Organizations of theDuneuniverse

Multipleorganizations of theDuneuniversedominate the political, religious, and social arena of the setting ofFrank Herbert'sDuneseriesofscience fictionnovels, and derivative works. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, the saga chronicles a civilization which has banned computers but has also developed advanced technology and mental and physical abilities through physical training,eugenicsand the use of the drugmelange.Specialized groups of individuals have aligned themselves in organizations focusing on specific abilities, technology and goals. Herbert's concepts of human evolution and technology have been analyzed and deconstructed in at least one book,The Science of Dune(2008).His originating 1965 novelDuneis popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time,and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history.Duneand its fivesequelsby Herbert explore the complex and multilayered interactions of politics, religion, ecology and technology, among other themes.

YoungAlia Atreidesin front of (from left to right) aSpacing Guildagent,Princess Irulan,Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiamand herBene Gesserit,andPadishah EmperorShaddam IV,from the 2000Duneminiseries

We've a three-point civilization: the Imperial Household balanced against the Federated Great Houses of the Landsraad, and between them, the Guild with its damnable monopoly on interstellar transport.

— Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam,Dune

As Frank Herbert'sDune(1965) begins, the known universe is ruled byShaddam IV,the 81stPadishah EmperorofHouse Corrino,whose power is secured by his control of theSardaukar,his brutally efficient military force. Imperial power is balanced by the assembly of noble houses called theLandsraad,which enforces theGreat Convention's ban on the use ofatomicsagainst human targets. Though the power of House Corrino is unrivaled by any other individual House, they are in constant competition with each other for political power and stakes in the omnipresentCHOAMcompany, a directorship which controls the wealth of the entire Empire. The third primary power in the universe is theSpacing Guild,which monopolizesinterstellar traveland banking through its proprietary use of melange-mutatedGuild Navigatorswho perform the necessary computations to safely navigate "folded space".

ThematriarchalBene Gesseritpossess almostsuperhumanphysical, sensory, and deductive powers developed through years of physical andmental conditioning.While positioning themselves to serve mankind, the Bene Gesserit pursue their goal to better the human race by subtly and secretly guiding and manipulating human bloodlines and the affairs of others to serve their own purposes. "Human computers" known asMentatshave been developed and perfected to replace the capacity for logical analysis lost through the prohibition of computers. The Bene Tleilax are amoral merchants who traffic in biological andgenetically engineeredproducts such as artificial eyes, "twisted" Mentats and a type ofclonecalled aghola.Finally, theIxiansproducecutting-edgetechnology that seemingly complies with (but sometimes pushes the boundaries of) the prohibitions against computers,thinking machinesandconscious robotsput in place 10,000 years before as a result of theButlerian Jihad.The doctors of theSuk Schoolare the universe's most competent and trusted; those who have received the "Suk Imperial Conditioning" are incapable of inflicting harm. TheSwordmasters of Ginazare an elite group of master swordsmen whose fighting skills are prized and unmatched. Equally fierce in battle are the nativeFremenof thedesert planetArrakis,known as Dune. Naturally honed to excellence in harsh conditions rivaling the planet on which the Imperial Sardaukar are trained, the Fremen are misunderstood and underestimated by the other powers in the universe.

Arrakis is the only natural source of the all-important spice melange, and by leading the Fremen to seize control of the planet inDune,Paul Atreidesis able to depose Shaddam and become ruler of the known universe.With a bloodyjihadsubsequently unleashed across the universe in Paul's name but out of his control, the Bene Gesserit, Tleilaxu, Spacing Guild and House Corrino plot to dethrone him inDune Messiah(1969).Seeing the eventual extinction of mankind throughprescientvision, inChildren of Dune(1976) Paul's sonLeto IIdevises a plan to save humanity but becomes asymbiotewith thesandwormof Arrakis to gain the extended lifespan needed to see this plan to its end.

Thirty-five hundred years later inGod Emperor of Dune(1981), Leto still rules the universe as a benevolent tyrant, with the help of his all-female army, theFish Speakers.He denies any spiritual outlets other than his own compulsory religion, and maintains a tight monopoly on melange and space travel. Through his own selective breeding program among the descendants of his twin sisterGhanima,Leto finally achievesSiona,whose actions are hidden from prescient vision. He engineers his own assassination, knowing it will result in rebellion and revolt but also in an explosion in travel and colonization.The resultant chaos and severe famine on many worlds cause trillions of humans to set off into the freedom of unknown space and spread out across the universe in adiasporalater calledthe Scattering.

Fifteen hundred years later, asHeretics of Dune(1984) begins, the balance of power in the Empire rests among the Ixians, the Bene Gesserit and the Tleilaxu. The Spacing Guild has been forever weakened by the development of Ixian machines capable of navigation infoldspace,practically replacing Guild Navigators. Ixians are at their apex with their alliance with the Fish Speakers; but Bene Gesserit analysts see them as a failing power, because Ixian society has become a bureaucracy and no great inventions have come out of the workshops of Ix for centuries. The Bene Gesserit control the sandworms and their planet, now called Rakis, through their influence over theRakian Priesthoodthat worships the sandworms as the Divided God, Leto II, and now actively participate on interstellar politics and even have their own standing armies. But the Tleilaxu have also discovered how to synthetically produce melange, and they are preparing to subjugate the rest of humanity. As a large influx of people begin to return from the Scattering, the Bene Gesserit find their match in a violent and corrupt matriarchal society known as theHonored Matres.A bitter and bloody war erupts between the orders, but inChapterhouse: Dune(1985) it ultimately becomes clear that joining the two organizations into a singleNew Sisterhoodwith shared abilities is their best chance at survival against the approaching enemy who had driven the Honored Matres into the Old Empire.

Bene Gesserit

Main article:Bene Gesserit

The Bene Gesserit are a key social, religious, and political force in Frank Herbert's science fictionDuneuniverse. Thematriarchalgroup is described as a secretive and exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical andmental conditioningto obtainsuperhumanpowers and abilities that can seem magical to outsiders. Under the guise of humbly "serving" the Empire, the Sisterhood is in fact a major power in the universe, using its many areas of influence to subtly guide mankind along the path of their own plan for humanity's future. The Bene Gesserit also have a secret, millennia-long selectivebreeding programto bolster and preserve valuable skills and bloodlines as well as to produce a theoretical superhuman male they call theKwisatz Haderach.

