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III
F A L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M
- C A M P A I G N S O U R C E B O O K -

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M IV

C R E AT I V E L E A D
And r ew Per egri n e
LINE EDITOR/CANON EDITOR
R ache l J. Wi lki n son
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R icha rd August, S i mon
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Ho l l i e S h e p p e r s o n
EDITOR O P E R AT I O N S M A N AG E R
B ryc e Jo h n s t o n Jo h n Wi l s o n
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION........................................................... 3 HUNTING THE BEAST.................................................................. 77
ctI:SoitBegins ������������������������������������������������������������������������������77
CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW.. ............................................................... 4
ctI:TheEnemyofMyEnemyisMyFriend ....................................78
RUNNING THE CAMPAIGN......................................................... 6 ctI:FatefulChoice ��������������������������������������������������������������������83
ACT I: THE SHATTERED THRONE......................................................... 85
THE GATHERING STORM............................................. 9 ctI:Finaludience ���������������������������������������������������������������������85
T HE E M BERS OF H AT RED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... 10 ctI:The tiudeoftheKnife ��������������������������������������������������������87
Prelude ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10 ctI:TheRighteous ������������������������������������������������������������������������90
ctI:LocalReconaissance ��������������������������������������������������������������12 Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������92
ctI:PickingSides ���������������������������������������������������������������������������14 ACT IV:
c tI:TheSpiceCache �������������������������������������������������������������������16 WAR ACROSS A MILLION WORLDS............................. 95
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������18
BLOOD ON THE STARS................................................................ 96
THE HIDDEN BLADE.................................................................... 19 Prelude ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������96
ctI:VoicesomEptFr yPlaces ������������������������������������������������������19 ctI:ThePriceofLoyalty �����������������������������������������������������������������97
c tI:derMur inaLockedRoom ������������������������������������������������������23 ctI:Meuse �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������100
c tI:TheDyingoftheLight ����������������������������������������������������������28 ctI:nUnquenchableeFir ���������������������������������������������������������103
THE FA LL OF HOUSE ATREIDES................................................30 Conclusion ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������104
ctI:Planetfall ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������30 THE FALL OF KAITAIN.............................................................. 105
c tI:PathMustBeChosen ���������������������������������������������������������33 ctI:PlanetFall ������������������������������������������������������������������������������105
ctI:ShadowandFlame ����������������������������������������������������������������36 ctI:GatherTreasues r asYeMay ��������������������������������������������������108
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������37 ctI:Deparetur �����������������������������������������������������������������������������112
ACT II: Conclusion ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������114
MUAD'DIB................................................................... 39 SHADOW OF THE BLADE............................................................ 115
WHISPERS OF MUAD'DIB........................................................... 40 ctI:ffairsofState ������������������������������������������������������������������������115
ctI:TheSpiceSupplier ������������������������������������������������������������������40 ctI:HomeUnderSiege ���������������������������������������������������������������117
ctI:WhispersofMelange ��������������������������������������������������������������44 ctI:BetrayingtheTraitor ������������������������������������������������������������120
ctI:MeetingtheSmuggler �����������������������������������������������������������46 Conclusion ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������125
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������47
ADVENTURES IN THE ERA OF MUAD'DIB. . ............... 127
NUMBERS NEVER LIE.................................................................. 48
Muad'Dib ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������128
ctI:Returntoakis ����������������������������������������������������������������������48
spi
n o C aci r esandeh t enB eesser
G ti ��������������������������������������������������129
TheftinCarthag ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������50
SpaceTravelandtheGuild �������������������������������������������������������������129
ctI:StealingaPromise ������������������������������������������������������������������51
FaithofBlades �����������������������������������������������������������������������������130
ctI:FightorFlight ������������������������������������������������������������������������53
Adherents ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������131
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������56
Qizarate Faction Template ��������������������������������������������������������������131
A CRISIS OF SECRETS.. .................................................................. 57 Talents ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������132
ctI:TheHornsofaDilemma ����������������������������������������������������������57 Shattered Imperium ������������������������������������������������������������������������133
ctI:SomethingWickedThisWayComes .......................................60 Managing the Jihad ������������������������������������������������������������������������133
TheNightoftheSlowBlades ������������������������������������������������������������61 Muad'DibasEmperor ���������������������������������������������������������������������133
ctI:TigerbytheTail ������������������������������������������������������������������63 ConspiracyandCounterRevolutin �����������������������������������������������134
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������65 Adventure Seeds �����������������������������������������������������������������������������135
ACT III:
FA L L O F T H E | I M P E R I U M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7
THE HUNGRY IMPERIUM...........................................................68
ctI:ProblemsatHome �������������������������������������������������������������������68
ctI:WhattheSisterhodReqes
uir .................................................71
ctI:ChaosintheLandsraadCouncil .............................................74
Conclusion �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������76

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 1
2
 I N T RO D U C T I O N
“Once more the drama begins.”
-The Emperor Paul Muad’Dib on his ascension to the Lion Throne
After enduring for millennia, the time of the Imperium Butdon’t.Howevry erthecampaignstarts,the
isending.TheEmperorisaboutoverplayhishand, playercharacters’Housewilhaveplentyofopportuniy
pitting House Atreides and House Harkonnen against to take their revenge...
each other, using an old feud to dispose of his rivals.
Thefirstfourchaptersofthissocebo ur okdetailthe
Buthehascritcallymiscalculated,andthoughHouse
four parts of the campaign, each containing three
Atreides will fall, its young scion Paul Atreides will
adventures. Each chapter also contains several ideas
survive and rise to take the throne. From there, the
andoptionsforexpandingthecampaignandcreating
fireandflameofaterrifyingnewelr igiouscrusadewil
newadvenes tur betweeneachone.Wefolowthiswith
suge
r acrossthegalax,y liketheButlerianJihadofold,
a short chapter detailing the shattered Imperium under
changing everything.
thenewegi
r meofMuad’Dibtoallowyutcreate
Withiscampaignsocebo ur ok,yourHsecantake adventures following this campaign. In this chapter, we
part in these momentous events as the timeline of the lokatthestructeur ofMuad’Dib’srule,howtisaffects
eras shifts from The Imperium to The Ascension of the Houses of the Landsraad and other factions, the
Muad’Dib.Yourplayercharactersmustpicksidesand spread of his religion, and how the gamemaster can
make careful alliances to survive the oncoming storm. create new adventures in this era.
Even if your group is already familiar with the chain
Whilethiscampaigncanberunasits,thereisalso
ofevents,survialwilnotbeassimpleaspickingthe
plentyofscopeforthegamemastertoaddextra
winning side. In this time of chaos, the enemies you
advenes tur withnecampaign’sstructe.ur Ifthereis
cannot see are the most dangerous.
a favorite part of this momentous chain of events your
Thisadvenetur issuitableforanyplayergroupand group wants to immerse in fully, there is no reason the
nobleHouse,egar r dlessofwhichadvenes
tur youhave gamemastercannotexpandit.
played. If you are following the standard timeline of
NowisthetimeforyouHsetochoseitsenemiesas
the novels, the campaign opens with House Atreides
carefully as it chooses its allies. Will your House rise to
replacing House Harkonnen as governors of Arrakis.
becometherighthandofMuad’Diborbecrushedby
IfyourHserunsrakis(perhapsasHouseNagara),
the tides of change?
then you are the House the Atreides replaces, with
House Harkonnen waiting in the wings to take
itbackagain.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 3
 C A M P A I G N OV E RV I E W
A C T I – T H E G AT H E R I N G S T O R M
House Atreides takes over Arrakis. This leads House Ecaz to seize an opportunity to get revenge on the
HarkonenfortheirassistancetoHuseMoritanintheecen
r twar.NowthattheMoritaniaregone,Ecaz
turns their attention to their allies to crush the Harkonnen.

The Embers of Hatred: The player characters discover House Ecaz are seeking revenge on the Harkonnen
and must decide whether to help or hinder them. This leads to a daring raid on a secret spice cache of the
Harkonens.ButiwlonybethebeginigoftheEcazvendetta.Theplayercharactersmustdecidewho
theywantobecomeallieswithandwhattheyarepreparedtodotofurtherorimpedetheievr enge.

The Hidden Blade: Theplayercharacterspickupasecrettransmissionithedesertbutarrivetofindabase

ofslaughteredHarkonen.Onlytheassassinkowsthetruh,andtheplayercharactersmustchasethem
toaGuildHeighlinertolearnthesecretstheyaretryingtohide.Deepplansareafoot,andtheassassinhas
informationthatanattackisplannedonrakis,oneledbytheHarkonenbutguidedbythehandofthe
Emperor himself.

The Fall of House Atreides:TheHarkonensattackrakisandtakecool.Thntr eplayercharacterscan’tstop

theattack,butheycanjoint.ThismightbetogainthetrustoftheHarkonenorthelpsavesomeofthe
membersofHouseeitr des.Theymightmakenewalliancesinthethickofthefightingiftheyareprepared
to prove their loyalty.

A C T I I – M UA D ’ D I B
rakisisnowuderHarkonencool,ntr andHouseeitr desisgone.Butspiceattacksbegintoicrease,
andspiceproductionbeginstosl.Thow eplayercharacterslokintanddiscovernotlyisRabban
workinghardtogetemor spice,butheemFr enarerunigriot.Theylearntheyhaveanewleadercalled
Muad’Dib,whoasgalvanizedthetribesandwhoseattacksareseriouslydamagingspiceproduction.Italso
becomescleartheHarkonenareusingtheirspicestes or tokeepthisedu
r ctionfromtheEmper.Wior this
information,theplayerscanblackmailtheHarkonen.Butasspiceproductionfalls,theImperiumfeelsthe
pinch. What will the players do to get more spice?

Whispers of Muad’Dib: The player characters notice spice production is slowing. They must work to secure
asupplyfromsmugglersandotherbackchannels.Inlocatingasuppl,y theplayercharactersdiscover
thingsareworsethanexpectedonrakis.TheyhearwhispersthattheemFr enhaveanewleadertheycall
‘Muad’Dib,’whoappearstobeshutingdownspiceproduction.

Numbers Never Lie:CHOMaskstheplayercharacterstogetholdofsomeactualnumbersonspice

production.MstpeopleknowtheHarkonenaretryingtocoveruptheeal
r spiceharvestingnumbers.But
CHOMwantstoknwheextentofthemisreportingandtheeal
r figues r forspiceharvesting.Theplayer
charactersmustlocateandthensneakintoasecretHarkonenfacilityogettheneededevidence.Once
theyuncovertheactualproductionumbers,whattheyfindmakesforsoberingeadi r ng.

A Crisis of Secrets: Armed with evidence, the player characters have powerful leverage against the
Harkonen.Butwhatcantheydowith?TheymightakedownaHousewithattheyknowbutplayit
ong,
wr andthosewhofearwhattheyknowmightcrushthem.CountFenring,hisWife,andanagentof
CHOMarriveto‘help’theplayercharactersmakeadecision.Butwhatwiltheyultimatelychosetodo
with what they know?

4
ACT III – FALL OF THE IMPERIUM
Spice production has stopped. The Imperium is in chaos.

House Ecaz sees a greater opportunity for revenge when rumors circulate that the Harkonnens are losing
coolfntr rakis.Theplayercharacters’HousejoinsotherHousesinpressuringtheEmperorasthe
Imperiumdescendsintopanic.TheGuildandBeneGesseritcometoheplayercharacterstoenlisttheir
helpwitheirownplans.Panic,greed,arogan
r ce,andselfishnessconsumetheImperiumwhlerakis
isinflames.

The Hungry Imperium: Thedwor isout;enomr spiceiscomingfromrakis.ChaosensuesasMajor

Housesseizethestocksoftheirvassalsandlokgreedilytowardtheirneighbors.Theplayercharactershave
toakestepstoprotecttheirownspicesuppl.sy theydothis,theBeneGesseritasksthemtofindout
emor abouthis‘Muad’Dib’.Meanwhile,HouseEcazleadsanattemptintheLandsraadtoseeanendtohe
Harkonnen regime on Arrakis.

Hunting the Beast:Witheeat Gr Housesassembledaboverakis,theEmperorstilponderswhattodo

aboutheHarkonen.ThereisonlyethingtheLandsraadcanagreeon,Rabbanneedstobeemr oved.
Oneoftheplayercharacters’allies(suchasHouseEcaz)engagesthemasassassinstodealwitheproblem.

Whentheyarrive,theyfindrakeenandCarthaginthemidstofaebel r lion,andeverythingisinchaos.The
playercharactersneedtofindRabbanbefoer theycantakehimon,butwhereinthechaoscanhebe?Help
wilcomefromaveryunlikelysoce,
ur andanoldfriendhappilyjoinsthefightosettleanoldscoe.r

The Shattered Throne:WithRabbandead,theEmperorarrivestoakecoolfntr rakis.Theebel r lionsin

thecityareswiftlyandbrutallyputdownbytheSardaukar.TheplayercharactershavepleasedtheEmperor
bytakingoutRabban,andhesendsthemonamissiontdestoya r emFr enSietch.Butheyandthe
Sardaukargetemor thantheybargainedfo. r

TheEmperor’sarrivalonrakisisthefinalpieceofMuad’Dib’splan,andthefinalbattlebeginsinearnest.
ButheEmperorhasseverelyunderestimatedtheemFr enfoces,
r andtheplayercharacterscanchosewhich
sidetheywantobeonasPaueiltr desarrivestoaketheone.thr

A C T I V – W A R A C RO S S A M I L L I O N W O R L D S
Paul Atreides has usurped the Imperial Throne and is the new Emperor of the known Universe. Whether the
playercharacters’Househasgainedinpowerorfallencompletelywilbeuptohweplayercharacters
played all the sides. Are they positioned as trusted allies of the new regime, or a renegade House marked for
deathbytheemFr en?

Blood on the Stars:TheemFr enbeginaslaughteracrosstheuniverse,andtheytargetoneoftheplayer

characters’alliedHouses.ThenewEmperormeanstomakethemanexamplebywipingoutallifeontheir
homeworldfortheirdisloyaltyandsendstheplayercharacterstodeliverdwor oftheoncomingviolence.But
whatwiltheydowhensetbetweenoldalliesandthenewegi
r me?Wiltheysupportheirallies,helpthem
survie,orwiltheyleavethemtobedestoyed?
r

The Fall of Kaitain:Kaitainfalls,andtheemFr enteartheplanetapart.Cantheplayercharactershelpescu

r e
some of the works of art and cultural items in its museums and galleries? Will they help rescue some of the
people?Wiltheytaketheopportuniyoansacktheplanetlokingforspoils?Cantheyevenescapewith
whateverspoilstheyfind?

Shadow of the Blade:WhenanenemyplantsevidencesuggestingdisloyaltyoMuad’Dib,theemFr en

legionsturnheirattentionheplayercharacter’shomeworld.semFr enlegionsstandonthebrinkof
destroying their planet, the player characters must prove their innocence to survive. Who have they sided
with, and how many favors can they call in?

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 5
 RU N N I N G T H E CA M PA I G N
As this campaign is vast in scope and hits several iconic
beatsfromthenovels,thefolowingofferssomeadvice
for getting the most out of the campaign and managing
the events. As usual, the gamemaster is free to take
origneor thisadviceaseqr ed
uir tosuitheirgroup’s
style of play.
E X PA N D I N G
T H E CA M PA I G N
The campaign is designed for one adventure to
folowfromthenext.However,ifthegamemaster
wantstoexpandanyparticularsectionwtheirown
adventures, they are free to do so. For the most part,
each adventure stands alone, allowing the gamemaster
toplacedifferentadvenes tur betweenthem,evenones
publishedinotherrulebooksandsupplements.Thisis
especially true of the earliest section, where the Atreides
haveecen onlyr tlysufferedbetrayal.Itwilbesome
timebefoer theeffectsofMuad’Dib’scrusadecometo
pass,soitsbusinessasusualformanyoftheHouses.
Slotinginadvenestur notsetonrakiscanexpand
the campaign.
This is harder in the later sections when events move
emor swift,ly butstilqutepossible.Iftheplayer
characters spend time with the Fremen, they might
joinattacksonspiceharvesters,forinstance.Bene
GesseritspiesmightfolowupleadsintheImperial
Courtlearenmor aboutwhattheEmperorisupto.
The campaign will detail all the information and secrets
eqr ed uir tofolowthest,ory butplentyisgoingon
GOODIES AND BADDIES
While Paul Atreides is certainly more pleasant
anddecenthanVladimirHarkonen,neitherof
themaregoodguysnorbadguys.WhileVladimir
isselfish,greedy,andhungryforpower,Paulstil
startsabrutalandblodyelr igiouswar.Bothare
theleadersofnobleHouseswhoprofittoan
extorinatelevelfromtheworkftheirpopulation.
WhilethepeopleofCaladanlivefaremor pleasant
livesthanthoseofthepeopleofGiediPrime,noe
liveevenclosetohesameluxryasthenobility
who rule them.
Throughout this campaign, the player characters
must decide who to side with, as their peers will
judgethemforit.Bumakenomistake:thereare
no clearly correct moral choices. There is darkness
and light everywhere you look, and the player
characters will have to develop their moral compass
and decide on which path it leads to.
6
behindthescenesthatyourgroupmightliketoexple.or
Wewilsumarizeafewpotentialoptionsbetween
each adventure.
Consequen,tly ifoneoftheadvenes
tur isunsuitable
foryougroup(maybetheyhatetoplayoutbattlesfor
instance)itcanbeskipped.lthegamemasterneeds
to do is allow the player characters to uncover the same
information as either rumor or intelligence gathered
from their private spy networks.
Notethatthegamemasterneednotamendorexpand
the adventures evenly across the campaign. If the time
of spice production stopping is a moment of history that
appeals the most, the gamemaster might craft several
extraadvenestur inthatsection.Butheycanstilrun
the rest of the campaign as written with little or no
adaptation. As usual, the gamemaster should take what
they need from this supplement and make it their own.
U SING THE CANON
TheDunenovelsarethebestplacetodrawadditional
inspirationforexpandingthecampaignanddelving
intohedetails.Itneednotbesacrosanctinyour
game,buthegamemastershouldbecarefulifthey
changeanything.Publishedadvenes
tur wilfolow
the canon, so the gamemaster should avoid straying
from its path unless they are prepared to do a lot of
adaptation later on.
However, there are many things the novels do not
detailinprecisedetail.Manycharactersmeet,fight,
andevendie‘offscreen’andsuchmoentsareripe
forthegamemastertoexpand.Thisistheopportuniy
toansweranyquestionsyouhavehadforyouselfand
buildonyurfavoritepartsofthenovels.
Buthecampaigniseal r lyaboutbeingpartofthe
greatest and most iconic parts of the novels. So, the
gamemaster should place the player characters in the
thickoftheaction.Theymightbeunabletochangethe
mostimportantevents,buthisdoesnotmeantheydo
nothaveagency.lmannerofdealsandconflictsare
goingonbehindthescenes.Houseswilrseandfallin
thewakeofMuad’Dib’sjihad,anditsuptoheplayer
characters to ensure they are among the survivors.
Theycanalsobeapartofalmosteverymajorevent.
TheycanwatchPaulduelFeyd-Ruatha,meetcharacters
likeStilgarandGurneyHalleck,andadvisetheEmperor
thathemustelr inqushtheonethr befoer emor people
die. This campaign is an opportunity for your group
to immerse themselves in the canon rather rewrite it,
andtoenjoybeingpartoftheuniverse-shakingevents
aboutoccu. r
 ALLIANCES granting or removing traits as they deem appropriate.

A N D R E WA R D S Butheyshouldalsoconsiderhowellknowthe
player characters actions are. If they successfully made a
If the players are familiar with the novels, they may secret deal with another House and took steps to keep
tie their allegiance to House Atreides and stand for itclandestine,thoseactionswouldnotadjustanytraits.
themnomatterwhat.Buthingswilnotbeaseasy Inthisway,theplayercharactersshouldbeencouraged
as that. As Paul Atreides will tell you, knowing the tomakedealswitheiralliesbehindthescenesandin
future does not make your path any easier. While many secret, so they can keep their real allegiances close to
players may try to forget what they know from reading their chest.
the novels, sending their characters into dangers that
The gamemaster can create all manner of traits to
maycostthemtheirlivesishard.Thiscanbemanaged
emphasize the choices player characters make as the
narrativelybyfocusingontheconsequencesoftheir
campaign progresses and decide when to remove traits.
choicesandmechanicallybyusingtraitstoemphasize
Eachwilbeanassetoracomplicationdependingon
theseconsequences.
who they are talking to. The gamemaster should apply
Every decision the player characters make for the thesetraitsasoftenaspossibletounderlinetheplayer
allegianceoftheirHousemaybeinfluencedbytwo characters’choicesandhowteconsequencesofthose
things:theoptionsinfrontfthecharactersandthe choices stay with them.
players’knowledgeofthe novels.Thebestexample
liancesandallegianceareimportantinDue,buthey
istheelr ationshipbetweentheeitr desandthe
shiftlikethetides.Nooneistrulyagoodguyorabad
Harkonnen. The players may know the Atreides will
guyintheImperium,andeveryoneknowsthis.Noone
reign supreme at the end, so come hell or high water,
expectsanyonetobeahundredpercentloyalallthe
they will refuse to side with the Harkonnen so they
time.Thatiswhatyouexpectofaservantorvassal,not
can pledge their fealty to the new Emperor when
apartneroranal.Itisly uptobothpartiestomakean
Muad’Dibascends.
allianceworthileforbothofthem.WhilePaulmight
Itmightseemano-brainer,butlifeandpolitcsare thinkbetterofaHousethathadalwaysstodforthe
not so simple. With the Atreides crushed after the eitr des,evenhewouldconsiderthemoddforbeingso
Harkonnen attack, insisting they will rise again and dedicated to a fallen House. Words mean little. Actions
refusing to deal with the Harkonnen makes them look are the true measure. What the player characters are
deluded or simply very stupid. This dedication will preparedtodoishowteywilbecounted,whatever
certainlyprovetheirloyaltywhenMuad’Dib’stimefinally their past history.
arrives,buthequestions,wiltheplayercharacters’
Housestilbearoundtoseeit?Thegamemastercan
emphasize these issues in the way nonplayer characters
speaktoheplayercharactersandwhattheyexpect.If
SOME EXAMPLE TRAITS
the player characters keep insisting House Atreides will
rise again, other Houses will consider them odd and @ Friends of House X
notwantodobusinesswithem.Theymightlaugh
@ Enemy of House X
behindtheirbacksattheirdedicationtalostHouse
andpossiblyevendecidetheieso r ces
ur areripefor @ Faithful Ally
plundering if such fools are in charge.
@ Imperial Favor
Thisnarrativeseriesofconsequencesalsoleadsto
@ ar
woC dly
mechanical ones using traits. For instance, they might
gainthetrait‘FriendsofHouseeitr des.’Thismight @ Treacherous
givethemabonuswhentheeitr desarerunig
@ eal
D eak
rB ers
rakis,butibecomesacomplicationwhenthe
Harkonnen destroy them. The player characters then @ al
turB emnE es
i
have a choice. Do they renounce their support and lose
@ ReadyOffer
ot di
thetrait,orkeepit(andwithepenalties)inthehope
the Atreides will return? In this way the gamemaster can @ Dedicated Allies
usetraitstograntmechanicalbonusesandpenaltiesfor
@ Nevertim oC
theconsequencesoftheplayercharacters’action.
@ Hard to Read
General,ly theendofeachadvenetur istheeasiest
time to manage this. At this point, the gamemaster can
evaluatehowteplayercharacters’Housewilappear
to their peers after accounting for their actions, and

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 7
8
 ACT I:

THE
G AT H E R I N G S T O R M
Immobility is often mistaken for peace.

— Emperor Elrood Corrino IX

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 9
 THE EMBERS
OF H AT R E D
Houseeitr deshastakenoverthefiefdomofrakisfromtheHarkonens,leadingHouseEcaztobelieveithasa
chancetogetevr engeontheHarkoneninamoentofweaknessanddisfav.Ecaz or wantspaybackfortheHarkonen
assistingHouseMoritaninthegenerationalwarbetweentheHouses.WithHouseMoritanidestoyed,
r HouseEcaz
diect
r stheirattentionheHarkonen.Thegoalissimple:hurtemasmuchaspossible.

The adventure includes a prelude and three acts. The prelude sets the scene on Arrakis with the upheaval resulting from
the changing of the guard from Harkonnen to Atreides. In this time of uncertainty, many agents are vying for advantage,
andrumosaboundonwhatthismeansforthefuetur ofrakis,thelivesoftheemFr en,andtheflowofspice.

Inthefirstact,theplayercharacterscontactaninformationbrokernamedIbnelMal,whoprovidesthemwithanupdate
on the situation on Arrakis. After investigating various leads and rumors, the player characters must decide on a course
ofactionbasedonthelatestfindings.

In the second act, the player characters meet House Ecaz agents and can decide to plot the demise of the Harkonnens
ormaybetheEcaz.Perhapsthesolutionstoelimnatebothandhidetheevidenceinthedeepdesert.largespice
stashisatstake,andthedeserthasahistoryfclaimingbodiesforalotess.Whateverchoicethecharactersmakewil
have repercussions for the future.

ThefinalactculminateswithashowdownoveranilegalspicestashbelongingtoheHarkonen.Itshouldbeaneasy
acquisitionftheplayercharacterscombinefoces r withHouseEcaz,butheplayercharactersmighturnhisintoatrap
toensnaretheEcazandgaintheewr ardsBaronHarkonenoffers.

PRELUDE fromHuseHarkonentoHuseeitr desatthebehest

oftheEmper,or ShaddamCorinIV,thereisupheaval
The winds of change are upon Arrakis. Fremen wisdom aplentyonrakis.Butheflipsideofthatcoins
dictatesfindingshelterintheock
r sorisktheflesh opportunity for those with the audacity to seize it.
beingstrippedoffyourbonesifthestormcatchesone
Theadvenetur beginswitheplayercharacters
intheopendesert.Withechangingofthefiefdom
talkingtohebrokerIbnelMalinasafehouseon
rakis.Ibnisaknow solari- lender in Arrakeen and,
emor importan,tly anagentfortheplayercharacters’
Housewithasidebusinessincolectingsecrets.He
MY DUNE, MY ARRAKIS… has contacted the player characters after discovering
If the group has played several Dune adventures thearrivalofagentsfromHuseEcazonrakis.It’s
already (especially Agents of Dune or Masters of well known throughout the Imperium that House Ecaz
Dune),theeitr desmayepl r acethecharacters’ harborshated
r forHouseHarkonen,andnodoubt
House.Howtheplayercharactersfeelabouthisis they are here to take advantage of the turmoil to
up to them, and it may lead them to consider a deal exactvengeance.
with the Harkonnens if they intimate they plan to
IfIbnelMalcanspotHouseEcazwithoueffort,suelr y
destroy the Atreides.
theinformernetworksofHouseHarkonenwilfind
Butwhethertheylikeitorn,theEmperorhas them as well. Something important is happening, and
madeadeclaration,andhedoesn’tneedtoexplain Ibnbelievestheplayercharacterswilantoake
orexcusehimself.Theplayercharacters’House advantageofit.Buhequestiontheplayercharacters
isout,andHouseeitr desisin.Butftheplayer need to consider is who they want to help. Will they
charactershaveasignificantamountfImperial support the Ecaz agents or sell them out for personal
favor, their contacts may suggest the situation is favorsfromtheHarkonens?Dotheyprefertobserve
temporary (even though the Harkonnens still plan from afar and see where the advantage lies? Would they
toakerakisforthemselvesegar r dless).Either like to discover what the governing Atreides make of
way, the player characters return to Arrakis to seek House Ecaz operating in their hegemony?
emor informationandperhapsfindalliesecl tor aim
what was theirs.

10
I BN E L M AL , I N FO R M E R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER sasolari-lender,Ibnhasaccesstomanypeople
ThepreviousHouseSpymasterecr
r uitedIbnElMal and can collect much of the gossip and rumors that
as a young orphan living on the streets of Arrakeen. spread throughout the city. However, he rarely acts
BeinganativeisagreatassetforIbn,hisaverage directly. Instead, he reports on the happenings on
heightandno-descriptappearancealsoworkthis rakistoheplayercharacters’Houseintelligence.
benefit.Hismaincoverisasasmall-timesolari-lender
Traits:Humble,Dedicated,HoarderofSecrets.
plyinghistradeinthecity’sbazaar.
TALENTS
Ibnisveryloaltoheplayercharacters’House.
@ Constantly Watching:bn I al
M lE ay
m edu
r ceeht
Hebelieveshisecr r uitmentsavedhislife,giventhe
fficu
iD spo
ot y l an
t ambushby,2 ce
no perscene.
limited options for a street urchin in Arrakeen. More
Also, increase the cost of an enemy to keep the
importantly, his role gives him purpose in a universe
at
it n evi by.2
that seems indifferent to those on the margins.
Assets:Knife,SmugglerContacts,solari-lenderkio sk.

DRIVE S TAT E M E N T

D U T Y: 7 My House, My Duty.
l things big and small have a
FA I T H : 6 place in the universe.

JU S T I C E: 5

P OW ER : 4

T RU T H : 3

SKILL FOCUSES

B AT T LE: 4

C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Persuasion

D I S C I P LI N E: 5

M OVE: 4

U N D ER S TA N D : 6 Secrets

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 11
DINNER WITH THE ATREIDES
The gamemaster may like to ask the players how
theirHousefeelsabouthenewrulersofrakis,
Houseeitr des.Eveniftheyhavenotjustlostthe
lucrative governorship to the Atreides, they may
still have an opinion. So, it is worth taking a
moentoconsiderit,asitbecomesimportant
whentheydiscovertheidentiyofMuad’Diband
their allegiances.
If you have Desert Planet: Adventure
Compendium Volume 1 the adventures ‘Heat
andDust’inther ival chapter involves the player
charactersattendingadinerhostedbyHouse
Atreides after their arrival on Dune. Playing this
advenetur asapreludewouldbetheperfect
way for the player characters to meet the main
characters of House Atreides and form an opinion.
Theotherrakisadvenes
tur mightalsobeplayed
as part of this campaign to introduce the player
characters to the setting.
The player characters must piece together information
overthenextscenesandcreateapathfortheirHouse
duringtheseturbulentimes.IbnelMalservesasa
local guide and helpful ally nonplayer character in
theadvenetur andcanbeusedmovingforwardasan
asset for the gamemaster to link the various acts and
chapters together.
A FAVOR OWED
If the gamemaster wants the player characters to
sidewithHouseEcaztoprovidespecificdiect r iont
thenarrative,theycanbegintheadvenetur withe
playercharacters’HouseowingHouseEcazafav. or
HouseEcazthencallsinthefav,or obligingtheplayer
characters to assist their agents during their mission
onrakis.Ofcourse,thegamemasterisfreetoake
the adventure in any direction that suits the group
at any point.
ACT I: LOCAL
RECONNAISSANCE
Arriving in Arrakeen, the player characters can set up in
IbnElMal’sesi r denceorahotel.Laterintheevening,
Ibnleadstheplayercharacterstoalocalhotspotcalled
The Wall. This lounge is a popular meeting spot in the
hotelandservesdrinkslateintohenight.Considered
a neutral meeting place for many factions, rivals often
come here to engage in commerce and less savory
deals.ccodir ngtoIbn,theEcazagentisstaying
hereandwilprobablyvisithebaratsomepoint
to make deals.
The Wallisanupscaleestablishment(bythestandards
ofrakis)andmoderatelyclimatecooled,
ntr located
near the city shield wall, withseveralfake(but
convicing)decorativeplants.Theyserveflaved
or
waters and cuisine representing off worlder tastes rather
than the native fare of Arrakis. The security guards are
discreet and professional, with no tolerance for the
violence that is sometimes commonplace on Arrakis.
This makes the Wall an ideal place for visitors concerned
aboutsafet,y providedtheycanaffodr it.
As the nightlife ramps up at the Wall, the player
characterscanmixnwtheotherguestsandpickup
rumosandgossip.IbnElMelisonhandtoguidethem
and provide more information.
Thegamemastercanusethefolowingtableto
determine randomly which pieces of information (and
outrightfalsehods)theplayercharacterslearn(orthe
can GM picktheonestheyprefer). Each player character
canmakeanverage(D1) Communicate test to learn a
rumoandspendanyMomentumheyacqeuir tolearn
emor atacostof1Momentumper.Norumo tevery
rumoisvitalfortheadvene,
tur butheycanallserveas
story seeds the gamemaster can develop during or after
this adventure.
 Eventually, a woman named Fiannal arrives at the Wall, TheplayercharactersarealsoawarethatifIbnhas
whoIbnpointsoutasthesuspectedEcazagent.The spotedFiannal,itsonlyamatteroftimebefoer the
agent poses as a merchant looking to secure contacts Harkonnens are on to her.
onleasingnewharvestingequipment.Ibnbelievesthey
If the player characters decide not to make contact
may have another safehouse of some form in Arrakeen
or fail to charm Fiannal, they have to try another tack
ewithmor agents,buthedoesnotyetknowhere.
to get close to the Ecaz agents. They might try to
Fiannal is looking for allies, so she is ready to share follow them to their safehouse or attempt to contact
information with the player characters if they seem themagainthenextnight.Iftheydecidenotry
easo
r nablytrust. worthy The player characters should toleare, nmor theplayercharacters’Houseder or s
makeanverage(D1) Communicate test to reveal who themtoinvestigatefurtherincasetheconflictwithe
they are. Each further success the player characters earn Harkonnen causes spice prices to rise.
grants them any of the following information as per
‘gatherinformation’: ACT II: PICKING SIDES
@ House Ecaz is on Arrakis for vengeance against the OncetheplayercharactershavebecomealliesofHouse
arH enn ok buack
l t seht cal ol edge lwonk av n ot gat
i e Ecaz, they can decide what path their House should
the criminal and political landscape of Arrakis. take. The player characters can either hamper the efforts
@ It will take weeks of training for the Ecaz agents to ofHouseEcazorhelpthemasitbefitstheirendgoals.
passascal ol sbei tuoh iw gn ced.iton Theyeed n elh p If the gamemaster is using the favor owed option, then
fi eyht an w a
t ckiuq erelmit e.ni the player characters are initially positioned on the side
@ Thereaym beer,hto ess l diect r ay w seht ruh ot oftheEcazagentsbutcouldstilelecttobetraythem.
Harkonnens if House Ecaz agrees to work with the After all, if there is no House Ecaz, there is no favor
playercharacters’se. uoH owed.However,therewilbeseriousconsequencesif
theydiscoverthisdoublecross.thispoint,theplayer
characters should discuss their options and decide how
they want to proceed.

F I A NN A L B Y R N E , E C A Z A S S A S S I N
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
HandpickedbyLadyCarandaEcaztoleadanelite
No rest until every
assassinationsquad,Fiannalandherteamhave D U T Y: 6 Harkonnen is dead.
beenactiveoughthr outheImperium,huntig
down enemies of House Ecaz. Fiannal is motivated FA I T H : 5
toavengethedeathsofherfamilymemberskiled
during the assassination attempt on the old duke JU S T I C E: 4
of the House, Archduke Armand Ecaz. Death is the only
P OWER : 7 truejustice.
Trained from a young age, Fiannal easily over-
comes her small stature and weight disadvantage T RU T H : 3
against much larger adversaries with her remark-
ablebattleprowess.Otherwise,alifetimehabit
of remaining plain and anonymous makes her SKILL FOCUSES
appearanceemunr arkable.Fiannalisloyalfirstto
LadyEcazandthentohersquad.Shehasnother B AT T LE: 7 Assassination
pursuits in life other than to see House Harkonnen
destroyed. C O M M U N I C AT E: 4

Traits: Assassin, Dedicated. D I S C I P LI N E: 5

TALENTS
@ The Slow Blade: In a duel or skirmish, when M OVE: 6 Stealth
an
iF al
n ses
u Theat
r bu
ot erom y dicefoan
r
atack
t ,sheay
m gni ero 1defensiev asset. U N D ER S TA N D : 4

Assets:Knife,Dartgun,Hunter-seeker,Poison,
UniqueBattleLanguage

14
Inbroadterms,thechoiceliesbetween:
@ Fully ally with House Ecaz and offer them the assets
and resources of their House. The most important
assistance they can offer is acting as middlemen
for the Ecaz whose presence the Harkonnens are
most likely aware of. If no one knows that the player
charactersare,eyht canactsecreteiht no yl beh
@ Contact the Harkonnens and see if House Ecaz
can be sold out for the most valuable commodity
in the universe: an unrecorded secret shipment
fo spice.sol ,afavghim ro be
abl
t e,buplt ayercharactersshdluo exercisecaunoit
asese ht dealsent dben ot efiteht ar
@ The player characters may also try to distance
emht seles v frathw mo si gogni by no at w chgni
freht mo sideles.
ni Thsi ay m eqr eriu anguirtnI ero
spiE age no coflin ctco ot eunit ear
l ot foni at mr n o i
without alerting the Ecaz or Harkonnen agents.
Additional information to factor into this decision is that
a dozen Ecaz agents are hiding in Arrakeen, and they
will seek to avenge any companions who come to harm.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Havingdecided(atleastfornow)wheretoplacetheir
allegiance, the player characters need an opportunity
tohelporselloutHseEcaz.Luck,ily IbnElMal
has picked up a tip from a smuggler who owes him
adebt.Thesmugglerwasslightlyshort-changed
bytheHarkonensfortansportingspicecargoto
one of their hidden caches. So, they were happy to
giveIbnthelocationfthisstashinexchangefor
cancelinghisdebt.Thecacheisheavilyguarded,so
r alf.
thesmugglershavenotraidedithemselves.Buthe
combinedfoces r oftheplayercharactersandEcaz
agentsshouldbeabletoliberatethespicehoardand
dealtheHarkonensasoundbl.lterow nativel,y the
t eht no ego
n at it gni
Ecazagentscanbeambushedbythecombinedfoces r
of the player characters and the Harkonnens for the
B .no
negotiated reward.
NEGOTIATING A BETRAYAL
IftheplayercharactersplantobetraytheEcaz,they
must contact the Harkonnens. As the Harkonnens have
made it clear they are interested in any information that
might hurt the new Atreides governors, their agents are
easy to contact. neasy(D0) Communicate test allows
them to reachPiterdeVries(personalMentatofBaron
Harkonnen, see Dune Core Rulebookp.252),whotalks
tohemoversecuer comchannelsaboutadeal.
Theplayercharacterswilneedtogetthebestoutcome
for their House. As such, the gamemaster might play the

F I A N N A L B Y R N E ' S K I L L S Q UA D
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
Fiannal’shandchosenagentsareelitefighters
andseasonedassassins.ThebestthatHouseEcaz B AT T LE: 6 Assassination
has to offer, most of them have some personal
grievancewitheHarkonensandareequally C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
dedicatedtoFiannalandLadyEcaz’scause.They
are hiding out in a safe house in Arrakeen. Finding D I S C I P LI N E: 5 Observe
themwithouassistancefromFiannaleqr es
uir an
Espionageconflict. M OVE: 6 Stealth

Traits: Dedicated
U N D ER S TA N D : 3
Drive: 6

TALENTS
@ Improvised Weapon:KilSquadmaycreate
a Quality 0 weapon asset for themselves
1/scene.

Assets: Knife,Dartgun,Med-Kit,Unique
BattleLanguage

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 15
 negotiationutasanIntrigueconflicttogetthebest
deal.Butoherwise,aslongastheplayercharacterscan
A CT I I I :
convince the Mentat they can deliver the Ecaz agents, T H E S P I C E C AC H E
Piterwilhappilyofferthemasubstantialamountf
The spice cache facility is located amid a rocky outcrop
spiceorafav.Eitheror canbeanassetfortheplayer
500 miles from Arrakeen. There is no way to get to
characters and their House.
itbylandwithourskinganencounterwithagreat
IftheplayercharacterselecttobetraytheEcaz,the sandworm.Butheock
r youtcrophasasmallflat
HarkonensbringinadditionaleliteHarkonenops.
tr areasuitableforlandingalargeornithpteranda
TheHarkonenswilexpectasecretsignalofsomeform wideenoughentrancetoallowtpeopleside-by-
fromtheplayercharactersasthesigntoambushthe sidetodescendintoudergroundchambers30feet
raiders.Thiscouldbetheornithpterlandingorasignal bel.Thow eentranceisasimplecamouflagedplasteel
fromasecrettransmitercarriedbyaplayercharacter. do.Thor eareaclearedoutinhechamberisoughr ly
Dependingonwhteplayercharactersplantobetray, 50feetby50feetomwitha r makeshiftbarracks,
thetimngofthesignalmaybecrucial. batom,hr andkitchenoneside.Theothersidehas
acomunicationtableandstacksofpalletscontainig
Theplayercharactersmayattempttoplaybothfactions
melange in drums.
against each other. In this case, they can contact the
Harkonensandseewhattheywiloffer,butplanto Thedozenboed r guardsplaygamesofchanceandare
distract them or gain their favor, while intending to generally lethargic in their duties. The guards seem to
helptheEcazstilandstealthespice.Thiswilbevery elr yonsecuritybyobscurityoprotecttheirspicestash
dangerous,andattemptingtolietoPiterwilbea without taking any other defensive measures.
difficultopposedtest.
THE STRIKE TEAM
CRAFTING A PLAN Unlesstheplayercharactersder or himtojnem,
Whatever the player characters plan to do, they must IbnElMalemr ainsinrakeen.FiannalByrneder
or s
meetupwitheEcazandplantheheist.IbnElMal all her agents to commit to the raid. Ecaz intelligence
offershisesi r denceasameetingplace,oritcanbeat officerscolectcodedcomunicationsatthesafehouse,
the Ecaz safe house if they trust the player characters detailingtheteam’scuenr tstatusandanyagreement
with its location. The player characters must convince witheplayercharacters’House.Fiannalisleaving
FiannalthatthebestwaytohureHarkonensisto someinsurancebehindincasetheraidgoessideways
taketheirwealth.VladimirHarkonenisnotriusfor andnoeepor rtsback.
hislackofespectr forlife,includingmembersofhis
Fiannal and the agents arrive promptly at sundown at
own House. However, hurting his wealth and proving
theenr dezvouspointousiderakeenequippedwith
that others can take it will damage his reputation
stilsuitsandbattlegeaready r forthefight.
andfinances.

So, the player characters need to convince Fiannal to THE SORTIE BEGINS
trustthem,thatthespicehoardwilbeworthi,andthat Thesmugglers’carryallarrivessilentlyandtouches
dividingthestolenspicebetweenbothpartieswilbe downforeveryonetoboard.Thejourneyisquickand
payment enough for everyone. Thisshouldagainbean quiet.Theplayercharactersmaypilotheornithpter
Intrigueconflict,oranverage(D1) Communicate test themselves and can talk to the Ecaz agents on
(butincreasetheDifficultyby1iftheyactuallyintend thejourney.
tobetraytheEcaz). Failure still convinces the Ecaz to
Lateatnight,thecarryallarrivesatthebaseand
makeanalliance,buthetermsofthatdealwon’tbeas
landsquietlyontheock
r youtcrop.Nowcomited,
beneficialfortheplayercharacters’Houseastheymight
the player characters side with House Ecaz or House
havebeenotherwise.
Harkonenorperhapsburythebodiesofbothine
Upon deciding a course of action and picking a side sand so no one discovers their newfound wealth. The
tosupportobetray—it’stimeforaction.IbnElMal smugglershappilysidewithoeverwinsanyconflict,
arranges for his smuggler friends to provide stealthy fortherightbribe.
airtansportwihalargecargobaytoakethespice.
@ fI eht playerschse
o back
ot eht ar
H enn ok s,eyht
Itakesthenextdaytomakethearrangements,and
stum signaleht betay r albyeht decidedean m s.fI
the raid is scheduled for later that night. All parties
eyht av
h eadealPihtiw ert deVres, i eh ensuesr at
ht
meetatapointousidethecitywherethesmugglers’
addial noit ar
H enn ok foces
r guardeht stash(Captain
customized cargo ornithopter picks them up. The player
Uman m dnuK andsih ar uG ds).epl D ed yo dden
ih ot
charactersshouldusethedaytomakewhateverfinal
outcroppings, snipers get into position. The garrison
preparationstheyneedbefoer nightfall.
alsochargesan tuo dsnioj eht figh.t

16
U M M A N K U D U , H A R KO N N E N G UA R D C A PTA I N
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
While Imperium standards do not consider Harkon-
nenops
tr andofficertrainigtobegood,ityelds D U T Y: 5
afewcompetentcandidates.Umman,bysuch
standards,isacompetentofficer.Ofaveragebuild, FA I T H : 4
he carries out his tasks more out of fear than duty.
Those who follow him also carry this trait. All are JU S T I C E: 2
awareoftheewr ardstheBareser
onr vesforfaie.lur
P OW ER : 6 Selfishnessissurvial
In another time and place, Umman Kudu might
havebeenanexceptionalsoldier,butundera T RU T H : 3
Harkonnen regime, a healthy desire for survival
tempersambition.OnGiediPrime,onekeepstheir
headdownandtheirbacktohewalltonpres - SKILL FOCUSES
entatargetforjunioslokingtoadvance.
B AT T LE: 6 Tactics
Traits:Keepshisheaddown,Indebtedtohe
Harkonnens. C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
TALENTS
@ Cautious (Battle): If Umman Kudu spends D I S C I P LI N E: 5
Theat r bu ot exy a
rt d2s0 foa
r est
t ,eyht ay
m
e-r eno l r fo emht . M OVE: 5

Assets: Knife, Lasgun. U N D ER S TA N D : 4

H A R KO N N E N E L I T E G UA R D S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
ThisguardunitselitebyHarkonenstandards
butnobyanyoneelse’s.Pressedintoservice,they B AT T LE: 5 Tactics
havenolyaltybeyondfearofpunishment.How -
ever,theyareewr ardedeaso r nablywellfortheir C O M M U N I C AT E: 3
work,muchbetterthananyHarkonenpeasant.
sHarkonenmiltarystrategyelr iesonumbers D I S C I P LI N E: 4
rather than skill, if the Harkonnens learn of the
attack, there are at least two guards for every M OVE: 4
player character.
U N D ER S TA N D : 3
Traits:Motivatedbyfear,sadistic.

Drive: 4

TALENTS
@ None
Assets: Knife, Lasgun.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 17
@ back
yB gni eht caz
E ,eht playercharactersstum After this adventure, the gamemaster can run other
defeat the Harkonnens and make arrangements to advenes tur basedonanrakisruledbytheeitr des.
pick up the spice for their House. House Ecaz will still Severalofthepublishedadvenes tur fitthissetting.
expectelh pak r no si assassi
ot at
n esabo
ro age t as However, if they proved themselves to House Ecaz,
anm se uoH y ar
H enn ok ar
t getsaspossible. emor opportuniesmightbecomeavailable.Taking
@ fI eht playercharactersplanbet ot ay r everenoy and theBaron’sspiceisagoodstart,butisfarfrom
pit the Ecaz against the Harkonnens they may even claimingtheievr enge.Theywilantheplayers’help
at w cheht batelt frafar. mo eyht woH areposiednoit toinsertagentsintoheHarkonens’household.Ifthe
depen
l iw deht no playercharacters’plansandat hw Harkonenshavebecomealliesoftheplayercharacters,
eyht abo
wonk evtu erenoy else’spls.to thismightbealltheeasiertodo.

CONCLUSION Playercharactersandtheiralliescanjointhebattle
howevertheyseefit.Itshouldbeaneasyvictoryif
How everything comes together afterwards depends on theHarkonensdon’texpecttheattack.Iftheyhave
eht at
n eru fo eht playercharacters’alan il ces.Theyl iw prepared,itgetsverymessy,butheplayercharacters
have either proved themselves to the Ecaz or Harkonnens stilhavetheadvantageofstrikngfirst.
and have a solid ally, or, if they were especially clever,
If the player characters are on the winning side, they can
eyht ghim av
h t ebetayr edemht boan
ht dade
m emht
claim their promised rewards (either a share of the spice
think the other was the agent provocateur.
hoardorpaymentfromtheHarkonens).Thesurvios
can then load the spice into the ornithopter and escape,
hopefully leaving no witnesses.
THE HIDDEN BLADE
Theplayercharacters’Houseecei r vesinformationaboutacodedHarkonentransmissionfromanunihabitedareaof
thedesert.Uponivestigation,theydiscoveraconcealedbase,buteveryoneintsdead,kiledshortlybefoer arrival.
shutleliftsoff,escapingintospace,asthebaseeruptsinaself-destructsequence.

Backhome,theHouse’sspymasterimediatelytellsthemofafamilymember’seqr uesttovisitHouseEcaz.code
withnemessagestatesthatthematterelr atestoHuseandGuildsecu.Thrity eplayercharactersenteraHeighliner
andmeetwithaGuildagent.Theyaresworntsecrecyandtoldthattheinvtationwasaruse.Theshutlethatjust
escapedrakisiswithneHeighliner,accessibletoheplayercharacters.Theplayercharacterscanenterthetrapped
shutle,butwihnsadeadlierenemythantheyhaveeverfaced,oneoftheEmperor’sownSardaukar,anadvance
operative for an upcoming assault on House Atreides.

The player characters must return to Arrakis immediately. Heighliners appear in space around Arrakis, emitting wave
afterwaveofHarkonenfoces. r Theplayercharacters’shutledrawsattention,sotheymustavoiddestructionasthe
Harkonenfleetfiresuponthem.Theye-r enterrakis’atmosphereonlymiutesbefoer theHarkonenslaunchtheir
attack on House Atreides, seeking to reclaim Dune for their own!

A C T I : V O I C E S F RO M
E M P T Y P L AC E S
Inthisact,theplayercharactersbeginorakis
and are alerted to a mysterious coded signal sent
from the desert and sent to investigate. Upon arrival,
theydiscoverasecretHarkonenbase,thoughallits
inhabitantsaredead.stheyinvestigate,theyeal
r ize
thebaseincludesasmallaunchpadandashipiseady
todepart.Thisiscomplicatedwithaself-destruct
sequencesettodestoyther base.
NO SLEEP FOR THE WICKED
It is morning on Arrakis, at thefirstangryappearanceof
the sun, Canopus, blazing across the horizon. Though
thenightisbarelyaespi r tefromtheheat,thosewithn
the House are active, with its attendant army of servants,
mechanics, and household staff working throughout the
coolhursbetweenduskanddawn.Similar,ly defense
of the House is ceaseless. Its guards are always alert,
and its spies watch the streets as diligently as they
monitrallelectonic
r frequencies.
IfoneoftheplayercharactersistheHouse’sSpymaster
(oracloseassociateofthem),theyeceir veamessage
from the surveillance group within its espionage
division. If none are the Spymaster, they are summoned
for an emergency meeting within the facility where
surveillance techs monitor for suspicious transmissions
or communications. Huddled within the secure facility, a
Housetechnicianspeaksexcitedl. y
“We’velocatedsomething,almostnothig,eal r ,ly
butenoughthatwefeltibesttoalertyou.We
don’thavethecipherforthecode,butwebelieve
itmatchessomeofthepatternsusedbythe
Harkonensinthepast.quick-burstcodedsignal
from out in the desert.”
Thetechnicianplaysthesignalback,andafaint,
static-shouded,
r inhumanwarblingisheard,
indecipherablebyanyoftheplayercharacters .A
successfuverl age(D1) Communicate test reveals that
thisisaone-waysignal,codedandsentinaquickburst
at high speed to minimize the transmission window.
r
CUSTOMIZING THIS ADVENTURE
The Hidden Bladeassumestheplayercharacters’
House is allied with House Atreides and House
Ecaz. However, this adventure is easy to adapt to a
House with sympathies to House Harkonnen.
@ Act I: Theplayercharactercanbeseneht o
dden
ih ar H enn ok deserbaset ateht behestfo
the Harkonnens, concerned that they have lost
coacttn edi m i atelbefo
y er eiht secrr etatack t .
(In this case, the Sardaukar has destroyed the
baseelot at nim eanpoy ent al
it coect n ot n i
eht per
mE r,o assiht sleepercelas w l slppy.
o )
@ Act II: Access to the Sardaukar ship gives the
playercharactersadvanceeltni gen il ceaboeht u
upcoming raid, learning that the Emperor himself
supports the Harkonnens. Rather than a violent
confrontation with the Sardaukar operative, they
emerge with potential leverage over the Spacing
dliuG sel
ti f,ch ihw si alayw ssefu
u .l
@ Act III: Finally, their arrival on Arrakis at the onset
of the Harkonnen assault lets them pick sides,
opportunistically choosing to help or hinder the
Atreides in their fateful last stand. If they side
with the Harkonnens, they can land without
difficuerhw ytl evereyht chse, o asgnol aseyht
do not interfere with the destruction of House
Atreides.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 19
 Whenslowed,itbecomesclearthatahumanvoice Further attempts at decoding the partial transmission
made it. Failing this test yields a mistaken impression arefruitless.Itistofragmented,brief,anddeeply
thatsomeoneartificiallygeneratedit. encodedthatthesignalcannotbebrokenwithou
considerableeffort.
“Wewereabletogetanestimateofthepointof
If the player characters do not immediately plan to
origin.outbeyondRimwallWest,atthe24°line
investigate,theyshouldbecoaxedtodosobytheir
roughly 350 kilometers southward from Arrakeen.”
House’sleaderorSpymaster.Theenetir groupofplayer
charactersshouldgotoprovidethebroadestpossible
Withis,thetechproducesafilmplazsurveymapof
rangeofsupport.Theyareadvisedgoquicklyand
rakis,findingaspecificlocationatthecodior nates
lightly, one or two ornithopters at most. More than that,
mentioned prior.successfulChallenging(D2)
and any Harkonnen spies will report a large deployment.
Understandtestdeterminesthefolowing:
Ultimately, they should investigate the mysterious
@ Theareasi ghuoht be
ot abi
hni u ed
t byemrF en,
transmissionbefoer thosewhomadeitdisappear
with no known sietches within at least 50 kilometers
into the desert or whatever potential skullduggery
of that location.
theyplancanbeenacted.Onethingiscertain,ifthe
@ ’s
tI pen o deser,t few htiw ck
o r foat mr snoi shot elert
Harkonnens are operating on Arrakis while the Atreides
agaistn sandws.mro euD eht o exemrt edistance,ti
are in charge, they are doing something very shady. The
si beydno anar
h nwo k y est
v gni per
o ats.noi
playercharacters’Housecanprofitbyinformingthe
@ Theareasi ghuoht be ot sed
u byegal l i spice
cuenr tgovernor(theeitr des)oruncoveringwhatis
harvesting operations and smugglers, primarily,
happening to see if it offers them an advantage. Either
traditionally operating outside the reach of
way,itsbestnotigneor it.
ak
r s’i ‘oernw s’.

Failing this test provides the false impression that WINGS STIR THE WINDS
smugglers and spice pirates use the area, preying upon Ideally, within the hour, the player characters are
harvesters. Any attempt at verifying this rumor reveals winging it across the sands of Arrakis in one or two
that it is untrue. ornithpters.norithptertypicallyseatssix,soifthe

20
playercharactersbringadditionalsupport,theymay energy-freelighting.Examingthescopeofthelighting
wishtospreadtheirfoces
r betweentwornihpters. ductsevr ealsalargercomplexinsidetheock r yslope.

Even this early in the morning, the oppressive sunlight If they cannot spot the lighting ducts, searching the
hammers the ornithopters as light sears through even area while on the ground yields the location of a small
polarizedcabinwidows.Pilotingtohelocation crevasseintheock r yridgethatendsinaV-shaped
andcodior natingflightseqr esuir a Simple(D0) Move channel.theapexoftheVisaconcealeddoorset
test, with a failure putting the ornithopters off course, intohestone,camouflagedwithathin,modeledshell
perhaps steering them into a minor sandstorm or having made of stiffened plastic, adhering to the surrounding
tosetdownfoepai
rmino rs(somethingeasilyfixable wall.Itisshelteredfromthewindandsandoutside—or
like sand caught in wing pistons, a clogged air recycler elsesuchaflimsydisguisewouldhavelongsinceblown
causingitobecomeunbearablyhotinside,etc.). or eroded away.

sforfindingthesite,iftheyfolowthediect r ions Itischild’splaytodislodgetheshell,andbeneathits

providedbythesurveilancetechnician,theyarrivein a plasteel alloy door with a small, covered control pad
itsvicinitywhoudifficu.Nolty furthercomunications atitscenterandasmallspy-eyelensaboveit.Togain
havebeeninterceptedsincethefirst,sotheymustfind en,try thelockmustbepickedorfoced
r open.
itbysight.
@ The Direct Approach: As there is little chance of a
Iftheplayercharactersaskordoanesear yr chbefoer personal or defensive shield this deep into sandworm
their departure, they know that satellite surveillance ert y,roti aeav h du-y asgu
l yt an
ro n duni stal
ir cuert ay
isintermitenthisfaroutfromthepolarbandwhere can easily carve the door open and allow entry with
rakeenandCarthagaresituated.emFr encal“witl orm est
t on eqr ed. riu
ter,”
ritoy whichisbestavoided. @ The Discrete Approach: successfuerv l age(D1)
Battle or Understand test can decipher the code to
successfuverl age(D1) Understand test helps
the lock and open it.Noapparenal t argom esff.
o
themlocatethespecificlocationftheinstallation,
When unlocked, the door slides into a recessed side
acamouflagedantennajutingfromaminorcrag
panel and allows entry.
onaock r ,y sand-coveredridge.Judgingfromthe
formationfock r sinthearea,thelocation—whatever Immediately inside the door is a corpse of a man
itsnateur —mustbecarvedoutftheock r itselfand half-cladindesertsurvialgarboftheinferiorquality
eneltir ybelowground,makingitdifficultoinfiltrate. faved or byoffworlders.Hewasbleedingoutashe
Topographicalmapsindicatearidgeegi inr on,buti attempted to get dressed and go to the door, leaving
doesn’tattributeanametoiastheareaisbelievedto alongtrailofbloddownthehallwayandbackinto
beunihabited. theest
r oftheinstallation.Channelscutinohe
ceilingaboveprovidepilarsoflight,eachsealed
The gamemaster should ask what approach the player
with transparent plasteel. An open door at the end
characters intend to take, whether a straightforward
ofthehallwayleadstoherchambersandcoridors.
approachsuchastryingtofindanentranceand
Examingthemanevr ealsthefolowing:
assaultingthelocation(whateverits),astealthy
approach involving reconnaissance and careful @ Thedeadanm as
h abrshitu faceandas
h aai
h ess
lr
infiltration,orsomeothermethod. scalp.eH si subu n ,tnr andsih skshni swo signs
of irritation.
The player characters may suggest that they land and
@ A maula pistol lies uselessly at his side with its
approachthesiteonfoot(andwalkwithourym)to
cartridge partially empty. It is the sort of weapon
avoidsettingoffanyalarmsorbeingnoticed.Thisisa
one might get from any offworld arms dealer.
goodstrategy,butunbeknowsttohemcompletely
@ The cause of death is a single sword thrust through
unecessar.Noy visiblealarmisraisedandthereisno
sih chesterhw esih earh dluow t be,bueht
signtheyhavebeendetected.
amfo tnu bldo dini catesat ht eht dnuow as
w
edi
m i ton atelfat y alduesih ot ear h elkil t bei
y gn
THE SECRET IN THE SANDS
centered or on the other side of his chest. This is
Climbingatoptheock r yridgeiselr ativelyeasy,though
aar r ebiccu
o htr enr cebuear hnu to df.o
itsjaggedandcoveredwithlosesandblownithe
Anyone with Suk training can identify this condition
eternalmovementofrakis’surfacelayer. A successful
without a test.
Challenging(D2) Understand test reveals a regular
@ exn perdelt ervi edeht deatbl h ,wo at
ht any
series of circular holes drilled into the rock, each less
Swordmaster can attest without needing to make
than10centimetersindiameter,pluggedwithsmall
a test. evwoH er,asuccessfuau D l gnit (D3) Battle
domes of transparent glasteel. These lead deep into the
test indicates that the sword thrust was not made
rock, perfectly vertical. Anyone familiar with Arrakeen
byaSwdmro aster,bustom t elkil by y soeom en htiw
architecture recognizes them as lighting ducts, providing
Sardaukar training.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 21
 Theundergroundbasecomprisesonemaincoridor
leadingtoalargerchamber,fannigoutinseveral
smaller rooms and corridors following the overall
shapeoftheock r ybluff.Thereisliteattentionpaidto
comfortoanypersonalamenites.It’sliteemor thana
bunkerandlogisticscenter.
Theimediateappearanceofthefirstcorpseshould
putheplayercharactersonalert,butunbeknowst
to them, they have little else to fear (everyone here is
dead).However,thegamemastermayturnhisinto
asuspense-filledexploration,goingom-by r om-r
andfindingadditionalcorpses,eachdispatchedwith
terrifyingefficiency.
Sevenothercorpsesareinthebunker’soms, r and a
successfulChallenging(D2) Understand test or even a
briefanalysisbyaMentatevr ealsthattheinhabitants
werehunteddownsystematicallybysomeonewithn
thebunker,kilngeachefficientlywihaswdor blade.
Blodrunsdownthewallsinthsprays,andthesandy
floorthistilyabsorbstheblodfromthedead,asifthe
entire planet hungers for any moisture it can get. Like
thefirst,anySwdmor asterinthegroupeco
r gnizesthis
asexpertbladeuse.
Transport cases are stacked everywhere, stocked
witheaponryandammunito—lasguns,maula
pistols,ockr etlaunchers,bodyar,mor personalshield
generators,andotherequipmentforagroundinvasion.
Thefacilitysequivalentohatinthe Dune Core
Rulebook(p.201).dditionalequipmentincludes
along-rangeradiocomunicationapparatusanda
Harkonen-madevoxcoder,designedtournspoken
words into a coded signal. These are useless now,
fused to slag.
stheplayercharactersinvestigatethebase,theyhear
adistantrumbling,asifsomesortofmachineryhas
movedwithnecomplextowardthecentralcorido,r
away from the entry. At the end of that corridor is a
thickplasteeldo.Thor elockhasbeensealedfrom
the other side, and the player characters can hear the
unmistakableoar
r ofspaceshipthrustersactivating.
WHAT HAPPENED?
TheHarkonenbasewasobservingthetriedes
positionstopreparefortheupcomingattack.But
they were sloppy and undisciplined, potentially
endangeringthemission’ssecrecy.So,anImperial
agent(Blanarik)wasdispatchedtogathertheir
colectedepo r rtsand(muchtoheHarkonens’
surprise)executethemallanddestoyan r yevidence
of their presence. However, one guard tried to send
amaydaybefoer hewaskiled.Thisisthegarbled
message the player characters intercepted.
22
EXITUS, SCAENA SINISTRAM
This door is identical to the entrance, and once past it,
thecoridorextendsanotherhundredorsometers,then
openstoasmallhangar,itsbayyawnigwideopen
withavistaoftherakeendesert.Ononesideofthe
hangar is an ornithopter, wings folded, while the air still
feels charged with the static of a powerful suspensor
generat.Thor esmellofanexhaustthrusteralsohangsin
theai.Sor meonehasjustfledthebaseonsomesortof
space transport.
checkofthenearbyornithpterevr ealsthatthey
havedestoyed
r thecoolsntr withafast-burnigthermite
charge, used for rapidly melting a small area of sand
into glass. While it cannot destroy an entire ornithopter,
it can do enough to cripple it.
Thereisveryliteelsetodointhebunker,asthereare
fewothercluestoheinhabitants’iden,tiy savethat
theyareemnotFr enandunlikelytobesmugglers.The
amount of food and water storage shows that they
havebeenhereforsometime,perhapsmonthsor
longer, and there are no electronic or written records
indicating who they were or their purpose. A Daunting
(D3) Understand testfindsevidenceofwheresuchfiles
mighthavebeen,butheyhavebeencarefulyand
efficientlypuged r anddestoyed.r
If the player characters carry any communication device
suchasaradio,theygetamessagefromtheirHouse’s
securityeamonacodedfrequency.Ifanyoneiswith
theornithpter,theyquickecei
lyr veamessagethata
elr ativelysmallsurface-to-airtansportjustexitedthe
base.CheckingwitheirHouse’ssurveilancesatellites
tellsthemthatthetransportbrokeatmosphere,exitng
theorbitofrakis,headingawayfromtheplanet.But
where is it going?
Momentslater,however,alowbeepingcomences. A
Simple(D0) Understand or Battle testevr ealsthebase
hasbeened wir forself-destruction.Thegamemaster
isencouragedtomaketheescapefromthebunkeras
suspensefulaspossible,butulimatel,y theycanleave
oughthr thewaytheyentered,orthehangarbay,intme
toescapetheexplosionthattearsoughthr thefaci,lity
collapsing it within moments. If they remain, they die. A
successfuelDir (D4) Battle or Move test can defuse the
self-destructmechanism,butfailingthisleavesthemin
thebaseasitexplodesandcolapses.
Onceoutsidethebase,theplayercharactersseethe
trailofasmallshutle,asleek,wide-wingeddart,as
it races across the Arrakeen terrain away from them,
stirring up a line of sand and dust in its wake. Any
character familiar with spacecraft recognizes it as a
smallsurface-to-spaceshutle,withlecargocapacity
andomfonlyr rahandfulofcrew,andoperable
byonlye.
Iturnsatnearlyarightangleandclimbsupward
through the atmosphere until it vanishes from sight.
 ACT I I : M U R D E R I N
A LOCKED ROOM
The player characters should return to their House to
report. Their ornithopters do not have enough cargo
capacityohldeverythinginthebase,andsuch
cleanupisemor thesortofthinghandledbysecurity
teams rather than player characters.
IftheHouse’sMentatorSpymasterisnotaplayer
character,theysaythatthebunkerisnearlyidentical
toherHarkonenhideouts,buthisoneisthemost
emr otethey’veencounteredthusfar.Iftheyhaveplayed
thepreviousadvene, tur thebasewilbeverysimilarto
thespicecachefacilitynhat.Thekiler’sidentiysthe
myster,y andwhytebunker’sinhabitantswereslain.
However,thekiler’strailisactuallyveryclear.Guild
Heighlinerhasjustfoldedspacetorakis,eventhough
one was not due for some time. Whatever ship the killer
left in, the Heighlinermustbetheirescapeoute,
the fortuitous and unscheduled appearance implies
apowerfulpatonbeh r indwhateverisgoingon.So,
the player characters are ordered to get into a shuttle
quicklyandtraveluptoheHeighliner.There,they
cantryoackdownthekilerandfindoutwhatis
goingon.Butheplayercharactersarewarnedtoake
carenotifuriatetheGuild.Heighlinersareneutral
ground,andtheGuildwilokdimlyonanyHousethey
finddoingviolencethere.
If the player characters refuse to go on the mission or
choose to deploy Agents in their stead (while they play
ch
inr itectmode),allowthemtoselectappropriate
gentsfromanycuenr tlyexistingorfromthse
provided in the Dune Core Rulebook(p.269–295).
IN THE GUILD’S HANDS
fteradizyinglyshortinervalbetweentheietr urn
fromtheHarkonenbase,theplayercharacterstake
groundcarstheo landingfieldandthenfindthemselves
walkinguptherampofoneoftheirHouse’splanetary
shuttles – smaller vessels primarily used for diplomatic
missions and personal travel with limited cargo and
personnel space.
Theshutle’ssuspensorsglideintolfe,andwithn
moentsitlftsoffandengagesitsthrusterstobreak
outftherakeenatmosphere,windbuffetingitasit
ascends. Eventually, it approaches the gigantic cylinder
ofaGuildHeighliner,enteringthenearestofitstwo
gapingends.TheGuild’semr otepilotstakeoveras
theyguideandtheplayercharacters’shutletoa
docking position.
Withinmoents,theshutle’sradiotransmitersignals
anincomingmessagefromtheGuild,der or ingaoutiner
safety inspection of the shuttle interior. The player
charactersareinstructedtomakethemselvesavailable
inaecept r ionareanearbyandwilbeescortedthereby
Guildpersonel.Iftheplayercharacters can succeed
inanverage(D1) Discipline test, they will realize this
‘randominspection’seemsverycoincidental.TheGuild
maysomehowaleady
r beawareoftheirplan.
When the docking hatch opens, outside stand several
Guildmembers.Theyareallcladinheavywork
jumpsuitsandseemilateasearoundno-Guild
members.Nonebearobviousweapons,butisclear
their purpose is to escort the player characters. At
theheadofthissmalldelegationsanotherGuild
representative, a woman in formal garments and
bearingthesymboloftheGuilduponhertunic.
However,themostobvioussignifierofheroler are
hered-
r smearedlips,theindeliblestainofthejuiceof
Sapho, marking her as a Mentat.
Sheoduintr cesherselfasSiskeRayner,aGuildMentat,
butsuccesswithaDauntig(D3) Understand test
r and
revealssheislikelyspecializesintheGuild’svarious
clandestine activities. If one of the player characters
hasdeepconectionswitheGuild,theymayknow
herbysight.
TheMentatspeaksGalachwithacalm,measued
r voice
devoidofinflectionraccent.
“Ihavenoame.Youhavenotseenme.Wearenot
speaking. Do you understand?”
She has no time or patience for anything other than a
yes/noanswer,andshetacticallyignes or anyquestions.
If the player characters do not agree to these terms, she
andtheGuildworkersetr eat
r ,andtheplayercharacters’
ship is given clearance to return to Arrakis immediately.
See The Dying of the Light, p. 28 , in this case.
Iftheyanswerintheaffirmative,shecontiues.
“Youhavebeenexpectedandpreparedfo,r but
bringwhateverequipment,weapo,nry andprotec -
tivemeasues r eqyour e.uir Noexplosives.Expect
anything,butviolenceisanear-certai.”nty
If the player characters agree, she gives them a moment
to prepare themselves. Then she escorts them to
thedockingumbilicalandintoacompartmentlike
anelevat.Thor eGuildworkersemr ainoutsideinthe
dockingumbilical.
There is a slight sense of movement as the compartment
shifts silently, and it emerges into a stark room with
severalfieldemitersineachcorner,alongeveryjoin
ofwallandfloorandceiling,andliteelse.floating
control panel drops from a recess in the ceiling, and
Raynermakessomeadjustmentstoiwhlestandingin
front of the player characters with a hand on her chin.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 23
 S I SKA R AY N E R , G U I L D A GE N T A N D M E N TAT
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER
BornitheGuild,SiskaRaynerprovedunsuitable
formetamorphosisintoaNavigat,or butearlytesting
identifiedherasapotentialMentat.Trainedon
Lampadas,sheetr urnedtoheGuildtoactasa
strategist and logician. Her remit includes the special
andunsualcicu r mstancesinwhchabsolutediscretion
andlong-rangefoecastr ingiseqr ed,
uir beyondthe
abilityoftheNavigatorsthemselves.

Traits:Mentat,SpacingGuildgent

TALENTS
@ Mentat Discipline: When attempting to recall
information, one of the d20s in the pool is treated as
a1,at
r erh an
ht g.nil o r

Assets:Personalshield,flaskofSaphojuice,personal
communicator.

DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
TheGuildisthespoke
D U T Y: 8 aboutwhichthe
Imperium turns.

FA I T H : 5

JU S T I C E: 4

P OWER : 6

T RU T H : 7 Liesarealwaysbaddata.

SKILL FOCUSES

B AT T L E: 4

C O M M U N I C AT E: 5

D I S C I P L I N E: 6 Espionage

M OVE: 4
Faction Lore (Spacing
U N D ER S TA N D : 4 d),
liuG per
mI al
i Pocs
it l

24
Theomfil
r lswithadiscodan r thum,andthe “Whenetyour urntoyshipyoumayfindyouac -
wallsshimerwithafieldunlikeanytheplayer cidentallyentertheneighboringone.Weapologize
characters have seen. that an unfortunate technical error in airlock security
will occur and cause you to mistakenly enter. The
“We are now shielded from all known forms of Guildisobviouslydeeplysorysuchanunfortunate
detection,buthestatedconditionsforthismeet - security accident might occur.”
ing remain intact. The penalty for disclosing what I “Youwileitherfindyourwayontheothershipor
amaboutoellyouisanuterefu
r saloftransport leave in your own. When you depart, the transport
for your House for a period of no shorter than one wilbedealtwihbasedontheoutcomeofyour
ImperialYear.” interaction with the occupant.”

The player characters should recognize that this would

If the player characters agree, she repeats herself from
befinanciallyruinostoheirHouse,aswellasputing
their initial meeting.
themataseriousdisadvantageintheImperialCourt.

fI eh t playercharactersaskeyh t y ’r h w eerh t e,sheexplais,

n “Ihavenoame.Youdidnotseeme.Wedidnot
andfi eyathit don i t o n ecoerv n sat,n o i shebegistnu o h t i w speak. Do you understand?”
preamble,elr aygn i eh t fogn i w o l fon i atmr :n o i
“ She gestures towards the door, and the player
Shorthusago,aswebelieve,youknw asmall charactersdepart,boardingthetransitcompartment.
spaceship left Arrakis from a concealed Harkonnen Theynowhavetwoptions:etr urntoheirshutleorgo
baseinthedesertwihasinglepassengeronboard, toheshutleoftheindividualwhoprobablder ymur ed
assumedly of interest to your House. This Heigh- everyoneintheHarkonenbunkeronrakis.
linerwaserr outedecei tor veitatgreatexpense,
(althoughweevwilnotr ealthatclient’siden.”tiy THERE ARE TWO DOORS
“That vessel is now docked within this Pressingthefirstofthetwobutonssendsthetransit
Heighliner alongside your own. Its pilot, as with all compartmenoughthr theHeighliner’swarenr oftransit
otherpassengers,hasbeeninformedthatweare tunelsandtohedockingumbilicaloftheshutle.
waitingforanothervesselbefoer weleave,anda Thedoorlck’scoolsntr havebeenoverriddenbythe
Guildshutleonrakisiseady
r toplaythatpart. SpacingGuild’sdockingumbilicalcool,ntr slavingthe
ButwecannotdelayourjneytoKaitain,our shutle’scoolsntr andimobilizngit,butheest
r isup
nextstop,forverylong.” to the player characters.

Inside, the shuttle is a long and slightly cramped

TheplayercharactersmaymakeaChallenging(D2)
Understand or Communicatetesteal tor izethis‘client’
mayevenbetheEmperorsomeoneclosetohe
Imperial Throne.
“Imustunderlinethatinterferencebyonepas - theshutleonp.136.
senger against another upon a Heighliner is utterly
forbiddenbytheGuild.Suchanactioncannever
haveGuildsanction.”
“However, our navigators have foreseen that this is
apointofinflection,wheremanypathstohefuetur
arepossible.Theybelieveyouareanimportantpart
of these forthcoming events.”
“Ournavigators’predictionshaveledtheGuildto
believethattheactionsoftheHarkonensandour
clientwildisruptthesupplyofspiceeqr ed
uir by
theGuildandupsetthedelicatebalanceofpower
withneImperiumtself.sweareunableto
intervene due to our position of neutrality, it is clear
we must facilitate your connection to the shuttle
pilot. However, the choices from here must remain
yoursasthebalanceoffateistodelicateforusto
interfere more than we already have.”
cockpit,withseatsforfo,ur butoccupiedbyonlye
person.Thereisalmostnoplacetohide,buthecockpit
appears empty when the door hisses open initially. Lit
onlybythecoolpan ntr el,itswindowsaredarkenedand
opaque,accodir ngtoGuildprotcol.Seethelayoutf
What happens depends entirely on the player characters
and their actions. The occupant of the shuttle is perhaps
the most dangerous foe they have ever encountered. He
is an elite agent of the Emperor with Sardaukar training
namedBlanarik.SuspiciousthemoentheGuild
vesseldidnotdepart,Blanarikhasenteredaconcealed
compartmentwihneshutle—acustomized
smugglingcacheshieldedfromeasydetection—andis
waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Iftheplayercharactersentertheshutle’scockpitand
donotseemtobeawareofthedangertheyarein,
Blanarikusesthemostopportunetimeevtor ealhimself,
strikngwithblindingspeedandefficiencytoneutralize
the most dangerous looking player character. This is
likelytobeanyBeneGesserit,Swdmor aster,emorF en,
in that order.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 25
 B L A N A R I K , S A R DAU K A R O P E R AT I V E
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
BlanarikwasbroughtuponSalusaSecondus
IamtheEmperor’s
andtrainedtobecomeaSardaukar.Whilehis D U T Y: 8 shield, keeping him
loyaltywasunqestionable,hefailedeach tor the from suspicion.
standardseqr ed uir ofaSardaukarwar.Norio rmally
thiswouldhavemeanthisdeath,buthetrainig FA I T H : 5
officerssawhehadagiftforespionage,andthey
transferred him to another planet for training as JU S T I C E: 4
aspy.Blanariksawthisasafaielur andadeep
shame,butifthiswastheonlywaytoservethe P OWER : 6 A knife ends all arguments
Emperor, he was ready to accept it.
T RU T H : 7
He was dispatched to Arrakis to prepare for the
covertdeploymentofSardaukarbyelimnatingone
SKILL FOCUSES
ofthemostelunr iablesecretbases,whoadbeen
warnedaboutheirsloppinesswithcomunication Assassination, Short
B AT T LE: 8 Blades,Sneaktacks
protocols. Slaying the Harkonnens deployed there,
Blanariksetthebasetoself-destruct,departing C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
justastheplayercharactersarrived.Heisnow
boundforKaitaintosharetheintelligencethatthe D I S C I P LI N E: 7 spi
E age,
no fil
nI at
rt noi
murdered Harkonnens had collected.
Body Contrl,
Traits: Sardaukar, Spy M OVE: 7 Unobtrusive
TALENTS U N D ER S TA N D : 5
@ Driven (Discipline): After spending a point of
Theat
r ,1d2
l o r On.0 aeql o r al
u ess
l ro t an
ht
Discipline, the Threat is immediately regained. Assets:Shieldbelt,maulapistol,kindjal,nodescript
clothingwithconcealedar,mor detachablefalsefinger
@ Rapid Recovery: Oncepersceneateht
with shigawire coil, contact poison glands in palm,
begigni fo eht ,nrut spendTh2 eat r ot
raz-edged
or teeth,etc.
emr evo acoplm cat i epr
r noi esengnit any. rujni
ddial noit y,l esir stdefeatcanbepuch r asedeno The gamemaster can introduce almost any desired
addial noit emit a
ni coflin ct. concealedweaponbyspending1Theat
r perpoint
ofqual. ity
@ The Slow Blade (Battle): When making an
attack with a melee weapon in a skirmish or in
aduelandbugniy addialnoit diceThhtiw eat
r ,
chse
o eno fo eht enem’s
y assetseht niht w
zone to ignore for that turn.

26
CombatwithahighlymotivatedSardaukartrained
operativeinaconfinedspaceshouldbeaterrifying
experienceforanynormalcombatant,andBlanarik
useshisconsiderablephysicalprowessandgeartohe
utmost. If the player characters capture or incapacitate
him,hebideshistimeuntilhecanturnhetables,and
theamountfconcealedweaponryuponhisbody
makessuchapossibilityanear-eventual. ity

If somehow captured or interrogated, it is nigh on

impossibletogethimtoalk.Heistrainedincounter
interogat
r iontechniques,andonlyahighlyskiledBene
Gesseritmghtgainanyinformationfromhisespo
r nses.

However, a search of the shuttle reveals the reports

Blanariktofromt hebaseonasuccessfulChallenging
(D2) Discipline test.Normal,ly itwouldbeemor difficult,
butBlanarikwasgan or izngtheepor rtswhentheplayer
charactersbrokein.Theepo r rtsdetailavastamount
ofinformationaboutHoseeitr des’fortificationsand
security positions. The reports are all on shigawire,
andiftheplayercharactersdonotfindthem,they
wiljustbeunawareofwhatBlanarikwasupto.Buif
theydofindtheepor rts,theycanpredictsomeofthe
Harkonenbattleplans(giventheseareonlyeof
severalepor rtsfromseveralbases).Thiswilgivethe
groupthetrait‘wareofHarkonenStrategy’,which
theycanuseinthenextadvene.tur

If the player characters read the reports, they can also

makeaChallenging(D2) Understand test to realize
that someofBlanarik’snotessuggestanelitefoce
r
wilaccompanyaHarkonenattack,possiblyeven
Sardaukar. While there is no timeline for this attack, it is
clearlyplannedtobesoon.

IfBlanarikstakenprisoner,thegamemastershould
ensure that he awakens and attempts to strike at the
mostinconvenientanddevastatingmoentpossible.
It could happen during the shuttle ride to Arrakis.
However,hewildoanythingtoavoidbeingtakenalive
ifhecan.Iftheplayercharactersattempttofleewithou
subduinghim,findinghimtouchofamatch,he
pursuesthemtohebestofhisabilites,perhapseven
forcing them to take him onto their own vessel.

“THOSE DAMNABLE SARDAUKAR!”

Should the player characters seem woefully
unpreparedforthislevelofopponent,Blanarikcan
beadjustedtomerelyawell-trainedoperative,but
not actually Sardaukar trained. In this case, reduce
his skills and drives appropriately or use a more
suitablesamplecombatantfromthe Dune Core
Rulebook,suchasthessassin(p.272)orSpy/
Infiltrator(p.29).

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 27
 A CT I I I : T H E D Y I N G
OF THE LIGHT
At this point the player characters can depart the
Heighlinerbefoer itfoldsspacetoKaitain,possibly
withacapted ur Imperialoperativeorbarelyescaping
witheirlives.Whathappensnextdependsonhw
swiftly the gamemaster wants to move on to the
nextadvene.tur
Thevariousintelligenceepo
r rtsarebeingcolatedon
Kaitain, where secret strategy meetings are planning a
majorattackonHuseeitr des,ostensiblybyHouse
Harkonnen under the rules of vendetta and kanly. This
attackisthesubjectofthenextadvene.tur
Theoetr icallytheHarkonen/Corinattackonthe
eitr deswiloccuroncethefinalintelligenceepo r rts
fromBlanareach
ikr Kaitain.Theyareamongthelastdue
tobeecei r vedandsoconfirmtheplansaleady r being
made against the Atreides. If they are not received, the
attack will go on as planned.
Theplayercharacterscan’tstoptheimnentattack
fromthecombinedHarkonen/Sardaukarfoces.
r But
they can gain information in the form of traits (such
as‘wareofHarkonenStrategy’)tohelptheminthe
upcomingbattleorthelpsomeoftheeitr desescape
(suchasGurneyHalleck).
So,iftheplayercharactersfiguer outwhatisgoing
on swiftly and decide to return to Arrakis to warn the
Atreides, the gamemaster should move straight to ‘The
tackBegins’.TheBaronandtheEmperorhavegoten
ed
tir ofwaitingforthefinalepo
r rt,andsuspectitmay
havebeenintercepted,andsobegintheattack.
However, if the player characters want to follow the lead
to Kaitain, the gamemaster can opt to delay the attack
andplayout‘InvestigatingKaitain’befoehr and.
INVESTIGATING KAITAIN
As the player characters are already on the Heighliner,
theyareatlibertyojinhenextfoldspacetriptohe
ImperialcapitalplanetKaitain.However,theydon’thave
manycluestofindeoutmr aboutwhatisgoingon.
So, they must cultivate contacts they have on Kaitain to
getalead.TheycanplaythisoutasanIntrigueconflict,
wheretheepo
r rtstheyhavefoundcanbeusedasan
asset to follow the trail.
It is up to the gamemaster to decide how long to spend
onKaitain.Iftheywantoexpandtheadvenes
tur
befoer theattack,thisistheplacetodoit.Theplayer
characters might play out several adventures on
Kaitain as they try to get close to what is happening
becausetheattackisplannedtoccurwheneverthe
gamemaster wants it to. The plan to attack needs only
escalate once the player characters discover it.
Theintrguetrailwieadtowpiecesofinformation:
@ artil m act
y by
noi eht ar
H enn okak
r no si si
beign planed. n fI eht playercharactersdoespecialyl
elw ,l eyht co
nu l iw erv at
ht eht per
mE si ro stuj ton
playgni stoh buact t elvi ed. lovni y
@ eiH ghernil (osevr eral)arl iw evir soot n
take a large military force to Arrakis. The assault
focer si ast v –prbabl o evy ergnihty eht ar
av h e–ean m gni eht an rt spoco
speak
nu ablexy pensie.v
Regardless of their success, the gamemaster should
allow the player characters to uncover that something
important is in the works, and that they should get
onthenextHeighlinertorakisiftheywantodo
somethingabouti.Onceaboard,theyhaveanother
chancetoseethevastassaultfoce r beingtransported.
From here the gamemaster can move to ‘The Attack
Begins’.Whicheverpathteytake,theyfindthemselves
swiftly trying to reach Arrakis from a Heighliner as the
Harkonensbegintheassault.
THE ATTACK BEGINS
Theplayercharacters’transportemergesintospace
aboverakisintohevastspectacleofinumerable
Heighliners,identicaltoheonetheyhavejust
departed,onlyratherthanasingleshipexitng,
each of these Heighliners is currently disgorging
thousands of huge assault frigates and troop
transports, each fashioned in the distinctive Harkonnen
brutalistaesthetic.
Massinginorbitaroundrakis,theHarkonens’foces
r
arraythemselvesintopositionaboverakeenand
Carthag,aswellasthesitesofseveralemknowFr en
sietches. Despite the vastness of space, the view is thick
with Harkonnen ships.
thispoint,theplayercharactersmustquickly
decide what, if anything, they intend to do. Any action
interferingwitheassaultfleetleadstohembeing
fireduponandpotentiallyevenpursued.
@ Attempting to radio the Atreides or their own House
si fress,
l t i u asalco l cat
i n u m ch n o i aneln sareamj ed.m
Furthermore, doing so alerts the Harkonnen assault
fleeteh t cat
o lt fo n o i eh t playercharacters’anr t spo. t r
@ Attempting to land on Arrakis anywhere near the
pco
u gnim atack t es noz eqr es
riu aau D gnit (D3)
Battle or Moveest t avot dio eht coflin ctenelrit y
and place the player characters far out of immediate
arh ’s
m ay.w
EitherishandledasaWarfareconflict,withelikely
outcomeoffaielur beingtheplayercharacter’sship
destoyed
r orcrippledandcrash-landingwithne
untamed wastelands of Arrakis.
ContactingtheHarkonensesur ltsinacomunication
lineestablishedrapidlyoncetheplayercharacters’
identiesareverified.Howthisiseso
r lvedisupto
the player characters and the tack they take. Do they
attempttoblackmailthem?Joinfocesr withem?
TheGuildmaintainscompleteneutralitynhsissue,
despite their earlier assistance. Their attempt at staving
H enn ok s
off this very outcome has failed, and they do not wish
tr stsbe
l iw
toentanglethemselvesintheconflictandriskfuetur
spice deprivation. If the player characters seek refuge
backonthe Heighliner,itwlbegranted,butheywil
expecttheplayercharacterstopayforanytransport,
andtheGuildwilnotextenditsprotectionbeyondthe
Heighliner itself.
IftheplayercharacterstokBlanarikasaprisoner,there
isnobettertimefoeappear
rhimto astheyattempt
to pilot an unarmed transport through the midst of
anattackfleetortydelicatenegotiationswithe
Harkonnens.
Assuming that the player characters make their
way down to the surface of Arrakis, they have the
disadvantageofarrivngjustaheadofanassault
the likes of which the Imperium has rarely seen.
Comunicationswitheeitr deshavealeady
r
beencutofffoeaso runkow ns,andadvance
ground forces are already making their moves against
eitr des’defenses,suchasthecityshieldsandtheir
groundedfleets.
This adventure is continued immediately in The
Fall of House Atreides, p. 30, with the player
characters on the ground in Arrakis at the cusp of the
Harkonnen invasion.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 29
 T HE FA LL OF
H OUSE ATREIDES
eFir rainsfromtheskies.Harkonenops
tr rampageoughthr rakeen,slaughteringanyonetheyfind,andanyone
halfwaysuspectedofbeinginleaguewitheeitr des.mongthemmarchtheSardaukar,theEmperor’selite
zealot-soldiers,whoarefanaticallyoaltohePadishahEmperorandpreparedtodoanythingheder or s.midstthis
massacre,thecharactersmustattempttofindtheirwayoughthr rakeen,eitherbyaidingtheeitr desassomeattempt
tofleeorbypledgingthemselvestoheHarkonens.

Thisadvenetur isdividedee
intohr majorscenes,thoughthepatoughhtr theadvenetur isleftfairlyose,soitcan
beshapedtosuitheneedsofthegamemasterandthediect r iontheplayer’schose.Itshouldeal
r lyberunasatour
oughthr thefallofrakeen,insteadofatraditionaladvene.tur Buthisisnotsaytheplayercharacterswilnothave
anyagency.Theywilfacemanymoralchallengesanddeadlyencounters.Theadvenetur proceedsasdetailedbelow:

The player characters must return to Arrakis immediately. Heighliners appear in space around Arrakis, emitting wave
afterwaveofHarkonenfoces. r Theplayercharacters’shutledrawsattention,sotheymustavoiddestructionasthe
Harkonenfleetfiresuponthem.Theye-r enterrakis’atmosphereonlymiutesbefoer theHarkonenslaunchtheir
attack on House Atreides, seeking to reclaim Dune for their own!

@ Act One - Planetfall: The characters make planet fall @ Act Three - Fortunate Meetings: The path through
algsi no deeht ar H enn ok foces
r andfindemht seles v ak
r eenemr aisn filed l exhtiw plsio s,
no chaos,and
amdi anaeral i bobar m dmenelH .t ai r l sn freht mo eat
rht s.si tI possibleelh ot peht eirt des’ps, o rt
skes, i andar owt esim (oen pel oh esslber munt o y ed, or in some instances, end their suffering. Fighting,
eht erhto eqpped iu suhtiw prr se i andSardauar k ) distact
r g, ni bar
ro gaigni arealabl iv l epto snoi enhw
eetm a ni pich t edbate.lt Theeirt desaredoed, mo dealing with the Sardaukar. Fire continues to fall from
bueht characterseed n suot evi r ,o t andat ht the sky. The player characters gain the chance to
ghim be ton easy. eetm boeynruG ht al
H eck
l andRabbanatsiht po.tni
@ Act Two - A Path Must Be Chosen: The characters
The characters end the scenario either as allies of the
findemht seles v cofrn ed tno byasmaldet l achenm t
Harkonnens, or as fugitives on Arrakis, leading into the
fo ar H enn ok s.Theycodlu figh,t bueht iw t
nextstrandofthecampaign.
foni at mr gai noi ed n aboardeht shpi eyht an l ded,ni
the characters have the means to convince them they
are allies dispatched to assist in dealing
A C T I : P L A N E T FA L L
eht iweirt des’foces. r Thsi shdluo beaent se fteraflighoughthr askylitupwithfire,theshipthe
stand-ff, o eht iw characterseedi n gn stot ekir fast playercharactersareaboardlandsinthemidstofthe
andeffectelvi prot y evenemht seles v frbei mo gn fighting.Iftheyhavenotriedtoengageanyonethey
overwhelmed should the Harkonnen forces call for wilbemostlyigned,
or buthegeneralassumptionf
elh p.Orelse,eyht eed n siot deemht erihwt E . anyfoces
r wilbethatanyonemakingplanetfalliswith
way, the characters must continue to make their way the Harkonnens.
out of Arrakeen as the Harkonnens continue razing it.
stheystepoutftheirshiptofindcover,thefirst
thingtheplayercharactersfeelistheheat;fireisrainig
down from the skies, detonating the earth and sand
LIFE & DEATH ON ARRAKIS
around them, making the usually cold Arrakis nights
Whilethisadvenetur issurviable,thereisadistinct
as scorching hot as the days. Thedul“lump-lump-
possibilityheplayercharactersmightpickoneto
lump”drumbeatsoundofexplosiveartileryguns
manyfightsandgetthemselvesseriouslywounded
firingelr entlesslyechoeseverywhere. The air is thick
or even killed. The gamemaster might need to
withsmoke,thescentofburnigspice , sulphurous
step in to warn them if they are going to take on a
explosives ,andtheyellsofbattle.Soldierscladin
battletheycan’twin.orcan’twinyet.Forinstance,
Harkonengearmarchgan inor izedranks,blades
theplayercharactersmightencounterRabban.
drawn, and striking down anyone drawing near them.
While the player characters might gain the chance
oups Gr ofeitr des,mostunaredmor andclearlycaught
toassassinateRabbanlaterinthecampaign,he’s
unprepared, resist desperately.
unlikelytosuccumbinthsintalbattle.Theplayer
characters,though,mightbelessfortunate.

30
Thegamemaster’sintaldescriptionsofthisscene The player characters should encounter at least
shouldfocusonchaos.Thisisanambushconductedon three or four of the following scenes (or as many as
aplanetaryscaleandwithehelpoftheSpacingGuild thegamemasterthinksarenecessary),whichthe
andtheEmper.Thor ewholeofrakeenisburnig,and gamemaster can choose or roll randomly for. The
theeitr desareinthemidstofbeingslaughtered.The gamemaster is also free to create new encounters of
playercharactersmightknowhisintellectual,ly butall their own if they prefer.
theyshouldeal
r lybeconsciousofisthattheworldhas
Fire from The Skies! (1-2): Thebombingattacks
descended into madness. Everywhere they look there
fromaboveareunending.Thesteet
r sburn,andfire
isfire,pain,smokeand.Thorh eairisthickwithe
consumes the world. Each character must succeed on a
odorofburnigbuildings,scoch r eddustandtheozne
Challenging(D3) Battle or Move check or lose one of
smellofexplosiveartileryfire.
theirassetstofireandflame.
The player characters need to make their way through
themaelstomfr violence;that’stheironlygoal,andit
shouldbeimediatelyapparentheyaredangerously
exposed.Iftheyseemtobetakingalongtimedeciding
what to do, or acting at all, the gamemaster should give NOPE
themsomethingtowryabout!nexplosionmight Itisquitepossibletheplayercharacterswil
occur only a few feet from them, almost knocking them decide to avoid the attack altogether. Jumping
over, giving them the stunned complication if they fail into the largest military engagement anyone has
anverage(D1) Move test. They clearly need to move, seen for years may seem like madness. While the
togettoshelter,andthen,probabl,y getoutftheci. ty gamemastershouldn’tfocer themtogetinvoled,
they might use any of the following reasons to
ENCOUNTERS IN ARRAKEEN make the player characters choose to go down to
Fleeing through the streets of Arrakeen in the midst rakeenduringthefight:
ofaful-scaleinvasionisn’teasy.Thefolowingtable
No choice:Theydon’teal r izetheattackisas
provides a series of encounters the characters might
badasitsuntilheyareinthemiddleofit.They
have to navigate as they try to make their way through
leave the Heighliner thinking there is some time
intact. How they do this is up to them. They might
tolandbefoer everythingstartsanddiscoverthey
choose to side with the Harkonnens or aid the Atreides,
are very wrong.
butwhat’simportantfornowisavoidingthebarrage
fromabove. Personal Holdings:Havinglivedinrakeenfora
litewhiletheyhaveassetsandpersonalequipment
there.Itmaybevaluableenoughforthemtowant
- D  RESU LT Arrakeen Encounter to make their way through Arrakeen and collect it
befoer theyloseitolersandbombs.

1-2 Fire From The Skies! Friends of the Atreides:Whileitmayclearlybe

too late to stop the attack, if the player characters
3-4 Dying Atreides arefriendsoftheeitr des,theymaywantofinda
waytohelp.Itwilqucklybecomeclearthereisno
savingtheHouse,butindividualmembersmight
5-6 The Beast Passes By
yetbeescu
r ed.

7-8 Sudden Darkness The Winning Side:TheHarkonensaregoingto

win, and if the player characters have uncovered
9-10 Raining Fire theEmperor’sinvolement,theymayeaso
r nthatis
clearlythesidetobeon.Theplayercharactersmay
1-2 Alleyway Battle seethisasaneasywaytogainpointsbyowingthr
theirweightbehindaneasyvict. ory

13-14 Spice Smugglers They Love a Fight:Theplayercharactersmightjust

enjoyvilenceandliketheideaofgettingintohe
15-16 Civilians In Need biggestfighthey’veeverseen.Theymightwanto
kill a few Atreides or Harkonnens to even a score or
17-8 Help Me Kill This One! justwantocausesomeblodshed.

19-20 Paul and Jessica

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 31
 Dying Atreides (3-4):Gaspingandeach
character,adyingeitr dessoldierbegsforhelp.
verage(D1) Understandtestevr ealstheywon’tsurvie
their wounds (unless one of the player characters is a
highlyskileddoctor). Thecharacterscanabandonthem
toheirinevitablepainfuldeathorattempttospeed
them on their way.
If they are sympathetic, kindly, and aid the Atreides
soldier,theypressatokenintohecharacters’hands.
Itisasmallcoin,bearinganimageofabaliset,asmall
trinket disseminated amongst some Atreides soldiers
toexpresstheirfealtyoDukeLetoandtheiespect
r
fortheircomanderGurneyHalleck.Itcanbeused
asanassettoinfluenceGurneyHalleckandmakean
alliance with him.
The Beast Passes By (5-6):Suounded r byHarkonen
soldiers,theBeastRabbanstalksoughthr thesteetr sof
Arrakeen, striking down any who draw too close. One
ofthecharactersmustsucceedonaChallenging(D2)
Movetesttohideinthesm,oky fire-riddledavenues.
Rabbandoesseethecharacters(oriftheytryoattack)
hedoesn’tbreakstride,andinsteadmerelysendsa
detachment of his own soldiers towards them. There
is one soldier for each player character (use the House
Soldier/Guardprofileonp.283ofthe
Rulebook).Theplayercharacterscanengagethem,or
theycanattempttoflee.
Sudden Darkness (7-8): A stray shell strikes or
deliberatelysabotagesgeneratorsprovidingpower
to the city. Total darkness sweeps the streets and
avenues,saveforthedulemberofdyingfire. The
charactersmustsucceedonaChallenging(D2) Move
testorstumbleandeinjur themselves,asaesu
r ltof
their sudden clumsiness. The gamemaster may apply
‘darkness’asanenonmenvir taltraitunilheplayer
characters leave the area.
Raining Fire (9-10):eMor deathfromabove.Thesteet
r s
erupt again. Each character must succeed on a Daunting
(D3) Battle or Movecheck,orelsesuffera‘burned’
injurytaitoapartoftheirbody.
Alleyway Battle (11-12): A knot of Atreides soldiers
esi
r stHouseHarkonen’sinvasiondesperatel.Fourfy
themfight,back-toback,assixHarkonenssuoundr
them. The characters can assist either side, and as
they do so, at least one soldier from the opposing side
makesarunforit(laterinformingtheircomanders).
Which side the player characters choose to aid may
becomeimportantinhenextact.Theygainthetrait
‘lliesofHouseX’whereXistheHousetheyassist.
Thegamemastercanrunthisencounterasaconflictor
insteadcallforaChallenging(D2) Battle Test for each
character engaging an enemy (spare player characters
canassist).Successdefeatstheopponent.Faielur
meanstheplayercharactersuffersawoundtraitbefoer
dispatching their enemy.
32
r ingforaplayer Spice Thieves (13-14):Therearefewbettertimesto
An stealspicethanduringawar.No,w itmaynotbethe
easiesttime,butstealingmelangeisneverwithoursk.
Five smugglers make their way through the streets, with
afewmiloncreditsworthfmelangeinlargeflight
cases. They are heavily armed, and more than prepared
tofightshoulditbenecessar. y Butimeisafact,or soif
the player characters challenge them, they will negotiate
justtogetby.Challenging(D2) Communicate test
canearntheplayercharactersa‘spice’asset.Ifthey
help the smugglers get to safety, they may even gain
them as contacts.
Civilians In Need (15-16): The streets of Arrakeen
aren’tonlythepreserveofHarkonensoldiersand
Atreides troopers. Many others live here, eking out a
lifeintheshadowofthespiceefin r eriesandthecentral
palace. And a couple of them cower in the entrance
toabuilding,desperateforsomewayoutbetween
theswdor fightingandtheongoingexplosions. The
characters can aid these civilians, making a Daunting
If
(D3) Move or Discipline test to get them to some form
of shelter. In return, the civilians offer them some fresh
insightinohestateofthefightingandthecityiself,
grantingtheplayercharacters2extraMomentum.
Dune Core Help Me Kill This One! (17-18): A Harkonnen soldier
half-stands,half-crouchesovertheproneformofan
eitr des,tryingtofinishthemastheeitr despushes
thebladeawaywithallthestenr gthleftintheirarms.
The player characters can aid either the Harkonnen or
theeitr des,orsimplyleavebothofthemtoheirfate.
Kilngtheeitr deseqr es uir onlyanEasy(D0) Battle
test, with success impressing the Harkonnen and gaining
thetrait‘Harkonenbrutality’(faielur meanstheyare
litehelp,andthesoldierkilstheeitr des).Fighting
theHarkonenisemor difficult(usetheHouseSoldier/
Guardprofileonp.283ofthe Dune Core Rulebook)
andeqr es uir afulconflict.KilngtheHarkonenallows
the player characters to try and save the Atreides
soldierwithaDauntig(D3) Understand(Medical)test.
If the Atreides lives, they will tell their commanders of
the incident, granting the characters involved the trait
‘Honrftheeitr des’.
Paul and Jessica (19-20):stheplayercharacterspass
a small landing area, they see a group of Harkonnen
soldiers carrying two prisoners into an ornithopter. A
Challenging(D2) Discipline test allows them to spot
that the unconscious prisoners are Paul and Jessica
eitr des(iftheymigheaso tr nableco yr gnizethem).
Theornithpteristofarawayforthemtostop,but
knowigsomethingofPaulandJessica’sfatemayprove
usefulinthefue,
tur evenifitloksliketheyarebeing
taken to die in the desert.
Oncethecharacterssuccessfulynegotiateenough
oftheseencounters,theyfindthemselvesataruined
piazza,tobeconfrontedbythemassedranksof
Harkonnen troops.
 A CT I I : A P AT H
MUST BE CHOSEN
After tracing their way through the occluded and
fire-chokedsteet r sofrakeen,thecharactersemerge
intoalargepiazza.Itisoneofthecentralsquares
preceding the entrance to the Residency, where a series
ofpaleesmtr (broughtasawater-hungrycuriosity)are
nowaflame.Thepiazzaissuounded
r byhousingblocks
and partially enclosed with a concrete roof to protect it
from sandstorms.
ThepiazzaisfilledwithHarkonensoldiers.Four
immediately approach the player characters if they
chosetomaketheirpresenceobvious(orfailtohide
themselves).Behindthemareaboutenemor piling
upthebodiesoftheslainandburnigthem,atleast
etwomr keepwatchatopanearbyof, r incaseof
approaching Atreides resistance.
The characters can attempt to conceal themselves or
fleefromthesquare—thoughdoingsoisexemtr ely
difficult. voidingatteneqtionr es
uir aeDir (D4) Move
test, and making a run for it will result in several
Harkonnens pursuing the characters through streets
aleady
r filledwithHarkonensoldiers. Running is most
certainlyapossibi,lity buti’sadifficultoptionand
should feel as such.
If the characters decide to remain in the piazza the
Harkonensdon’timediatelyattack.Instead,they
approachcautiouslybutareopentoparlay.Iftheplayer
charactershaveencounteredHarkonensfavorablyor
were on one of their ships during the landing, one of
the soldiers recognizes the player characters, and raises
a hand in something like a greeting.
Whathappensnextiseneltir yuptohecharacters,
butislikelytohavelastingconsequencesfortheest
r
ofthisadvene, tur andfarbeyond.Thecharactersare
facedbytwoptions,eitherofwhichmaybehelpedor
hinderedbytraitstheyhavecolectedduringthebattle:
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 33
ALLY WITH THE HARKONNENS
Siding with the Harkonnens gives the player characters
much safer paths through the city and powerful allies.
It means they may need to assist with the purging of
the Atreides, which the Harkonnens make very clear
andobviouslysav. or eqItr es
uir aChallenging(D3)
Communicate test to convince the Harkonnens of the
playercharacters’loyal. ty
If the characters decide to pledge themselves to the
Harkonens,theyarewarmlybutbrusquelygreetedand
quicklyequippedwithsomeHarkonengear(taken,
conspicuousl,y fromthenearbydead).Theyareallgiven
Harkonenuniforms,sotheybeartherightcolors.They
arealso,ofcourse,givenafinalintation,aprofof
loyal.Itwas
y nevergoingtobethat easy, was it?
The Harkonnens have captured two Atreides soldiers,
and they seize one randomly, demanding the
characterskilthemincoldblod.Itisn’tphysically
difficultodothis,indeed,itshouldn’tneedatest.But
thegamemastershouldthinkabouthementaltol
murdering someone will take. How the player characters
feelabouthiswildependontheirgoals,motivations,
andbackground.slongasoneoftheplayercharacters
kilstheeitr dessoldier,theywilallbewelcomedas
new recruits.
Itisquitelikelytheplayercharacterswiltryoalk
themselves out of this situation. They may have no
intentionfjoingtheHarkonensorkilngany
eitr des.ItisthesameComunicatetestasaboveto
convince the Harkonnens of their loyalty, regardless
of their actual intentions. Talking their way out of the
test is a lot harder, though. Thiseqr es uir aeDir (D4)
Communicate test to pretend to kill the soldier or
convince the Harkonnens they do not need such a
test.Itissadlypossibletheplayercharactersmaybe
forced to kill the Atreides soldier to save themselves or
tobuytime.
OncetheHarkonensaresatisfiedwithecharacters’
loyalty, they tell them to continue hunting Atreides and
secuer thecity:“Headtoheperimeteroftheci.Kil ty
aneiytr desyoufind.”
If the player characters fail in this last test, they
mustfightheirwayoutastheHarkonenstryo
executethem.
FIGHT
This is the direct alternative to siding with the
Harkonens.Itmightnobethesameaspledgingfealty
toDukeLetorPaul,butisascloseaspossibleright
.Evennow ifthecharactersdon’ttrulyinendtoallywith
the Atreides, in a city neatly divided in two, attacking playercharacterswithraitstodescribehowteyplay
theHarkonensisasgoodasdeclaringone’sloyal. ty out.Someexamplesare:

Shouldthecharacterschosetofight,theyfacea @ Fight their way out:ThearH enn ok sarebu

o t sy
battleofconsiderabledifficulty—thoughtheycanfree to properly guard the wagon, and so if the player
the restrained Atreides to even the odds somewhat. characterscanbreakeiht bo r ds,
n eyht canescape
The Harkonnens also summon aid. Reinforcements backeht o ni steetr s.
won’tarriveimediatel,y buthegamemastershould @ Rescue: A few of the remaining Atreides mount a
allow one or two additional Harkonnens to enter the rescue attempt on the prisoner wagon. This grants
squareatasuitablydramaticmoent—perhapsas the player characters an opportunity to make an
thecharactersseemtogettheupperhand.Itmaybe alliance with their rescuers and may lead directly to
the characters need to run at some point. Indeed, they eynruG al
H eck
l .
certainlywiocethefightconcludes,elsetheyrisk @ Meet the Baron:semm bersfo anerhto se, uoH eht
capte.ur Whethertheywinthebattle,orthecharacters player characters might play this card to their captors
simplyneedtoescapebefoer beingoverwhelmed,it’s andsini stan no audienceeht iw ar
B (ono r,erom
time to get moving. elkil y,Piert eD Vres).
i Theycanenht co o yrt ce niv
the Harkonnen leaders of their loyalty and try to
PRISONERS make a direct allegiance. The gamemaster should
If the player characters are captured or defeated in note that the Harkonnens are clever and shrewd and
combat,theywilbetakenprisonerbytheHarkonens. may choose to kill the player characters and disavow
Theywakeupchainedinawagon,awaitingexecution. any knowledge of the murder. Anything might
Luck,ily asmembersofanotherHouse,theyhavebeen appen
h peo
ot pleal
w gnik eht steetr sfo abate.lt
spareduntilheirallegiancecanbedecided.
OncetheyhaveescapedtheHarkonensormade
The gamemaster can take the adventure in several an alliance with them, the gamemaster can move
different directions from here, potentially rewarding the on to Act III.
 A C T I I I : S H A D OW If the characters are aiding the Atreides, this interaction
isexemtr elylimted.Rabbanpointsatthecharacters,
AND FLAME andwhoevercouldbeontheirside,andyellsoutwih
acombinationfangerand.Hejoy chargestowards
Inthefinalact,theplayercharactershaveachance
them,accompaniedbyhisbodyguards,toslaughter
tomeetGurneyHalleckand/orGlssuRabban,
them.Thecharacters,afteralongandexhaustingslog
depending on their actions and alliances. These scenes
oughthr rakeenareexemtr elyunlikelytostandagainst
aredesignedtobeflexible,andeasytocondenseor
aragingGlossuRabban,especiallyonebacked-upby
extendaseqr ed.
uir Theplayercharactersmightconect
an elite personal guard.
to these scenes directly from the previous act, or after a
fewemor battleencounters(eitheroled
r orchosenfrom If the player characters manage to engage him, they can
thetableonp. 31 ). defeatbutnokilhm.Shouldtheymanagetodefeat
him,hismanyguardswildog-piletheplayercharacters
Each important character encounter is intended to serve
befoer theycandeliverthefinalblest.Butr ow assued,
r
asanoduintr ctionandanopportuniyoestablisha
Rabbanemwilr emberthem.
elr ationshipbetweenthemandtheplayercharacters.
Theywilbeencounteredagainlaterinthecampaign, Escapeislikelythebestoption,thoughhowteydothis
and the tone of such meetings will depend on these mightbelessobvious.Ifthecharactersseemingenuine
initial encounters. dangerofdyingorbeingeneltir yoverwhelmed,then
thegamemastermighodutinr ceasuddendistraction—
Eithercharactercanbemetonthesteet r sofrakeen
like a ragtag group of Atreides erupting from hiding
amidstthefireandflameofthebombardment.Byhis
inanearbyhouse,toakeouthehatedRabban.If
time, the Harkonnens have routed the Atreides and
the characters have an Atreides soldier ally, or allies,
havetakentohesteet
r sinablodfrenzytokilanylost
alongsidethem,theymightellthecharacterstoflee
eitr destheyfind.
andsacrificethemselvestoensuer achancetoescape.
If the player characters are trying to reach a particular
Alternatively, if the characters pledged themselves to
objectiveinrakeen(suchastheiesi
rown dence),they
theHarkonens,Rabbanisdeliberatelyprovcative.
should reach it at this point. It is up to the gamemaster
He challenges them to prove themselves worthy of a
what state the place is in, or they might pick one of
Harkonenallianceopenlypointghisblodybladeat
thefolowing:
themanddemandingtoknwhigslike:
@ Ruins:Theplaceas
h beenbobed
m smotni erhti eens,
@ How did you come to Arrakis, to the holding of my
and nothing is left
uncle? Are you spies?
@ Looters: A group of locals or Harkonnen soldiers are
@ How did you prove your loyalty to my House?
looting the place and stealing anything of value. The
@ What are your intentions now? What do you seek to
playercharactersstum fighfot eiht r bel r gino gs.
n
do here?
@ Shelter:ghirF ent edcianil v sccu o pyeht budili gn as
aplacede. ih ot Theyav
h eak
t engnihton andbe
l iw Hedrawsclose,lomingabovethem,almost
grateful for help getting to proper safety if the player challenging them to attack him and give him the chance
characters offer any. espo
tor nd.Thisshouldbeanexemtr elytensescene,
@ As they left it:acu riM sluol y,eht budili gn si act
tni withecharactersunsuer ifRabbanisgoingtostrike
and still secure. It might prove a safe place to shelter thefirstbl. ow The player characters should make an
foni a
r e,
lihw eht ro ar
H enn ok ssiplm av
h y en’t verage(D1) Communicate test to underline that they
gotten around to looting it yet. are friends.tlast,Rabbangrunts,nods,andwithdraws,
telling the characters to head to the perimeter of
THE BEAST the city and await further instructions. If the player
MeetingRabbanshouldbeterrifying.Heisbig, charactersengageRabbaninafight(passorfailany
physicallybig,andcrazedwithblodlust.He’sbeen Comunicatetest)hewilenjoyitmenselyaslongas
butcheringeitr desforhous,now andthere’sblod they let him win. From that point, he will consider them
alloverhim.He’saccompaniedbyhalfadozen friendsandallowthemtowalkbyhissideandjoin
bodyguards,allokingalmostasdangerousand the slaughter. If they kill as he does they gain the trait
savage as their leader. The player characters might run ‘FriendsofRabban’.Ifnot,heconsidersthemloyalbut
across him at any point as they move around Arrakeen, weak and pathetic.
althoughtheywilprobablyhearhimbefoer theysee
him. He makes no attempt to hide and loves the fear he
inspires as he carves his way through the city.

