The Dune Campaign, Chapter One Outline

Introduction (2,200 words)

This chapter begins with the introduction of the campaign to the GM. The entire
thing is synopsized and advice is given on how to run things smoothly and
generally do a good job. Sidebars and Adventurons are described.

Then the adventure begins. The players have been dispatched, from Caladan, in
the first wave of occupation. They sweep the Imperial Palace for spies and
moles. They then greet the second wave and begin sweeping the city of
Arrakeen for Harkonnen saboteurs. Finally the Duke and his family arrive while
the playersfollowing leads gathered in the first two partsjourney to the Shield
Wall in pursuit of the leaders of the Harkonnen Underground.

This outline presumes its possible for the characters to die over the course of the
adventure. The threat of failure and death should be real. Dune is not a human-
friendly setting. There are no clerics to raise you. Players who make it to the end
feel as though their characters have survived an ordeal. They wonder if other
players in other campaigns made it this far.

Chapter One Clearing The Way (19,800 words)

Act One Securing the Palace at Arrakeen (7,000 words)

1) Assignment (700 words)

Here the players are introduced to each other and their masters. Selected
because of their devotion to the Duke and their special skills, the players are
essentially a commando squad. While each is only 1st level, each has special
skills: Mentat, Bene Gesserit, Suk, Swordmaster, to allow Thufir to build a team
that can serve House Atreides during its long rule of Dune.

The players are debriefed on the current situation; the change of fief, the
importance of Arrakis and the Dukes knowledge of the Harkonnen presence
there. The players are given their missions as part of the Advance Team. Like
Paul, this will mean meeting with Thufir for mission briefing and Dr. Yueh for
survival advice and technology. Keeping in mind, much of what Thufir and Yueh
tell Paul in the first chapters of Dune is based on the reports they got from
squads just like the players. In this adventure, Letos cabinet is still largely
ignorant of the specifics of Dune.
2) Departure (500 words)

Of course, the players travel to Dune on a guild ship. This is a short section, only
a page long. This serves solely as an opportunity to quickly show the players a
Guild ship, some members of the Guild, and perhaps an Atreides NPC that the
players can rely only later when they arrive on Dune.

3) Arrival The First Mission (5,800 words)

The players arrive on Dune. Here, the GM takes the opportunity to describe in
vivid detail how bright, hot and dry Dune is. This is the first chance to describe
Arrakeen and the Imperial Palace. If possible, a half page, full color, gorgeous art
shot should be used just to show the players how awesome Imperial architecture
is.

The players meet the heads of the First Wave. A 7th level Mentat/Strategist
coordinates Thufirs efforts in his absence. The players are not in charge of the
First Wave, theyre only first level. But theyre given important missions only a
Special Team can handle. Theres a lot of hustle and bustle going on, most of it
by soldiers and technicians. The players arrival is greeted with enthusiasm.

Each of these encounters has with it a map of the area concerned. The problem
here is; once their boss has ordered them to, for instance, clear out the pantries,
the players arent going to have a good grasp of what this means apart from Ok,
we do it. Each of these encounters needs a very linear go here and check this
approach. Littered among the bombs and booby traps are spies and traitors left
behind. When, later, Thufir says, The servants have been checked and cleared,
he means this thing here the players are doing.

Secure the House Shield Generator. (850 words)

The PCs discover and dismantle any sabotage devices ensuring the House
generators remain in good working order. Harkonnen traps could involve bombs,
faulty power supplies (and/or connections), ill-adjusted valves, tampered meters,
and so on, which will make the equipment malfunction, overheat, irradiate
workers and such. This inspection must also verify the shield perimeter remains
intact, leaving no secret tunnels, weak fields, or faulty portals unsecured.

Prepare the House Water Facilities (850 words)

The PCs inspect and secure the House water facilities. The Harkonnens may
have booby-trapped tanks, cisterns, piping, sewage and so forth in an effort to
deplete or pollute the primary and secondary reserves. Although this inspection
will deal with some mechanical hazards, it should also concern biological
contaminants giving Suk players a moment to shine. Water quality, not only
supply, is critical for human survival.
 House Arsenal & Garrison (850 words)

The PCs must inspect these areas looking for any hidden agents, lost equipment,
sabotage devices, spying devices and other security breaches. They must make
sure all portals (such as prudence doors, vaults and gates) are in proper order, in
addition to instituting security measures such as identification and
communication protocols.

Comm Center (850 words)

The characters must inspect the primary and secondary communications

headquarters, installing their own CommuniNet broadcasting facility and
operations protocols. They must familiarize themselves with the equipment,
channels and encryption in order to secure House communications against
interception. They must also scour the facilities for bugs or other spying devices.
This segment familiarizes them with the requirements of communication and will
let them know that any Harkonnen communications must be routed to a hidden
communications center (Act III Shield Wall).

Medical Facility/Infirmary/Surgical Theatre. (850 words)

PCs must inspect the House infirmary and medical chambers. Medicines must be
secured against theft and tampering. Supplies must be checked and ordered.
Instruments must be scoured for contaminants and infectants. The medical staff
must be cleared.