Bene Tleilax

TheBene Tleilax,also calledTleilaxu/tleɪˈlæksuː/,are an extremelyxenophobicandisolationistsociety inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such asartificial eyes,gholas,and "twisted"Mentats,the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium. The race is ruled by a small council of Tleilaxu Masters, whose genetically engineeredFace Dancerservants have the ability to mimic any human. The Masters themselves possess a bland and diminutive appearance intended to cause other races to underestimate them. InHeretics of Dune(1984) it is revealed that they are a secrettotalitariantheocracyultimately seeking domination of the universe. Despite their influence, the Bene Tleilax are universally distrusted and inspire disgust because their products, though desirable, push the moral limits of what humanity at large considers acceptable, and can involve extensive physiological and physical manipulation of human life. Tleilaxu Masters are the leaders and real minds of the Bene Tleilax. AfterDune Messiah(1969), they have the ability to regain their genetic memory with ease, allowing them to live forever, using theiraxlotl tanksto create gholas of themselves. InHeretics of Dune,it is noted that Tleilaxu sperm "does not carry forward in a straight genetic fashion... Gaps occur ", and that they are" naturally immune to anIxian Probe",an interrogation device which normally can extract information even from the dead. The Tleilaxu are described as short, dwarf-like characters with gray skin, hair and eyes, elfin features and pointy teeth.Masters control their creations by forcing them into ahypnoticstate with a predefined, implanted sound (often a specific humming or whistling noise). InDune Messiah,the Tleilaxu dwarfBijazcontrols the gholaHaytthrough a specific humming intonation that renders Hayt open to implanted commands.InHeretics of Dune,the MasterWaffattempts to control his perfectly mimicked Face Dancer copy of High PriestHedley Tuekwith a humming language, but fails due to the copy's complete assimilation into its new form.

The original series

The Tleilaxu control a number of planets but are originally connected withTleilax,the sole planet of the star Thalim. Herbert's 1965 novelDunenotes that the Tleilaxu are the source of twisted Mentats.Baron Harkonnenstates his intent to "send at once to Tleilax for a new Mentat" afterPiter De Vriesis killed.The Tleilaxu themselves step into the foreground inDune Messiah,as their Face DancerScytaleenters into a conspiracy with theBene Gesserit,Spacing Guild,andHouse Corrinoto topple the rule ofPaul Atreides.To this end, the Tleilaxu resurrect Paul's dead friendDuncan Idahoas thegholaHayt, trained as a Mentat. Hayt's function is to unwittingly destroy Paul psychologically, and failing that, kill Paul when triggered by an implanted command. The emotional stress of this assassination attempt unlocks Duncan's memories in Hayt, which Scytale uses to illustrate that the Tleilaxu can provide Paul with a fully realized ghola of his deceasedconcubineChani,in exchange for his abdication. Paul refuses, and kills Scytale.Duncan further ponders the Tleilaxu legacy of his creation inChildren of Dune(1976).

Over 3,500 years later inGod Emperor of Dune(1981), Tleilaxu Face Dancers kill and replace nearly everyone in theIxianembassy onArrakisas part of an assassination attempt on Paul's seemingly immortal son, the God EmperorLeto II Atreides.The Tleilaxu have been providing Leto with Duncan Idaho gholas for centuries, and their plot fails in part due to the ingenuity of the latest Duncan.Another 1,500 years later inHeretics of Dune(1984), the Tleilaxu routinely provide the Bene Gesserit with Duncan Idaho gholas, and have also developed the ability to grow the spicemelangein the same axlotl tanks they use to grow gholas. Secretly atheisticZensunnisociety, the Tleilaxu believe they are on the brink of taking control of the Imperium. They have perfected their Face Dancers, who are now perfect mimics, able to copy the memories and consciousness of the people they imitate. Virtually undetectable to all but the Bene Gesserit, these Face Dancers begin to replace leaders in the Imperium as a means for the Tleilaxu to seize control. The plan fails as, over time, the Face Dancers come to believe they are the people they have copied, and elude their genetically-programmed loyalty to the Tleilaxu Masters.Leto II's death had spawned a widespreaddiasporaknown asthe Scattering,and inHeretics of Dunethe descendants of "lost" Tleilaxu return from the Scattering. Tleilaxu leader Waff does not fully trust these newcomers, noting that "their accents were strange, their manners even stranger and their observances of the rituals questionable." And though he believes the so-called Lost Ones may be religiously tainted by their time away, he is willing to overlook this because of the valuable information they have brought with them. In particular, they have made it possible for the Tleilaxu to condition their latest Duncan Idaho ghola to possess a sexual imprinting ability to match that of the fierce, domination-hungryHonored Matres.

By the events ofChapterhouse: Dune(1985), the Bene Tleilax have been all but eradicated by the Honored Matres save for one Master, Scytale. He is a ghola of the original Scytale ofDune Messiah,somehow having ascended from Face Dancer to Master. He tells the Bene Gesserit leaderDarwi Odradehow the Lost Ones brought back captiveFutars,hybrids of human and cat, which could not be reproduced in axlotl tanks. Both Odrade and Scytale realize this was a ploy of the descendant Tleilaxu to gain the confidence of the Masters and yet not divulge their secrets. Scytale's secret bargaining tool while held against his will by the Bene Gesserit is a hiddennullentropycapsule containing cells carefully and secretly collected by the Tleilaxu for millennia, including the cells of Tleilaxu Masters, Face Dancers, Paul Atreides, Chani,Gurney Halleck,Thufir Hawatand other legendary figures. He intends to not only grow his own life-sustaining ghola, but to resurrect the rest of his order as well. In the meantime, he has given the Bene Gesserit enough of the axlotl technology to produce melange and grow their own gholas, in particular a replacement for their military geniusMiles Teg.

Sequels

InBrian HerbertandKevin J. Anderson's 2006 continuation of the original series,Hunters of Dune,the descendant Tleilaxu, now called theLost Tleilaxu,have avoided extermination by the Honored Matres through a shaky alliance with them. The Lost Tleilaxu council of Elders are served by a subgroup of advanced Face Dancers, led byKhrone,who cannot be detected by even the Bene Gesserit. Despite having the technology to create gholas, the Lost Tleilaxu do not know how to manufacture melange in axlotl tanks, the process for which died with the original Tleilaxu Masters. Their immediate goal is to rediscover this secret to break the Bene Gesserit monopoly. The Lost Tleilaxu leadership has been infiltrated and overtaken by Khrone's Face Dancers, however, and soon the last true Elder,Burah,is killed. The Face Dancers have also secretly gained control of many similar power bases across the Old Empire.

A minion of the powerful independent Face DancersDaniel and Marty,Khrone joins them in their pursuit of theIthaca,theno-shipthat escaped the Bene Gesserit inChapterhouse: Dune.They have calculated that it contains something or someone important to their victory in the coming final battle to conquer the human race. Meanwhile, Scytale, still a prisoner of the Bene Gesserit on the wanderingIthaca,manages to negotiate permission to grow a ghola of himself. Khrone sends second-rank Lost TleilaxuUxtal,who had served as secretary to Elder Burah, to the former Tleilaxu capital,Bandalong,now ruled by renegade Honored Matre leaderHellica.Uxtal is tasked to pacify Hellica by producing the orange adrenaline-enhancing drug used by the Honored Matres with axlotl technology. Khrone, however, has his own agenda for domination of the universe, and believes that, like the Tleilaxu, Daniel and Marty can be fooled.

While the universe at large is unaware that the no-ship carries the secret to producing melange in axlotl tanks, TheGuild NavigatorEdrikcomes to Uxtal on Tleilax, seeking this knowledge. NewIxiannavigation technology, secretly masterminded by Khrone, threatens the Spacing Guild's own monopoly on interstellar travel, and the Bene Gesserit control the melange supply. Uxtal is eventually able to access the genetic material of deceased Master Waff, and through an accelerated process creates several (ultimately flawed) Waff gholas, hoping to unlock the secret of producing melange in the tanks. The Bene Gesserit New Sisterhood conquers Tleilax, Uxtal is devoured by hungrysligs,and the sole remaining Waff ghola escapes. He finds refuge with the Spacing Guild, offering Edrik something better than artificial melange: the genetic knowledge for the Guild to create their own, optimizedsandworms,the natural origin of the spice cycle. Daniel and Marty are revealed to be new incarnations of mankind's ancient enemy,thinking machineleaderOmniusand his second-in-commandErasmus,introduced in theLegends of Duneprequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Anderson.

In the series finale,Sandworms of Dune(2007), it is revealed that Khrone and his legions of autonomous Face Dancers seek to overthrow their machine "masters". Secretly in control of Ix and its technology production, Khrone manipulates the Spacing Guild and New Sisterhood, setting them up for disastrous failure in their final battle against the thinking machine forces of Omnius. When Khrone asserts dominance over even the machine empire, a smug Erasmus activates a fail-safe built into all enhanced Face Dancers, instantly killing Khrone and all of his minions across the universe.

Prequels

In thePrelude to Dune(1999–2001) prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Anderson, it is noted that the founder of the Bene Tleilax had been a Master namedXuttuh.MasterHidar Fen AjidicaheadsProject Amal,an early attempt by the Bene Tleilax to create synthetic melange in order to eliminate dependence upon the planet Arrakis; intending an eventual Tleilaxu takeover of the universe, Ajidica sends "improved" Face Dancers off to unexplored systems.The ancestors of the Bene Tleilax are featured in theLegends of Dune(2002–2004) prequel series by Brian Herbert and Anderson. They are a civilization of human merchants known as the "Tlulaxa", who specialize in slaves and replacement organs. They claim that the organs are grown artificially in organ farms, but in reality, the vast majority of the organs are harvested from slaves. The Tlulaxa do have working organ farms, but they are used mainly as a front for the slave harvesting operations and provide only a small fraction of the replacement organs.

Emperor: Battle for Dune

The Tleilaxu are one of the five subfactions in the 2001 computer gameEmperor: Battle for Dune.

CHOAM

The flag ofCHOAM,based on its description inDune(1965)

TheCombine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles(CHOAM) is a universal development corporation inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse,first mentioned in the 1965 novelDune.CHOAM controls all economic affairs across the cosmos, though it is still at the mercy of theSpacing Guild's monopoly oninterstellar travel.In a 1980 article, Herbert equated CHOAM withOPEC,the real-world intergovernmental organization which is a major power in thepetroleum industry.He writes inDune:

"Few products escape the CHOAM touch... Logs, donkeys, horses, cows, lumber, dung, sharks,whale fur— the most prosaic and the most exotic... even our poorpundi ricefromCaladan.Anything theGuildwill transport, the art forms ofEcaz,the machines ofRicheseandIx.But all fades beforemelange.A handful of spice will buy a home onTupile.It cannot be manufactured, it must be mined onArrakis.It is unique and it has true geriatric properties... But the important thing is to consider all the Houses that depend on CHOAM profits. And think of the enormous proportion of those profits dependent upon a single product — the spice. Imagine what would happen if something should reduce spice production. —Duke Leto Atreides,Dune

CHOAM's management andboard of directorsare controlled by thePadishah Emperorand theLandsraad,the assembly of noble Houses, with the Spacing Guild and theBene Gesseritassilent partners.Because of its control of interplanetary commerce, CHOAM is the largest single source of wealth in the Empire; as such, influence in CHOAM is a central goal of political maneuvering. InDune,Herbert notes:

"You have no idea how much wealth is involved,Feyd,"theBaronsaid. "Not in your wildest imaginings. To begin, we'll have an irrevocable directorship in the CHOAM Company."
Feyd-Rautha nodded. Wealth was the thing. CHOAM was the key to wealth, each noble House dipping from the company's coffers whatever it could under the power of the directorships. Those CHOAM directorships — they were the real evidence of political power in the Imperium, passing with the shifts of voting strength within the Landsraad as it balanced itself against the Emperor and his supporters.

Before the climactic battle inDune,Paul Atreidesand theFremenwatch the Padishah Emperor's encampment to see whether he will raise theAtreidesflag, indicating a recognition of Paul's claims, or the banner of Paul'sHarkonnenenemies. Instead, the Emperor raises the flag of CHOAM, as a reminder to all of the combatant parties that economics trump political considerations.

In 2011,Forbesranked CHOAM as the largest fictional corporation.

Prequels

In theGreat Schools of Dunenovels that take place eight decades after the end of the Butlerian Jihad, Josef Venport, the director of Venport Holdings (Venhold), the largest foldspace transportation company in the universe and the only company utilizing Navigators, forms Combined Mercantiles to mine spice on Arrakis. While ostensibly an independent company, it's an open secret that Combined Mercantiles works for Venhold. Presumably, the company eventually evolves into CHOAM.

Fish Speakers

TheFish Speakersare the all-female army of the God EmperorLeto II AtreidesinFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse,appearing primarily inGod Emperor of Dune(1981). Named so because "the first priestesses spoke to fish in their dreams," the organization is founded by Leto after the events ofChildren of Dune(1976).

InDune(1965), Leto II's fatherPaul AtreidesoverthrowsPadishah EmperorShaddam IVwhen Paul's fierceFremenarmy manages to defeat Shaddam's previously-unstoppableSardaukarforces. Though the religiously loyal Fremen and the remnants of the Sardaukar are later at Leto's disposal, Leto (possessing the life experiences of his ancestors over millennia throughOther Memory) has come to believe that male-dominated military organizations are essentially predatory and will turn on the civilian population in the absence of an external enemy. Ruling for 3,500 years as a human-sandwormhybrid,Leto molds his Fish Speaker army into both a military and religious force that also functions as thebureaucracyfor his tyrannical empire. As Leto sees hisGolden Pathfor humanity's survival from extinction coming to fruition, he allows himself to be assassinated at the end ofGod Emperor of Dune(1981). Control of the Fish Speakers passes toDuncan IdahoandSiona Atreides.

By the time ofHeretics of Dune(1984), the influence of the Fish Speakers has significantly waned in comparison to theBene Gesserit,Bene Tleilax, andIxians,the latter two now having great control over the Fish Speakers. By then, the Fish Speakers have also incorporated men into their ranks, and have little in common with the force maintained by Leto II in terms of philosophy or practices. Also by this time, many of the leaders of the Fish Speakers have been replaced with Tleilaxu Face Dancers, essentially making the Fish Speakers, and the realms under their domain, puppets of the Tleilaxu.InChapterhouse: Dune(1985), the unlocking ofMurbella's Other Memory confirms the Bene Gesserit's suspicions that the violentHonored Matresare descendants of Bene Gesserit who had fled intothe Scatteringfollowing Leto's death.

Fremen

Main article:Fremen

The Fremen are a secretive and misunderstood tribe of humans in theDuneuniverse. As the resident population of thedesert planetArrakis– who came there after thousands of years of wandering the universe – whenDune(1965) begins they have been long overlooked by the rest of the Imperium and are considered backward savages; in reality they are an extremely hardy people and exist in large numbers, their culture built around the commodity of water, which is extremely scarce on Arrakis.

Honored Matres

TheHonored Matresare a fictionalmatriarchalorganization inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse,described as an aggressive cult obsessed with power, violence, and sexual domination. After the death of the tyrantLeto II AtreidesinGod Emperor of Dune(1981), trillions of people of theOld Empiretake to the stars in adiasporaknown asthe Scattering.Representatives from each major race and order of the Empire spread out beyond the known universe in fleets of untraceableno-ships,beginning the journey along Leto II'sGolden Pathto save mankind from destruction. The Honored Matres develop during this Scattering, and they return to the Old Empire inHeretics of Dune(1984), wreaking havoc and leaving destruction in their wake. The Honored Matres conquer and rule through sexual enslavement, sheer physical power and the terror inspired by theirdraconianmethods. They are completely without mercy and quick to anger, often resorting to extreme measures of violence in the face of the slightest provocations. The leadership succession practices employed by the order are also severe: a subordinate sister who manages to kill the leader, the so-called Great Honored Matre or Matre Superior, takes her place. The Honored Matres exercise a form of fighting similar to what the Bene Gesserit refer to asprana-bindu,but they execute movement at a speed that far outmatches that of their Bene Gesserit contemporaries. This is coupled with their fighting style, known as Hormu, which is centered on the use of kicks to weak points on the body. The combination of these produces a warrior that is superhumanly fast and more than a match for any fully trained Reverend Mother in direct combat. In addition to their extremely violent tendencies, the Honored Matres are characterized bysexual imprintingabilities far superior to those ofBene GesseritImprinters.The Honored Matres are able to imprint a man sexually by amplifying his orgasmic response to such an ecstatic height that the victim of an imprinting becomes "addicted" to his imprinter, thereby becoming a willing slave of the Honored Matre who "marks" him. As the Bene Gesserit rely onmelangeand its many beneficial properties, the Honored Matres employ (and are similarly addicted to) a different drug that stimulates the production ofadrenalineand other chemicals typically produced by the body when experiencing pain. In addition to heightening the senses and responses of a user, this stimulant causes the eyes of an addict to be covered in flecks of orange when agitated, and when an addict is completely enraged the eyes are consumed by the color orange. The Honored Matres lack the precise control over their internal chemistry possessed by the Bene Gesserit, making them vulnerable to toxins and disease in ways the Bene Gesserit are not. Honored Matres are also capable of using combinations of language and tone in order to compel listeners into obedience on a subconscious level, though nowhere near as potently as the Bene GesseritVoice.Tleilaxu MasterWaffnotes that they are "far more terrible than Reverend Mothers of the Bene Gesserit." Scholar Kara Kennedy views the Honored Matres, in the context of the discussion of women's sexual agency in the novels, as "a foil to the Bene Gesserits' attitude towards sexuality".

InHeretics of Dune,the Honored Matres capture the teenageDuncan Idahoghola,who is loyal to their enemies, the Bene Gesserit. Young Honored MatreMurbellais tasked to use her sexual imprinting talents to enslave Duncan to force his allegiance to them. TheTleilaxuhave secretly programmed the ghola with the male equivalent to the imprinting power of the Honored Matres, which is unlocked by Murbella's attempt. Duncan and Murbella imprint each other, and in her weakened condition Murbella is easily captured by the Bene Gesserit. Following a Bene Gesserit plan,Miles Teggoads the Honored Matres into destroying thedesert planetArrakis,the only source of melange. The Bene Gesserit have, however, escaped with a singlesandworm,which they will use to restart the spice cycle on their own secret homeworld. InChapterhouse Dune(1985), the Honored Matres have destroyed all Tleilaxu worlds and have targeted the Bene Gesserit. They intend to assimilate the technology and superhuman skills of the Sisterhood, and then exterminate them. The Honored Matres capture and torture as many Bene Gesserit Reverend Mothers as possible to glean their secrets, while the Bene Gesserit hope to decipher their new enemies' motives, and learn enough about the fearsome Honored Matres to defeat them. It is also revealed that the Honored Matres are fleeing a powerful "unknown enemy" who had conquered their own massive empire out in the Scattering. Murbella decides to join the Bene Gesserit. During a Bene Gesserit attack on the Honored Matres, Murbella kills the Great Honored MatreLognowith her Bene Gesserit-enhanced fighting skills, and the Honored Matres are awed by her physical prowess. The Bene Gesserit Mother SuperiorDarwi Odradeis also killed, and Murbella secures the leadership of both groups, per Odrade's plan. Murbella intends to merge the two orders into a New Sisterhood, which displeases some women on both sides.

Sequels

The Honored Matres also appear inHunters of Dune(2006) andSandworms of Dune(2007) byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Anderson,which conclude the original series. Joining forces under Murbella's rule, both the Honored Matres and Bene Gesserit struggle to coexist. Renegade Honored Matres still persist, led by Matre SuperiorHellicaand maintaining strongholds on captured worlds such as Buzzell, Gammu and Tleilax. Over the course of twenty years, Murbella leads the Sisterhood against the renegades, culminating in the Battle of Tleilax, where Hellica is killed and the planet is completely destroyed. Killing Hellica, Murbella discovers that she is in fact aFace Dancerduplicate. With the fall of Tleilax, and the revelation of Face Dancer infiltration, the unbalanced and vindictive breed of Honored Matres is crushed. Murbella soon learns the "missing link" in the origin of the Honored Matres by exploring their past throughOther Memory.Initially a hybrid group of Bene Gesserit andFish Speakers,they had developed their violent tendencies with their third addition: awakened Tleilaxu females. The best kept secret of the Tleilaxu—that their famedaxlotl tanksare in fact their race's females kept in a vegetative state—had been laid bare before the matriarchal alliance, and their wrath had known no bounds. Attacking every Tleilaxu planet on their way out of the galaxy, the martial prowess of both the Fish Speakers and the Bene Gesserit had ensured their victory. They had managed to liberate a number of the axlotl tanks, and their next task had been to rehabilitate the brain-dead women. The fledgling order had enjoyed a modicum of success, and eventually the Tleilaxu females, angry at their males for treating them in such a way, had vowed revenge. Thus, when the Honored Matres burst upon the universe again, they take special care to lay waste to every extant Tleilaxu world, though the Honored Matres of later generations cannot remember the origin of their own hatred for the Tleilaxu. Murbella also discovers the true nature of the unknown Enemy: they are the resurrectedthinking machines,thought destroyed 15,000 years before, at the end of theButlerian Jihad,but amassing a force to finally exterminate humanity. Through Other Memory she witnesses the Honored Matres' first encounter with the unknown Enemy. A young Matre commander had invaded an area controlled by the remnants of the machine empire, with initial success. However, the thinking machines' retribution had been terrible, especially when they had realized that humans still existed. The machines had destroyed the Honored Matre empire, and the remnants had then fled back to the Old Empire to build a new dominion.