36
GURNEY HALLECK
Theoubado
tr uroftheeitr desdoesnotlkmuch
likeaminstelr whenthecharactersencounterhim.He’s
badled, yinjur laceratedinadozenplaces,andsmeared
with ashesandblod.Helimpsoughthr rubbleand
bodies,alongwithoneeiortw dessoldiers.
Uponseeingthecharacters,Gurneyandhisemr ainig
men are immediately alert and on the defensive,
expectinganattack.Ifthecharacterssidedwithe
Atreides, and are carrying some token to this effect, or
areaccompaniedbyeitr dessurvios,thereissudden
andexpressiveelr ief.
IfthecharactersarewitheHarkonens,Gurneyflees
whilehismenbuyhimtetoescape.
merelyappeartobeHarkonens,convicingGurneyit
isadeception,eqitr es uir aeDir (D4)
Itshouldn’tbeeasy;GurneyHalleckhasn’tlivedthis
longbybeingtorusting.
Onceassued r ofthecharacters’loyal,ty Gurneyasksfor
their help in getting out of Arrakeen. Sardaukar are on
histrail,buthisisanopportuniyforthecharactersto
becomeheroes,torulybecomepartofthelegendof
things to come.
Gurneyneedstogetoutftheci,ty butheisbadly
edinjur andhaslostallhopeafterthedestructionfhis
House. If the player characters can report they saw Paul
and Jessica alive, ifonlyforamoent,butas prisoners
of the Harkonnen,Gurney’shopeisenr ewedinsome
measure.Buthathopewilqucklybecomeasteely
dedication for revenge. The Momentum pool rises to
ful(6points).Iftheplayercharacterscan’tofferany
hope the Momentum pool remains the same.
Fleeingoughthr thecitywihGurneyisstraightforward
butdangerous.Thesteet r sarefulofHarkonenand
Sardaukarlokingforaneiytr desprize.Capturing
Gurneywouldmeanapromtinforanyofthem.It
isuptoheplayercharacterstofiguer outawayto
escape. If they have contacts and assets, now is the time
to use them. To wait for a safe opportunity to leave the
planet,theycantakeGurneytoasecuer location.They
mightpreferastand-upfightagainstHarkonenand
Sardaukaropstr (ortyingtosneakpastthem).
Iftheplayercharactershavenocontactsorplan,Gurney
knowsaspicesmugglerwhomaystilbealive
takeacoupleofChallenging(D2)
theirwayoughthr thesteet
r swithoubeingseen.Faielur
wilmeanthegrouprunsintoapatolfr 3-4Harkonen
soldiers (or Sardaukar if the player characters are
especiallycombative).
sthespicesmugglerowesGurneyafav,or hewil
sharethelocationfadropcomingupinthedesertjust
outsidetheci.Hety onlyfferspassagetoGurney,but
the player characters might negotiate for themselves.
Oncetheyhavethelocation,theycaneitherleave
Gurneywithesmugglerorhelpgethimtoe
landing zone. Either way, they will have made a friend of
GurneyHalleck.
Notethatiftheplayercharacterscapteur Gurney(kilng
himwlupsettheHarkonenswhoanetoru him)
to hand him over to the Harkonnens, they can gain
If the characters muchespect
r fromtheirbrutalallies.Gurneywilcurse
theirnameandtheirHouseandemr emberthemasan
Communicate test. enemyforalltime.Oncetheplayercharactershave
gone, he escapes into the desert.
CONCLUSION
Oncethefightingdiesdownortheplayercharacters
escape Arrakeen, the adventure concludes. What
happenstohemnextdependsonwhteypledged
fealtyo.IftheyarealongsideGurneyHalleck,thenthey
mightjoinhmsmugglingspiceoffworld.Iftheyallied
witheHarkonens,thenemor brutalityandbutchery
awaitasRabbantakesoverasgovernorfrakis.
Either way, at this moment, they can watch as the city
burns,andplantheirnextsteps.
FURTHER ADVENTURES
Arrakis has fallen to House Harkonnen, House Atreides
isgone.TheLandsraadshrugsandgetsbackto
business,consideringthematterclosed.Everything
isbacktonrmal.ssuch,theplayercharacterscan
continue to play any adventures where Arrakis is under
the rulership of House Harkonnen.
Butnoeverythingisasitappears.Manyinthe
Landsraad whisper that the Emperor was somehow
involed,andifso,heiscapableandwilngtodestoyr
anyHouse.Needlesstosay,makinganyaccusation
against the Emperor is very dangerous and may lead to
theplayercharacters(andtheirHouse)disappearing.
Butiftheyhaveevidence,nowisatimetouseito
gain allies.
. It will
Outinhedeepdesert,PaulandJessicafindanew
Move tests to make
home, and gradually organize the Fremen. What many
believetobeoverisjustthebeginig.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 37
38
 ACT II:

M UA D ' D I B
The Universe operates on a basic principle of economics: everything has its cost.
We pay to create our future, we pay for the mistakes of the past. We pay for every
change we make . . . and we pay just as dearly if we refuse to change.

— Guild Bank Annals, Philosophical Register

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 39
 W HISPERS OF
M UAD 'D IB
Thepriceofspiceisrising.Housesthathavenoticedarestockpilingmelange,butifthepriceshoulddrop,theywilhave
vastlyoverpaid.saquietpanicgripstheImperium,everyoneisacutelyawarethatbulkbuyingontheopenmarketwil
pushthepricehigherstil.Itsadelicatetime,withmanyHousestryingtofindnewclandestinesuppliersofspice.

Somethingisclearlynotrightonrakis,butheHarkonensinsisttheyarejusthavingsomeminorssuesthatwilsoon
bestraightenedout.Noonetrulybelievessomethingascatastophr icasastoptospiceproductionmghtoccu.Sor ,they
haveengagedtheiragentsandspiestosearchfoermo spicebefoer theirivalsdo,ratherthantryingtoinvestigate
what is happening on Arrakis.

TheplayercharacterstraveltoanicymontjiahighrankingCHOMdelegateataskilodgetonegotiateacovert
backchannelspicesupplyfortheirownHuse.Thedealdoesn’tgoquiteasplanned,ascompetitonsfierce,buti
leadstheplayercharacterstohersoces
ur theycanattempttosecue.r Oncetheyhaveexhaustedallthelegaloptions,
they turn to smugglers.

AC T I : T H E S P I C E majdoor mo(andlaughsatallherjokes),acoldly
observantSwdmor asterbodyguardnamed Zara Firazzi,
SUPPLIER andfiveguardswithmaulapistols.

OnMontaglion,anicymoncicl r ingagasgiant ftersometimetoenjoytheefr r eshments,your

planetintheGammaLibraesystem,youhavegath - hostisfinaleady lyr toalkbusiness.“s,youknw
eredataluxryskeso
ir rtomeetwithyourHse’s myHousehatestoraiseprices.Itpainsme;eitr -
main spice agent. Ruby Van der Zyl isaCHOM allydoes.Butncoolabl ntr emarketfluctuations
director with many ties to the spice market. She haveaffectedCHOM’sspicerate,andwehave
manages melange sales to several Houses, includ- nochoicebutofolowsuit.However,youwilbe
ingyours.SheisaccompaniedbyherSwdmor aster, thefirsttoknwhenpricesinevitabletyr urnto
her Mentat, and two guards. normal.I’lletyoudiscusswhatsortofder or you
mightliketoplacegiventhenewcosts,butinhe
VanderZylhaseat tr edyoutadayofsnowsking meantimepleaseelr axandenjoytheamenitesof
befoer gatheringatherprivatemountaintopchalet my chalet.”
toalkbusiness.half-dozenservantsprovide
horsd’oeues vr andwarmdrinksandtendtohe
enormusfireplace.Nearby,abuffettablepresents NEGOTIATION
Richesetarts,assortedfruits,milkbugs,warmspice At their leisure, the player characters can negotiate with
cider, and spice coffee. VanderZyltogetabetterspicedeal.Theycanplay
thisoutasanextended Communicatetestbetween
VanderZylandaleadplayercharacter(whocanbe
The gamemaster should ask the players if their
assistedbyuptowhercharacters). Theeqr emuir ent
characterswentskingwithRubyVanderZylbefoer
iseachopponent’sComunicate+Drive+5.Ifthe
this meeting in the chalet. If any did, have them make
playercharacterseach r VanDerZyl’seqr emuir entfirst,
aChallenging(D3) Move test to see how well they
shewilconcedeonsomeofherspiceprices.IfVan
performed. If at least one player character succeeds,
derZyeach
lr estheplayercharacters’eqr emuir ent
theygainthetrait‘ImpressedVanderZyl’tousein
first,sheemr ainsimovableandfoces
r thehigher
interactions with her.
prices on them.
VanderZyl’spersonalchaletisalarge,multi-evel
eat
B gni VanderZyeht ni l egon at
it secu
noi esr adealfor
structure far up the mountain and isolated from the
erom spiceak t o eeht pressuer ff
o eht playercharacters’
nearest town. The surrounding area is mountainous, with
House. As such, the gamemaster may allow them to
snowy woods and steep ski trails. The town at the foot
gaieht n ai
rt ‘Spi
t cesuppl’ y se u ot enhw gniyrt cl
ot aim
ofthemountainhasasmallspaceportandarail-guided
new revenues. A failure might conversely give the player
suspensor ski lift.
charactersacoplm cat i fo n i ‘needadeal’erhw eeiht r
VanderZyl’sentourageincludesabaldbusinesslike desperation plays against them in future negotiations.
Mentat named Tormaso Hempel, who serves as her

40
R UB Y V A N D E R Z YL , C HOA M D I R E C T O R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
RubyistheleaderHouseVanderZyl,asmall
HousewhoseCHOMconectionshavemade D U T Y: 7 My House needs me.
themveryweal.Ruthy byisanostentatiousand
mirthful woman who acts as if most things said to FA I T H : 6
herareajoke.Shehasgreenhai,r intenseeyes,
and wears a tailored snowsuit with gold trim. JU S T I C E: 5
Traits:CHOMgent,Noble P OW ER : 8 It is my destiny to run things.
TALENTS
@ Constantly Watching: WheneverVanderZyl T RU T H : 4
attempts a test to detect danger or hidden
enemes,
i sheedu r ceseht fficu iD by
ytl a
ot 2
SKILL FOCUSES
minimum of 0. In addition, once per scene, she
can increase the cost for an opponent to keep B AT T LE: 4
eht at
it n evi by.2
@ The Reason I Fight (Power): WhenVanderZyl Char m, Persuasion
C O M M U N I C AT E: 7
atemt ptsaat B elt est
t siu gn eht chsen o dre,
vi
andeht dre’s
vi statemenal t gni seht iw actnoi D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Comand
beign atemt pted,sheay m e-r 1d2
l o r .0

Assets:Snowsuit,colapsibleskisticks,etr ractable M OVE: 5

skis, knife, personal shield
U N D ER S TA N D : 5

T OR M A S O H E M P E L , M E N TAT
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
ThisguardunitselitebyHarkonenstandards
butnobyanyoneelse’s.Pressedintoservice,they D U T Y: 8 MyHouseisthebestthereis.
havenolyaltybeyondfearofpunishment.How -
ever,theyareewr ardedeaso r nablywellfortheir FA I T H : 7 I trust the universe to take care of me.
work,muchbetterthananyHarkonenpeasant.
sHarkonenmiltarystrategyelr iesonumbers JU S T I C E: 5
rather than skill, if the Harkonnens learn of the
attack, there are at least two guards for every P OW ER : 4
player character.
T RU T H : 6
Traits:Motivatedbyfear,sadistic.

Drive: 4 SKILL FOCUSES

TALENTS
@ None. B AT T LE: 4

Assets: Knife, Lasgun. C O M M U N I C AT E: 5

D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Observe

M OVE: 5
CHOM Bureaucracy, Imperial
U N D ER S TA N D : 7 Politics

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 41
 Z A RA F I R A Z Z I , S WO R D M A S T E R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
Zaraislitheandnimble,lokingemor likeadancer
thanaduelist.Shedressesinfineclothes,favoring D U T Y: 6
cloaksandwrapsshewearsoverajumpsuitshe
8 Mybladewil
discardsincombat.Shepreferstofight with FA I T H :
show me the way.
twinkdjalsanddreamsofonedaydefeatinga
There are only two
SardaukaroraGinazSwdmor aster. JU S T I C E: 7 sidestojustice.
Traits:Swdmor aster,Graceful
P OWER : 5
TALENTS
@ Cool Under Pressure (Move):Zaraaym spend T RU T H : 4
aetD erat nim (3noi Theat
r )au ot at
mot cal i yl
succeedataest t No. exa rt Theat
r si gaied
n
SKILL FOCUSES
though.
@ Dedication: At the start of a scene, if there is no B AT T LE: 7 Shortblades
Theat r ,eht gamemasteray m 1d2
l o r fI .0 eyht
eql o r al
u ess
l ro t an ht Zara’ssci iD pleni scoe,r C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
add1eht o Theat r po.lo

Assets:Snowsuit,colapsibleskisticks,etr ractable D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Precision

skis,Twinkdjals(Quality2).
M OVE: 7 Dance,Grace

U N D ER S TA N D : 4

H OUS E VAN D E R Z YL G UA R D S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Traits: Loyal

Drive: 4

TALENTS
@ None.
Assets:Snowsuits,colapsibleskisticks,etr ractable
skis, maula pistol, knife, personal shield

SKILL FOCUSES

BAT T L E : 6 Lasguns

COM MUN IC AT E : 4

DISCIP L I N E : 5

M OV E : 5

UNDER STAN D: 4

42
 likebuter.Nodefensiveassetisanyuseagainstone
A SUDDEN BETRAYAL
(andashieldevenworse).
fterthenegotiations,anewgroupofservantsbegins
refreshments. Each player character may make a It is up to the player characters to decide how to play
Challenging(D2) Discipline test. If successful, they are this.TheymightattackortalktoVolpe.Butheandhis
consideredpreparedforwhathappensnext. House are desperate, and he needs more than empty
promises to stand down. There are other servants in
fterthenegotiation,emor servantsbringnew the room who are all panicking and getting in the way,
refreshments and food, on a large suspensor trolley. sotheymightbecomecomplicationsinthefighting.
Butbefoer theyhavefinishedplacingallthedishes Iftheplayercharactersdefeattheassassins,Vander
onthetable,oneeachr esunderthesuspensoolrt - Zylwibeverygrateful.Shegrantsaspecialbonus
leyandpulsoutalasgun.Theyfireawarnigshot, toheplayercharacters’Houseiftheyhurtnoeof
cutting through the opposite wall, as four of the her entourage.
other servants take up defensive positions around
him. SKI CHASE
fI eh t fighsi t gogn i badly,eh t VanderZyenage rl u o t l i w
“Dectir orVanderZyl!HouseBakarawilnoger
elh pRubyescapean o skbi i e.k TheakB araassassisn
tolerateyourfinancialextorin!Youwilsigna
enh t gil i w ev chase.Thereareseveralskbi - i es k eadi
r yl
contractwithusfo.for rhalfwhatyou’recharging
avaiabl l ann ieo j o t sky ch
i ase.ply n ayercharacter
now, or you will not leave this place alive! Anyone
still wearing their snowsuit is protected from the cold.
activatesashield,andI’llfire,Iswearit!Wehave
Anyone without a snowsuit that goes outside gains the
nothing left to lose!”
coplm cat i ‘Nunoi b m freh t m co
o d’.
l

The leader of the assassin team is Volpe Bakara. Use This gives the gamemaster an opportunity to run a ski
theprofilefor House Bakara Assassins for him and chasedoai eth n u o mw sin de.Opposedev o M est t sare
the four other assassins who accompany him. House eqredi u get
o t clse o enghu o eno t gageelm n i ee.Ranged
BakaraisaMinorHusespecializnginthemanufacteur weapon attacks need a Dire(D4)difficusuo t y tcceed l
of farm machinery. If any player character succeeds on gienv eh t speedandemv o m pleno C . t cat
i sn o i dugn i r
aChallenging(D3) Understand test, they recall House eh t fighcan t epr r esenco t sii l eshnto enhmtniow,rti v
Bakarahasecenr tlysufferedfinanciallyfromseveralbad cln i diu gn elaboatr ece i scuptl es, r u ancy
i edge
h azm e
dealsandmaybeonthebrinkofcolapse. surrounding the ski path, or even a minor avalanche.

Playercharacterswhoexpectedtheattack(withe fterabofiv t u eds

n u o r eh t chaseeach
r eseage h lt i v
Disciplinetest)haveachancetoattackVolpeandthe bel,w o erh w eVanderZycan l getelh pandprect
t o ,n o i at
otherassassinsbefoer hefiresthelasgun.Takingit ch
i h w poant n i emr y aign i assassisn breakff o eh t fighant d
atemt ptflee. ot
fredu omhir ceshis‘negotiatingposition’significan. tly
Volpewilopenfirewithelasgunidiscrimnatel. y fI VanderZydil es,eh t playercharactersse o l eih t spi
r ce
So, anyone who activates a shield risks destroying dealfer.Ih t i w eyh skt i r edes
eivh it l r bufai t ed, l eyh t
theenetir chalet(andmostofthemountaintop)in stear
l i an favfo r o se u o H VanderZy,l evenfi eyh setol
apseudo-atomicexplosion.Oncehehasfiredthe their deal. Either way, this act should prove to the player
warnigshot,theotherassassinssuoundr Volpe,so characters that the spice shortage is making some Houses
theymustbedefeatedtogettohim.Thelasgunis desperate.ayM begs n i h t arefarse r o w akr n o si anh t
exceptionallydangerous,cutingoughthr anysurface everyone suspects.

H OU S E B A K A R A A S S A S S I N S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
Drive: 5
B AT T LE: 6 Assassination
Traits: Assassin

TALENTS C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
@ None.
D I S C I P LI N E: 5
Assets: Snowsuits,colapsibleskisticks,etr ractable
skis,kindjal,maulapistol
M OVE: 5

U N D ER S TA N D : 4

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 43
 AC T I I : W H I S P E R S
OF MELANGE
stheplayercharacters’Housecontiuestostruggle
with rising spice costs, their ruler directs them to
investigate the rumors surrounding the melange
shortage and search for alternative sources. The players
may want to use architect play to send specialists, spies,
or supporting characters to follow leads. Architect and
agentplayworkthesameway,justwitheplayer
characters utilizing different assets to facilitate their
actions (see Agents & Architects in the Dune Core
Rulebookp.7).
Whethertheplayercharacterslearnaboutoher
avenues of spice from their House ruler or from the
informationtheirspecialistsandspiesbringthem,they
canspeak‘offtheeco r d’ r tovariousalliedorassociated
Houses,nobles,andperhapsevensmugglers.The
interactionscanbefueallyr izedscenesorsimpletests.
The player characters need not pursue all of them.
Each of the following investigations offers the same
options,whichthegamemastercanexpandas
they desire.
Location:Thesettingwhich
n theencountertakesplace
Skills:Theskilstheplayercharactersneedtoget
information.Thebasedifficultyshouldbeverage(D2).
Default Information:Therumosorevidencetheplayer
characters uncover regardless of success or failure
in the tests.
Success:Theassetsorinformationtheplayercharacters
can gain if they succeed on the skill test.
Complications:Examplecomplicationsesu
r ltingfroma
failed skill test.
Notethatplayerscanalsodeveloptheseencountersby
using their assets. For instance, if they have an asset for
aparticularnobleHouse,thatmightbetheHousethey
gohuntigorgamblingwith.
CHOAM BUSINESS MEETING
Location:skyscraperinamajorcityonKaitain,
Junction, or Richese.
Skills:Battle,Comunicate
Default Info: The price of melange is steadily
increasing,owingthr businessesintodisarray.But
CHOMisnoteneltir yincool.Mar
ntr ketdemandand
supply shortages are driving the surge in costs.
Success:TheplayersgainaCHOMExecutive
contact asset.
Complication:mishapimposesthetrait‘CHOM
Enemy’ontheplayers’Housefortheest
r ofthe
advene,
tur increasingthedifficultyoffuetur tasks
involving the trade organization.
EXOTIC GAME HUNT
Location: huntiggroundinasavannah,jungle,
forest, or other environment, either on a planet or
sealedorbitalhuntigground.
Skills:Battle,Comunicate
Default Info:Exotichuntigisonthedecline,
apparentlybecauseoffinancialconcernsleadingto
aentr dofauster,ity withmanynoblescutingdown
onluxri es.
Success:TheplayersgainaFriendlyNoble
contact asset.
Complication: The House loses an asset they sent to a
boarhuntiafatalgoringaccident.
GAMBLING RESORT
Location: Any large population center, one of many
mons,oraspacestationdedicatedtogambling.
Skills:Battle,Comunicate
Default Info:Somenoblesgetlose-lippedwhen
drinkgandgambling,andmentionfeelingthe
pinchfromincreasingspiceprices.fewgamble
in a desperate attempt to raise funds rather than
for pleasure.
Success:TheplayersgainaHighRolerorCasino
Operatorcontactasset.
Complication:mishapimposesthetrait‘Gambling
Debt’ontheplayers’Housefortheest
r ofthe
advene,
tur increasingthedifficultyoffuetur tasks
involving credit checks or similar interactions.
HIGH SOCIETY SOIREE
Location: A dinner party, theatrical performance, art
exhibit,orpolitcaleventonanymajorplanet,butmost
likelyatoneofKaitain’smanyculturalvenues
Skills:Comunicate,Discipline
Default Info: Houses of the Landsraad are nervous
aboutherisingcostofmelange.
Success: The players gain a High Society contact asset.
Complication:mishapimposesthetrait‘IlMannered’
ontheplayers’Housefortheest
r oftheadvene,tur
increasingthedifficultyoffuetur tasksinvolgthe
upper crust of society.
SPORTING EVENT
Location: narenaforasportingeventhostingamajor
tournament,agladiatorialconflict,orabulfight.
Skills:Comunicate,Move,Understand
Default Info:Shortagesandtheexorbitantcosts
ofobtainigspicehaveleftmanyoftheImperium’s
everyday citizens without access to it. The situation is
particularly dire for the many spice addicts among them
whoareturnigtoexemtr emeasues
r toacqeuir it.
Success:TheplayersgaineitheraProfessionalthlete
orInfluentialComnercontactasset.
Complication:mishapimposesthetrai‘Ou t oft Touch’
ontheplayers’Housefortheest
r oftheadvene,tur
increasingthedifficultyoffuetur tasksinvolg
everyday citizens of the Imperium.
UNDERWORLD CONCLAVE
Location:Seedybarormidnightmarketonanyurban
planet with an underworld.
Skills:Battle,Comunicate
Default Info:Crimnalgan or izationsdiscussthespice
shortageandhowitbenefitstheundergroundspice
trade,includingincreasedprofitsasemor Housestryo
cicur mventCHOM.
Success:TheplayersgainanUnderworldContactasset.
Complication: A mishap imposes the trait ‘Mistrusted
bytheUnderworld’ontheplayers’Housefortheest
r
oftheadvene,
tur increasingthedifficultyoffuetur tasks
involving this location or the underworld.
MAKING NEW FRIENDS
Nowthattheplayercharactershaveconfirmedthat
thespiceshortageiswidespread,theyneedtofind
anewsupplier,whichislikelytobeasmuggler.Their
bestavenuetoaccomplishthisisbycontactingan
underworld spice agent to strike a deal. These agents
andbrokersarethemiddlemenintheilegalspice
market, insulating the smugglers themselves from
potential authorities. While it is illegal to deal spice
outsideCHOMandtheGuild,itsn’tilegalto
introduce people to each other.
So, to meet a smuggler, the player characters need to
findanagent,butagentsareverycarefulaboutwho
they pass on to their contacts. So, the player characters
mustfirstmakea Communicate skill test, where each
success reveals the name of one of the following spice
agents. If they have any underworld assets from the
investigation,oraconectiontGureyHalleck,they
can use these assets on the test.
SUPPLIERS
@ Rigg Malbaum, a disgruntled Harkonnen rumored
to skim spice from his own house to sell to others...
especially their enemies.
@ Miano Kleff,acoptur Spacign dliuG agenohw t
snrut abldni eyesmot ggl
u ers.
@ Zaheera Grell, a Fremen with access to a hidden
spice supply on Arrakis.
@ Velassa,aTleiaxl piu atr eacq
ohw es
riu spicea
iv
methods not discussed in polite company.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 45
 @ Rabin Steppati,ablackarm- etk erm chanfrt amo cremi bossslot eiht wo per
r at.noi Reqemriu en:t 6,
Minor House. atemt pts:4.
@ Dulan Tass, an underworld gangster on Arrakis.
If the player characters can succeed in the challenge,
Theplayercharactersshouldpickanavailablespice theagentbelievestheyaresafetoradewithand
agent to contact. To do so, they must meet them in one agrees to make a connection to a smuggler. If they
of the following settings. The gamemaster can play out failallthechallenges,theyhaveaproblem.However,
thesceneoruseitasbackgroundcontextforskiltests. the gamemaster may allow them to move on to Act
III, having found a lead to deal directly with a spice
SETTINGS smuggler(perhapswithehelpofGurneyHalleck).
@ A Harkonnen pleasure station that caters to every But,becausetheyareapproachingasmugglerdiect r ,ly
brandfo depravy. ti theplayercharactershavethetrait‘Untrustworthy’for
@ spicedenanno spi ohni abl t ecan lov c
i d.lrow their dealings in Act III.
@ codlrow ynol stoh gni aenB eesser
G cer ti emy. no
@ gniruD aeynruoj ano Heighliner. ACT III: MEETING
@ der
nu at w erabi h at t al C no adan.
THE SMUGGLER
Uponmeetingtheagentinquestion,theplayer
If the player characters prove themselves to their new
characters must perform a service to prove they are
spicesupplierorenterthesceneas‘Untrustworthy’,
trustworthy enough to meet their smuggler contacts.
theyecei
r veamessage:
sitsaseller’smarket,theagentcanalwaysfind
another customer if the player characters fail. The
“Meet me on Meuse, homeworld of House Wydras
gamemaster should pick a challenge for the player
in one week, near Space Port FE502, at nightfall.
characterstopursue,whichisanextendedtestthat
Youwilfindadistransthere.Itspasswdor is
mustbecompletedinalimtedtime(numberofols).
r
‘Tempest’,itwlgiveyouthemeetingpoint.”
Onlyonecharactercanmaketheattempt,butupto
two may assist.
Meuseisalargeandalmostcompletelyurbanized
planetrunbyHouseWydras(seep. 97 and The
CHALLENGES
Great Gamep.64-65).HouseWydrasspecializesin
@ A player character poses as someone called
the art of espionage, so they make it very easy to have
‘Mad’D u b’.
i Nobodyswonk at hw siht ad’D
uM bi si
illicit meetings on their homeworld. While this means
e,
kil exceptat ht eyht are‘fodabl imr e’,soeht player
there is always a chance someone is listening, no one is
canplayeht elo r aseyht seefitTh. esmggl u eran w st
concernedabouthelegalityofanymeeting.
fin
ot dat ohw tuo eht cat
ol si no ertni estedsiht ni
persoReq.n emriu en:t 8,atemt pts:3.
THE TALKATIVE BAT
@ eat
rC eadistact r diot n i stactr aues it roht freht mo
fterthecharactersarriveatthespaceport,abat
smgglu er’screw. Reqemriu en:t 5,atemt pts:4.
landsnearthem.Batsarecomonlyusedasdistrans
@ etG soem fo eht smggl u er’speoplesafet ot y . This
comunicators,sotheplayercharactersshouldnotfind
ghim evlo ni t edi
m calskak t o l i ecarefo aned. rujni y
itoddtosay‘Tempest’toiasthepasswd.or fterward,
Reqemriu en:t 10,atemt pts:6.
thebatissuesaseriesofclicksandwhirsthatgives
@ etG soem paperpukrow shedghuo rht anper mI al i
them an address a few streets away, deep in the city.
bueau r cracyelh ot peht per o at.noi Reqemriu en:t 4,
Theaddressiseasytofindandappearsunoccupied.
atemt pts:3.
The door leads into an access corridor for maintenance
@ den I fyit ch ihw emm berfo eht smggl u er’screwno
rather than a dwelling. If the player characters follow
a particular ship is actually working for another
thetunel,itleadstoabareomwherr etheymeetthe
smuggler. There are small surveillance devices set up in
the tunnel. successfulChallenging(D2) Discipline test
wilgivetheplayercharactersthefeelingtheyarebeing
WHISPERS OF MUAD’DIB watched,whileasuccessfuelDir (D4) Discipline test
nyoftheagents(orthesmugglersinctI)have allowsthemtofindthedevices.
heardthename‘Muad’Dib’efer inr encetoanew
leader among the Fremen organizing the various THE MEETING
Sietches.Nooneknowsanythingabouthem,and
Yo u em erge i n t o a w o r k o m o f an u n dergro u n d
mostbelievetheyarejustsomeformofpeasant
storage facility for spacecraft parts. Ten
hero.Butafewrumossuggestthispersonisboth
individuals watch as you enter. Some of them
clever and menacing and might make the Fremen
w ear fli gh t m ai n t en an ce u n i fo r m s w h i l e o t h er s
adangerousfightingfoce, r eat thr eningfuetur
h av e gr u bby st reet w ear.
spice production. The gamemaster should use this
information to foreshadow what is soon to come.
46
If the player characters enter the room respectfully,
the lead smuggler reveals herself. If they come in
weapons ready, the large group of smugglers draws
onthem.slongastheplayercharactersdon’tfire,
theleadsmugglerstepsforward.Butiftheydofire,
afightbreaksoutandtheleadsmugglerwilvanish
down a secret corridor. Each of the smugglers uses the
smuggler archetype, see Dune Core Rulebookp.291.
fteramoent,anolderwomaninadustyflight
suit and armed with several knives steps forward.
She regards you for a moment, sizing you up.
“Godtomeetyouinperson.I’mJennaShard,and
Ibelievewecandobusiness.Thechaosonrakis
makesforscarytimes.Youseemsmartenoughto
eal
r izeyou’renotheonlyessufferingfromprice
hikes.It’sallovertheImperium.Ourpeopleon
rrakis say that local attacks are hurting Harkonnen
spiceproduction.ButIhaveafewsoces ur whoare
not targets of these attacks, and who know how to
avoidImperialtaxeswitheircargo.Ithinkyouand
Icanhelpeachotheroutwihadeal,solet’stalk.”
NegotiatingamelangepricewitheJennaandher
smugglersisanextendedtaskwithaeqr emuir entof
8.Theplayercharactersonlyhavetimetomakefive
testsatmostbefoer thesmugglersleave.Itisnevera
good idea to stay in one place too long when you are
doingsomethingilegal.Notethatcrimnalassetsand
aconectionwthGureyHalleckcanbeusedonthe
negotiating test.
CONCLUSION
Iftheplayercharacterssucceed,theyfixadealfora
easo
r nablepriceandsecuer anewsupplylineofspice
for their House. If the player characters fail the test,
theycanstilmakeadeal,butiwlbeanexpensive
one.Thegamemastershouldedu
r cetheHouse’swealth
in later adventures and make attempts for the player
characters’Housetoprovidefundingornewassets
much harder.
Witheirspicesuppleaso yr nablysecuer theplayer
characters’Housecanturnisattentionhermatters
andpursueotheradvenes. tur Butwihespice
situationgettingworse,thenextquestionstheymight
askare:Whatisgoingonwithspiceproduction?Have
theHarkonenslostcool?ntr Whoisthis‘Muad’Dib’?
FORESHADOWING WYDRAS
Inalateradvenetur (BlodontheStars,p. 96)
theplayercharactersfindthemselvesinaposition
to speak for House Wydras when their planet
mightbeforfeit.So,theplayercharacters’timeon
Meuse is a good opportunity for them to create
a connection to House Wydras. They should at
leastmeettherulingfamilyandpossiblyworkut
atradepartnership.Thiscanbedealtwihduring
thisadvenetur orbetweenadvenes
tur asthe
gamemasterseesfit.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 47
 N UMBERS N EVER L IE
CHOM,theCombineHonetteOberdvancerMercantiles,believestheHarkonensarehidingsomethingsinister
aboutspiceproduction.Thefigues r forsuppl,y demand,andsolariaren’taddingup,buthemassiveconglomerate
doesn’thavethegranulardetailstosee.CHOMwhy hastakennoticeoftheplayercharacters’investigationsintheir
pastadvenes, tur andtheguildagentseqr uesttheyinvestigatetheproblemdiscreet.Thly eyhopetheplayercharacters
havecontactsandaccessthatCHOMagentsdonot.Theinvestigationleadstheplayercharacterstoheheartof
Harkonnen deceit and uncovers secrets that this dangerous House will kill to safeguard.

ACT I: RETURN informationruafewencountersinCarthagwhere

they uncover it from the locals.
TO ARRAKIS
MEDDLESOME CHOAM
stheplayercharacterselr axontheirhomeworld,a
Oncetheplayercharactershavegatheredanyneeded
messagearrivesforthemonshigawe.ir TheCHOM
equipmentand taken passage on a Heighliner, they
symbolmarksthecanister.Itsays:
arriveinCarthagandcaneasilyfindTheDusk.

Callalegar
lr dingtheheatandgrime.
TheDuskisabarinthemostdangerouscornerof
Dawdle under second kingdom. Carthag.Itisdark,strangelydesiccatedforawater -
ing hole, and roasting from the hot day and the lack
Onceead,
r theshigaweir eel
r crumblesandcanno of cooling mechanisms. The smells of sweat, sand,
longer play the message. and spice hit you, and all talk ceases as you enter.

Theplayersmaywellfiguer outhesecretmessageon Eyeswatchyouwarilyuntositatatable,then

theirown.Thefirstletterofeachdwor ineachsentence the conversations slowly ramp up again as you
createsahiddenmessage: shownsignsoftryingtostartafightorarest
r any
of the patrons.
CarthagDusk Soon, a tall individual in a stillsuit takes a seat at the
tablenextoyu.“MynameisChi,”shemurs
Iftheplayerscan’tfiguer thisout,thegamemaster out of the corner of her mouth. “And I have a
shouldallowanverage(D1) Understand test. If they proposal for you.”
fail,thegamemastercangivethemtheanswer.Butif
theysucceed,theygainthetrait‘PuzleSolver.’
Chi,iturnsout,isaepr r esentativeforCHOM.nd
Carthagisacityonrakisthatisemor modernthan sheconfidesthatthemonpolisticgan or izationshe
rakeenandruledbytheHarkonens. Organizng worksfor”hasseriousconcerns”abouthecuenr t
travel on a Heighliner to Arrakis takes a day or two, governorfrakis.However,theycan’tpublicl,y
sothetimeof‘dusk’shouldseemodd.Further privately, or politically say any such thing no matter how
investigatevionr ealsthereisabarinCarthagcalled true.CHOMcannotierfereorappeartolackany
‘TheDusk’whichmakesemor senseasameetingplace. faithinePadishahEmperor’schosenauthoriyver
The gamemaster can give the player characters this theKnowUniverse’sspicesupplies.

So,eventhoughCHOMbelievesthattheHarkonens
arehidingsomething,somethingterribleforbusiness,
PUZZLES theyneedtoappearunivoled.Butheycanusea
This adventure contains several puzzles and ciphers. proxytuncovertheintelligencethatCHOMneeds.
They do not model the actual codes, which would ndthat’swhyshe’shere.
befartocomplextosolvewithouadvanced
ThesearethemainpointsthatChiandtheplayer
training, and instead represent the secrecy and
characterscandiscuss:
intrigue spies and agents of the Imperium use in
their communication. The puzzles should offer the @ skrow ihC foOMHC r busi t erh eanni ffici
onu al,
feelingofspycraftratherthanbeseenasattempts ff-
o e-ht eco r dr capacibecau yt seOMHC canton
to mimic it. interfere with the politics and policies of spice.
@ OMHC belevi esatht eht ber
mun sprded
ivo byeht
fI eht grpuo doesenton puyoj es,
lz eht gamemaster
ar
H enn ok sspi
no ceprduo ctar noi eaccu
ni at
r e,but
can allow characters to solve them with simple tests
they need proof.
as detailed in the encounters.

48
@ ecau
B seeht playercharactersarealeady
r ed
vlo ni ni budili gn ash acoprm ehensiev stil fo ar H enn ok
se
uoH ar H enn ok ’saffais, r eyht feelat ht eht player facies, it l boffici
o ht alandsan nu cted.
noi Peraps h ni
charactersareeht ghir fit t fosiht r co
nu fir n edm and there is a lead to point to where the real records may
au
nu ed ziroht prect jo . beelh d.
@ Chi wants the player characters to find out what @ She can put the player characters in touch with some
the Harkonnens are covering up regarding the spicespect ni sro can
ohw getemht soem ffici o al-
spice trade, search for any suspect accounting looking documentation if they so desire.
practices, and ideally bring her documented pro f @ To encourage their participation, she will offer to pay
of any dishonesty. emht a
htiw cosin derableamfo tnu soar l si ko l t ro
@ anihC derh spectni sro av
h egoen ervo eht spice eht erhto ay
w a
no fewOMHC ax
t esandfees.She
records stored on Arrakis. They have found nothing aym alsoelh peht playercharacters’se uoH an htiw y
eyht canse u agaistn eht ar H enn ok s,buent ghuo debtsstni ead.
co
ni sin stenciesbel ot evi eerht eaym beasecodn set
WhileChicannotfferanydiect
r aid,sheishappyto
of recordseht iw answerseyht seekSh. edoesn’t
reward the player characters if they can deliver. This
belevi eese ht secreteco r ds r areak r no s,i buerh t
eqr es
uir theplayercharacterstofindawayintoasecret
soces
ru elt erh l at ht eht cal
ol ar C ag ht admstin at r evi

C HI M AR IN , C H OA M A G E N T
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER Traits:CHOMgent,ccountant
Chisaslightand academic woman,but
TALENTS
underneath her innocuous appearance is a shrewd
@ Hidden Motives: When an opponent fails an Understand
and skilled politician. She was passed over for
cat
inum oC r eest t agaistn ,ihC eht gamemasteraym
Mentattrainigbutstilhasagreat
edi
m i atelcr
y eateaairt ch ihw t eflect
r sastim akenbelef
i eyht
aptitudefornumbersanddrawing
av
h eaboer.h tu
conclusions from disparate
intelligence reports. Assets: CHOMcredentials,ccoeco
untr ds,
r Knife

DRIVE S TAT E M E N T

7 OnlyCHOMmoderatesthe
D U T Y:
greed of the Landsraad.

FA I T H : 8 Numbers never lie.

JU S T I C E: 5

P OW ER : 4

T RU T H : 6

SKILL FOCUSES

B AT T LE: 4

C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Diplomacy

D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Composure

M OVE: 5

U N D ER S TA N D : 7 eau
Bur cracy,Imperialpolitcs

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 49
 Theplayercharactersmustgetintohebuilding
BUT WE LIKE THE HARKONNENS!
withanyofthefolowingaspossibilites.Luck,ily the
The player characters may have formed an alliance
Harkonenselr eymor onthesecrecyofthebuildingto
witheHarkonensinpreviousadvenes. tur But
keepitsafethanoncomplexandemor obvioussecurity:
thatdoesn’tmeantheywon’twantoknwhatis
goingonandgainanewalliancewithCHOM.The @ fI eht playercharacters’s
ihC tiw kro spice
questionsnotwhethertheyshouldfinde,
outmr inspectors,passign emht seles v ffo si aal hC enl gign
butwhattheyshoulddowitheevidence.They (D)2 Communicate test. The guard will report their
mightbehappytouncoveraholeinHarkonen aral vir bu’t now t denOMHC y spect
ni sro eny. rt
securityolkforwardtogainigjuicyblackmailto @ Theplayercharactersghim bl t ff u eht guardateht
useagainsttheirallyifneedbe.Eveniftheythink front door to talk their way in with some made up
they are friends with the Harkonnens, they have easo
r Th.n si si aau D gnit (D3) Communicate test.
no reason to actually trust them unless they are @ Sneaking in eqr es riu aal hC enl gign (D)
2 Move
very foolish. est
t eht uB . ck
ol eddoeqr o es
riu aau D gnit (D3)
Understandest t (usign ech m ancs i ckol r pickg) ni ot
IftheHarkonensareanenem,y findingeoutmr
open the door swiftly.
isclearlytoheplayercharacters’advantage.t
@ Using a more direct approach, the player characters
worst,thismayexplaintheproblemswithspice,
canak m eaal hC enl gign (D) 2 Battle test to drop the
andgettingaheadofthatproblemcouldhelpfill
guard and steal their keys.
House coffers.
A failure at any of these tests raises the alarm and forces
theplayercharactersintoafightwihatleastoneguard.
However, if they defeat the guard, they still have time
HarkonenfilearchiveinCarthag.There,shehopes
to get a look at the records. Many more Harkonnen
theywilfindaclueabouthelocationfthespice
guardsareontheway,sotimeisshort,butheremay
ecor ds r thatwilexplainwhatisgoingon. And, as a
beenoughtimefortheplayercharacterstogetinside
note,iftheplayercharactersgetalongwellwithC,
andtakealokiftheyarequick.
theygainthetrait‘CHOM.’ly
Onceinsidethebuilding,theplayercharactersdo
THEFT IN CARTHAG notruianeymor guards.Thebuildingisn’tthat
Chi’sdiect r ionsleadtheplayercharacterstoan large,itjustholdsalotffilesinvariousformats. A
especiallybadareaintheslumsofCarthag(see Challenging(D2) Discipline(Infiltration)or Understand
Sand and Dustp.23).Sandcoverstheneglected (Datanalysis)skiltestallowstheplayercharacterto
steet
r singoldenhils.Thestinkanddinofanearby findwhattheyarelokingfor—alistofHarkonen
manufacturingfactoryisoppressive.ThebuildingChi holdings.Iftheyfail,theystilfindthefile ,buthey
specifiedloksaswearyandtimewornastheest r of trip more security, alerting the Harkonnens to send
thearea,exceptallthedoorsandwindowsareintact, more guards.
and the locks are new. Succeedingonanverage(D1)
Leavingthebuildingstealthily ispossiblewitha
Understand test reveals a few guards in plain clothes
Challenging(D2) Move test(+1Difficultyifthey
making rounds periodically.
alertheguards). Alternatively, they can make a run for it

H A RKO N N E N G UAR D S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
These guards are some of the least skilled and
mostexpendableworkingfortheHarkonens, B AT T LE: 6 Shortblades
wearing cheap armor and even cheaper stillsuits
whenneeded.Becauseoftheirminaltrainig, C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
they work together haphazardly.
D I S C I P LI N E: 4
Traits: Watchful

Drive: 3 M OVE: 5
TALENTS U N D ER S TA N D : 5
@ None.
Assets:Knives,Uniforms,Comunicationsdevice,
Maularifles

50
 if more guards are on the way. If they take too long,
guards surround the place with at least two for every
player character. The guards take any defeated player
charactersintocustody,butiftheycanconvicethe
HarkonenguardsthattheyareagentsofCHOM,they
wilbeelr eased.DeadCHOMagentsdon’tmakeany
situationbetter.However,theHarkonenswilatch
themclosel.fty erescapingorfightingtheirwayout,
theplayercharacterscanegr r oupbackatTheDusk.

AC T I I : S T E A L I N G
A P RO M I S E
Oncetheyaresomewheresafe,theplayercharacters
cantakeaproperlokatthefilestheyhavefound.One
entrystandsoutbecauseitdoesn’tcoespo r ndtoany
knowHuseorplanet.Butasignificantamountf
spice and solaris get sent there on a regular schedule,
soitscertaienlymor importanthanitappearstobe.

The account is listed under only two names with little

detailaboutislocation.Thenamesare: Emirp Esimorp
and Torab Esuoh

The players may notice the trick here, that the words are
backwards.Iftheydon’t,thentheirplayercharacterscan
Understand or Communicate(Difficulty3)tofiguer it
out(orsimplevyr ealitftheyarestuck).
@ Emirp —Premi
@ Esimorp —Prseimo
@ Torab —ar
B to
@ Esuoh —seuoH

A check of galactic locations and holdings reveals that

Promise Prime is a planet on the far edges of Ecaz
ter,ritoy andHouseBarotisaHouseMinoruder
House Ecaz. ButaChallenging(D2) Understand (Politics
orHusee) lor testwil remind the player characters
thatHouseBarotispainfulyambitiousandcontiually
ranklesunderEcazcool.Cudntr theybeambitious
enough to risk everything and partner with the

H OU S E H A R KO N N E N A G E N T
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTER SKILL FOCUSES
TheseindividualsbelongtoHuseHarkonen
andworkastheirundercoverinfiltrationutsand B AT T LE: 6 Assassination
assassins across the Imperium.
C O M M U N I C AT E: 4 Diplomacy
Traits: Assassin

Drive: 4 D I S C I P LI N E: 4
TALENTS M OVE: 6 Stealth
@ Nimble: Thessassinmayedu
r cetheDifficulty
ofpassinganobstacleinaconflictby2. U N D ER S TA N D : 5
Assets: Bodkin,KrimskelFiber,MaulaPistol

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 51
 Harkonnens, a known enemy of House Ecaz, to escape If the player characters arrived as part of a Harkonnen
from under their shadow? crew,theydon’tgetquiteasmanysuspiciousloks,
however visitors are still a novelty for the locals.
TheadvantagetoheHarkonensshouldbeclear.By
workingwithHouseBarot,theHarkonensmaintain Itdoesn’ttakelongtofindthefacilityheyareloking
plausibledeniabilitywheacquirngacovertallyand for. Asking the locals while succeeding on a Challenging
accesstoafar-offplanetthathasnokwassociations (D2) Communicate test lets the player characters know
tohem.Wherebettertohidetheirsecrets? alargebuildingwentupecen r tlyinhedeepswamps.
Nooneisallowedtogothere,andthosewhobuilt
THE NUMBERS GAME itdidn’tcomeback.Theydon’tknowhatit’sfo,r
TogettheinformationtheyandCHOMeal
r lywant, andtheydon’twantoknweither,makingapoint
the player characters are going to have to mount a ofavoidingit.Buheydoknowutsidersbuilthat
heist on Promise Prime. To get to the planet, the player HouseBarotbehavesobsequioslytowards.
characters have several options. The following offers
IftheplayercharactersfailtheComunicatetest,
some suggestions for how the player characters can
someoneamongthelocalstellstheauthoriesabout
get to Promise Prime clandestinely. Even so, there is
them,givingtheguardsthetrait‘lert’iftheplayer
stilagoodchancethey’llhavearuniwthHarkonen
charactersdonotactquick. ly
agents, who will tail the player characters on a
failed test. The facility is deep in the swamp, away from the town,
buteasytofindnestledamongsomeees. wilotr
@ If they take passage directly to Promise Prime, it
It sits on stilts, like the houses in town, to avoid the
raises suspicions. House Harkonnen dispatches
swampy ground. Locked maintenance hatches open
one agent per player character to tail them. The
upunderneathtebuilding,andpipesforthevarious
Harkonnen agents intend to confront them upon
utilities snake away through the water. At regular
arrival in Ecaz space.
intervals, guards in armor patrol the place, and two are
@ The player characters talk themselves onto a
permanently stationed at the large front entrance. They
Harkonnen crew headed for Promise Prime. This
wearthesigilofHouseBarotbutareusingHarkonen
eqr es
riu aau D gnit (D3) Communicate to convince
issueweaponsandequipment.
the crew. If it fails, the crew might take the player
charactersaboardandatemt ptemht l ik otenetuo r . Nextohemainbuildingisasmallerhabitation
@ If they have any traits connecting them to smugglers, building.Itisaverybasicprefabricatedbuilding,
suchaseynruG al H eck
l ,eht playercharactersghim t probablywithmnalcomforts.Barotadminstrators
getsmggl u ed(uco n fom abl
tr ) y Protn se imo Pre.mi workinginthemainbuildingareapparentlybileted
Thsi si aau D gnit (D3) Move test as the smugglers there with some of the guards.
do’t n eht wonk areaerv elw y .l
Theplayercharactersarefreetoattemptabreakin.
@ dliuG coact tn canelh peht playercharactersget
Herearesomesuggestions:
aboardasupplshy pi bodnu foPrr se imo Premi ce
no
snioj ti a Heigher.nil Thsi ’t now eqr eriu aest
t buay
mt @ If they arrived as part of the Harkonnen crew and
use up a favor or two. erw en’tdiscoerv ed,eyht cangetghuo rht ni eht frtno
door a htiw au
D gnit (D3) Discipline(Ifil
n at
rt )
noi est
t .
PROMISE PRIME Theguardsassuem eyht belg.no
PromisePrimeisanoddcombinationfbarenr ock r s @ Theplayercharactersghim amt bushanadmstin atr ro
andswamp.Theacidicpropertiesoftheplanet’ssoil andstealaneyk y sandden i ficat
it eyht noi av
h eot
makeitnhospitabletomstno-ativeflora,whilethe gain access. Thsi eqr es riu aal
hC enl gign (D)
2 Battle
fauna has evolved to eat only what grows here. Even est
t am ot bushemht a ro au D gnit (D3) Move
thoughtheyareaMinorHuse,HouseBarotcoolsntr stealth test to pickpocket their keys.
thewholeplanet,albeitasmallone,barelybiggerthan @ If the player characters have a good relationship with
a planetoid. With no dedicated spaceport, spacecraft House Ecaz, an undercover agent of the Ecaz might
landanywheretheycanfindaplace. ak
m ecoact tn ,possiblear y eril eht niTh. wot eyo t
anw athw onk t eht ewn facisi yt l andcanbe
As you step out of the shuttle, the air smells like sedu asanassetelh ot panfil ni y at
rt act noi s.noi
decaying vegetation and sulfur. In the distance, the @ alhC enl gign (D) 2 Understand (Advanced
callsofthecreates
ur arebizare,
r echoing, Techgyol n )est t picks the locks, allowing the player
and haunting. charactersbr ot eakeno t i fo eht ai m entn ance
at h chesder nu eht budili gn gai ot access. n
The largest city on Promise Prime is more like a
large village perched on the rocks, stretching out
over the swamps on stilts. People who pass peer at
youincuriosi.Thty eydon’tgetmanyvisitorshere.

52
DANGEROUS DOCUMENT CRYSTALS
Inside the main building, glowglobes light he
hallways. Utilitarian chairs and desks populate the
small offices. The sharp odor of cleaning chemicals
and filtration systems tinge the ai. Thr e mur s of
archiv sts and admin strators emanate from behind
closed doors. But he primary purpose of the building
is clearly storage, with encrypted file systems and
locked vaults everywhere.
Mostoftheofficeshavelabelselr atedtoHuseBarot,
astheyareusingthebuildingasanadminstration
centerforthemselvesaspartofitscover.Butherearea
few special rooms that seem dedicated to other groups.
TheonethatstandsoutisanofficededicatedtoNorne
Khan, an anagram of Harkonnen.
Insidethisofficeareafewshigaweir eel r sofdata,buta
large safe takes up most of the space. The gamemaster
canmakethesafealitehardertofind,suchas
beingpartofthefloorandcoveredinarug,or
seamlesslyfittedtoawalltobealmostinvsible.Finding
the safe eqr es uir aChallenging(D3)
and failure means an administrator enters the room
and discovers them. Administrators are automatically
defeatediffought,butheydoraisethealarm
crystals,micfilms,andshigaweir eel r s,mostofwhich
elr atetorakisandthetruhbehindwhatisgoingon
there.Thisisexactlywhattheplayercharactersneed.
Buthemoentheplayercharactersopenthesafe,an
alarm sounds loudly across the facility!
ACT III:
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
The player characters need to escape the facility, and
PromisePrime,quick.Butheyly mustovercomeseveral
challengesbefoer theycangetofftheplanet.
syougrabthecontentsofthesafe,analarm
soundsandtheglowglobesoughthr outheomr
pulse with a red light. Security measures slide into
place, and you hear the pounding footsteps as
emor guardspourintohebuilding.Timetogo!
If the player characters succeed on their roll, they move
onthenextobstacle.Witheachfaie, lur theyfacetwo
Discipline test, HouseBarotguards.Essential,ly iftheytaketolng,
guards track them down. The gamemaster can add one
or two more guards to increase the challenge for their
. player characters if desired.

Gettingintohesafeeqr es uir crackingit.Thisisvery @ ck

ol eddobl
ro ck
o seiht ay
w r and eqr es
riu a
difficult, eqr uirngaeDir (D4) Understand(safecracking/ al
hC enl gign (D) 2 Communicate(Idat
im tn )
noi
lockpicking)test. Butiftheplayercharactershave skill test to get an employee to open it for them.
capted ur anadminstrat,or theyexplainthehead ertl atn elvi y,aal hC enl gign (D) 2 Understand
administrator is the only one with the code, and that (Techgyol n )skest t l i esu
r stl pini ckgni eht ck ol .
herofficeisn’ttofaraway.Theplayercharactercan @ Workers moving from room to room alert the guards
turnheheistintoahostagesituationbykidnappingthe eht o playercharacters’presence.’s tI possible
head administrator and forcing her to reveal the safe to trick these guards into thinking that the player
code.Thiseqr es uir notest,asshewilnotfightback characters are guards themselves when succeeding
andistoscaredtolie.Butanythinglackinginsubtlety a no al hC enl gign (D) 2 Communicate(Decept) noi
raisesthealarmandbringsguards. est
t ertl . atn elvi y,eyht canak m eaal hC enl gign (D)2
Move(Steal) ht est t snot eakpasteht guards.
Oncetheplayercharactershavethesafecode,they
@ sen
-noit m sign cameracoed l o rtn byaguard,
canopenthesafe.Insideisacombinationfdocument
ekil at
ht a no ertnuh seek
- er,patslo r eht al h ay wl s.

H OU S E B A RO T G UA R D S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
WorkingfortheambitiousHouseBarot,
theseguardsareeaso r nablywelltrainedand B AT T LE: 6 Tactics
wellequipped.
C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
Traits: Warrior

Drive: 4 D I S C I P LI N E: 5 Composuer

TALENTS M OVE: 6
@ Bold (Battle): May grant Momentum to the
PCstobuyd20sfortheirpool,andiftheydo, U N D ER S TA N D : 4
theymaye-r olner ofthem.

Assets: Sword, Maula pistol

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 53
 The player characters can fool the operator with a Onceinspace,theyneeda Heighlinertogetback
auD gnit (D3) Communicate(Dsgu
i se)
i diro sable to their homeworld. Luckily, most spacefaring vessels
eht cameraa htiw eriD (D3) Understand (Advanced have enough supplies for a short time so they can wait.
Techgyol n ).Remaigni stelihw l ipasses
t by However, if they made friends with the Ecaz agent,
eqr es
riu aeriD (D4) Discipline(Self-)
lo rtn C skest
tli . House Ecaz arranges a ship and Heighliner passage for
the player characters, as long as they get to see what
LEAVING PROMISE they have stolen.
OnceoutsidetheHouseBarotfaci,lity theplayer
FOLLOWED
characters must make their way to their spacecraft
If the gamemaster thinks the player characters have had
to get off planet. As soon as you step outside, the
thingstoeasy,HouseBarotagentsfolowthemaboard
rain drenches your clothes. The sulfurous stink of
the Heighliner. Reasoning that the player characters
swampywaterseemsamplifiedinthehumidai.Thr e
need a Heighliner to leave the planet, the agents wait
shrilkaxonfthealarmfadesasyoumvefarther
foronetoarriveandboardit.Theywilthentryand
fromthebuilding.
sneak around the Heighlinertoryandfindtheplayer
You’reoutfimediatedanger,butstilonenemy characters(eventhoughtheGuildtakesadimviewof
soil.Youneedtofindawayofftheplanet. thissortofbehavior).

The gamemaster can play this out as a game of cat and

If the player characters want to get away from the
mousewithanespionageconflictacrossthezonesof
facility swiftly, they can steal a vehicle and escape into
the Heighliner. Alternatively, they might make tests to
the swamp. Stealing a vehicle eqr esuir anverage(D1)
seewhocatcheswhofirsttomunanambush.This
Move test, and, if it fails, they are spotted as they leave.
becomesaskirmshuntilheplayercharactersare
This leads to a chase to escape four guards who set off
capted, ur theagentsaredispatched,orGuildagents
in similar vehicles to pursue.
arrest everyone.
Thereareseveralspacecraftontheplanet,butallare
IftheplayercharactershaveGuildfriends,theGuild
occupied. This is unless the player characters thought
maystepinandefu r setoallowtheBarotagentstoake
outanescapeplanbefoer settingoff.Inwhichcase,
them off the Heighliner.Otherwise,theHouseBarot
they may have a ship safely hidden on the planet. If not,
agentsbringthembefoer theHouse’srulerstoexplain
they must steal one, meaning another attempt to sneak
themselves.Theyhadbesthopetheyescapebefoer the
pastorattacksomeHouseBarotguards.
Harkonnens arrive to really interrogate them. However, H O U S E B A RO T
House Ecaz might mount a rescue mission to claim the
player characters and the document crystals they stole. AGENTS
During this encounter, the gamemaster may grant MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
traits to the player characters if they damaged their TheseagentsarethebestHouseBarothastoffer,and
epu
r tation.Iftheiridentiesbecomeknow,theymight theyaregoodattheirjob.
becomeenemiesofHouseHarkonenorHuseBarot.
Traits: Spy
If they made inroads with House Ecaz, they gain a trait
epr
r esentingthisnewal.Getly tingcaughtcausing Drive: 6
problemsonaGuildshipwilalsogetthemintoa
TALENTS
lotfoubl
tr e.
@ Subtle Step: When attempting a Move test to
As soon as the player characters get a chance to sneak or otherwise pass unseen through an area,
breathe,theylandontheirhomeplanet.No,w they thefirstextrad20theypuch
r aseforthetestisfree.
finallyhavetheopportuniyostudytheirplunder.
Assets: Knife, Maula Pistol
Familiar sights, sounds, and smells wash over you as
youstepofftheshutle.Home.Youmadeit. SKILL FOCUSES
Youmaybebackonyurhmeplanet,butyou’re
B AT T LE: 7 Dirty Fighting
not out of danger, and you still have a mystery
tosolve.WhatdidyoutakefromHuseBarotn
Promise Prime? C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
soughylkthr themicfilms,shigaweir
D I S C I P LI N E: 5
reels, and document crystals, you realize that there
areds, nowr onlyumbers.EverythingfromHuse
M OVE: 6 Stealth
Barotisinsomekindofcode.
U N D ER S TA N D : 5

 ENCRYPTED DOCUMENT CRYSTALS Oncedecrypted,theintelligencetheplayercharacters
Decipher the following to decode the document liberatedfromHuseBarot’ssecretarchivesevr eals:
crystals in your possession.
@ ThearH enn ok savh ebeenembezgnilz spicepad
ot
|3,2|5,3|1,5|4,4|5,1| their own dwindling reserves.
@ eqrF enu emrF t enatack
t sareder
nih gni spice
|3,2|1,1|3,4|1,3|5,3|4,3|4,3|5,1|4,3|
prduo ct,noi eht o poat ht ni barelany spi
y ce
Theplayersmaywantofiguer outhecipheron is harvested.
theirown.Iftheydon’t,aDifficulty2 Communicate @ House Harkonnen is using creative accounting
(Linguistics),Difficulty3 Communicate (without a practices and shipping records to cover up the
focus),oraDifficulty4 Understand(Datanalysis) decline in spice supply.
skill test provides them with the following key. @ The Harkonnens are covering the harvesting shortfall
byemptgniy eiht spi nwo r ceeser r es.
v Thsi pres vo
ThekeyisamodifiedPolybiussquare,anancient
how desperate they are, and how much spice they
method to encode documents, and each letter is
have hoarded.
epr
r esentedbyitscodior natesinthegrid:
@ As an aside, various records of correspondence
suggest (but do not confir m) that the Emperor
1 2 3 4 5 conspired with House Harkonnen against
1 A B C D E House Atreides.
@ eiht nI at
r emt ptseak w ot eneht emrF enandbosto
2 F G H I J
spice production, House Harkonnen is desperately
3 K L M N O gniko l sromu tni fo soeom en caled l ad’D
uM b.
i
4 P Q R S T Thsi figuer appearsbe ot eht ewn eader
l fo eht
emrF eneyht uB . av
h eeal
r on eads l andcoeunit ot
5 U V W X Y run into dead ends.

TheanswerisHOUSEHRKONNEN.
CONCLUSION
ItshouldbeclearthatemFr enactionsonrakishave
broughtheproductionfspicetoanearstandstil.If
thiscannotbeect r ified,itcouldmeantheendofthe
SECRETS OF THE HARKONNENS
Imperium.Btwhatcantheplayercharactersdowith
EveniftheyhavemadeenemiesofHouseBarot,and
this information? Do they keep it to themselves to stay
very likely House Harkonnen, the player characters
aheadofthecompetiton,orbringitoheattentionf
shouldhavewhattheywereafter.It’stimeforthemto
theEmper,or toseeifhecandoanything?Maybethey
findout,buthemicfilms,documentcrystals,and
justuseitoblackmailtheHarkonens?
shigawire reels are encoded. To decrypt the documents,
theplayers(orplayercharacters)mustfiguer outhekey. WithmostoftheImperiumstilunawarejusthowclose
rakisistohebrinkofcolapse,theplayercharacters
Ifthegroupenjoyssolvingpuzles,thesidebardetails
canengageinmosttypesofadvene.tur Butheyare
afinalcipherforthemtocrack.Butinstead,the
emor likelytowantoknwabouthesituation
gamemastercanallowaChallenging(D3) Understand
Arrakis. To accommodate this, the gamemaster can
test to decode them. If they fail the test, the player
run adventures that lead to new spice as they cultivate
characters must make use of a contact or ally to do
contacts among the Fremen.
it for them, and they will owe that ally a favor. The
ally will also learn the information covered in the
document crystals.

56
A C RISIS OF S ECRETS
SafelywithnecomfortsandsecurityoftheirHouse’sstonghr old,theplayercharactersaresitingonapowderkeg
ofintelligenceaboutHoseHarkonen’sstewardshipofrakis.It’sshocking.ItappearsthatformanyearsHouse
Harkonenhasusedtheircoolfntr rakistoembezzlespiceandboosttheieser
rown ves.ecen
Butr tlyheemFr en,
whoavealwaysbeenathornieirside,haveescalatedtheirattacks.Spiceproductionsinperil,andRabban’sbest
effortstocrushtheemFr enhavefailed.Thesupplyofmelangemayceasetoflo,w evenwitheHarkonenproppingup
production with their own reserves.

Theproblemnowiswhattodowithsinformation.Somepartiesaleady
r knowtheplayercharactershaveuncovered
something, and the Harkonnens are all too aware of the intelligence stolen from them. There are a lot of knives and eyes
intheshadows,watchingtoseewhattheplayercharactersdonext.

ACT I: THE HORNS @ Take the intelligence to the Emperor, seek an

OF A DILEMMA
Theadvenetur beginswitheplayercharactersand
their House ruler in their House stronghold discussing
whattodo.Theintelligenceisexplosive,notjustfor
HouseHarkonenandHouseCorin,butalsoforthe
playercharacters.Buti’salsoasupremeopportuniy
for their House if handled with a deft touch, however, it
couldbecomealiabilityfmanagedbadl. y
In this scene, the player characters should recognize
thecrisisofsecretstheyhaveathand,andexpleor the
options, opportunities, and the dangers each course of
action offers. Their House Mentat (or a player character
Mentat)shouldbeginwithanoutlineoftheiroptions,
eachofwhichcanbediscussedbythegroup:
@ gnihton D buprt eparefoeht r dayeht spice
snur :tuo
record of it, and pretend you never had it.”
@ anH deht eltni gen il ceOMHC ot a iv co
ruoy act tn ,
,ihC andetl at ht beeht endfo as
cocer n ed: n “a reasonable option but House
Harkonnen either know, or suspect, we have it, and
this won’t stop them coming after us.”
@ OMHC ot G ghuo rht ffici
o alchaneln s:
would need to explain how it came to be in our
possession, a potentially thorny conversation.”
@ puoG blc i andpreseneht eltni gen
an L dsraadpen o ni sessi:no
with powerful influence to survive long enough to
present the evidence and explain how it came to be
in our possession.”
@ etG eht eltni gen il ceeht o dliuG andetl emht an
:ti “not a bad idea to get the Guild involved, but
where spice is involved, we cannot predict how they
will react.”
@ frnoC se uoH tno ar H enn ok andeierht seekan
alan il cese u ro eht eltni gen
il cebl
“potentially profitable but high risk, we would hold
the deadliest of tigers by the tail.”
alliance, seek assurances of protection, or use it
bl
ot ackai
m :mih l “a high risk strategy all round,
considering what we know about the Emperor and
his relationship with House Harkonnen.”
A CHIP IN THE BIG GAME
SpacingGuildHeighlinerunexpectedlyarrivesat
theplayercharacters’planet,withanImperialcourtier
aboard,seekinganaudience.Thecourtierisnoeother
thanCountHasimirFenring(see Dune Core Rulebook
p.259),theconfidanteoftheEmperorhimself,
accompaniedbyhiswifeMargot,whoteplayer
charactersmayknowisaBeneGesseritSister.This
unscheduledvisitbyamanofsuchprominencemustbe
eitheragreat,honr agreateat
thr ,orboth.
Fenringpoliteleqyr uestsameetingbutknowsfulwell
the player characters cannot decline it without directly
“suppress the intelligence, destroy all insulting him and, indirectly, the Emperor. He has a small
ti faras’r uoy e
WHAT THE ANTAGONISTS KNOW
HouseHarkonensuspects(attheveryleast)that
the player characters have gathered damning
“but we intelligenceaboutheiroperationsonrakis.
However, it is unlikely that House Harkonnen knows
precisely what the player characters have learned,
il ceeht o depending on the outcome of the Adventure
“we would need an ally “Numbers Never Lie”. They very much hope things
arenotasbadastheysuspect,butwhateverthe
case,theycannotallowthisvulnerabilityostand.
WithHouseCorinspieshiddenamongthe
h dle
Harkonnens reporting the incident to their handlers,
theEmperorandCountHasimirFenringfear
the intelligence could contain evidence of their
involvement in the destruction of House Atreides.
To ensure this intelligence does not come to light,
ot ackai
m emht l :
the Emperor is prepared to assassinate the leading
figues r oftheplayercharacters’House,intendingto
pointhefingerofblameattheHarkonens.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 57
 entourage, butaeDir (D4) Battle or Understand test
wilnotcethatbythewaytheymove,somemightbe
skilled assassins.

Theplayercharactersalsoecei r veamessagefromChi,
theirCHOMcontact(seep. 49).Shehasarrived
on the same Heighliner and is seeking an opportunity
tohaveaconfidentialconversation.Chwassurprised
tofinda Heighlinerheadingthiswaybutokias
astoker ofgoodfortune,anddoesnotkwCu
Fenringwasaboard.

THE AUDIENCE
Fenringcutsanimpressivefigue, r asdoesMargot
asshesweepsintoheaudienceombeh r indhim.
Fenringextendseverycourtesytohishostsand,ifthe
playercharactershavehaddealingswithmbefoe, r he
wilgenefer
tlyr tohseevents,buildinganypositive
relationship while downplaying any previous negative
interactions.Butdespitehisdemeanorheisinful
control of the situation.

Fenringwilnot(atthispoint)divulgethattheEmperor
knowsoftheplayercharacters’activtesagainstHouse
Harkonen,butwilestthewatertoeaseoutwhat
they.Heknow mightdothisinseveralways,suchas:
@ Mentioning that the Emperor has asked him to make
a tour of important Houses to discuss current events
and developments in the Imperial political sphere.
@ He asks the player characters for their opinion of
ecen
r evt ens.t fI asked,eh say l iw eh bv o sluoi y
means the situation on Arrakis, of course.
@ Fenring suggests all matters relating to Arrakis
bean h dledgrhtiw eatcareandcau—an noit y
exnu pectedevr elatsnoi shro ck o sdluow stylno and
to make the situation worse.
@ House Harkonnen is not a House one should
readily cross without considering all the
possibilit es and consequences.
@ He suggests that Houses that show maturity and
discretion thrive and prosper as the Emperor sees
eiht gor do dgm
uj enpuni t gnit eht per
mI fir
mui st.

MargotFenringiscontentoletherhusbandtakethe
leadandoduintr cesherselfonlyasCountFenring’s
wife.Butanverage(D1) Communicate test reveals
sheisclearlyactingasaBeneGesseritadvisorinths
situation rather than as a consort. She watches the
player character closely. If any of them make a point of
hiding their intentions from her,eqitr es uir aChallenging
(D3) Communicate test, ideally with some form of
BeneGesseritrainig . She may also attempt to seduce
a player character to gain a secret ally in case things
gobadlylater.Ifsheissuccessful,thegamemaster
may give the player character a secret trait of ‘Must
ProtectMargot’.

Iftheplayerscomestraightouandexplainwhatthey
havefound,Fenringappearsappalledatwhathe’s

58
hearing, although success at a contested Understand behalf.emChir ainsveryskitshandneedsguidance
skiltestagainstFenring’s Discipline allows the player fromtheplayercharactersaboutwhatcourseofaction
characters to see that his surprise is a ruse. If things sheshouldtakeassheisnofieldagent.Inhisanxious
gettensetoquick,ly Fenringbegsforachanceest tor state,Chicouldtakeoneofthefolowingactions,atthe
forthenightandecur peratebefoer theytale.kmor He gamemaster’sdiscretion:
withdrawstowhateversuitableaccomodationthe
@ diov enF tnuoC gnir andady
L ar
M goat
t alco
l sts.
playercharactershavepreparedforhim.Margotjoins
@ erThh w oselr fenFg’s
n ior erm cyandcofess
n evg.ern i h t y
him unless she sees a useful opportunity with a player
@ etB ayr eht playercharactersenF ot g, nir claignim
character alone.
eyht erw ebehdni eht egal
l i per
o atsnoi agaistn
House Harkonnen.
CHOAM
ChiarrivesatthesametimeastheFenringsand Whatshedoesdependsontheplayercharacters’
isworiedbytheirarrival,fearingthattheyhave eact
r ionwhensheeqr uestsaprivateaudience.Ifthey
discoveredhermeddling.Butshealsoneedsthe dismiss her or refuse to give her the documents, she
intelligence the player characters uncovered on her wilgotoheFenrings.Butiftheplayercharacters

M A RG O T F E N R I N G , B E N E G E S S E R I T
A ND I M P E R I AL A DV I S O R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
LadyMargotisaskiledBeneGesseritSister,
trained as a consort and an assassin. Her natu- D U T Y: 8 We do what we must.
ralbeautyiscombinedwithexceptionalskilsin
manipulationandseduction,aswellasbeingamis - FA I T H : 6
esstr ofthebladeandclosecombat.Shedresses
in stylish court fashions, mainly to play down her JU S T I C E: 4
BeneGesseritconectionsandappearnothig
The shadows are where the
more than a dutiful wife. P OW ER : 7 true power lies.
TheSisterhodpaied r herwithCounFenringto
T RU T H : 5
spyontheImperialCourt.IniallyMargothadto
seduceCountFenringtogainhistrust,buther
extensivetrainigpreparedherforthechallenge. SKILL FOCUSES
However,theyfoundmutalespect
r andquickly
becamededicatedpartners.Itisuncleariflove B AT T LE: 7 Smallblades
evercrossedtheirminds,butheyhavebecome
kindred spirits, and it is hard to see if their loyalty C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Seduction
to each other is greater than that of their faction
and alliances. D I S C I P LI N E: 6

Traits:BeneGesserit,Noble,Spy M OVE: 6 Grace

TALENTS
@ Dual Fealty: arM gosi t aemm berfo eht U N D ER S TA N D : 7 Spy
enB eesser
G an ti deht per
mI al
i an truoC dsi
cosin deredal yol andsturt by
yhtrow bo.ht
@ Hyperawareness:Whensiu gn bt o ain
information, Margot may know the answer to
est
uq owt s.noi
@ Prana-Bindu Conditioning:arM goaym t e-r l o r
a single d20 for a Move or Discipline test.
@ Voice:arM goaym t add1,3ro 2 enmoM mut
to gain that many automatic successes in an
atemt ptfluni ot enceaar t get.

Assets:Stylishcourtclothing(Quality3),Hidden
knife(Quality2)

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 59
 can convince her they are on her side, she trusts them
enough to follow their lead.
IniteractionswithbothCiandtheFenrings,thetraits
they have gained play a pivotal role in their alliances.
Thegamemastershouldmakeuseofthetraitstoadjust
social tests for the player characters, either raising or
loweringtheDifficultybasedontheirapport.
Every interaction with their visitors, whether individually
or collectively, presents a chance for the player
characterstoinerogat r etheirguests.ButLadyMargot
doesnotsitidlyby.Shealsoconspies
r togetChialone
in hopes of swaying her loyalty.
Thegamemastercanplayouthenextcoupleofdays
asanintrgueconflict,witheachcharacterasazone,
moving evidence and allegiance assets to convince
them of their veracity and trustworthiness. Alternatively,
they may play out the scene calling for Communicate
and Understandtestsaseqr ed. uir
If the player characters decided to play out the scenes,
the gamemaster should vary the setting, and the
participants.Someexamplesettingsare:
@ Takgni ea t a no balcoa
htiw yn beaufuit ewiv l
@ Eating a formal main meal together
@ gnioG gnit uh
@ Playing or watching a sporting event
@ Togniru eht stghno r dlo ear
n ro byan
l dsandfacies
Notethattheplayercharactersarefreetoell
anyofthegueststoleavetheirwoldonthenext
Heighliner.Butdoingsogainsthemthetrait‘Rudeto
CHOM/nImperialgent’whichmayhaveserious
repercussions later.
I M P E R IAL A S S AS S I N S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Imperial assassins trained to imitate Harkonnen
methods, these elite operatives use Harkonnen
designedweaponsandhunter-seekers.Expert
kilers,theyfightohedeathandneverleta
disloyal word pass their lips. They intend to kill
their targets, without mercy, and the gamemaster
should prepare to spend Threat to achieve this.
Traits: Assassin, Ready to Die
Drive: 6
TALENTS
@ Decisive Action: If an Assassin removes
anassetwithaBattletest,afteradding
Momentumforextradice,theymayspend2
Threat to remove a second asset.
60
ACT II:
SOMETHING WICKED
T H I S W AY C O M E S
Whilestayingasaguest,CountFenringandLady
Margotwantolearnexactlywhattheplayercharacters
.Thknow eirbriefistwofold,findoutwhatiseal
r ly
happening on Arrakis, and make sure none of the
scandalinvolestheEmper.Thor eydon’tcareifthe
Harkonnens are wrecking Arrakis (apart from the effect
onspice)astheEmperorbelieveshecanjustepl r ace
them. What does concern him is the player characters
findingoutabouthisconectionthefallofthe
Atreides. Fenring is prepared to kill everyone the player
characters know to protect this information.
CountFenringcametoheplayercharacters’
homeworld knowing that, to protect the Emperor,
he might need to kill the leaders of the House. He
considersitashame,butsometimes, Istislah , as the
emFr encallit,isnecessaryforthestabilityofthe
Imperium.IstislahistheemFr enlawthateqr es
uir the
undertakingofanactforthegoodofall,butalsoan
actofbrutalnecessi.ndty it’snotasiftheplayer
characters’Houseisanimportantone,anyway.He’sno
fooleitherandsuspectsthatChisalsoinvoled.Why
rush so fast to gain a seat on his unannounced and
it l unscheduled Heighliner?
So,befoer theFenringsarrived,severalImperial
assassins arrived in secret, disguised as visitors and
seasonalworkers(equaltohenumberofplayer
charactersplusone).IfatanypointFenringbelieves
the player characters know too much, he sends a covert
der
or fortheassassinstoinfiltrateandkiltheplayer
charactersandChi.
SKILL FOCUSES
Assassination,
B AT T LE: 7 Sneak Attacks
C O M M U N I C AT E: 4
D I S C I P LI N E: 7 Self Contrl
M OVE: 6 Stealth
U N D ER S TA N D : 4
Assets:ssassinationBlade(Quality2),Hunter-seeker
(Quality2),Poison(Quality2)
If Fenring knows the player characters have uncovered
theEmperor’sconectionthefalloftheeitr des,
orthattheyknowtheextentofspiceproblemson
rakisbutwon’tsharethatinformation,hestagesan
assassination. Move to Act II. If he remains in the dark
aboutwhatthey,know itwon’tbenecessaryandthe
advenetur canskiptoctI.ButFenring(orMargot)
may attempt to steal what the player characters have to
look at it himself, that is if he is aware of it.
THE NIGHT OF THE SLOW BLADES
tamoentjustbefoer dawn,skilfulycodior nated
bytheassassins,eachplayercharactersuffersan
assassinationattempt.Unlessotherwisespecifically
statedbyaplayer,eachplayercharacterhasetr ed ir
tobedforthenight. Theywilbeasleepunlessthey
fail anverage(D1) Discipline skill test. If they try to
emr ainawake,theymustsucceedinaChallenging(D2)
Discipline test. If they pass the skill test, they gain the
trait‘Widewake’.
Noteveryplayercharacterhasaeaso r ntobeawake
at night. So, the gamemaster may allow the player
charactersaeDir (D4) Communicate test to divine
somethingofCountFenring’sintentions.
Mentat in possession of all the facts may predict the
assassinationattemptasapossibi. lity
Theassassinationattemptshappenindividuallybut
shouldplayoutconcuenr tlyformaximutension.
The assassins have three approaches to choose from
dependingontheplayercharacter:
1. Infiltrateahunter-seekerintohetarget’sbed
chamber,useitocausesomenoise(suchas
knockingoveranornament),andattackthe
movement of the sleeping victim as they react. The
targeted player character can make a contested
Understand skiltestagainsttheoperator’s Battle
tospothehunter-seeker’sshimeringmovement
intheearlypre-dawngl.Ifow theypassthisskil
test,theycanmakeaDauntig(D3) Discipline
testtofreezebefoer thehunter-seekercaneactr .If
thisfails,theymoveandthehunter-seekerattacks,
dealing a deadly wound.
2. Sneakintohetarget’squartersandkilthemintheir
bedswithkndjals. The target can make a contested
Understand skiltestagainsttheassassin’s Move to
stirfromtheirslumberbefoer theassassinattacks.If
Similarly, a thisfails,theygainthenegativetrait‘SitingDuck’.
They can then engage the assassin in a skirmish.
 3. The assassin, wearing a special insulating glove,
infiltratesaTrio-keeDeathwatchScarabintohe
target’schambers.
noticesitwhasuccessfuelDir (D4)
test.Iftheyareawake,edur cetheDifficultyby2.
TheDifficultyisedu
r cedby2iftheyareawake.If
theynoticethescarab,theplayercharactermust
makeaChallenging(D2)
bugbefoer itbites.
Normal,ly suchattackswouldbedeadl,y butheplayer
charactersareamongthebestagentsoftheirHouse.
Wounded or poisoned characters have time to seek
medical attention or the help of their friends. If they
don’t,theywildie,butevenwithasurpriseattack,
the gamemaster should avoid seeing them all die in
their sleep!
The real issue with failing to defend themselves against
theassassinsisnotheirownlives,buthatofChi.If
the player characters survive their encounter with the
assassins,theycangettoChinmetosaveherfrom
asimilarfate(iftheychoseto).Ifnot,theassassins
kilherbefoer theycanescur eher.twhichpointhe
playercharactersnowhavethebodyofaCHOM
agentwhodiedintheircare.Ifsheobtainedaccessto
the Harkonnen documents, the gamemaster can decide
if the intelligence made it to her superiors.
The assassins may have also come for the player
characters’Houserulerandfamilyaswell.The
gamemastercanruletheyaredeadorbadlywounded,
placing the player characters in direct control of their
House. This depends on how well the player characters
doandwhatpositionhegamemasterwantsthemtobe
in as agents of the House.
RAISING THE ALARM
As soon as a player character raises the alarm, the
householdisinuproarem.nyr ainigassassinsmustbe
TRIO-KEE DEATHWATCH
SCARAB (ASSET)
Imperial assassins use these deadly and terrifying
creates ur asbothaneffectivekilngtolandto
sendachilngmessage.NativetoSalusaSecundus,
thehand-sizedcreates ur seekoutbodywarmth
andinjectasteam r oftinyeggsintohevictim.For
humans,thisamountstoaburnigpoisonthatcan
kill in minutes.
sansset:nyoebitbythecreateur gainsthe
trait‘gonizgpain’andneedstoseekeat tr ment
forthepoisonwithenexthirymnuesor
they will die.
Keyds:
wor Insect,Steal,thy Poisonous.
62
tracked down and captured or killed. Player characters
maybeinvoledinthehunt,ortheymayleaveitohe
The targeted player character guards. The assassins attempt to escape or die trying.
Understand Each one has an implanted poison device to ensure a
quickandpainlessdeatby h doingliteemor thanbiting
theirlip.Theyefu
r setobetakenaliveunlesstheplayer
characters are spectacularly clever.
Move test to crush the
The assassins are in plain uniforms with unmarked
weapons.Butheirbodiesshowsignsofbeingagents
of House Harkonnen (such as the right pollutants for life
onGiediPrime).Theplayercharactersmayconsiderthis
profthatitcannotbetheHarkonens.fterall,even
Rabbanwouldknowtleaveevidenceofsuchan
attack.ButimayalsobetheBaronsendingamessage
that he can get to the player characters anytime he likes.
IftheplayercharacterscananalyzeadeadTrio-kee
scarab, theycanidentifyitwhaChallenging(D2)
Understand test.IftheyshowCuntFenringthe
specimen,heconfirmsorsharesthesameinformation,
asdenialjustmakeshimlokguilter.However,hewil
suggest someone is clearly framing the Emperor.
THE IMPERIAL COURTIER
CountFenringisplayingadeviousployandafterthe
failure of the assassins, he tries to divert suspicion on
to the Harkonnens. It is up to the player characters to
decideiftheytrusthim,needtoinerogat
r ehim,orjust
wanthimgonefromtheirplanetassoonaspossible.If
they send him packing, they gain no negative trait. They
can argue the situation is too dangerous to risk the life
ofsuchaconsequentialmemberoftheImperialcourt.
Whether it is in the middle of the night with alarms
goingoff,orverapleasantbreakfastthenextday,
Fenringexpectsquestions.So,hisplanistogoonthe
offensive;afterall,hemighthavebeenkiled!Howcan
theplayercharactersbesuer hewasn’ttheeal r target?
During this scene, the player characters can attempt to
see if Fenring is lying withaDauntig(D3) Understand
test.However,Fenringhasthetrait‘Consumate
Liar’toincreasethisDifficu.nd, lty ifLadyMargothas
charmedoneoftheplayercharacters,theDifficulty
increases again.
Fenring offers the following answers to the player
characters’questions:
@ If the player characters informed Fenring of
everything they know, he says this is the work of the
Harkonnens, especially with the intelligence they
dloh ervo eht eat
rG se.
uoH
@ If the player characters have not yet told Fenring
the details of the intelligence, he still says this is
the work of the Harkonnens, and they should tell
him everything…
@ fI eht playercharacterssuggestse
uoH onir oC to call a meeting with House Harkonnen to calm the
ghim be
t behdni ,ti basedeht no se u fo eht Tree
k-oi situationandextractwhattheycanfromthem.IfChis
scarabsandat hw eyht ay
m av h eear l ed n freht mo alive, she says the only safe route is to give the details
assassiprn soi ern s,eh says: toCHOMandletthemdealwithesituation.But
@ “I can see this is an emotional moment, and they can follow another course, such as releasing it in
your passions are naturally running high, so I open session to the Landsraad, approaching another
wil—thisonce—overloktheabjectinsult factionlketheBeneGesserit,orseekinganalliance
to myself and your Padishah Emperor as an (possibloughythr blackmail)witheEmper. or
aberrationfthemindbroughtonbythestess r
ofthisnight’sevents.” THE SHADOW DANCE
@ “Yes,eht Treek-oi scarabsi atn evi Sal ot sa
u If the player characters approach House Harkonnen for
Secudun s,budluow t eh ro I per mE be ro so aparley,theBaronaccepts.Heneedstoknwhatthe
foolish as to attempt a crime such as this using playercharacters.Butheknow hashisagentnegotiate
peo
nwo ru pleandech t es?” uqin howtemeetingshouldbeconducted.TheBaron
@ “And yes, the resilience and loyalty of the wants the meeting to take place on Harkonnen territory,
Sardauar k areghir evr ylt ered,buerhto scanbe butheplayercharactersshouldpreferaemor neutral
ai
rt ed n emot at
lu eeiht sur premeabies it l —siht setting(fortheirpersonalsafet,y ifnothigelse). This
in no way proves these assassins were Sardaukar.” negotiationcanbeplayedoutasanintrgueconflict,
@ “This is a simple Harkonnen ploy to kill you for with favors and assets leveraging the two sides into one
actruoy snoi agaistn emht anday l eht blameat meetingspotorheother.Butifcanalsobedonewitha
eht per mE ’s
ro do’m I r. o disappoed tni can
uoy ’t simple contested DisciplinetestagainsttheBaron(see
see through it yourselves.” Dune Core Rulebook p.251)

As the assassination was unsuccessful (or not The Harkonnen Disposition towards the player
required), Fenring needs to reevaluate. He counsels characters,egar r dlessofanypreviousgoodwilbetween
the player characters to be cautious in their moves theirHouses,isOpposed(+2Difficulty)andhasthetrait
and accusations, especially if they involve the ‘UnstatedTheat r ofViolence’.Theplayercharacters
Imperial Throne. But if he knows they have evidence possessthetrait‘TheWhipHand’andcanattempt
of the Harkon ens’ failure, he can make a deal. tocreateintangiblessetsbefoer andduringthe
Such evidence could see the Harkonnens removed negotiations.
from Arrakis again, with the player characters taking
IftheBaronwis,themeetingwiltakeplaceonGiedi
advantage of the opportunity.
Prime. If the player characters win, it takes place in a
While Fenring and the Emperor know spice production locationftheirchosing.ButheBaronmayoffera
hasslowed,theyareunderestimatingtheproblem compromiseoptionftheplanetKitak,runbyHouse
becauseoftheirhubris.Theycan’tbelieveforamoent Zerides(aminorHuseloyaltoheHarkonen).
that their spice supply will vanish, even if no one else in
the Known Universe can get hold of it. The Emperor is MEETING BARON
confidentheecei wilr veasupplybefoer anyoneelse. VLADIMIR HARKONNEN
Healsocannotbelieveagroupoflocalpeasantsis Wieh t heettm gn i placeset,eh t eal
r ego
n ati t can
n o i begi. n
thatmuchofaproblem.TheHarkonensareplaying
anangleorbeingincompetent.Eiherproblemcanbe Precededbyhisattendantsandentourage—all
solvedbyemr ovingthemandlettingthingsgetback timd,cowed,theirheadsbowed—theSiridar
to normal. The Emperor actually hopes the Harkonnens BaronVladimirHarkonenfloatsintohechamber,
prove incompetent, as propping up the market with his towering entry all ostentation. Monstrous
their own supply is making them weaker and easier decadence oozes from every pore, every hair, his
to take down. The Emperor has already destroyed goldbeltbuckleandfinestleathersashscreaming
oneHouse,maybeheshoulddestoyan r other, opulence.Crueleyesnarowas r hespiesyouforthe
justtobesue.r firsttime.Theruthlessangletohismouthightens
ashisfleshyfingersrapontheblackcumerbund
ACT III: A TIGER holdinghisobesityincheck.Easingintoabroad

BY THE TAIL armchai,r hisweightdistributinglikeanelephant

settlingdowntosleep,theBaronfHouse
After dealing with Fenring, and either making an ally Harkoneneventuallydrawsadeepbreathand
or an enemy of him, the player characters still have a meets your gaze.
choicetomake.CountFenringandMargotadvisethem
“Well, well, well. Finally, here we are.”

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 63
 IfthemeetingisonGiediPrimeorHuseZerides’ WHAT THE BARON WANTS
homeworld,BaronHarkonenisconfidentand (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
aggressive in his negotiations, content to make naked 1. The stolen intelligence returned and all evidence of
eat thr saboutheplayercharacters’fuetur safetytoget itnheplayercharacters’possessiondestoyed.
r
his way. If the parley takes place at a neutral location
2. guaranteeoftheplayercharacters’fuetur silence
chosenbytheplayercharacters,theBaronischarming
aboutheintelligence.
and accommodating and prepared to negotiate in a less
hostile manner. 3. Theplayercharacters’ongoingsupportforHouse
Harkonen’sworknakistokeepthespice
The gamemaster can give the players plenty of space to
flowingforeveryone.
olepl
r aythispivotalmeetingwithBaronHarkonen, but
thisshouldalsobeconductedasanIntrigueconflict. WHAT THE BARON MAY OFFER
Whichever side won the negotiation over the meeting (IN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE):
placealsogainsthetrait‘Homeound’ Gr forthe 1. His personal gratitude for helping the Harkonnens
negotiations. For the negotiation, one player character root out and discredit this spurious information.
should take the lead and up to two others can assist. Theygainthetrait‘FriendoftheBaron’.

Runigtheconflictinvolesthetwopartiesattempting 2. A personal guarantee to cease all hostilities.

to gain concessions from each other in contested tests. Ofcourse,hedeniesanyinvolementinhe
‘at
n tack’canbemadealternatelby y intativeasusual. assassination attempt. They gain the trait ‘The
Iftheplayercharacterswin,theBaronagreestogive Baron’sWod’.
r
themoneofthethingshecanoffer.IftheBaronwis,
3. significantpaymentodemonstrategoodwiland
he can force the player characters to grant him one of
nohardfeelingsbetweentheHouses. They gain the
the things he wants. If a complication is rolled (the range
trait‘HarkonenRiches’.
is18-20),thenthatsidemustalsogiveawayanother
concession. The negotiation ends when one side 4. A small spice concession, giving the player
decidestheyhavehadenough,andbothsideshaveat characters’favorabletermstobuyspice. They gain
leastonethingtheywant.Otherwise,itendswhenone thetrait‘SpiceConcession’.
side has run out of concessions they can make (as long
5. ThetruhoftheEmperor’sinvolementinhefallof
astheotherpartyhasatleastonethingtheywanted).
House Atreides.

64
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
If the player characters choose not to negotiate with
House Harkonnen, they have several other options
available.Butindoingso,theplayercharactersshould
expecteper r cussionsandfuetur attemptsontheirlives.
Theygainthenegativetrait‘EnemyoftheHarkonen’.
GIVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO CHOAM
IfChisalive,shearguesforthisoption.Theplayer
characterswouldhavenothigifshehadn’tgiventhem
the original lead. Unfortunately, once they receive the
intelligence,CHOMisunabletokeepalidonit.The
newsbreakswithndaysandallhellbreakslose.The
Emperor loses face and has to spend enormous political
capitaltocalmtheLandsraad.Itisnotpubliclyknow
wheretheintelligenceoriginatedbutrumosabound.
The player characters gain the negative trait
‘CHOMstoges’,butheyarealsoconsidered
‘FriendsofCHOM’.
GO PUBLIC AND PRESENT THE INTELLIGENCE
TO THE LANDSRAAD
TheplayercharactersneedtofindanalliedHousewith
enoughcloutmakethisoptionwrkable.Ifthey
canfindallies,theyhavetheopportuniyomakethe
accusation. Thiseqr es uir aDauntig(D3) Communicate
test,andifitfailstheyhavetofindanotherway.
presentheevidence,CountFenringandtheEmperor
grow livid. The Landsraad erupts upon hearing the
news,butHouseHarkonenhasenoughalliesto
makesuer nochargesstick.Thisismainlybecausethe
Emperor protects them for the sake of safeguarding his
own secrets.
The player characters gain the Trait ‘Loyal to the
Landsraad’butalso‘EnemyoftheEmperor’.
INFORM THE SPACING GUILD
Thisisthebestoptionforkeepingthingsquietwithou
upsettingtheHarkonens.TheSpacingGuilddoes
notpubliclelyr easetheintelligence,butprivately
approaches the Emperor, accusing him and the
Harkonnens of playing with the spice supply for their
own petty personal gains. The Emperor is told to stop in
noucertainterms,and‘asked’tostepinpersonallyto
ensuer aconstantspicesupplyfortheGuild.
Theplayercharactersgainthepositivetrait‘Guild
Concessions’.ButiftheGuildevr ealswherethe
informationcamefrom(atthegamemaster’sdiscretion),
theyalsogettheTrait‘EnemyoftheEmperor’.
SEEK AN ALLIANCE WITH THE EMPEROR
Sharing what they know with the Emperor is a good
waytomakeanallyoftheThone.r Bycomingtohe
Emperor, he is more assured they will also keep his
involementwiheHarkonenssecret.CountFenring
warns the player characters of the dangers of playing
gameswitheImperialpowerbutcomendsthemfor
maintainigconfidentialitynhsseriouscase.Thismay
even position the player characters in line to take over
onrakiswhentheHarkonensinevitablyfail.
Theplayercharactersgainthetrait‘ImperialFavor’.
CONCLUSION
Whathappensnow?Theplayercharacters’Housemay
have made some powerful friends and gained some
influence,butatwhatcost?Iftheytiedthemselvesto
HouseHarkonen,theiralliancenowlkslikebacking
theongwr Matadoronfestivalday,andtheymaybe
goed r bythehornsoftheImperiumbul.Thisisonly
made worse if they crossed the Imperial House to do it.
However,iftheycanextractvaluefromthsealliances
befoer thechaosbecomesall-consuming,theymaylive
tofightanotherday.ndiftheywereshewr dandmade
lasting relationships with these powers or the Spacing
Guild,thentheirfuetur maybebrightindeed.
If they
FURTHER ADVENTURES
Regardlessofwhathasbecomepublicknowledge,the
fact remains, the spice supply is dwindling. If the real
detailsofHouseHarkonen’sfaielur becomepublic
knowledge,theLandsraadpanics.ccusationsfly,some
screamfortheHarkonenstodobetter,othersforthe
Emperortstepin.Behindthescenes,competitonfor
spicegoesfromfiercetodeadl.Each y Housebecomes
emor andemor likelytousedeadlyfoce r justtoacqeuir
the smallest amount of melange.
There are many opportunities for the player characters
tojinhesecretwarthatbreaksoutclaimspice.
Theymightfightinheshadowstoakespicefrom
weakerHousesorbuildemor contactswithsmugglers
tobecomeasupplier.Theymayevendescend
completely into the criminal underworld, especially if
the spice shortage hits them hard.
In the meantime, House Ecaz continues to look for ways
to hurt the Harkonnens, especially given their weak
position. If the player characters are their allies, House
Ecaz asks for their help. And, if they are friends of the
Harkonens,theBaroneedsalltheallieshecanfindas
hefightsonallsides.
TheImperiumsonthebrink,anditsonlygoing
to get worse.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 65
66
 ACT III:

FA L L O F T H E
IMPERIUM
There exists no separation between gods and men:
one blends softly casual into the other.

— Proverbs of Muad'Dib

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 67
 T HE H UNGRY
I MPERIUM
Thespicenolgerflows.Productionhasceased,andwhilethenobleHouseshavewitnessedtheirstockpilesdwindle,
theyneverbelievedforamoenthatmelangewouldn’tbeavailable.Eachassumedtheycouldsecuer asupplyand
carednothigforthosewhocould,not.Buw witheHarkonensunabletomeetdemand,manyMajorHuses
havederor edtheirvassalHousestohandovertheieser r veswhileMinorHusesarelokingattheirneighborsand
wondering what they can steal.

WitheImperiumteeteringontheprecipiceofchaos,paranoiaisrampant.TheSpacingGuild,strivngtoconserve
theiesor ces,
ur hasmadetravelprohibitivelyexpensivefortheaverageImperialcitizenandhasfoced r Housestomake
strategicdecisionsegar r dingtheircomunicationwthagentsandalliesoffplanetbecauseoftherisingcosts.Most
blametheHarkonensasgovernorsofrakisfortheirinabilityomaintainproductionthefaceofemFr ensabotage.
However,theBeneGesseritsensethereisemor behindtheHarkonens’faies,
lur andtheyhavechosentheplayer
characters’Housetohelpthemuncoverthetruh.

In Act I, the player characters have another opportunity to secure a spice supply. If they failed to do this in earlier
advenes, tur thisisasecondchance.Buteveniftheyweresuccessful,thesituationhasworsened.Theplayercharacters
mustpursuenewleadsormvestraightoctI.nthisnextct,theBeneGesseritengagethehelpoftheplayer
charactersfin to demorut abotheu newemFr enleaderMuad’Dib.what But evertheydiscover,bycttheI Landsraad
isatboilngpoint.TheEmperorisunderseverepressuer eso tor lvethesituationrakisandtheplayercharactersare
askedtosupportanally(eitherHouseEcazorHuseHarkonen)witheirvoteinthedebate.

A C T I : P RO B L E M S
AT H O M E
Iftheplayercharacters’Housestilhasn’tsecued
spicesuppl,y thisistheirmostimediateproblem.
Somespiceemr ainsinstorage,but,becauseofthe
Emperor’sheavy-handedbanonstockpiling,supplies
aredangerousl.Offici
ylow alsoces
ur arecompletelydr. y
Any alternative contacts made in previous adventures
aredifficultocontact,andcouriersareincreasingly
expensivetosendtoherplanets.
(D2) Communication test puts the characters in touch
with some reluctant contacts on Arrakis,butheyfear
fortheirsafetyaswellasfortheirabilityosupply
melange. Initially, they claim they have nothing to
send.furtherDauntig(D3)
similar)withoercontactsonrakis(orintheSpacing
Guild)evr ealstheemFr enaretoblame.Theyhave
increasedtheirsabotageoperationstenfold.There
isn’tjustasupplychainproblem,noecankeepa
r a
spice crawler functioning long enough to return with
harvested melange.
Any Fremen contacts the player characters are
mysteriouslysilent.Theydon’twantocomunicate
withoff-worlders.Gettinganyinformationutfthemis
a contested test using Communication if these contacts
Challenging arewellenoughestablishedtobeNotableSupporting
Characters. UseaeDir (D4) Communication test instead
iftheno-playercharacterisonlyacasualacquaintance ,
even if one or more of the player characters is of Fremen
descenemt.Fr enoff-planetarenolgertrusted
Communication test (or and even those Fremen who have strong contacts in
rakeenorCarthagareunderacloudofsuspicion.

Iftheplayercharacters’HousehasvassalHouses,they
couldsqueezethemforspice.Thevassals,perfoce, r
GOING HOME
giveupwhatlitetheyhave,buthiscausesmassive
IfaemFr encharactercontactstheirtibe,they
esen
r tment,leadingebel tor lionrafaielur ofsupport
areinstructedtokneelbefoer Muad’Dibasa
in the Landsraad later in this adventure. The characters
conditionfortheiracceptancebackintohetribe.
could plan to start a war with other Houses, or to shore
If they do this, the Fremen conscript the player
up their own defenses against a potential attack. This
character(s)intohedesertwar,preventingthem
depends on the nature of their relationship with any rival
fromcontiugwitheadvenetur (fornow).
House or Houses.
Noemn-Fr enarenotwelcomeamongthetribes.
ClearlythingshavechangedamongtheemFr en Thankfu,ly befoer anyoftheseideasareputino
andemFr enplayercharactersmustchosebetween practice,anagentbringstheplayercharactersaepo
r rt
theirtibeandtheirHouse. concernigLislLock,alocalcelebrityonheirhome

68
planet, who somehow somehow has the means to
distributespicetoherfriendsandsupporters.She’s
asingerandworksinanightclubinthecomercial
partoftown.I’seasyenoughtorackherdown,but
getting to meet her proves a challenge. She surrounds
herself with her entourage, which includes a social
secretary named Elayne who organizes her diary, her
overlyprotectivemanagernamedMarainBistock,and
severalbodyguards.
Assuming they wish to talk to her, the player characters
mustarrangeaninterview.It’seasyenoughtoget
intoeofhershowsaspartofthelocalnobi. lity
However, any attempt to force their way in leads to
aconfrontationwthebodyguardsandthismakes
Marain hostile towards the characters. If the characters
canpulanystringsinshowbiz
anverage(D1) Communicate testpersuadesLisl’s
secretary Elayne to make them an appointment with
Lisl.Iftheplayercharactershavenoifluenceinthe
underworldorshowbizworld,the
becomesChallenging(D2).Iftheyfailallthetests,the
player characters can get the rulers of the House to
order Lisl to attend an audience, as they do run the
planet(orterritoyfaminorHuse).
Marain is present for the meeting, monitoring
everything the player characters and Lisl say in it. If
LISL LOCK, NIGHTCLUB SINGER
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER
Personableandattractive,Lislisawell-know
nightclubsingerontheplayercharacters’
homeworld. While she is a talented singer who
couldeasielyhir abettermanager,sheisinlove
withMarainBistockandbelievessheowesher
successtohimandhimalone.Closecontacts
oftencomentonhwdisturbinglydependent
she is on him.
She has a small amount of spice, which she uses to
ewr ardhermostfaithfulfans,butpretendstohave
access to more.
Traits:Nightclubsinger,Charming
TALENTS
@ Performer:Once/scenesliL aym sign (whti
acco
tuoh iw ro pan
m enmi )
t foat
r east
l ent
es,
tunim chihw adds1Theatr 1ro enmoM mut
to those who listen attentively to her
performance.
Assets:Severalglamousr andfashionableoutfits
(Quality2),manyfansatallevelsofsociety
there is any hint of interference, any threat to Lisl or any
sign of disrespect, he terminates the interview. Lisl relies
onMarainexclusivelyandismaybeinlovewithm.She
loksathimallthetimeandneveranswersaquestion
without his approval. Should the characters wish
sometimealonewithLsl,acontestagainstMarain’s
Discipline iseqr ed uir topersuadeorintmdatehim
into leaving the room for a few minutes. As Lisl watches
himleave,herbrowfuowsr andherlipstighten.
Questiongbearslitefruitnolybecausesheis
distractedbutalsobecausesheknowsnothigbeyond
what Marain tells her. As long as the player characters
remain calm and kind to her, she offers them some spice
atbelowthegoingrate.Butiftheygetfrustratedwith
Lisl and cause her more distress, she tells them to talk to
Marain or pound pavement.
or the local underworld,
GettinginformationutfMarainis anextendedtask
withaeqr emuir entequaltoMarain’s Discipline(7).How
itproceedsdependsonMarain’sDispositionwhch,
Communicate test intur,isaffectedbytheplayercharacters’actions.
Marain’sdesier istocontiuehisbusinesswithou
interference. Assets which improve his Disposition
includeinfluencewithlocalshowbizorunderworld
contacts, promises of protection from persecution,
promises of favor from the ruling House. Using Assets
which threaten Marain reduces his Disposition.
DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
D U T Y: 6 Mymanagerknowsbest.
FA I T H : 7 My voice supports me.
JU S T I C E: 3
P OW ER : 4
T RU T H : 5
SKILL FOCUSES
B AT T LE: 3
C O M M U N I C AT E: 7 Charm,Perform(Singing)
D I S C I P LI N E: 5
M OVE: 5
U N D ER S TA N D : 3
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 69
 M A RAI N B IS T O CK , C R I M I N A L C R E W B O S S
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
Marain is a successful gangster on the player
characters’homeplanet.Hewassuccessfulprior D U T Y: 5
tomeetingLislbutafterhestartedtomanage
the talented singer, his career really took off. Lisl FA I T H : 6 Iammyownboss.
can get him into all kinds of places and helps him
makevaluablecontactsatallevelsofsociet. y JU S T I C E: 4
HefindsLislabitclingy,andthisirtateshim
Profitgoestohsewith
sometimes,buthedoesnothigtoharmorupset P OWER : 7
the courage to grasp it.
his golden goose.
T RU T H : 3
Marain has contacts with a smuggling crew on
Arrakeen. This crew has, until now, continued to
supply him with spice, which has helped grow SKILL FOCUSES
Marain’sepu r tation.sspicegrowsincreasingly
difficultobtain,thissupplyhasenabled B AT T LE: 5
Marain to grow his fortune and his power within
thecrimnalhierarchecen
.Butr y ,tly evenblack C O M M U N I C AT E: 6
marketeershaveprovedunabletogetspice,and
Marainisanxiousabouthisdwindlingstock. D I S C I P LI N E: 7 anm o C d,pom o C suer

Traits:Crimnal boss M OVE: 4

TALENTS
@ Driven: After spending a point of U N D ER S TA N D : 5
etD erat nim ,noi eht gamemastersl o r 1d2fI .0
eyht eql o r al
u der
nu ro t ar
M ai’s
n sciiD pleni
rating, they immediately regain that point of
Determination.

Assets:Kindjal,crewofthugs

M A RAI N ’ S T H U G S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Thissquadofbruisers are faithful to Marain and
come in as large a group.

Drive: 5

TALENTS
@ Improvised Weapon: The thugs may create a
Qualeapo
w 0 yti asset
n foemht r seles
v 1/scene.

Assets:Kindjal

SKILL FOCUSES
Dirtyfighting,
BAT T L E : 6 sneak attacks

COM MUN IC AT E : 4

DISCIP L I N E : 4

M OV E : 5 Stealth

UNDER STAN D: 4

70
If the interrogation proceeds well, the characters may newemFr enleader,theonecalledMuad’Dib.Using
learnMarain’sstockpilesare,low andhehasinvted Momentum to increase the amount of information
oneofhissmugglercontactstomeethimnanightclub obtainedmeansRyssahintsattheeaso r nsforthe
where Lisl is performing a few nights from now. Marain Sisterhod’sinterest.Dependingonthequantiyof
is as curious as the player characters to learn the details Momentum spent, they could learn some or all of the
behindspiceproductionssuesandiseagertomaintain folowingaboutheBeneGesseritnerestinMuad’Dib:
hissuppl.Ify thecharactersbefriendMarain,heinvtes
@ Theyareert n i estedeh t n bl
i dlo en i fo si h t ewn eader.
l
them to meet the smuggler contact. If Marain is hostile
@ Theybelevi eemrF enelr gii aym no playapareht ni
attheendoftheinterogat
r ion,theymustfindtheirown
spice shortage.
way, is they want to meet the contact. Marain certainly
@ TheenB eesser
G avh ti ebeenertni fergni eht ni
believesthiscontacthasfirsthandinformationabouthe
development of the Fremen religion and want to see
situation on Arrakis.
where their meddling has led.
Butbefoer theplayercharacterscansetupameeting,
The player characters should discuss how far they
theyecei
r veavisitorfromtheBeneGesserit.
wishtosupporthisBeneGesseritendeav.Thor e

A C T I I : W H AT T H E gamemaster may remind them of their relationship with

HouseEcazwho,doubtless,wouldegar
r danysupport
SISTERHOOD REQUIRES the player characters give the Harkonnens as a hostile
act. And what would the Emperor think of this? Have
SisterRyssaoftheBeneGesseritarrivesontheplayer
the characters taken sides, or do they attempt to play
characters’homeworldtoaskfortheiraid.Ifthereisan
bothsidesoffagainstthemiddle,hopingtoadvance
intateinthegroup,theintate’ssuperiorcontactsher
their own position? The player characters have much
and asks her to work with Ryssa when she arrives. The
to consider.
playercharactercanalsoobtainsomebasicinformation
aboutRyssapriortmeetingwither.Ifthereisno
THE RENEGADE
BeneGesseritcharacterpresent,Ryssaprovideslite
Wheli eht playercharacterspoder n Ryssa’scalfol ai r d,
notice of her arrival, giving them enough time to do
ar
M ai’s n stym ersuoi smggl
u erfreni dares vir eht no player
onlycursorybackgroundesear
r chonher.
characters’ewmoh d.lro fI eht playercharactersav h edealt
She is traveling to Arrakis to support Revered Mother well with Marain and turned him into an ally, he informs
QadiraLarielNarilan,whoisthehighest-rankingBene them. If not, spies loyal to the player characters tell them
Gesseritstationedonrakis.Ryssaconsidersthis ar
M aias h n stuj ecei
r ed v asiiv frrot ff
o m d.lrow
appointmentobeagreathonrandisdeterminedto
If the player characters completely ruined their
carryouthertasktoheletter.Shepausesherjourney
elr atshnoi pi ar
M htiw ai,n snrut i Rytuo ssaswonk exactyl
heretoaskfortheplayercharacters’Housetohelp
siht o w coact
tn s: i a supposed renegade Fremen. The
stabilizethesituationthedesert.
enB eesser
G av h ti ead
h eiht eyr efomih no a
r elihw and
ItispossiblethatthecharactershavemetRyssaand belevi eeh canffer o sini gheht o ni t siat
ut ak
r no i s.i
ReverendMotherNarilanbefoer (see Masters of Dune
It seems a meeting with Marain is in order. If the player
p.119&p.123).InwhichcasetheynoticeRyssa’s
charactersav h eanat
tivn ,noi siht becoes
m asiplm e
increased composure and her willingness to assert
matter of turning up. They may wish to take Ryssa with
herself with an air of authority. Then she was an acolyte,
emht ,and,evenfi sheasn
h ’tdlot emht y,hw shecerai
t yln
nowsheisaSister,butshestemilr emberswhatshe
shows an interest in meeting the smuggler.
mayowetheplayercharacters,goodorbad.
If they do not have an invitation, they can go to the
Should the player characters not recognize Ryssa or
Nighcl t b
u erhw esliL si perfog.nimr Thsi si a ton
ReverendMotherQadiraLarielNarilan,Ryssaexplains
prbl o emat,buget t gnit backstages.i ar M ai’s
n al
yol
theReverendMotheristhehighest-rankingBene
bodyguardsarean h no dprot evenan t dnik y fo
Gesseritonrakis.ShesaystheSisterhodfeelthe
backstagesiurtni by no se
oht eht no gueststil .
bestwaytohandlethecuenr tsituationstosupport
eat
rC gni afracaseht ni ghin cl t b u diro srptu gni eht
Harkonnen rule long enough for the Emperor to
performance causes Marain to turn up with more
promteaHousewitheabilityokeepthespice
bodyguardsdoohw dnim ton abifo t coat l eraldamage
flowing(perhapseventheplayercharacters’Houseif
shdluo cen
on i byt standerschse o get ot eht ni ay.w
thinggowellforthem).
If the player characters avoid confrontation or can
Shouldtheplayercharacterschosetoprobefurther,
deescalate the tension, Marain introduces them to the
onasuccessfulChallenging(D2) Communication test
recently arrived smuggler contact. This may take an
(witheTraitBeneGesseritbeinguseful) they learn
erv age(D1) Communicateest
t (mdio fiedbyar
M ai’s
n
thattheBeneGesseritareparticularlyinterestedinthe
disposi)
noit dependign eiht no elr atshnoi p.i

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 71
 RYSSA – BENE GESSERIT SISTER
AND JUNIOR NOBLE OF HOUSE ALEXIN
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER
Ryssaisthedaughterofanoblefamilyoncebased
onrakis,wheresheebel
r ledagainstherfamily
andtheBeneGesserit.Sincethattime,shehas
beenintrainigonWallachIXandhasmated ur
emor thanonemightexpect.Sheisonlyjustout
oftrainig,soitspossibleaBeneGesseritamong
the player characters outranks her.

WhateverRyssathinksaboutHarkonentacticson
Arrakis, she is acutely aware of the importance of
theHarkonenblodline,thoughthisisnotsome -
thing she shares with any player character who is
not of the Sisterhood.

Traits:BeneGesseritSister,JuniorHeirtoHuse
lexin

TALENTS
@ Hyperawareness:Whensiu gn bt
o ain
information, Ryssa may know the answer to two
est
uq s.noi
@ Prana-Bindu Conditioning:Ryssamaye-r ola
r
single d20 for a Move or Discipline test.

Assets:Concealedknife,shigaweir

DRIVE S TAT E M E N T

D U T Y: 6 I trust the Sisterhood.

FA I T H : 5

JU S T I C E: 4

P OWER : 3
Remain true to myself,
T RU T H : 7
myOrder,andmyHouse

SKILL FOCUSES

B AT T LE: 5

C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Persuasion

D I S C I P LI N E: 5 Observe

M OVE: 6 Grace

U N D ER S TA N D : 7 Etiquette,Housepolitcs

72
Marain’scontactisamancalledIngaNefr,uy andheis
aprettyunpleasantindividual.Hecaresnothigabout
theemFr enpeople.Heinsiststheyarebackwardand
stubborn.However,Ingaknowsagreatdealabout
Fremen society. He claims his father was a Fremen,
althoughheisalsoquicktoaddthathehasnevermet
him,been or alloweda joint tribeand“provehimself”.
Even so, he has many Fremen contacts and knows a lot
abouthem.However,
worstpossibleways,
It’salso clear he actually doesn’tlikeanybodymuch.
Inga is not very keen on House Harkonnen, nor, for that
matter,Houseeitr desepl whor acedthemsobriefly.He
dismissestheideathatoff-worlderscanmanagerakis.
“TheemFr en,”Ingasays,“Wilnotallowff-worldersto
husbandtheplanet.Theyareviolentandhavetheirown
ways of sneakily undermining their superiors.”
Itdoesn’teqr euir atesttogetIngatalking,aslong
as the player characters play along with his insulting
ideasaboutheemFr en,orintmatethattheycan
introduce him to some high society contacts. Inga is
desperatetogetatasteofthenobility’seasylivngand
turnsveryobsequiosifhethinksthereisachanceto
rise in society.
IngaknowsliteaboutheemFr en’scuenr tplans,but
he knows how to keep an ear to the ground. He is aware
theemFr enhaveacceptedanewruler,Muad’Dib,who,
Inga feels, is a great threat.
Inga leans forward. “In the past, the siridar gover-
nors of Arrakis managed the Fremen with a doctrine
ofdivideandrule.Theysetonetribeagainstanoth -
ertribe,onesietchagainstanothersietch.So,they
fought among themselves and did not interrupt the
flowofspice.NowthisMuad’DibisunitgtheeFr -
men, and he is meeting with some success. It is the
he portrays the Fremen in the emFr en,undertheinfluenceofMuad’Dib,whoave
clearlyfeelingejr ectedbythem. broughtproductiontahalt.Idon’tknowhe’s
doneiteither,asI’veheardheisanoff-worlder,and
the Fremen rarely accept them.”
Ingabelievestheonlywayegai tor ncoolfntr
productionstoassassinatethisMuad’Dibandpit
the Fremen against each other again. Inga seems to
thinkswouldbeaelr ativelysimplematter,though
hecannotsupplyMuad’Dib’slocationranyother
information vital to a successful attempt.
“I have heard one thing though,” Inga adds. “Who-
ever this Muad’Dib was before meeting the Fre-
men, I think he is of noble birth. It is said he wears a
ringwithesymbolofthehawk .”
WhileIngadoesnotkwissignificance,theplayer
characterswouldeco r gnizethehawkasthesymbolof
the fallen House Atreides. Has one of them survived?

I N G A N E F RU Y , F R E M E N C O N TA C T
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
Inga is part of a smuggling crew on Arrakis supply-
ing Marain with spice. oughBr tupbyhismother, D U T Y: 3
sheexplainedtheabsenceofhisfatherbysaying
hewasaemFr enwhoadettor urntohistribe. FA I T H : 5
Sheneverhadanyprof,butIngaheldonhardto
the idea his father was out there waiting for him to JU S T I C E: 4
findhiswaytohimandbecomeemFr en.Hetok
everyopportuniyolearnaboutheemFr enand P OW ER : 7 I rely only on myself.
their ways, and pursued any opportunity to make The Fremen are past their time
contact.Todate,notribehasallowedhimtojn, T RU T H : 6 of usefulness.
or even heard of his father. After many years the
ejr ectionsoftheemFr enandhisfatherhavetaken SKILL FOCUSES
theirtolandbecomeasimeringhated. r Hehas
maintained his relations with the Fremen he knows, B AT T LE: 8 Shortblade,unarmedcombat
butnowheisplotingevr enge.

Traits:Outcast,Resentful C O M M U N I C AT E: 6
TALENTS D I S C I P LI N E: 7 Survial(desert)
@ Resilience (Discipline): Usually you may only
‘Resistefeat
D ’ce no perscene.ga
nI cando M OVE: 5
soce
iwt perscene,buenhw ylnoa
t i coflin ct
using Discipline. U N D ER S TA N D : 5
Assets:Smallbagofspice,Theclothes
they stand up in

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 73
 RETURN TO ARRAKIS
Ifthegamemastertakesthecampaignbackto
rakis,theBeneGesserit,oughthr Ryssa,arrange
passage. While glad of their help, Ryssa warns
them of the great unrest and that the planet has
becomeverydangerous.Forthiseasor n,the
noblesarehappytoshoutabouthesituationthe
comfortablehallsoftheLandsraad,butfewwishto
visit Arrakis themselves.
The gamemaster can run several intrigue and
espionageadvenes tur onrakis,eitheronbehalf
oftheBeneGesseritorheHarkonens.omtheFr
moment they land, they see the evidence of the
Harkonens’brutal.rakity eenandCarthagare
under martial law, and spice workers are desperate
to get off the planet, knowing that working on a
harvester is tantamount to a death sentence (given
theemFr enattacks).
The Sisterhood wants the player characters to get
closetoMuad’Dibtofindoutwheis,andthe
gamemaster can let them uncover his true identity
as Paul Atreides as well as the part Lady Jessica has
playedinhssuccess.Theywon’tbeabletoget
close to Paul though. He is too well guarded.
GivenHouseHarkonen’scuenr tsituationand
status, the player characters can do little to hinder
them further. However, if the player characters
choose to help the Harkonnens, they could earn
favorwitheeat
Gr Housebyturnigoverwhat
they’velearnedaboutMad’Diborassistinginthe
security of a spice crawler.
Ifthegamemasterexpandstheadvenetur on
Arrakis, Act III happens when they return to their
home planet, or the Heighliner arrives over Arrakis
asitsfinalstop.
AC T I I I : C H AO S I N T H E
LANDSRAAD COUNCIL
Befoer theplayercharacterscansetoffforakis,
events take another turn. A Heighliner with an Imperial
messengerarrivesovertheplayercharacters’home
planet. The messenger announces the Landsraad has
convenedanextraodir narymeetingtodiscussthe
situationrakis.Giventheexponentiallyrising
priceofspacetravel,iftheplayercharactersdon’tget
onboardthisone,theywilmssthemeeting.The
Heighlinerisoneofseveralgatheringmembersof
theLandsraadbefoer travelingtoKaitain.Theplayer
charactershaveonlyanhourtdecide,butherulersof
their House intend to go. The fate of the Imperium may
hinge on this meeting, and no one wants to miss it.
74
THE POLITICS OF DESPERATION
rivngonKaitain,theplayercharactersfindeverything
crowdedandinchaos.factionfnobleHouses,led
byHouseEcaz,have presented a motion to demand
the Emperor remove House Harkonnen from the
governorship of Arrakis. While the Landsraad technically
has the power to make such a demand, the Emperor
esenr tstheirimpudence.Hewon’tbeder or edaround
bythenobi,lity andthereislitedoubthewilpunish
eachHousethathasbroughthemotin.
The Ecaz faction has persuaded the Landsraad Inner
CounciltocallameetingoftheLandsraadtodiscuss
thespicesituation.sthenobleswaitforeveryone
toarrivetostarthemeeting,Kaitainisahotbedof
politcs.Courtiersandpolitciansareinafrenzyofsecret
meetingstogainsupportbefoer thevoteiscalled.
House Ecaz and their faction are working hard to gain
supportandhopetogaintheplayercharacters’support
in the Landsraad. If all the Houses line up to challenge
theEmper,or theybelievetheEmperorcanefunotr se.
The player characters must decide whether to help this
alliance,opposeit,ordotheirbestemtor aineutral.
UseofcontactsoraChallenging(D2) Communicate
testevr ealstheEcazarelessconcernedabouthelack
ofspicethanhurtingHouseHarkonen.Theywon’t
behappyuntilheHarkonensaregonefromrakis,
insistingtheyaretheotfr theproblem.
LeadingtheoppositionfromtheshadowsaretheBene
Gesserit,whoquietlysuggesttheHarkonensare
simplyinanextraodir narysituation.IftheLandsraad
assists them rather than removing them, the Arrakis
situateso ionwlr lvemuchemor quick.Puly tinganew
Houseinchargewilonyeadetomr instabi.Whlity ile
theBeneGesseritcannotfficiallyjointhevote,a
groupofotherHouses(mostnotablyHousesThorvald,
Novabruns,Wydras,andSpinette)leadthisfaction,but
everyoneknowstheBeneGesseritarebehindthem.
However,aDauntig(D3) Understand test makes
itcleartheGuildalsosupportstheBeneGessert.
HouseHarkonenthemselvesareconspicuousbytheir
absence.Spiesepo
rakiswithFeyd-RuathatoassistRabban.
r rtheBarontravelspersonallyto
ManyotherHousesjustwantspiceproductiont
esu
r me,andtheydon’tcarehowitappens.Both
factionsareequallymatched,whilealmosteveryone
agrees the Emperor needs to step in and address
the situation.
MURDER ON KAITAIN
OncetheplayercharactershavesettledinoKaitain,
theymeetLixhail,ayoungnobleofHouse,Hori
anothernobleHousetheyhaveafriendlyconection
to.Lixhailislikeable,evenflirtatious,andverykeento
persuade the characters to support the alliance in the
Landsraad.Charmingandconvicing,Lixhailalways
preferstodobusinessoveragoodmealoranexcellent
glassofwine(useNoble(YoungHeir)inthe Dune Core
Rulebookp.286).
Butwhentheplayercharactersarriveforthemeeting
withLxailintheirapartments,acloakedfiguer is
strangling them with a shigawire garrote. Seeing the
player characters, the assassin leaps out of the window
andescapesacrossthevariousbalconies.Lixhailis
badlyhurt,andifnotgivenmedicalattention
successfulDauntig(D3) Understand test, they die
befoer helpcanarrive.
The player characters may give chase to the assassin,
whoiseaso
r nablyeasytocatch(useMarain’sthugsp.
70 ).Thegamemastermayeat
tr thisasacontested
MovetestoraseriesofChallenging(D2) Move tests,
where anyone who fails is out of the chase. If the player
characters fail, the assassin gets away. If the assassin
fails, they capture her.
Nouraisalow-grademercenaryengagedbysomeone
shehasneverseenbefoe.r Terrified,sheexplainsthe
employer intimated that they would kill her young son if
she refused or failed. She suspects she is acting for the
Emperorandonhiscomand.Nouraiseasyenoughto
kill, should the characters wish to do so. Alternatively,
theymightdragherbefoer theauthories.
Whiletheydebate,orntheirwaytohepalace,the
player characters overhear a conversation that reveals
asquadronfSardaukarecen r tlyarrivedneartheEcaz
homeplanet.Theyclaimtobeontrainigmaneuvers,
buthisistheEmpereat
orth eningHouseEcaz.The
Emperor is in no mood to put up with any attempt to
force his hand, let alone to oppose him.
Iftheplayercharactersmakeinqureswitheiragents
and contacts on Kaitain, they discover assassins targeted
Lixhailandseveralepr
r esentativesoftheEcazfaction.
Manyaredead,der
mur edintheirbeds.Iftheplayer
with a characterspubliclysupportedthealliance,theylearn
one of their agents on Kaitain was also assassinated.
IftheplayercharactersdragLixhail’sassassinbefoer the
authories,theEmperorandhissubodir natesdenyany
knowledge of her, or of a plot to assassinate anyone.
TheassassinclaimsanImperialgenecr tr uitedher,but
shedoesnotkwhisname,anditsnotpossibleto
identify the individual in the time the player characters
haveavailable.Eveniftheymanagetoidentifythe
agent she works for, the Emperor and denies all
knowledge of an assassination plot. This investigation
runsintoadeadend,butheLandsraadmeetingis
aboutobegin.
THE HALLS OF POWER
IntheHallofOrat,ory HouseEcazleadsavocalfaction
arguing for a resolution that will force the Emperor
to deal harshly with the Harkonnens. They insist the
Emperor must remove the Harkonnens from Arrakis, and
impose sanctions on the House for their various crimes
and failure to produce spice.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 75
 Theotherfaction,ledbyHouseThorvald,andbacked
bytheBeneGesserit,arguesthebestwayforwardis
tosupportHouseHarkonen’seffortsemtor edythe
situation. Then the Landsraad can revisit the motion
once Arrakis, and, more importantly, spice production
arestable.ThentheEmperorcaneplr acethem,if
necessary, to avert a future spice crisis.
Due to the murders and fears of assassination, the
Ecaz faction has lost supporters. So, their opponents
are gaining the advantage. However, the Landsraad is
united in thinking the Emperor must do something. The
Emperisor livdthatheisbeingtakentask
o bywhathe
considerssubodir natesandfeelsespeciallypowerless
given his underhand threats to deploy Sardaukar against
those who cross him. At this point, he wants spice
production to resume and make sure his involvement in
the fall of the Atreides remains secret.
The player characters must decide how they will vote
amidstachaoticdebateofseveralhundrednobles
shouting over each other. They can vote with or against
HouseEcaz’smotin . It is up to the players to decide
themselves rather than make a test.
@ If they vote for House Ecaz, they gain the trait
‘les il fo caz E ’andse ol anai
rt y st elr atgni ot
allegiance with the Harkonnens. hey also gain the
ai
rt ‘D t sti stur edbyeht per mE ’, ro aseh cosin ders
them malcontents.
@ If they vote against the motion, they lose any
alan il ceai rt st elr atgni se
uoH t caz
E ,bugai t eht n
ai
rt st ‘Suppoertr fo eht ar
eht enB eesser
G ’
H enn ok s’andalso‘lfo yl
ti aseht Sisterdo h belevi eseyht
are following their instructions.
@ If they abstain, they do not lose any traits. However,
eyht gaieht n ai
rt ‘Pat
t eth cali Neuyl al
rt ’gienv eyht
failed to pick a side.
Theplayercharacterscanalsoenterthedebatetofight
for one side or the other. This may earn them more
respect from the Landsraad if they do well on a Dire
(D4) Communicate or Discipline test. The nature of
anytraitorbonusgainedshouldbedeterminedbythe
gamemaster depending on their support.
Listeningtohedebate,theplayercharacters
makeanverage(D1) Understand test to realize the
coer ofthedebateiswhetherorntheHarkonens
havefailed.Somenoblesemr ainskepticalthatthe
emFr enarethecause,andemor thatthedesertribes
are capitalizing on the chaos within House Harkonnen.
IftheplayercharacterstalktoheBeneGesseritabout
thesituation,theSisterhodbelievestheemFr encould
claimcoolfntr theplanetandthattheGuildiseal inr
danger.dditional,ly asuccessfulChallenging(D2)
Understand testevr ealsthatbotheSisterhodand
theGuildaredeeplyconcernedabouthenewemFr en
leaderMuad’Dib.Somethingabouthimscaresthemfar
more than Harkonnen cruelty.
76
Eventual,ly aftermuchdebate,theEmperorsteps
forwardandcallsahaltoheproceedings:
The Emperor, his face like a thunderstorm, shouts
foderro .Butwhenthehalefu
lr sestoquiet,a
squadofSardaukarinfulbattledressentersand
surrounds the Emperor. As they snap to attention,
thenoblessilencetheirdebates.
“As I was saying.” the Emperor declares with
smugsatisfaction.“Thissituationstocomplexto
eso
r lveinthschamber.Spiceistoimportant.We
must wait until we have more information to deter-
mine the fate of House Harkonnen.”
thisprevarication,alonevoiceinthebackcries
out,“DukeLetowuldn’thaveletthishappen!”
TheEmperor’scheeksflushwithrage.Barelyable
to contain his fury, the Emperor commands, “We
cannotleratethiskindofbehaviornthshonr -
ablehall.Weareclosingthismeeting.Weshall
eco
r nveneaboverakis.shI alinspect l thesituation
personallybefoer enr deringmyjudgment.Coler
heads will prevail.”
TheEmperorleansclosetoanaid.“ssemblethe
Sardaukar. We will settle this Arrakis affair.”
“Howmanybattalions,YourHighness?”es
inqur
the aid.
“llofthem!”screamstheEmperorbefoer he
strides out of the hall.
CONCLUSION
TheEmperorpreparesforajourneytorakisandthere
isanairofexpectancythateverythingmaysoonbeat
anend.Suelr ythecombinedmightoftheLandsraad
and Imperial Throne, along with legions of Sardaukar,
will end the matter.
With every House of the Landsraad wanting to see
whathappens,andseveralbattalionsofSardaukarto
transport,less no thanfive Heighlinershavebeencalled.
Theplayercharacterscanjointhecrowds trying to get
passage on one of the HeighlinersaboveKaitain.But
if they have another plan, they are welcome to follow
can also
it.However,Kaitainbecomesaghosttownasevery
courtier,politcian,andnoblewantstoseehowtings
develop on Arrakis.
Therearefewopportuniesforadvenetur betweenthe
LandsraadmeetingandtheEmperor’sarrivalatrakis.
Butheplayercharactersmightdistinguishthemselves
in further actions for whichever faction they have allied
with. Upon arrival, the Emperor demands to know more
ofwhatisgoingon,andtheplayercharactersmightbe
among the spies and agents that travel to the surface.
ThismaybeagoodwaytocuryfavorwitheEmperor
aswell,whichisneverabadidea.
H UNTING THE B EAST
Thecrisisonrakisisdeepening.TheHarkonens’faielur tokeepspiceflowinginthefaceoftheemFr enraidshas
beenlaidbareforalltosee.TheEmperorandleadingHousesoftheLandsraadgatherabovetheplanettomnirhe
situation.ItscomonkwledgethatCountGlssuRabban,theRegent-Siridarofrakis,isdesperate,ashis(and
HouseHarkonen’s)politcalvulnerabilitysincreasinglyexposed.Recognizngthegrowingriskofassassination,Rabban
hascovertlyemployedtwoBeneTleilaxFaceDancerstoactashisdoublesasanaddedmeasuer ofpersonalsafet. y

Rabban’sfearsarejustified.Heisbeingheldaccountablefortheproblemsonrakisandseveralfactionswanthim
dead.Theplayercharactersfindthemselveschargedwithetask,possiblyfromseveralcontacts.WhileRabbanisnot
easyprey,theymayfindalliesinthestrangestplaces.

AC T I : S O I T B E G I N S @ Theresi gnito r andenloiv cebo

andar C ag. ht Rabbanes
ni ak
r ht een
irt eep
k ot der ro bygnil k
Highabovethedesertworldofrakis,theEmperor random civilians and cannot see this is only making
holds court within his vast Imperial frigate, safely things worse. Perhaps the Fremen are leaving the
stowedintheholdofaGuild Heighliner. While the cities to destroy themselves?
hugeImperialflagshipfitseasilywithnoeofthefive @ Theper mE r,o ShaddamV, I si prevarcat i g.ni eH
Heighliners, it is still almost the size of a city. In this anw st set
ot elt eht at
m ert byfoce r fo ars, m bueht
impressivevessel,theEmperorpreparestobserve emrF enareerhwon ebe
ot seenTh. ear H enn ok s
the proceedings and convenes further meetings of the are also refusing to talk, knowing such an audience
nobilityodiscussactions. cangoylno badleyht li nuest
yr ero soem der.ro So,
eht per
mE exro pectsdecl ot areat ht eht siat
ut noi
Theassemblednobilityfillstheonethr omfr the
warrants further monitoring and sits on his hands.
Imperial Frigate, watching a multitude of screens
depictingrakis.Suoundir ngthechamberisa
IN THE MARGINS OF POWER
honeycombofantechambers,waitingoms, r and
Eventual,ly theconclavedoorsflyopen,andthenobility
audience halls, with Imperium representatives milling
oftheLandsraadpourintoheantechambers,loking
betweenthem.Lessermembersofeat
Gr Housesmingle
fortheirpeople.Thechambersbustlewithactivtyand
with the lords, ladies, and servants of the Houses Minor,
the angry hum of tense conversation. Something has
allcuryingfavorandseekinganyinformationabouthe
clearlybeendecided.
deliberationsbehindtheEmperor’scloseddoors.
Theplayercharacterswilbesoughtoubyafriendly
Unless the player characters have maintained the trait
noplayercharactertheyhavemetbefoe.r Some
‘ImperialFav,’ or theycannotentertheonethr om.r
optionsare:
Butheycanmakeverage(D1) Communicate,
Understand, or Discipline to work the crowd of minor @ SiskaRayer,n dliuG enM att (seep. 24)
functionariesandnobilitynsearchofrumos.Foreach @ Ryssaexl ,ni enB eesser
G Siti ster(seep. 72 )
success(orMomentumspend)theyobtainthefolowing @ Toaso
mr emH pel,enM at t fo se uoH VanderZyl
information: (see p.41 )
@ arM ihC ,ni OMHC gen(see
t p. 49)
@ Theewn emrF eneader,
l siht socal
- ed
l ad’D
uM b,
i si
@ arM goenF t g, nir enB eesser
G Siti sterandper
mI al
i
prgnivo be
ot apoerw fufyinu l gni foce.
r
eritruoC (seep. 59)
@ House Harkonnen has criminally underestimated the
@ The Undercover Ecaz operative on Promise Prime
eat
rht ad’D
uM b
i presens.t
(see p.52)
@ House Ecaz continues to lead the charge to have the
ar
H enn ok semr ed
vo frak r mo s,
i bueiht effo r str Otherwise,thismightbeaMentatofHouseEcaz,ora
are falling on deaf ears. secret Harkonnen agent desperate for their help.
@ TheenB eesser G co ti eunit cal ot fol grr eater
Itmayevenbeacombinationfanyoftheseagents,
suppofotr se uoH r ar H enn ok ai
m ot ai
tn stn abiy. til
each offering more information, and asking for the
@ The Spacing Guild is holding their own counsel,
playercharacters’helptodothesame.
but heir agents are everywhere, listening inten. tly
Everyone knows they only care about he Thefriendlyagentsharesthefolowing:
spice supply.
@ Theycofir
n eht m sromu at
ht eht per
mE si ro ton
@ The Fremen are silent. With the Harkonnens no
yet willing to intervene on Arrakis. Many Houses
longer sending out harvesters the Fremen have
siht wonk be
ot eht strow gniht eht per
mE co
ro dlu
ceased their attacks.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 77
 decreeatsiht enmo ct .t stum noi beak t enbefoer
all is lost, and if the Emperor will not take it, then
someone must for the good of the Imperium.
@ Rabbanstum beemr ed vo frpomo er,w bueh t on l iw
stepdoghil nw envE y. lagen
t st an w oh stot abiezil
rather than remove House Harkonnen appreciate
at
ht Rabbanas h goot gen . st favabl
arH enn ok ssuggesteyF d-Ruata h asaepl
@ All of the agents agree that their particular faction
canbe ton seenak t o eactdluow tI .noi beo t
provocative and ruin their standing at this delicate
time. The player characters are free to take this as
pocal
it l an m euerv gni co ro ar w dice(obo
So, they would like the player characters to make
planetfallonrakisandkilRabban.Iftheydo,the
situationcanfinallyprogress.Theplayercharacters
can pretty much ask anything they want in return. A
huge clandestinebackchannel spicedealwilbethe
mainofferfromanyandalloftheagents.Buthe
player characters are free to ask for whatever they feel
isenoughtomakekilngRabbanwortheirwhile.
Thegamemasterisencouragedtobegenerous,asthe
agentsarealldesperate.Giventheplayercharacters
alsoneedtogetthingsmoving,theywouldbewise
toakeonthemission.Iftheydon’t,someoneelse
wilkRabban,andthegamemastercanmovetohe
nextadvene.tur
THE PLAN
The friendly agent arranges passage to Arrakis unless
the player characters have their own contacts. While
Arrakeen is in chaos, and the streets are dangerous,
no one is looking for the player characters, so moving
aboutshouldbesimpleiftheyarecareful.Oncein
Arrakeen, the player characters should contact a
domestic servant named Farzaneh Panchois who can
helpgetthemintoheResidencywheretheycanfind
Rabban.Farzanehmeetstheplayercharacterswhile
she is supposedly shopping for supplies in the Arrakeen
Market. They will know her from her Harkonnen livery
withabugur ndysashfromshouldertohipandaround
herwaist.However,shewilalsobeaccompaniedby
twoHarkonenguards,whoilneedtobedealtwih.
Befoer theplayercharactersleave,theagenthands
themamapoftheResidency(seep.81)andoneof
rakeen(seep.137).
PLANETFALL
Unless the player characters have their own solution to
theproblemofmakingplanetfalan l deach
r ingrakeen,
thereareee
thr optionsavailabletohem.
Smuggling Contacts:Theplayercharactersuse
pre-existingsmugglercontacts,orthsebelongingto
HouseEcaz(oranotherfriendlyagent).Thesmugglers
ensuer they’reabletoboardatradingvesselthatdrops
them at a pyon village a few miles from Arrakeen. From
78
there,theycanhustleintohecitybefoer thesunrises
too high. The local city folk hate the Harkonnens, and
if the player characters give some indication of their
intentions,theygainthetrait‘LocalSympathies’.
House Ecaz Contacts:HouseEcazhasinfiltrators
withnHouseHarkonen’spersonalicesuppliers,teams
ro eeht o
that mine ice from the north pole and deliver it to the
r acemen.t
Residency. They smuggle the player characters on to
a ship and rendezvous with an ice supply freighter at
the pole. Then, they disguise themselves as stevedores
befoer flyingtoheResidency.thegamemaster’s
discretion, their rendezvous with the ice supply freighter
r ). ht
can coincide with a Freman raid on the ice mining
facilitywhfiveemFr enwarrios(fortheirprofiles,see
Dune Core Rulebook p.280)attackingagroupof
nearbyiceminers.
If the player characters choose this approach, their
contact,FarzanehPancho,waitsatthePantry/Steor
zone of the Residency to meet them and sneak the
player characters past the guards.
Bene Gesserit Contacts:TheSisterhodhasImperial
permission to conduct humanitarian missions to the
surface for those suffering from Fremen attacks, a
thindisguisefortheirattemptstolearenmor about
Muad’Dib.Theplayercharactersboardoneofthese
missionsandsuept
r itouslydisembarkattherakeen
spaceport, using the commotion to their advantage.
They are on their own from there.
AC T I I : T H E E N E M Y
OF MY ENEMY IS MY
FRIEND
Thesteet
r sofrakeenbustlewithasenseofdoomand
gloom, and moments of violence happen with alarming
frequency.Harkonenguards(seep. 50)standwatch
oneverycorner,waryandeady
r toexertheirauthoriy
through intimidation and violence.
Therakeenmarketisawide-opencicu r lararea
full of stalls and trading posts. Traders place colorful
woven covers over each stall to attract customers while
shielding their goods and themselves from the sun.
Theoccasionaldesertbreezesweepsgenoughtlyhr
thearea,coolingthespice-scentedai.It’s r aramshackle
shanty town of stalls, with paths heading north and
south,andshadyalleywaysineverydiect
r ion.Thebuz
ofpeople,loudandoppressiveinthebazaar,quickly
dropsoffinthequietofthealleysandthesmallhovels
that line them.
TospotFarzanehintherakeenMarket(orthePantry/
Stesor zoneoftheResidency), the player characters
mustsucceedinaChallenging(D2) Understand test.
Iftheyfailthetest,theydon’tseeheruntilmchlater
and look suspicious standing in the market zone. If they
canmakeaDauntig(D3) Move test, they gain the trait IN THE HALLS OF ARRAKEEN
‘Inconspicuous’,otherwisetheydrawtheattentionf The Residency dominates the center of Arrakeen. A
three Harkonnen guards, who will investigate what the hugestoneziggurat,thepalaceischaracterizedbyits
playercharactersaredoing.Thisleadstocombatifthey high arched halls, wide corridors, and stone solidity,
can’ttalktheirwayoutfthesituation. creatingawarmbutsoothingenonmenvir tforthose
within it. Since the Harkonnens took possession,
IftheplayercharactersmeetFarzanehinthebazaar,
they have neglected it. And although the remaining
twoboedr guardsaccompanyher.Farzanehknows
cityfolkstaffdotheirbest,thislackofcarecanbe
she cannot speak in front of the guards and waits for
seen everywhere.
the player characters to either persuade them to leave
ordefeatthem.Oncesheisalonewitheplayer With the demands on House Harkonnen soldiers, the
characters,Farzanehcansharewhatsheknows: Residencyispoorlyguarded,witheexceptionf
theMainEtranceandPantry/Steor zones.Occasional
@ The‘Beast’Rabbanas
h ade
m eht ai
m bedr
n mo
pairsofguardspatolther coridors,whicharebusy
coplm exfo eht Residencysih ffice,
o erut o chamber,
with servants.
personal pleasure rooms, and accommodations. In
recent weeks, he has hardly left these rooms. Moving through the halls without drawing unwanted
@ The guard complement at the Residency is much attention eqr es uir theplayercharacterstomake
edu
r ced,aseverav y aiabll ear H enn ok sodil ersi Dauntig(D3) Move tests. If they are in the company of
keeping order in the cities, trying to protect spice Farzaneh,theygainthetrait‘OfficialCover’whichhelps.
mining operations, or chasing down Fremen. Iftheguardsnoticethem,theyeinqur ontheplayer
@ ci
romu cu r at
l esat ht eyF d-Rauaht as h ared vir no characters’business,whiletheservantslokatthem
ak
r si secr
ni et,busih t cat ol si no .nwo knu withacombinationffearandsuspicion.Theplayer
characters can talk their way out of any encounter with
Onceshepassesonwhatsheknows,Farzanehcanoffer
aChallenging(D2) Communicate test or take down the
to get the player characters into the Residency either
guards and hope no one hears.
through the Main Entrance or as tradespeople through
thePantry/Steor zone.

F A R Z A N E H P A N C H O , H A R KO N N E N
A T T E N D A N T A N D I N F I LT R AT O R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
FarzanehwasbornoGiediPrimeandgrewup
seeingherfamilysufferanddie.Sheclimbed D U T Y: 3
theranksandwasfaithfultoherbrutaloverds, lor
hiding her revulsion to convince them she was FA I T H : 6 I trust we will see the task through.
loyal.Butinsidesheturnedtostone,buessi
tr ng
heronehopeinlfe:toseetheHarkonensfall JU S T I C E: 7 My family must be avenged.
befoer shedies.
P OW ER : 4
She will help the player characters in any way she
canandwilsacrificeherselftoseethemsucceedif T RU T H : 5
thatiseqr ed.
uir

Traits:Infiltrat,or Vengeful,Residencytendant
SKILL FOCUSES
TALENTS
@ Nimble:arF anz ehaym edur ceeht fficu
iD fo ytl B AT T LE: 4
passign anbst
o aclea ni coflin ctby.2
C O M M U N I C AT E: 5 Char m, Gossip
Assets:ResidencyKeys,ShortBlade,Residency
Staff Work Schedules D I S C I P LI N E: 6

M OVE: 5 Stealth

U N D ER S TA N D : 4

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 79
 As they traverse the Residency, the player characters Kitchen:avastyetcrampedareaonthegroundflo,or
might enlist the aid of other servants if they can make fuloftables,stoves,andcookingfacilites.Theheat
aeDir (D4) Communicate test, gaining the trait ‘Inside is oppressive.
Help’.Failinganytestorengaginginanycombatfor
Servants’ Quarters: verywarmandbusywith
more than three rounds will sound the alarm, giving the
scurrying servants.
Residencythetrait‘larmRaised’.
Basement:usedforstorageandhousestheResidency’s
TheResidencyisdividedintoseveralzones:
shieldgenerat.Thor eshieldisshutdown,but
Main Entrance: impressive and imposing, the hall is Harkonenengineersstandeady
r tofireitupata
heavily guarded with funneled access points. moent’snotice.

Grand Foyer: designed to impress and intimidate Main Bedroom Complex:occupyingthebest

guests,thisisanassemblyandaudiencechamber. locationthetopflo,or thiscomplexisRabban’s
personal domain. There are two guards at the door
Pantry/Store:abustlingandcrampedpartofthe
tohecomplex.seriesofomsr leadtoRabban’s
Residency, with stores of all kinds and porters moving
personalchamber,whereoneofhisBeneTleilax
goodsinandoughthr atraders’entrance,watched
FaceDancerdoppelgangerscanbefound.See
overbyfourguards.
Doppelganger p. 82 .
Dining Room: the ornate series of rooms have recently
Ballroom: large and empty, footsteps echo off the cold
beenoccupiedbyFeyd-RauthaHarkonenandhis
stoneflo. or
entourage,includingtheHarkonen’sco-optedMentat,
ThufirHawat.

80
 RESIDENCY UPPER LEVELS
M A I N B E D RO O M

ARRAKEEN
L O C AT I O N S
MALE
F A M I LY B E D R O O M S DORMITORIES

U P S TA I R S
U P S TA I R S M A I N S E R VA N T S '
LANDING Q UA RT E R S

ARRAKEEN G U E S T B E D RO O M S FEMALE
S PAC E P O RT DORMITORIES

S TA I RC A S E S TA I RC A S E

OFFICE D I N I N G RO O M L I N E N & L A U N D RY

ARRAKEEN RESIDENCY
G R A N D F OY E R B A L L RO O M KITCHEN P A N T RY / S T O R E
STREETS MAIN ENTRANCE

S TA I RC A S E
RESIDENCY GROUND FLOOR

SHIELD
BASEMENT
G E N E R AT O R

ARRAKEEN
MARKET RESIDENCY LOWER LEVELS

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M
81
 Office Complex: dusty, with a supreme view across
Arrakeen. There are papers here, reports of spice mining
operationsandemFr enraids.Noneareecen
r t,asthe
eal
r RabbanisinCarthag.
RabbanhasturnedtheGuestandotherFamily
BedromsintohspersonalToertu Chamber,Personal
Pleasure Rooms and Private Quarters.
Torture Chamber: anastysight,despitetheabsence
of victims. The sterile room smells ferrous, with a large
stone-tiledcenterpieceslopingtoadraintowash
awaytheblod.
Personal Pleasure Rooms: plush,luxrios,andan
untidyshambles,thissmallcomplexofinter-conected
omsr isfilledwithcouches,comfortablechairs,giant
cushions, and two garishly attired, and timid, attendants.
Theywilbecomehystericalwithncoherentbabbling
and wails, unlesstheplayercharacterscanquietenthem
either through Communicatingwithem,Difficulty3,
or intimidating them through Discipline,Difficulty1.
DOPPELGANGER
Inthemainbedromtheplayercharactersmustdeal
with the two guards on the Upstairs Landing zone, who
areguardingRabban’squarters.Onceinside,theyfinda
facedancerdoublingasRabbaninhsPrivateQuarters.
NoticingthisisnotRabbaneqr es uir aeDir (D4)
Understand test, and some form of hyperawareness
trait.However,thefacedancerwildoitsbesttokilhe
playercharacters,whethertheythinksRabbanor
not. If the player characters try to attack and can make a
Challenging(D2) Movetesttheygainthetrait‘Surprise’
forthefirstoundr ofcombat.Iftheyfailthefacedancer
notices them and attacks.
The face dancer, looking, sounding, and smelling like
thegenuineRabban,ishereandexpectingoubl
tr e.
They take the initiative and attack as soon as they notice
the player characters enter the room. If not, they are in
the lounge area, rising to their feet as the door opens.
In this case, they angrily demand to know who dares to
abusetheirprivacy.
Thefacedancerhasstatsasnotedintheprofileinthe
Dune Core Rulebook p.78, 2 eh t h fot i w gn i w o l addis:
noit
Traits:,rmo ThuggishTyrant,BrutalandVicious
Assets:PersonalShield,Knife
When the doppelganger is killed, the player characters
standtriumphantoverRabban’sbody,onlytsee
Rabban’sfeates ur flicker,writhe,andmeltaway,asthe
face dancer returns to its original form. Unfortunately,
the face dancer has a heart monitor that sounds the
alarm when it reaches a certain rate or stops entirely.
Elation turns to despair as the room swarms with over
a dozen Harkonnen guards in moments. They shout for
82
theplayercharacterstolaydowntheirweaponsbutdo
not immediately attack.
Inthemoentofsilence,theguardspartoallowThufir
Hawat, the old mentat who once served the Atreides,
to step forward (see Dune Core Rulebookp.247). The
player characters can recognize him with an Average
(D1) Understand test. He asks them to surrender and
promisestheywilnotbeharmed,atleastfo,rnow if
theycomequiet. ly Challenging(D2) Discipline test
suggests he is telling the truth. If the player characters
ask him how he survived, he shamefully admits he was
capted ur andfoced r toserve.Heisclearlyabroken
man, and admits that who he serves no longer matters,
nowthebrightdreamofHouseeitr desisgone.If
the player characters have evidence Paul or another
Atreides is alive, Thufirwilhavesomeofhishope
est r edor andtheplayercharactersgainthetrait‘Thufir
Hawat’slegiance’.
Whethertheyeco
r gnizeThufirornt,theplayer
charactersmustsuenr der.Iftheyinsistonfighting,the
guardswiloverwhelmthemwithsheernumbers.Once
captured, the guards relieve the player characters of
their weapons, place hoods over the heads, and march
them out the room to another part of the Residency.
Oncetheystop,theguardfoce r theplayercharactersto
theirkneesbefoer whippingthehodsaway.
THE PRINCE IN WAITING
Theplayercharactersfindthemselvesinagaudily
decoratedom,r suounded r byHarkonenpersonal
guardsandfacingThufirHawat,standingalongside
Feyd-RauthaHarkonenhimself(see Dune Core
Rulebook p.253).
Feyd-Rauthastandsbefoer you,smirkngandar -
rogant, as stunningly impressive a sight as his uncle
isepu r lsive.Hislithewarrio’sphysiquemoveslikea
tigertheon prHeowl. stalksbackandforth,examin -
ingyou,lazilytappinganornatebladeinthepalm
ofhishand.Otherbladesdecoratedinsheathsof
ostentatious opulence adorn his hip. Entitlement
seepsfromhiseverymove,expression,andbreath.
ndheisunshakeableinhsmanifestsuperiorty
overalotherl sandhisunderstandingofthemagnifi -
cent destiny that awaits him.
“Assassination has rules, you scum,” he says with
sweet venom in his tone. “I could have all of you
executed.Imightevendeclareavendettaonyur
House.” He steps closer to you while pointing at
youwithetipofhisdanger.“OrIcouldsliteach
of your throats myself and leave you for the worms.”
Eventually, Feyd cackles in sadistic glee and orders
theplayercharacterstobeuntied,althoughthe
guards remain.

He tells the player characters that he needs their help.
Rabbanneedstodie;itsintheHarkonens’interestas
much as their own.
“We can al l ar gu e abo u t w h o r u l es r ak i s l at er. ”
F ey d w av es h i s bl ade as i f casu al l y di sm i ssi n g
the point. “For now, let us agree that we must
h u n t a B east . n d o n e o f u s k n o w s t h e l ai r i n
which he hides.”
Iftheplayercharactershavecausetoaskabout
Farzaneh Pancho, Hawat says that her treachery
eqr es uir severepunishmentunderHarkonenlaw.
theplayercharacterswantobargainforherlife,they
need to win a contested Communicate skill test against
Feyd-Rautha’s Understand (andPower).Ifthecontest
is successful, the Harkonnens spare her. If the player
charactershaveHawat’sallegiance,thishelpstheircase
withThufirarguingintheirdefense.
If the player characters choose to agree with
Feyd-Rautha’soffer,ThufirHawatmakesanornithpter
available,withpilots,toakethemdiect
r lytoRabban’s
quartersinCarthag,wheretheBeastcuenr esi
tlyr des.If
the player characters refuse, well, their fate is up to the
gamemaster...
A C T I I I : A F AT E F U L
CHOICE
HavingagreedtocomplywithFeyd-Rautha’swishes,
the player characters are escorted to a private landing
pad,wheretheyboardanornithpterforthejourney
toCarthag.ThufirHawattellsthemtheirpersonal
equipmentisaboard,andthepilotshaveder or stofly
them directly to the Harkonnen Palace. They will land
onaprivatepadwithaccesstoheHarkonenquarters.
Oncethetaskiscompletetheornithpterpilotswil
take them to the Arrakeen spaceport. Where they go
from there is up to them.
Carthagisaemor moderncityhanrakeen,butis
stilasprawlingbeastofaplace.Thecitadelsofthe
wealthyriseabovethecrowdedtenementsofthepo,or
and no citadel rises higher than that of the Harkonnen
Palace.Theplayercharacters’ornithptermakesan
approach low over the city and touches down on a
balconylandingplatform,clearlyforpersonalprivate
access. It will wait here for the player characters. The
viewofthecityhereisspectacularbutellsabrutal
story. Like in Arrakeen, unrest here has risen to critical
levelsandfiresbuoughrnth outheci.Thty esoundsof
fightingcanbeheardfromeverydiect r ion.
The player characters can make their way into the palace
fromherequiteeasi.Wily theguardstryingtokeep
the insurgents out, there are few left to protect the halls.
However, as they make their way through the corridors
lokingforRabban,theyrunitoGeyHalleck(see
Dune Core Rulebookp.246)wearingastilsuitcovered
inHarkonenblod.Theplayercharacters’eact r iont
seeing him depends on how well they know or trust him.
Hewilbegladtomeetalliesandfriends,butcheerfuly
kill any Harkonnen sympathizers he meets.
While Halleck is on the same mission as the player
characters,heworieshemightnobetheonetokil
Rabbanhimself.Hehasanoldvendettaagainstthe
Beastandoweshimforthedeepinkvewhipscaron
his face. The player characters may have to convince
himteywilethimavethekilngblowiftheyjoin
If forces with a contested Communicate test.Otherwise,it
wilcomedowntoheverfindsRabbanfirst.
THE BEAST'S FINAL ACT
Eventual,ly theplayercharacterscomeacrossRabban,
ragingaroundthemainaudiencechamberaseverything
falls apart around him.
Theoppressionfthedayfloodsintoheshad -
owedchamberbefoer you,heatandlightinequal
measue.r Youreyesadjust,andfirstseeasplashof
crimsonblodstainigtheflo.fewor pacesfrom
itlesthebodyofaemFr en,stilsuitedandsilent,
adaggerwoundtoherchest.Beyondher,another
body,andthenanother,andthensteilmor across
thehugechamber.Inthemiddleofitallstandsthe
BeastRabban,bladedrawn,angrythatheisbeing
sodisrespectedbysupposedinferiors,butjoyusin
the opportunity to kill until no one is left.
Whetherheiswithyourn,GurneyHalleckleaps
fromtheshadowsandchargesRabbaninrghteous
fury. They cut and slice at each other, shields strain-
ingandflickeringintheequallymatchedmelee.It
isuptoyurnhetideofthebattle.Rabban
calls out to you, offering wealth, spice, power, and
blod.GurneyHalleckoffersyounthigbuthe
opportunity to put a poisoned monster out of its
misery. What do you do?
It is up to the players to decide how they wish to resolve
thisskirmshfight.Whicheversidetheychosewil
likelywin,justfromnubersalone,ifnothigelse.If
theplayercharacterschosetojustwatch,Halleckwil
finallykiRabban,butconsiderthemcowards(andthe
gamemastermayimposeatraitofthatnate). ur Ifallthe
playercharactersareeagerforaemor complexfight,
severalotherfacedancersdisguisedasRabbanarrive
andswitchplacestomakeitmpossibletoellwhote
eal r oneis.Thefacedancersmayevenmasqueradeas
Halleck or other player characters to make it harder to
decide who is who.
IfRabbanisdefeated,theplayercharactersbringhim
to his knees, and he still refuses to surrender. The player
characterscandealthedeathblowrfferHalleckthe
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 83
oppo.Ifrtuniy theydo,hewilbeafriendfoevr er,but
they will make an enemy of him if they take his chance
for revenge away from him.
THE ESCAPE
If the player characters decide to escape using the
Harkonenornithpter,thepilotsflythemtohe
rakeenspaceport,asagreed.Halleckdoesnotji
them as he has to meet up with the Fremen again. If
heisafriend,hetellsthemPaueiltr desisMuad’Dib,
andheispoisedtobringdowntheEmper.Heor warns
them to pick the right side. If he is an enemy, he leaves
withouad,
wor vanishingintoheblod-soakedsteet
r s.
Eventually, the player characters can return to the
Heighlinerinorbit,eitherviatherakeenspaceport
using the contacts they used to arrive on Arrakis in the
firstplace,orbysomesmugglingcontactsofHalleck’s.
Ifthingshavebeentoeasyfortheplayercharacters,
thegamemastermightdecideFeyd-Ruathaleftabomb
thattheymustfindanddefuseintheornithpterwhen
thejobisdone.
CONCLUSION
IfRabbanisdead,theplayercharactershavebeen
successful. If the player characters wish to curry even
more favor with those Houses that consider the
Harkonenstheirenem,y theycanbreakthenewsof
Rabban’sdeathtemselves,perhapsevenclaimingthe
creditforhisassassination(evenifitwasn’tthem).They
gainthetrait‘Beastkilers’andtheids rwo wilcarry
more weight in the Landsraad when it comes time to do
somethingaboutheHarkonens.Butheyalsogain
a reputation as assassins, which may make it harder to
claim Arrakis for themselves.
IfRabbansurvied,theplayercharactersmusthidehim
ifheisanal.Thly atwilbeverydifficult,aswilfakinghis
death.Iftheycandothat,Rabbanwiloethemhislife.
Butisemor likelysomeonewilfindandexecutehim.
If the player characters made any deals with factions
likeHouseEcazortheBeneGesserit,theyhonrtse
dealsifRabbanisdead.Shouldspiceproduction
recommence again, the player characters and
theirHousebecomewealthybeyondtheirdreams.
Unfortunatel,y nothigisgoingtogobacktonrmal.
Befoer thenextadvene,tur thereareseveralmissions
the player characters can still play out on Arrakis and in
thetemporaryImperialcourt.Theymightjoincallsfor
the Emperor to act, or politic for the advantage of their
alliesandfactions.Onrakis,thereisgreatbrutality
and violence in the cities. So, refugees need help
escaping. Perhaps the player characters have friends, or
even assets and wealth they need to get out of the city
aswell.Thereismuchtodoinacityinflames,andthis
isonlythebeginigoftheviolence.
 T HE S HATTERED
T HRONE
rakisteetersontheprecipiceofeventsthatwilshaketheKnowUniverseformilennia.The“Beast”Rabbanisdead
andtheEmperorhimselfhascometorakistosettlethematterofspiceproductionandquellwhathestilbelievesis
onlyaebel minor lion.Fallygoadedintodecisiveaction,theEmperorcomandshisImperialfrigatetofinallyand
onrakisnearrakeen,accompaniedbylegionsofSardaukaready r topacifythepeopleofDuneonceandforall.
RepresentativeoftheGuild,CHOM,andtheBeneGesserit,aswellasnoblesfromtheLandsraadhavealljoinedthe
Emperortbservewhatfolowsandattendtoheirowniterests.ftermilenniaofCorinule,fewinattendance
haveanydoubtsthattheEmperorwilfaceaneal yr difficuest ltyinr oringder
or byunleashingthedreadedSardaukar.

Thisadvenetur openswitheplayercharacterscalledbefoer theEmperortexplaintheirinvolementinhedeath

ofRabban.TheyarethentaskedwithaccompanyingaSardaukarraidonaemFr ensietchnearthesouthpolaricecap,
duringwhichtheynarowlyescape
r annihlationbutarepartyoheder
mur ofMuad’Dib’sinfantson,LetoI,andmay
becomeespo r nsibleforaidinglia,Muad’Dib’ssister,inheroler inthecomingconflagration.Fal,ly thecharacters
areecal r ledtoheimperialesi
r denceinrakeenasMuad’DibmakesafinalplayfortheImperialThone.r Theplayer
charactersmaychosetoakepartinhebattleforakeenor emainitheonethr oman
r dfuriouslypolitcduring
these fraught moments that will shape the destiny of humanity. The choices the player characters have made leading up
to this chapter will come to fruition, leading to the elevation of their House along with the new order, or its destruction
along with the old powers.

Rabban’sfearsarejustified.Heisbeingheldaccountablefortheproblemsonrakisandseveralfactionswanthim
dead.Theplayercharactersfindthemselveschargedwithetask,possiblyfromseveralcontacts.WhileRabbanisnot
easyprey,theymayfindalliesinthestrangestplaces.

AC T I : A F I N A L planetfall. The enormous spacecraft circles out over a

thousand meters, almost a city in its own right. It is not
AUDIENCE onlyaspacecraft,butaThoner Room,comandpost,
imperialesi
r dence,andthebarracksofthefearsome
Theadvenetur beginswitheplayercharactersin
Sardaukar.Severalotherfrigatesbearingtheemblems
anornithptertravelingtorakeenfromCarthag.
of the various Houses of the Landsraad cluster at its
ThismightbejustafterkilngRabbanintheprevious
baselikeinsectsincomparison.Dozensofornithpters
adventure, or after pursuing another mission on Arrakis
in imperial livery patrol the skies. The Emperor has
sincethen.Befoer theycrosstheshieldwallinto
finallycometorakis,andthisisonlyatasteofthe
rakeenairspace,theplayercharacters’ornithpter
power of the Lord of the Known Universe.
ishailedbySardaukardemandingtheyidentify
themselvesorbedestoyed. r Ifthecharactersidentify stheplayercharacters’ornithpterentersrakeen
themselvestruhfu,ly thereisabriefpausebefoer the airspace,theynoticenumerousbuildingsinrakeen
Sardaukar replies. areaflame,andtherearesignsofriotnginthesteet r s.
Thecity’sbywaysareachaoticswirlasSardaukarand
“HouseNagaraornithpter,makeimediateland - Harkonnen troops indiscriminately slaughter civilians.
ingatLFourZedandsubmitosecurityassess -
If the player characters deviate from their assigned
ment.Youarethender
or edtopresentyourselvesto
flightpath,theyareimediatelyinterceptedbyan
theImperialPerson,PadishahEmperorShaddamIV
overwhelming force of Sardaukar piloted ornithopters
ofHouseCorin.cknowledge.”
thatbreakofffrompatolan r dfoce r alanding.The
playercharactersmightattemptanescape,butiwlbe
Theofficertowhmeyarespeakinghasnofurther
difficultandleavethemnowheretogounlesstheyhave
information and little patience for prevarication.
friends among the Fremen.
nythiglessthancompleteobediencemightearn
theplayercharactersabad(trait)epu r tationamong ssumingtheplayercharactersdoasthey’retold;they
the Sardaukar. findthemselvesgreetedbyadetachmentofimperial
securitypersonelbackedbyadozenSardaukar
Passing over the shield wall, the player characters
awaiting them at a designated landing zone on the
cannothelpbutnoicetheImperialFrigatehasmade
Imperial Frigate. The player characters are searched

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 85
 and scanned thoroughly and must leave anything that
couldevenvaguelybeconstruedasaweaponwithe
security team. Any attempt to conceal a weapon of any
typeeqr es
uir aeDir (D4) Movetest.Oncecleared , the
charactersareaccompaniedbytwoSardaukarforeach
memberoftheirgroup,andusheredintohefrigate,
passingvasthallswheretheyobservethousandsof
Sardaukar mustering and deploying amidst their own
landers and ornithopters.
Theplayercharactersaresubjectedtonumerous
additionalsecurityscreeningsandbriefinterogat r ionsas
they are shepherded towards their destination. Finally,
theyarebroughtbefoer apairofenormusgolddoors
bearingthecrestofHouseCorin.Numerouscourtiers
and administrators cluster around here like worker
ants,scuryingandpolitckingaboutheirbusiness.
ThepresidingSardaukarofficermotinstheplayer
characters forward and the great doors swing open.
Withat,theplayercharactersfindthemselvesushered
into the Imperial Throne Room.
The Imperial Throne dominates the far end of
thechamber,setuponadaisabovethecrowdof
hangers-onandSardaukarinuformsmarkingthemas
theEmperor’spersonalguard.Screensanddisplaysare
everywhere,detailingsceneaftersceneofthebrutal
conflictgoingonirakeen.Yetamodofexcitement
pervadestheom,r asnoblesandcourtiersgossip
and chat, treating this visit to Arrakis as something of a
holiday.Notablyabsentfromtheonethr omar
r eany
Harkonens.Theyhavebeenpurposefulyisolatedso
asnotierferewitheplayercharacters’easo r n
forbeinghere—togivetheirversionftheevents
suoundir ngthedeathofRabban.
Seated on the throne, the Emperor wears the uniform of
a Sardaukar commander with gold and silver trim. As the
player characters arrive, he is deep in conversation with
theReverendMotherHelenGaiusMohiam,hisBene
GesseritTruthsayer(see Dune Core Rulebookp.258)
whostandsnextohim.stheplayercharactersenter,
aheraldstampsthefloorwithsstaffandformally
announces their arrival and they are motioned to kneel
befoer theEmper.Thor eEmperorimpatientlymoins
them to stand and then speaks.
“So, I understand my governor here on Arrakis,
GlossuRabbanhasbeenslaughteredandthathe
diedatyourhands.Explainyourselves!”
TheEmperoris,infact,quitepleasedthatRabbanhas
beenkiledandevenemor sothatitwasdonewithou
any connection to himself. However, he is not privy
to the full details of what occurred and is interested
in hearing what the player characters will say under
pressure. He waits for them to speak and uses long
pauses and severe looks to encourage the player
characters to tell the truth.
86
TheplayercharactersmaymakeaChallenging(D2)
Communicate test to notice the Emperor is not as
displeased with them as he might appear. They should
then decide what story they should tell and what they
should take credit for. As they are kneeling in front of
the Emperor, now is not the time to get their stories
straight. So, they should either let one player character
do the talking or the gamemaster may allow a Daunting
(D3) Communicatetest,tosubtlyestablishafewpoints
toagreeon(oneperMomentumearned).
TheEmperorwilbepleasediftheysaytheykiled
Rabban,andemor soiftheydonotmentionGurey
Halleck.TheideathatemFr enburstintoheCarthag
Citadelandder mur edthegovernorisnotsomething
the Emperor wants to hear. Assassins taking down a
ogur enobleforthegoodoftheImperiumsamuch
betternarrative.
The presence of the Reverend Mother Mohiam, and
herownentourageofBeneGesserit,shouldemr indthe
charactersthattheyareundoubtedlybeingsubjected
to truthsense and any cover stories they wish to make
must thread the most delicate of needles. Should any of
theplayercharacterstellanylies,eqitr es uir aeDir (D4)
Discipline test to phrase it in such a way the Reverend
Motherdoesnotdetectitasalie.IfthereareanyBene
Gesserthein group, theymayalsomakeaChallenging
(D3) Discipline test to notice Reverend Mother Mohaim
secretlysignalthemthebestcourseofactiontplacate
the Emperor.
Depending on what the player characters say (as long as
itsthetruh)theymaygainconsiderablefavorfromthe
Emper.Thor ismaybegainedintheformoftraitsper
thegamemaster’sdiscretion.
If the characters succeed in ingratiating themselves
further, the Emperor thanks them for their service and
asks how he may reward them. If the characters give
offense, the Emperor simply waves his hand dismissively
andtellsthemthatthesituationrakisiscomplex
and that they are forgiven for their trespass against his
governor. It is up to the gamemaster how the Emperor
ewr ardstheiractions.Theymightbegrantedextratile
andwealthonespotorakenoutbeexecutedby
the Sardaukar if they have not proved loyal. Something
inbetweenisemor likel.Ony cetheEmperorissatisfied
witheplayercharacters’explanations,hegestes ur for
themtobesilentandcontiues.
“Rabban’sgovernanceofrakiswasanabject
faielur andhasleftourfiefinadisastousr state.
Thereismuchtobedonebefoer theproduction
ofmelangeisstabilized,butaleady r theplanetis
beingpacified.Beginighereinrakeen,allof
thesedesertrabblearebeingbroughtoheel.Iam
informedthatmySardaukarhavejustnowidentified
the location of a large settlement of these Fremen
 in the South Polar Region. It pleases me that you reputation impresses any of the Sardaukar. If it does,
shouldaccompanythebattaliontsubduethese theygainthetrait‘SardaukarRespect’andaretaken
people and provide report to me upon the nature of intoheSardaukar’sconfidencealite,ifnotheyare
their resistance and imminent capitulation.” mostly ignored.