Residential Quarters (850 words)

Mundane in nature, inspecting the residential quarters has highest priority in

order to insure the safety of the ducal family. Something should interrupt the
characters at this stage and lead the PCs to feel responsible when Paul is
attacked by the Hunter Seeker. To mitigate this failure, the characters should
probably discover and disarm another chief threat.

Storehouses (850 words)

In addition the other essential areas, House storerooms, pantries, warehouses

and silos must be secured against tampering. Since most household items come
from these areas, they must be secured and monitored to keep dangerous or
tampered goods from entering the Palace through this logistical network. Of all
House operations, securing provisions is one of the most difficult, involving
stringent evaluation of personnel (such as Mapes), entries, goods, and so on.

After each of these encounters, the players report back to their department head.
Each time, hes busy doing something important and the players get to see
whats going on in the rest of the palace. At one point, the players report back to
their master to find him engaged in combat with a cell of Harkonnen troopers left
behind as moles. The players get to join in the battle and do some healthy
hacknslash right in the middle of an otherwise routine report.

Act Two Scouring Arrakeen (6,800 words)

Now that the players have established a base of operations, its time to make
sure the city of Arrakeen is ready for the Second Wave. Obviously Atreides
guards take care of the mundane, officer-on-patrol, duties. The players skills are
used to secure three key installations. A map of each is provided.

Arrakeen Transport Facilities (2,200)

All traffic in and out of Arrakeen moves through the transport facilities. While not
housing a Spaceport (thats at Carthag) the Transport Facilities are nonetheless
large and sprawling. The following areas must be secured; landing fields, air
traffic command, fueling depot, boarding terminal, aircraft hangers and repair
depot. A couple of opportunities exist here. The Fremen have placed a
moratorium on sabotaging transports until they learn more about the Atreides,
but its possible some non-fremen natives have something planned. Some action
would result, and the PCs first guessthat the Harkonnens are behind it would
be wrong. Keeping them on their toes.

Arrakeen Water Facilities

The PC's visit the city Water facilities operated by the Water Seller's Union on
Arrakis. Here, theyll be debriefed on how much water the Union has, how much
House Atreides is going to need, and how the water is stored and distributed.
They are given a tour of the water facilities in Arrakeen. This is some pretty
impressive technology. Diagrams and art will be used to get this across. During
this, the House Strategist theyre working for asks the players to accompany him
during negotiations with the Union. This gives the players some important
negotiation to deal with, without leaving it entirely in their hands. Theyre only
about 2nd level now.

After the negotiations, and during the rest of the tour, the players are alerted to a
water crisis of some sort. Either a riot, or sabotage of a facility. They rush off to
deal with this. Theres action as well as politics here. The Harkonnens behind this
sabotage can lead to Act Three.

Spice Mining Operation

Water is the most precious commodity on Dune, but Spice is the most precious
commodity in the universe. The players are sent out to meet with the Spice
Miners union and try to negotiate with them for their services.

The Duke assumes the Spice Miners are going to want to stay on Arrakis and
renegotiate their contracts. Some do, true, but the vast majority thinks (rightfully)
that Arrakis is about to become a very nasty place to live while the Harkonnens
and the Atreides fight it out.

The PCs arrive and meet with a leader of the Spice Miners. During their
negotiation and inspection, dozens of Miners are leaving. The PCs also discover
that the equipment is extremely old and in disrepair. Theyll have to take all this
in, and report it. This will be bad news.

During their inspection/negotiation, the Harkonnens have sabotaged a Silo.

These Silos are advanced equipment, much more than just big hollow tubes for
storing spice. One has been subtly tampered with so that its not obvious the
Harkonnens did it. The players have the opportunity to A: figure out whats
wrong. B: fix it, C: pin it on the Harkonnens and D: figure out how the
Harkonnens did it so as to use that information to lead them to Act 3.

The idea throughout this entire chapter is that before the Players took charge, the
Harkonnens were capable of ruining everything. The fact that, as we see in the
book, once the Duke arrives everythings mostly under control should feel to the
PCs like its the result of their skill.

The Guild Bank

At some point the PCs may decide to go to the Guild Bank to deal with them.
With all the financial negotiation going on, this should be presented as an option.
An adventuron (see Chapter 6) covers this.

Act Three The Harkonnen Cell in the Shield Wall (6,000 words)
A dungeon crawl. Straight up. The players have, by this time, met and dealt with
several Harkonnen saboteurs. Questioning leads the players to the nerve center
of the Harkonnen underground Cell at Arrakeen.

Hidden in the warrens in the Wall, the players must infiltrate and annihilate the
Harkonnen presence here. Since the PCs are doing this commando-style rather
than commanding troops, they may want to pose as Harkonnens to get to the
command center of the cell. At some point, however, itll come down to direct
combat. Secret doors and traps, and places the players may never find but which
nonetheless hide important data that may give the PCs an upper hand in Chapter
2.

This section has three distinct parts.

Getting In (2,500 words)

PCs must find entrance and pass sentinels without triggering alarms. Although
they may blast their way in, they will trigger the alarms initiating a deadline
against which they must work in order to capture the leaders alive and prevent
destruction of the communications equipment and code books. The obvious
solution is disguise. This will depend on two factors; 1) do the players have
enough information to successfully fake being members of the underground, 2)
have the players managed to gather data without letting the Harkonnens know
theyre on to them.

