperium. The deep jungles are also famed for the tent cocoons of the falcon moth which produce tent silk. This silk is exceptionally fine and strong, but it must be harvested in sheets from the large shared cocoon of the dangerous caterpillars before they eat it as they emerge. There is one inhabited moon orbiting Ecaz and no other colonized planets in the home system. There is a minimal amount of space infrastructure and very little development beyond the homeworld. Ecaz does have star ports for offworld trade and is a major trade port for Guild Heighliner trade routes. Other Holdings: Currently House Ecaz has no other known holdings. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r House Ecaz keeps a standing army on their homeworld along with standard planetary defenses. By Imperial standards they are nothing exceptional and have in recent history been successfully attacked by House Moritani by surprise. Were it not for House Atreides’ assistance, House Ecaz would likely have been defeated. Largely, House Ecaz depends on its strong reputation in the Landsraad and allies to keep belligerents in check. They lack the extensive resources needed to field ships and ground forces to be a real threat to the great powers of the Imperium. Mostly, they confine their military actions to home defense and very few external actions, as Guild fees are exorbitant for transporting military actions to other star systems and the House has little military hardware to utilize in such endeavors. Their most powerful asset, a strong voice in the Landsraad, has lost much of its potency in recent times, with the retirement of Archduke Armand. Although officially retired, Armand Ecaz still appears as a prominent representative of House Ecaz at the Imperial Court and Landsraad events. The new regent is very vocal but lacks the reputation of the old Archduke to win many Houses to move to military actions on its behalf. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Life for most is good and fair under House Ecaz’s rule. Those not involved in the politics of its mahogany throne are largely left to work in the forestry and pharmaceutical industries, far away from the recent strife of the civil war and civilian casualties of the conflict with House Moritani. The Ecaz–Moritani feud has exhausted the House and it is still trying to recover. The retirement of the Archduke Armand Ecaz has put a younger generation on the mahogany throne in the hopes of revitalizing it. The House is not as prominent as it once was, but the new Lady in charge is determined to make them prominent once again. Her priority is recovery of the economy and making inroads to a stronger voice in the Landsraad. As with most worlds in the FaufreH o u s e E c a z “THE FOREST ENDURES”

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 35 luches system, there is very little social mobility, and most folks end up doing the work their forebears were stationed at. Farming, forestry, and pharmaceuticals are the major industries on Ecaz, with the rest of the population working to support those major exports. In terms of wealth for the common citizen, Ecaz ranks average in the Imperium, with many luxuries available but out of reach. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Archduke Armand Ecaz (Ruler, retired) – The last member of the ruling bloodline. After the death of all his children and brother in the conflicts with House Moritani, he has retired and left behind the politics of the Imperium. He was a popular figure in the Landsraad during his reign, well respected and a key player along with House Atreides in keeping the Corrino Emperor’s power in check. Lady Caranda Ecaz (Ruler) – The current leader of House Ecaz. Through sheer will and determination she rose through the ranks from a minor family branch to become the head of House Ecaz. After the fall of the Moritani she had become determined to get revenge on the Harkonnens for their allegiance with House Moritani and their part in the deaths of her noble cousins. Otherwise, she campaigns to build alliances and resources to make House Ecaz a major player in the Imperium again. Rivvy Dinari (Swordmaster of Ginaz) – The personal bodyguard of Archduke Armand Ecaz. He died saving the Duke’s life during the ill-fated wedding of Leto Atreides and IIesa Ecaz. Whitmore Bludd (Swordmaster of Ginaz) – Former bodyguard of IIesa Ecaz, who failed to protect her life at her wedding. Feeling disgraced, Whitmore spent the next few years grieving, but eventually returned to service within House Ecaz. H i s t o ry Like most predominate Houses of the Imperium, House Ecaz got its start in the Butlerian Jihad. After the machine tyrants were defeated and the Faufreluches caste system established, for its support of the League of Nobles, Ecaz was awarded stewardship of Alpha Centauri B IV. Like most of the Houses from this time, they support the fundamental laws of the Imperium and the Great Convention to a fault, often drawing them into conflicts on principle alone. Their great rivalry with House Moritani has defined the recent past and shaped where they are today. The escalation of retribution has nearly resulted in the elimination of House Ecaz as both a family and an Imperial power. The House is in a period of rebuilding its infrastructure, its resource base, and its military and political alliances. They have been quiet, sharpening their knives for the inevitable conflicts ahead. Until the fall of Moritani, the feud saw both Houses consumed with vengeance. House Ecaz is also known for its long history with the Atreides and are staunch allies with that House. At one point the relationship was to be made stronger by ties of marriage between Duke Leto Atreides and the daughter of Archduke Armand, but sadly they died before that relationship could be cemented. In time, House Ecaz will support Paul Atreides’ claim to the Imperial throne and continue the alliance for another generation. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE IDY Heads the core agribusiness of the bloodwood forests. They plant and harvest the elacca wood Ecaz is famous for. Recent years have been tough, with the blight spread by House Moritani wiping out much of the forest. It will take years before the industry fully recovers. HOUSE HORI Responsible for maintaining and running the sculpting of the fogwood. They also produce luxury furniture and sculptures for export. HOUSE BAK Runs the extensive pharmaceutical business for House Ecaz. As many drugs and medicines A g e n d a House Ecaz is currently in decline from the privileged position it once held as a Great House in the Landsraad. It is teetering on the brink of becoming a Minor House, like House Richese. The decline is a result of the war with House Moritani, interference from House Harkonnen, and even some malfeasance from the Padishah Emperor. The ecology of Ecaz has been devastated by biological warfare and may require hundreds of years before fully recovering. The current priority is rebuilding the economy and infrastructure on Ecaz with the bloodwood forests and pharma plants receiving the bulk of the recovery effort from the limited resources the House can deploy. Continued export of elacca wood and pharmaceuticals is the main source of funds for the rebuilding effort. Second in priority is rebuilding their reputation in the Landsraad by gaining allies and rallying opposition against the excesses of House Corrino. Under Archduke Armand’s rulership, House Ecaz always stood up for the weaker members of the Landsraad against the bullies, and Lady Ecaz intends to continue that tradition. However, the House has not been very successful in this endeavor, as it has very little to offer potential allies other than promises of aid in the future. Also, the House has scant military capacity for adventures offworld, so Ecaz is not in a position to really help any other House for now. The most pressing item on the agenda of Lady Ecaz is revenge on the Harkonnens, once the Moritani fall. As the last party remaining from the strife of the past, it is important for Lady Ecaz to gain revenge, not only for personal reasons but also to demonstrate that her House is strong. Accompanying the buildup of assets for a War of Assassins, in the near future House Ecaz will likely declare kanly on House Harkonnen.

H o u s e A l e x i n 36 H o u s e H a g a l “THE BRIGHTEST JEWEL” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Sky Blue Crest: Fan O v e rv i e w House Traits: Ambitious, Wealthy PRIMARY DOMAINS Industrial (Produce): The mining facilities and holdings possessed by House Hagal are vast. Most of the population of planet Hagal work in or for the mines in some capacity. This focus renders House Hagal the preeminent mineral miners in the Landsraad, an expertise much sought-after. House Hagal’s mines are known for production of soostones and fire opals. Many of the Corrino crown jewels were mined there, and the Imperial throne itself is fashioned of Hagal quartz. SECONDARY DOMAINS Industrial (Machinery): Sustaining a mining operation as vast as that of Hagal’s necessitates huge quantities of machinery. Hagal’s single inhabitable moon is dedicated to the production of this machinery. Diggers, automated shaft probes, gas detectors, carriages, and extraction carts, quarrying machines … all are built and dispatched to the surface of Hagal, in an endless supply. Artistic (Produce): The long, exhausting work in the deep gem mines across Hagal resulted in the creation of a type of rhythmic chanting and folk music, often accompanied by a baliset. Featuring exhortational and religious lyrics — often derived from psalms in the Orange Catholic Bible — this music quickly became popular throughout the Imperium, and as a result, well-practiced Hagalese folk groups are in demand across the Known Universe. H o m e w o r l d Hagal (Hagal I), ‘The Jewel Planet’, a world of vast mountain ranges and generally cold temperatures, House Hagal’s eponymous homeworld possesses unsurpassed mineral resources. The polar regions reach –40 and –50 degrees Celsius, making them virtually uninhabitable. Most of the population centers are close to the equator, though Corrinos, the planet’s largest conurbation, is relatively far north, due to the rich seams of ore and gemstone found in the northern reaches. The city was originally dubbed Hagal but was renamed in honor of the marriage between Yvette Hagal and Emperor Elrood IX, the father of Shaddam IV. Other Holdings: Selos – Planet Hagal has three moons, though only Selos possesses a stable surface and atmosphere, enabling its colonization and use as a manufacturing planet. Selos is often jokingly referred to as the seat of House Seleukos. Perdiccas (Hagal V) – This small, backwater world is used as a training planet by House Ptolemy, one of Hagal’s allied Minor Houses. Troops making up Hagal’s standing army are trained there in a deliberate parallel to the initiation rituals undergone by the Sardaukar. The Emperor tolerates such a force and its training rites, as the standing army is substantially smaller than the legions of the Sardaukar, and Hagal has proved its absolute devotion to Imperial rule. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r Despite its vast wealth, House Hagal invested relatively little into its military forces until recently. The union between House Corrino and House Hagal altered this, with the Minor House Ptolemy being used to quickly train and mobilize a small, but highly trained and highly equipped, expeditionary force. This, it is said, acts as a protection for Hagal assets against any who might feel the relationship between Hagal and the Padishah Emperor renders them too powerful. On occasion this force has been used to impose Imperial decree without the need for direct intervention from House Corrino. Despite this, House Hagal shows little sign of planning to increase their military presence. Whether this is to avoid triggering the Emperor’s infamous paranoia, or is due to the much-rumored slowing in mineral excavation, is uncertain. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Hagal’s population is roughly three billion, paying their tithes to the Earl through working in the extensive mining networks spanning the planet. Life on Hagal is far from easy, and there are few luxuries. While the Hagal are not brutal taskmasters, and living conditions are passable, mining