Ixians

TheIxiansare a technological culture inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.They provide both simple and sophisticated mechanical devices to the rest of the Imperium. Though Ixian technology is commonplace and considered essential, it sometimes tests the limits of the anti-technology proscriptions established in the aftermath of theButlerian Jihad,humanity's crusade against computers,thinking machines,andconscious robots.Among the Ixians' inventions later in the series are theno-chamber,a construct that hides anything inside fromprescientvision and long-range instruments, and theno-ship,a no-chamber instarshipform that does not require aGuild Navigatortofold space.

By the time of the events described in the 1965 novelDune,Ix is the leader in providing technology to the Imperium. Ixian devices are ever-present, but the society itself is unseen until later in the series. The sequel toDune,Dune Messiah(1969), refers to the "Ixian Confederacy".InGod Emperor of Dune(1981),Leto II Atreides's precognition shows him that hisGolden Pathhas prevented a future in which the Ixians released, and ultimately lost control of, self improvinghunter-seekersthat would eventually consume all organic life in the known universe. Leto talks about his relationship with the former Ixian ambassador Malky, who had been specially raised and trained by the Ixians to be a "tempter", the "Devil to Leto's God." The Ixians had intended for Malky to manipulate Leto into doubting his own purpose; the plan had ultimately failed. They had later createdHwi Noree,a female designed specifically to attract, seduce, and hold influence over Leto. In the novel, Leto meets Hwi and sees this intent, but cannot dismiss his attraction to her. The Ixian embassy onArrakisis infiltrated byTleilaxuFace Dancers,who kill and replace everyone there—except for Hwi—as part of an assassination attempt on Leto. The attempt fails, but Leto later allows himself and Hwi to be killed bySiona Atreidesas part of his own plan for the universe.

The Ixians had kept Hwi's development a secret through the use of their new invention, the no-room (later called ano-chamber), a construct which is able to hide the people within from prescience, as Guild Navigators can.The Ixians had also created the Navigation Device which would eventually take the place of Guild Navigators and help fuel thediasporaknown as the Scattering. Combining these two technologies later results in the no-ship, a starship that can remain unseen and does not require a Navigator to fold space.By the time of the events described inHeretics of Dune(1984), the power of the Ixians seems at its apex with their alliance with the Fish Speakers; however, Bene Gesserit analysts see them as a failing power, because Ixian society had become a bureaucracy and no great inventions had come out of the workshops of Ix for centuries. As the Honored Matres conquer the Old Empire, the Ixians are reduced to a barely tolerated technological combine.InChapterhouse: Dune(1985), the latestDuncan Idahogholasuggests that Leto had never "suppressed" Ix because "he was fascinated by the idea of human and machine inextricably bound to each other, each testing the limits of the other."

Prequels

In thePrelude to Dune(1999–2001) prequel trilogy, Ix is a beautiful, untouched planet that remains so by having no development on the surface. The industry of Ix is subterranean, mainly consisting of labs and factories. The Ixians are the galaxy leader in technological production and have the monopoly on producing the starships known asheighliners.House Verniusrules the planet, but thePadishah EmperorElrood IX Corrinoholds a grudge against EarlDominic Verniusfor two reasons: Dominic had married Elrood's formerconcubine,Shando Balut,and Ix's new, larger heighliners negatively impact Imperial tax revenue on cargo. Elrood secretly grants theTleilaxuthe right to occupy Ix by force (with the help of hisSardaukararmy) and remake it into a laboratory station forProject Amal.This secret project seeks to produce a synthetic version ofmelangewhich the Tleilaxu MasterAjidicacallsajidamal,oramal.The Emperor wants to take over the spice monopoly by making sure that he has the only access to spice, thus controlling theSpacing Guild.The Tleilaxu seize control of Ix and rename it "Xuttuh" after their founder, and House Vernius is forced to go rogue. Although Ajidica manages to create an artificial melange that seems to have the original's properties, it is proven to have adverse effects when two Guild Navigators, unknowingly testing the substance, cause the destruction of their heighliners. When DukeLeto Atreidesinvades Xuttuh and reestablishesRhombur Verniusas the ruler of Ix, all the records of Project Amal are destroyed.

Landsraad

For the real-world legislature (spelled Landsråd), seeGreenland Provincial Council.

TheLandsraadis a political body inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.As established in Herbert's 1965 novelDune,it is the assembly of all noble Houses in the Imperium, and plays a very important role in the political and economic power balance of the Empire, which is shared among the Landsraad, thePadishah Emperor,and theSpacing Guild(theBene Gesseritprefer clandestine manipulation to overt action and therefore remain a "silent" fourth power in the Empire until the fall ofLeto II Atreides). The Emperor's power derives from Imperial control of the seemingly invincible military forces of theSardaukar,and of the planetArrakisand its pricelessmelange,a source of endless wealth. The Landsraad represents the unification of all the other ruling families, known as Houses, to create a check against the individual power of the Emperor, a theoretically comparable force. Both the combined Houses and the Emperor are in turn dependent on the Guild for interstellar travel. This delicate balance of power initially serves to prevent any particularly ambitious or destructive faction or individual from upsetting the stability of society.

In "Terminology of the Imperium," the glossary ofDune(1965), Herbert specifies a House as a "Ruling Clan of a planet or planetary system," with major Houses holding planetaryfiefsand being interplanetary entrepreneurs, and minor Houses being planet-bound.Individual Houses are in constant competition for fiefdoms, financial and political power, and Imperial favor. The High Council is the inner circle of the Landsraad during the time of theFaufreluches,"the rigid rule of class distinction enforced by the Imperium."The council is "empowered to act as supreme tribunal in House to House disputes."A grievance is brought before the High Council in a Bill of Particulars. Shortly after the assassination of his fatherDuke Leto Atreidesand theHarkonnen/Corrinoinvasion of the planet Arrakis inDune,Paul Atreidesexpresses a desire to put forward a Bill of Particulars to the Landsraad High Council to express his grievance and point out the laws that had been broken by this invasion. Paul believes that his grievance would be supported because the Great Houses would never endorse the Sardaukar eliminating them one by one (which is, of course, one of the principal reasons why the Landsraad exists to begin with). The Judge of the Change is "an official appointed by the Landsraad High Council and the Emperor to monitor a change of fief, akanlynegotiation, or a formal battle in aWar of Assassins.The Judge's arbitral authority may be challenged only before the High Council with the Emperor present. "As a political body, the Landsraad predates the end of theButlerian Jihad(itself 10,000 years before the events of the novel) by approximately 2000 years.It was at some point referred to as the Landsraad League, and held influence over more than 13,300 worlds immediately after the Jihad.

