K E R N E L S OF

D OUBT
RACHEL J. WILKINSON
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 Contents
ADVENTURE OUTLINE.................................... 2
How to Integrate this
Adventure into Your Story................................. 2
PRELUDE:
A HIDDEN WARNING...................................... 3
What’s Going On?............................................. 4
Doctor Aster Jang............................................. 5
ACT ONE:
PIECES ON THE BOARD.................................. 5
Getting Started.................................................. 6
Architect-Level Play:
The Military Option....................................... 6
Acts of Espionage......................................... 6
Intriguing Ideas............................................. 6
House Zerides................................................... 7
ACT TWO:
BEHIND ENEMY LINES.................................... 8
Boots on the Ground......................................... 8
Side Adventures, Part One................................ 8
In Search of Scientists........................................ 9
Sarita and Bracken Sade.................................. 10
Beakkal............................................................ 10
Down the Rabbit Hole..................................... 11
K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M
ACT THREE:
SPRINGING THE TRAP................................... 11
Warmaster Cadra Zerides................................ 12
Out of the Fray................................................ 12
Side Adventures, Part Two.............................. 13
Race to the Exits.............................................. 14
ACT FOUR:
BEFORE THE COUNCIL.................................. 14
Wasting Time................................................... 14
The Trial........................................................... 14
Lord Cotasar Zerides....................................... 15
Trial By Blade................................................... 16
CONCLUSION................................................ 17
What About the Sade Family?......................... 17
What About the Enhanced Rheat Seeds?....... 17
What About Awarding
Advancement Points?...................................... 17
 Kernels of Doubt
‘The fate of the Known Universe hinges upon effective decisions, which can only be
made with complete information.’
-Docent Glax Othn of House Taligari, A Child’s Primer on Leadership, Suitable for Adults

K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M 1
 Adventure Outline
An anonymous piece of intelligence alerts the player
characters to a secret biological weapon under develop-
ment. Using a combination of Architect- and Agent-level
play, the player characters must sneak into territory held
by a rival House, only to discover the situation is a care-
fully orchestrated trap. In the aftermath, the two Houses
go before the Landsraad High Council to defend their
actions.
The adventure includes a prelude and four acts. The Spy-
master for the House approaches the player characters in
the prelude and presents them with a head of enhanced
rheat (the colloquial name for a hybrid grain created
from rice and wheat) intertwined with shigawire. The wire
carries an encoded message, revealing the existence of a
biological weapon that threatens the Imperium.
In Act One, the player characters use Architect-level play
to track the message’s origin, leading them to the agri-
cultural world of Kittiak, held by rival House Zerides. In
Act Two, the player characters sneak onto the planet and
contact the source of the message—a pair of scientists
who discovered the weapon’s existence. The scientists
agree to help the player characters capture or destroy the
weapon in return for safe passage offworld. After accom-
plishing their mission, the player characters must exit the
lab, now surrounded by House Zerides soldiers.
Act Three focuses on the escape from Kittiak. Finally, Act
Four brings the player characters to Kaitain, where the
Landsraad High Council demands answers from both
Houses, resulting in various political maneuvers and a
potential duel.
2
How to Integrate
this Adventure into
Yo u r S t o r y
‘Kernels of Doubt’ can take place any time after the
Emperor’s Great Spice War, which began and ended
in 10,175 A.G. The player characters can be members
of their own House or be working under contract for
another. If House Zerides does not suit the needs of
the gamemaster, replace the antagonist with a different
House or edit the Zerides as needed.
Success in this adventure gains player characters a pow-
erful ally and potential knowledge related to a genetically
enhanced rheat variety. They can sell the knowledge
or use it to build a secondary domain within their own
House, if it is not already focused on agriculture.
This story’s setting could include severe drought or other
environmental factors threatening the ‘breadbaskets’ of
the player characters’ homeworld or an allied homeworld.
A high-yield, hardy crop could feed a starving populace.
Again, the gamemaster may redesign the adventure to
serve the needs of the players and the larger story.
Unlike other adventures from Dune: Adventures in the
Imperium, ‘Kernels of Doubt’ relies heavily on Architect-
level play. This requires the player characters have the
right forms of assets to reach across the Imperium,
whether agents, contacts, blackmail, favors, and other
intrigue or espionage assets, depending on their
approach. If the player characters do not have access to
the right sort of assets at the adventure’s start, the gam-
emaster should provide an opportunity to acquire them,
either as a prelude or during the adventure. This might
be facilitated by a supporting character. The gamemaster
is not bound to the assets listed in any sourcebook and
should feel free to create assets, personal or intangible,
to best serve their group’s needs.
 PRELUDE:
A H i d d e n Wa r n i n g
A shuttle, newly returned from Kaitain, approaches
the landing pad of the player characters’ House. As
the servants and staff bustle in preparation for an
unexpected guest, the shuttle opens, and the House
Spymaster disembarks, accompanied by Doctor Aster
Jang of House Talos. After a small but formal dinner, the
House’s ruler, the Spymaster, and Dr. Jang retire to the
study and summon the player characters to join them.
The House’s ruler gestures to the Spymaster to report.
“While I was on Kaitain, something very curious
occurred. I was conducting business at the Contem-
plation Tea House when one of my assistants deliv-
ered a package. This package was given to them by
a stranger and included only one item.” The Spy-
master opens a long box and produces the head of
a rheat stalk. They gently present it to the characters
with both hands. “See anything interesting?”
The player characters may do any of the following:
@ Make a daunting (D3) Discipline test to locate a thin
length of shigawire hidden in the rheat head tucked
into the awns (the bristle-like hairs) and kernels.
@ Make a challenging (D2) Understand test to
recognize Doctor Aster Jang of Minor House Talos.
K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M
The Talos swear fealty to the Great House Alexin, a
major producer of rheat and other staple
foods. House Talos’ specialty is in research
and development.
@ Make a dire (D4) Understand test to denote
that the rheat is exceptionally hardy and likely
genetically modified.
If player characters cannot find the shigawire, the Spy-
master can point it out and pull it from the rheat head.
“On this shigawire is a coded message which warns
of the secret development of a biological weapon
which, if delivered, could destroy a planet’s rheat
crops. Such a weapon could dramatically shift the
balance of power within the Landsraad. We do not
know who delivered this message or where they are
from. Is this a warning? Is this an invitation? Regard-
less, the rheat itself presents a curiosity. Dr. Jang is a
colleague of mine and has agreed to assist us in its
examination. Dr. Jang, the floor is yours.”
The doctor nods. “The rheat, as you may suspect,
is remarkably resilient and likely genetically altered.
You see, there are two ways to develop desirable
characteristics in plants and animals. The first is
3
 crossbreeding—mating two different species, vari-
ants, or breeds. Anyone can do this if they under-
stand the basics of cross-pollination.
“Genetically modified organisms, on the other hand,
result from genetic engineering and a well-funded
laboratory. The engineers change the genetic mate-
rial of crop plants to enhance qualities like nutrient
composition or pest resistance. It can also mean
improved crop yield, faster maturation, or in this
case, what I believe is the greater ability to withstand
crop disease.
“If someone was developing a new crop disease as a
biological weapon to target grain crops, think of how
valuable this variety would be. I suspect someone
has created the rheat and the weapon in tandem. We
would ask, as a political favor, that if you happen to
locate the seeds and a sample of this unique variety,
you acquire them and deliver them to us.”
“Who is… us?” asks the Ruler. “House Talos?”
“House Alexin, to whom the Talos swear fealty,”
answers the doctor. “I have already spoken with
Prince Kole Alexin. He is willing to lend what influ-
ence he has. In return, he offers a debt, his House
to yours. Our focus is on obtaining the seeds and
sample for further study.”
The Spymaster raises an eyebrow. “Dr. Jang, when
you say valuable, what exactly do you mean?”
“Think of the benefits of having a crop that can with-
stand disease, drought, salt, and extreme tempera-
tures. It would be immensely beneficial to the right
House.”
WHAT IS GOING ON?
Through a series of cutouts across several
different worlds, an anonymous informant has
passed along an encoded message revealing
the existence of a devastating weapon.
On the planet Kittiak, held by House Zerides,
two scientists are unwitting pawns in a trap
meant for the player characters. Reasons for
the rivalry could be from a slight at a party
decades ago to action the player characters
recently took that, overtly or tangentially,
adversely affected the Zerides. Such is life in
the Imperium, with slights growing over time
into vendettas.
While the scientists were engineering the
rheat for House Zerides, they stumbled
across a second, secret project—a genetically
modified crop disease. They saw plans
intimating that the Zerides intended to use
the weapon against the player characters’
House. In response, the scientists have passed
along the message in hopes they could stop
the attack before it’s too late. However, the
scientists do not realize the weapon, though
quite real, is a trap. The Zerides intend to lure
the player characters to Kittiak, arrest them,
and frame them, pinning the development of
the pestilence on the player characters and
their House.