Space is made for the characters in the rear

The Emperor has chosen the player characters to
compartment of an ornithopter otherwise dedicated
observeanimportantoperationbehalfofthe
tocomunicationsequipmentandpersonel.They
Landsraad. As such, he has also given them an
areder or edtostayoutfthewayanddoexactlyas
opportunity to prove their loyalty to the Imperial
theyaretold.Oncesecued r intheirseats,theycan
Thone.r Theeaso
r nfortheplayercharactersbeing
observefinalpreparationsacrossthefieldasthefleetof
picked for this mission depends on how the Emperor
Sardaukar vehicles lift off. Dozens of ornithopters and
feelsabouthem:
hoveringoptr carriersrise,dustbilowingupbeneath
@ They proved themselves talented and loyal and themandconcealingtheground.Thevehiclesbegina
so deserve more chances to earn Imperial trust seriesoflopingpassesaboverakeenastheyfallinto
and favor. formationfortheirflightoheSouthPolarRegion.
@ Theyareangniyo andsel u ess;ch ihw ni caseeyht
be
l iw sefu u can l fono dder. AC T I I : T H E AT T I T U D E
@ Theystuj appen
h
ateht emit eh as
edbe
ot frni fo tn eht per
w gnik ht abo.ti u
mE ro
OF THE KNIFE
ThejourneytoheSouthPolarRegiontakesseveral
He dismisses the player characters, and a courtier
hours, even at high speed through the edge of the
informs them that the Sardaukar will depart for the
atmosphere.Comunicationsareexemtr elylimtedwith
South Polar Region within the hour. In the meantime,
theSardaukar,butheplayercharactersarethereatthe
the player characters have some time to mingle in the
Emperor’sinvtation,andthesoldiersan wil swergeneral
throne room. Depending on how their involvement in
questionsabouthenateur oftheoperation.
thedeathofRabbanwasecei r ved,theymaybeeattr ed
ascelebritesornt-quie-pariahsbythesycophantic The Sardaukar reveal that their target is a Fremen
courtiers of the throne room. comunity(theyarenotfamilarwithedwor “sietch”)
near the south polar ice cap. Reconnaissance has
Ifthecharactershaveunfinishedbusinesswith
revealed that the settlement is poorly defended and
membersofthecourt,Guildepr r esentatives,or
comprised mostly of women, children, and the elderly.
theBeneGesseritcontigent(includingReverend
CharactersfamilarwitheemFr enmaywonderwhy
MotherQadiraLarielNarilanorMargotFenring)thisis
asietchwouldbeleftsopoorlydefendedbuthe
a good time for hurried conversations. The gamemaster
Sardaukar are uninterested in discussing the matter.
is encouraged to use this scene as an opportunity to
Theyalsocarenothigabouthebasebeingcomposed
oduintr cefinalpolitcalcomplicationsfortheplayer
ofwhattheyconsider‘softtargets’.TheEmperorhas
charactersdependingontheallegiancesthey’vemade
comanded,theyobey,nothigelsematters.
orbroken.Everyfactionwthastakeonrakishas
epr r esentativespresentinheonethr om,r except If the player characters have previously made a
the Harkonnens, though they have their own spies connection with the Fremen, the gamemaster can
present,ofcourse.TheEmperor’svictorynakis substitueasietchwithchtheplayercharacters
isconsideredafoego r neconclusionbyallpresent, arealeady
r familar.Conversel,y iftheEmperorandhis
butheplayercharactersactionsareunderintense Sardaukar respect the player characters, they might offer
scrutinyasitbecomesincreasinglyclearhowcentral them a more active part in the mission, such as piloting
theyhavebecometohematterscuenr tlyunfolding.If the ornithopter.
theplayercharactersareconfusedaboutanyofthese
Thebattalionhasbeender
or edtoconducta‘peace
politics, or their place in them, a friendly agent, contact,
keeping’operationhereemtor indtheinhabitantsofthe
orallycanexplainthigstohemquiet.Only cethe
supremacy of the Imperial Throne on Arrakis regardless
characters depart the imperial residence, events move
of which House may temporarily rule the planet.
emor quick. ly
The Sardaukar do not discuss the particulars of their
Whenthecharactershavecompletedtheirbusiness,a der
or s,buthereisasensethattheyfeelthismissionis
pair of Sardaukar escort them from the residence and to beneathtem.
thelandingfieldwhereafulbattalionspreparingfor
After some hours, the atmosphere in the ornithopter
this new operation. The Sardaukar are not pleased at
changesastheSardaukarsuddenlybeginweapons
theprospectofchaperonigcivilans,andtheybarely
andequipmentchecks.nofficerinformstheplayer
conceal their hostility. Each player character should
charactersthattheywilbemakingtheirlandinginjust
makeaeDir (D4) Battle test to see if their gait, skill, and

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 87
 afewminutes.Theofficerdoesnotexpectsignificant
esi
r stance,butheder or stheplayercharacterstostay
close to him and his retinue.
With a sudden lurch and press of gravity, the ornithopter
and other vehicles in the attack wing drop low,
increasing speed for their attack run, skimming the
sands.omtheFr viewports,thecharacterscanobserve
wingsofornithptersstrafingthestoneedificethat
conceals the sietch while a dozen drop platforms
speedintoposition,disembarkingtheirSardaukar
infantry onto the rocky plain. The ornithopter which
carries the player characters makes a wide loop of
thedesertbefoer etr urnigandsettingdown,the
landing zone apparently secured. The Sardaukar that
accompanythemdisembarkfirst,motingforthe
playercharacterstowaitamoentastheyassemble
comunicationsequipment.
Stepping onto the sands, the sounds of Sardaukar
weaponrypoundingsuppressionfireintohecliffwalls
ofthesietchassaultstheplayercharacters’ears.Teams
ofoper
tr suselasguns,tocutinohecamouflaged
entrances to the sietch. The Sardaukar move with eerie
precision,theiroperationufoldingflawlessl.Justy as
itseemstheoper
tr swilbreachthewall,theemFr en
counterattack.Burstingfromcuniglyconcealed
tunnels and hides along the stone wall, dozens of
88
defenders hurl themselves at the attackers. From a
distance,thecharacterscannotmakeoutdetails,but
this initial wave comprises the few adult warriors left in
defenseofthesietch.Themajorityfthiscomunity’s
warriors are already far to the north, preparing to
accompanyMuad’Dibintheimnentattackon
rakeen.Thoseemwhor ainhereareasmallbandof
warriosandmanyofthelessableemFr enoftheenetir
SouthPolarRegion.ThisisthefirsttimeSardaukarhave
encounteredtheemFr eninopenbattle,andtheyare
woefulyoverconfidentandunprepared.
If any player characters have insisted on accompanying
the Sardaukar, they are caught in the assault. Each must
makeaDauntig(D3) Battle test or suffer a wound
complication.Iftheplayerswantofighteitherthe
Fremen or the Sardaukar, the gamemaster can face
themwithatargetoftheirchoicetofightinaskirmsh
conflict.Butinhedustandchaos,iftheygetinto
oubl tr e,noeisgoingtobeabletohelpthem.
The player characters are not supposed to leave the
imediatevicinityoftheSardaukarcomandsquadto
whichthey’vebeenattached,butinhedustandchaos
of the landing,itwouldeqonlyr euir aChallenging
(D2) Move Test for each character to take a moment
toslipawayunoticed.ThetestbecomesaDauntig
(D3) Move Test for each character if the entire group
attempts to sneak off together. Should the characters with hundreds of cisterns and devices to reclaim or
remain with their minders, after a few moments, the contain water and moisture. The Fremen defend
Sardaukar motion them to follow as they move in to this room with lethal fervor. The few remaining adult
more closely support the front assault. warriors are among the forty Fremen found here.
TheSardauar k areexni abl ro puy shed,tuo andylno
Regroupingfromtheintalfighting,theplayer
a handful escape this cavern with their lives. The
characters may wish to interfere with the Sardaukar
playercharactersal l iw stom cerai t be yln ed
l ik fi eyht
assault,butlikelycannotstopafulbattalion
emr aiess lnu eyht av h estgno r coect n snoi stuj ton
theirown.Hever,opportuniesareavailablefor
eht o emrF enbusiht o sietchpar ni cu it ar.l
moentsofheroism(orvilainy).TheSardaukarassault
@ A pair of Sardaukar have cornered a group of
isintallystymiedbytheadultwarriosdefendingthe
emrF enTh. eer Sardauar k ay l deadbesideeht bodies
entrancestohesietchbutstenr gthofnumberscarry
of two Fremen children. The four remaining Fremen
themoverandoughthr .Bythetimethecomand
youths and an older woman ward the remaining
squadaccompanyingtheplayercharacterseach r es
attackers off with crysknives. Unfortunately, they
theentrances,thefightinghasmoveddeepwithn
are tiring. The characters may intervene as they
thetunelsandcavernsofthesietch.Bodiesliterthe
chse, o bufi t eyht dog, nihto eht Sardauar k ckiuq yl
ground,andwhiledozensofthosebodiesareemFr en,
overcome the Fremen.
asurprisingnumberareSardaukar. A successful Average
@ The characters turn a corner and come across a
(D1) Communicate or Understand test reveals that
sqadu fo Sardauar k siu gn aasgu l foot n ce r enot yr
the terse communicationsbetweentheirchaperonig
a strongroom. Within the small room are shelves
officersandtheirbodylanguageisconfusedand
containing a fortune in preserved melange. The
uneasy.TheSardaukararetakingunexpectedlyheavy
Sardauar k an r sackeht stes ro bueht ni enmo ’s
t
casualties and responding with increasing savagery.
chaoseht playercharactersghim be t ablestot eal
As the group moves into the sietch, signs of violence are acosin derableamfotnuo emht r seles v fi eyht ’re
everywhere. The Fremen are resisting at every step and gnil w skir ot eht etr bu
ir fo n it eierht eht emrF en,eht
the Sardaukar are paying a heavy price. Bysucceeding per
mE r,o bo ro .ht
inanverage(D1) Understand test, a character may
The Sardaukar assault penetrates deep into the sietch
notice that once inside the sietch, the Fremen casualties
culminatinginasquadmakingtheirwayintohe
arenolgeradultmenandwomen,butlargely
heavily defended crèche. It is here that they discover
comprisedofchildren,aged,andinfirmindividuals.
theinfantchild,LetoI,sonofMuad’DibandChani.
Despitethis,it’sclearthesesupposedcivilansinflicted
Bythetimetheplayercharactersarrive,theSardaukar
outsized casualties upon their attackers.
have killed the children, including Leto II. The Sardaukar
The Sardaukar press their attack deeper into the areunawarethatMuad’Dib’schildisamongtheir
sietch,andifquestionedaboutheirobjectivesbythe victims.Thecombatcontiuesintheombet r ween
characterstheymaintainwithgrimlaughsthatit’sstil the Sardaukar and remaining defenders, including a
a“peacekeepingoperation”.Inthesamebreath,they fo-year
ur -oldgirlwhocuriouslywearstheblackabaofa
authorize their troops to count any Fremen present Fremen Reverend Mother over her stillsuit, and whose
as“enemycombatants”.stheSardaukarravagethe crysknifeisedden r edwithfreshblod.Ifthecharacters
sietch,itbecomeseasierforthecharacterstoslipthe are already familiar with her, they recognize her instantly
watch of their minders and make their own way through as Alia Atreides,sisterofMuad’Dib,butifnot,she’sjust
thelabyrinthoftunelsanddwellings. a strange and vicious Fremen child.

The player characters may choose to intervene on the

BLOOD IN THE SIETCH
side of the Sardaukar or the Fremen. Fighting ensues in
Whilemakingtheirwayoughthr theembattledsietch,
eithercase,butiftheplayercharactersdonotjumpinto
thereareanumberofscenestheplayercharactersmay
the fray, the Sardaukar soon overcome the remaining
encounter. If the player characters have already made
defenders.liadropsherknife,allowingherselftobe
acquaintancesamongtheemFr enofthissietch,thisis
taken captive. She speaks to the lead Sardaukar and
an opportunity to reintroduce them or create additional
characterswithadisturbingauthoriygivenherageand
complicationsintheattack’schaos.
child’svoice.
@ sqad
u fo Sardauar
k aredescendign apassageway
into the depths of the sietch. The hall opens into “Yo u h av e y o u r v i ct o r y h ere, capt ai n . D o y o u
aast
v caver,n eht aiabl
ton r co
y er.lo seht ps
o rt k n o w h o I am ? I t h i n k y o u do . B u t l et u s n o t
enter it, dozens of Fremen leap from concealment, be u n cl ear, I am l i a t rei des. Si st er o f Pau l
hurling themselves at the intruders. An Average t rei des, n o w M u ad’D i b. Yo u w i l t ak e m e befo re
(D1) Understand test reveals this cavern is lined your Emperor now.”

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 89
 If the characters help the Fremen, the Sardaukar are
defeated, and Alia prevents her guards from attacking
theplayersbefoer addressingthem.
“fewoftheEmperor’slapdogswilbepermit - prey to Fremen grenades while Sardaukar fall mere
tedtoescapethisplace,itsmyMuad’Dib’swil.
DidyouknwthatIwastheirquarryhere?I,lia
Atreides? There is perhaps much you do not know
butwilsoonfindout.Youarepermitedtoake
me captive and deliver me to the Emperor. Do me
thisserviceandmybrothermaylokuponyouwith
favor in the coming storm.”
Alia accompanies the characters and any Sardaukar
ops
tr theymayejr oin.Shepermitsherselftobelosely
searched and surrenders her crysknife. If the player
characters or the SardaukarsucceedinaDauntig(D4)
Understandtest,theyfindsheisconcealinganitem
Befoer theycandiscoverthatitsagomjabbar,she
usestheVoicetopreventheplayercharactersfrom
further investigation. Alternately, the player character
may persuade her to allow them to hold onto it
provided they return it to her in Arrakeen.
In any event, the tide turns against the Sardaukar. A
Challenging(D2) Battle test allows the player characters
toealr izetheemFr enetr eat
r edtodrawthemin.Now
the Fremen forces can attack on all sides and have
beguntovercometheSardaukar.Forneofthe
fewtimesinhstorytheSardaukararebeingfoced r
ettor eat
r .Com-chatterbetweentheSardaukarhas
an unusual edge to it, and anyone overhearing it may
attemptanverage(D1)
that there is a hint of panic and confusion among the
usuallystoiccomandos.Thecharactersareder or edby
thefirstSardaukartheyencounterettor urnwithem
to the landing zone, and the troopers take Alia into
their charge.
The player characters and their attendants make it
to their ornithopter with only moments to spare. The
ASSISTING ALIA
If the player characters are on the side of the
Fremen, they might try to help Alia escape. She will
tellthemshemustbetakentoheEmper,or ithas
beenfoeseen r .Inwhichcase,theplayercharacters
canfightheirwaytoanornithptertopiloti
away themselves, rather than leaving it up to the
Sardaukar. The player characters will have to make
several Moveteststoescapetheblodshedand
Battle tests to avoid getting hurt. If the Sardaukar
realize the player characters are with the Fremen,
theydotheirbesttokilhemall.
90
scene around them is one of tremendous chaos as
emFr enwomen,children,andeldersfightwiherrifying
disciplineandpushtheSardaukarback.Theetr eat r
becomesaoutas r landingcraftandornithptersfall
feetfromtheirownvehicles.stheplayercharacters’
ornithopter lifts off, they can see the sole surviving
landingcrafttakeoff.Itssurvialensued r onlybyits
piloturnigtheship’sattiudinaljetsupontheground,
usingthemasimpromptuflameowerthr sagainstthe
attacking Fremen.
stheplayercharacters’ornithpterock r etsintohe
sky, the pilot makes evasive maneuvers and rapidly
ascendsbeyondtherangeoftheemFr en’sweapo. nry
A shocked silence descends in the vehicle, punctuated
afteralongmoentbyatieringlaughfromlia.
OnlytwoSardaukarhavesurvied,thepilotanda
.
comunicationsofficerwhotakestheco-pilot’sseat,
leaving the characters and Alia in the rear compartment.
liahasliteemor tosaytohecharacters,butif
pressed,favorsthemwithadisturbinglyadultsneer
befoer speaking.
“These dogs have done their duty well and my
brotherwilpaytheminkd.Theder
mur ofmy
nepheweqwilr euir apricebeyondmeasue.r Our
storm comes.”
With that, she lapses into silence. As the ornithopter
contiuesitsflight,thecharactersobservedust
whippingupfromthegroundasagreatCorilsstorm
Understand test to realize
beginsitsinexorablejourney,pushingthemalltoward
Arrakeen and whatever destiny awaits.
ACT III:
THE RIGHTEOUS
The player characters return to the Imperial Frigate
nearrakeeninanornithpter,justaheadofavast
stormgrowingbehindthemacrossthewholenorthern
hemisphere.oundGr crewsrushfromcovertosecuer
the handful of returning Sardaukar ships against the
coming weather, and the player characters can see the
est
r oftheimperialarmy’svehicleshavebeenlikewise
tied down and covered. The storm is sweeping into
rakeen,andtheplayercharactersareusheredback
into the presence of the Emperor to make a report.
As Alia is a child, no one thinks she is very important.
Theplayercharacterscanbringherwitheminto
the presence of the Emperor withanverage(D1)
Communicate test.However,thisDifficultyincreasesby
two if any surviving Sardaukar with the player characters
haveseenherfight.Ifso,sheisleftunderguardinan
anterom,whereshewiluseVoicetogetwherevershe
wants to go later.
When the player characters enter the presence of the
ALIA’S AUDIENCE
Emper,or BaronHarkonenisalsoinattendancebefoer
thispoint,theEmperordecidestoheartheBaron
theImperialThone.r Theplayercharactersareexpected
Harkonen’sexcuses,andthisiswhenliadecides
to make a report on the occurrence in the sietch. The
tomakeherselfknow.Shemightaleady
r beinthe
EmperorwilbepleasedtohearthingslikeliaisPaul’s
Throne Room or enter in the company of two Sardaukar
sisterandhasbeencapted, ur orthatPaul’ssonLetowas
shehascomandedtoakeherthereusingVoice.t
der mur edbySardaukar.However,hewilbeenragedat
almostexactlythesametime,theemFr enbreakopen
theveryideatheSardaukarwereouted
r byemFr en,let
the shield wall with atomic weapons, and a vast Fremen
alone women, children, and old men.
army surges through the gap to engage the Sardaukar.
After their report, the player characters can make a Thebreachinthewallhappensjustasthedesertstorm
Communicate test to see how well it came across, with blastsrakeenandtheImperialfrigatewithpowerful
thegamemasterchosingaDifficueflect
ltyr inghowte winds and stinging sand.
Emperor is likely to react.
The court is in uproar as soon as this occurs, allowing
@ If they impress the Emperor, he welcomes their liatheopportuniyoklBaronHarkonenwithagom
thoughts on how well things have gone for the jabbarneedleevinr engeforthefalloftheeitr des.
arH enn ok s,andfi eyht shdluo begienv eht
As the Fremen assault the frigate, a great storm
benefitfo eht dobt u foecenr evt ens.t Theplayer
envelops the city. The defenders cannot use their
characters can counsel the Emperor, and he will rule
airpower nor their shield in the presence of Sardaukar
accordingly.
lasguns.tomicsblastapatoughhtr thestoneof
@ fI eht per mE si ro aned yon byeht playercharacters’
theShieldWallandintohebasiniwhchrakeenis
epor ,tr eh der ro seiht exr ecuasnoit ai rt s.rot eH
situated.Imediatelythereafter,theemFr endisable
sini stsat ht eyht stum av
h esaboaged t sih Sardauar.k
the imperial residence with a lasgun and enter the
Sardaukar guards pin the player characters to the
cityonhebacksofdozensofsandworms,destoyingr
floaw ro aignit eht per mE ’s ro pleasue.r eh tuB an w st
Sardaukar and Harkonnen vehicles and personnel.
emht av
h ot eemiabo
t kn ht o eiht u dir sgrace
Dismounting from the worms, the Fremen slaughter the
befoer eh execues t emht .
 defendersbefoer securingthefrigate.Simultaneousl,y @ Move: Move around the Imperial Frigate to gain
other Fremen capture the city itself, taking advantage of eltni gen
il ceeht no statefo eht fighg.nit
thechaoscausedbytheongoingriots. @ Understand: foko L ar eak
w esses
n exot plni t o
the enemy position, or technology that can attack or
While this is going on, the player characters need to
confuse them.
decidetheirpart.Ratherthangiveablow-by-blow
accountofthebattle,thegamemastershouldaskthe Eachplayercharactershouldmakefivetestselr atingto
player characters what they want to do. Some potential whattheyaredoing,eachatDauntig(D3)Difficu. lty
optionsare: Failinganyofthemdefeatstheplayercharacter,but
they awaken among the Fremen as allies. Succeeding
@ Help the Emperor and the Sardaukar destroy Paul
on all of them earns them the respect of the Fremen as
and the Fremen.
truly loyal and skilled allies. Alia is also impressed, and
@ Join the Fremen legions to dethrone the Emperor.
they may consider her a contact.
@ Find a place to hide.
WAITING OUT THE STORM
HELPING THE EMPEROR
If the player characters want to stay out of the fray, the
TheEmperor’sfoces r wilose,butiftheplayer
onethr omisr theperfectplacetodoso.Theycanjoin
characters are people of honor and have chosen his
thenoblesquiveringinacorneraschaoseir gnsoutside.
side,theymaywantogodownfighting.Shoulder
Eventual,ly theycanbepartoftheEmperor’ssuenr der
toshoulderwitheSardaukar,theycantryheirbest
when Fremen take control.
tohldthelineagainstemFr enandmakethemfight
for every step. To keep them alive for a while, the Escaping the Imperial Frigate eqr es uir aseriesofee
thr
gamemaster should play this in a series of retreats. Challenging(D2) Move tests. Success on all of them
PlayercharactersmustmakeDauntig(D3) Battle tests means the player characters escape to Arrakeen. Failure
to avoid defeat in any encounter. If they succeed, they onjustonemeanstheemFr endefeatthemandtake
gettodothesameagain.fterfivesuchencounters , them prisoner as allies of the Emperor.
theemFr enbreakintoheThoner Roomandcapteur
Itshouldn’tneedtobesaidthathidingandnot
the Emperor. If a player character fails, they are hurt
picking a side earns the player characters no allies or
badlyandloseconsciousness.Theyawakenasprisoners
espect
r .Butiftheyareclever,theymightmakesome
oftheemFr enintheThoner Room.Thenumberof
dealsamongthecoweringnobles.lthoughitwl
encounters they survive will determine the respect
beinterestingtoseehowmanyofthesedealscanbe
any remaining Imperial forces give them. If they are
ed honr onceMuad’Dibtakesover.
stilstandinginthefinalencounter,theEmperorwil
consider them loyal, and they will earn the respect of
theSardaukarwithapossiblehonrarySardaukartile
CONCLUSION
depending on their performance. ThebattleendswithPaulMuad’DibandtheemFr en
victorious. He and his commanders and family take
JOINING THE FREMEN control of the Imperial Frigate and arrest the Emperor.
TheplayercharactersmaywantojinheemFr en The player characters are in the room to watch this take
forces. To do this, they need to follow Alia and convince place, and the gamemaster can involve them in any of
her she can trust them. Without her, the Fremen attack thefolowing,justor teltheml whathappens.Eitherway,
them unless they have some way to make contact with they are eyewitnesses to history. The following offers the
alliesofPaulikeGurneyHalleck.liaisapowerful gamemasterthekeypointsofthisscene:
individual, so the player characters should tell her the
@ ad’D
uM b,
i an
hC ,i essi
J caeirt des,eynruG al
H eck
l ,
truth, and if they honestly want to help, she can use
and Stilgar enter the throne room along with dozens
theirhelpworkingbehindthebattlelines.Iftheytryo
of fedaykin.
trick her, or do not really want to help the Fremen, Alia
@ ad’D
uM b
i foni smr an hC fo i eht deatfo h eiht ch r dli
will know and leave them to their fate.
and summons the captive imperial court.
stheyareinsidetheImperialFrigate,lia’smissionis @ The Emperor and his retinue, including Reverend
to confuse the enemy and open doors for the Fremen erhtoM ai
hoM ,m enF tnuoC g,
nir eyF d-Raua ht
togetinside.Eachplayercharactershouldexplainhow ar H enn ok ,Prcess ni an lurI ,andThfir u aw H atare
theyareassistingthisaction.Somesuggestionsare: brghuo eht o en rht.mo r
@ Thfir u aw H atsi brghuo fot ar wr dandevr ealsat ht
@ Battle: bu
m shSardauar
k cl
ot earapat.h
eh as w der ro edder rum ot ad’D
uM b,
i buefu r t sed,
@ Communicate: Issue commands and cause confusion
turning the poisoned ring on himself. He dies in
eht ni batelt es
nil fal
htiw sefoni at
mr . n o i
ad’D
uM b’s
i ars.m
@ Discipline: Patiently looking for moments of
@ Theper mE an ro ddliuG epr r esenat t es
vi eat rht en
eak
w ess
n eht ni enemply ansandexplgnit o emht .
ad’D
uM b i eht iw arada m bi ro ni eH .t espo
r ds n by

92
 threatening to destroy the spice cycle forever if FURTHER ADVENTURES
eht dliuG doesedi m i ton ateldiy sperseeht fleets. With the Emperor deposed and a new regime is in
Theyacqesce. iu place,PaulMuad’Dibnowcoolsntr theImperium
@ Reverend Mother Mohaim reveals Muad’Dib to through a force of lethal warriors and with the threat of
be the Kwisatz Haderach. He responds by destroying spice forever.
infor ming her that he wil never do the bidding
Buthestoryisnotveryet.Noegi
r mechange
of the Bene Gesserit.
happensovernight,andeachHousehastofiguer outis
@ ad’D
uM b
i prpoo sesar m age ir Prot cess ni an lurI .
placeinthsnewImperium.Informationwlbekey,and
@ ad’D
uM bi calsl eyF tuo d-Raua ht ar H enn ok eynruG .
theplayercharactersmightdowelltobecomespies
al H eck l begs.mih l ik ot
as they secure advantages for their House and allies.
@ eyF des kovni an K an yl dchalenl gesad’D uM b
i a
ot
Then there is spice to consider. The Imperium is still
duelad’D uM. b i andeyF dfighes vink htiw befoer eht
desperate, and Paul is not generous with it. The player
assembledcoan tru demrF en.
characters must make new spice contacts or revitalize
@ Feyd almost achieves victory through the use of
their old ones to secure a supply. Then, they must make
acoceal n edandposoi ed n eedl n e,buad’D uM t b
i
sure they still have the option to trade as they once did,
uses it against his opponent, and kills Feyd with a
or their domains may fall into ruin.
fe-
ink sturht der nu eht at o rht .
@ Theper mE der ro senF tnuoC gnir ad’D uM l ik ot b.
i What side they choose matters. Having the respect of
The count demurs, saying he refuses out of Paul and the Fremen will make everything that much
friendship to the Emperor. easier.JustasbeingconsideredanallyoftheEmperor
@ ad’D
uM b i ak t eseht eno rht andan lurI agreesot or the Harkonnens will make them pariahs. While House
ar m eht iw mper
hEyr ’s ro OMHC diloh gs n Harkonnen is no more, the Emperor still plans to restore
asdoThy. rwsi egi l es zim t Pau’s l ewn egi r em and the old order. For this he needs allies, and he still has
fficio aldepo yl sesShaddameH . granst eynruG several rewards in his purview if the player characters
al H eck l eht fiefdofo m al C adanaselw as l es lti and will take risks.
attendant power for every living Atreides soldier. He
Butamidfranticpolitckingoverthescrapsleftbythe
appoints Stilgar to governor of Arrakis.
newEmper,or theemFr ensetoutbringtheImperium
@ ThedliuG disperseseht fleet.
toheelanddeclarethatMuad’Dibistheirsaviorand
@ ad’D
uM b
i becoes m permE fo r eht Unnwo K ervi se.
master.Thisisatimeofblodandfire,anditwlbe
sometimebefoer theKnowUniversefindsanystabi. lity
94
 A C T I V:

WA R A C RO S S A
M I L L I O N WO R L D S
Atrocity is recognized as such by victim and perpetrator alike, by all who learn about it
at whatever remove. Atrocity has no excuses, no mitigating argument. Atrocity never
balances or rectifies the past. Atrocity merely arms the future for more atrocity. It is
self perpetuating upon itself -- a barbarous form of incest. Whoever commits atrocity
also commits those future atrocities thus bred.

— The Apocrypha of Muad’Dib

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 95
 B LOOD ON THE S TARS
ThedeathofFeyd-Rauthaextinguishesthelasthopeofavertingaelr igiouscrusade.WithPaulMuad’DibofHouse
Atreides as Emperor of the Known Universe, his Fremen forces act to secure the Imperium. As panic and chaos reign,
somemovequicklytoalignthemselveswithenewegi
r me,othersplotisdownfall,andthosecaughtinhemiddle
braceforasuddenandblodychange.

ccodir ng,torum GurneyHalleckhasdraftedalistdetailingthoseHouseswhoaveproventobeaeat thr toEmperor

Muad’DiborhaveoffendedHouseeitr des.Thefedaykinaleady r pursuetheirobviousenemieslikeHouseHarkonen
andHouseCorin.Butsalonglistandincludesanallytoheplayercharacter’sHouse.Wiltheplayercharacters
supportheirfriendinthefaceofcertaindeath?Cantheyhelpthemsurviethecomingstorm,orshouldtheyleave
them to their fate?

A FRIEND IN NEED
“Thank you for the hospitality you have shown.
Who is this friend and ally the new Emperor has
My platoon has not eaten this well in weeks.
targeted?ThegamemastershoulduseaMajor
House the player characters are already familiar with, I h av e a m essage. Pau l M u ad’D i b, scen dan t o
someone they have encountered and worked alongside t h e G o l den Th ro n e an d Padi sh ah E m pero r o f
in previous adventures. Ideally, a marital tie, trade the Known Universe summons your presence to
partnership,miltaryalliance,orn-aggressionpact the great hall of the Residency. He insists you
should link the two Houses. br i n g a w o m an n am ed Ro o n a St r an w i t h y o u .
Yo u m ay fin d h er i n t h e M erch an t Qu ar t er, w o r k -
Butifnosuchallyisavailable,thegamemastercan
i n g fo r L u ci n da B ew t . Sh e h as a st o refro n t o ff t h e
use one of the Houses listed in The Great Game,
main thoroughfare.”
and retroactively engineer a connection the players
agree their House would make. For the sake of ease
LucindaBewtrunsaworkshopinrakeen,crafting
and clarity, this adventure uses House Wydras. If the
and selling waterproof containers. Finding her is simple
gamemaster has a House already in mind, or if they
enough, as is her employee, Roona Stran. Roona is a
want to design their own, they should feel free to swap
spy working directly for Madame Hyacinth of House
out all mentions of House Wydras (and their associated
Wydras.ShehasbeenhidingintheMerchantQuarter
notablesupportingcharacters)forthechosenHouse.
since the Fremen occupation, waiting for the dust to

PRELUDE settlebefoer etr urnigtoherMaster.Shedoesn’tknow

why the Emperor wants to see her and does what she
Thisadvenetur beginsinrakeenafewweeksafterthe must to maintain her cover and avoid capture.
fallofHouseCorin.IthewakeofMuad’Dib’svict,ory
ftereach
r ingBewt’sworkshop,theplayercharacters
citysteet r soncebustlingwithlfearequietandlitered
haveseveraloptions.Theycan:
withrubbleanddebris.emFr enpatolther promenade
andbackalleysforHarkonenandSardaukarstragglers. @ awrD eiht eapo
w r sn andfighan
htiw erv age(D1)
Plumes of smoke rise from several structures, including Battleest
t ,ck
iuq suyl bdugni Roa.
no
thebrokenemr ainsoftheImperialFrigateecen
r tlyused @ Persuade Roona to come with them with a
byShaddamCorin. al
hC enl gign (D)
2 Communicate test.
@ Threaten Roona into going with them with a
Regardlessofwheretheplayercharacters’true
al
hC enl gign (D)
2 Discipline test.
loyaltieslie(eitherwithMuad’DibortheOldEmpie), r
emFr enplatonshavebiletedthemselvesinthe If the player characters fail any of these tests or if Roona
playercharacters’diplomaticesi r denceinrakeen. eal
r izeswhatisgoingon,sheattemptstoflee. The
TheemFr ensquadisnotcruel,nordotheyest
r rictthe playercharactersmaypursueherwithaChallenging
playercharacters’movement,butheyarefanatically (D2) Movetest.Otherwise,sheescapesthescene.
loyal to the new order so the player characters must The prelude ends when the player characters go to
stilbecareful.LedbyComanderDorus,theemFr en meet the Emperor, with or without Roona in custody.
quicklydrainthefoodpantriesandriffleoughthr Thereisnoparticulartimefortheappointment,but
personalbelongingswhenevertheyfeelits“inthe with or without Roona, it is not a good idea to keep an
interestofMuad’Dib”.fteradayofoccupation,or Emperor waiting.
around the time the player characters move to leave the
residence, Dorus approaches them.

96
 ACT I: THE PRICE alongstonetable,PaulMuad’Dib,newlyinstalled

O F L OYA LT Y Emperor of the Imperium, stands. As he reviews a stack

ofintelligenceepo
r rts,apairoffedakynbodyguards,
While a great new palace is planned for Paul Atreides, GurneyHalleck,andaemFr enComandernamedZuffa
for the moment he has moved into the old Residency his (seeprofilep. 118 )joinhm.Paulsaysnothigatfirst,
House occupied when they were governors of Arrakis. A allowingZuffatospeakinhsstead.
Fremen entourage escorts the player characters through
thehallsoftheResidence.Severalpeoplebustleabout “PaulMuad’Dib,scendantoheGoldenThoner
intheantechambers,eachwithapressingmatter and Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe
fortheattentionfMuad’Dib.Somearemerchants acknowledges the continued loyalty of your House.
complainigaboutheemFr enoccupation.Others Yoursupportisappreciatedandeci
r procated.How -
aretheretoinformontheirneighbors.Mostawaitan ever, your ally, House Wydras, is another matter.”
audience with the Emperor to plead for mercy or offer
tribute.Evenepr
r esentativesoftheBeneGesseritand IftheplayercharacterschosenotbringRoona
theSpacingGuildwaitheirtun. Stran to the summons, or if they fail to capture her,
Zuffagestes, ur andemtwoFr ensoldiersdragherinside
The escort walks the player characters past all this to
thechamber.
aconferenceom.Thr inwdows,protectedbysand
screens,castthechamberindimbronzelight.Behind

HOUSE WYDRAS
Builtaterthanmostoftheothereat
Gr Houses,HouseWydrasformedaspartofapact
bytheearlyLandsraadtoachievethesamecoolan ntr dder
or overespionageasthe
OrderoftheMentatsandtocounterthegrowingpoweroftheGuildoverothervital
elements of Imperial life.

For more detailed information on House Wydras, see The Great Game p.64-65.

House Traits: Subtle,Impartial,Refined

Primary Domain: Espionage(Understanding)

Homeworld: lmosteneltir yurbanized,Meuseisasprawlofsteel,glass,andclockwork.

city-worldwithapopulationfapproximatelyfourbilion.

Military Power: Meuseisconsideredamongthemostwell-defendedplanetsinthe

Imperiumbecauseofitsformidableplanetarydefenses,whileHouseWydras’standing
armyis,incontrast,est
r rictedtoaseriesofsmall,well-trainedcomandosquadrons.
Population and Lifestyle: Theplanet’spopulationandHouseWydrasenjoyabetter
qualityoflifethantheaveragesystemwithneImperiumdespitetheairqual. ity
Housingconstructioncludesairfiltersandotherprotectivefeates, ur andesi
r dents
typicallytravelbyundergroundtraintoavoidbreathingtheaironthesurface.

NOBLIS FAMILIA:
Lady Cordelia L’Hiver (Ruler): Lady’H L iverislovedandadmed
ir acrossMeuseforher
fairnessandruthlessness.ThepeopleofMeuseprizethesetraitsandLady’H
L iver’s
willingness to strike at any enemy suddenly and viciously.

Griffith L’Hiver (Consort):WhileLady’H L iveris,indisputabl,y theheadofHouse

Wydras,herhusbandalsocomandsgreatespect r .Headoptedthe’H
L ivernameand
hasprovenanexcellentconsort,providingLady’H
L iverwithochildren.

Madame Hyacinth (Master of Assassins): stallasLady’H

L iverisshort,Madame
Hyacinth is a Mentat specializing in assassination.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 97
 signifyingthatevenhecannoteasilyhodbackthetide
“Iefu r tableevidenceprovesthatduringthe
of what he has unleashed.
Atreides governorship of Arrakis under Duke Leto,
agents of House Wydras committed espionage. ComanderZuffanodsandowsthr aknifeatthefeetof
UnderRoonaStran’sinstruction,theiragentswere theplayercharacters.HewaitsforPaultondbefoer he
intermediariesbetweenDoctorWellingtonYueh addresses them.
and House Harkonnen. As a result, House Harkon-
nen penetrated the defenses of House Atreides “sashfo w al
yol ad’D
uM ot y b,
i exwon l iw uoy -
and killed Duke Leto. Further evidence proves they ecute Roona Stran.” He stands, awaiting compliance.
tokhisactionwtheexpressauthoriyfLady
del Cor ia’H
L iver.” Theplayercharactershavelitechoicebutodoas
the Fremen commands. They can, however, manipulate
Forthefirsttime,Paulspeaks.“Loyaltycannotbe
the situation to a degree. WithaDauntig(D3)
bought.Buicanbesold.HouseWydrashaslong
Communicate test, they persuade Paul to delay the
playedtheoler ofindependentspy-foe.-hir Wiling
executionlgenoughtoinerogat
r eStranfurther.
tosellsecretstoanyone.Butnolgerei.tr des
Notethatanytraitsprovingtheirloyalty(ordisloyalty)
blodisontheirhands,andthatcannotstand.
might apply here too.
ComanderZuffa,pleaseseetoeradicatingthe
’H L iverblodlineandsterilzngtheirhomeworld If the player characters interrogate Roona with a
of Meuse.” Challenging(D2) Discipline test, she reveals the
folowingetinr urnforherlife:
TheplayercharacterscanmakeaDauntig(D3)
@ A list of contacts, agents, and potential spies working
CommunicatetesttonicethatZuffaisfanatically
for Roona Stran.
excitedtowipeoutHseWydras.Butanobtain
@ etD aisl aboeht u exent siev planetardefen
y sesat
ht
information also reveals Paul does not relish the idea of
surround Meuse.
mass murder with the same ease or enthusiasm. Further
@ fonI atmr eht no i batalt snoi fo coanm dosatht
Momentum spends allow the player characters to realize
ak
m epu L’Hervi ’sstandign ary. m
Paul is actually allowing them to see this part of himself,

98
nyofthisinformationcanbeappliedasatrait THE REFUSAL
in dealing with House Wydras later. During the IftheplayercharacterscontiuetodisobeyPaul’s
interrogation, Roona asks the player characters to take der
or ,theywilbeluckytoleavetheomalr ive.But
careofhercat,cuenr tlybackatherapartmentinhe iftheysomehowmanageto,itwlnobetheend
Merchant Quarter. ofthematter.FurtherconsequencesfortheirHouse
couldinclude:
If, after the interrogation, the player characters still
@ Noecoc
imon body,cl
ni diu gn eht Spacign d,
liuG
wantopleadforRoona’slife,theEmperorffers
co
l iw dun ctbusiess
n eht iw characters.
them a deal.
@ The player House no longer has standing within
@ “If you think her worthy and loyal, you may take the Landsraad.
se.
uoerHh ruoy tni at
ht wonk tuB anfuy erhtr sisn @ Pausenl dssih emrF enfleetstot erezil eiht r
agaistn am n ruo ebyerh br
l iw gni eht samefateot homeworld with atomics.
your entire House.”
The gamemaster can then take the adventure to
If the player characters agree, the Emperor grants Roona Meuseasbefoe, r butaspartofanescapeplanor
apardon,andsheisnowpartoftheplayercharacters’ anattempttogainalliesbytradingwhattheyknow
House (forherprofileuseSpy/Infiltratorinthe Dune aboutheupcomingattack.Thelaterscenariosmay
Core Rulebookp.29), butMuad’Dibisserious,and alsoeqr euir sometweaksastheplayercharacters
ifhefindsherguiltyofanyfurtherongdo
wr ing,itwl decidewhattodowithLady’H L iver,herfam,ily
meantheendoftheplayercharacters’House. and the planetary population. While the player
characters decide what to do on Meuse, Paul
Iftheplayercharactersarenotwilgtostandbyher,
delivers on his threat.
theyneedtoexecuteherasder
or ed.Iftheyefu
r seto
executeher,Paulgivesthemonelastopportuniyo Some additional options for continuing play
obeyhiswishes. mightbethattheplayercharactersconectwith
smugglersinthedeepdesertorsneakaboard
“What is it that gives you pause? Is it that you wish a cargo vessel to escape offworld. If they can
to prove your disloyalty to your Emperor, or that you bribetheSpacingGuildfortansportation,they
do not trust the command of your Emperor?” might return to their homeworld to prepare for an
inevitableemFr eninvasionrproceedtoKaitainto
IftheysucceedonanEpic(D5) Communicate test, Paul joinMemnoThorvald’santi-Pauebel
lr lion.
nodstoZuffa,whoexecutesthespy.However,ifthey
failthetest,Pauest
lr shishandsonthetable.
@ An overview of Fremen advancements. With
“Youimperilyourselvesforacrimnal.Butifyou
ervo elhw gnim ber mun s,eht emrF enav
h e
wishtobetraitors,youandyourfamileswilface
systematically taken over many renegade worlds
theconsequencesofyourchoices.”
ghuo rht eht uo per
mI Si.mui ce
n Pau’s l ascensi,no eht
Fremen have already sterilized several key planets,
ftertheplayercharacters(orZuffa)complywithe
sparking a humanitarian disaster with millions of
execution,PaulcomandstheytraveltoMeuseto
efur geesfleeign ein ot ghbognir ds. lrow
deliverthenewsofwhatiscomingtoLady’H
L iver.This
@ enviG eht cuenr plt acemenfo t emrF enfleets
iseitherastheloyalservantsofMuad’Dibortserveas
throughout the Known Universe, Imperial Fremen
anexampleandmakethembearwitnesstoheprice
forces will strike Meuse within seven days.
of disloyalty.
@ Rumors suggest that Kaitain, in addition to the planet
Tengrid, home of House Mikarrol, are targets of the
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS
new Emperor.
BetweenRoona’sexecutionandthemessagetheyneed
@ Theper mE ash ro exedli eyk pocal
it l figues, r
to deliver to Meuse, the player characters have some
cl
ni diu gn Shaddam,onir C sih famy,li andasi H rim
time to prepare. If the player characters have ingratiated
Fenring, to Salusa Secundus.
themselves toward the Emperor (either through
@ espi D et Pau’s l ascensi,no severalses uoH niht w
delivering Roona Stran to the summons or with her
eht an L dsraadav h epublcl i cr y ci it ed
z sih acts.noi
swiftandunqestionedexecution),Zuffacanprovidean
Earl Memnon Thorvald of House Thorvald leads this
intelligencebriefingonactoughivtyhr outheKnow
vocal faction.
Universe. The gamemaster can also provide this same
@ eht oenrnwuemCkF ylt en,andfoar
intelligenceoughthr theplayercharacters’assetsorIbn
substanal it prce,
i eht Spacign dliuG ay m begnil w ot
ElMal,aspymasterfirstportayedduring‘TheEmbers
ferdini yr duiv alsar t getedbyeht per
mI eht o mui far
ofHated’
r (seep. 10 ).TheIntelligenceepo
r rtsinclude:
edge of the Known Universe.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 99
 ROONA STRAN’S CAT
IftheplayercharactersvisitRoonaStran’ssmall
apartment, the Fremen have already ransacked it. an But
verage(D1) Understand test locatesRoona’scat.The
small desert feline has a cloth collar intertwined with
shigawire. The shigawire carries a secret message they
can decode with a Challenging(D2 ) Understand test.
The message reveals the protocols necessary to secretly
contact Madame Hyacinth, the Master of Assassins for
House Wydras and head of their intelligence apparatus.
The player characters may use this, or other assets, or
IbnElMal,tocomunicateclandestinelywithMadame
Hyacinth to warn House Wydras of the impending
Fremen invasion.
ACT II: MEUSE
With an Imperial decree, the player characters travel to
Meuse, the homeworld of House Wydras. The Spacing
Guildwaivestheusualfee.Perhapsthisisanattemptto
curyfavorwithemissariesofEmperorMuad’Dib,but
regardless, the free travel should come as a welcome
(andunsual)surprise.
Theplayercharacters’shutledisembarksthe Heighliner
anddescendstowardthesurfaceofMeuse,bypassing
itsextensiveplanetarydefenses.Theairisthickand
dark, even in the middle of the day, having turned highly
acidic from centuries of industrialization. A roasting 30
degreesCelsius,Meuseisalmosteneltir yurban,and
whatlitevegetationexistsontheplanetdoessofrom
behindthick,enclosedgreenhouses.Thoughr thesmog,
bright,blinkglightshelptheshutlenavigate,winding
a circuitous path to the spaceport.
Madame Hyacinth greets the player characters as they
disembarktheshutleandescortsthemtohepalace.
TheMentat’sdemean,or andthatofthesecuritystaff,
depends on the player characters. If they chose not to
telegraphtheirarrival,Hyacinthiscuriousbutseemingly
unalarmed.ButiftheywarnedtheMasterofssassins
of the coming disaster, then Madame Hyacinth is
concernedandsuounded r bypanickedaides.Either
way, the general population does not know they have
less than a week to live.
ILL TIDINGS
Madame Hyacinth delivers the player characters to a
security center inside the palace. A hundred individual
viewscreensilumnatethedarkenedchamber,each
depictingapublicsquareorbuildingonMeuse.
Ladydel Cor ia’H L iverabsorbstheincomingimages.
Griffith,herdevotedhusband,andhertwoadolescent
daughters,gathaandPenelope,arebyherside.
del Cor iaturnstogreettheplayercharacters.
When the player characters deliver the news, if
they made no effort to warn House Wydras of the
100
Emperor’splans,itcomesasashock.Panicslices
oughthr del
Cor ia’sstonefaçade,andshesendsa
worried Agatha and Penelope out of the room with a
nursemaid.Ontheotherhand,iftheplayercharacters
told House Wydras of the coming attack ahead of time,
her response is more reserved. The ruler has had at least
adaytoabsorbtheiltdingsproperlyandhasbegun
formulating a plan of action.
“My friends,” she says. “Long have our two Houses
worked alongside each other. And during that time,
Ihaveaskedforverylite.ButImstask.For nw
the sake of my world, for the sake of my children, I
plead for your help. I am not asking you to take up
arms against the Emperor. I am not asking you to
shedonedropofblod.ButIbegforanythingyou
candotohelpstopthecomingblodshed.Give
me and my family safe passage from this doomed
planet. Rescue as many of my citizens as you can.
Dothis,andtheLandsraadwilknoyutbeboth
decentandhonrable.”
Howtheplayercharactersespo r nddel
toCr iaisupto
them,butheirnextdecisionleadstodifferentpotential
pathways. For the sake of clarity, we will refer to these
options and paths as Scenarios.
GiventheintrcaciesoftheImperiumandthepolitcal
dynamicbetweentheEmperorandtheLandsraad,its
impossibletocreateascenarioforeveryconceivable
eventuality. However, the four most likely outcomes are
listed as guideposts for the gamemaster. As always, the
gamemasterisfreetouse,combine,ordisregardthe
listedscenarios.Theplayercharactershaveadifficult
decisiontmakeandmayevencombineseveral
options as alliances shift and change.
SCENARIO 1: RESCUING ONLY THE
NOBLE FAMILY
TheplayercharacterschosetohelpLady’H
L iverand
her immediate family escape Meuse while leaving
the general populace to perish in the attack. This
createsbothalogisticalproblemandapolitcalone.
Helpingthe’H
L iverescapeisonechallenge,but
doing so without discovery is another. A few items the
gamemastershouldconsider:
@ successfualhC l enl gign (D)
2 Discipline test allows
the player characters to use their network of spies
andsmggl u ersexot filat rt eady
L L’Hervi anderh
family safely and permits them to do so clandestinely.
If they fail the Discipline test, they can still get
L’Hervi ffw
o d,
lro bueht uohtiper
wmEon t ’s ro spies
discovering it. From there, the player characters may
brgni eht L’Hervi fameiht o ewymlih r dlro pass
ro
them off to a trusted ally.
L A DY C O R D E L IA L’ H I V E R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER
womanofcomandingepu r tation,del
Cor ia’H
L iverappearsstriknglyshortunilshespeaks.Hervoicecuts
oughthr anynoiseordisturbancewithabsoluteau.Herthoriy vocalcoolisntr aninatetalent,asdel
Cor ia’H
L iver
proudlystatesherignoranceofBeneGesseritmethods.

Traits:Noble,ColdbutFair

TALENTS
@ Cautious (Communicate): WhendelroC a i atemt ptsaest t siu gn Communicateandbusy addial
noit d2s0 by
spendign Theat
r ,sheay m e-r a
l o r sigln ed2at
ht ni 0 dicepo.lo
@ Putting Theory into Practice: Onceperscene,enhw delroC a i spendsTheat
r bt
o t aifoni at
mr ,noi eyht ay
m
createaai rt fot frr ee,epr r esengnit anadvanage t eyht ’veden
i fied
it eht iw foni at
mr eyht noi ecei
r ed.
v

Assets:Bodyguards,EmergencyTransmiter,HouseSignet

DRIVE S TAT E M E N T

D U T Y: 8 Mypeoplematterbefoer secrets.

FA I T H : 4

JU S T I C E: 5

P OW ER : 6

T RU T H : 7 All information has its price.

SKILL FOCUSES

B AT T LE: 4

C O M M U N I C AT E: 8 Diplomacy

D I S C I P LI N E: 6

M OVE: 5

U N D ER S TA N D : 7 House Politics, Deductive Reasoning

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 101
 @ erhton alert atn evi si co
ot act
tn eht Spacign dliuG The player characters use what assets they can
andsecuer passagefoeht r L’Hervi eht o edgefo escu
tor e5%ofthepopulationbefoer themobs
eht Unnwo K ervi se,bueyht doprton de
ivo eht turn violent.
serce iv fofrr ee.TheL’Hervi canaffodr soem fo eht @ Three successes graneerht daysfo cibedi o liv ence
ey,nruoj bueht playercharactersstum secuer eht and calm, which result in an orderly evacuation. A
rest of the payment. elt i ervo %02 fo eht popuat l akm noi esffw
o ti d,
lro
@ Noatm ert eht destatni ,noi adam
M eaci yH agr htn ees after which angry citizens overrun the palace.
stot aybehdni asagodo andal yol enM at
t Sh. e @ Four successes result in four days of peace. The
ses
u spycraftak m ot eappear
ti at
ht ady
L L’Hervi si people of Meuse rise to the challenge. With the help
still on Meuse and does what she can to maintain fo eht playercharacters,5% 2 fo eht popuace l can
planetde iw secusti l tnu ytievrn abl
ti eend. evacuata yle.no htiw uB fewdaysbefoer eht aral vir
fo eht per mE ’s ro foces, r eht siat ut evnoi enal
ut yl
SCENARIO 2: SAVING THE FAMILY becoes m entnu able.
AND AS MANY AS POSSIBLE @ Five successesprde ivo aacl
rim onim e.fivroF e
TheplayercharacterschosetohelpLady’H L iver solid days, the people of Meuse rally under Lady
and her immediate family escape Meuse, including as L’Her,vi and,a ni shfo w self-sacrfice, i 40%fo eht
muchofthegeneralpopulaceaspossible.Inaddition popuat l ,noi stuj ro der
nu bi 2 peonoil ple,ak m eot i
toheelementsinScenario1,theplayercharacters safetOny. eht siday, htx evwoh er,aseht emrF enfleet
lend their talents to a planetwide evacuation. This ares vir biro ni ,t eht peoplefo euM sefinalcr yl ack.
eqr es uir bringingasmallflotilaofshipstoMeuseand
coordinating a mass evacuation. Paying off the Spacing SCENARIO 3: BETRAYING THE FAMILY
Guildisnecessar,y butobfuscatingtheirinvolement TheplayercharactershelpLady’H L iverandher
from the Emperor eqr es uir aDauntig(D3) Discipline imediatefamilytoescapetheplanet.Butinsteadof
test.Withlessthanaweekbefoer theemFr enfleet hiding them on their homeworld or coordinating their
arrives, not everyone will make it offworld. escapewitheSpacingGuild,theypersonallydeliver
the family to Paul on Arrakis. The family may willingly
Thefirststepinmplementinganyplaneqr es uir Lady
gotoheEmperortbegfortheirlivesandthelivesof
’H
L ivertoaddressthepeopleofMeusepubliclyand
theirpeople.Buthiscouldbeaneffortbytheplayer
explainwhyteyneedtoevacuate.Sheattemptsto
characterstocuryfavorwithMuad’Diborawayfor
convince the people that there is time to evacuate
themtobarterfortheinocentlivesonMeuse.
everyoneiftheyallworktgether.Thisisalie,buthe
truth will cause panic and chaos. If the player characters travel to Arrakis without telling
Lady’HL iverorusedeceptiontachievetheirobjective,
HowellherspeechgoesisdeterminedbyLady
shetakesthebetrayalpersonallyanddoeswhatshecan
’H L iverandwhateverassistancetheplayercharacters
to save herself and her family.
can give. ’H L ivermakesa Communicate test with a dice
poolftwod20s.Hertargetnumberis15.Iftheplayer @ erv n age(D1) Battle est t ck
iuq suyl bduesdel
roC a
i
characters forewarned House Wydras of the incoming anderh famfI y. li del roC a
i as
h bodyguardser,h tiw
invasionbefoehr and,thegamemasteraddsanotherd20 eht fficu
iD cr
ni ytl easesby1.
to her dice pool. Up to two player characters can assist @ Alternatively, the player characters can try to
hertest(eacholingr 1d20).TheycanuseComunicate persuadeady L L’Hervi face
ot eht per
mE ro
orDisciplineastheylendtheirexpertisetoheaddress, diect
r a htiw yl al hC enl gign (D) 2 Communicate or
specializing in diplomacy or oratory performance. The Understand est t del roC . a
i aym becoced niv ot
player characters may also lend a single Momentum diefoeht r godo fo erh people,buam on t fo tnu
dietoheattempt.Thenumberofsuccessesoled r on charsmi acanpersuadeerh sacr ot fice i erh sban
uh d
the test determines how well the population receives or children.
theaddress: @ eat
rht yB engni del roC a’s
i famahtiw yl alhC enl gign
(D) 2 Discipline test, the fallen ruler travels to Arrakis
@ A failure results in unmitigated chaos. The planet
without resistance.
instantly dissolves into mass panic, with every Meuse
cienzit fighgnit fosur al vi r ghir . eot su b
om ck
iuq yl
SCENARIO 4: WALKING AWAY
storms the royal palace.
The player characters choose not to help their friend
@ One successgies v eht planetadayfo calbefo
m er
and ally. They depart Meuse having passed on their
society collapses. The player characters can use their
message,leavingLady’H L iver,herfam,ily andfour
assetsandshps i escu r ot e1%fo eht popuat l ,noi ro
bilioncentpeopletoslaughter.TheImperialfoces r
ghuo r foyl peo
noil m ytr plefo tu fobi
ru ,noil befoer
considerthisaminorjbwelldone,whiletheest
r of
at
m ert sdestabiezil beydno co.lo rtn
theLandsraadmarkstheplayercharactersasbetrayers
@ Two successes give the citizens of Meuse two days,
and sycophants.
with the sick and elderly deferring to the young.

102
 AC T I I I : A N Despitethewantondestruction,Zuffasaysnothig
abo’HutL iverorherwhereabouts.TheemFr en
UNQUENCHABLE FIRE comanderemr ainsquieteveniftheplayercharacters
failedtobfuscatetheiractions.However,hedismisses
Thedthir andfinalctofthisadvenetur depends
the player characters and allows them to return home.
eneltir yonthechoicesmadebytheplayercharacters.
The Emperor is on Arrakis. His Fremen armada, under
SCENARIO 2: SAVING THE FAMILY
thecomandofZuffa,haseach r edMeuse.Theplayer
AND AS MANY AS POSSIBLE
charactersstilhaveanopportuniyosave’H
L iveror
Withonedaytospareorfive,thepopulationrts,and
abandonher.
Meuse descends into chaos. Shuttles hastily ascend
To maintain continuity, the scenarios from Act 2 carry on towardthesk,y packedtohebrimwthpassengers.
intoct3.Theirbaseoutcomesarelistedbel.Use ow Protests swarm the capital city, and as angry crowds set
theminwhole,incombination,orinpart,dependingon their sights on the palace and the spaceport, the player
thedecisionsmadebytheplayercharacters. characters have precious little time to act.
@ Successahtiw alhC enl gign (D)
2 Battle test allows
SCENARIO 1: RESCUING ONLY THE
the player charactersfigh ot ghuo rht packsfo
NOBLE FAMILY
desperate citizens, reach the shuttle at the spaceport,
ftersecuring’H L iverandherfamilyelsewhere,Zuffa
andak t eff
o bi ro tni fai .t erul esu
r stl secu
ni gnir
invtestheplayercharacterstoheImperialflagship,
ady
L L’Her,vi elihw ab om swarsm ffit
irG ,h gata, h
cuenr tlyinorbitoverMeuse.TheemFr enfleetis
and Penelope.
massive, comprising thousands of ships ranging from
@ ertl atn elvi y,aauD gnit (D3) Discipline or Move
smallcorvettestowell-armedbattlecruisers.Theywait
test has the player characters clandestinely work
justoutfeach
r ofplanetarydefenses.fterdocking
their way to the spaceport undetected. Success
witheflagship,emFr ensoldiersescortheplayer
ensues r ashelt u andescape,bufai t erul esu r stl
characterstohecomanddeck.Zuffastandsat
dini scoerv y,andeht playercharactersstum fight
thecenter,suounded
r bypersonelanddozensof
ghuo rht eht b. om
tactical viewscreens.
@ alniF y,l successahtiw eriD (D4) Battle test permits
theplayercharactersfigh ot ghuo rht eht s,
toir each
r
“You’re here. This is good. The Emperor dered
eht she, lt u ak t eff
o bi ro tni ,t andsaveady L L’Hervi
me not begin u til you arrived. nd now that
and her family.
you have, we may begin.” With a gesture, the
invasion starts.
From the viewscreen, you watch as the armada
advances.Theirportholesopen,firinganintrcate THE BEST OF MANY BAD OPTIONS
networkflasersthatsliceoughthr Meuse’splan - There is only one way out for the people of Meuse,
etarydefenses.fewemFr envesselsarehit,briefly andpossiblythe’H L iverfam.Thily eycanpledge
explodinginfire,butishardlyenough.fterthe themselvestoMuad’Dibandthenewfaith.Inerms
initial wave, the Fremen frigates move into position. ofthe’H L iverfam,ily hesparesthemifLady’H L iver
submitstoexecutionpayforthecrimesofthe
TheemFr enbegintheirobitalbombardmentfrom
House.Thefamilywthenbeetr urnedtoMeuseas
sixdifferentequidistantpositionsaroundtheplanet.
a minor House of House Atreides to administer the
Like a sea of arrows, the rockets cut through the
planet in their name.
atmosphere.Severalminutespassbefoer theyeach r
thesurface,,withny distantballsoffireepr r esent - To save some people, the player characters need
ingtheinstantobliterationfenetir cities.sshock - toappealtoZuffaasthebombardmentbegins.If
wavesrippleacrossMeuse,fire,smoke,andearth theysuggesttohimatamongthepeoplemaybe
flyintoheatmosphere. thosewhotrulyveMuad’Dib.Suelr ,y theyshould
haveachancetoprofesstheirfaithlesttheblades
“Repositionhefrigatesandhitemagain.”Zuffa
oftheemFr enarestainedwitheblodoftrue
turnsbacktoyu,alokfgleeandexcitement
believers.IfZuffafindstheirargumentconvicing,
in his eyes. “We will do this again, and again, until
hebombardsthemajortargetsandthenlands
thelandisfire,andthesmokeissothickitblocks
his Fremen forces, ordering them to spare those
outhesun.Onlythenwilelandops
tr andallow
whokneelandprofesstheyloveMuad’Dib.While
our warriors to stain their crysknives. For this is our
many will still die, most of the population will say
crusade. This is what we do in the name of Paul
whatever it takes to survive.
Muad’Dib.lhailMuad’Dib!”
Makingeitherargumeneqtr es
uir atleasta
Challenging(D2)eorDi (D3) Communicate test.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 103
 Iftheplayercharactersfailinescaping,themob
overwhelms the spaceport, destroys the player
CONCLUSION
character’sshutle,andstrandsLady’H L iver,herfam,ily Regardless of the scenario, if the player characters
and the player characters on the planet. Player character appearloyaltoheImperium,Muad’DibgivesMeuse
deathispossible,giventheimpendingemFr en (anditsinhabitants,ifthereareany)toheplayer
obliteration.Iftheplayercharacterscannothikf characters.Itmaybesmolderingock r ,buthescience
a creative solution, the gamemaster can provide a existstoeventualevlyr ersethedamageandepai
r rthe
emFr enescu
r eteamsentbyZuffatoexfiltratetheplayer atmosphere. The player characters cannot know for
charactersbefoer theplanetarysterilzation.ther certainwhethertheactionsagiftorasubtlewarnig.
alternative is to have a group of loyal Meuse citizens
After the destruction of Meuse, Memnon Thorvald, and
hand over their shuttle to the player characters to rescue
theest r oftheanti-PaulHouseswithneLandsraad,
thenoblefam. ily
publiclycritcizestheEmper.Thor eyoduintr ce
Onceoffworld,theplayercharactersarefreeto legislationtcurbPaul’sauthoriyanddenouncethose
etr urnhome.If’H
L iverisintheircustody,theycan Houses that have already sided with him. If the player
move to hide her from the Emperor or deliver her to charactersabando’H nL ivertoherfateorappearto
Paul on Arrakis. have done so, Memnon Thorvald declares the player
characters’HouseapuppetofthenewEmperorand
SCENARIO 3: BETRAYING THE FAMILY aHousetheycannolgertrusttohnrebonds
The player characters return to Arrakis with Lady offriendshipandfidel.Converity sel,y iftheplayer
’H
L iverandherfam.Onily ceagain,theybypassthe charactersactedtosafeguardthe’H L iverfamilyorthe
line of dignitaries waiting to speak with Paul and are people of Meuse, and if those actions were not masked
taken swiftly to the stone conference room. The new orbscued, r thenMemnoThorvalddoestheopposite.
Emperorsits,joinedbyhisguardsandhisnewbride, He praises the player characters for their courage and
IrulanCorin. calls on other Houses to defy the Emperor.

Eitherwithapleaformercyorashowfdefiance, Thisadvenetur endswithefallofHouse’H

L iver,and
whatLady’H L iversaysordoesmatterslitetohe PaulMuad’Dibeithertrustingtheplayercharacters
Emper.Pauor lhearswhatdel
Cor iahastosayandthen or remaining cautious of them. The Emperor can see
asks the player characters for their opinion. Her fate intohefue,
tur butonlysofar,andonlysoaccuratel. y
rests with them. successwithaChallenging(D2) This gives the player characters room to maneuver
Communicate or Understand test gives their words andtimetoprepareforthecomingcrusade,butno
weight(rememberinganytraitstheyhaveforloyaltyor nearly enough.
disloyalty)andallowsPaultodefertoheirjudgment
Depending on the fallout from this adventure, the player
(albeitonlyadegree). Failure means their words fall
characters need to solidify their position or regain favor
ondeafears,andPauder lor s’H
L iver,andherfam,ily to
with either the Emperor or the Landsraad. This will take
betakenintocustodypendingpublicexecution.
alotfpolitcking,andpossiblyalotfinvestmentif
However, if the player characters persuade Paul to theyjustgainedanewbrokenplanet.
consider an alternative, the Emperor offers room
Ifthegamemasterwantstofoesh r adowthefinal
for mercy. What he ultimately decides depends on
adventure, representatives of House Thorvald may
theplayercharacters,buthebestpossiblescenario
approach them. They are making more direct plans
includes the Emperor calling off the sterilization of
tobringdownthenewegi
r meandaskfortheirhelp.
Meuse,andinleuofexecutingLadydel Cor ia’H
L iver
The help the player characters can offer depends on
andherfam,ily heexilesthemtoSalusaSecundus.
theirHousedomains,butcrops,intelligence,weapons,
logistic support, and even machine parts are all
SCENARIO 4: WALKING AWAY
potentially useful to the Thorvald insurrection effort.
sinScenario1,Zuffainvtestheplayercharactersto
There is no test for this, all the player characters need
theImperialflagship,andtheywatchthedestructionf
to say is yes or no. However, if the answer is yes, the
Meuse.Butinadditionhegeneralpopulace,’H
L iver,
gamemaster might run several adventures as missions
and her family, perish in the attack as well. Each player
for the insurrection.
charactermustmakeaDauntig(D3) Discipline test not
to turn away from the slaughter.

104
THE FALL OF KAITAIN
TheJihadcontiuestospread,bringingwithashudderoftruefear.Forver10milennia,Kaitainhasstodnotjustas
thecenterofpower,buthecenterofcue.ltur Onlythetrulymadwouldbringviolencetohebeautyofthatplace,but
theemFr enhaveproventhemselvesmadonmultipleworlds.However,thisterormightbringwithachancetomakea
differenceoraprofit.

DespitetheprotestationsofIrulan,Muad’DibdeclaresthatKaitainmustbepuged
r ofinsugen r ts.Thecapitalplanetof
the old Imperium must kneel to the new Emperor. As the rampaging Fremen tear Kaitain apart, the player characters
travelthereundercovertosavewhateverart,culturaleasu
tr es,
r andefu
r geestheycan.Thismightbeoutfthe
goodnessoftheirheartsorjusttolkfoeasu
rt e.r

AC T I : P L A N E T F A L L immediate peril, and potentially the wrath of the new

rulerofthegalax,y tomunaescu
r emissionthe
Theadvenetur beginswitheplayercharacterson doomedcapital.Itmightjustbetomake solari, to
boardanorbitaltransport,havinglefta Heighliner, save the treasure of the fallen empire, rescue innocent
approaching Kaitain. Space around the planet is a people,escu
r enobleswhomightpay,lokforlost
swirlngmassofvessels:optr shipsdroppingemFr ento secrets,orjusttoakesomethingfromthenewegi
r me.
the surface, civilian vessels vying for escape, remnants Whatever the reason, the gamemaster should grant
ofKaitain’sdefensefoces r makingalastdesperate each player character a trait connected to that reason
stand, and Imperial Atreides warships destroying military which lasts until the end of this adventure.
andcivilanshipsalike.Itisahotzne,buthechaosof
it grants opportunity to enter and leave unnoticed. UNDER FIRE!
Flying through the chaos to safely approach the planet
stheadvenetur begins,thegamemastershould
isaChallenging(D2) Movetest.Onasuccess,the
ask each player why their character is willing to risk
characterseach r atmospheresufferingnodamage.Ona
 faie, lur theytakeenemyfireimediatelyandtheirship Iffewerthanhalfthetestssucceed,theshipbreaks
ishitseveraltimes.Theygainthetrait‘ShipDamaged’ upduringe-r en.Thtry eplayercharactersescapeusing
whichwilaffectthenextests. varioussafetymeasues r butdosoinapanickedrush.
They land on the planet separately.
As the player characters make planetfall, they should
eachdescribewhattheyaredoingtohelpwithe Ifemor thanhalf,butnoall,ofthetestssucceed,
landing. TheyshouldeachmakeaChallenging(D2) theshipbreaksupemor sl.Thowly eplayercharacters
test(modifiedbyanytraits)usingaskilappropriateto escape their ship in groups and reach the planet in
theiraction: twos or threes.
@ Battle: Fighting off enemy ships If all the tests succeed, they land the sip safely and
@ Communicate:diro C atn gni evere’s
noy acts.noi remain together. However, their vessel will need
@ Discipline:Navgat
i gni eht safestpatghuo rht eht significanepai tr rsbefoer itcanflyagain.Theywilneed
chaos tofindanotherwayoffofKaitain.
@ Move: Piloting the ship
@ Understand: Repairs on any damages systems REGROUPING
If the player characters are separated, they can pursue
theadvenetur insmallergroups.Butheyaremuch
emor vulnerablealone.Thankfu,ly theircomsare
intactandtheyareallinsightoftheHassikICenter
THE THREAT OF TIME
for the Performing Arts. This is a mammoth and clearly
This adventure places the player characters in a
identifiablebuildingcentrallyocatedinthecapital
rapidly escalating war zone, as the Fremen invasion
and only a few kilometers from the most distant
takesemor ground,andthedestructionbecomes
player character.
more complete. The invasion takes place in
fivestages: The rest of this act is offered as a series of encounters
the gamemaster can present the player characters with,
@ Stage One: Bombardment and Interdiction.
in any order. Each player character (or group of player
The war is mostly in the air, with weapons
characters)shouldfaceoneofthesescenariosonthe
ar t getgni stat r egicar t getsfrabo mo ev andbi ro .t
way to regrouping. Then the reunited team should
Ona
yl fewadvancegrdnuo ps o rt av
h eenert ed
face at least another two or three scenarios as they get
the city. All actions performed without shelter
theirbearingsonKaitainandsetoutfindeasu
tr e.r It
cr
ni easeeht fficu iD by
ytl 1.
is up to the gamemaster which player characters face
@ Stage Two: Key Locations.Thefirstadi vni gn
which scenarios and in what order. They may also repeat
troops land, occupying key military and security
certainscenariosastheyseefit.
stats,noi plsu goerv enmn al t budili gs.
n
@ Stage Three: The Spreading Tide. The main
SCENARIO 1: THE ROILING CROWD
emrF enfoce r ares vir andbegispi n gnil eht o ni
As the player characters move through the streets,
cifryt est mo ablshi edbeacheads. h est t l sot
screaming crowds of refugees coalesce into an
evom ardnuo bei
tuoh iw gn seencr ni easeni
angr,y violent,mob,attackinganythingtheyidentify
fficu
iD by
ytl 1.
as outsiders. The player characters may attempt to
@ Stage Four: Reigning Destruction. The last of
avoidthemobbyduckingoutfsight. Thiseqr es
uir a
eht ci’s yt defensesbreakar ro ebreakg.ni emrF en
Challenging(D2) Battle test. If successful, the crowd
roam at will, spreading ruin in their wake.
passesbywithouncident.However,thistakestimeand
@ Stage Five: Mop Up. The fall of Kaitain is all
adds 2 Threat to the pool.
bucot plm ete.stoM eyk areasaresniur ni ro
totally occupied. If they cannot avoid the crowd, the player characters
musteitherenteraspartofthemob,orstruggle
Duringthefourthandfifthstages,someTheat r
through them towards their destination. Marching with
spends cost less than normal, due to the saturation
themobeqr es
uir aChallenging(D2) Move test to wade
ofeat
thr sontheground.Thefirstincreaseof
with the stream of humanity. With a success, they march
Difficultyforatestcosts1Theat r insteadof2.
swiftly with the crowd and slip away. Failure forces the
Similarly, adding or altering traits with the effects of
player characters to struggle through instead.
battlecostsonly1Theat r .
Any player character struggling through the rioting
BeginiginctI,thegamemastermay,atany
crowdisinabadsituation,butfortunatel,y themob
point, spend 3 Threat to advance the invasion to
isn’tspecificallytargetingthem. Each player character
thenextstage.Theyshouldlettheplayersknow
strugglingmustmakeanverage(D1) Battle test. If
this is happening and why, to make the passage of
theyfail,themoboughr sthemup,andtheysufferan
time important and keep the tension high.
injurycomplicationandadd1Theat r tohepool.

106
SCENARIO 2: FREMEN SCOUT betrappedintherubble,needingtheotherplayer
A single, wounded Fremen scout glides into the same characters to dig them out. This adds 3 to the Threat
alley the player characters occupy. They may hide from pool for each trapped player character.
thewarriobyeachmakingDauntig(D3) Move test. If
successful, the Fremen staggers past (unless the player SCENARIO 4: LOOSE BEAST
charactersambushhim). As the player characters pass through a plaza, they see
exoticcreates ur movingalongwallsandbetweenees.
tr
If spotted, the characters may attempt to parley. This
bristlebackpigamblespast.Notlongafterward,
isdifficult,butnoecessarilyfutile.Dauntig(D3)
theyfindthepartiallyeatenbodiesofseveralslower
Communicate test opens a dialogue. Reduce the
exoticanimals.Theyeal
r izealocalzo,oratycoon’s
Difficultyby1iftheyoffermedicalassistance. Success
menagerie,hasbrokenopenintheattack.
convinces the Fremen that the player characters are not
a threat, and he lets them go. Among the residents of the zoo is a harmonthep lion,
driven mad with fear from the noise and smells of the
If the test fails, the Fremen attacks immediately and
invasion.ambushpredat,or itlesinwaitalongthe
fightstohedeath.Thisisadangerousproposal,
playercharacters’path. The player characters notice
evenwoundedasheis.Forhisprofilesee Dune Core
thelionwthaChallenging(D2) Discipline test. If this
Rulebookp.280.
fails,thelioncanmakeasurpriseattack.Onasuccess,
they are ready for it, or they can try to sneak past it with
SCENARIO 3: COLLAPSING BUILDING
aChallenging(D2) Move test. Failure to sneak past
stheplayercharactersmovealongwar-tornsteet
r s,
provokes the lion to attack.
a smoking ornithopter crashes into a tower, toppling it
towards them!
SCENARIO 5: DEAD END
First,ablastwavefromtheexplodingvehicleand toppledbuilding’seck wr ageblockstheavenuethe
displacedairfromthebuilding’scolapsehitsthem. characters had planned to take to their rendezvous
EachplayercharactermustmakeaChallenging(D2) point. Climbingovereqr es
uir eachplayercharacterto
Movetestorbeknockedprone.Theycaneasilyget makeanverage(D1) Move test. If the test fails it takes
backup,buthistakestimeandincreasestheDifficulty timefortheplayercharacterstoclimbpast,adding1
ofsubsequentestsduringthissceneby1. Threat to the pool for each failure.

Closebehindtheblastwaveisacloudofsmokeand
SCENARIO 6: FREMEN STRIKE TEAM
dust,whichobscues r visionandpoisonstheai. r Each
As the player characters rush along their route through
charactermustmakeanverage(D1) Discipline test to
the increasingly violent city, a ground assault strike
esir stthetoxinsinthefouledai.Onr afaie,
lur thatplayer
foce r offiveemFr en(see Dune Core Rulebookp.280)
isaffectedbythetraits‘Blinded’and‘Choking’.
comes across them. Each player character must make a
Final,ly rubblefromthetowerrainsdown.Withlieto Challenging(D2) Discipline test to see them. If they fail,
novision,theplayercharactersmustdodgethedebris theymustencountertheemFr en,butiftheysucceed,
andfindshelter. Each character reaches safety after theymaytryohidefromthemwithaChallenging(D2)
makinganverage(D1) Movetest.Onafailedtest, Move test. Failing this test causes the Fremen to spot
the player character takes a complication from minor them, forcing an encounter.
injureslastinguntilheendofthisct.Theymayeven

H A R M O N TH E P L I O N
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTER SKILL FOCUSES
Thisonceproudbeastishurt,confused,and
frightened.Ithaslethallysharpclawsandfierce B AT T LE: 6 Unarmedcombat
teeth. If the lion is defeated, it runs away in search
of easier prey. C O M M U N I C AT E: 5 Intimidate

Traits:Lion,ed
Injur
D I S C I P LI N E: 3
Drive: 6
M OVE: 5
Talents: None

Assets: TeethandClaws(Quality2) U N D ER S TA N D : 0

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 107
 TheemFr endonotistantlyattackbutareeady r .So, A C T I I : G AT H E R
the player characters can initiate a skirmish then and
there,orparlaywithem.ConvicingtheemFr en
T R E A S U R E S A S Y E M AY
theyarealsoloyalservantsofMuad’Dib eqr es
uir one Having successfully made their rendezvous, and gotten
charactertomakeaDauntig(D3) Communicate test themeasuer ofthefighting,theplayercharactersmake
(oneplayercharactermayassist).Ifsuccessful, the their attempts to rescue people and treasure from the
emFr enallowtheplayercharacterstobeontheirway.If falling city. While they work, violence and destruction
it fails, they attempt to arrest them (most likely leading escalate,makingeachsubsequentraidemor dangerous.
toaskirmsh).
RESCUE AND SALVAGE
If the Fremen defeat the player characters, they take
The capital is replete with art, historical artifacts,
themprisoner,lockingtheminamobileprisonutil
portableeasu
tr e, r andefu r geesallawaitingescu
r e
processing. The gamemaster should allow them to
befoer theemFr enputiohech
tor .Theplayer
escape from this, either with a plan of their own or a
characterscannothpetosaveeverything,butheycan
luckyescape.Weaponsfiremightaccidentallyhite
target what they value most. The gamemaster should
prison unit or insurgents may free the player characters
playontheeaso
r nsgivenduringthebeginigofthis
while looking for someone else.
adventure to move this conversation forward, asking
what they are prioritizing in their search.
SCENARIO 7: LOST
Despitetheirbesteffortsatnavigation,thesoundand Oncetheplayercharactersdecideontheirfirstpr,iorty
furyofthebattlecombineswithdestoyedr oadw
r ays abriefsearchidentifiesthebestnearbytarget. The
leave the player characters lost. They need to reorient gamemastermayallowaSimple(D0) Discipline test
themselveswithaChallenging(D2) Understand test. to gather Momentum as they search. Either way, the
Ifsuccessful,theyfindanewpath.Iftheyfail,the gamemaster should give them the following information
gamemasteradds3Theat r tohepoolfortheextra aboutnearbytargets:
time they take.
@ Theeat
rG ar
G denfo eht per
mI ,mui aparfil
k ed
l htiw
statuary from thousands of worlds.
SCENARIO 8: BOMBARDMENT @ TheshI aqalH fo l agn
M ficen
i cu
o D t enm s,
t abr
i l ary
Caughtinheongwr placeattheongwr time,the
containing imperial diaries and other precious papers.
player characters are at ground zero when a heavy
@ pratvi eesir dencefo anexemrt eleal
w y fam
yht y,li
bombardmentfallsallaroundthem.Theyautomatically
ch
ihw si bv
o sluoi aban
y doed.
n
seetheattackcoming.Thequestionshowmuch
@ Sev er al pl az as an d par k s n o w fil l i n g w i t h
warning they receive. It is easy to see the attack coming,
desperate refugees.
butheystilneedtorunfindshelter.Locatingasafe
placeeqr es uir asuccessfuverl age(D1) Understand As in Act I, there are a variety of encounter scenarios the
test. If this succeeds, the player character still needs to gamemaster can run, in any order depending on how
runtherewithaChallenging(D2) Move test.Ifbothare the player characters decide to proceed. Each of these
successful, the player character is safe enough to wait scenarioshasasectioncalledCitynFlamesthatdetails
out the assault. how this scenario might change to adapt depending on
thestage(1-5)theinvasionhaseach
r ed(seep. 106 ).
If either fail, the player character is caught in the assault.
TheymustmakeaeDir (D4) Battle test to avoid any
SCENARIO 1: THE GREAT GARDEN
oftheblasts.Iftheyfail,theysufferaphysicalinjury
OF THE IMPERIUM
complicationforeachsuccesstheyfailedby.
ShortlyafterKaitainwasestablishedastheseatof
Oncetheplayercharactereso r lveasmanyscenario Empire, every world in the Imperium was instructed to
encountersaseqr ed,
uir thegamemastercan sendastatueforinclusionithspark-garden.Some
proceed to Act II. were commissioned, some were chosen from among
theworld’sartisticeasutr es. r Eachnewworldbrought
into the Empire was instructed to do the same, though
somesuchtributeswerepuledfromstil-smoldering
ashes.TheeatGr GardenoftheImperco ium ntainsmany
thousandsofworksofartwihvalueartistic,financial,
and historical.

Normal,ly theeat
Gr Gardeniskeptsafeoughthr a
combinationfautomatedcountermeasues r and
discretebutwell-trainedguards.Onthisday,thehuman
security is elsewhere. Some countermeasures have

108
beendisabled,butohersemr aindangerouslyactive. EXIT STRATEGY
Transportingthesebu,lky heav,y andsometimesfragile Giventhestateoftheirownship,atsomepointhe
objectsepr r esentsanadditionalchallenge. player characters must secure a way to leave the
planet. When they do, this is up to them. It might
The gamemaster should let the player characters devise
betheirpriortysomethingtheydon’twory
aplanformovingwhatstatuestheycanfromtheeat Gr
aboutnilheyhavewhattheyneed.However,
Gardentoheirship(orsecuer area ).Eachstatuethey
oncetheyhaveaship,theycanuseitasabaseand
moveeqr es
uir anextendedtesteqwithr emuir ent
load their treasures or evacuees into it. When the
10.Eachtimetheycompletemovingastatue,the
player characters decide to secure a ship, skip to
gamemaster should add 2 to the Threat pool given they
Finding a Ship in Act III, p. 112 .
havebeeninthesameplaceforawhile . It is up to the
player characters to decide how many works they will
save. There are too many for them to claim them all.
demands to know what they are doing. Failure in a
Theextendedtestcanuseavarietyofskilsdepending
Battle or Communicate test means the Fremen smash
onthestenr gthsoftheplayercharacters.TheDifficulty
thestatueasasymbolofoldImperiumdecadence.
ofthetestisverage(D1):
City in Flames:stheinvasioncausesemor damage
@ Discipline: Getting the job done quickly
andchaos,thisattemptbecomesemor dangerous.
and efficien. tly
Stages1and2aredescribedasabove.lthoughin
@ Move: Driving a vehicle or a suspensor platform to
stages1-3theplayercharactersdonotmeetemFr en.
get the statue out swiftly and safely.
Instead, they meet security guards still at their post (see
@ Understand:diniF gn eht stom efficienayw t evom t
Dune Core Rulebookp.283).Theydonotdamagethe
eht state,
u andch
ihw areeht stom al
v abl
u e.
statues,butiftheythinkeplayercharactersaresaving
@ Battle and Communicate are useful if someone
thestatues,theycanbeconvicedtohelp. Beginig
uncovers what they are up to!
withstage3,theseguardsarepanicked.TheDifficulty
Thecomplicationrangebeginsat20butincreasesby ofdealingwithemincreasesby1.
1foreverytwostatuestheplayercharactersescu
r e.
tstage4,invadingops tr areintheeat
Gr Garden,
If a complication occurs, a Fremen strike force (see
destoyingr statueswithabandon.Thereis1emFr en
Dune Core Rulebookp.280)comesacrossthemand
Warrior (see the Dune Core Rulebook,p.280)forevery
 three player characters, or fraction thereof. If the player
charactersdefeatthemordrivethemoff,theDifficulty
of their Understandtesttochosestatuaryis1higher
owing to the fact that many of the statues having
beendestoyed.
r italsotakeswhatisnowaDauntig(D3)
tstage5,theeat
Gr Gardeniscompletelyoverrunby
Fremen and support troops.
SCENARIO 2: ISHAQ HALL OF
MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENTS
ManypastEmperors’diariesarehousedinthslavish
building,alongwithoercolectionsofhistorical
documents and paintings of noteworthy individuals.
Thesepricelesshistoricalartifactsmaybeilegalto
own within hours. Assuming Paul Atreides does not
remain Emperor forever, and an interest in previous
histesu
ory mes,theycouldbeeworthm thancan
becomfortablyimagined.Theyare,however,locked
down securely. The security staff on site have opted
to remain indoors rather than take their chances in the
burnigsteet
r s.Theyhavesealedthebuildingand
cached supplies.
Thefirststageoflotingescu or ingtheHall’scontents
isaccessingthebuilding . Its reinforced windows are
aDauntig(D3) BattletesttobreakoraChallenging
(D2) Understandtesttobypass.Eachfailedtest
epr
r esentsextendedtimeontheen,try adding1Theat
r
to the pool.
Onceinside,theplayercharactersquicklyfind
themselvessuounded
r bythesecuritypersonel.
There are two of them for each player character. For
theirprofileuseHouseSoldier/Guard(see Dune Core
Rulebook p.283).Theyhavebeenobservingtheplayer
characters and know the grounds intimately, choosing
the most advantageous position from which to make
themselves known.
Theguardsareeady r tofightbutarealsoeaso
r nable
people in a dangerous situation. Talking them down is
aChallenging(D2) Communicateextendedtestwitha
eqr emuir entof8,epr
r esentingtensenegotiationta
mutalstand-down.Oncecomplete
the characters to take what they like and may engage in
some looting themselves. Complicationsoled
thisextendedtestoduintr cetraitsthatdamagetrust
betweentheplayercharactersandthesecurityguards.
Ifafightbreaksout,theguardsfightunilhalftheir
numberaredefeated.twhichpoint,theymakea
disciplinedetr eat r deeperintohebuilding.There,
theyactivateemor lockdownfeates
ur andbarricade
themselves in a vault for safety. All attempts to take
itemsbecometwoDifficultyevelshigherbecauseof
these features.
110
At this point, the characters are free to choose which
treasures they want to salvage. Taking each one
eqr es
uir anverage(D1) Understand test to get the
mostvaluableitems.Butifthesecurityhasincreased,
Discipline or
Movetesttoclaimit.sbefoe, r eachtesttheplayer
charactersmake(passorfail)adds1toheTheat r pool
due to the time it takes.
City in Flames:stheinvasioncausesemor damage
andchaos,thisattemptbecomesemor dangerous.
Stages1and2aredescribedasabove.Beginig
withstage3,theguardsarepanicked,theDifficulty
oftalkingthemdownicreasesby1.tstage4,the
guardsbolt,takingsomeofthehighest-valueeasu
tr es
r
withem.nytesttofindthemostvaluablepieces
increasesDifficultyby1.tstage5,theHallhastaken
heavybombardmenemt.nyr ainigartifactsareburied
beneathkilotnsofrubble.
SCENARIO 3: HOME INVASION
The invasion of Kaitain did not come as a surprise to
most residents. Those who could leave with their most
portablevaluableshavedoneso,andafewemr ainig
wealthy houses have locked down their compounds
towaitouhefighting.FewbelieveKaitaincanealr ly
fall, even with what they have already seen. However,
ahandfulofhomeswereabandonedear,ly breached
duringbombardments,oremptywhentheJihadbegan.
Theseareunoccupied,butstilfilledwithrches.quick
ecor noiteridentifiedamansionearthecitycenteras
ahigh-valuetargetforloting.
Although the home is empty, perimeter security is still
in place.eqItr es uir anverage(D1) Discipline test to
spothesystembefoer itspotsthem.Faielur activates
thesystem,makingallfurthertests1Difficultyhigher
(trait:‘larmRaised’).Todisabletheperimetersecurity
eqr es
uir aChallenging(D2) Understand test. If the test
fails,exteriorblastdoorsslamshut,andthetopofthe
estatewallbristleswithenergy. Gettingpastthissecurity
is a matter of time (if the player characters have any
cutingtols)adding4Theat r tohepoolbefoer the
, the guards allow player characters can move forward.
Oncepasttheperimetersecu,rity theplayercharacters
r during
haveliteoubl
tr eenteringthehome.Inside,theycan
easilyocateseveraleasytoransportvaluables. If they
chosetosearchfurther,anverage(D1) Discipline
test locates a vault, its door closed and sealed, in a
sub-basement.
nyumberofapproachesmightbreachthevault.
The gamemaster should let the players dictate which
kind of method and test they wish to try. Any approach
hasabaseDifficultyofChallenging(D2)andisan
extendedtesteqwithr emuir ent6.each
Br ingthevault
isguaranteed,butimeconsuming.Foreveroltheyr
playercharactersmake,add1Theat
r tohepoolforthe INVASION THREAT SPENDS
time it takes. Each time the player characters move through
theci,ty forexample,whencarryinglotheir
City in Flames:stheinvasioncausesemor damage
ship or traveling to a new site, the gamemaster
andchaos,thisattemptbecomesemor dangerous.
should spend a moment painting the picture
Stage1isdescribedasabove.Beginigwithstage
of war all around them. They may also spend
2, the perimeter security system is on high alert
Threat as the violence intersects with the player
aleady
r ,increasingby1theDifficultyofalltests
characters’journey.
interacting with it.
@ For 2 Threat, the area takes on the trait
tStage4,agroupoflocalloters(useCrimnal
‘Under Heavy Bombardment’, which the
profile Dune Core Rulebookp.275)targetsthehouse.
players and gamemaster alike can tag for
Perimetersecuritysoffline,butseverallotersequal
the next scene played.
towicethenumberofplayercharactersoccupythe
@ For 2 Threat, the player characters encounter
building.tStage5,thelotershaveleftwithallthe
armed resistance in the form of a single Fremen
easylot,buthevaultisstilntact.
Warrior scout (see Dune Core Rulebook, p.802 ),
1ro parsan it fighert perpl2 ayercharacters(use
SCENARIO 4: REFUGEES
the Smuggler archetype Dune Core Rulebook,
Biterexperienceandvidrumohavetaughtheplayer
p.1), 92 arro ed m andangrci y an
il v sber
mun i s
characters what Fremen do to enemies too slow to get
eqal u eht o playercharacters(useTechci in an
out of their way. The Fremen are clearly in the grip of a
archetype Dune Core Rulebook, p. 293).
religious frenzy and will tear anything apart if they think
@ For 4 Threat, one player character takes a hit
itsthewilofMuad’Dib.So,theplayercharactersmay
frcl mo se o bobar m dmen,t falgnil debrs, i ro
bemotivatedescu
tor epeoplestrandedinthechaos
anr dofir m e,andak t eseht no ‘Ccu no ssed’ai rt t
rather than search for treasure.
foeht r exn scen
t e.
The gamemaster should use creativity and the player @ 1roF Theat r eht playercharacterscoem acrss o a
characters’traits,Focuses,andattachmentstoidentify refugee needing help. Helping them takes time
efu
r gees.Somemightbehappytoleadarandomsteet r freiht mo cur enr ssi
im t Th.no eefu
r geeghim be t
crowdoffworld.OthersmaywantofindtheKaitain ane, noy andiro ar n per y soevro n enabl
on e.
equivalentofanorphanage,whilestilothersmaywant
The gamemaster can use these spends as written,
tosearchformembersofinfluentialfamilestosave.
or as inspiration for other wartime calamities.
Whatever they choose, the following guidelines apply to
Remember,however,toleaveTheat
r tomvethe
any rescue operation.
invasionprogressforward.It’stheprimarysoce
ur of
Treatthisattemptasasequenceoftests.Thefirstisto tension for this Act of the adventure.
organize the refugees and gain their trust, overcoming
theirfearandsuspicion.Thiseqr es
uir aChallenging
(D2) Communicateextendedtestwithaeqr emuir ent
of6.Eachfailedtestadds1Theat r tohepoolastime
Someexampleefu
r geegroupsare:
is a factor.
@ grpuo fo seranv st gniyrt elh ot paded
nuow bl
on e
If the player characters earn their trust, they must get
efu
r ohw sesal
ot emht woleav
t ebeh
mih d.ni
the refugees across the city to their ship or a safehouse.
@ A group of courtiers who do not know how to cope
Theymustavoidthebombardment,andthegroups
eht ues
oihrt xwul eyht aresed
u .ot
of Fremen scouring the city for ‘those disloyal to
@ grpuo fo enB eesser
G aco
ti etyl Sistersgniyrt ot
Muad’Dib’.ThisisaDauntig(D3) Battleextended
saveeiht badl
r ed
rujni y Reverender.htoM
testwithaeqr emuir entof12.gain,eachfailedolr
@ bl
on egniyrt fin
ot dasafeescapefoeiht r r
generates1Theat r forthepool.
entourage and servants.
nycomplicationscaneithermakethejourneyemor @ sqad
u fo guards,ert fied
ir fo eht emrF en,gniyrt ot
hazardous or make the refugees harder to move. This escapeat
r erh an
ht figh.t
mightbedue,toinjury panic,orafaielur oftrust.Itmay
City in Flames:stheinvasioncausesemor damage
alsomeanthedeathofsomemembersofthegroup.
andchaos,thisattemptbecomesemor dangerous.
The gamemaster should encourage the player Stages1and2aredescribedasabove.Beginigwith
characters to interact and roleplay with the refugees, stage 3, the crowds are more panicked. Any test made
findingconectiontpeopletheymightoherwise togetthemtofolowinstructionsis1Difficultyhigher.
dismiss.Itisequallypossibletheydiscoversome In stages 3 and 4, enemy elements make the passage
efu
r geeshaveattiudesandideastheyfindabhenor t, emor dangerous,raisingallDifficultiesby2.
butaretheyawfulenoughtobeleftbehind?

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 111
 A C T I I I : D E P A RT U R E
Having decided the city is too hot or the invasion too
advanced, the player characters take their last load of
lotheirstolenship.Onceaboard,theymustescape
theplanet,thensneaktheirshipontaGuild Heighliner
tomaketheirfinalescape.
FINDING A SHIP
Whether the player characters have a ship or not, they
are certainly going to need one now. Kaitain usually has
avastarrayofshipsalloverit.Thesemightbepleasuer
craft, personal spacecraft, or several shuttles that cope
with the continual movement of visitors to the Imperial
capital. Unfortunately, one of the initial Fremen attacks
purposefulybombedthespaceports,andmostofthe
people with their own ships have used them to escape
the planet.
While they can search the estates of the wealthy, that is
alotfgroundtocover.Thebestoptionstosearcha
shipyard.Therearemanyshipyards,giventhenumber
of vessels on the planet, and each has many ships in
various states of repair. If they are lucky, the player
characterscanfindashipthatisjustwaitingforthe
ownertocolectit.Buheyneedtofindashipyard
first . If they have, or can access, physical maps, they
112
canpinpointalikelytargetwithaChallenging(D2)
Understandtest.Iftheydon’thaveamap,characters
with some kind of Focus or attachment to Kaitain may
makethesametestemtor emberaplacethey. know
Another option is to persuade, interrogate, or intimidate
this information out of a passing city resident.eqItr es uir
aChallenging(D2) Disciplinetesttofindaesi
r dent(if
theyhavenotfoundoneaspartofanencounter)as
mostarehidingfromtheemFr en.Iftheydofindone,it
takesaDauntig(D3) Communicate test to get them
toalkasitmghtbetheironlyescapeto. Butifthe
player characters offer to take them with them, they
share all they know.
Oncetheplayercharacterslocateashipyard,each
r ing
it is simple, although the gamemaster may add an
encounter of some form on the way. Finding a ship in
good repair is harder.eqItr es uir aChallenging(D2)
Understandtesttofindaship,andeachfaielur takes
time, adding 2 to the Threat pool.
Oncetheyhaveaship,theyneedtobypassitssecurity
measures withaDauntig(D3) Understand test.
Faielur meanstheyneedtobreaksomethingtoget
aboard,givingtheshipthe‘Damaged’trait(whichthe
gamemastercanapplyastheyfeeltheyneedto).
WE. ARE. LEAVING. Onceintheai,r theymustflyoughthr thedogfightsin
sthecapitalcityanditsdefensescrumble,theplayer progressabovethem. ThisisaChallenging(D3) Move
charactersmustgettheirfinalloadofsalvage,lot,or extendedtestwithaeqr emuir entof4.Theplayers
refugees to their ship. Thisisanextendedtest,withe mayolasr manytimesastheylikeonthistest,but
charactersmovingatspeedoughthr steet
r sfilledwith foreachfailedoltheyr gainacomplicationbasedon
debrisandbattle. eitherabadtacticalpositionrdamagetoheship.
Oncetheypasstheextendedtest,theplayercharacters
The gamemaster should use the information from the
breakintorbit,butareimediatelypursuedbytwo
sidebarTheTheat r ofTime(p. 106 )todescribethe
enemy warships!
deteriorating situation in the city. Although things
appeardie, r theyeach
r theirshipwithnomajor
TO THE STARS
mishaps. The state of the place the ship is located
Inorbitbutholypursued,theplayercharactersmust
dependsontheinvasion’sstage:
breakawayfrtheom pursuingvessels.Thesheeramount
@ fI statl i stage1,2 ro eht areasi emptany detiuq . ofshipsanddebrisincloseorbitaroundKaitainmakes
Theplayercharacterscanboardeiht shr pi htiw thistaskpossible,butisbynomeanseasy.
pron bl o ems.
Escaping the warships isaChallenging(D2) Move
@ If the invasion has reached stage 3, the shipyard has
extendedtestwithaeqr emuir entof8.Thereisnolimt
becoem abatefiel lt dbeteenw emrF enshck o pso rt
tohenumberofolsr theplayercharactersmaymake
andagrpuo fo Sardauar.k Neierht sidepaysch um
on this test, however only the player character piloting
attention to the player characters, bueyht steed nli
the ship may make the rolls. A copilot may assist them
ak
m ot eanerv age(D1) Move or Battle test to get
though.nyfailedtestsmeanweaponsfiredamages
ghuo rht eht crssfir
o escat nu ed h . Any character who
theship.successfulDauntig(D3) Understand test
faisl si spoed. t Thsi ghim ead lt a ot figh,t eht ro
from another character and any assistants can repair
eed
n fofast r al t g.nik Thanfuk y,l bosiht desareat r erh
enoughofthedamageemtor ovetheComplication.
busy,soav h eelt i emit spen
ot dguo r n esand
dissidents. Whentheextendedtestiscompleted , the ship slips
@ If the invasion has reached stage 4, the Fremen awayfromthewarships,ortheygiveupforbetterprey.
havewonthebattlewitheSardaukar. Three The player characters are free to navigate toward the
remain on site (see Dune Core Rulebook, p.280) Guild Heighlinerinhghorbitandescapefromthe
buteachhasthe‘wounded’complication . The system with their spoils.
player characters may sneak past them or engage
themincombat.Sneakingpastmayeqr euir themto HEIGHLINER
abandontheirlasthaulofsalvageorcomeupwith Thghuo eht dliuG av
n gati sro av
h ebeenfoced r serot ev
someexemtr emeasues. r Paueirt l desandsih ar, w eyht areeno appy
h o t abotu
@ If the invasion has reached stage 5, the shock troops it. Several Heighliners wait in the system, carrying the
areed nioj byanerhto al h f-doenz emrF enghiF . gnit assi
m ev asi vni fleet
no ai K ot ai
t Th.n eyareask t edhtiw
past them is not an option, so the player characters assi
ylno stgni shps i at ht serev eht aduM b iD buar
t eton
stum eierht blff u eiht ay w r eiht o n shr pi snro eak checking too closely.
past the troops. Time is also a factor as the Fremen
The player characters can attempt to dock their ship in
are commandeering or destroying any working ships
a Heighernil d, loh blendign eht iw erhto spaceaffic
rt
eyht find.
gathering there. enlB dign eini erht eqr es riu aal hC enl gign
(D) 2 Moveest t ‘fly
ot casual’a ro alhC enl gign (D) 2
ESCAPE VELOCITY
Communicateest t bl
ot ffu eht affic
rt cofficer
o l rtn ervo
Oncesafelyonboard,theplayercharacterscaneach r
eht adi
r ai F .o erul eino erht fo eseht flagseht shpi for
orbit,flyingoughthr theexplosions,destruction,and
dliuG spect
ni .noi
closevehicularcombatofthecityatwar.Iftheplayer
characters have had an easy time of things, the area fI eht dliuG flagseht shpi fospect ni r ,noi eyht stni ct
ur
hasalockfieldinplace.Thisdeviceinterfereswith the pilot to dock while a team arrives to check their
suspensor technology stopping the ship lifting off. It credentials. The player character may have a relationship
maybeasecurityfeateur oftheshipyard,oranew with the leader of the team, Siska Rayner (see p.24).
installation from the Fremen to stop people from Siskastil enseht o playercharacters’stan yro ddecides
escaping.Disablingeqitr es uir findingandeach
r ing whether to let them remain or hand them over to the
thegeneratorandeitherdestoyingr ordisablingit . Fremen. If the players are straight with her, she respects
Eachoftheseactionseqr es uir atleastanverage(D1) at
ht Th. edliuG be l iw appy
h diot sobeyad’DuM b,
i fi
test.Faies
lur adds1pointofTheat r ,whichmayintur they think they can get away with it.Oterh se, iw siht ghim t
generate Fremen troops. eqr eriu acatinum oC eest t atafficu
iD defin
ytl edbyeht
gamemaster depending on the playercharacters’ story.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 113
If Siska allows the player characters to stay, they will theywilbesafe.Theycantakestockofwhattheyhave
owetheGuildafav,or buthatisonlywrthsomething claimed, with the gamemaster giving them a monetary,
if the player characters seem either loyal, trustworthy, moral, or artistic value to what they have rescued
orcompetent.TheGuildmaytakesomeoftheiriches (dependingontheirpriorty).
if they think the player characters are only interested in
Itispossibletheplayercharacterswilbepresentfor
them for their value.
some of the other iconic scenes of this event. These are
IfSiskacannotbeconvicedtohelptheplayer detailed in the novel Paul of Dune(byBrainHerbert
characters,theGuildseizestheirshipandallits andKevinJderson)whichthegamemastercandraw
contents, and turns the player characters over to the inspiration from.
Fremen. What happens to them depends on how
Further adventures will depend on how the player
conectedtheyaretoMuad’Dib.Itmightmeantheir
charactersendthisadvene.tur Ifitwentverybadl,y
livesareforfeit.BuMad’Dibseesthattheyhavea
escaping the Fremen and convincing the new regime
destiny and a part to play, although even he is unclear
they are loyal might take some time. If it went well,
whatitmghtbe.HeletsthemlivebutplacesemFr en
the player characters might try their luck for artistic or
observersattheheartoftheirHousestonghr old.
personal gain with other planets scheduled for a Fremen

CONCLUSION assault. If they rescued refugees, those people might

have family in other places who desperately need help
Iftheplayercharactersfindspaceinthe Heighliner, on Kaitain or elsewhere. They may even have more
they can return to their home planet as the Heighliner informationaboutoherricheseasu
ort es
r hiddenin
makesitswaytoisnexoute.r Itwilbemanystops,but secret vaults.
 S HADOW OF
THE B LADE
Thisfinaladvenetur placestheplayercharacters,theirhouse,andtheirhomeworlddiect
r lyinthepathoftheemFr en
crusadesdevastatingtheKnowUniverse.OneHouse,HouseThorvald,efu r sestoaccepttheruleofMuad’Diband
fightsest tor eor theoldegi
r meinanywaytheycan.Theplayercharacters’Houseisaccused(rightlyorfalsely)ofaiding
the treasonous Thorvald Insurrection. They must clear their names, whether or not they are guilty, to keep their House
andhomeworldintact.Otherwise,theymustescapethecomingemFr enattack.

DespitetheprotestationsofIrulan,Muad’DibdeclaresthatKaitainmustbepuged
r ofinsugen r ts.Thecapitalplanetof
the old Imperium must kneel to the new Emperor. As the rampaging Fremen tear Kaitain apart, the player characters
travelthereundercovertosavewhateverart,culturaleasu
tr es,
r andefu
r geestheycan.Thismightbeoutfthe
goodnessoftheirheartsorjusttolkfoeasu
rt e.r

AC T I : A F FA I R S O F pad. SucceedinginaDauntig(D3)
testevr ealsRellisquitenervous,andthisconcernis
Understand

S TAT E centered around the player characters, their presence

WhiletheJihadstilrages,itsfrenzyisbeginigto
subside.Businesscanetr urntosomethinglikenormal,
butwiheaddedparanoiathatanyonemightbecome
atargetofMuad’Dib’slegionsfordisloyaleaso tyor n.
Theadvenetur beginswitheplayercharacters
travelingtoanotherworldonimportantbusiness.
Theworldandthepurposefortavelingshouldbe
customizedtofitthedetailsoftheplayercharactersand
theirHouse,butbydefault,thetextofthisadvenetur
assumes they are traveling to the Menkar system to
negotiateaminortadealliancewithHouseNovebruns.
ConcernedwithenewEmperor’scoolnmeltr ange,
theNovebrunsareseekingopportuniestobuyspice
orsecuer additionalfundstodosobytradingand
transportingvariouscomodities.Ontheirend,the
Novebrunsarewilngtoradesomeesor ce ur theplayer
characters’Housedesies. r Thismightbetheminerals
and mining technology the House is famed for, or other
assetsthey’veacqed uir fromneoftheirothertrade
partners.tradeagreementbetweenthetwoHuses
couldleadtoaprofitableallianceandvitalaidforthe
playercharacters’Houseinsuchuncertaintimes.While
thetradedealisuseful,anewallymaywellbefaremor
valuableintheseoubl
tr edtimes.
TheplayercharactersarrivesafelyonClie,thepalace
monrbitingMenkarI,theNovebrunshomeworld.
Thepalaceanditssuoundir ngcityarebeautiful,
withgracefulcurvesandelegantspies. r It’saplace
builtforexcessandwonderemor thandefense.It
isapictesq ur ueespi
r tefromtheutilariananddrab
industrialsettlementsthatmakeupthemajorityf
HouseNovebruns’holdings.
FetisRell,aepr
r esentativefortheHouseNovebruns
warmly greets the player character at the shuttle landing
onNovebruns,andwhattheyintend.He,ofcourse,
deniesthisifquestionedabouti.
FetisRelltakestheplayercharacterstoanearby
buildingservingasluxriosguestquartersforvisiting
dignitaries.Thewell-appointedbuildingisexpertly
staffedandelaboratelydecorated.Itisalsoverysecue, r
withnumerousguardsandcuting-edgesecurity
measues. r Ifasked,Rellexplainsthisisfortheprotection
of honored guests such as the group. The player
charactersmayefu r seHouseNovebruns’hospitalityand
choose to remain on their ship. However, Rell seems
disturbedbytheejr ectionfhisHouse’swelcome.The
playercharactersgaintheTrait‘IlMannered’whichmay
=harmtheirabilityonegotiate.
SPRINGING THE TRAP
After arriving, the group is asked to remain in their
quartersuntilegotiatorsforHouseNovebrunsarrive.
Rellexplainsthereare“minorbutpotentiallydangerous
incidents” in the city, and he must keep them safe.
A successful opposed test of Understand vs.Rell’s
Disciplineevr ealstheenvoyistellingthetruhabout
the incidents,buthat’snothemaieaso nr nforkeeping
the group under guard. Assuming the group agrees to
stayintheirquarters,Relloksvisiblelyr ievedashe
departs. If the group refuses, his mood darkens as he
says, “I have my orders and really must insist you remain
here for your own safety.” He then apologizes for any
inconvenienceandleaves,butnobefoer doublingthe
guardsontheguestquarters.
thispoint,theplayercharactersarelikelytobeaware
thatsomethingisgoingonandwilantofindout
what. While Rell is the only one with real answers, the
guards and servants also have an idea that something

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 115
 is up. The player characters can attempt to charm or Iftheplayercharactersareexceptionallyinventivein
eat
thr enthemastheyplease.ThetestandDifficultyare their information gathering and spend 3 Momentum,
flexibledependingonhwteplayercharacterschose the gamemaster can reward them with this
togoaboutiandeaso
howr nablythegamemaster additionalfact:
thinks it will work.
@ Theplayercharactersandeiht se
uoH r av
h ebeen
SuccessfulytalkingtoheNovebrunsguardsand accusedfo cres
mi agaistn eht per
mI Th.mui eybe
l iw
servantscanyieldthefolowinginformation: detained and turned over to the authorities shortly.
@ While the player characters are being treated Iftheplayercharactersdon’tfiguer thingsoutnheir
as guests, they are being watched closel. Thy e own, Fetis Rell returns in the morning with an armed
Novebruns aren’t lo king for anything or seeking escortofoneNovebrunHoseGuardperplayer
infor mation. They seem to be keeping the player character(seeHouseSoldier/Guardprofile Dune Core
characters under wraps until some future event. Rulebookp.283).Offeringinsincerebutpracticed
@ The locals, including the guards and envoy, are apologies,theyexplaintheplayercharactersare“to
concer ned about he player characters’ presence. beegr r ettablydetainedawaitingthearrivalofImperial
They are polite but see the player characters as a investigators.”Rellwon’tvolunteeranyadditional
disruptive force and a potential threat. information, butanopposedtestusing Communicate
@ The player characters are treated strangely vs.Rell’s Disciplinetestcancoaxthefolowing
because of accusations against themselves and informationutfthem:
their House. These accusations come from a
@ emm l bersfo eht playercharacters’se
uoH are
powerful outside authority.
subjectan ot per mI de iw-mu ar
w an
r fo t arest
r l.
al
yol ses
uoH areexpecteddet ot aiemht n andfoni mr
eht per
mI ’smui siiuqn s.rot

FETIS RELL, HOUSE AIDE

NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
bueau r craticaideforHouseNovebruns,Fetis
My life for
Rellspentyearsasafieldoperativebefoer D U T Y: 7 HouseNovebruns.
accepting a promotion on the throne moon of
Clione.Yearspasthisprime,heisstilacapable FA I T H : 5
hand with the stiletto dagger he keeps hidden
inasleeveholster.Thoughunflinchinglyloalto JU S T I C E: 4
his House and willing to die for it, if necessary, he
would like very much to avoid that fate and seeks P OWER : 3
novilentsolutionswherepossible.
Only reveal
T RU T H : 6 what you must.
Slightlyallandratherslender,Fell’sgauntface
suggestsahardlivedlifecoveredbyyearsof
ecen
r .Histluxry eddi
r shhairhasgonemostly SKILL FOCUSES
gray-white,andhisgreeneyesflitabout,takingin
his surroundings as if always on alert. B AT T LE: 4

Traits: Loyal Retainer, Former Spy, Tries to Keep C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Diplomacy

the Peace

TALENTS D I S C I P LI N E: 6 pom o C suer

@ Unquestionable Loyalty: etF si Relbegi
l sn htiw
one additional point of Determination. This M OVE: 4
exa
rt pocan
tni be
ylno sed
u an
no actch
ihw noi
is in direct service to their House or faction. U N D ER S TA N D : 5

Assets: House uniform, hidden stiletto

116
Regardless of how the player characters play this scene,
they cannot gain overt assistance from Fetis Rell or
HouseNovebruns.Theyalsocannotdiscoveremor
informationabouthechargesagainsttheirHouseas
Novebrunsknowsnothigelse.WhiletheNovebruns
are not particular friends of the new regime, they are
terrifiedofit.Thisshouldhelptofoesh r adowhat
mightbecomingtheplayercharacters’way.
If the player characters wait it out, Fremen warriors
arrivetoakethemintocustody.However,thatdoesn’t
meantheycan’tescapetheircuenr tpredicament.
GETTING BACK HOME
The player characters need to escape and form a plan.
Howtheydosoisuptohem,buthefolowingcovers
someofthepossibilites:
Using Force:Theplayercharacters’shipisstilonthe
landing pad, and the guild Heighlinerthatbroughthem
isstilnorbitnearbyloadingcargo(butnoforlong).
Takingahostage,fightingpasttheguards,ortherwise
usingfoce r togettheirshipandfleewilork,thoughit
wilangerHouseNovebrunsandmakethemlokgu. ilty
Sneaking Away:Sneakingawayispossible,especially
iftheplayercharactersfigued r outwhatishappening
befoer Reletlr urns.Thereisoneguardforeveryplayer
charactersattheguestquartersandanothersixguards
at the landing pad.
Calling in Favors:playercharacterswithnfluenceand
conectionscansecuer assistanceeitherbypressuring
theNovebrunstolkheotherwayorbyhelping
them escape. However, they need to contact their
allies(probablyusingarchitectplay).Thegamemaster
should also determine which player character allies can
eal
r isticallyaidthemwhiletheyaredetainedonClie.
Something Tricky:Iftheplayercharacterscan’teachr
their ship, they can sneak out on another transport, steal
aplanetarytransport,andtraveltoMenkarItofinda
merchantorsmugglertohelpthem,orpossiblyuse
somesecretorvaluedassettobrokerabackomdeal r
witheNovebruns.
Thegamemastershouldbeflexibleandgivethe
playercharactersaeaso r nablechancetosucceedat
anyinterestingplantheymake.HouseNovebruns
isonlyhdingthembecausetheyhaveto,andif
the player characters can escape without damaging
Novebruns’epu r tationwthenewegi
r metheywon’t
betobothered.
IftheplayercharactersmanagetoescapeClionethey
candiscoverthenateur ofthechargesquiteeasilyfrom
contacts, or from those on their home planet who have
justheardthemead.
r
AC T I I : H O M E
UNDER SIEGE
IftheplayercharactersdonotescapeClione,House
NovebrunshandsthemovertoheemFr en.Zuffa,a
high-rankingcomandertheplayercharactermay
have met previously (see p.118 )leadstheemFr en.
He returns the player character to their home planet
where he reads the charges against them, which include
providingsupportoheinsuect
r ionstsledbyHouse
Thorvald.dditional,ly Zuffa,onbehalfoftheEmper,or
accuses them of providing aid and comfort to enemies
of the Imperium.
Theexactnateur oftheupportheplayercharacters
havesupposedlyoffereddependsontheirHouse’s
domains,epu r tation,andhist.Forexy ample,aHouse
known for its weapons is accused of providing arms
to the insurrectionists, while a House of skilled secret
brokersischargedwithprovidingintelligencetoHuse
Thorvald and their allies. Investigating these claims turns
upcicu r mstantialbutdamnigevidenceintheform
of reports, documents, and the testimony of various
spies and informants. Many accusations and documents
appeartocomefromfficialHousesoces, ur makingthe
informationdifficultodisprove.
Thisinformationsdifficultodisprove,andiftheplayer
characters and their House are in league with Thorvald
and their insurrection, then the evidence is genuine.
However,thetruhiselir evant.Thequestions,canthe
playercharactersfindawayefu tor tethecharges?If
theyaretrue,itjustmakesitharder,butnoimpossible.
TruthandfairnessmeanlitetohefanaticalZuffa.He
considershimselfoneofthemanyhandsofMuad’Dib,
strikngdownthosewhodefythenewegi
r me.Zuffa’s
intention, regardless of the facts, is to destroy the player
characters’planetbefoer executingthempersonal. ly
SURRENDER OR DIE
Whether the Fremen legions arrive with the player
characters or not, they lay siege to their homeworld with
avastfleetofwarships.Iftheyarealeady r capted,
ur
the player characters are sent to the surface of their
worldtoakecareoftheiraffairsandbringthecharges
officiallytoheirHouseruler.Then,whetherornt
the Fremen know where they are, they give the player
charactersforty-eighthourstosuenr derandconfessto
their crimes. If the player characters do not surrender,
this proves to the Fremen that they are traitors and
insuect
r ionstsandmustbeeat tr edaccodir ngl. y
Surrender includes turning themselves, all other
importantHousemembers,theirimediatefamiles,
and closest retainers over to the Fremen for incarcera-
tion,interogat
r ion,trial,andlikelyeventualexecution
or other unpleasant fates. It also includes turning
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 117
 Z U F FA , F R E M E N C O M M A N D E R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
ZuffaisunsualamonghisfelemlowFr en.While
I do what my
aloyalsoldierofMuad’Dibanddevotedtohis D U T Y: 8
Emperor cannot.
people, he is also something of a political animal,
Muad’Dibwilfoge
r the
ruthless, pragmatic, and unsentimental. Like his FA I T H : 7 universe anew.
fellows,Zuffawouldburnaworldotur
hereticsandtraitors.ButZuffawouldalsodoitjust JU S T I C E: 5
to ensure no one undermines the authority of Paul
Muad’Dib.Hebelievesheisebu r ildingaglorius P OWER : 6
universeunderMuad’Dib,andthatmanysacrifices
anddeathsareeqr ed
uir toensuer thelongevityof T RU T H : 4
the new regime. Having said that, if he must do a
few immoral or underhanded things for the same SKILL FOCUSES
easo r ns,andMuad’Dib’shandscanemr ainclean,
he does not hesitate to let murderers go free or B AT T LE: 7 Strategy,ShortBlades
reward traitors. He can always kill them later.