The wordLandsraadis a compound word meaning "council of the land" (the 's' indicates possessive case). The word exists in severalGermanic languages.It was still written aslandsraadinDanishuntil the spelling reform of 1948 saw it changed tolandsråd.Herbert borrowed the word from a Scandinavian language. When asked, he defined the Landsraad thus:

Q: In the novelDune,what is the Landsraad?

Herbert: Well, Landsraad is an old Scandinavian word for an assembly of landowners. It's historically accurate in that it was an assembly and the first meetings of the legislative body—an early one, yes. The Landsraad—it's thelanded gentry.

Prequels

It is established in theLegends of Duneprequeltrilogy(2002-2004) byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Andersonthat the predecessor to the Landsraad is theLeague of Nobles.The League is the system of government employed by the remaining free humans before and during theButlerian Jihad;it isfeudalat its core but slightly more democratic than the Landsraad, as the League members vote for which Viceroy they prefer to govern them. After the Jihad and the accession ofFaykan Corrinoto the new Imperial throne, the Landsraad is formed by the League in order to keep the power of the Corrinos in check.

Mentats

"Mentat" redirects here. For other uses, seeMentat (disambiguation).

AMentatis a type of human, presented inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.In an interstellar society that fears a resurgence ofartificial intelligenceand thus prohibits computers, Mentats are specially trained to mimic the cognitive and analytical ability of computers.In Herbert'sDuneuniverse, a historical movement known as theButlerian Jihadresults in the strict prohibition of all "thinking machines",including computers,robotsand artificial intelligence of any kind.This is a key influence on the setting of Herbert'sDuneseries.More than simply calculators, Mentats possess exceptional cognitive abilities of memory and perception that enable them to sift large volumes of data and devise concise analyses.They can accurately assess people and situations by interpreting minor changes in body language or intonation.Early training occurs without the subject's knowledge, and at a certain age they are made aware, and given the choice to continue.Thoughhuman naturebrings an ethical component to a Mentat's logic and reasoning, theTleilaxucan create "twisted Mentats", who aresociopathsfree from the usual constraints of human morality and ethical boundaries.Mentat capabilities can be greatly increased by takingsapho juice,an addictive drug extracted from roots found onEcaz.Repeated use leaves a permanent "cranberry-colored stain" on the user's lips.

InDune(1965),House AtreidesMentatThufir Hawatis considered to be one of the finest Mentats of his time, and his protégé,Paul Atreides,is trained as a Mentat.Twisted MentatPiter De Vriesserves as advisor and strategist to the BaronVladimir HarkonneninDune.InDune Messiah(1969), the Tleilaxu restore renowned Atreides swordsmanDuncan Idahoto life as aghola,Hayt,imbued with the powers of both a Mentat andZensunniphilosopher. InHeretics of Dune(1984) andChapterhouse: Dune(1985),Miles Teghas an illustrious career as a combined Mentat and high-ranking leader of the Bene Gesserit military forces. InGod Emperor of Dune(1981),Leto IIoutlaws the Mentat order and crushes any renegade training schools he finds. The Bene Gesserit preserve the Mentat discipline, assuming that Leto knows of this through hisprescience,and approves. Later, inChapterhouse Dune,the Bene GesseritReverend MotherBellondalearns fromOther Memorythat the Order of Mentats was founded by Gilbertus Albans.

Prequels

The origin of the first Mentat is later explored in theLegends of Dune(2002–2004)prequelswritten byKevin J. AndersonandBrian Herbert.During the Butlerian Jihad, thinking machine leaderOmniussees humans as animals, but the independent robotErasmusargues that any human can become brilliant. Omnius picks a nine-year-old, blond-haired boy who appears to be the wildest and most unkempt of all, and challenges Erasmus to prove his theory. Erasmus calls the boy Gilbertus Albans, thinking that this sounds like a smart human's name. After initially failing to make progress by using a system of benevolence and rewards, he switches to a system of strict supervision and punishment, and the method works. By emulating Erasmus, whom he has come to consider his father, Albans becomes the first human to display computer-like cognitive and calculation capacity on the level of thinking machines. Because of Gilbertus' remarkable memory, organizational ability and capacity for logical thinking, Erasmus nicknames him "Mentat", created from the words "mentor", "mentee", and "mentation".

Padishah Emperors

For the real-world royal title, seePadishah.

ThePadishah Emperorsare the hereditary rulers of theOld EmpireinFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.In Herbert's originating novelDune(1965), it is established that while the Padishah Emperor is supremesovereignruler of the known universe, power is shared, in aquasi-feudalarrangement, with the noble houses of theLandsraadand with theSpacing Guild,which possesses a monopoly overinterstellar travel.Members ofHouse Corrinosit on the Golden Lion throne as Padishah Emperors from the time of the ancientBattle of Corrinuntil the events ofDunesome 10,000 years later.Duneestablishes thatSalusa Secundushad been the homeworld of House Corrino, and at some point the Imperial Court had moved to the planetKaitain.

AsDunebegins, the 81st Padishah Emperor isShaddam IV,but by the end of the novel he is deposed by DukePaul Atreidesin 10,193 A.G. (AfterGuild)after Paul seizes control of thedesert planetArrakis,the only source of the all-important spicemelange.Though Paul subsequently rules as Emperor, the term "Padishah" is dropped, and the Imperium as it has previously been known essentially ceases to exist since absolute control of the spice gives Paul unprecedented power over the Landsraad, Spacing Guild and all other factions. As detailed inDune Messiah(1969), Paul's apparent death 13 years later puts his sisterAliain place as Imperial Regent for his children,Leto IIandGhanima.Young Leto ascends the throne in 1976'sChildren of Dune,becoming a human-sandwormhybrid to achieve superhuman physical abilities and longevity.Leto rules as God Emperor for over 3,500 years; his assassination inGod Emperor of Dune(1981) effectively abolishes the Imperial throne.