Inner Warrens (2,500 words)

Once inside, the PCs must quickly penetrate the warren and find their way to
communications HQ. Alarms set up a Deadline, after which they will find the chief
Agent dead (suicide) and equipment destroyed. Armed guards, watchdogs
(pharoah hounds), prudence doors and snares provide obstacles for the PCs to
overcome. At some point during this raid, regardless of whether the PCs have
infiltrated as Harkonnens, the Harkonnens know theyre being invaded. Then, its
open combat.

Communications HQ (1,000 words)

At the top of the warren lies the communications HQ, including a ComNet
dispatch, broadcasting amplifiers and power sources, a telescoping antenna,
encryption machinery, an observation deck (overlooking Arrakeen), a small arms
arsenal, and small thopter cave (with false rock door.)

A code book listing the numerous channels (frequencies) and contacts (by code
name) give players tools to break Underground communication in chapter 2. It
also enables them to decrypt the encoded messages they've uncovered in this
chapter, providing solid leads for Chapter 2.

The players capture or kill the head of the Harkonnen Cell at Arrakeen. But this is
not the head of the Underground itself. The PCs discover (by questioning or
through decrypting documents) that the head of the Underground is a man
named Pardee. How well they do in this, the last act of Chapter 1, will determine
how well prepared they are for Chapter 2. Rules will be included, allowing GMs to
make the PCs job harder or easier depending on their success in this chapter.

Chapter Two: Sleepers In Arrakeen (22,000 words)

This chapter focuses on the characters activities in ferreting out, combating, and
destroying an organized network of agents left behind on Arrakis by House
Harkonnen.

The adventure begins right after Duke Letos strategy staff meeting, and
concludes shortly before the Harkonnens lower the boom and retake Arrakis.
Prologue: Summary
This section summarizes the chapter, providing an overview of the GMs options.

A. Act One: You All Have Your Assignments

1. Scene One

In this scene, the characters either participate in Duke Letos briefing,

and/or receive their assignments from Thufir Hawat. He outlines the scope
of the problem and provides them with such intelligence as he has. This
may include profiles of potential members of the enemy spy ring, maps
and reports on strongholds maintained by the ring, and the like (e.g.,
maps of certain desert areas surrounding strongpoints the Harkonnens
left behind [Dune, p. 84], though most sites would be urban). This
presents us with the opportunity to provide handouts for the GM to give
the players.
Sidebar: Incorproating Fremen Characters

Stilgars arrival at the strategy briefing (Dune, p. 92) provides an

opportunity for Fremen characters to work with Atreides characters
as guides, allies, or the like, or for Atreides characters to establish
allegiances with Fremen tribes.
Atreides forces have already eliminated 259 Harkonnen operatives. Hawat
estimates that three cells, containing perhaps 100 more people, remain
active.
a. Ring profiles

Hawats best estimates as to the three rings their sizes,

locations, activities.
i. The largest/main ring, probably based in Arrakeen
ii. A smaller ring, with facilities in Crelga and a couple of
other villages
iii. A group of Harkonnen mercenaries working as
smugglers and sometimes disguising themselves as Fremen
(Dune, p. 91)
iv. Others of which Hawat does not know (?)
b. Personnel profiles:

i. Burnet: Pardees son, and possibly the current leader of

the main spy ring now that Pardee is dead (Dune, p. 99)
ii. Kolmar: A former smuggler, now working for a prominent
member of the Water Sellers Guild, who may himself have
Harkonnen ties
iii. Tomas Carthaine: A leader in Crelga, one of the garrison
villages where the Harkonnens had a shield repair depot
(Dune, p. 88)
iv. Soo-Soo, a Guild Bank agent secretly working for the
Harkonnens (Dune, p. 136)
 v. Others of whom Hawat does not know, possibly including
one of the 286 sandworkers Halleck convinces to remain on
Arrakis (Dune, p. 91)
c. Place profiles:

i. Crelga, a garrison village where the Harkonnens had a

shield repair depot (Dune, p. 88)
ii. A tavern in Arrakeen where the main ring sometimes
gathers.
iii. A suspected base for the mercenaries (incorrect but
contains some clues leading to the real base)
iv. Others of which Hawat does not know

B. Act Two: Arrakeen

This act actually consists of a description of the city of Arrakeen its layout,
people, and places of interest and of the main spy ring the PCs are taking on.

1. Arrakis
a. Government

i. Governmental Structure and Functions

ii. Governmental Personnel
A. Governor Quenteen Husmettin, a member of the
native Na-Familia, and his family
Sidebar: The Faufreluches On Arrakis
(adapted from Book 1, Chapter 4, Peoples, from the
Arrakis Boxed Set)
B. City Security Chief Blenhem Borhaldt
b. Locations

i. General layout of the city districts, main thoroughfares,

and so forth.
ii. Places of note
A. Arrakeen Spaceport
B. Governmental Plaza
C. Arrakeen Communications Center
D. The Guild Bank (a subsidiary to the main branch
in Carthag)
E. Water storage facilities (generally)
iii. The Wrong Side of the Spaceport: seedy and
disreputable places the PCs might need to become
acquainted with.
A. Monatts Tavern
B. A semuta den
 C. A brothel
D. Block of warehouses owned by a prominent
smuggler (not Tuek)
c. Other Prominent Persons and Organizations

i. Guild Bank Director Vinchen Dether, and the Guild Bank

on Arrakis
ii. Palta Fren, head of the Water Sellers Guild, and water
mining and selling operations on Arrakis (adapted from Book
1, Chapter 5, Industries, from the Arrakis Boxed Set)
iii. Akinwon Jamison, head of the Spice Miners Guild
iv. Lingar Bewt (Dune, p. 130) water-shipper used by not
controlled by the Harkonnens
2. The Arrakeen Harkonnen Spy Ring
a. Activities:

What the ring is up to, what it plans, and how it goes about its operations.
The main operation the PCs will get to uncover and disrupt is an attempt
to destroy the Dukes new filmbase factory (Dune, p. 104), but they will
find clues leading to the lasgun shipment incident covered in Act Four.
i. Spying on Atreides activities
ii. Stirring up water riots
iii. Sabotage of water facilities, the new Atreides filmbase
factory (Dune, p. 104), and other crucial infrastructure
iv. Lasgun smuggling this is their current main plan, the one the
PCs will get to foil in Act Four (Dune, pp. 145, 153)
b. Personnel

The people working for Burnet (see above)

C. Act Three: On The Sands

This act focuses on the nature and activities of the spy ring based primarily in the
village of Crelga. This ring has infiltrated many men into various spice mining and
glacier mining organizations, using them to keep track of, and sometimes
interfere with, some of Arrakiss major industries.

This act occurs near and/or during Duke Letos spice mining inspection (Dune,
pp. 106+). It includes Gurney Hallecks delegation to the smugglers (Dune, p.
85).
Sidebar: Stillsuits
Their Nature and Function (including game rules)
Sidebar: Spice Mining and Its Equipment
Sandcrawlers, carryalls, desert ornithopter, spotter ornithopter
1. The Crelga Ring

a. Personnel: Tomas Carthaines underlings

b. Activities: Brief profiles of what this ring is up to, and how the
PCs thus may go about investigating and destroying it.
i. Monitoring spice and glacier mining
ii. Theft/smuggling of spice for Harkonnen stores (alliances
with some smugglers)
iii. Sabotage or theft of equipment to harass Atreidies (e.g.,
the missing carryall [Dune, pp. 120, 135, 145] later
recovered by smugglers)
iv. Infiltration of shield repair facilities in garrison villages
2. Extending the Hand of Peace:

The PCs are assigned to assist Gurney Halleck with his embassy to the
smugglers. Theyll have to help him bring to these romantic businessmen the
Dukes message of overlooking their operations in exchange for a tithe, and
protect him from an attack by the Harkonnen mercenary ring (Dune, p. 91).
Sidebar: Smuggling On Arrakis
Adapted from Book 1, Chapters 4-5, Peoples and Industries,
from the Arrakis Boxed Set.
a. Meeting the Smugglers

i. First, the PCs, on Gurneys orders, have to extend feelers

to the smugglers. They may use contacts met earlier in the
adventure, or have to find new ways to get their message
out.
ii. Second, Gurney and they have to meet with these people
to negotiate the arrangement. For the most part, the
smuggler bands are willing to work with the new order, since
the Dukes terms are quite reasonable. At this point, the
characters first meet Esmar Tuek and his son, Staban
(Dune, p. 255).
iii. One band of smugglers, led by a gnarled old fellow
named Jethcar Varet, proves less tractable and he has
considerable resources which could prove quite helpful to
the Atreides, so he must not be alienated. The PCs will get
to take part in this negotiation, roleplaying it out to convince
Varet.
iv. Some smuggler bands, tied to the Harkonnens (see
Epilogue), will evade the PCs and/or refuse to cooperate
with them.
b. The Attack

At some point, the Harkonnen mercenary band, possibly disguised

as Fremen, attack the PCs expedition (possibly, in a foretaste of
Chapter Three, by forcing their ornithopter to crash). The PCs have
to fight them off.
 i. Enemy Personnel: including the leader, Yenek Comar.
ii. Activities: This spy rings general activities conducting
raids disguised as Fremen, attacking Fremen, stealing
equipment, and so forth.
iii. Equipment, Tactics, Strategies

D. Act Four: Playing With Fire

This scenario builds to its conclusion as the surviving Harkonnen spies struggle
to bring some lasguns in to use against the Atreidies house shields and cause an
explosion (this is done against the Barons orders, partly in an attempt to gain
revenge for losses caused by the PCs). The PCs end up being responsible for
intercepting the lasgun shipment (Dune, pp. 145, 153) and saving House
Atreides.

This act takes place near and around the Dukes dinner party (Dune, p. 126+).

1. By putting together clues gathered earlier in the scenario, the PCs figure out
that the Harkonnen spy rings are planning something big, and that it involves
smuggling something onto the planet. Through various means investigation,
smuggler contacts, and so forth they learn that its a weapon, and that its
probably already on-planet thanks to Harkonnen-allied smugglers (see Epilogue).

2. Using the information theyve gained, the PCs track the weapon to a location
in Arrakeen just as the spies start to move the weapon (remote-controlled
lasguns) out! A fight ensues, possibly turning into a running battle as the
Harkonnen agents desperately maneuver to fire the lasguns at the Atreides
house shields. Eventually the PCs triumph.

And then, two days later, the Harkonnens attack, killing Duke Leto and retaking
Arrakis.

Epilogue: Other Adventure Ideas

1. Destroy Harkonnen spice stores (Dune, p. 98)
2. Fight Harkonnen-allied smugglers

Chapter Three: Into The Desert (22,000 words)

In which the characters discover the full scope of the Harkonnen attack.
Masterless and on the run from the brutal Harkonnen regime, the characters
seek sanctuary and passage off-planet with the smugglers.

Pursued by Harkonnens, the characters are forced into the desert where they
must survive. Finally finding, or being rescued by, the smugglers from Tueks
Seitch, the characters learn that Gurney Halleck is alive. They rally round him,
hoping to strike back against the Harkonnens in chapter 4!

Act One Arsunt (8,000 words)

It is the opposite of a nightmare. Dawn brings, not calm reassurance from a night
of horrors, but a twisted, devastated version of the world they knew.

This chapter occurs immediately after the Harkonnen sack of Arrakeen. The
players, for reasons worked out in Chapter 2, are at Arsunt. This chapter follows
them as they move from the larger garrison town of Arsunt, to the smaller outpost
of Crelga, tothey hope-the smugglers.

Map of Arsunt and Surrounding Environs (550 words + 2 maps)

Part One includes a one-page map of Arsunt, serving not only as specific map for
this Great Escape adventure, but as a general outline of what such garrison
towns look like. There might be another map showing Arsunt as a dot and the
location of Crelga and the geological makeup of the area and the desert nearby.

The Great Escape moving through Arsunt (5,000 words)

The players begin in hiding. They must have a contact, a man who has helped
them find a safe place during the night. Someplace like a grain silo, or any other
place where resources are stored that the Harkonnens would try to preserve in
the attack. The players are provided an NPC to help them to the airfield. His stats
and background will be given.

Theres only one way out of Arsunt; ornithopter. This means making their way to
the landing field. The NPC will lead them through the first half of this section,
narrowing their options and reducing the amount of information. Hell then die
closer to the end to give the players more narrative freedom and the chance to
use their own skills.

Obviously the main threat here is Harkonnens. The players will have to use
stealth to make their way and may have to pose as Harkonnens, role-playing
their way out of situations rather than fight overwhelming odds.

From the Overwhelming Odds department, the players may have forgottenor
may not have knownthat Saudaukar were among the forces that took Arrakis.
Theyre in Harkonnen livery which gives a Mentat or Adept something interesting
to do: figure out that the people theyre fighting/talking to/hiding from arent
Harkonnens.

More detail will have to come from the Map itself, but encounters that occur at
some point include seeing the new Harkonnen military supervisor of Arsunt
addressing the troops. Avoiding Harkonnen patrols (These are not the Atreides
youre looking for.) Seeing the brutalization of captured Atreides. This may
include the opportunity to save some of those whove been captured.

The Airfield at Arsunt (1,450 words)

The section ends at the airfield and the attempt to steal a thopter. The best
possible outcome; the players steal a fully-operation battle-rigged thopter
unnoticed and fly to Crelga. They may, of course, fail to get a battle-thopter in
working order and have to deal with something poorly suited to their goals.
Ultimately, they may fail both to get a thopter and to avoid notice. This section
might end with the players having to fight their way into the desert and jump
straight to section three!

Act Two Crelga (7,000 words)

Guests of the New Regime (5,000 words)

The Crelga section could be only for those players who have tried to impersonate
Harkonnens. Crelga is smaller than Arsunt and, therefore, more intimate. The
Harkonnens check everyone coming and going more carefully. This could be an
opportunity for some cool American soldiers bluffing their way past the Nazi
guards role-playing.

If the players are posing as Harkonnens, they must stop at Crelga for fuel before
going on to Tueks Seitch. This could lead to some serious role-playing in which
the characters are invited to dinner with some high-ranking official and perhaps
some Saudaukar!

If the players arent posing as Harkonnens, they move straight to the end of this
section and the battle in the air with the Harkonnen thopters without visiting
Crelga.

Demons in the Air (2,000 words)

I give this part 2,000 words because it should have something like vehicles rules
for how to run an air battle. Not miniature rules, just special rules for cool stuff to
do with ornithopters.

The players must fight Harkonnens in the air with ornithopters. There are only
two results; they lose and are driven to the sand and Part Three, or they win but
are out of fuel and must ditch the thopter in the sand, moving on to Part Three.
Act Three The Wasteland (7,000 words)
The characters, after whatever accident befell them in Part Two, try to survive in
the desert. There should be a lot of descriptive text in the beginning, allowing the
GM to show the players what the desert looks, feels, and smells like. For players
used to fighting orcs in forests and dungeons, this should be an alien experience.
Encounters herein are quick, moving the characters along.

These encounters happen in an order dictated by the characters actions. Once

in the desert, theyll be making survival tests and stealth/hide tests. Whichever
they do worse tells the GM what to throw at them.

