New campaign - House Vitonira

Dune: The Roleplaying Game
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Hello, I’m starting a new role-playing game campaign with the creation of a nascent house, a vassal to House Vernius. The house is founded just after the Great Spice War and specializes in bioengineering research (studies on organ transplant acceptance, the human body’s acceptance of medical prostheses, etc.). We are in 10176 AG, and I would like either for Paul to not exist (Jessica gave birth to a daughter) or for Victor Atreides to have survived the explosion, being hidden by House Vernius. Alternatively, Paul could exist, but during the final confrontation on Arrakis, he dies at the hands of Count Fenring and then commits suicide to show his disagreement with the Emperor.

I really like Jodorowsky’s idea that Paul dies and is present in every human being, but what would come after that?

What do you think?

Even though I love Frank Herbert’s Dune universe and haven’t read the books by his son Brian, I would like to present a more modern version of Dune.

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Alternate timelines can be great. The whole Masters of Dune is pretty much based on that concept.
For the Jessica bearing a daughter idea, that is similar to what Funcom are doing with their upcoming Dune MMORPG(ish) game.

My personal preference would be to alter things from before the original novel is set. Then you maintain the status quo and allow your players to change events & encounter characters that they might recognise.

If you want to head down Jodorowsky’s path, you could represent it by having a chance to dip into prescience as they get flashes of what Paul could see. Of course with everyone doing it, it is a lot less accurate. Maybe only imminent events have any accuracy?

Regardless of what you choose, keep us updated. I love hearing about how other campaigns play out.

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Thank you for the advice.
Yes, I saw that FUNCOM had an alternative timeline, but I wouldn’t have gone in the same direction.
Actually, my goal is to have the PCs’ house acquire a plot on Arrakis as a reward or a political/economic opportunity, then progress towards Master of Dune.

Starting context:
Professor Fabrizzio Vitonira’s research on rare minerals (an Ixian scientist) led him to travel across various planets in the Imperium until the beginning of the occupation of his planet, Ix, by the Bene Tleilax.
Refusing to submit to the Bene Tleilax, Professor Vitonira and his research team were pursued by Face Dancers. The Professor’s spaceship was chased down and crashed on an unexplored planet in the Imperium, Oxylith.

The professor’s team made a discovery on this planet: a rare mineral, the Oxycrystal, that could interact with metabolism. Once purified, it allowed the human body better cellular regeneration as well as greater acceptance for the implantation of grafts or prosthetics.

Meanwhile, the team managed to contact House Vernius through indirect means. A logistics organization began to be set up to support the reclaiming of the planet Ix by House Vernius and its ally, House Atreides.

At the end of the Great Spice War, House Vernius was re-established on Ix. Earl Rhombur Vernius rewarded Professor Vitonira for his loyalty by founding his own vassal house under Vernius.

The members of the Vitonira family are as follows:

  • Lucia Vitonira, his wife
  • Cesare, the heir apparent
  • Victor, the Warmaster (PC), the second son
  • Isabella (10 years old), the third child

The player group consists of:

  • A Warmaster
  • A Bene Gesserit Initiate
  • A Mentat
  • A Suk Doctor

I’m not sure yet if Leto Atreides has Jessica or Kailea Vernius as his concubine, or if Victor Atreides is alive.

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Not doing the Dune movie (the documentary is a must see) lead to the metabarons universe. I see the metabarons as a bit of an alternative timeline for Dune.
A good alternative for Paul Atreides os a blind madman wandering in the desert seeing and talking on what could have been.
If Paul doesn’t exists in your universe maybe when the enemy will arrive the Humanity will not be ready because even if Dune is a warning against too powerful guru and the danger of religious blindness and manipulation at the end the worse fate was adverted. So in your Universe should prepare for a grim future…

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One of the key things is that there are multiple “almost the Kwizats Haderach” characters in the original - Feyd is close, save he’d fail the Gom Jabbar. Simplest way to write Paul out? He fails the Gom Jabbar; Leto goes heartbroken…
Also, speaking of Kwizats Haderach…
Sandworms/Hunters spoiler: Paul isn’t it. Duncan Idaho is… Paul is something else.

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I like this idea! I’ll see how to develop my campaign with itt.

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I always love a good family tree. Especially when a player is part of it. :grin:

I found it was useful to have a top level House hierarchy as well. That way you have a handful of names to grab if something comes up.

This was for House Sindri, a Minor House, so a Nascent wouldn’t need to be so big. Names in red are members of the family who have actual jobs, like your warmaster.

House Sindri Heirachy
House Sindri Heirachy893×269 35.5 KB

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Yes, I have done a family tree for the House Vitonira :
Dune - Famille Vitonira - Arbre Généalogique.pdf (29.9 KB)

Each member of the family has a role as an engineer or scientist. Only Cesare does not have a scientific profile but rather focused on diplomacy and politics. Maybe that’s why his father chose him as his heir. But for the rest of the family, Cesare is seen as a failure.
The depiction of Cesare is like that of the Prince in the series Dune Prophecy.