Prequels

Severalprequelnovels byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Andersonfurther explore theback-storyof theDuneuniverse. According to theirLegends of Duneprequeltrilogy(2002–2004), the Empire had been founded on Salusa Secundus. Following the human victory over thethinking machinesin theBattle of Corrin,ViceroyFaykan Butlertakes the last name Corrino in commemoration. He ultimately names himself the first Padishah Emperor, Faykan I.ThePrelude to Duneprequel trilogy (1999–2001) chronicles the last years of the reign of Shaddam's father,Elrood IX,as well as Shaddam's accession and reign until the events ofDune.The series also reveals that, after centuries as the capital of the Corrino Padishah Empire, Salusa had been devastated byatomics.The Imperial throne had been relocated to the planet Kaitain, where it remains for millennia.

Rakian Priesthood

TheRakian Priesthoodis a priestly body that worships the Divided God,Leto II Atreides.They ruleRakisduring the time the Lost Ones are returning from the Scattering, approximately 1500 years after Leto II's death. They are presumably descendants of the Fish Speakers priestesses. The Rakian Priesthood maintain that bothMuad'Diband his son Leto II were hallowed, and that Leto was God Himself. Their canon details how, after his death, Leto divided into thesandwormsand became Shai-Hulud, hence the term "Divided God". The Priesthood is largely populated with individuals who lack insight, but possess ambition. After Leto's death, they maintain a brutal rule over Rakis, marked by random executions. Other powers from the Old Imperium, including theBene Gesserit,the Fish Speakers, and the Bene Tleilax, have come to find them a troublesome, ignorant group. The Bene Gesserit, however, enjoy a particularly great influence over the priesthood.

At the time of the discovery ofSheeana,the Priesthood is led by the High Priest Hedley Tuek, a descendant of Esmar Tuek. Tuek is eventually killed by the Tleilaxu and replaced with aFace Dancer,with the approval of the Bene Gesserit. However, the Face Dancer eventually comes to believe that he is Tuek. The entire Rakian Priesthood is later annihilated, along with the planet's population, when the surface of Rakis is sterilized by theHonored Matres.

Sardaukar

TheSardaukarare a military force fromFrank Herbert'sDuneuniverse,primarily appearing in the 1965science fictionnovelDune,as well asBrian HerbertandKevin J. Anderson'sPrelude to Duneprequel trilogy (1999–2001). They are soldier-fanatics loyal to thePadishah EmperorsofHouse Corrino,who have ruled the known universe for over 10,000 years at the time of the events ofDune.The key to House Corrino's hold on the Imperial throne, the Sardaukar troops are the most formidable professional military in the universe in that time. They are secretly trained on the inhospitable Imperial prison planet Salusa Secundus, and the harsh conditions there ensure that only the strongest and most ferocious men survive. Sardaukar training emphasizes ruthlessness, near-suicidal disregard for personal safety, and the use of cruelty as a standard weapon in order to weaken opponents with terror. Their uniforms are described as gray with silver and gold trim.

AsDunebegins, the 81st Padishah EmperorShaddam IVsends Sardaukar to join the forces of theBaron Harkonnenin their attack on the stronghold of DukeLeto Atreideson thedesert planetArrakis.The Atreides forces are crushed and the Duke killed, but Leto'sconcubine,Lady Jessica,and son,Paul,escape and find refuge with the nativeFremenof Arrakis, a fierce people with secretly large numbers and formidable fighting skills. Paul's training inBene Gesseritmartial arts and galvanization of their rebellion under his command make the newly allied Fremen forces unstoppable, superior even to the Emperor's Sardaukar. Using the Bene Gesserit compulsion technique calledthe Voice,Paul himself manages to compel the Sardaukar CaptainAramshamto humiliate himself by surrendering. However, Aramsham's Sardaukar stoicism is so great that he will not even give his name until Paul uses the Voice again. The defeat of the Sardaukar and Paul's stranglehold on the supply of the all-importantspice melangeallows him to depose Shaddam, marry his eldest daughterPrincess Irulan,and ascend the throne.

InDune Messiah(1969), Shaddam retains a single legion of Sardaukar in his exile on Salusa Secundus. Paul's concubineChanilater recognizes Sardaukar spies hidden among a visitingSpacing Guildentourage, and they are killed. It is also revealed that a "wise Sardaukar commander" had retrieved the corpse of the slain AtreidesSwordmasterDuncan Idaho,which had been entrusted to theTleilaxuand used to create agholaduplicate.During the events ofChildren of Dune(1976),Princess Wensicia,younger daughter of Shaddam IV, initiates a plot for her family and the Sardaukar to return to power. By this time, Paul has improved conditions on Salusa under the guise of making the planet more hospitable for the exiled Corrinos, but with the intent of rendering it an ineffective training ground for more soldiers. Though Wensicia's sonFarad'nhas tried to maintain the strict discipline that keeps the Sardaukar at their best, when Wensicia's efforts fail Farad'n voluntarily surrenders the army to the new Emperor, Paul's sonLeto II Atreides.The text ofGod Emperor of Dunenotes that, during the 3,500-year reign of Leto II after the events ofChildren of Dune,one of Leto II's many Duncan Idaho gholas had led the remnants of the Sardaukar in an unsuccessful revolt. Leto II finally abolishes the Sardaukar corps, replacing them with the all-femaleFish Speakers.Leto believes that male-dominated military organizations are essentially predatory and will turn on the civilian population in the absence of an external enemy.

A line ofDuneaction figures released by toy companyLJNin 1984, styled after David Lynch's film, included a figure of a Sardaukar warrior.

Spacing Guild

Main article:Spacing Guild

The Spacing Guild is an organization in theDuneuniverse whosemonopolyoninterstellar traveland banking makes it a balance of power against thePadishah Emperorand the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad.MutatedGuild Navigatorsuse the spice drugmelangeto successfully navigate "folded space"and safely guide enormousheighlinerstarshipsfrom planet to planet instantaneously. Essentially apolitical, the Guild is primarily concerned with the flow of commerce and preservation of the economy that supports them; though their ability to dictate the terms of and fees for all transport gives them influence in the political arena, they do not pursue political goals beyond their economic ones.

Suk School

TheSuk Schoolis a prominentmedical schoolinFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.Suk doctors are the universe's most competent and trusted physicians. Those who have received the "Suk Imperial Conditioning" are incapable of inflicting harm upon their charges. These individuals bear a black diamond tattoo on their foreheads, and wear their hair in a special silver ring.

The fallibility of Suk training is proven inDune(1965), in a situation involving Dr.Wellington Yueh.TheHarkonnentwisted MentatPiter De Vriesnotes:

Hawatwill have divined that we have an agent planted on him... The obvious suspect is Dr. Yueh, who is indeed our agent. But Hawat has investigated and found that our doctor is a Suk School graduate with Imperial Conditioning — supposedly safe enough to minister even to theEmperor.Great store is set on Imperial Conditioning. It's assumed that ultimate conditioning cannot be removed without killing the subject. However, as someone once observed, given the right lever you can move a planet. We found the lever that moved the doctor.