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 37 work is grueling, and there are few alternatives for those who don’t wish to starve. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Earl Philip Hagal (Ruler) – Young, thoughtful, and handsome, Earl Philip is considered a safe inheritor of his father’s seat. While his father spent lavishly to secure the marriage between the Padishah Emperor and Yvette, Philip has been noticeably more reticent about depleting his House’s cash and gem reserves. This financial caution fuels the rumors of gem shortages and of Hagal’s resources finally giving out. Phillip denies such talk and insists his House is merely no longer interested in spending money on influence it already possesses. The Earl works hard to maintain ties with the Emperor, especially since his sister’s unfortunate death in 10,075 A.G. While this was personally and politically a bitter loss for the Earl, he invests considerable time in playing the role of the good uncle to Yvette’s daughters-by-theEmperor, Crystane, Tara, and Edwina. This show of devotion ensures House Hagal’s closeness to the Imperial House and preserves some of the prestige the earlier marriage conveyed. Philip’s keenness to ensure close ties with House Corrino has alienated him from a large portion of the Landsraad, though, as he points out, not having to fear the sudden arrival of the Sardaukar renders this entirely worthwhile. Lady Roxana Hagal (Consort, Envoy) – A distinguished, highlyrefined woman, a daughter of House Ptolemy (a House Minor owing fealty to Hagal). Roxana is the Earl’s confidant, a valued negotiator in the House’s constant trade talks, and supposedly the recipient of Bene Gesserit training. Whether this is true or not, or simply a result of Roxana’s impressive bearing, is unknown. She has yet to bear children for the Earl, despite persistent talk of pregnancy. Tiresias (Advisor) – A Mentat specializing in the fluctuations of the markets, Tiresias served the Earl’s grandfather, father, and now Philip. Despite his obviously advanced age, he still appears extremely youthful — even for someone with regular access to melange. He is trusted by Earl Phillip beyond all others, rendering him the subject of much jealousy. H i s t o ry House Hagal’s history is one without much incident. It proceeds slowly, with the gradual escalation of mining operations, and the increasing power and influence coming with it. Hagal’s position in the Landsraad as one of the Great Houses has been assured for some time. But it is only of late they achieved the prestige they’d long felt their due, with the wedding of Yvette Hagal to the previous Emperor. Hagal’s wealth ensured no great wars with any of the other Houses, though there was a long-standing rivalry with several Houses over who would gain the fief of Arrakis. House Hagal routinely lobbied the Emperor, citing its experience with mining as justification. Given their already formidable wealth, the income from Arrakis would have rendered House Hagal the wealthiest in the universe — something the Emperor was well aware of and ensured would not come to pass. After an extensive slave revolt in 9,050 A.G. centered on one of their richest mines, Hagal ceased to focus on acquiring additional demesnes, preferring to secure its own. This led to the strengthening of ties between House Hagal and House Corrino, eventually resulting in the Imperial marriage. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE PTOLEMY Centered on a small planet in the same system as Hagal, Ptolemy produces most of the soldiers constituting Hagal’s armies. Ptolemy’s union with House Hagal is ancient, and House Ptolemy retains its independence more as a matter of tradition than actuality. HOUSE SELEUKOS Called ‘the engineering cadre’ by those in House Hagal, House Seleukos specializes in the design and manufacture of the mining equipment used by Hagal to excavate the gemstones and ore its wealth is founded on. HOUSE CASSANDER A relatively new House, given some status to avoid a second rebellion, soon after the Great Slave Revolt of 9050, House Cassander is responsible for the preparation and processing of gemstones removed from the mines on Hagal. In the vast factories built and owned by House Cassander, the gems are cut, polished, and readied for transport. A g e n d a House Hagal’s agenda is a simple one: to reinforce their ties to House Corrino and to the Emperor. They are loyal subjects, willing to support the Padishah Emperor’s plans, to lend financial aid where needed, and to ensure the Emperor’s rule is preserved. They align themselves totally with the Emperor and the Imperium, working tirelessly against any House they believe might upset the Landsraad’s status quo. The deep mines spread across Hagal produce a regular and enormous bounty. Ore is plentiful, but the planet and the House are best known for the surplus of gemstones recovered each year. This vast income has not always been wisely spent, and much of it has been lost in bad investments or in schemes coming to nothing. Despite this, and despite persistent rumors that the apparently endless mines of planet Hagal are finally running dry, the House remains extremely rich. This also remains a fixation for them — the preservation of their wealth by whatever means necessary.