The Ruler finally nods, turning to look at the player

characters.

“Very well. Talk with the Spymaster’s assistant.

Retrace the steps of this package. Follow it back to
its source and ascertain if this is real. And if we are
able to acquire seeds and samples for Dr. Jang and
House Alexin, and ourselves, so much the better.”

4
 D O C TO R A S TO R JA NG
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
An early childhood virus paralyzed Jang’s body,
D U T Y: 5
making her reliant on suspensor belts to move.
Science ultimately cured her of the virus, and
FA I T H : 6
though she still uses the suspensors, her experi-
ence inspired her commitment to science as an
JU S T I C E: 4
avenue to improve people’s lives. After graduating
from one of the scientific institutions on Kaitain,
P OW ER : 3
she returned to the Kora system to assist House
Talos. There she heads one of their research and Patience and understanding are
T RU T H : 7
development labs. the keys to understanding science.

Traits: Scientist, Curious

SKILL FOCUSES
TALENTS:
@ Advisor (Understand): Jang may re-roll a single B AT T LE: 5
d20 in the dice pool of an ally she assists.
@ Intense Study: Once per scene, Jang may use C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
her Understand skill on a single skill test instead
of any other skill, and is counted as having a D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Observe
focus for that test.
M OVE: 3
Assets: Laboratory Access, Maula Pistol, Personal
Suspensor U N D ER S TA N D : 7 Biology, Deductive Reasoning

AC T I :
Pieces on the Board
To track the message’s origin, the players must use @ House Verdun – Known for its political acumen,
Architect-level play and deploy long-distance assets. House Verdun has various intrigue assets to loan
If the player characters don’t have suitable assets, Dr. the player characters. They include favors from an
Jang can supply a list of Houses that owe House Alexin old friend, valuable manufactured goods, supply
a favor. contracts, blackmail material, and access to skilled
courtesans and politicians.
The player characters may choose two of the
following three: The gamemaster can adjust the loaned assets as they
see fit. Player characters can use assets from each House
@ House Ecaz – Having defeated House Moritani,
(Ecaz, Vernius, or Verdun) twice during the adventure
the Ecaz have no shortage of veteran soldiers. They
without issue. However, player characters who abuse
can lend the player characters a platoon of fifty
their use may ultimately sour the relationships with these
mercenaries, a personnel carrier, a trio of armed
Houses, resulting in resentments and bruised egos.
ornithopters, and any number of personal military
assets. As a reminder, as listed on page 168 of the Dune Core
Rulebook, a player character may create an asset with a
@ House Vernius – With their monopoly on secrets,
test and make it permanent by spending 2 Momentum.
the Ixians have ample espionage assets to contribute
They may also create an asset by spending Determina-
to the mission. They are willing to grant the player
tion. Both methods require some explanation by the
characters access to one of their prized assassins,
players, describing how they acquired the asset and
political spies, or caches of secret intelligence. They
claimed its ownership or loyalty. The gamemaster has
can also procure personal espionage assets such as
the final say on what players can and cannot create.
hunter-seekers, poisons, or drugs.

K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M 5
 Get ting Started
The first step in tracking the message is to speak with the
Spymaster’s assistant, Hagan. He explains how while on
Kaitain he was running errands for his master when he
stopped at a restaurant to eat. A stranger approached
him, claiming to be a courier named Doman. The man
asked Hagan if he worked for the player characters’
House, and when Hagan answered in the affirmative,
Doman delivered the tiny package containing the geneti-
cally modified rheat. If desired, the player characters
can deploy assets to trace Doman back on Kaitain and
discover how he obtained the package.
Following are a few examples of how the players can use
Architect-level play to achieve their goals. The gam-
emaster should encourage players to be creative while
simultaneously remaining open to unique ideas. Remem-
ber that during these sequences, the player characters
are driving the action, using their drives and skills through
their assets, but they don’t need to be present them-
selves. When tests fail, the player characters must deploy
different assets or attempt a new tack to uncover what
they have failed to learn, so they can proceed.
ARCHITECT-LEVEL PLAY:
THE MILITARY OPTION
Captain Oda is an Ecazi veteran in command of a small
platoon of soldiers. Tasked by the player characters, he
and his men quietly go to Kaitain. While disguised in
civilian clothing, the mercenaries monitor the restau-
rant, waiting for Doman to return. Eventually, Doman
does, and Captain Oda and his men follow him to his
warehouse to corner him. With a successful Average
(D1) Battle test, Doman confesses to being a smuggler.
He explains how a merchant named Foy paid him to
deliver the package to a member of the player charac-
ters’ House. When Oda asks where to find the merchant,
Doman describes Foy’s vessel, The Necessity, currently
docked at a Kaitain spaceport. It includes minimal arma-
ments and almost no security. If the test fails, Donan
reveals nothing and demands to be released.
The Ecazi proceed, reconnoitering the spaceport. They
find The Necessity and with a Challenging (D2) Battle
test, commandeer the vessel. Inside they capture Foy,
her modest crew, and the logbook. Using the log, they
learn how Foy delivers grain from the planet Kittiak,
under the control of House Zerides, to various worlds
throughout Harkonnen space. Failing the Battle test
means that they are thwarted by the spaceport guards,
or even noticed by the city’s security force.
Interrogating Foy is an Average (D1) Communicate test.
Failure has her demand to be released, or withstand any
normal measures of interrogation. A success breaks her
through simple intimidation or veiled threats. Begging
6
for her life, Foy explains how she obtained the pack-
age on Kittiak from a pair of married biologists named
Sarita and Bracken Sade. They instructed Foy to put
the package into the hands of someone from the player
characters’ House. Foy adds that she had no idea what
was in it.
After passing along the information to the player
characters, Captain Oda educates them on the Zerides
military. He is familiar with them and knows they prefer
mechanized units to on-the-ground foot soldiers, such
as tanks and artillery platforms. He has also heard of
their Warmaster, Cadra Zerides. According to rumor,
she is a skilled duelist, but was too dishonorable to be
trained with the Swordmasters of Ginaz.
ARCHITECT-LEVEL PLAY:
ACTS OF ESPIONAGE
Originally from Ix, Namaca is a corporate spy, living
and working on Kaitain. Though not a Face Dancer,
she blends easily into crowds and knows how to access
restricted areas. Under the player characters’ instruc-
tion, she reviews records on Kaitain and locates Doman’s
warehouse. With a Challenging (D2) Movement test,
she plants a surveillance device on the location and
tracks Doman’s movements. Failure means she loses his
trail, or with a complication her spying is discovered.
After a few nights, she poisons his food with a paralytic
agent. Once Doman is incapacitated, she interrogates
him with a Challenging (D2) Communicate test. Doman
confesses to being a smuggler and explains how a mer-
chant named Foy gave him the package. With a failed
test, the courier gives Namaca misleading information.
With an extra success or an Obtain Information Momen-
tum spend, Namaca also gets Doman to reveal how Foy
has been skimming supplies from her clients—a fact that
might endanger her reputation if exposed.
A second records search locates Foy’s temporary hous-
ing in Corrinth City. Namaca impersonates a CHOAM
auditor and confronts Foy at her home. With a daunt-
ing (D3) Discipline test, Namaca threatens to expose
that Foy has been stealing from her employers. Failure
has Foy remain silent, but with a success, the blackmail
works. The merchant immediately confesses, citing how
Doctors Sarita and Bracken Sade gave her the parcel
on Kittiak, and ordered Foy to get the package to the
player characters’ House by any means necessary
Foy then explains how the doctors work for House
Zerides and are part of their research and development
program, swearing not to know any more than that. Fur-
ther successes or Momentum spent for Obtain Informa-
tion reveal this to be true.
 H O US E ZER IDE S
MINOR HOUSE OF HOUSE HARKONNEN
Banner and Arms: A lapis blue rabbit
House Traits: Stubborn, Resilient
Primary Domains: Agriculture (Produce) – Focusing
primarily grain production and distribution, House
Zerides feeds several worlds within Harkonnen space.
Homeworld: Aside from a few scattered mountains
and winding rivers, Kittiak is primarily flatland. A pair
of binary stars and a single bright moon provide
ample illumination throughout the day, resulting in
larger than usual crop yields. The royal family rules
from Kitt, the capital, which also houses the planet’s
only spaceport.
Military Power:
House Zerides has a small standing army and a
standard planetary defense system. However, they
prefer mechanized infantry, utilizing armed ornithop-
ters, armored personnel carriers, and suspended
artillery platforms.
Population and Lifestyle:
The citizens of Kittiak work long hours to produce
the grain needed to sustain the Harkonnen sphere of
influence. Proud of their efforts and extremely hard-
working, they do so by operating giant machinery
capable of tilling thousands of acres in a single day.
More mechanics than actual farmers, the citizens col-
ARCHITECT-LEVEL PLAY:
INTRIGUING IDEAS
Ruben Mott is a professional lobbyist. He does not care
who he represents, as long as the special interests pay
his substantial fees or provide an order from House
Verdun. Mott begins his investigation by frequenting the
restaurant where Hagan and Doman met. When Doman
returns, Mott uses a Challenging (D2) Communicate
test to bribe Doman into revealing who gave him the
package. The smuggler identifies Foy and describes the
brothel in Corrinth City where she spends her free time.
Failure provides Mott with misleading information, and
a complication has him exposed to an extent that his
cover is revealed.
Mott pays off the madame and hires a courtesan to
seduce Foy with an Average (D1) Communicate test.
If the test fails, Foy resists the seduction and reveals
K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M
lect the vast crop quantities, storing them in enor-
mous silos before shipping them offworld. While on
the planet, it’s not unusual to see people with artificial
limbs. Many of the folk of Kittiak have either lost
family or limbs in farming accidents.
Noblis Familia:
Lord Cotasar Zerides (Ruler) – An old and cruel indi-
vidual who clings both to his world, and his life. He
takes extraordinary steps to prolong his longevity and
has sired several dozen children from different wives.
Cadra Zerides (Warmaster) – Dismissed from the
Swordmaster school on Ginaz, she now serves as
head of security. Ruthless and without honor, she
does anything she must to achieve victory.
History:
Generations ago, a severe drought threatened several
worlds throughout the Imperium. When this occurred,
House Zerides, with the assistance of the Harkonnens,
rose to the occasion and delivered food and relief to
the starving worlds. For their efforts, the Emperor for-
mally acknowledged the Zerides and helped elevate
them to a Minor House. Of course, the Harkonnens
took their share of the credit, and House Zerides
remains sworn in allegiance to them.
nothing. If successful, a drunk and pliable Foy unwit-
tingly reveals the package came from Sarita and Bracken
Sade, doctors who work in agricultural research and
development for House Zerides on the planet Kittiak.
The pair gave Foy the package and asked that she get it
into the player characters’ hands.
The Verdun lobbyist relays his findings to the player
characters. In addition, Mott describes Lord Cotasar,
Ruler of House Zerides, as an old and cruel individual.
Cotasar studied on Giedi Prime, and after returning
