Interest Check - Dune 2d20

A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then, that it is the year 10,181. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. In this time, the most precious substance in the Universe is the spice melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The Spacing Guild and its navigators, who the spice has mutated over four-thousand years, use the orange spice gas, which gives them the ability to fold space. That is, travel to any part of the Universe without moving.

The spice exists on only one planet in the entire Universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy, that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis. Also known as Dune.

SPICE EXTENDS LIFE

House Helsin, Carthag, Arrakis

In the dusty streets of Carthag, much trade is done under the watchful eyes of the Harkonnen, and much more away from their agents. It is here that we find Nascent House Heslin, elevated recently for service to the Emperor of the Known Universe, but not yet given control of a moon or planet. Sina Heslin has aspirations to set up her own trading bazaar in Carthag, to rival the Grand Emporium in Arrakeen. Is she simply an entrepreneur with a vision, or is this a guise for a secretive spice smuggling operation?

Few want her to succeed.

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Players Sought: This is a game that will use the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium system by Modiphius Entertainment. It uses a simpler version of their 2d20 system. I'm looking for individuals who have seen the movies or mini-series, but it isn't my intention to deep dive into the lore. Politics, yes.

Characters: We'll make these together. There are some options that we should consider in unison. Mainly, you'll be individuals of some prowess on Arrakis. This is set 10 years before House Atreides is granted Arrakis as a fief, supplanting House Harkonnen. All options are on the table, subject to them working in concert with the other player characters. The PCs will be working for House Heslin, directly or indirectly, or some mix - I'll reject any pitch where the PC's goal is to see House Heslin fail.

Tone and Warnings: It's a setting rife with violence, betrayal, intrigue, seduction, and assassination. That said, we'll maintain a comfortable distance from more controversial material. Intrigue between the PCs won't be a focus, although it is probably inevitable.

Duration: I'm not sure. I find my games work best when I have defined end points. There will be no winning, no throwing a virgin into a sandworm to appease the God. However, a possible end point is the death of Sina Heslin, or the success of her goals - that being said, those may be middle points, too, we'll have to see.

Frequency: I will be available to post daily mostly in the evenings, more often on weekends and holidays. I don't take breaks, don't take weekends off, or vacations. I am looking for players who will be checking in every day or two at least.

Materials: If you don't have the core book you can use the free quickstart which has six pre-gens in it that can be customized.

Inspiration: This is inspired largely by the movies, including the recent one, the mini-series and the 1984 version. I've read seven or eight of the books, just not recently.

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What's next? Post your interest, and something that intrigues you enough to explore this setting/topic. I'll choose from those who have posted or have reached out to me directly. I'll make the choice for players on the evening of Friday, December 8, specifically during the evening that occurs in North America.

This game will be character driven. I want to see this setting come to life on the page, evoked by descriptions and personality. This will not be a combat-focused game, but rather, one where your head for intrigue will guide the story. However, on the streets of Carthag under Harkonnen rule, violence is never far.

My choice will be tempered between at least two people I know are reliable, with one or two spots set aside for those who are less familiar or entirely new to me.

Definitely interested. I've read the first four books, saw the 1984 movie (a bit over the top, but still a decent film), thought the series was better, and have seen Part 1 of the recent adaptation. Even have one of the board game adaptations (strategy-based, faction vs. faction) Completely unfamiliar with Modiphius's game rules, so will read up from the link you provided.

One thing that was never really fleshed out was how life in the cities played out. We saw life in the palace under House Atreides and House Harkonnen, and we saw Fremen culture in the desert and sietches. But I never got a sense of day-to-day life in the cities, what the people had to endure under the rule of these tyrannical outsiders, and I think that would be an interesting avenue to explore.

I'm on here nearly every day, and if I'm going to be absent on days that I'm expected to post, I always give notice to the GM. I guess I can provide references via PM, and you can ask the GMs for dirt. :)

EDIT: Thanks for the recommendation, SpiritualSocket!