The encounters are;

Harkonnen Raid 1 (2,000)

The simplest and easiest type of raid, the characters are moving across the
sand, trying to survive. A Harkonnen battle-thopter flies by and tries to blast them
from the sand. Straight-forward. Complexities can be added by having a
Harkonnen scout fly overhead first. Can the players shoot it down? How do their
plans change once they see the scout? Maybe theyve seen lots of scouts the
entire time theyve been in the desert. How do they react when one scout seems
to notice them? If they shoot down the battle-thopter, this could lead to a battle in
the sand with the Harkonnen troopers.
Harkonnen Raid 2 (1,450)

If Raid 1 is Harkonnens by air, this is Harkonnens by ground. The players will

come across a spice-mining refinery now fully under Harkonnen control. They
may try and skirt around it or attack it directly. Its a small base, so it should seem
possible depending on the number and level of players. Even if they try and
avoid the base, a Harkonnen patrol will see them. This is a refinery, on a rocky
area. So no worms will come and ground patrols are possible.
Refugees in the Desert (1,000 words)

At some point in this chain of events, probably between the two Harkonnen raids,
the players will come across other Atriedes characters. Lower level, 1 st or
perhaps 2nd, maybe with other non-combatants; family members, technicians,
maybe an ecologist. These characters put several choices, some unpleasant,
before the players. Naturally these Atreides NPCs will want to follow the players.
But what if they disagree with the players goals? What if the players just dont
have enough water for all the refugees? Do they take some and leave the others
behind? Some of the NPCs may be useful, some may be minor characters from
previous scenes. This encounter is shorttheres no combatand it may
provide some needed NPCs for the tests in the desert, but its also be the
strongest role-playing encounter in this section.
Man Against Nature (2,000)

This is just a string of desert survival encounters. A few should be used in-
between the first three encounters, but the majority occur at the end, reinforcing
to the players that they are no longer anywhere near civilization. They are alone.
Dealing with the desert becomes their lifes sole focus. These encounters are test
heavy, combat light.
Tidal Dust Basin.

The players only chance to drown on Dune. Worse than quick-sand, tidal dust
basins can be huge, as big as seas with their own tides! Falling into one of these
may well mean the death of a character. Good thing those NPCs are with them!
Not only are tests made here, but technology could be used. Any technology that
allows players to find each other or breath in a sandstorm is useful in recovering
players from a TDB.
Sandstorm.

We saw a sandstorm in the novel. Even though the heroes in the novel made
their tests and erected their stilltent quickly and properly, they were then buried
under a ton of sand. In the desert, success doesnt always mean youre free and
clear, it often means your life is merely extremely difficult now, rather than over.
Drum Sand.

Not dangerous in and of itself, but it brings a worm if not properly dealt with. This
is an especially tense encounter. The GM tells the players they hear a dull
booming. The GM describes it the same way he describes a thumper. Even
players familiar with Dune should think it is a thumper. The players will freak until
they realize its them causing it. And, of course, once theyve determined its
drum sand they stand around, terrified to move until they find a way off.
No Water.

Not an encounter so much as a fact to be monitored throughout the entire

chapter. How much water do the players need? What actually happens once you
start to dehydrate? What possible ways are there to extract water from the
desert?
Worm.

And, finally, the most devastating encounter possible. A worm. The players have
feared a worm since they first stepped off the rock at Arsunt. We cant disappoint
them. The players feel they know about worms and this is a chance to scare the
hell out of them. Like rifle shots, by the time you hear it, its too late. The players
should have no idea how fast worms come. Should they not react correctly, they
may all die in the desert. If the GM is being especially nice, the smugglers save
them. In any event, the Worm is the last encounters before the safety of the
smugglers.
Miscellaneous Non-Encounters (550)

Here the GM is given the opportunity to mislead the characters, showing them
faux encounters to keep them guessing about what is and is not The Next
Encounter. This includes;
Seeing a band of Fremen in the distance. Fremen who wont be found if
followed and will remain a mystery.
Seeing an Atreides marked-thopter that just flies by, not seeing the players.
Seeing a spice-harvester being lifted by a carryall. Again, as in the above
encounters, these are just Things Happening In The Desert. Provisions are made
in the text for the players out-witting the GM and actually interacting with some of
these red-herrings. In these cases, Adventurons will be used.
Finding en Ecological Testing site. Its abandoned, as most of them were in the
book, and theres literally nothing going on here. But there may be signs of recent
activity and other clues that the sites were being used for things apart from
studying the environment. Additionally, these sites were packed full of cool Dune
Imperial technology thateven if useless to the playerswould be neat to
examine.

Notes: This may be an ambitious chapter for 22,000 words, but I think it can be
done, primarily through read this to the players, ask them what they do, here are
the bad guys stats,-style adventuring. If this cant be done in the space provided,
we kill the Crelga section.

Chapter Four: Desert Razzia (22,000 words)

This chapter focuses on the characters activities as part of Gurney Hallecks

band which has taken up the smugglers life in the desert (Dune, pp. 255+). It will
include several mini-scenarios, raids against Harkonnen targets orchestrated by
Gurney.

The adventure can begin right after the events of Chapter Three, which lead the
characters to Sietch Tuek and Gurney Halleck.

NOTE: Owen, Ive kept this outline a little looser and less detailed, since its not
really a structured scenario like Chapter Two, but more of a series of mini-
scenarios connected by a common theme. For that reason, Id prefer to leave
many of the details open for the present.

Prologue: Summary
This section summarizes the chapter, providing an overview of the GMs
options.
A. Act One: A Time of Upset Is a Rare Opportunity For Our Business

In the first part of the adventure, the PCs have to adjust to their new lives as
smugglers. Theyll learn something of the life, and get to fight off a Fremen raid.
(I may move Smuggling On Arrakis sidebar from Chapter Two here.)
Sidebar: Gurney Halleck

A writeup and history of Halleck, if one hasnt been provided elsewhere

Sidebar: Incorporating Fremen Characters

1. A Smugglers Life For Me

The characters get to go out on their first smuggling operations. This will entail a
routine effort to mine spice, then covertly transport it to the spaceport at Carthag
to hand it off to a Guild representative in exchange for supplies.
Sidebar: Why Stay On Arrakis?:

GM tips for keeping his PCs on Dune even though they might
prefer to leave. Most Atreides men have spent their profits to leave
Arrakis (Dune, p. 413)
Sidebar: The Touch Of The Spicebrush

Options for characters who want to go native, and for GMs who
want to work such a thing into their games.
2. The Soldiers of MuadDib:

The PCs are present when Fremen shouting the name of their new leader,
MuadDib, attack a smuggler operation that has intruded into their claimed
territory, and have to help fend the desert warriors off. The attack occurs
because the PCs come too close to a hidden desert testing station, which the
PCs may later discover if they triumph over the Fremen. (Cf. Dune, pp. 408+, for
one such attack, the meeting between Paul and Gurney.)
Sidebar: Fremen Warrior

This section will include a profile of the Typical Fremen Warrior if

one hasnt been included elsewhere.

B. Act Two: Arsunt

This act actually consists of a description of the town of Arsunt its layout,
people, and places of interest and of the target they will raid there.
1. Arsunt
a. Government

i. Governmental Structure and Functions

ii. Governmental Personnel
b. Locations

i. General layout of the city districts, main thoroughfares, and so forth.

ii. Places of note
iii. The Wrong Side of the Spaceport: eedy and disreputable places the PCs might need to
become acquainted with.
c. Other Prominent Persons and Organizations

2. The Harkonnen Spice Depot:

This is the target of the characters raid. This section will describe it (including a
map) and provide details of its personnel.
Sidebar: Guild Agents
Many Guild agents have come to Arrakis and are buying spice like
mad (Dune, p. 422). This sidebar discusses this activity and its
implications for the mini-scenarios.

C. Act Three: Raiding The Miners

In this act, the PCs participate in a raid on a heavily-guarded group of spice
miners working for the Harkonnens.
Sidebar: Treachery

There are men among the smugglers not to be trusted. Some may
betray the PCs, creating an intriguing twist on any of the mini-
scenarios in this chapter.
Sidebar: Storms

Discuss the weather perils of Dune here, if they havent been

covered elsewhere (adapted from Book 1, Chapters 3, Ecology,
from the Arrakis Boxed Set)

D. Act Four: Razzia

In this act, the PCs assault a Harkonnen graben village to kill their enemies and
steal badly-needed spare parts. The Harkonnens have heavily fortified the place
(Dune, p. 415).
Sidebar: Sardaukar Infiltrators (Dune, p. 416).

Include a character writeup for Captain Aramsham (Dune, p. 420).

Sidebar: Rabban Alone

Baron Harkonnen has abandoned Rabban on Arrakis (Dune, p.

426). This sidebar discusses that and its implications for the mini-
scenarios.
Chapter Five Jihad (22,000 words)
This outline is short, describing only the general aspects of the different Acts and
roughly how long each will be. As We get closer to this chapter, Ill know more
about whats happening in it.

This Chapter begins with the players being accepted by the Fremen. It covers the
one year span of time between Gurney being reunited with Paul and the Fremen
assault on Arrakeen, culminating with the duel on the floor of the Palace at
Arrakeen.

Act One Going Native (4,000 words)

Here the players join with the Fremen and prove themselves at the Cave of
Birds. This could begin with the attack by Aramsham. The players are going to
journey with the Fremen for a little, possibly a few weeks, and be given several
opportunities to prove themselves to the Fremen

Act Two Sandriders (2,000 words)

How this will translate into an entire act, I dont know. But this test marks the
players transition to Full Time Fremen.

Act Three The Southern Palmaries (6,000 words)

The players journey to the southern reaches of Dune. The Sardaukar attack and
the players find a Guild agent among them. Returning to the north, the players
report to Paul that the Guild is moving it ways it shouldnt, prompting Paul to take
the Water of Life to learn their true motives.

Act Four Fall Of The Padishah (4,000 words)

The players participate in the attack at the end of the novel. The initial idea is that
the players are the team that set the House Atomics, although their involvement
may be greater.

Act Five Epilogue (3,000 words)

The players stand with Paul against the Emperor, and the opportunity arises, if
done properly, for one of the players to duel Feyd in Pauls place.

Act Six Afterward (3,000 words)

Advice to the GM about how to handle things now that the adventure is over.
How to proceed and how to deal with any discrepancies between what we saw in
the novel and what the players may have done.
Chapter Six Adventurons (22,000 words)
This chapter is an unconnected series of capillaries designed to connect the
veins and arteries of the overarcing adventure. They are entirely self-contained,
to be used whenever the players do something cool, like visit a Semuta Den, that
isnt part of the story but the GM likes enough to spin into a mini-adventure.