home to Kittiak, made sure his older brothers would not
have the opportunity to succeed their father. After his
father died in a farming accident, Cotasar ascended and
has ruled House Zerides for the past 50 years. Rumors
suggest he is obsessed with eternal youth, even beyond
the longevity provided by the geriatric spice melange.
7
 AC T I I :
Behind Enemy Lines
With the source of the secret message identified, the
House Ruler orders the player characters to travel to
Kittiak, locate Sarita and Bracken, learn their secret, and
stop the threat. Unfortunately, this may prove chal-
lenging with House Zerides as an enemy to the player
characters’ House. Landing on their planet attracts
unwanted attention, so the player characters must find a
way onto the planet while avoiding discovery.
Perhaps Foy smuggles them onto the planet in her mer-
chant vessel, or maybe they employ espionage assets
to find a different way. Regardless, Act Two shifts the
adventure from Architect play to Agent play, granting
the players more direct control over their characters’
actions. If the gamemaster feels player characters may
need a bit of backup, Dr. Jang can volunteer to accom-
pany them.
SIDE ADVENTURES, PART ONE
If the gamemaster wants to present additional
complications or side adventures, the beginning of
Act Two provides the opportunity to insert them.
Listed below are several side plots the gamemaster
can implement. These side plots may even offer
benefits or hazards during Scene Three. The
gamemaster can also randomize this list by rolling
a single d20.
1–5 Light Touch: Moving through the streets of
Kitt, the player characters stumble on a merchant
selling personal suspensors, demonstrating how
users can climb the mountain between districts.
As the merchant involves a player character
in the demonstration, a thief picks a different
player character’s pocket. The player characters
must attempt a Challenging (D2) Discipline test.
If they succeed, they catch the thief. Failure
means that some personal asset is stolen from
them (gamemaster’s choice). A Daunting (D3)
Communicate test also confirms the merchant is in
on it. The player characters can decide what to do
with the pair, either letting them go, handing them
over to the authorities, or claiming the suspensors
as payment for their trouble.
6–10 Outsiders: While in Kitt, drunken farmers
start a fight with the player characters. It could be
a bar fight, a street fight, or during a suspensor
8
Boots on the Ground
Kittiak is a remote planet deep inside the Harkonnen
sphere of influence. The agricultural planet is primarily
flat with rheat fields for as far as the eye can see. Under
a pair of suns, massive combine harvesters reap, thresh,
and winnow the rheat. The heads’ rotating wheels and
cutter bars chew through the fields while streams of
grain spew out a side pipe into the backs of trailers.
Customized ornithopters collect crops from the trailers
and deliver them to massive silos for storage.
In the distance, dug into the world’s largest mountain
range, is the capital city of Kitt. The city is stratified ver-
tically, both physically and culturally, with nobles living
at the top, merchants in the middle, and the poorest
residents sprawling out at the foot of the mountain. A
dozen suspensor platforms connect each of the three
districts, traveling 3,000 meters from floor to summit.
platform ride. They recognize the player characters
as outsiders and, fueled by suspicion and
xenophobia, harass them. The player characters
can deescalate the situation with a Daunting (D3)
Communicate test, or they can settle the matter
violently with a Challenging (D2) Battle test.
11–15 Highway Robbery: The player characters
pass an alley and witness a robbery underway.
Armed with maula pistols and short blades, two
thieves pin a father to a wall while the father’s
two children huddle in fear. The father glances
down the alley at the player characters as they
pass. He has a pleading look on his face. The
player characters are free to continue along their
way, or they can interfere. Some options include
threatening the criminals with a challenging (D2)
Communicate test or beating them outright with
an average (D1) Battle test.
16–20 Wounds: Kitt’s lower district floods with the
wounded victims of a terrible farming accident.
An emergency doctor calls out to the player
characters, ordering them to help triage the
patients and get them to the hospital. If the player
characters agree, the Suk Doctor thanks them for
their efforts. If the player characters lend medical
aid to the injured, the Suk Doctor gives them a
medkit in return as additional thanks. Ignoring the
call has no consequences.
The player characters land at the spaceport at the foot
of the mountain and secure an apartment or other tem-
porary housing. Their general ease of access depends
on what steps they took before landing. If they are
operating under a diplomatic or humanitarian pretense,
then their movements are somewhat unhindered. On
the other hand, if they smuggled themselves onto the
planet, they might only be safe operating under cover
of darkness.
In Search
of Scientists
The uppermost district of Kitt includes the royal palace,
homes for nobles, and the Zerides Center for Research
that employs Sarita and Bracken Sade. The player char-
acters must find a way to contact the pair of scientists,
whether at the facility or at their home in the merchant
district. They can remain hidden with a challenging
(D2) Move test focusing on stealth, or they can make a
challenging (D2) Discipline test focusing on espionage.
Failure, obviously, brings the risk of exposure.
In either case, the scientists eventually leave the Center
and return home, where their two children, Jono and
Rayleigh, are waiting for them. For reference, Jono is 14
years of age, and Rayleigh is ten. The family poses no
threat, and when contacted, express their relief.
“It’s you! You came!” As Sarita looks at her husband,
her shoulders collapse in relief. “I still can’t believe it
worked!
“My husband and I lead research and develop-
ment at the Zerides Center. Several months ago,
Lord Cotasar assigned us the task of developing a
disease-resistant variety of rheat. One that might also
thrive in extreme environments. We made excellent
progress and passed our findings to Lord Cotasar, but
he demanded we exhaust all avenues of additional
insight, pushing us much harder than usual. Even if
there is enormous profit in our work, it seemed very
strange. That was until we realized why.”
Bracken leans in. “In a separate part of the lab, unbe-
knownst to us, the Zerides were using our work to
genetically engineer a disease that no other variety
of wheat could withstand. And they intend to use it
against you. That’s why we had to warn you.”
“So, we asked a colleague of ours, a merchant
named Foy, to pass along our message to your
House,” says Sarita picking up where Bracken left
off. “Given your reputation, it seemed the wisest
choice. And now that you are here, it looks like we
were right.
“We can get you inside the lab so you can destroy
the weapon. All we ask for in return is a way to get
off Kittiak and far from the clutches of House Zerides.
All of us. My husband and I, and our two children. If
you grant us asylum, our knowledge is yours.”
Unbeknownst to the Sade family, the plague is a well-
orchestrated trap, and they are under surveillance.
However, the player characters have an opportunity
to recognize it. If the player characters succeed in a
daunting (D3) Understand test, they find electronic spy-
eyes in the main living space of the Sade home. If they
are successful, the gamemaster should grant them 2
Momentum to offset the ambush planned for Act Three.
Failure means they notice nothing.
 SA R I TA A ND B R AC KEN SADE
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
With expertise in biology and agronomy, Sarita and
D U T Y: 3
Bracken Sade are, arguably, some of the most sci-
entifically skilled people on Kittiak. Their lifes’ work
FA I T H : 5
has been in helping feed the masses. While they
see the development of high-yield and hardy crops
JU S T I C E: 6
as a way to end hunger, the Zerides are less chari-
table. For House Zerides, a starving population is
P OW ER : 4
one of the fastest ways to destabilize their rule.
A difficult truth is always better
That said, the Sades are not ignorant of House T RU T H : 6
than a comfortable lie.
Zerides’ motivations. But, as long as their goals
aligned, it was easy to ignore or even forgive the
Zerides’ political agenda. However, knowing their SKILL FOCUSES
work may result in the starvation of millions, this is
a bridge too far. While they have managed to carve B AT T LE: 3
out a comfortable balance between work and the
needs of their two children (Jono and Rayleigh), C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
knowing their discoveries may result in harming
others is unacceptable. D I S C I P L I N E: 6 Observe