H o u s e A l e x i n 38 H o u s e H a r ko n n e n “WE TAKE WHAT IS OURS” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Red and Black Crest: Sigil O v e rv i e w House Traits: Brutal, Cunning PRIMARY DOMAINS Farming (Produce): Spice (Current Governors of Arrakis). The Harkonnens manage spice production over the entirety of planet Arrakis. Supplying spice to the Imperium is their responsibility alone. However, they do offer franchise mining contracts to other Houses to work under them for vast fees. Industrial (Produce): Refined Alloys. The Harkonnen homeworld is almost one vast industrial refining plant and factory, leaving little room for farming. SECONDARY DOMAINS Industrial (Produce): Mass-produced goods across a wide spectrum of industries, though generally thought of as crude, utilitarian, and cheap, derivative of higher-quality goods fashioned elsewhere. Farming (Produce): Whale Fur. Lankiveil’s oceans are home to a furred whale, harvested almost to extinction for its meat and oil but especially for its rich fur, coveted by the wealthy throughout the Imperium. H o m e w o r l d The industrialized planet of Giedi Prime has been the seat of Harkonnen power for many generations. Massive factories and refineries dominate much of the world’s surface, with only a few reserves preserved for timber farms. Pollution caused by heavy industry has led much of Giedi Prime to be smogchoked and poorly lit even at midday. Other Holdings: Arrakis is the jewel in the Harkonnen crown and the source of their tremendous power and influence. Granted governorship of the fief of Arrakis by the Padishah Emperor, the Harkonnens hold the planet in an iron grip, squeezing from it every possible ounce of wealth at terrible cost to the planet’s inhabitants. With complete control over the precious commodity of spice, the Harkonnens are capable of any act of oppression, treachery, or genocide in defense of their treasure world. Secondarily, the Harkonnen also hold feudal rights to Lankiveil, a world of small landmasses that generates some moderate wealth in maritime produce. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r The Harkonnens maintain a powerful military force, emphasizing shock troops and other infantry-led strategies. The vast majority of Harkonnen soldiery are conscripts led by an officer corps drawn from the House’s nobility. Discipline is severe, and morale among troops can fluctuate wildly. The Harkonnen military is ostensibly a defense force, but in truth, it is often used aggressively (often against their own people). The Harkonnens have been known to raid the holdings of enemy Houses, and on Arrakis, their soldiers are often used in the execution of punitive raids against the Fremen and even civilians who have incurred the House’s displeasure. Many Harkonnen soldiers are not warriors so much as exceedingly corrupt police forces. However, the brutal conditions of life on Giedi Prime have led to the Harkonnen soldiery being capable of great savagery, and they are not to be underestimated. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Suffering is the rule for those who live beneath the Harkonnen shadow. On Giedi Prime the great mass of humanity lives in feudal squalor, consigned to work in factories, production facilities, or mining operations. These people have labored for generations under the Harkonnen yoke and are downtrodden in the extreme. A small number of individuals, families, and business consortiums exist in a tenuous middle ground, making up the planet’s merchant class. Criminal enterprises also thrive in this class stratum because they are occasionally convenient to the planet’s rulers in circumventing Imperial law. Above them all are the Harkonnens themselves, who enjoy a lifestyle of opulent decadence flaunted in the face of their lessers from their capital city of Barony. On Arrakis, the situation is much the same but even more brutal, as the Harkonnens do not even pretend to act with noblesse oblige toward their feudal subjects. The Harkonnen capital on Arrakis is Carthag, and from there they attempt to exert total control

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 39 over the planet. The people of the deep desert largely remain free of Harkonnen depredations, and when they raid spice harvesting operations it is the common people of the cities that instead suffer punitive arrests and executions. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Siridar Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Ruler) – One of the most powerful men in the Imperium, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a study in contrasts. Feared and admired, grotesque but powerful, and brutal but brilliant, his schemes cast a long shadow over the Landsraad and, indeed, the whole of the Known Universe. Under his rule House Harkonnen has moved from strength to strength, gaining a stranglehold on the unfathomable riches of the spice trade. The Baron trusts no one, not even his own heirs, whom he plays off against one another as part of his larger plots. Na-Baron Glossu ‘The Beast’ Rabban, Count of Lankiveil (Heir apparent) – The oldest of two brothers, Glossu Rabban was the natural choice of preferred heir by his uncle. The Baron installed him as governor of Arrakis but has begun to regret the choice. Rabban rules Arrakis without subtlety, crushing the populace mercilessly without increasing spice production. The most hated man on Dune, Rabban is nonetheless greatly feared. And while his reputation is for mindless thuggery, he is not entirely without foresight. The na-Baron has begun to grow concerned about the numbers and effectiveness of the desert rabble and wonders if his uncle does not underestimate these Fremen warriors. Baron Harkonnen already secretly plans to replace Rabban as his heir with Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. As such, he indulges Rabban’s worst qualities as governor so when Feyd-Rautha takes over he will look like a savior. Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Heir-inwaiting) – Vicious and capable, Feyd-Rautha is the young blade of House Harkonnen. He possesses a cruel streak impressive even by Harkonnen standards and spends much of his time training in gladiatorial combat, the favorite of his many idle pursuits. Young Feyd-Rautha is eager to rule but has not yet come to appreciate the subtle political maneuvering favored by his uncle. The Harkonnen noble family is large, though power is concentrated in the hands of the Baron and his favored heirs. Still, numerous minor nobles like Alexzander Harkonnen can be found on Giedi Prime, Lankiveil, and Arrakis, jockeying for power in the House or serving as military officers. H i s t o ry House Harkonnen’s prestige and power are a recent accomplishment. Though the House is believed to have its origins on ancient Earth, it struggled for generations as only a minor power amongst the Landsraad. In the final days of the Butlerian Jihad, the Harkonnens committed an act of betrayal that has stained their reputation ever since. Accused of treachery by the Atreides and exiled, it took the family centuries to return to legitimacy. Even then, so untrustworthy was their reputation that the House labored as one of the least of the Minor Houses of the Landsraad for almost ten millennia. The Harkonnen rise to power only truly began under the relatively recent reign of Siridar Baron Dmitri Harkonnen. Through his shrewd efforts in market manipulation, tactical alliances, and other, darker methods, the House’s fortunes began to swell. This culminated around 80 years ago when the Harkonnens replaced House Richese as governors of Arrakis. Dmitri’s successes were ultimately eclipsed by those of his son Vladimir, the current ruler of the House. His other son and preferred heir, Abulurd, was ultimately killed by his own son, Glossu Rabban, further paving the way for Vladimir Harkonnen’s own rise to power. Under his brutal reign the Harkonnens have only gained in wealth and influence, becoming one of the principal powers of the Imperium. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE RABBAN Technically a branch of the Harkonnens, House Rabban rules the oceanic world of Lankiveil. After leaving to govern Arrakis at the Baron’s command, a minor Harkonnen cousin was granted the rulership of Lankiveil under the title of ‘House Rabban’, in what amounts to little more than an elaborate tax evasion. All Lankiveil’s wealth in the whale-fur trade is ultimately used to launder Harkonnen spice profits. HOUSE GAUGER A Minor House existing in the periphery of the Imperium, House Gauger is a depraved and inbred noble family who make their living in the gray legalities of the slave trade. They are servile to the Harkonnens, who keep them in blackmailed servitude and rely on their slaves to fill their own factories and fighting pits. HOUSE ZERIDES This small House manages the backwater breadbasket planet of Kittiak that feeds most of the Harkonnen machine. It is an ambitious House but finds its allegiance to House Harkonnen far too useful, for now at least. A g e n d a The ultimate goal of House Harkonnen is simple: to accumulate as much power as possible at the expense of their enemies. Under Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the House’s influence has reached an unparalleled level but even this strength does not yet match his ambitions. The Baron secretly wants nothing less than ultimate power in the Known Universe, most likely through placing Feyd-Rautha on the Imperial throne. He would see the hated Atreides cast down as his own House rises, and then he would set about reordering the Imperium to his own liking and enrichment. While their agenda is simple, the means by which the Harkonnens go about its realization are anything but. The Harkonnens have recently achieved a critical accomplishment toward their plans: the control of Arrakis and the wealth of the spice trade. For any other ruler this would be more reward than they could dream of, but for the Baron this is merely a milestone on a journey to ultimate power. Vladimir has ruthlessly capitalized upon every success of his predecessor Dmitri Harkonnen, especially when it comes to Arrakis, a challenge that has ruined more than one Great House. .