To gain such leverage against Yueh, BaronVladimir Harkonnenhad abducted and tortured Yueh's wifeWanna.The doctor is thus compelled to betrayHouse Atreidesin exchange for her release. Even so, Yueh allowsPaul AtreidesandLady Jessicato escape the attack and gives DukeLeto Atreidesthe means to kill the Baron (though Leto fails to do so).

Later in the series, inHeretics of Dune(1984) andChapterhouse: Dune(1985), many Bene Gesserits are trained by Suk Schools to become doctors for the Sisterhood.

Prequels

The origins of the school are explored in theLegends of Duneprequeltrilogy(2002-2004) byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Anderson.It gets its name from Dr. Mohandas Suk, a physician instrumental in fighting a catastrophicthinking machine-created plague among humans during theButlerian Jihad.After the war he sets out to establish a medical institution which will assure "that no threat of machine, war, or plague can ever harm us again."

Swordmasters of Ginaz

TheSwordmasters of Ginazare a school of martial artists inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.They are mentioned briefly in 1965'sDuneand its 1969sequelDune Messiah."Terminology of the Imperium" in the Appendix ofDunenotes that House Ginaz are "one-time allies ofDuke Leto Atreides"and are" defeated in theWar of AssassinswithGrumman."Duncan Idahois noted to be a "Swordmaster of the Ginaz,"which leads to his body later being sold to the Tleilaxu as "a master swordsman, an adept of the Ginaz School."

Prequels

The school's origins are detailed in theLegends of Duneprequeltrilogy(2002-2004) byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Anderson.Jool Noret of the ocean-covered planetGinazuses personal tragedy to make himself a fierce and innovative warrior, distinguishing himself in the ongoing war against the machine forces ofOmniusin theButlerian Jihad.Despite his reluctance to bask in fame or accept students, young warriors flock to Ginaz for training; he concedes, and eventually his unique fighting style becomes an art in its own right. Ultimately, the mercenaries of Ginaz are considered the most elite warriors available outside the ImperialSardaukar.

Thinking machines

Thinking machines (acymek(left) and Erasmus) from the cover ofDune: The Machine Crusade(2003)

Thinking machinesis a collective term forartificial intelligenceinFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.TheButlerian Jihad— a human crusade against thinking machines — is an epic turning point in theback-storyof theDuneuniverse.The thinking machines are first mentioned in 1965'sDune,the glossary of which includes the following:

JIHAD, BUTLERIAN: (see also Great Revolt) — the crusade against computers, thinking machines, and conscious robots begun in 201 B.G. and concluded in 108 B.G. Its chief commandment remains in theO.C. Bibleas "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind."

InDune Messiah(1969), theTleilaxuFace DancerScytalenotes that "From the days of the Butlerian Jihad when 'thinking machines' had been wiped from most of the universe, computers had inspired distrust."Herbert refers to thinking machines and the Jihad several times in his later works in theDuneseries, but does not give much detail on how he imagined either.InGod Emperor of Dune(1981),Leto II Atreidesindicates that the Jihad had been a semi-religious social upheaval initiated by humans who felt repulsed by how guided and controlled they had become by machines:

"The target of the Jihad was a machine-attitude as much as the machines," Leto said. "Humans had set those machines to usurp our sense of beauty, our necessary selfdom out of which we make living judgments. Naturally, the machines were destroyed."

Later in the same novel, Leto testsSiona Atreides,who experiences a vision of the future Leto is trying to prevent with hisGolden Path— mankind's extinction at the hands of "seeking machines":

He knew this experience, but could not change the smallest part of it. No ancestral presences would remain in her consciousness, but she would carry with her forever afterward the clear sights and sounds and smells. The seeking machines would be there, the smell of blood and entrails, the cowering humans in their burrows aware only that they could not escape... while all the time the mechanical movement approached, nearer and nearer and nearer...louder...louder! Everywhere she searched, it would be the same. No escape anywhere.

Herbert's death in 1986 left this topic unexplored and open to speculation.

Prequels

Chronicling the Butlerian Jihad, theLegends of Duneprequeltrilogy(2002–2004) byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Andersonestablishes that the thinking machines are a host of destructive robots led byOmnius,a sentient computer network. A thousand years before the Jihad, a group of twenty dissident humans had used thinking machines to enslave the rest of mankind, and then converted themselves into weaponized human-machine hybrids calledcymeks.Essentially immortal and unstoppable, they had become known as theTitans,but after a century had been overthrown themselves by Omnius and made his servants. Much of mankind suffers under thinking machine oppression for another 900 years, before the murder of youngManion Butlerat the hands of the independent robotErasmusincites the Butlerian Jihad. The last remaining free humans fight for a century before finally defeating the machines in theBattle of Corrin.

Sequels

InHunters of Dune(2006), Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's first of a two-part finale to Frank Herbert's original series, the antagonistsDaniel and Marty(introduced in Frank Herbert's 1985Chapterhouse: Dune) are revealed to be incarnations of Omnius and Erasmus. In the thirdLegendsnovelDune: The Battle of Corrin(2004), Omnius had sent out a last burst of information before being destroyed in the Battle of Corrin; it is explained inHuntersthat this signal had eventually connected with one of the probes disseminated fromGiedi Primeseveral decades earlier, uploading versions of Erasmus and Omnius.

Titans

TheTitansare a group of warlikecyborgsin theLegends of Dune(2002–2004)trilogyofprequelnovels, written byBrian HerbertandKevin J. Andersonand set inFrank Herbert'sscience fictionDuneuniverse.

Over 11,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert'sDune(1965), a group of 20 ambitious humans see the stagnation of the Old Empire and realize that their small band can take control of it with the aid ofthinking machines.Calling themselves the Titans, they rule humanity for a hundred years and rename themselves after famous historical and mythological figures, most notably Agamemnon, Ajax, Barbarossa, Dante, Hecate, Juno, Tlaloc and Xerxes. Eventually the group separates to each rule their own worlds in the galaxy, utilizing the thinking machines that had originally brought them to power as the means to control entire planets. Realizing that their human bodies are fragile and their lifespans limited, the Titans find a way to extend their lives indefinitely: installing their brains with the help of specialized interfaces into large, walking machine bodies. Calling themselvescymeks,the Titans become virtually unstoppable in these new fearsome, weaponized bodies. Having pushed to the very farthest limits ofartificial intelligence,their own machines run their empire for them for a century. Then, having mistakenly given one attendant AI program too much autonomy, the Titans suddenly find themselves overthrown and enslaved by an AI consciousness calling itselfOmniusthat seizes control of the entire known universe through the interconnected machine network. For over 900 years the Titans live in perpetual servitude to Omnius, cruelly subjugating humanity, quelling human insurrections and secretly plotting their own return to power. The murder of youngManion Butlerat the hands of the independent robotErasmusfinally incites theButlerian Jihad;the last remaining free humans fight for a century before finally destroying both Omnius' forces and the remaining Titans in theBattle of Corrin.