Now they want to leave Kittiak with their children, M OVE: 4

but the Zerides have disallowed it. The Sades know
too much, and their research is too valuable. U N D ER S TA N D : 7 Reasearch, Biology
Traits: Scientist, Ethical
TALENTS:
@ Collaboration (Understand): Sarita or Bracken may
spend 2 Threat to allow an ally to use their Understand
skill as their own.
@ Intense Study: Once per scene, Sarita or Bracken may
use their Understand skill on a single skill test instead
of any other skill, and they are counted as having a
focus for that test.

Assets: Shigawire Reels, Laboratory, Secret Data

BEAKKAL It is possible House Zerides may have had a hand

During the Great Spice War of 10,175 A.G.,
Emperor Shaddam IV blockaded the planet
Beakkal. Then, in an act of cruelty, he allowed the
starving world to ‘capture’ two food supply ships
carrying a deadly biological agent. After the ships
landed on Beakkal, distributing the food among
the people also spread the agent. Crops withered,
forests turned into skeletons, and the planetary
ecosystem nearly collapsed.
in developing the deadly agent used against
Beakkal. The current biological weapon could be
a refinement of the original. However, as noted by
Archduke Armand Ecaz, “Because of the horrors
inflicted upon us by thinking machines during the
Butlerian Jyhad, the Great Convention forbids all
biological weaponry, just as it restricts the use of
atomic weapons.” This fact is known to every citizen
of the Empire, including the player characters.