H o u s e A l e x i n 40 H o u s e Ke n o l a “IN FAITH IS STRENGTH” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: White Crest: Open Book O v e rv i e w House Traits: Dogmatic, Faithful PRIMARY DOMAINS Religious (Machinery): An array of religious paraphernalia, but some of the most impressive and well-crafted Bibles in the Imperium. SECONDARY DOMAINS Religious (Understanding): The retreat on Caliburn is a renowned (if barren) sanctuary for contemplation and introspection. Artistic (Produce): Acclaimed religious artwork and poetry. H o m e w o r l d Allgrave (Andala IV) is a habitable but quite bleak planet of mostly scrubland. Allgrave is quite cold most of the time although the winters are not as harsh as they might be. Production facilities are restricted to the cities to allow the landscape to remain relatively unspoiled where possible. However, this is also because there is little mineral wealth on the planet. Nevertheless, Kenola poets have been inspired by the landscape for its wild bleakness that makes it appear untouched by humanity. Other Holdings: Caliburn (Andala VIII), a cold, barren rock of a world that houses a monastic retreat for prayer and contemplation. Caliburn has a barely breathable atmosphere but has little water and almost no soil. It is mostly a rock in space, but its thin atmosphere does grant an excellent view of the night sky. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r House Kenola has a small standing army and a standard planetary defense system. It essentially maintains the minimum for planetary defense, so it is not an easy target. It has neither the troops nor inclination to mount an invasion force and relies on a neutral stance (and a lack of planetary wealth) in any conflicts to protect it from aggressors. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Life on Allgrave is hard but reasonably good. The land gives little back so the mostly farming community must work hard for the produce they harvest. A few join the monasteries as servants, monks, or nuns, but the life is no easier, so only the truly faithful tend to apply. While the Orange Catholic religion is not enforced, to not take part is socially unacceptable and so most people at least pay lip service. The ruling family is generally considered harsh but fair and are generally seen as examples of the faith. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Baron Father Darius Kenola (Ruler) – A kind but stern father figure who considers himself more of a priest to his people than a ruler. He is reasonably old now but still in good health. His dedication to the faith is unquestioned, but many believe he is failing in his duties as the leader of a House in favor of his religious devotions. Baroness Margaret Kenola (Consort) – A dedicated Madonna-like figure who does her best to set an example as a demure and humble wife. She is a distant but well-loved figure to the people and held up as a (somewhat archaic) icon of womanhood. A small but growing Madonna cult has formed around her example. The Baron and Baroness have eight children (four of which have reached adulthood) and there is still time to have more. But they have yet to name an heir as they are still considering which of their children is the most pious. The eldest four (Mark, Rachael, Samuel, and Sarah) are in varying degrees of competition to prove their dedication in the hopes of being named successor. H i s t o ry During the Butlerian Jihad, House Kenola distinguished itself through its dedication to the Imperial cause. While they were not always in the vanguard of the fighting, they could always be seen inspiring the troops to keep fighting with words of faith. After the victory against the thinking machines, they took little title and power, but instead were heavily supportive of the development of the new Orange Catholic Bible.

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 41 House Kenola is renowned for its dedication to the Orange Catholic faith, a dedication they have turned into a business. They produce a vast array of religious paraphernalia, catering to all tastes and budgets, everything from statues to prayer beads. They also produce items to order, the results of which very much depend on the taste and sensibilities of the customer. This has sometimes led to House Kenola being regarded as a purveyor of cheap and tacky baubles. However, it is truer to say they cater to all tastes and pockets and make no judgment on what people choose to use in their personal faith. One thing that House Kenola is especially known for are their Bibles. While they mass-produce Orange Catholic Bibles, they also handcraft and illuminate Bibles to order. Each is unique and takes around ten years to copy and illustrate by hand. House Kenola also blesses and hand delivers each Bible when it is ready. When transported, each is treated as a person and given its own seat on a transport rather than simply being boxed and shipped. Owning a Kenola Bible is often seen as a mark of dedication to the faith, and they are priced to match this reputation. House Kenola is also known for its monastery on Caliburn on the edge of its system. It lies within reasonably easy reach of non-foldspace vessels, and many visitors consider this long space journey to be part of the experience of the pilgrimage. On this cold world, with only barely breathable atmosphere, House Kenola has built a vast austere Gothic monastery. This place, simply called ‘Sanctuary’, is available to all who wish to spend some time in contemplation or simply want a retreat from Imperium life. Guests pay a modest sum and are given a small cell, simple clothes, and three meals a day. Anyone who can pay the fees is welcome, rich or poor. They are also given a single name to use while there, devoid of title or House. On Sanctuary everyone is equal and free of the burdens of rank. This also means that few people know the real identity of any guests. Guests may spend their time alone, in group prayer, or engaging in any of the seminars and therapeutic groups on offer. With no landscape, grand architecture, or Imperial gossip to distract the occupants, it is a place of inward and personal contemplation. Only when their term of stay is up, or the Imperium demands they return, do guests learn any news from the outside world. For most it is a place to escape. For some it is a place to hide. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE NORELL A farming House that manages what little agriculture is pursued on Andala, just enough to feed the small population. They supplement this with a few mines, although Allgrave has very few mineral resources either. HOUSE DARVIN A trading House that sells lowerquality Kenola wares through less prestigious channels. They have several black-market contacts across the Imperium and often make deals on behalf of House Kenola with groups Kenola prefers not to be associated with. HOUSE VISHALA A flagellant House who insist they gain insight and visions through deprivation and self-punishment. They are considered holy by many of the populace, giving greater weight to their more hardline religious views. They have been critical of House Kenola’s liberal stance in the past. A g e n d a House Kenola has always been dedicated to the Orange Catholic faith and the Butlerian Edicts, but that dedication has waxed and waned over the centuries. Different rulers have focused on different ways to build the House. This has led some to believe that Kenola’s piety is little more than a convenient way to sell its paraphernalia. Its current ruler is as dedicated as the founders of the House, insisting on being referred to by his priestly title of ‘Father’ rather than ‘Baron’. However, his dedication is such that many believe he is overdoing it for the sake of appearances. This has led to several diplomatic incidents when other Houses have tried to appeal to what they believe to be his ‘true nature’. While some are cynical of Kenola’s dedication, Houses that share its faith regard it highly. Concerned that the Imperium is becoming decadent, the rulers of House Kenola have been in secret talks with several other likeminded Houses for many years. They are looking to create a religious power bloc within the Landsraad to ensure Butlerian Edicts remain inviolable. They would ideally like to form an official council overseeing the Emperor to ensure he makes ‘informed’ decisions. However, even the suggestion of such a group is potentially treasonous. One of Kenola’s strongest allies in this is House Richese. The marriage of Helena to Duke Paulus of House Atreides brought them a little closer to the Atreides as well, although under Leto the relationship has soured a little. When the founders of the House claimed the Andala system, they purposely sought a homeworld that was barren and poor in resources. They thought it would turn the population toward their faith and stop them trying to emulate the decadence of some of the other Houses. Unfortunately, centuries later, the planet is almost bereft of mineral wealth and can barely provide enough food for its people. So House Kenola is keen to claim a world it can turn into a breadbasket to stabilize its wealth. As such, it has had to do its best to prove its loyalty to the Emperor in the hopes of being granted greater holdings. This has led House Kenola to try and firm up ties with the Guild so it might get advanced notification of any new planetary discoveries that suit its needs.

H o u s e A l e x i n 42 H o u s e Li n d a r e n “NOTHING BUILT WITHOUT FOUNDATION” B a n n e r s a n d A r m s Colors: Deep Blue Crest: Scythe or Sickle O v e rv i e w House Traits: Passionate, Righteous PRIMARY DOMAINS Industrial (Produce): House Lindaren specializes in lichen-based fabrics and foodstuffs that are inexpensive to make, ship, and purchase. SECONDARY DOMAINS Military (Produce): House Lindaren manufactures small arms and ammunition, mostly for use as self-defense for the average citizen around the Imperium. Industrial (Understanding): This House Major has deep knowledge of the complex logistics required to sell and distribute across the Known Universe. H o m e w o r l d Wrasni (Uuokia IV) is a frozen, desolate world, but only on the surface. Underneath its crust, a robust society functions. Using the planet’s core for heat and energy, nearly the entire population lives in massive underground cities where they grow their famous lichen and turn it into lightweight, nutritious hardtack and sturdy, space-worthy fabrics. Other Holdings: Osmynea is House Lindaren’s orbiting station. This is where all interactions with anyone off-planet takes place, including trade, negotiations, travel, and more. The massive space station acts as a modern drawbridge between Wrasni and the rest of the Imperium. Mi l i ta ry P ow e r House Lindaren has a large, welltrained but lightly armed military. They are happy to send their troops to the aid of any they perceive as fighting injustice. In fact, historically, House Lindaren has been known to insert themselves into others’ conflicts with glee and zeal. The station, Osmynea, orbiting their homeworld possesses the capacity to withstand a siege and protect Wrasni for an indefinite period. With the majority of House Lindaren’s people living underground, any attacks on the surface have few to no casualties. The House also keeps all entrances to Inner Wrasni hidden and carefully guarded. P o p u l at i o n a n d Li f e s t y l e Life on Wrasni’s barren surface is cruel and grim. Those who choose to live on the planet have a stubborn, frontier attitude and a fierce will to live. Little survives on the frozen wastes. A subsistence existence is not easy. Inside the planet and under the crust, on the other hand, is a balmy atmosphere heated by the planet’s core and lit by warm artificial suns. The residents of Inner Wrasni work hard, growing lichen, making weapons, and creating a completely self-sufficient planet that can support those fighting against tyranny and oppression. It is a comfortable, earnest, but unglamorous kind of life in Inner Wrasni. For the most part, the people of Wrasni are loyal to House Lindaren. House Lindaren is recklessly idealistic, however, which has led to oversights in negotiations with rebel groups and unnecessary conflicts with other Houses in the past. This sometimes has consequences for their people. N o b i l i s F a m i l i a Shishaku Dalryu Lindaren (Ruler) – Dalryu has a head for business and excels at smuggling. He is as cautious a Lindaren as there ever has been, which is not saying much. Shishaku Ishino Lindaren (Ruler) – Ishino is Dalryu’s younger brother and his co-ruler, as is the tradition on Wrasni. Ishino is the more passionate, rebellious one who pushes Dalryu to take more and more risks as far as supporting revolutionaries around the Imperium. Ina Lindaren (Consort) – She is Dalryu’s wife and a Bene Gesserit Sister who encourages her husband but also keeps careful watch over him and which factions he chooses to aid. Stranin, Haroas, Sano, Maeda, and Taiko (Heirs) – These are Dalryu and Ina’s children. They will one day co-rule Wrasni. Erka Udo (Advisor) – Erka Udo is a Mentat, overseeing business and handling the associated management and administration. House Lindaren was on the brink of losing everything