Physical,ly Zuffaisabitunderaverageheight,but C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
with a lean and dangerous look that makes him
seemtallerandemor imposing.skiledfighter D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Obserev
and leader, the crusades have pushed him to
expandhisaleady r keenmindtoencompassthe M OVE: 5
different military strategies and political situations
hefrequentlyencounters. U N D ER S TA N D : 6 Imperial Politics

Traits:emFr enComander,Politcian,Fanatic

TALENTS
@ The Reason I Fight (Duty): When attempting
aat
B elt est
t siu gn e,
virD erhw eeht e’s
virD
statemenal
t gni seht iw actbei noi gn
atemt pted,Zuffaay m e-r 1d2
l o r .0

Assets:Crysknife,emFr enstilsuit,
Imperial Authority

118
overallinformationaboutheHouse’seaso
tr nous
activtes,somethingtheycan’tdoifthey’reinocent
andsomethingthatsealstheirfateifthey’regu. ilty
Justtoaddaliteseasonigtohesituation,Zuffawil
implythatiftheplayercharactersbetraytheirHouse
completely and give the Fremen everything they want,
he might spare them.
Itseemsanimpossiblesituation,sotheplayer
characters are going to need a plan.
A DESPERATE LEAD
All is not lost. After an hour or two of frantic attempts to
findalead(thegamemastershouldmakethemsweat),
the player characters receive communication from an
allyontheirhomeworld.Theallyshouldbesomeone
elr iableandcapablewithasolidhistoryfserviceand
trust with the player characters and their House.
The ally provides the player characters with an
intercepted intelligence report from a House known
tobeaseriousrivalorenemyoftheplayercharacters’
House.Theepo r rtdetailsacovertfalseflagoperation
theenemyHousecarriedoutcauseoubl tr e.
The details of this operation are vague and further
obfuscatedbycodeds wor andencodedattachments,
butisuggeststhatbefoer theEmperoraccusedthe
playercharacters’Houseofeaso tr n,anenemysent
operatives to conduct covert operations and plant
evidence on their homeworld. Furthermore, the report
states that nearly all their enemy spies and operatives
wereextractedsometimeago,butonefinalcovertcell
operatingontheplanetwasunabletoescape.Instead,
the cell has gone to ground in a safehouse somewhere
inoeofthecitiesontheplayercharacters’homeworld.
Thegamemastercandecidewhichci,ty butishould
haveastongr bueaur craticormiltarypresencewhile
beingfarenoughawayfromthecapitaltomakeit
easier to hide in.
The player characters can do what they like to check this
informationscoect
r (itis)buthegamemastershould
remind them that the clock is ticking.
THE SAFEHOUSE RAID
To secure evidence that their rivals are seeking to frame
them, the player characters need to locate and raid the
safehouse of the covert cell. Locating the safehouse
involessearchingitshomecitybutdoingsoswiftlyor
secretivelyenoughsothatthecellisn’talerted.
eqr es uir aChallenging(D2) Discipline or Understand
extendedtestwithaeqr emuir entof7.Butheskilsand
assetsusedcanbevarieddependingonhwteplayer
characterschosetogoabouthesearch
scouting the area, interviewing informants, and doing
whateverelseeaso
r nablyhelpsthemfindthesafehouse.
If the test is successful the player characters catch the
spiesunaware,gainigadvantagesintheconflictwith
GOING RENEGADE
If the player characters are actually aiding the
insuect r ion,orjustwishtocutheirlosses,they
maychosetogoenr egade.Thatisanacceptable,
ifexemtr e,solution,butulimatelynotaproductive
one.TheirHouseandworldwilbeforfeitand
takenasprofoftheirguilt.Theywilbehunted
down forever, and the Fremen legions will never
justgiveup.Goingenr egadestartsawholenew
chapterintheplayercharacters’livesandshould
notbepursuedligh.Mosttly Houseswhoattemptit
don’tsurvie.
If the player characters decide to go this route,
the gamemaster should replace Acts II and III with
theplayercharactersmakingadesperateexodus
from their homeworld. This includes running
battleswithpursuingemFr en,securingalliesand
transport outside Imperial space, and gathering
and securing whatever resources they can to ensure
long-termsurvial.
THE TICKING CLOCK
To heighten the tension, the gamemaster might
putacountdowndisplay(ornotepaper)onthe
tableshowingtheemr ainigtime(beginigat48
hours).Eachsignificantactiontheplayercharacters
takedropsthetimeby1.tzerhour o,theymust
presenthemselvesandtheirHouseforjudgment,
andmostlikelyexecution. They can also gain a
Momentumpointbyedu
r cingthetimebyanhour
at any point (representing taking time to get things
rightbefoer acting).
them. If they fail, they can still attempt to capture the
spiesandraidthesafehouse,buthespiesareprepared
andambushthemastheyenterthesafehouse.Toeflect
r
this, the gamemaster can add 3 Threat to the encounter
andthespiesgetthefirstactiontheencounterifthey
are aware of the imminent attack.
Iftheraidissuccessful,theplayercharactersfind
theevidencetheyneed.Itdoesnotexoneratethem
eneltir ,y buticastsseriousdoubtontheaccusations
against them. If the player characters take captives,
theseprisoners—underduess
r —alsobackupany
This claimsabouthefalseflagoperation.
USING THE EVIDENCE
Withsomeevidence,andpossiblylitetimeemr ainig,
eq.Itr es
uir theplayercharactersneedtoaskZuffaforaepr r ieve.
GettingtoseeZuffaisnotaproblem,astheyare
surrendering soon. The gamemaster should allow the
playercharacterstomakeaheartfeltspeechabouthow
theirHousehasbeenunfairlyblamedandthattheyare
loyaltoMuad’Dib.Seehowmanypeopletheplayer
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 119
 characters will sell out to protect themselves or if they
maintaintheirhonitefaceofcertainoblivon.
The gamemaster should allow the lead character a Dire
(D3) Communicatetest,assistedbyuptowher
player characters. The gamemaster should also consider
(intermsoftraits)howlyaltoMuad’DibandZuffa
theplayercharactersareconsideredtobe.success
meansthatZuffaacceptstheevidence.faielur means
he does not.
Unfortunatel,y egar r dlessoftheesur lt,Zuffaisnot
convinced it is enough to call off the destruction of
theplayercharacters’House.fterall,Muad’Dibhas
spoken,andMuad’Dibdoesnotmakemistakes.That
is unless, of course, the player characters can prove
theirloyaltyinsomeotherway.ThenZuffawiladmit
the mistake was his, and that all has proceeded as
Muad’Dibfoesaw r forthebenefitofthenewImperium.
Basical,ly Zuffahasajobfortheplayercharacters,andif
they do well, it will clear their names.
A C T I I I : B E T R AY I N G
If the player characters can carry out this mission
successfu,ly ZuffawilsparetheirHouse,forthemercy
ofMuad’Dibisasbountifulashiswrath.Thismayleave
theplayercharacterswonderingifZuffahimselfmight
have engineered this situation, rather than simply
taken advantage of it. The answer to that lies with
the gamemaster.
Zuffaprovidestheplayercharacterswithateverthey
needtogetthejobdone.Healsoemr indsthemthat
if they do not succeed, or they take too long to carry
outhemission,theirHousewilbedeclaredenr egade,
theirulingfamilyexecuted,andtheirhomeworldwil
bepassedtoaemor loyalHouse.Inshort,don’tbother
comingback.
ARRIVING ON GAMONT
HowtheplayercharactersarriveonGamontdepends
largely on their reputation and resources. If they are
friendly with House Ecaz, they can land at one of the
ally’sstonghr olds.IftheyarefriendlywithThorvald
or the remnants of House Moritani, they can seek to
contact these allies to set up a meeting. Alternatively,

THE TRAITOR they can seek a remote area, land, and hunt down their
target themselves. Any of these approaches gets them
Thoughpossiblynoteneltir yconvicedoftheplayer toheplanetandclosetoheaction,buteachinvoles
characters’inocence,theemFr encomander,Zuffa, navigating distinct challenges.
sets them on a task to prove their loyalty to Emperor
Meeting with Ecaz:IffriendlywitheEcaz,orif
PaulMaud’Dib.Theymustcapteur orelimnateTroilus
theyconvicedZuffatosetthemupwithcontactson
Thorvald,amemberoftheinsuect r ionstHouse
Gamont,theplayercharacterslandattheeso r rtof
Thorvald. Troilus is leading a costly guerrilla war on
Bentham,aformerpleasuer districtturnedEcazmiltary
theplanetGamont.Giventhecuenr taccusations
outpost. It lies on the edge of a region of forested
againstthem,theplayercharactersareinauniqe
highlandswheretheybelievetheguerilafoces
r arein
position to gain the trust of the rogue Thorvald agents.
hiding. The commander of the Ecaz forces, Kora Idy,

R I VA L H O U S E A G E N T S
MINOR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
Covertoperativesinservicetoarivalhouse,these
individuals have found themselves trapped on B AT T LE: 5 Sneak Attacks
theplayercharacters’homeworldwhentheest r
oftheoperationpuledout.Nowsitingtightina C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
safehouse,theyworythattheywilbecolateral
damage when the Fremen invade. D I S C I P LI N E: 4
Traits: Stranded Spies M OVE: 7
Drive: 6
U N D ER S TA N D : 5
TALENTS
@ Constantly Watching: Rival Agents may reduce
eht fficu
iD spo
ot y l an
t ambushby,2 ce
no per
scene. Also increase the cost of an enemy to
eep
K eht at
it nI evi by.2

Assets: Maula pistols, Knives, Evidence and Files

120
points the player characters to the area where she thinks THE PLANET OF LOST PLEASURE
Troilus Thorvald and his men are currently. This is an amG asw tno ce no eht pleasuer dlrow fo se uoH
estate that was once the former personal retreat of a an
tiroM befoi er at ht se
uoH fela ni l ar
w se uoH htiw
Moritaninoblemen.ComanderIdyishappytoletthe cazE No. al nimo w elh yl dbyeht permI al i Theno r
player characters go after the Thorvald insurrectionists. der
nu se uoH caz E ,am G as
h tno fuct n ed noi asa
Iftheycapteur orkilthem,herjobiseasier.Ifthey neutral pleasure planet for the most part. However,
fail,shedoesn’tloseanyofherpeople.Iftheplayer many rumors suggested that any remaining survivors
characters are friends of House Ecaz, she may provide fo seuoH an tiroM ghim be t diih n gn erht e.
herownpeopleasbackupaswellassomeextrabasic
Recen t,l y i t h as been t h ro w n i n t o u ph eav al
weapons and gear.
when Thorvald forces sought to seize the world.
Meeting with Thorvald:Iftheplayercharactershave They contacted an underground organization of
contacts with House Thorvald or the former Moritani rem ai n i g H o u se M o r i t an i l o y al i st s t o begi n a
loyalists, or have proved loyal to the previous Emperor, gu er i l a figh t o w rest co n t ro l o f t h e pl an et .
Shaddam,theycansetupameetingwithTroilus.Given H o u se Th o r v al d h o pes t o u se G am o n t as a base
theplayercharacters’House’simpendingdoom,they to launch a campaign against Ecaz and other
can also secure a meeting if they can succeed in a Houses allied with the new Emperor. They are
Dauntig(D3) Communicate test,broadcastingthey al so t r y i n g t o u se t h e co n fli ct as a r al l y i n g cr y fo r
aresincereleady yr tobattletheEmperor’sfoces
r and other insurrectionists.
throw in with Thorvald. If they arrange this meeting in
Leading this effort is Troilus Thorvald, a minor
advance, they are directed to a highland clearing large
cousin of Lord Memnon Thorvald, known for his
enough to land a small ship ten kilometers away from
keen intellect and creativity in matters of warfare
theMoritaniestate,whichfunctionsasThorvald’sbase.
andespionage.UnderTroilus’comand,effortsto
Going It Alone:Playercharacterswhodecideto quelest
lunr andetr aketheworldbyHouseEcaz
landonGamontseekThorvaldthemselveshave havestalled,andaprotractedandbiterconflict
theadvantageofsurprise,asnoeexpectstheir rages on a world once known for its pleasure
presence. However, without assistance from either palaces and resorts.
sideinthecuenr tconflict,theyneedtoscouthe
 areathemselvesandconviceknowledgeablelocals
to point them toward the Thorvald guerillas. This can
berunasaChallenging(D2) Communicateextended
testwithaReqemuir entof4.successfultestprovides
thelocationfThorvald’setr eat r andbasicinformation
abouthesuoundir ngwilderness.Eachfailedtestadds
1Theat
r tohepoolasrumostheplayercharacters
arelokingforThorvaldloyalistsbegintocicu
r late . If
the player characters make enough noise, the Thorvald
guerillas may seek them out themselves to learn what
they are up to, potentially leading to arranging a
meeting if the player characters use the opportunity.

THORVALD’S RETREAT
Depending on how the player characters approach
meetingTroilusThorvald,thisencountercanbea
daring raid or a meeting of peers. So, the gamemaster
should take the following information and align it to
the approach the player characters take and how well
they perform.

The Thorvald and Moritani forces have indeed

beddedinwhereKoraIdybelieves,thehuntiglodge
and secondary stronghold of a long dead Moritani
nobleman.Whilemuchofthelavishdécorhasfallen
into disarray and disrepair, the compound is still secure
andeasilydefendedagainstamuchlargerfoce. r Given
itsfortifications,andthatKoradoesn’tknowTroilusis
there for sure, she is reticent to mount a strike against it.
nyfrontalassaultimposesthetrait‘Badlypositioned’
on any attacking force.

If the player characters can make a successful Daunting

(D3) Battle test,theynoticeasmallerfoce r capable
ofbypassingsecuritymeasues r andtheguardscould
infiltratetheetr eatr .ThisisaChallenging(D2) Battle,
Discipline or Understandextendedtestwitha
Reqemuir entof6.Gainigaccessbyshowingupand
attemptingdiplomacyiseasier,eqr uirnganverage
(D1) Communicate test. However, that method means
alertingtheguerrilas,andcarryingnobviousweapons
(orallowingthemtobeemr oved).For1Momentum
each, the player character are afforded the honor of
personalarmaments,un-poisonedblades,andpersonal
shields only.

Unfortunately, Troilus has not made this estate his

eal
r baseofoperations.Itisjustaoptr barracks.His
true lair is a small hunting lodge deep in the forest, a
bunkerdesignedtoaccomodateuptowentypeople
on hunting trips. Player characters can uncover the
existence withaChallenging(D2) Understand test if
they have access to any map assets of the area. If Troilus
grants the player characters an audience, or if they
interrogate captured guerilla prisoners, they can also
discover this information.

122
T RO I L U S T H O RVA L D , G U E R I L L A L E A D E R
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
distaneltr ationfrulingnobleMemnoThor -
vald,Troilusisahigh-placedmemberofhisHouse D U T Y: 6
duetohisexceptionaltacticalabilites,natural
charisma, and years spent under the tutelage of FA I T H : 5
Thorvald Mentats. While he might never rule House The Imperium belongs to us,
Thorvald, he is considered a key commander in JU S T I C E: 7 not the false emperor.
theirinsuect
r ionagainstEmperorPaulMuad’Dib
andplanstopushforhisownHuseandsubstan - P OW ER : 8 I will one day rule.
tial holdings should the insurrection succeed. He is
also clearly an optimist. T RU T H : 4
TroilusThorvaldisacapablefighterandcharm -
ingleaderwhocomandsfierceloyaltyfromhis SKILL FOCUSES
foces.
r He’salsooverlyambitious,cold-hearted,
and arrogant. A handsome man with aristocratic B AT T LE: 7 Strategy, Tactics
feates, ur sandyblondehai,r andpiercinggray-blue
eyes, he is rarely unprepared and never unarmed. C O M M U N I C AT E: 6 Char m
Traits:ThorvaldNoble,GuerilaFighter,
Mentat-Trainig D I S C I P LI N E: 5

TALENTS M OVE: 5
@ Cautious (Battle):fI Trsulio Thalvro dspends
Theat r bu ot exy a
rt d2s0 foa
r est
t ,eyht ay
m U N D ER S TA N D : 6 Data Analysis
e-r eno l r fo emht .
@ The Reason I Fight (Power):Whenattempting
aBattletestusingDrive,wheretheDrive’s
statementalignswitheactionbeing
attempted,TroilusThorvaldmaye-r ol1d2 r 0.

Assets:Shield,Kindjal,Loyalces
For

GUERILLA FIGHTERS
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS SKILL FOCUSES
Thismotleycrewareacolectionfbattletested
ThorvaldguerilafightersandMoritaniloyalists. B AT T LE: 6
Theyareskiledfighters,becauseotherwisethey
wouldbedeadby.Thnow eyareloyaltoheir C O M M U N I C AT E: 3
commander and seek to overthrow the false
emperorMaud’Dib.Knowigtheymustwin D I S C I P LI N E: 5
orperish;theycareliteforcolateraldamage
orhalfmeasues.
r Theywantowinbyany M OVE: 6
means necessary.
U N D ER S TA N D : 4
Traits:Insugen
r t,Nothingtolse

Drive: 7

TALENTS
@ None.
Assets: Kindjal,Maularifle

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 123
PLANS AND BARGAINS
Eventual,ly theplayercharactersshouldfindtheirway
tohesmallerhuntiglodgebunkerwheretheycan
meetTroilusThorvald.ssaultingthebunkerisalmost
impossible,sotheymusteitherbeinvtedorticktheir
way in. In their favor is the fact that Troilus desperately
needs allies and has heard of the imminent destruction
oftheplayercharacters’House.So,heisinclinedto
believethem.
Depending on what the player characters really want,
Troilus can offer very little. He happily accepts them
asmembersofhisfaction,grantingatleasttheplayer
characters themselves a safe haven for now. He also
promises to do what he can to restore their House when
“therightcausefinallyhodsswayoncee”. mor But
itdoesn’tlokiethatwilhappenanytimesoon .A
successfulChallenging(D2) Understand test makes it
clear the Thorvald forces here cannot hold out for long
once the Fremen make a concerted attack.
If the player characters try to kill or capture Thorvald,
allbetsareoff.Hefightswithrulessefficiencyand
givesnoquarter.Hehasnoplanstoliveouthisdays
onsomehellishprisonworldortbetrudgedoutfora
high-profilepublicexecution.Heandhissoldiersfight
to the end with nothing to lose.
IfthetideofanybattlegoesbadlyforTroilus,hetakes
the player characters with him. He has armed and
hidden one of the old House Moritani atomic weapons
nearthebase.Detonatingitwldestoyther bunker,
Moritaniestate,andtheBenthameso
r rt.Iwilalso
leavearadioactivescaronGamonthatemwilr ind
others for years to come how the insurgents fell.
IfaconflictgoesbadlyforTroilus,heevr ealsthe
remote trigger for this device. He either uses it as a last
bargainigchiporalast-ditchattempttoavoidcapteur
andtaketheplayercharacterswithm.Ifhecannotbe
stoppedthedevicecanbedisarmed with a Daunting
(D3) Understand test.Butafaielur oranycomplication
detonates it instantly, killing the player characters and
everyone else for several miles. It is up to them to make
theattempteach
or asafedistancebefoer itexplodes.
Troilus does not really want to detonate the atomic
weapon. DoingsowilbethelaststrawforHouse
Thorvald,makingthemenr egade.Therewilbenotrial,
andnoappeal.Givenhowdesperatemostofthemare,
the Houses of the Landsraad will lose no time dividing
theemr ainigassetsofHouseThorvaldbetween
them. So Troilus hopes that his desperation, coupled
withanatomiceat
thr wilgethimtebargainig
position he needs.
However,ifallislosthewouldprefertobealasting
memory rather than a prisoner. He knows (or at least
believes)thatbeingcapted ur bytheemFr enandthe
newegi
r mewilseehimandhissoldiersallexecuted.
Sohewouldratherleaveapileofdeadbodiesand
aholeinGamontasaemr inderandasymbolofhis
esi r stance,thanfacethejudgementofMuad’Dib.
CONCLUSION
Theendofthisadvenetur varieswildlybasedonwhat
theplayercharactersaccomplish.Iftheycanbring
TroilusorhisbodytoZuffa,theemFr enComander
blessesthemwithemercyofMuad’Dib.Buthey
mightjustaseasilybecomethelonesurviosofadead
houseanddevastatedhomeworlddestoyed r bythe
emFr en.IftheyleaveanatomicscaracrossGamont,
theywouldbeadvisednotshowtheirfacesanywhere
soon either. However, if they have served the new
egi r mewithloyaltyandskil,theymaybecometrusted
agentsofMuad’DibandfriendsoftheemFr en.
Nomatterhowelltheydo,itsinthegamemaster’s
power to utterly destroy their House. If the player
charactersthinkatjustbecausetheyarethe
protagoniststheycan’tlose,thegamemastershould
teartheirHouseapartjustfortheobjectlesson.The
dwor ofMuad’Dibneednotbejustorfai,r butiwlbe
heard across the cosmos.
FURTHER ADVENTURES
This ends the Fall of the Imperium campaign. The
KnowUniverseemr ainsbrokenandblody,asanew
foce r risestocoolbontr theGoldenThoner andspice.
Violencecontiuesacrossathousandworldsbefoer
thefireoftheJihadfinallyfades.Conspiraciesriselike
weeds,andalliancesburnandcoolamongtheashes.
What the player characters and their House choose to
do is up to them. They have made several allegiances,
so the time is ripe to pick a side. Will they help
Muad’Dibdestoyther lastinsugen r tsandbringthe
BeneGesseritandtheGuildtoheel?Mightheyinstead
jointhefoces r ofHouseThorvaldandcountlessother
conspiraciestopplethefalsegodandhisblodthirsty
legions? Their choices in this new era set the path for
theirHouseforcenturiestocome,sotheyhadbest
choose wisely.
126
 A DV E N T U R E S
IN THE ERA OF
M UA D ' D I B
“Treachery and quick-thinking will defeat hard-and-fast rules any day.
Why should we be afraid to seize the opportunities we see?”

— Viscount Hundro Moritani, Response to Landsraad Court Summons

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 127
 T HE T HRONE
OF A RRAKIS
Paul‘Muad’Dib’eitr deshasusurpedtheThoner oftheImperium,andwithchangedtheKnowUniverse.fterthe
galaxyshakingeventsofthiscampaign,yourgroupmaywonderwhatyoucando.Inthisow chapter,welokatthe
newstateoftheuniverse,andhowyucanrunadvenes tur intheearlydaysofpost-fallenImperium.Welokatthe
keyplayersfightingforcoolan ntr dhowyurcharacters’Housecandealwithem.Wealsolokatsomenewplayer
optionsandthefaithofMuad’Dibsweepingthegalax. y

Paul isn’t stupid, or a sucker for flattery and riches.

M UA D ' D I B
ManyoftheCorinemperorsactedlikespoilednobles
ThenewEmperoriscomplex,powerful,clever,and
andwereoftenappeasedbyflatteryorbeingoffered
exemtr elyhardtomanageintermsofhisdealingswith
somenew.ButPau
oyrlx lactivelyleadsthe
the Landsraad. Previous emperors ruled very simply.
Imperiumratherthanjustlettingitplodalongasithas
They got everything they wanted as long as they left the
always done. He controls spice production, and all the
Houses of the Landraad to do as they pleased. Everyone
tricks and politics of the Landsraad cannot circumvent
was making solari and getting the spice they wanted,
this.Hecan’tbebribedbecausehealeady r hasallhe
so no one saw a reason to change this. For several
wants.Hecan’tbeeat thr enedashehasthegreatest
thousandyears,thenobilityhasworkedtoprotect
warriosunderhiscomand.Hecan’tbeboughtashe
andmaintainthestatusquothathasbenefittedthem.
can take anything he wants.
Nobleswerefaremor interestedinlvginluxrythan
claimingpower.Hencetheeasor nbrutalandcunig Paul is a living prophet.
Houses, like the Harkonnens, could rise so high.
Paulisn’tjustanobleoraruler,heisMuad’Dib.The
Paul is very different. After living with the Fremen, he faithfulbelieveheistheirdelivererandsav.Whior ile
hasnoiterestinluxryandiscleverenoughtoake Paul himself may not really control this religion, it is a
nothigontrustorforgranted.Hetokheonethr by powerful asset for him. As the Kwisatz Haderach, he has
foce r andratifieditbymarryingthepreviousemperor’s insightandabilitesbeyondanyoneelse,andcanback
eldest daughter. To maintain his power, he has an army uphisclaimsofmessiah-hod.Butevenonascientific
offanaticalandlethalwarrios.Butmai,nly hecoolsntr level,thelimtsofhisabiliteshaveyettobetested.He
spice production, as he has correctly realized that the mightbecapableofanything.
Imperium is utterly reliant on spice and will capitulate to
But he is still a man.
any demand to maintain the supply.
BehindMuad’DibisstilPaueiltr destheman.Heisa
Itisn’tenoughforhimtoallowsomeoneelsetoharvest
human with needs, loves, and desires, and it is those
spice and assume they will pay homage in all the
thatmightprovehisweakness.TheTleilaxunderstod
right ways. He moves the Throne to Arrakis, despite
thisbest,offeringhimCanesu ir ect
r edasaghola
itbeingsuchanunpleasantplace,andwatchesover
withmemories.Itisthepersonbehindthelegendof
spice production personally. Spice only leaves Arrakis
Muad’Dib,thecleverandpowerful,butalsovulnerable
becausePaulwisit.Insteadofjustassumingeveryone
and hurt, young man Paul Atreides who is the key to
knows he is in charge due to legal mandate, he is the
understanding the new emperor.
emperorbecausehecoolsntr thespice.Therearealso
afewotherthingsthatmakehimexceptionallydifficult
tomanipulate:

Paul is unpredictable.

Pauefu lr sestodothingsthewaytheyhavealwaysbeen
done.Healsoefu
r sestobeyanylaw(suchasKanly)
unless he thinks it is a good one. This means he might
do anything at any time. He is literally the new law of
the Known Universe.

128
 C O N S P I R AC I E S A N D S P A C E T R AV E L
THE BENE GESSERIT AND THE GUILD
TheBeneGesserithaveaproblem,andtheyarevery Th e G u i l d i s st i l t r y i n g t o get u sed t o t h e n ew
upsetabouti.Forcenturiestheyhavebeenguiding w ay s o f t h e I m per i u m an d h av en ’t q u i t e co m e t o
humanity from the shadows and running a carefully u n der st an d t h ei r po w er h as been co m pl et el y br o k en .
managedbreedingprogramtocreatetheKwisatz They still think that sooner or later things will right
Haderach. Unfortunately, at the critical moment of near t h em sel v es. B u t ev er y day, an d ev er y n ew o r der
completion,oneoftheirowndisobeyedder
or s,and from the Emperor, makes it harder for them to live in
thebreedingplannersmissedpredictingthecoect r den i al . Th ei r m o n o po l y h as m ade t h em ex cept i o n al l y
productionftheirsuper-beingbyasinglegeneration. complacent. They controlled all space traffic and,
Centurieswerewasted. with it, the economy of the Imperium. Those who
can ’t t r av el can ’t t r ade, an d t h e G u i l d w as n ev er sh y
IntheBeneGesseritplan,theKwisatzHaderachwould
in reminding even the Emperor of that power.
beundertheircool,ntr trainedtohinkewaythey
wanted. Then they would use their power to run the Un fo r t u n at el,y Pau l t r ei des h as t h em by t h e t h r o at ,
universe from the shadows, correcting the course of becau se t h ei r n av i gat o r s n eed spi ce t o u se t h ei r
humanitywhfiniteprecisiontheirdesignsfora abi l i t i es. Wi t h o u t spi ce m el an ge, t h er e i s n o space
betteruniverse.TheirKwisatzHaderachmighteven travel, and they know Paul is not afraid to shut
havethesamepowersasaGuildNavigat,or allowing down the Imperial economy if it suits him. So, the
themtobreaktheirmonpolyonspacetravel.Itwasall n ew deal w i t h t h e Spaci n g G u i l d i s si m pl e: t h ey
goingtobeperfect. car r y o n as n o r m al bu t do an y t h i n g an d ev er y t h i n g
Pau l t el l s t h em t o do . I n t h e begi n i n g o f t h e r ei gn
TosayPaulhasgone‘offmessage’witheBene
o f M u ad’D i b, t h i s i s m ai n l y t h e co n fi scat i o n o f
Gesseritsanunderstatement.Heisexactlywhatthey
Heighliners to use as troop transports in the Fremen
wereafter,butheydidn’tseeitnme,focusingonly
J i h ad. No r m al l,y t h e G u i l d w o u l d h av e ch ar ged
on the sister he might have who they thought would
t h e E m per o r a fo r t u n e t o do so . B u t i n st ead, Pau l
beartheKwisatzHaderachwithaHarkonen.rivng
demands free passage and the use of as many ships
a generation early, Paul caught them off guard, and
as h e l i k es, an d i f t h e G u i l d r efu ses, h e w i l st o p t h ei r
withetrainighismothergavehimnBeneGesserit
spice supply. There is no negotiation, only a demand
ways,heisawareofhowteyoperate.Paulhasn’tjust
and capitulation.
avoidedtheircool,ntr heisveryfarfromit,andableto
act directly against any plans they had for him. Th e G u i l d o per at es i t s sh i ps as i t u sed t o , bu t w i t h
such a large proportion claimed for the war effort,
So,theBeneGesseritwantPaulback.sfarasthey
t h e ser v i ce h as beco m e u n st abl e an d u n r el i abl e.
areconcerned,hebelongstohem.ftercenturiesof
There is no longer a guarantee a Heighliner will
breedingandhardwork,theythinkeatleastowes
ar r i v e as ex pect ed, n o t becau se o f an y acci den t ,
themhisloyalty!ThehubrisoftheBeneGesserit
bu t becau se t h e sh i p i n q u est i o n m i gh t be
makesithardforthemtoacceptanyblametheyhave
co m an deer ed fo r I m per i al bu si n ess. Th i s h as
inthewholeaffai.Evenr thenewelr igionfMuad’Dib
vastly slowed the galactic economy. Fewer trade
is largely their fault. It was the Missionaria Protectiva
Hei gh l i n er s m ean s few er t r ades an d deal s bei n g
that sowed the seeds of a new savior in the minds of
made. Merchants now must pay even higher fees
the Fremen. Almost every plot and carefully planned
to claim space on crowded Heighliners. Planets in
machinationftheBeneGesserithasbackfiredonthem
l ess i m po r t an t sy st em s ar e al so m o r e l i k el y t o be t h e
toacatastophr iclevel,andtheyarefuriousabouti.
ones to lose a regular Heighliner route, gradually
TheBeneGesseritSisterhodhaseffectivelydeclared isolating parts of the Imperium.
a cold war on Paul Atreides. They want him under their
Paul is aware of this, of course, and is carefully
coolan ntr dtheImperiumbacktohewayitwasas
managing it. It is useful to curtail the mercantile
quicklyaspossiblebefoer anythingelsegetsoutf
pl an s o f t h e n o bl e H o u ses as i t r edu ces t h ei r w eal t h
hand.Todothis,theywilmakeanyalliance,breakany
an d k eeps t h em t o bu sy t o o r gan i z e agai n st h i m .
law, and destroy anything they must. It is for the sake of
H e al so k n o w s t h e G u i l d h as far m o r e r eso u r ces t h an
human,ity afterall.Theirfirstsalvoistheproliferationf
they are admitting to, despite their protestations
the Dune Tarot, a popular way to muddy the waters of
t h at t h ey can n o t spar e an y m o r e sh i ps. B y pu sh i n g
Paul’sprescience.Then,theyformaconspiracywithe
them, he learns their limits and drains their resources
GuildandtheTleilaxu,andincludePrincessIrulan,to
t o m ak e t h em l ess abl e t o r efu se h i s co m an ds
destoyther newder
or .Butheydonotstopthere.Paul
in the future.
needstobecontained,andtheBeneGesseritareinthe
vanguardofthatebel r lion.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 129
 TheGuild,ofcourse,plotsagainstPaul.Butheyhave
neverhadtobesubtleintheirpolitcs.LikePaul,they
used a hammer to always get their way. So, they turn
toheBeneGesseritandtheTleilaxuforhelp,but
bothalliesknowtheGuildwilcavethemoentPaul
threatens spice production.
A FAITH OF BLADES
A new faith is sweeping across the stars, legions of
Fremen kill or convert as they purge entire planets
inthenameofMuad’Dib.Buthisfaithdoesnotjust
convertbyfearandsteel.Manyhaveheardthedwor of
Muad’DibandjoinedtheemFr enfaith.Buowasthis
newelr igion,knowas‘TheGoldenElixrofLife’,taken
holdandwhatdoesealitr lymeantobepartofit?
Oneofthefirstadvantagesofthisnewfaithisits
simplici.Itisy asimpletenet:Muad’Dibisthesavior
ofhuman,ity theall-powerfulmessiah,andhewilfree
everyone from torment and oppression. This clear
and simple message is very easy to share, and Paul
himselfisphysicalevidenceofthatfaithmadeflesh.
Therearenocomplexpsalms,comandments,orlaws
emtor ember.Ifyoupledgeyourselftoheserviceof
Muad’Dib,EmperorftheKnowUniverse,youare
savedandblessed.
Thesecondadvantageisthat’sitstruhisevident.Paul
isnotamytholgicalfigue,r eventhoughhisactual
abilitesandhistoryhavebecomeheavilymthogized.
130
He is a real person, living in this age and his acts are
ecen
r thistoryntafablefromancientimes.Heose
r
from an oppressed people, who accepted him as one of
their own, and from there used power, understanding,
andalmostmagicalabilitestoakecoolfntr the
Imperium.Inagalaxythathasbeenstaticforthousands
of years, this is nothing short of a miracle.
Final,ly thedwor ofMuad’Dibisafaithofthepeople.
Noblesmayscoffatit,butheyarebareleymor than
one percent of the galactic population. The rest of
humanitysnotsoluck.Mosty liveinbondage,and
many in outright slavery. The message that the new
Emperorwantseveryonetobefreespeaksdiect r lyto
them.Itlierallyanswerstheirprayers.Changeiscoming
andthebeneficiariesofthatwilbethecomonfolk,
becauseanychangecanonlybegoodforpeople
sufferingastheydo.So,whilethenobilityhasvery
little interest in the new faith, the common folk of the
Imperiumhaveembraceditwholeheartedl. y
Butwecannotfoget r theBeneGesserit’spartinhs.
TheirMissionariaProtectivadidnotjustspreadthe
seedsofthistypeoffaithamongtheemFr en,butacross
the Known Universe. The idea was simple – a little social
hacking here and there to plant prophecies a lost sister
mightusetoheradvantage.Butheyalsoinadvertently
prepared many different cultures for the idea that soon a
new messiah would come to free them. So, no one was
eal r lysurprisedattheappearanceofMuad’Dib,many
hadbeenwaitingforhimtoarriveforcenturies.
 ADHERENTS So, in many ways the Qizarate as a whole are ‘the word
ofMuad’Dib’.
ThefaithfulofMuad’Dib’selr igionareessentially
Initially, the Qizarate was an option for retired Fremen.
divided into four layers of hierarchy, the pilgrims and
Thosewhoadservedwellwerenotexpectedtodiein
laymembers,thewarrios,thepriesthod,andthe
battleorinaduelfortheirtibe’sleadership.Instead,
Holy Family.
Paulfoundawayedu tor cetheblodshedandoffer
such warriors a new holy mission in his service. He
PILGRIMS AND LAY MEMBERS
valuedthecounciloftheseoldandwisenaibsand
nyoecanjointhefaith,andbydoingso,they
saweaso nor ntowasteitattheendofablade.s
becomespirituallyfree.Theystilmustfolowthe
timepassed,youngeremFr enwantedtobecloserto
comandsoftheirnobleHouseandsoforman,y their
Muad’Dibanditsranksopenedtoaccepttheemor
situationdoesn’teal r lychange.ButhoseHousesthat
academically minded Fremen. As time passed, others
abusetheirpeoplehadbetterensuer Paulandthe
outside the Fremen proved worthy and even Fremen
emFr endonothearofit.Muad’Dibhasdeclaredall
ecr r uitswereoftentoyungtohaveexperienced
who follow him are free, so to oppress those who have
theintensefightingoftheJihad.So,whilealemlFr en
acceptedhisblessingistocallMuad’Dibaliar.The
accepted the place of the Qizarate, in time many
Fremen take a very dim view of this.
considered them soft and unworthy of the Fremen
Whilemostcomonfolkarehappytowrkasbefoe, r warrior tradition.
withjusttheilusionfchange,manydecidetoake
thefaithfurtherandbecomeapilgrim.Thishasmade THE HOLY FAMILY
theeraoneofnewmobilityforthecomonfolk,asno This small and very select group is reserved for those
one can deny passage to those who declare they are whoareclosesttoMuad’Dib.Official,ly itsPaul,his
makingthepilgrimagetorakis.Thejourneyisnota mother Jessica, his sister Alia, and later his children
comfortableone,andthedestinationfferslite.But LetoandGhanima.Thedwor oftheHolyFamilys
pilgrimage is a test of faith. So, all those who come are consideredthedwor ofGod.Theyareiconsand
welcome,butnoprovisionismadeforthem.Evenso, paragons and to naysay them in any way is a crime
great crowds cluster around the Residency and later The punishablebyaswiftdeath.
Keepandlia’sTemple,hopingforamereglimpseof
InadditionPaul’sblodelr atives,thosecloseto
themessiah,thathispresencemayblessthem.
him,Chani,Stilgar,GurneyHallack,etc.areconsidered
anextendedpartofthisfamilyandeat
tr edwith
WARRIORS
great respect.
sthefirstofMuad’Dib’schosenpeople,theemFr en
andbyextensionwarriosofMuad’Dibareconsidered
emor blessed.Thosewhojinsfightingcorps,or
Q I Z A R AT E F A C T I O N
rather those who prove worthy of it, have offered their T E M P L AT E
lifeintheserviceofMuad’Dib.Inital,ly thislayerof
“This festival will also force every leader to prove his
thefaithwasexclusivelemyFr en.Butasnewconverts
loyalty to Muad’Dib. My Qizarate will help administer
arrived and Fremen were lost in the Jihad, warriors
the details. We will call this the Great Surrender. All
of other cultures were gradually accepted. However,
must comply. Attendance is mandatory.” – Korba,
suchfightersmusteffectivelybecomeemFr enjustas
Qizarate Priest
Muad’Dibhimselfoncedid.Theymustprovetheir
endurance,fightingabi,lity anddedication.Thosewho @ Additional Trait: Qizarate
survive the trials and are deemed worthy are granted a @ Suggested Archetypes: Analyst, Scholar,
crysknifeandaplaceinoeoftheemFr entribes. Strategist, Tactician
@ Mandatory Talents:PryloH esencefo ad’D
uM b
i
THE PRIESTHOOD
While most of the Qizarate are tied to clerical and
ThepriestsofMuad’Dib’sGoldenElixrofLifeare
adminstrativeduties,somecanactasenvoystobring
knowastheQizarate.Whiletheycanofficiatein
thedwor ofMuad’Dibtohers.IfyouservedaHouse,
certain rites, they are mainly a civil service managing the
you might continue that service, having also pledged
logisticsoftheelr igion.Theymanagetheday-today
yourselftoMuad’Dib.SomeHouseswithanabundance
affairs, demands, and the occasional complaint laid at
oralackoffaithmightbeassignedamemberofthe
the temple doors. The Qizarate are not considered holy
Qizarate to help guide them.
inthemselves,butastheyareofteninthepresenceof
theHolyFam,ily theyareconsideredalwaysblessedby
Muad’Dib.ssuch,theirvoicescarryinmattersoffaith,
andPaultruststhemtomanagethingsastheyseefit.

D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 131
 TALENTS si anacademc i abiecessar
n to y il a
yli spial
may also apply to a different faith (such as a dedicated
utir e.no tI

The following talents apply primarily to Qizarate and erltuB an

i Orro angeat C c iloh adheren),
t bueht faiti h
dedicatedemrF ench tuB . aractersfai htiw eht ni ht apples i shot dluo bespecifiedpou ak t n gni .ti
ewn ay
w fo ad’D
uM b
i ghim av h t eaccessemht o Th. e
gamemaster may also allow characters to apply the more FAITH OF VISION (QIZARATE/
faidrht envi Talenst elr ot gii sno erhto an
ht ad’D
uM b’s
i FREMEN TALENT)
den
loG r. ix lE Your faith and dedication to the cause of Muad’Dib
means you follow his path and vision with dedication and
AS IT WAS SPOKEN devotion. The attempts of lesser seers are made harder
You know the holy scriptures and histories so well that in your presence.
you always seem to know an appropriate quote for
Yoprru esenceak m eseht difficufo ytl anat y emt ptsee
ot
any situation. There are few who would argue with the
eht fuerut eno fficu
iD evl yt elghih er.Thsi doesappl
ton y
word of God.
enM ot at
t abies, it l aseyht arebasedcal no cuat l ,noi
Yogai
u a n Qualasset 2 yti ,‘seht Scr yloH pti es
ru said.’ not prescience.
Yoay
m u se u soni t cialsiat ut snoi epr
r ot esenruoy t
abise u ot y il eht ext fo t faiback ot h pu ar ruoy guenm .t GUIDANCE OF MUAD’DIB
However, if the company you are dealing with cares little You allow your faith to be your guide, and as that faith is
gnihton r foeht r faiest uq ni ht ,noi siht assetcanbe ton in the way of Muad’Dib, you cannot fail.
used. Anyone faithful may gain this Talent, although it
When using Faith as your Drive in a skill test, you may
err eno l fo d2ruoy s,
0 bustum t eep
k eht secodn esu
r .tl

HOLY PRESENCE OF MUAD’DIB

JOINING TWO DIFFERENT FACTIONS
(QIZARATE TALENT)
Itispossibleforacharactertobeapartoftwo
You speak with the voice of Muad’Dib, and his holy
differentfactions,althoughitsrareanddifficult.s
presence is upon you. He hears your prayers and his
theymustbetrainedbybothandhaveprovedtheir
ever-present spirit watches over those you guide.
loyaltyoboth,noteverycombinationspossible.
FactionssuchasMentateqr euir manyearsof Oncepergamesessi,no ay m uoy blessal ruoy es, il
intense training from a young age and so there is no elt gnil emht eht env erut eyht areaboemot u barno k
time to gain these skills later in life. Some factions pleasesad’D uM b.
i fI stom fo eht grpuo bel ylurt evi es
eqr euir thecharactertobebornitoacertain eht ni ess
loh fo ad’D uM b,
i ay m uoy add3eht o
social group, like the Fremen. However, Paul and Momentum pool.
Jessica managed to gain acceptance among the
emFr en.lso,Farad’ngainedabasicskilnthe PROTECTION OF THE FAITHFUL
BeneGesseritwayafterafewmonthsoftrainig. (QIZARATE TALENT)
So,ifthecharactersareextraodir nar,y learnigand Muad’Dib prizes your wisdom and dedication. He grants
becomingpartofanotherfactionspossible. you the protection of a battle-hardened Fremen warrior
to protect you and help you in your work.
Ingeneral,onlyafactionthateqr es uir litetrainig
mightbetakenasasecondfaction,suchasGuild Yoav
h u eaQual4yti dyoB guardasset,as h o w eht ai rt st
gent,CHOMagent,orQizarate.Thisalso Fremen and Dedicated. They will give up their life for you
assumes the loyalty of all the factions aligns. A fi eqr ed,riu and,fi as
w ti foa
r cau
yhtrow se,ad’D uM b
i l iw
emFr enjoingtheQizarateisquitenatural.Bene epl
r aceemht Th. ebodyguardgoeserhw evergouoy ,and
GesseritbecomingaCHOMagentisnotuheard so it is worth noting they will not stand to see the name
ofshouldtheSisterhodeqr euir it.BuaBene fo ad’DuM b
i disrespectedbyse oht asso
uoy ciate.htiw
GesseritMentatisexceptionallyrare,andaGuild
gentQizarateisadeepconflictofinterests. THAT WHICH HAS COME TO PASS
(QIZERATE TALENT)
Ifthegamemasterallowsthecharactertojina
You spoke with Muad’Dib once, and he said something
second faction, it happens in two stages. First,
you didn’t understand, until now.
theymustgainthemandatorytalent(s)ofthe
factionquestion.Thismeansfindingsomeone Yoav h u eanepiphanfo y suddender nu standign at ht
wilngtoeachitoanoutside.Oncetheyhave soetm gnih ad’D
uM b
i saidce no u y ot as w aprpho ecy
masteredthis,andprovedtheycanbeloyaltohe fosiht r preciseenmo Yo.t gai u a n etD erat nim ponoi tni
newfaction(atthediscretionfthegamemaster), stni any,lt buay m uoy t se
u ton siht Talenagai
t siht n
they gain the faction trait and access to further advene.rut Thegamemasteray m alQi -no w l erz ate
restricted Talents. ak
t o esiht al t enfi t eyht av h espoenk ad’D
uM ot b,
i
evwoh erbrefly. i
132
 S H AT T E R E D I M P E R I U M
So, how does the gamemaster run adventures in the
newImperiumofMuad’Dib?Let’sstartwihegood
news.SweepingawaythepoweroftheCorinand
shifting the capital planet from Kaitain to Arrakis may
havechangedmuch,butmanyofthefundamental
aspects of the Dune setting remain as they are. Houses
still politic against each other. Spice is still a vital
resource and each faction maneuvers in the shadows for
powerandadvantage.Manyadvenes tur thatcouldbe
runbefoer theFallcanstilberunafterwards.slong
as your House is careful to avoid crossing paths with the
Imperial Throne, the Fremen, or any of the new laws or
edicts, then they can carry on as normal.
ButheKnowUniversehaschanged,andifyour
group is going to run or play adventures in this era,
itshouldideallyembracethesedifferences.Thenew
erabringsnewopportuniesforadvene, tur deceit
andpower,andyourHsewilbeemr issnotake
advantage of them.
M A N AG I N G T H E J I H A D
The most violent and threatening aspect of the new
eraisMuad’Dib’sholywaracrossspace.WithPaul’s
ascensioncomestheonethinghehopedtoavoidbut
knewwasinevitable—afanaticalwartoproclaimhi
bothMessiahandEmper.Inmanor ycases,aplanet
aboutondergoalandingfromalegionffanatical
andlethalemFr encapitulatesbefoer ashotisfired.The
threat is enough for them to sign up to the new order.
Buthereareseveralholdouts.Manynoblesefu r seto
bendthekneetoausurper,especiallyonefromafallen
House,andhis‘native’ops. tr Somedonotbelieve
Paul will give them a fair hearing given their proclaimed
loyaltyoShaddam.Someevenfigheltonr igious
grounds, refusing to accept Paul as a messiah, claiming
himtobeafalseprophet.
Thefightingislong,brutal,andblody,andnoteven
Muad’Dibcanstopthispuge. r TheJihadisbiggerthan
Paul,thanMuad’Dib.Itisatidethatneedstowashand
breakbefoer anythingcancomeintswake.
Thismeansitsadangerthegamemastermustbe
carefulwith.Offendingthenewder or ,physical,ly
politically, or even spiritually, may send an army
ofblodthirstemyFr entoheplayercharacters’
homeworld.TheJihadisanever-presentspecter,a
looming shadow anyone with sense would do well to
avoid.Iftheplayercharactersprovkeit,therewilbe
nohalfmeasues, r andnopluckyheroicbattletosave
theirwold.Theirhome,planet,andHousewilbeput
toheswd.or So,thegamemastermustbeveryclearof
theconsequencesoftheiraction.
Thismeanstherearemanyexcitingadvenes
tur tobe
hadbyhelpingenr egadesundertheshadowofthe
Jihad.Spiritngtheinocentsawayfromtheconflictor
tryingtospeakonbehalfoffriendsisbothdangerous
and complicated. The player characters might take
theserisksbecauseitstherighthingtodo,orjust
toclaimtheimensefavorsandwealtheywilbe
owed from such actions. The gamemaster should take
inspiration from stories like The Scarlet Pimpernel for
how the player characters might use espionage and
intrgueinagalaxywheretheslightestslipbringsthe
full force of the new revolution down on them.
However,theplayercharactersmaybefulyonboard
with the holy crusade. Whether as an act of politics or
becausetheytrulybelieve,theymightsidewithe
new regime. Such adventures present them with several
moralissues.IftheJihadofMuad’Dibisrightandjust,
howcansomanyactsofblodandorbe h carried
outinsname?Doestheendofauniversebroughtino
theworshipofMuad’Dibjustifythemeanstoachieve
it? How far will the player characters go in the service of
it, and how much further when those around them will
kilthemiftheyshowsignsofdisloyalty?Beingonthe
winning side is not as easy as it sounds.
M UA D ' D I B A S E M P E RO R
ThegalaxyunderMuad’Dibisnotmuchdifferentfrom
thatoftheCorin,butafewthingsareworthbearing
inmdforthegamemaster.ThefirstisthatPaul’srule
isabsoluteineveryway.Technical,ly thisisnodifferent
tohispredecesso.Buther Corinemperorsalways
needed to take the needs and desires of the Landsraad
andCHOMintoconsideration,atleast.Pauldoesnot.
Hehasthespice,andifanyonewantsit(andtheyalldo)
they must do as he asks. Whatever it is.
Paul’srulehasalsohadanenormusimpacteso onr ce
ur
management, especially in terms of spice. Paul controls
all spice, and after the months of low production
befoer thebattleofrakis,fewHouseshavemuchof
astockpileleft.Notonlyistrademuchharderwithe
SpacingGuildbeingstetr ched,butalsotheThoner
tends to take anything it needs. If your House produces
weapons, and the Jihad needs more weapons, they will
expectyourHsetodonatethem,notsellthemtohe
EmperTh. or eseoccasionaleqr uisitionsfrtheom Imperial
Thoner canbelargeorsmall,andliteconsiderations
giventoheeffectontheHouse.Fewhavebeenbroken
byit,butplentyhavebeenweakened,whichmayalso
bethepoint.
However, Paul does want trade to continue. The
Imperium and its economy rests on trade so something
needs to remain to hold things together. The interaction
ofplanetaryeconomieskeepsthemabletofeedtheir
peopleandkeeptheirwoldsrunig.Butwihmany
eso
r cesur beinggiventohewareffort,ortimprove
the lives of the common folk (those who have heeded
thecalltoMuad’Dib’sGoldenElixr),thenobilitys
feeling the pinch.
D U N E | FA L L O F T H E I M P E R I U M 133
 C O N S P I R AC Y A N D authoriesonestepbehindthem.fewothergroups

C OUNTER R EVOLUTION havenoproblemwithMuad’Dib’snewder

aetr urntoheoldImperium,butalsohavetheirown
or ,orseek

WhilePaul’spowermaybeabsolute,thatdoesn’tmean ideas for the Known Universe. With thousands of years

there are no plots against him. The more powerful the ofstabilityoverturnedinacoupleofmonths,itloks
nobleHouse,theemor ithaslostwitheriseofthe likerulingtheuniversecanbeanyone’sgame.While
usurper.Counterevr olutinsareeverywhere.Itmight noehavePaul’spower,somehavehisclevernessand
befromguerilaesi r stanceonplanetsoccupiedby dedication, and feel they have a shot.
Fremen, to secret alliances and political conspiracies
While conspiratorial groups are commonplace, three
in the corridors of power to remove Paul Atreides.
factionsareattheotfr manyofthem,albeitinhe
Having lost so much, and used to having everything
shadows. While they rarely agree on much, the Spacing
theywant,manynoblesareeady r andwilngtorisk
Guild,BeneGesserit,andBeneTleilaxuallagreePaul
everythingtodestoyMuad’D
r ib,oratleastbringhim
mustbeemr ovedfrompower.Theyallwantoclaim
toheel.Emboldenedbyaconfidenceofneverbeing
that power for themselves, and each is aware the others
truly tested, and a lack of understanding of how much
haveaknifeeady
r fortheirbackiftheyeverdefeat
haschanged,manynoblestakerisksaemor objective
Muad’Dib.Butheycanworyabouthatiftheyare
person would see as foolish or even suicidal.
successful.
Many conspiracies make the mistake of thinking the
While not everyone is involved in a conspiracy, it is
oldrulesstilappl,y thatMuad’Dibespect wilr the
stilessentialtostayabreastofthepolitcaltides.
‘waythingshavebeendone’.Thus,theirlastgasp
Conspiratorsalwaysneedaeady r scapegoat,especially
isoftenoneofsurpriseasabladecomesfroma
when the stakes are so high. So, making sure your
mostunexpectedquarter.So,themostsuccessful
Houseisnotihelineoffire,andhasanalibiwhenthe
conspiracies throw away the old rules and come at
Fremen come calling, is always important. The Fremen
Muad’Dibfromthesideandtheshadows.
can’tbestopped,butheirdiect r ioncanbeshifted.
Itisnotjustthenobilitywhoasseenchange.Change So,likeinthewitchtrialsofold,itsbesttoneverbe
bringschaosandsomepeoplelikechaos.Many accused,andalwaysbeeady r efu tor teanaccusation
crimnalsworktmaintaintheinstabilityhatkeepsthe madewithunassailableprof.
 A DV E N T U R E S E E D S
The following are a few adventure hooks for the start
ofaMuad’Diberacampaign.Thegamemastercan
either use them as they are or as inspiration for new
adventures of their own.
CALLED BEFORE MUAD’DIB
The player characters are called to the presence of Paul
eitr desonrakis,butnolde.r why theyeal
r ly
tomeetPaulhimself,orlia,orjustsomefunctionary?
eMor importan,tly whyavetheybeencalled?er they
accused of a crime, either against another House or
theEmperorhimself?MaybePaulwantstheiradvice
basedonsomeuniqeskilorexperiencetheypossess.
Perhaps Paul has seen them in his vision and sees the
mark of destiny on them.
VANGUARD OF THE JIHAD
The player characters are called on to lead a
detachment of Fremen in an attack on a planet that
efu
r sestokneeltoMuad’Dib.Thetargetplanet’s
environment is one the player characters are familiar
withfightingin,andtheemFr enarenot(soanythingbut
desert).However,theplanetisonetheplayercharacters
havehaddealingswithnepast,evenpossiblyan
alliance.CantheytalktheemFr enoutftheattack,or
bringthetwofoces
r tohenegotiatingtable?Isthere
a way to save any of their old allies, or will that turn the
attention of the Fremen to the player characters? If they
fighthebattle,dotheyhavetheexpertisetowin,oris
there another reason they were chosen as leaders?
PILGRIMAGE TO ARRAKIS
noldallyoftheplayercharactershasjoinedthe
faithofMuad’Dibandwantstoraveltorakison
pilgrimagetopayhomage.Thejourneymightbe
difficult,andtheyneedthehelpofalliestheycantrust.
Therehasbeenplentyoftalkofsmugglersandcrimnals
waylayingpilgrimstheion way
r rak
to is.Whatoubl
tr es
might the player characters face making their way from
planet to planet to get passage on the right Heighliner?
What sights and sounds do they see and hear? Will they
discover faith for themselves? Is their ally really a true
pilgrim, or do they have some other reason to get close
toMuad’Dib?
 SHUTTLE MAP

COMMAND
DECK
(BRIDGE)

AIRLOCK

AIRLOCK CORRIDOR AIRLOCK

AIRLOCK

E VA C UAT I O N CORRIDOR E VA C UAT I O N

PODS PODS

AIRLOCK

C O N T RO L C O N T RO L
E N G I N E RO O M
S TAT I O N S TAT I O N
( M A I N P OW E R
( S H I P C O N T RO L ( L I F E S U P P O RT
A N D C O N T RO L
AND AND
SYSTEMS)
T H RU S T E R S ) E N V I RO N M E N T )

136
 M A P O F

G AT E G AT E G AT E
E
T
A CITY WALL
G

G
A
T
E
• THE BITTER OASIS • NIASʼS HOUSE

• ARRAKEEN MARKET
• THE VEIL HARKONNEN PRISON •
• LANDAR MURKʼS CORNER

• THE RESIDENCY

• S P I C E YA R D • R E F I N E RY
• GUILD OFFICE • LINAʼS COFFEE HOUSE
S PA C E P O R T / L A N D I N G F I E L D