10
 Down the Rabbit Hole
The Zerides Center for Research is a three-story com-
plex embedded in the face of the mountain. The
facility entrance includes a high stone wall, surveillance
devices, and a handful of guards. Typically, attempts to
infiltrate the facility would require a Dire (D4) Discipline
test. However, with Sarita and Bracken’s direct assis-
tance, player characters can sneak into the building with
an Average (D1) Discipline test. In so doing, they avoid
the spy-eyes and general patrols. The scientists can also,
if requested, stop by their lab to obtain the rheat seeds
and sample, which they hand over without complaint.
Failure either means they must proceed along a differ-
ent tack, or are discovered while attempting to break in.
If undiscovered, Sarita and Bracken lead the player char-
acters down a flight of subterranean stairs to the secret
lab. The lab is located in the basement and includes
several workstations, a dry room for experimentation, a
decontamination chamber, an incinerator, and a sealed
vault housing the weapon.
AC T I I I :
S p r i n g i n g t h e Tr a p
With their mission complete, the player characters exit
the lab, return to the surface, and exit the facility—only
to walk straight into a trap! A small cadre of Zerides sol-
diers surrounds the player characters, led by Warmaster
Cadra Zerides.
“Hold fast!” proclaims the leader of the soldiers,
speaking almost as if she has rehearsed her words
prior. “I am Cadra Zerides. In violation of the Great
Convention, you have brought a terrible plague to
Kittiak! No doubt you intended to release it after
your departure, but we have caught you in the act.
You are now in our custody, and will be delivered to
the High Council for judgment.”
“But that’s not true!” cries Bracken. “We saw the lab.
We saw the weapon!”
Cadra grins. “You saw what we wanted you to see,
Dr. Sade. And by the time we stand before the High
Council, there will be nothing for them to see at all.
Nothing save the evidence we present to them.” The
Warmaster turns to her people. “Kill the scientists.
Take the rest into custody.”
K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M
From here, the player characters can:
@ Review the research notes on the biological weapon
with an Average (D1) Understand test. Success
reveals the weapon is a genetically modified fungal
disease. Once a plant is contaminated, it releases
spores the wind carries to other plants. It does not
affect animals or non-organic materials. Failure
means they do not understand the science behind it.
@ Review tactical plans of the weapon’s use with an
Average (D1) Discipline test. Reports suggest the
Zerides are planning on using the weapon against
the player characters’ homeworld. This is the same
evidence found initially by Sarita and Bracken.
@ Extract a sample and place it inside a small mobile
case with a Dire (D4) Understand test. If Sarita
and Bracken are present, this lowers the extraction
to a Challenging (D2) Understand test. Failure
means inadvertent exposure to the infection. And
if the player characters become exposed, they
can wash away the infection by stepping into the
decontamination chamber.
@ Place all samples inside the incinerator and safely
destroy it with a Challenging (D2) Understand test. If
Sarita and Bracken are present, this lowers the roll to
an Average (D1) Understand test.
The number of Zerides soldiers present should be twice
the number of participating player characters. The
soldiers carry maula pistols and long blades, but no
shields. Furthermore, every time the player characters
defeat one of the soldiers, the remaining soldiers should
make a Challenging (D2) Discipline test. If they fail, they
flee the scene. If over half the soldiers fall or flee, War-
master Cadra withdraws as well. The gamemaster can
customize the soldiers or use the House Guards from
page 283 of the Dune Core Rulebook.
But even with Sarita and Bracken to assist, options are
somewhat limited. With simple skill tests the player
characters can:
@ Battle (Daunting, D3) the soldiers until they fall or
flee the area.
@ Attempt to bribe the soldiers with a Dire (D4)
Communicate test.
@ Intimidate the soldiers with a Dire (D4) Discipline
test, pushing them to exit the scene.
@ Move (Challenging, D2) past the soldiers and escape
the scene.
11
 WA R M AS TER C A DR A ZERIDE S
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
One of Lord Cotasar’s many daughters, Cadra,
D U T Y: 5
serves as House Zerides’ Warmaster. Cadra is a
ruthless warrior who revels in the agony of others.
FA I T H : 4
She spent time on Ginaz, and while she had the
skill to become a true Swordmaster, she never had
JU S T I C E: 3
the discipline nor the sense of honor required to
graduate. The Ginaz expelled Cadra before she Honor is a weakness.
P OW ER : 6
could complete her training, which she wears as a Do anything to win.
badge of pride. In her eyes, honor is sentimentality
T RU T H : 4
that will only get you killed.

After returning home, Lord Cotasar placed Cadra

in charge of House Zerides’ internal security. Taking SKILL FOCUSES
her duties seriously, Cadra leads an elite team of
soldiers, conducting random internal investiga- B AT T LE: 7 Long Blades
tions, perimeter sweeps, and evening assaults on
the criminal organizations operating on Kittiak. A C O M M U N I C AT E: 5 Intimidation
sadist, she takes immense joy in her work, always
preferring the more violent and bloody option in D I S C I P L I N E: 4
any engagement.
M OVE: 6 Swift
Traits: Warmaster, Ruthless
TALENTS: U N D ER S TA N D : 3

@ Bold (Battle): Cadra may re-roll a d20 gained

from spending Threat on a Battle skill test.
@ Make Haste: Cadra may choose to suffer one
additional complication in a Move test to gain
one automatic success. During any conflict,
she may spend 1 Threat to take the first action,
regardless of who would otherwise act first.

Assets: Long Blade, Shield Belt, Poison

Alternatively, the gamemaster can use round-by-round

combat to determine the outcome. During the battle,
the gamemaster may utilize a single zone or make things
more dynamic with multiple zones. One suggestion is to
separate the area into three zones. The first zone is the
main exit to the facility. A few scattered trees or statues
provide the trait ‘Covered.’ The second zone is the wall
surrounding the facility entrance, where the soldiers have
positioned themselves. They gain the trait ‘Elevated.’
Finally, the third zone represents the building where the
player characters just exited. If the player characters can
retreat into the facility, Sarita and Bracken guide them
toward escape through a different, discrete exit.
O u t o f t h e Fr ay
Once player characters are out of immediate danger,
they have some quick thinking to do. Their primary
concern is to reach the spaceport and get offworld.
However, Sarita and Bracken won’t leave without their
children, which requires a detour back to their home in
the merchant district.
The player characters must decide if they will risk help-
ing the Sade family. They may escort Sarita and Bracken
back to their home to collect the children before find-
ing a way off the planet, but this increases the risk of
capture. Leaving the family behind is an option but has
consequences in the conclusion.

12
House Zerides is on full alert as Cadra dispatches
soldiers to hunt down the player characters. With their
original plan to capture the player characters failing,
they intend to kill them, along with Sarita and Bracken.
Quiet corpses, after all, are easy to accuse.
SIDE ADVENTURES, PART TWO
Decisions the player characters make during Scene
Two can influence Scene Three. See page 8 for the
earlier stages of these encounters.
@ Light Touch: If the player characters manage to
purchase or seize the personal suspensors from
the merchant, they can use them to climb down
the mountain easily. Difficulty rolls to evade
detection decrease by 1 and now only require
an Average (D1) Move test.
@ Outsiders: As they make their way through
the city, the player characters bump into the
drunken farmers they dealt with earlier. If they
handled the situation non-violently before, the
farmers give the player characters a wide berth
and say nothing. If they beat the farmers in the
fight, the farmers sound the alarm.
K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M
Eventually, the player characters must reach the space-
port at the bottom of the mountain. They can do this by
activating one of the suspensor platforms, hijacking an
ornithopter or other flying machine, or traveling down
one of the many flights of stairs. Evading detection
requires a Challenging (D2) Move test.
@ Highway Robbery: As the player characters
race to the spaceport, they accidentally
bump into the family from earlier. If the player
characters abandoned the family to the robbers,
then the family screams for help. On the
other hand, if the player characters protected
his family, the father offers to fly them to the
spaceport on his ornithopter.
@ Wounds: Hiding behind a building to avoid
detection, the player characters wait for a
patrol to pass. Suddenly a door opens, and the
doctor from the earlier triage exits the building
and recognizes the player characters. If the
player characters refused to help the physician
earlier, the doctor quietly departs the scene
and contacts the authorities. Conversely, if the
player characters lent any assistance, the doctor
offers to hide the player characters from the
Zerides guards until it’s safe.
13
 Race to the Exits
The player characters can use assets (personal or other-
wise) to fight their way to the spaceport, bribe customs
officials, or smuggle themselves into orbit. Some exam-
ples include:
@ A platoon of soldiers representing military assets
temporarily seize the spaceport with a Challenging
(D2) Battle test. They provide cover for the player
characters to board their shuttle and escape Kittiak.
A C T I V:
Before the Council
Once offworld, the player characters’ shuttle docks with
a Guild heighliner. In their possession is evidence of the
Zerides weapon, either in the form of Sarita and Bracken,
records obtained from the lab, or the biological sample.
If they contact their House Ruler, the player characters
are reminded that the Zerides have violated the Great
Convention by manufacturing the pestilence. They then
advise the player characters to travel to Kaitain to present
their evidence to the Landsraad High Council.
After a brief voyage through fold space, the player char-
acters arrive at Kaitain, the center of the Known Universe.
As they descend on Corrinth City, the banners of each
Great House lining the Landsraad Hall of Oratory flap
in the wind. Moving into the Hall of Oratory, the player
characters’ heavy boots echo across the polished
stone, and the entourage passes statues and painted
WASTING TIME
Three days might seem a long time, but
Kaitain and Corrinth City have all manner
of features to entertain and corrupt those
who come to visit. The gamemaster can just
skip ahead three days and ask the players
what sort of thing their character might have
got up to, or play through some incidental
adventures in the city.
Note that having set a trial in motion, three
days may be hard to survive. The player
character’s accusations have made Lord
Cotasar Zerides livid with rage. The plan was
for the player characters to die on Kittiack and
take the blame. Now they are ready to make
accusations before the Landsraad. But if they
don’t live long enough to see the trial, their
accusation will die with them.
14
@ A corporate spy, reflecting espionage assets, sets
off a series of explosions throughout the capital with
a Challenging (D2) Discipline test. The detonations
distract House Zerides long enough for the player
characters to escape offworld.
@ A politician, denoting intrigue assets, contacts
someone at the spaceport and bribes several officials
with a Challenging (D2) Communicate test. The
politician pays the officials to look the other way as
the player characters make their escape.
vistas from across the Imperium. The artistic creations
are gifts from the Great Houses to the Emperor, with
each Ruler attempting to surpass their fellows in terms
of grandeur. Eventually, the player characters reach a
raised platform, behind which sits Terrel Akinn, a secre-
tary for the Landsraad.
As the player characters declare their intent, the secre-
tary frowns. Charges against a House for violations of
the Great Convention are rare and require an enor-
mous amount of bureaucracy, including a considerable
amount of administrative labor. After complying with
dozens of regulatoryrequirements and handing over any
dangerous weapons (including the plague canisters), the
secretary informs the player characters that it will take
three days to assemble a hearing. The player characters
can use those three days as they see fit.
Th e Tr i a l
On the day of the hearing, the player characters
ascend a spiral staircase and enter an ornate audience
hall. Tall pillars hold up the vaulted ceiling from which
hangs a series of flags, the most prominent in gold
and scarlet color and belonging to House Corrino.
The chamber houses two long and ornate wooden
tables, one for the player characters and House Zerides.
The aging Lord Cotasar sits in a plush black-and-
maroon chair, accompanied by Warmaster Cadra and
their entourage. Behind the player characters, in the
audience, sits their own Spymaster and Dr. Jang, who
nod in tacit support. Before the tables, atop a curved
platform in the shape of a half-moon, sit seven mem-
bers of the High Council—seven rulers from seven
different Houses, both Major and Minor. Functioning as
magistrates, they will ultimately evaluate the charges
and rule on the fate of the guilty party, whether the
player characters’ own House or House Zerides.
 LO R D C OTA SA R ZER IDE S
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
As a young noble, during House Zeridies’ ascen-
sion, Cotasar traveled abroad and studied on D U T Y: 4
Giedi Prime. The third of four sons, it was unlikely
Cotasar would ever have the chance to succeed his FA I T H : 5
father. So, he used the opportunity to learn how to
convince his father that he was the one who should JU S T I C E: 5
lead.
P OW ER : 6 Possession is nine-tenths of the law.
Educated in politics and production by the Harkon-
nen, he returned to Kittiak and employed his new-
T RU T H : 3
found knowledge, increasing crop collection using
equal measures of ingenuity and severity. His work
attracted the attention of his father, who named SKILL FOCUSES
him as his successor. And when Cotasar’s older
brothers objected, they quickly found themselves B AT T LE: 3
exiled offworld or placed under arrest.

After his father died in an ‘unfortunate’ farming C O M M U N I C AT E: 7 Deceit, Persuasion

accident, Cotasar assumed power. Since then, he
has maintained a steady and robust level of pro- D I S C I P L I N E: 5
duction of grain for the Harkonnens. As a show of
his vigor and virility, he has sired dozens of children M OVE: 4
and has taken significant steps to prolong his life.
Now at 70, he seeks to end his enemies and create U N D ER S TA N D : 6 House Politics
a dynasty.
TALENTS:
Traits: Noble, Ruthless
@ Bold (Communicate): Cotasar may re-roll a d20 gained
from spending Threat on a Communicate skill test.
@ Subtle Words: Lord Cotasar can create a new trait
whenever he spends Threat for extra dice on a
Communicate test.

Assets: Bodyguards, Kindjal, Shield Belt

Nobles from this group might include Lord Bain O’Garee
of House Hagal, Archduke Armand Ecaz, Countess Ilbana
Richese, Earl Memnon Thorvald, Viscountess Behati of
House Soot, Count Takoda Mascaro, and Count Anton
Miche. However, the gamemaster is free to choose any
seven House Rulers to fulfill these roles. Several options
for other House rulers can be found in The Great Game:
Houses of the Landsraad sourcebook.
As the two sides settle into their seats, the head magis-
trate bangs a gavel. A soft hum reverberates throughout
the chamber, quieting any ongoing conversation and
replacing the entire room with silence. The head magis-
trate then speaks.
“Today, we hear from two Houses, each accusing
the other of violating the Great Convention. The
Landsraad High Council, represented by we seven,
will rule on this matter with a simple majority vote.
Now, per numerous statutes, we will not permit any
Bene Gesserit Truthsayer testimony. Rather, we shall
rely on oral arguments, direct testimony, and cor-
roborating evidence from either side of this affair. We
will weigh the truth of the matter and judge accord-
ingly.” They pause for effect. “How do you answer
for yourself?”
Lord Cotasar is the first to speak and describes the
player characters as violators of House Zerides. He
paints Sarita and Bracken Sade as traitors looking to
profit off a lie, and he denies the existence of a biologi-
cal weapon, declaring any evidence to the contrary
an utter fiction, or worse, a fabrication created by the
player characters’ House.
The player characters have a chance to explain their
actions using an Average (D1) Communicate test, and
the gamemaster should encourage them to roleplay
their defense. The number of successes dictates the
outcome. Alternatively, the debate could be played out
as an intrigue duel, using evidence as assets to attack
and defend until one side is defeated.

K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M 15
 @ Two successes are enough to persuade the agree. If the player characters did manage to achieve
magistrates of the righteousness of the player five successes, they are able to refuse the challenge
characters’ actions. However, they cannot prevent legally, without any loss of standing. But, if they too
House Zerides from calling for a kanly duel to settle want a chance to draw blood they can still accept.
the dispute.
The head magistrate bangs the gavel once again, and
@ Five successes persuade the magistrates of the with little ceremony, the Council calls for a formal duel.
righteousness of their actions, and they counter Each House chooses a champion who must fight to the
House Zerides’ attempt to settle the matter via death before the entire Landsraad. In the aftermath, the
a duel. High Council names the victor righteous and faultless
in the eyes of the law, and officially sanctions the loser,
Failing this test has drastic consequences and puts the
stripping them of their standing.
player characters’ House into the status of having vio-
lated the Great Convention. Exile or disenfranchising a
House—the standard punishments for such an offense—
Tr i a l b y B l a d e
must be settled by the Emperor himself, and dealing
Much of Imperial life is a spectacle, and a duel is no
with such a state requires all resources and collateral
exception. The player characters must choose a single
the House has to avoid being declared ‘renegade’
champion to represent them while House Zerides places
and hunted down by its enemies, as is legally allowed.
their hopes on the vicious Cadra. Before the event
Should this outcome occur, the gamemaster should
begins, an officer within the Imperial Sardaukar meets
evaluate options to prevent this fate, such as Imperial
with both combatants to ensure all duel conditions are
intervention at the last minute… at considerable cost.
agreed upon beforehand. The player characters can
If the player characters’ argument is successful and the choose offensive or defensive.
Council moves against Cotasar, the Lord rises to his feet.
@ If the player characters choose offensive, then
He states that if the Council does not rectify this through
they get to decide what weapons are available to
the matter of law, then it must be settled through a
both combatants. Short blades, long blades, and
point of honor. Unless the player characters passed the
maula pistols are available, or not at all, or all three.
test with five successes, the magistrates approve and
However, lasguns are strictly forbidden, given their

16
 combustibility with shields. If the player characters
choose offensive, Cadra chooses defensive and
allows both parties to use personal shields.
@ If the player characters choose defensive, then
they get to permit personal shields or not. If the
player characters choose defensive, Cadra chooses
offensive, allowing for short and long blades but
no pistols.
An hour later, both warriors are brought to a large
domed hall constructed for combat. Grooves in the
stone floor catch blood, and the high translucent walls
surrounding the arena protect the spectators, who are
the rulers and nobles from throughout the Imperium.
From their comfortable chairs, each gaze into the pit
below, crying out for blood and entertainment. High
above, the dome opens, offering a picturesque view of
Kaitain’s night sky along with two of her four moons.
As the Imperial Sardaukar raises a sword, both warriors
take their position a good ten meters from the other.
And as the sword drops, each may spring into action.
The gamemaster can use the rules for duel conflict
or expedite the scene with a Simple Battle test (or an
extended test), opposed by Cadra’s own Battle skill.
Count the player character’s successes
@ If the player character succeeds with one or
two successes, they win, though they nearly die
in the process.
@ If the player character succeeds with three or four
successes, they win, though not without suffering
several blows.
@ If the player character succeeds with a five successes,
they win decisively and without a scratch.
If the player character champion fails this roll, they are
slain, and the player characters’ House is considered
innocent in the matter of violating the Great Conven-
tion, but it is a pyrrhic victory given the cost of one of
a valued member of the House. There will be no direct
repercussions for the House, as they were not accused
of a crime, but being ‘proved’ liars reflects badly on
them and their House. The House gains the House Trait
‘Liars’ until at least after the next adventure.

Conclusion
If the player characters are successful in the duel, or planet, which can kick off another adventure. Or the
Cadra’s bloody form falls to the ground, witness to the gamemaster can use their capture in future adventures
price of their hubris. The High Council declares that against the player characters.
the player characters and their House are victorious.
The High Council immediately and officially sanctions Wh a t A b o u t t h e
House Zerides. The High Council also strips House
Zerides of all their standing and officially ejects them
Enhanced Rheat Seeds?
from the Landsraad. If the player characters hand over the wheat seeds and
sample to Dr. Jang, the scientist expresses her deep
In the aftermath, the Emperor reclaims Kittiak and gives
gratitude. She presents the player characters with a
it to whomever he chooses. If the player characters are
writ, declaring the debt owed from House Alexin to the
looking to set up a House (or at least a territory) of their
player character’s House, signed by Prince Kole Alexin.
own, Kittiak might be a good starting point. However, in
gaining Kittiak, the player characters’ House may make
an enemy of the Harkonnens, who, perhaps rightfully,
Wh a t A b o u t Awa r d i n g
considered themselves the only logical choice to inherit A d va n c e m e n t P o i n t s ?
Zerides’ holdings.
The gamemaster should follow the guidelines listed on
page 138 of the Dune Core Rulebook. However, they
Wh a t A b o u t t h e should also consider granting a bonus point if the Sade
S a d e Fa m i l y ? family escaped Kittiak and if Dr. Jang received her
rheat specimen.
If the player characters rescue Sarita and Bracken Sade
and their children from Kittiak, the family pledges their
loyalty to the player characters’ House. The two scien-
tific geniuses provide access to the science behind the
enhanced rheat, which the House can use as it sees fit.

If the player characters left the Sade family behind on

Kittiak, they later learn how the Zerides arrested Sarita
and Bracken and their children. Intelligence suggests
the Zerides relocated the four to a brutal prison moon

K E R N E L S O F D O U B T | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M 17