HOUSES OF THE LANDSRAAD 43 before Erka Udo came under their employ and turned their lichen enterprise around. Thanks to Erka, House Lindaren is seeing record profits and has a greater ability to reach into the furthest corners of the Imperium with their goods and their contraband. H i s t o ry Qon Lindaren, the architect of the House, started life as a farmer and agricultural scientist. However, things changed when humanity revolted against the thinking machines. She became a military strategist and led successful guerrilla attacks against the thinking machines during the Butlerian Jihad. The people who followed Qon fought fiercely, and many lost their lives. She played an important role in helping humanity overcome its oppressors, but Qon never felt like a hero. She grieved for all who fell in the struggle. Immediately after the Great Revolt, Qon founded House Lindaren and staked a claim in the Uuokia system on the bleak planet Wrasni. Though the world seemed lifeless, Qon valued its defensible location within the system and its precious core. She worked to develop the inside of the planet, making House Lindaren and its holdings as self-sufficient and fortress-like as possible. She used her background as an agricultural scientist to help develop the first strains of the lichen that made a name for the House. Future generations of House Lindaren refined the lichen and manufacturing processes to create the popular food and fabrics they make from it today. House Lindaren provides the Imperium with inexpensive, long-lasting, lichen-based foodstuffs and sturdy lichen fabric for all manner of uses. After fighting in the war, Qon feared that the rise of another authoritarian tyrant, whether biological or artificial, was a very real possibility. Also, without a common enemy to rally against, she understood that the new subjugators would likely be human. Her suspicions and paranoia meant that she never trusted any of the other Houses. Secretly, Qon pledged House Lindaren to aiding any who suffered under tyranny within the Imperium, a tradition that House Lindaren continues to this day. Because of this, House Lindaren’s leaders have a history — and covert reputation — of being self-righteous and meddlesome. However, it has earned them the respect and allegiance of those they have helped. House Lindaren sends agents into the Imperium to seek out groups exploited or mistreated by their Houses. In some cases, these agents incite revolts themselves. House Lindaren, using their extensive lichen business as a cover, stealthily arms many of the rebel factions they contact by smuggling weapons in their many, many shipments throughout the Known Universe. P ro m i n e n t Mi n o r H o u s e s HOUSE GIKOAS This House Minor focuses on recruiting for and training House Lindaren’s vast military. They even go to other worlds to find like-minded fighters to join them. HOUSE ARRDAST Concentrating on manufacturing and efficiency, House Arrdast works to make weapons and armor made of Wrasni’s famous lichen fabric faster, cheaper, and more accessible. They run massive factories in the capital city. HOUSE DRADLEN Someone must keep the cities and citizens of the icy planet Wrasni from freezing. And that’s exactly what House Dradlen does. Their meticulously trained mechanics manage and maintain the extensive power and heating systems that run throughout the planet’s interior. A g e n d a In the long term, House Lindaren petitions the Emperor and the Landsraad for more holdings to increase their manufacturing capabilities and make their shipping more efficient and to help them create a more self-sufficient system beyond their single planet. Following Qon Lindaren’s directive from when she founded House Lindaren, the House’s rulers continue to work to undermine tyranny (however each Lindaren generation defines it) all over the Imperium. They provide weapons to rebellions. To varying degrees of success, they’ve also sent assassins to remove oppressors. Qon’s vision and House edicts have been subject to interpretation by Lindaren’s rulers over the generations. Today, both Shishaku Dalryu and Ishino Lindaren believe that every planet or series of holdings should be self-governing. And they are covertly working to topple the Imperium from within the Landsraad to achieve that goal. Dalryu sends aid to small groups who won’t attract the attention of the Padishah Emperor, and they are making slow progress with his help. Ishino, on the other hand, is putting together a faction of his own among minor nobles and powerful merchants that he plans to take directly to the Landsraad once they have the strength to challenge the Houses Major. The fact that an end to the Imperium may result in endless wars as the various Houses vie for territory is something the Lindarens see as an unfortunate necessity ... and one that they plan to continue arming should it come to pass. One of the current leaders, Shishaku Ishino Lindaren, also has his maverick eye on the Spacing Guild, a loftier goal than most previous rulers of House Lindaren. He is working without his brother’s approval to tear down the Guild’s control over space travel and banking. In the meantime, anyone who is looking to start a revolution, a regime change, or a coup just needs to look for a House Lindaren agent to ensure some covert support and some contraband weapons for their cause.