Id like permission to actually use and define the term Adventurons. The
elementary particles of adventures. Its corny, yes, but its a useful idea
expressed in a way D&D players will like. If not, I totally understand.

Some adventurons may be impossible to do in 1 or 2 pages, others might turn

out not to be useful even if done well. This section should be a best of based on
suggestions from all contributors.

A Gladiator Combat

Unsheilded and semi-shielded combat against drugged, not-drugged, and booby-

trapped opponents.
A Semuta Den

All forms of depravity, some tempting, some disgusting. Opportunities for intrigue
abound.
A Spice-Harvester

With the players actually inside, operating the harvester, talking to the spotters,
waiting for a worm.
In a Battalion against the Harkonnen/Saudukar

Many of us have played those AD&D sessions where were facing a horde of
orcs, possibly as part of an army, and they just line up on the field. This is a
variation of that. The players are part of a brigade fighting the enemy in the
desert or the streets of Arrakeen. Theres a little movement, rules for advancing
and falling back, and a goal; taking a position held by the enemy.
Truthtrance

The players may be involved in the seeking of truth by the Bene Gesserit. Maybe
theyre the ones be investigated, or theyve instigated the investigation.
Regardless, here we see a truthtrance inquest.
Inspecting a Shipment from the Guild

Performing Surgery

Trying to keep someone alive, a chance for the Suk to shine.

Curing a character whos been poisoned.

Another Suk-related adventuron.

A Duel

With cool optional rules for shield combat and dueling.

 A Cheops Match

With rules for Cheops. Not actual rules but terms for the moves, their counter-
moves and strategies and rules for how to use them as results in opposed tests
so it sounds like the characters are playing Cheops. Or, of course, room
permitting, rules for Cheops. Descriptions of the place in which the game is
played, a Cheops master, and the audience.
An Imperial Fete

What does it look like, what can you do during one? How hard is it to move
around and talk to people? Like Mardi Gras.
Meeting an Umma

The fanatical zensunni prophets of the Fremen. Considered madmen by many,

perhaps their rantings contain a vision of truth. NPC stats for Umma included.
Assassinating someone

Arguably something that should take an entire adventure. Salient points can be
condensed down to an adventuron.
Being the Target of Assassination

This is something easy to cover in an adventuron.

Trading at the Guild Bank

Maybe the characters have a little money, maybe theyre sent there to trade on
behalf on a Noble.
Promotion/Award/Training

What actually happens when you go up a level in Dune? Who do you meet at a
promotion ceremony? What type of speech do you listen to?
Meeting the Fremen

Not something rational people want to do. The Fremen are mysterious, brutal,
alien people with little respect for the out-freyn.
Oracular Vision

Brought on by an overdose of spice. Even if the characters arent remotely

prescient, they can still hallucinate. . .how will they know the difference?
Supervising a Battle

High level characters might not be asked to fight, but rather supervise. Rules and
descriptions of squad-scale combat with the players making the decisions.
Waging a Propaganda Campaign

What does the GM do when the players decide they want to wage a Propaganda
war? Rules for propaganda tests as well as using economics and religion to sway
public opinion.
 Smuggler Drop-Shipment

Players come across a smuggler drop shipment (dump boxes) in the desert.
Smuggler 'thopters circle the area scanning for witnesses (which will be hunted
down and executed if discovered and captured).
Alternate - smuggler blast-off in which a caravan loads a frigate which blasts off
to rendezvous with a Heighliner.
Fremen Heireg (temp. desert camp).

A Fremen war band or raiding party encampment. Includes organization (NPCs),

stats and equipment.
Dinner Party (a la the novel)

Water Riot (or similar riot)

Arrakeen Bazaar

Details a variety of shops, merchants, wares and prices to be found in the

central, open market of Arrakeen.
Guild Hall & Revelry

The inside of a Guild Hall during a banquet of honor or ceremonial occasion.

Brawling, gambling, whoring and revelry abound.
Assassination by Hunter-Seeker

A la the novel. Includes rules and modifiers for conducting such encounters.
Assassination by Laza tiger

A la Children of Dune (controller and twin tigers). Includes rules and modifiers for
conducting such encounters.
Assassination by Stoneburner

A la Dune Messiah. Includes rules and modifiers for such encounters.

A Fremen Gathering (gathering of tribes)

A la Dune where Paul takes command

Fremen Sandrider Initiation

Rules and such for conducting a "wali's" initiation ritual to become a

sandrider.Everything from planting thumpers, walking w/o rhythm to mounting
worm and steering. Modifiers include watching out for drum sand and pea gravel,
controlling worm speed so tribe can mount, navigating back to sietch and so on.
Water of Life Ritual

Includes rules for attempting to convert the Water of Life. Includes modifiers and
random outcome (death and madness).
Amtal Challenge/Combat

Fremen-style duel (strip to undergarments, stakes, outcome, ghanima).

 Cell Break

Escaping from a Harkonnen confinement cell. Details small map and base
perimeter. Lists guard NPCs and chief security encounters and required skill
checks.
Glacier Mining

Provides an overview of operations at Northern Polar sink. Details some of the

hazards (avalanche, ice rifts, snowsnake?, etc.)