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Episode 0 - Year 10176 AG

The adventure begins when the characters are invited by the founder of the House, Viscount Fabrizzio Vitonira.
He summons the PCs to send them to Kaitain :

  • to collect their newly acquired titles (titles of nobility and property).
  • to seek out potential houses specializing in agriculture.

Oxylith is a planet rich in minerals, but with little land suitable for conventional farming. This is why more than half of its food needs are imported.

So the PCs set off for Kaitain to present themselves to the Landsraad as a United House (with Cesare and an ixian emissary, Taren Kaerus).

On arrival on Kaitain, the delegation is picked up and escorted to the Landsraad, where voting is drawing to a close.

Taren Kaerus leads the group to the center, making a speech of thanks to all the members of the Landsraad and to the Emperor for accepting the foundation of a new minor house.

Cesare Vitonira, the heir apparent, continues with a speech that is both humble and progressive, but a little too flamboyant.
Clumsily, he gives a few future hints of his House’s possibilities by informing the entire Landsraad of a better integration of Spice into the human body.

The Emperor takes Cesare’s words at face value and challenges his House to succeed in this project in the medium term (10 to 20 years).

So, PCs must fix Cesare’s mistakes and reassure some factions or major houses…

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Hello,
I’m sorry—we haven’t had many opportunities to play.
Here is the continuation: the campaign summary, which I’m writing in the form of a journal kept by the heir, Cesare.

Journal of Cesare Vitonira

Entry No. 001 – Year 10175 – Month 1 – Day 04

Entourage of Cesare Vitonira:
– Victor Vitonira, Heir and Warmaster of House Vitonira
– Torunil, Spymaster of House Vitonira, Mentat
– Nihele Lombardo, Weapons Master of House Vitonira, Bene Gesserit Acolyte
– Doctor Lotara Salieri, Scholar of House Vitonira, Suk Doctor

Planet: Oxylith
Capital: Novy
Secondary Domain: Clinical research into cellular regeneration
Patron House: House Vernius

We have arrived on Kaitain, the imperial seat and heart of the Empire, to present the newly founded House Vitonira before the Landsraad and the Emperor for official recognition. I am joined by my closest allies, as well as Taren Kaelus, emissary of House Vernius.

At the Landsraad, Taren delivers a diplomatic speech, envisioning a renewed Empire—greater, stronger, and more progressive. Then comes my turn. Eager to impress, I attempt a grand speech… and, in a burst of overconfidence, I awkwardly challenge the Emperor with talk of a refined spice designed to improve human health.

Some of the Great Houses (Atreides, Ecaz, Alexin, Vernius…) applaud; others (Harkonnen, Richese) remain silent and unimpressed.

The Emperor, while personally signing our noble titles, reminds me of the responsibilities that come with nobility. Yet, intrigued, he accepts the challenge and grants House Vitonira time to continue our bioengineering research—aimed at proving the feasibility of a form of “immortality” through our enhanced spice.

Note to self: I revealed far too much, caught up in a desire to dazzle.

At the Landsraad, a Bene Gesserit sister took note of me. She later requested a discreet meeting with Initiate Nihele Lombardo.

During their conversation, the sister asked Nihele to keep a close watch on me—and to intensify my training. She believes I may possess certain latent abilities worth cultivating.
She also questioned Nihele about me: my temperament, my loyalties, my potential.

During our stay on Kaitain, we initiate contact with the major agricultural powers to explore ways of making Oxylith more fertile:
– House Alexin offers a long-term partnership, but one that would render us dependent on them;
– House Zerides proposes a more profitable short-term arrangement that would preserve our independence. However, their ties to House Harkonnen—and their reputation for cruelty—raise serious concerns.

During the commercial negotiations with House Zerides, Lord Cotasar casually mentioned that his nephew, Vasil Zerides, is currently on Oxylith undergoing an experimental treatment.

Doctor Lotara Salieri immediately sensed a few inconsistencies in his statements. She has made a note to review Vasil’s medical file in detail upon our return to Oxylith.

Entry No. 002 – Year 10175 – Month 1 – Day 09

The Fatal Journey begins.

As we board a Spacing Guild long-hauler to return to Oxylith, what should have been a routine voyage turns into something far more perilous. At the first scheduled stop—on Keres, domain of House Alexin—an alarm rings out, triggering a total and immediate lockdown.

With discretion and determination, we helped solve an investigation aboard the Heighliner and allowed the Guild to neutralize the threat discreetly.
In return, they granted us a rare favor—one that may prove invaluable.

Now, back on Oxylith, the real work begins.

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