Saw this on Discord and headed right over here :) I've read the six original Frank Herbet books, have the most recent Dune film as my current comfort-watch, read the original Dune I dunno 20 times as a kid, often listen to parts of the first novel as an audiobook, have this game, and would be very excited to play it! Am thinking of offering to run a game of this myself at some point.

I'm new to GP/PbP - playing in a few games, and the three games I'm GMing are Public and just getting moving with in-character posts.

I post most days - although my day-job involves not-infrequent long travel (e.g. Europe to North America) and on travel days, sometimes a day or two after that, I typically don't post because of tiredness/busy-ness.

What we see of life under the Harkonnens in the novels is atrocious. Terrifying. Constantly watched, constant fear of and reality of violence. I imagine that playing in that world, with these stakes, will be extremely tense and nerve-racking - and that's something I love in a game. I'm curious to see how it's possible to exist as a somewhat-independent force, as a House Minor, alongside the Harkonnens. How we interact them. How we somehow (hopefully) negotiate our way through a world ruled by such despots.

EDIT: Aww thank you for the kind words, @SpiritualSocket #MousePower

I can't commit due to my capacity, but I'll be following along if you make the game public. - Both ForeverDED and BeardHare are great players to have in a game.

I would be interested in this! I read Dune for the first time two years ago and wondered where it had been my whole life. Went and watched the Lynch movie after watching the new one. It's a really intriguing piece of work and it would be exciting to explore it in RP.

I am interested in playing this, and a big fan of the Dune story. Read the 5 original books in the 80's a couple of times, and watched the Lynch and Villeneuve films.

Have not played any Modiphius Entertainment systems, but have played a mix of systems such as SW, D&D, Basic Roleplaying, etc. So would be able to learn a new system.

Can commit to posting daily (am on Pacific Time), and for the long-haul if it ended up going on a for a time.

Having just watched both the 1984 movie and the most recent one I'd love to play in that world. It's a neat setting and one ripe with possibilities.

I'm interested. Huge fan of Dune. I have read the six Frank Herbert books a few times and seen the movies, series, read the graphic novels, played the board games, even GM'ed the 2d20 game two times here on GP.
I would like to try it as a player. Can post daily most of the time.

Wish I had the time for this, it sounds fantastic. Will you be making the game public?

Not interested in learning the system but I do love your starter info.

I wish I had time, but unfortunately I can't join right now. Will it be public?

It looks like you have more than enough applicants already. I am interested, but I both have some familiarity with the 2d20 system already and am in a handful of other games.

Oooooh.

Can't wait to get my hands on a bunch of Dune rulebooks coming in from the recent Modiphius Black Friday sale. Looks like your timeline's ahead of me on this one though, I shall slowly take it all in first, have fun!

Played this game at a con a month or two ago, Q -- loved it. Will you be diving into the larger scale conflicts, do you think? Warfare, Espionage, Intrigue? I don't have time / energy for throwing my hat in, but I suspect this is going to be awesome.

Some great interest shown already! I committed to deciding on Friday and shall wait till then. I do still have some noodling to do for setting up the setting.
This is what I most want to explore, and it may be that we're inventing it. I'm skimming my copy of Dune: House Harkonnen for tidbits of what to expect. A number of the adventures released also contain scenes that help illustrate the culture.
I think the sourcebooks for the game imply more freedom than you might expect, but the Harkonnens are clearly murderous tyrants whose attention you do not want.
I'll canvas the selected players and decide once we're setup. I'm not against it, but at the same token, there may be content that pushes into violent territory which press up against the Forum Rules. Life will be hard under the Harkonnens.

I have waited for this! I am very much interested

I am interested. Lynch's Dune is a core memory for me, and I've read Dune and Children of Dune... and about a hundred pages of God-Emperor.

I have always been fascinated by the realpolitik, psychological warfare, and practical mythmaking. While the Bene Gesserit get the lion's share of the spotlight, I would really like to explore the motivations and dichotomies of the Spacing Guild. Seeing that interact with a smaller player seems like a very interesting vignette.

As no one has chimed in in a couple days, I'll shut this Interest Check tonight, and send invites to the four players I've selected.

Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm.