CREDITS

Creative L ead Managing Director Au d i o a n d Vi d e o To o l M a k e r s

Producer
Andrew Peregrine Cameron Dicks Alex Taylor, Luke Gill,
Steve Daldry David Hextall
Wr i t e r Head of Product
Editor Customer Service and
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Lloyd Gyan
Canon Editor Head of Development
Development
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And Our Wonderful Partners
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Production Operatives Could Not Have Been Made.
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Rita Birch Leigh Woosey, Thomas Bull Whose Singular Vision And
Mark Whittington, Imagination Have Inspired Us All.
Stephanie Toro Gurumendi

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V
 Contents
Adventure Outline............................................. 2 Act II:
What is Really Going On.................................... 2 Blood On The Canvas........................................ 8
Prelude:............................................................. 3 The Clues........................................................... 8
Artists in Residence............................................ 3 The Painting................................................... 8
The Heist........................................................ 8
Act I:
Bystanders...................................................... 9
Art For Art’s Sake.............................................. 4
The Gang....................................................... 9
The Great And The Good.................................. 4
Dead End......................................................... 11
Running The Party.............................................. 6
Theft................................................................... 7 Act III:
The Color Of Honor......................................... 12
Deadly Visit...................................................... 13
Unraveling The Strands.................................... 13

Continuing The Adventure.............................. 15

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R VI
VII
 D e s e r t Fl o w e r
‘The highest function of ecology is the understanding of consequences.’
-Pardot Kynes, Ecology of Bela Tegeuse, Initial Report to the Imperium

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 1
 Adventure Outline
A noted artist of the Imperium is mounting a new
exhibition showcasing ‘the beauty of Arrakis’ and the
AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
player characters have been given the honor of hosting
The title ‘artist in residence’ is an important
it. The artist, Talia Narell, is one of the ‘artists in residence’
one, but not quite as prestigious as it might
in the Imperial Court on Kaitain. While there are many
seem. It is granted to any artist (in any media)
such artists around the Imperial court, the exhibition still
whose work impresses the Emperor enough
carries the Imperial seal of approval. Should all go well,
for him to grant them a position at court
there is an opportunity for the player characters’ House
making art. Such people are paid a decent
to gain significant status. The exhibition is a collection of
stipend to work as professional artists (usually
several fine art paintings showing the harsh beauty of the
on Kaitain) and develop new works to impress
desert as well as the lives of the people of Arrakeen
the court. As having many such appointments
and Carthag.
makes the Emperor look like a ‘man of the
Unfortunately, after the exhibition, one of the paintings arts’, he tends to appoint them on a whim and
goes missing. The player characters get the blame as the often forgets who they are soon after. Some
painting was in their custody. They must quickly appease are quietly removed if they fail to produce
the artist and try to track down the painting before their enough sufficiently impressive art, or if they
House’s reputation is tarnished. Following clues from don’t produce anything that elevates the
a variety of sources, the player characters manage to Emperor’s self-image as a cultured individual.
discover the identity of the thieves, as there are very few
A few of these artists, however, can make
gangs that could carry out such a theft. However, they
names for themselves, bringing a little more
find all but one of them are dead, and the survivor has
glamor and honor to themselves and the
fled with the painting. To complicate matters, the killers
Throne. Those in favor can command great
turn out to be Fremen, who contact the player characters
respect as they have the ear (or at least eye) of
to insist that if it can be recovered, the painting should be
the Emperor. Even those of little importance
given to them.
are still considered Imperial employees.
Can the player characters retrieve the painting and As such, any insult they suffer is potentially
discover why it is so important to the Fremen? considered an insult to the Throne.

Wh a t i s
Really Going On
Talia Narell has no idea that her painting has the potential Unfortunately, unaware just how dangerous their employers
to reveal one of the Fremen’s most carefully kept secrets. are to cross, the art thieves got greedy and decided not to
The patch of deep desert she chose to paint was actually pass on the painting. They hoped to sell it to one of their
very close to one of the experimental planting areas in the contacts off Arrakis. This leads the Fremen to track down
Fremen’s ecological project to terraform the desert. It was and slaughter the gang, both for retribution, and to reduce
lightly guarded because no one ever comes that far south, the amount of people who have seen the painting. But one
so the Fremen didn’t see what was going on until it was too of the gang manages to escape, and desperately tries to
late. Talia left the area with her painting, unaware that the use the painting to barter an escape route off-planet. If the
interesting color of flowers that had drawn her to the area player characters can find them first, they must decide if
was proof a non-native plant was being grown there. they can afford to keep the Fremen secrets. However, they
may have no alternative if they want to keep their lives.
The Fremen tracked the artist but, due to her high profile,
decided not to kill her outright, which might cause too
many questions. Instead, they carefully watched from a dis-
tance and sent agents into the exhibition to see if there was
anything to worry about. The agents reported that things
were as they feared and a painting showing the flowers did
exist. To maintain their distance, the Fremen hired a gang
to steal the painting on their behalf, so it would appear to
be a simple art robbery.

2
 PRELUDE:
Artist In Residence
The following prelude can be used as an optional their enemies. But given the vagaries of the Imperial
beginning to the adventure if it suits the player character Court, it is quite possible the player characters’ House
group. If they prefer to begin with action rather than party was just the name someone picked out of a hat.
planning, the gamemaster can skip straight to Act I with Whatever the reason, once they are chosen, there is
the player characters ordered to attend the exhibition, no getting out of it without causing severe insult to the
and later to begin the investigation. Emperor. So, the player characters must do the best
they can.
An Imperial messenger arrives one day with a message
for the player characters’ House’s Ruler. Their House Luckily, the task is not a difficult or especially onerous
has been chosen to work with renowned Imperial ‘artist one. Talia is quite pleasant and wants her work to speak
in residence’ Talia Narell on a new exhibition. Talia has for itself. As such, she doesn’t want the exhibition to
been on Arrakis for the last year working on a selection be especially complex, as this may distract from the art.
of paintings capturing ‘the beauty of Arrakis’. Now she All the pomp and ceremony can be saved for Kaitain.
is ready to exhibit the art, and it will debut on Arrakis Talia has painted around twenty scenes of Arrakis,
before being taken to Kaitain for the perusal of the on canvases of various sizes, which depict life on the
Emperor himself and the Imperial Court. planet. The paintings cover street scenes, portraits of
locals and nobles, and several different panoramas of
Talia is one of the more respected artists in residence
the desert.
and so this exhibition will have the Imperial eye on
it (albeit from a distance) if only as it is funded with How much of the organization the player characters
a lot of Imperial money. As such, the Ruler of the do is up to the gamemaster and the players. If the
player characters’ House wants to see everything go players enjoy detailing where the exhibition will be
off without a hitch. So, they have assigned their best and how it will be organized, the gamemaster should
agents (the player characters) to make sure everything indulge them. They can decide what sort of setting each
goes as planned. painting will be displayed in, how the guests will be
entertained, and how the paintings will be kept secure
What the player characters’ House has done to deserve
and protected. Talia will have some ideas on that front
this honor is up to the gamemaster. If they have recently
and so there is potential for conflict. As Talia doesn’t
done something to impress the Emperor or the court,
know the player characters very well, she insists that
this is their reward. If they are in disfavor, the whole
the paintings are kept in her secure facility until the
thing is a test and a trap to see if they can embarrass
day before the exhibition. On that day they are to be
themselves again. So, it could be the result of the player
brought in and hung in the places assigned to them.
characters’ House diplomacy, or the machinations of

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 3
 AC T I :
A r t Fo r A r t ’s S a k e
This act begins at the exhibition of Talia’s paintings of
Arrakis. It is a one-night affair, as the Emperor is never
Th e Gr e at A n d
keen on being the second person to see anything. But, Th e G o o d
as Talia is well respected at court, she was granted the
The exhibition is due to open in the evening, and unless
indulgence of showing the paintings in ‘their native ter-
the gamemaster has any extra surprises they’d like to add,
ritory’ first, as long as it was a reasonably small gather-
everything begins smoothly. There are around fifty guests
ing (at least, by Imperial standards). Secretly, Talia’s real
in total, most being minor representatives of other Houses,
reason for this exhibition is so the paintings can be seen
local merchants, and several critics and members of what
without all the glitz and glamor of a Kaitain exhibition.
passes for an artistic set on Arrakis (and perhaps a few
Not that she’d ever tell the Emperor that.
wealthy underworld figures). A few of Talia’s fans and peers
The player characters are all at the exhibition (likely in have even made the journey to Arrakis specially to see the
full dress uniform) to make sure everything goes well. paintings early. However, the really important people (like
They should decide which of the following tasks (which heads of important Houses) will wait until the Kaitain show-
also list the most useful skills for that task) each one of ing to see the paintings.
them is performing. Any player character can pick any
Most of the guests are no trouble at all. They arrive, look
task, but a variety can make the scene more interesting.
at the paintings, drink wine, and enjoy the evening without
@ Security (Battle/Discipline) – As you’d expect, this is much of an agenda. However, the gamemaster can add as
simply keeping guard, but without looking too much many troublemakers as they like to make the evening more
like a guard. The player character must keep an eye difficult for the player characters. Any enemy Houses may
out for potential trouble, hidden weapons etc. They’ll also send representatives to see what the player characters’
also need to be ready to step in and defuse any House is up to and to see if they can stir up any trouble. As
conflicts swiftly before they cause a scene. this is an Imperial event, open conflict reflects badly only
on those who start such uncouth behavior. But there is no
@ Hospitality (Communicate/Move) – While there
reason the player characters’ enemies can’t try and push
are servants to bring drinks, the job of the hosts is
others towards causing a scene.
to manage the servants, make sure everyone has
a full glass and is enjoying the party. This involves If the gamemaster is short of problematic non-player
empathy, as not everyone wants to be nagged into characters, they can introduce some or all of the following.
enjoying themselves. It is up to the hosts to keep the None are essential and are designed to provoke conflict
party going with small talk and wine. during the scene. The gamemaster should use or omit any
they feel do not suit their group, or simply to reduce the
@ Observation (Understand/Communicate) – In any
numbers. This should also be tempered by how much the
gathering of important people, there are unspoken
group enjoys playing out social scenes.
politics and deals to be made. The observers are
tasked to stay in the background and take note of @ Saul Darrian (Critic) – Saul is a well-respected
who is talking to whom, and who isn’t associating ‘artistic advisor’ to the Imperial Court, but not as
with whom, to see if any secrets may be revealed. important as he likes to think he is. He is part of the
lower end of the Imperial entourage and is one of
@ Appreciation (Communicate/Understand) – It is not
many critics who evaluate new works to avoid the
enough for the player characters’ House to appear
Emperor having to bother with anything but the best.
hospitable and sociable. To really reap the rewards of
Unfortunately, Saul prefers to tear down the work
their appointment they must be seen to appreciate
of others as his caustic remarks entertain his fans,
and understand the art being displayed. This task
and sometimes the Emperor. The player characters
involves getting into conversations with the other
should try and convince him of Talia’s genius, or
(knowledgeable) guests and impressing them with an
at least defend her work to anyone Saul might be
understanding of the work.
criticizing it to.
@ Nyran Jarell (Rival) – Nyran is another artist in
residence at the Imperial court who is Talia’s main
rival. He is frightened that if Talia’s work is well
received, his reputation will fall. Thus, he is keen to
find out what people think. If most people like the
paintings he’ll want to support them (to stay in with

4
 TA LI A NA R EL L – R ENOWNED ARTIST
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
Talia has been an artist in residence at the Impe-
D U T Y: 5
rial court for over fifteen years. It took her a while
to make her name, and she has never really been If you don’t believe in yourself,
FA I T H : 7
the most celebrated artist of her generation. But you can’t create.
she has remained a solid and reliable producer of
JU S T I C E: 6 Fairness is truth.
exceptional paintings throughout her career. Her
avoidance of being ‘fashionable’ in her art has
P OW ER : 4
allowed her to avoid the fall that usually accompa-
nies the loss of the limelight.
T RU T H : 8 Art is truth or it is nothing.
Talia is in her late forties and dresses stylishly,
but conservatively. She considers her gray hair a
mark of experience and doesn’t dye it, but she SKILL FOCUSES
does enjoy wearing it in a variety of styles. While
she would rather make art than play politics, she B AT T LE: 2
understands a certain amount of courtly socializing
is what allows her to keep painting. This recent C O M M U N I C AT E: 7 Diplomacy, Painting
exhibition has caught the Emperor in a good mood
and he is funding the project, including the D I S C I P LI N E: 6 Observe, Precision
exhibition and Guild travel.
M OVE: 5

Traits: Artist, Imperial, Respected, Precise U N D ER S TA N D : 5 Art Appreciation

TALENTS:
@ Dedication: If the gamemaster has no Threat Which Paintings?
they may roll 1d20 when Talia enters a scene The gamemaster might use some of the art from the Dune
and if the result is equal to or less than her Core Rulebook as examples of Talia’s work. Some good
Discipline score (6) they may add 1 Threat. examples can be found on pages 98/99, 106/107, 154, 198,
212, 237, 268, 271, 306/307, 311, and 319 (additionally,
@ Passive Scrutiny: Upon entering a scene Talia
pages 78, 81, 91, 96, 143 of Sand and Dust).
may deduce one aspect of the scene as if she
had spent Threat to Obtain Information.

Assets: Stylish Clothes, Concealed Knife, Artistic

and Imperial Contacts

the ‘in crowd’), but if the mood is one of disdain he’ll gamemaster prefers to use an established rivalry,
foster that view with subtle criticism and faint praise. they might be representatives of the powerful Great
Houses Moritani and Ecaz, known to be bitter rivals.
@ Anna Vesarian (Fan) – Anna is besotted with Talia
Each is looking for any excuse to challenge the other
and her work and has made the trip to Arrakis at
to a duel. Even an honorable fight will certainly
great expense to see the work firsthand. While
her enthusiasm is a compliment, it is somewhat reflect very badly on the player characters’ House as
overabundant. Talia wants to keep her at arm’s the host. The player characters must do all they can
length if at all possible. However, Anna is a scion to keep the enemies apart or calm the tension.
of a wealthy minor House serving House Corrino @ Varis/Varia Toris (Supplicant) – This person hasn’t
(gamemaster’s choice as to which) and so cannot be come for the art, but instead to talk to the player
treated with disrespect. characters or (better yet) their ruler. They approached
@ Marcus Tralin and Sara Roshan (Enemies) – These one or the other with a local issue they want
two representatives of two Houses Major were addressed and haven’t had the answer they wanted.
unaware the other was attending and are not happy Thus, they have come to the exhibition to try and get
about it. They both picked this showing so they some time with the player characters or their ruler to
could avoid the other. They are not just bitter rivals, sort the problem to their satisfaction. Now is not the
their Houses are engaged in a kanly vendetta. If the time, but they are already out of patience and it may

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 5
 be hard to fob them off with platitudes. Their issue start of the scene, representing the preparations they
might be any of the following (or there may be more have made.
than one supplicant):
After that, the player characters can make other tests
@ A problem with their cut of the House’s spice to perform the various tasks they have been given. The
operation. gamemaster should ask each player what their character
is doing and offer them a skill test (with the Difficulty
@ A problem with their water rations.
being between 1–3, depending on the severity of the
@ A problem with the local Fremen raiding situation). Success keeps things under control, but fail-
their holdings. ure will escalate any situation. At this point, the player
characters may have to get help from each other to
@ A local dispute between neighbors in the
manage things.
player character House’s territory.
@ Battle – Should be the least-used skill unless things
@ An issue from a previous adventure that
get really bad. But it might be used to interpose
remains unresolved.
between people who are arguing, or eject anyone
Additionally, the player character House’s Ruler is in from the gathering who is misbehaving.
attendance with their consort and entourage. This means
@ Communicate – Possibly the most useful skill,
they will see firsthand any problems that arise. While they
allowing the player character to maintain interesting
can help the player characters if they need any assistance,
small talk and keep people engaged and
they will not be happy about it.
entertained. Communicate can also be used to see
Note that populating the party is not the sole responsibil- the connections between the guests and possibly
ity of the gamemaster. Players should be encouraged to notice who might be plotting or take issue with
add supporting characters of their own, as potential allies whom.
or enemies, as they prefer. If a player asks “Who do I see
@ Discipline – If any characters are being provoked
here that my character knows?” the gamemaster can
by their enemies, Discipline checks might be called
answer “You tell me.” Any interaction might then allow
for so they can remain in control and not cause a
such characters to become allies, contacts, or even assets
scene. Anyone trying to remain on the edge of the
of the player characters. This is especially useful after this
party to observe or guard might also need to make
scene, as the player characters may need new contacts
a Discipline test to keep their focus for such a long
for their investigation.
time.
Any of these may be represented with sample archetypes
@ Move – While the exhibition isn’t huge, it is large and
from pages 271–295 of the Dune Core Rulebook,
crowded. Move tests allow the player characters to
particularly the Arrakeen Native, Courtier, Envoy,
spread out effectively and cover the whole area. They
Merchant, Noble, Noble (Veteran), or Servant.
also allow them to get to any situation to try and
calm things down before it escalates.
Ru n n i n g T h e Pa r t y
@ Understand – If the player characters are trying to
The gamemaster should run the party in whatever way
interpret or comment on the art (or art in general)
suits their group, although the following offers a useful
they should use Understand.
structure they might follow. This might also be used as a
template for similar scenes in other adventures. How long the exhibition lasts and what happens
depends largely on how the player characters interact
Note that the gamemaster should consider carefully
with the gathering. To build the scene, the gamemas-
how much sub-plot to introduce in this scene. Players
ter should encourage them to be proactive rather than
sometimes can seize on even the most minor or super-
reactive. Instead of the player asking the gamemaster
ficial detail as a vital part of the adventure, which might
what they can see, the gamemaster should ask the
lead to huge diversions and potential dead ends. How-
player what their character has spotted and what they
ever, some groups enjoy lots of extra detail to explore.
are going to do about it. As noted above, players
The gamemaster should cater to their group’s tastes in
should be able to create new guest non-player charac-
this regard.
ters themselves that they can interact with, and poten-
As the evening begins, the gamemaster should allow tially gain for later use as assets and contacts.
the player characters an Easy (D0) Communicate test
While this scene can be very player-driven, some players
as they take a measure of the arriving guests and the
need a few events to get them started. The gamemaster
mood of the party. Only one player character can make
should use any of the following as a prompt for conflict,
the test but any of them can assist. This should allow the
or to keep the action moving and hook the players to
player characters to build up some Momentum for the
get more involved in the scene.

6
@ Talia Narell notices something with the exhibition is Unfortunately, the moving team has been infiltrated by
wrong or just not to her liking. It might be that two thieves and they steal one of the paintings overnight.
paintings should be in different places or a backing It is a very smooth operation where just one painting
or floral display isn’t the right color. It might even be is quietly placed in a different container and smuggled
that these are last-minute requests she made herself out. As the security force is not expecting just a single
and forgot or changed her mind about. The player
painting to go missing (or, to be honest, any of them,)
characters either need to appease her and convince
the theft isn’t noticed until the next morning.
her it is alright or make the changes without causing
a disruption to the party. It is possible the player characters insist on overseeing
@ A drink gets spilled on one of the guests. It might security. But they should be reminded that the people
be their own fault or that of a clumsy servant, but they have in place are professionals and while the
nevertheless the servant is getting the blame. The paintings are valuable, they are not especially valuable.
player characters must defuse the scene. How much Additionally, the Ruler wants to gather the player
they stand up for their own House servants is up to characters together after the exhibition for a debrief,
them. Blaming the servant is the easy way to mollify especially if anyone managed to cause a scene or
the guest, but it also makes the House look bad for embarrass the House.
employing poor servants, and may affect the morale
of the other servants and House employees. News of the theft can come to the player characters
in one of two ways. The most likely is that one of the
@ The player characters may notice that Saul Darrian
House stewards (who was acting as a liaison for Talia
is collecting a small group around him and is
Narell) comes to them in the morning. They tell the
about to launch into what will likely be a scathing
player characters that Talia’s people have noticed a
deconstruction of Talia’s work. The player characters
painting is missing from the storage facility. The paint-
may want to break up the gathering or try and
defend the work against his potential criticism. ings are due to be transported to Kaitain in a matter of
days and the collection cannot go incomplete.
@ Anna Vesarian is overcome at how incredible the
work is and becomes exceptionally (and rather If the player characters have been more security con-
over dramatically) emotional about it. The player scious, they may discover the theft a little earlier. If they
characters must either calm her or hide her to avoid check the paintings into the storage facility personally,
a scene, unless they can turn her enthusiasm to with a Challenging (D2) Discipline test they might notice
their advantage. one of the crates is empty. If so, they might be able to
@ Marcus and Sara have (thankfully, quietly) decided take steps to keep the theft secret from Talia… at least
to have a duel. They come to the player characters for a few hours.
to ask them to organize a good place to do so and
While Talia is both nervous and angry at the theft, her
possibly officiate. While they are both calm and
reaction depends on how well the player characters
measured, the honor of their Houses is at stake and
behaved at the exhibition. After all, it is the only meas-
so they both expect the duel to be fought right at
that very moment. ure she has of their general competence to get things
done. Luckily for the player characters, the theft does
@ An old lover of Talia’s is present, and the paintings not reflect well on Talia either. She’ll have to be the
have rekindled the feelings they used to have.
one to explain that the collection is incomplete to the
They choose this moment to profess their love to
Emperor. So, she is as invested as the player characters
Talia and passionately try to convince her to rebuild
are in keeping the theft from becoming widely known.
their relationship.
Essentially, the theft is an embarrassment to Talia,
Note that the gamemaster can create zone maps if the the player characters, and their House and Ruler, so
player characters want to create intrigues of their own none of them wants word to get out. However, Talia
during the party. For such conflicts each non-player is likely preparing a story that blames the House and
character in the intrigue will be a zone.
the player characters specifically if the painting cannot
be recovered.
Th e f t
If the player characters want to convince Talia they are
However well or badly the exhibition goes, at the end
of the evening the player characters can retire to their not to blame (as the organizers) it takes a Daunting (D3)
homes. Any fallout from whatever problems they faced Communicate test. Success gets them off the hook for
should wait until the morning. A small security force now, but they are still expected to do everything they
keeps the paintings safe while a group of professional can to find the painting before the collection is due
movers is coming in to pack and remove the paintings. to leave.

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 7
 AC T I I :
B l o o d O n T h e C a n va s
The player characters are tasked with finding the paint- If a Mentat character was able to look at the paintings in
ing, although there are very few clues to go on. They the exhibition, they may be able to revisit the memory
must visit some of their contacts to see if anyone knows in their mind and describe the painting. Additionally,
anything. Who they know and what they might be able despite the ban on recordings, Talia’s fan Anna Vesarian
to share depends on their assets and contacts. did secretly make some recordings. She won’t want to
admit this in case they are taken from her, or if it gets
If the group has played the adventure ‘Desertfall’
her banned from further exhibitions of Talia’s work. Note
(available online at www.modiphius.net) they may have
that if she does have a copy and the Fremen find out,
a relationship with the underworld figure Dulan Tass
they will want her dead and the copy destroyed too.
who runs a gambling establishment in Arrakeen.
Another potential underworld contact is Miran Rocha, If the player characters can get a detailed description
who they might have met in ‘The Water Must Flow’ of the painting, they see it is a night time desert scene,
(see Sand and Dust). The player characters may have with an ocean of sand painted in layers of color lit by
also created or interacted with other contacts during the reflected light of the twin moons rising over the wilder-
exhibition party who might be able to help. ness. On the right, a rise has a layer of striking flowers
that counterpoint the colors of the desert. A Daunting
Where the player characters get the clues from isn’t as
(D3) Understand test for a character with botanical
important as what they can find out. They simply need
knowledge will allow them to realize such a color of the
to find the right avenue to discover the clues. It is up to
flowers is rare to non-existent on Arrakis.
the gamemaster if the person they talk to might know
anything. Successful tests to interact with their chosen There are many potential reasons for this discrepancy.
contacts reveal what those contacts know. Firstly, Talia may have painted them that way to improve
the painting. While she remembers there were flowers
Th e C l u e s when she made the painting, she can’t precisely
remember what color they were. Secondly, they could
The following offer some of the avenues the player
be a non-native plant that has oddly managed to
characters might explore. It is up to the gamemaster
flourish on Arrakis. It is rare, but not impossible a new
to decide what tests might be appropriate. However,
breed of something might turn out to be hardier than
they should avoid reaching the point where the player
expected and grow unchecked in the deep desert
characters are missing a vital clue for no better reason
where no one really goes. Lastly, and most concerningly,
than they failed a dice roll. In general, Communicate
an environmental effect might have changed the color
tests convince people to talk to them. Discipline is used
of some native plants. Something their roots are draw-
when interrogating people (especially subordinates).
ing up might have provoked a color change. If so, this
Understand can be used to investigate a scene for
might be a sign of pollution or environmental damage.
clues. Move can be used to follow suspects and Battle
While this might be localized, if it is something wide-
can be a last resort, to either beat the information out of
spread, it might endanger spice production or the purity
someone or to duel for it! The Difficulty should be either
of the spice.
1 or 2 but generally depends on how well-disposed to
the player characters the subject is. Note that Talia can take the player characters out to
the area she painted the picture. It is a long ornithopter
THE PAINTING journey though. Upon arrival, there is no sign of any
The first thing the player characters should want to flowers (the Fremen have removed them). In any other
know is what the painting looks like. As all paintings are environment there might be signs of the planting, but
named and coded it is a simple matter to discover it is the desert winds have changed the landscape so much
called ‘Desert Panorama 4’. Talia tends to be direct in it is hard to even be sure the player characters are in the
her names and this is one of several desert scenes. If right place.
they ask Talia which one it was, she tells them that it was
a view over the sands somewhere in the deep desert. THE HEIST
She remembers that what drew her to that particular An investigation of the storage facility and the process
scene was a small splash of color on the crest of a rise of removing the painting shows how the painting was
in the distance. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a copy, stolen. It seems that it was boxed and crated at the
and no one was allowed to take any recordings at venue, exactly as it should have been. Then, en route,
the exhibition. the crate with the painting was swapped for an almost

8
identical one, so the facility staff counted in the correct Eyewitnesses can be found who were in the area late
number. After all, each crate was packed and sealed at the previous night and saw the theft. They note that
the exhibition venue, so a quick count at the storage once the unloading seemed complete a group of work-
facility is all that should have been required. The theft ers got back into the transport and drove it off into the
was only discovered when the storage staff scanned city. These witnesses can describe the transport and a
and checked the collection so it could be readied for few of the people who were in it. About six of the work-
transport to Kaitain. ers seemed to be part of the heist.

It seems the gang preloaded an empty crate into the

THE GANG
transport used to collect the paintings and then ensured
If the player characters ask for the names of all the
the empty crate got unloaded instead of the correct
storage workers and check up on who was present that
one. What the player characters do about this lapse in
night they find that six are missing. These were all
security depends on their House. While the security has
additional laborers brought in due to the high-profile
not been as tight as it could be, no one actually made a
nature of the exhibition. Instead of replacing real
mistake or helped the thieves. Any punishments are up
people the thieves have simply created false names and
to the discretion of the player characters, although the
credentials. Because of this, it is easy to discover which
Imperium is not an especially forgiving place.
identities are false as their trail leads nowhere.

BYSTANDERS If the player characters investigate the criminal

The storage facility is situated in an industrial district of underworld, they discover that there are few criminals
Arrakeen. If the player characters take a look around, with the skills to pull off this kind of theft. Few people
they find a few locals hanging around on the streets in Arrakeen would know how to pack a painting for
nearby. A fair few took an interest in the exhibition. interstellar transport, let alone steal one. So, with a
While none were on the guest list and few even know limited suspect list, any description the player characters
what it is about, it was clearly an important gathering have makes it easy to discover the identity of the
and garnered some local attention. six thieves.

T I M E B E C O M E S A N A R ROW D O O R | D U N E : A DV E N T U R E S I N T H E I M P E R I U M 9
 If the player characters are stalled in the investigation,
FACE DANCERS
they might be approached by a friend of the gang. This
If the gamemaster wants to really make things
person might be concerned the gang is in more trouble
complicated, the gang might be a group of
than they can handle and wants to broker a deal. They
Face Dancers (Dune Core Rulebook, page
might be a member of the gang hoping to sell out their
61). They have been embedded on Arrakis by
friends for clemency, or a rival gang member looking to
the Tleilaxu to build connections in the crimi-
use the player characters to get rid of their competition.
nal underworld and maintain an information
network. While the Tleilaxu aren’t connected
to the theft (the gang still took the job for the
same reasons, and the Fremen didn’t know
their true nature) the suggestion they might
be involved should make the whole affair
seem a lot more complex and dangerous.
Sample Tleilaxu are provided on pages 278
and 294 of the Dune Core Rulebook.

Unfortunately, it is one thing to know who these people

are, and another to find them. They don’t share where
they live with many people and move around to avoid
the attention of people like the player characters. The
player characters must make some impressive threats or
call in some big favors to get their contacts to provide
any details.

If they can’t force or cajole the information out of their

contacts, they might still be able to find the gang. The
thieves have friends in Arrakeen, and those friends may
warn them that someone as powerful as the player
characters is looking for them, and getting closer. All
the player characters need to do is wait for one of these
friends to try and make contact with the thieves and
then follow them.

Finding such a person is tricky, but not impossible if the

player characters think ahead. In any encounter with one
of their contacts, anyone not involved in the negotiation
can observe the room or street they are in. On a suc-
cessful Discipline test such a player character will notice
someone nearby looking far more interested than most
in the negotiation. The Difficulty of the test depends
on the circumstances of the meeting. An underworld
criminal’s ‘court’ with several people in attendance is
Average (D1). A secret street meeting with few bystand-
ers is Daunting (D3). Once they have a suspect, the
player characters can try to track down and watch that
person and follow them to the thieves, with an Average
(D1) Discipline test.

If the player characters don’t think of this, then their

investigation still gets the attention of one of the
thieves’ friends. They start following the player char-
acters to see what they are up to. If the player charac-
ters notice this, they can try and follow the contact or
ambush them and interrogate them for the location of
the thieves.

10
 Dead End
Eventually, the player characters should be able to What makes that strange is that the Fremen didn’t claim
interrogate or follow someone to reveal the location of the bodies for their water. However, in this case they
the gang of thieves. It is in one of the poor districts of didn’t have time or the resources to take the bodies to
Arrakeen, hidden away in one of the many back alleys. a deathstill. They also didn’t want to put the water of
Just getting there may present some problems for the those who had betrayed them into their tribe’s supply
player characters who will stand out in such a district. in case it corrupted it. Any Fremen knows leaving the
The gamemaster might have them ambushed by allied bodies is a sign of utter disdain by the Fremen, saved
thieves or even enemy assassins once they are deep only for those they deem utterly unworthy.
in these side streets, away from the safety of their own
district. Use the Criminal writeup (Dune Core Rulebook,
page 275) if desired.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
When the player characters arrive at the address, they
The thieves were meant to meet the Fremen
find a simple stone building set in a row of identical
to hand over the painting and get the
homes. It has no security (the door is even ajar) but the
arranged compensation in spice. But the
player characters are free to be as cautious as they like.
thieves got greedy and decided not to make
Unfortunately, inside is a scene of brutal destruction.
the meeting. Having discovered more about
Five dead bodies can be found in the two-room build-
the reputation of Talia Narell, the thieves
ing, which has also been ransacked. If the player charac-
decided they might make more money selling
ters make Average (D1) Understand tests, they can use
the painting off-planet. The leader of the gang
Obtain Information to gain any of the following clues:
set off to see if any of their usual buyers were
@ The five people match the descriptions of the gang, interested, in case she could get a good price
and by this time the player characters should know without leaving Arrakis.
there are meant to be six gang members.
Unsurprisingly, the Fremen were not
@ Each member of the gang was killed with the same impressed by this behavior. They considered
type of weapon, a fighting knife of some form. Each offering more spice but decided the thieves
person was killed very efficiently and instantly, with a could not be trusted in any way. No new deal
single stab wound. would be honored and the thieves would
possibly even sell the secret of the painting if
@ The attack happened recently, probably within
they figured it out. So they sent a small unit
the last twenty minutes, without an apparent trail
to reclaim the painting and kill the thieves.
to follow.
Unfortunately, the Fremen assassins were
@ The attack was probably a complete surprise, as young and inexperienced and assumed
many of the gang appeared to be in the middle of the painting would be in the house. They
things like reading, sleeping, or eating, etc. prioritized killing the thieves for the sake of
justice, but were then surprised they couldn’t
@ The place was ransacked after the attack, not before.
find the painting in the house after tearing it
There are a few valuables left, suggesting the killers
apart. It was at this point one of their lookouts
were looking for something specific. It is impossible
saw the player characters approaching, so
to determine whether the killers found what they
they left quickly, before their involvement
were looking for.
could be discovered.
If the player characters claim any of the bodies for
This saved the life of the sixth thief, who was
further analysis a medic (anyone with an appropriate
returning from running an errand. She arrived
trait) can do a forensic examination of the wounds. On
just before the player characters but took one
a Daunting (D3) Understand test they discover there is
look at the scene inside and ran. If the player
no trace of the weapon in the wound. This is a little odd
characters interview some of the locals on the
as a metal knife would have left minute particles. There
street they can learn this information on an
are small particles of sand in the wound though. While
Average (D1) Communicate test.
this is not unusual on a desert planet, they are driven in
further than they should be, implying they were on the
knife. If the player characters are aware that crysknives
dissolve when not kept near a living body this may all
lead them to suspect this was the work of Fremen.

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 11
 AC T I I I :
Th e C o l o r O f Ho n o r
With the trail leading to a gang of dead thieves, there offer their services as smugglers or Guild operatives who
is clearly something else going on. If the player charac- have a way off-planet – no questions asked. This will
ters have discovered Fremen are involved they may be leave Ella to make contact, where they can negotiate a
somewhat nervous of crossing them. The next step is fee to leave Arrakis. Ella doesn’t care where she goes as
clearly to try and track down the last gang member, who long as it isn’t here, and the player characters are leav-
must be the only person who knows where the painting ing as soon as possible.
is. This person is Ella Carren, who has concluded that
How any meeting with Ella turns out depends on the
she needs to get off-planet as soon as possible, and
approach the player characters take and what contacts
that the painting may be both a death sentence and her
they use to make a connection. While Ella needs to be
only life insurance.
trusting to a certain extent, she isn’t a fool. Thus, she is
In the same way as when they were investigating the on her guard and wary of betrayal or treachery on the
painting’s disappearance, the next steps of the investi- player characters’ part. Making contact and putting her
gation depend on how the player characters use their at ease requires Communicate tests with a Difficulty
contacts and what assets they have available. To get a dependent on how suspiciously the player characters
lead on Ella they must focus on contacts in the Spacing are behaving.
Guild or local smuggler communities. If they do, they
The whole process of contacting Ella and getting her
discover that there is a young woman looking to get off-
to trust the player characters might be played out as
planet very quickly, and who is offering over the usual
an Intrigue conflict, if desired. In this case, Ella and the
asking price. While Ella intends to trade the painting (as
player characters are considered as zones. Assets used
it is reasonably valuable) she is trying not to mention it,
in the conflict are the player character’s contact and their
in case it leads the Fremen assassins right to her.
ship (real or imagined). Ella uses her own suspicions as
If the player characters can’t track Ella down, their best an asset, and a successful attack on her part discovers
bet is to set a trap for her. They can use their contacts to the player characters’ true intentions.

E LL A CA R R A N– A RT THIEF
DRIVE S TAT E M E N T
NOTABLE SUPPORTING CHARACTER
Ella has lived on Arrakis all her life, the daughter of 4
D U T Y:
immigrant spice workers who both lost their lives
harvesting spice before she got to her twenties. 5
FA I T H :
She swiftly turned to crime, as she had no desire to
follow her parents into a life that might be cut so 6
JU S T I C E: You make your own justice.
short. Luckily, she was clever, and that cleverness
led her to assemble a good crew. They specialized 8
P OW ER : You only keep what you take.
in high-end theft and worked both for themselves
and any local crime lord who needed their services. 7 Suffering is the only truth.
T RU T H :
They made a point of stealing very valuable items
so they could lay low and let the heat die down a
little before doing another job.
SKILL FOCUSES
Remaining members of her gang still alive, if any,
can use the Criminal archetype (Dune Core Rule- B AT T L E: 2
book, page 275).
C O M M U N I C AT E: 5
Traits: Thief, Orphaned, Careful

TALENTS: D I S C I P L I N E: 6 Infiltration
@ Cautious (Move): When Ella makes a Move
test and buys extra d20s using Threat, she may M OVE: 6 Escaping
re-roll one of those d20s.
U N D ER S TA N D : 5 Art Appreciation, Danger Sense
Assets: Concealed Knife, Underworld Contacts

12
 to get rid of the painting first, calming the situation, and
D e a d l y Vi s i t then they will determine whether they need to kill Talia
Meanwhile, the Fremen have not been idle. There before she leaves Arrakis.
are a few options they can take, but secrecy is their
primary concern and they have already left too many
bodies in their wake. They are aware the player
FREMEN PLAYER CHARACTERS
characters are also looking for the painting by this
Fremen player characters may find themselves
point, but what they decide to do next depends on
in a difficult position during this adventure,
the player characters’ reputation.
depending on what they know and how
If the Fremen don’t know who the player characters are, much they trust their House. The gamemaster
they follow them and let them lead them to Ella. One should determine which tribe the Fremen non-
of the reasons Ella is having trouble getting off planet player characters are from and if it is the same
is that the Fremen have put out the word that they will as the player character’s. If the tribe involved
be ‘upset’ with anyone who helps Ella leave Arrakis. As in the theft is not their own, they won’t know
most spice smugglers avoid crossing the Fremen when- what is going on. Also, not every Fremen even
ever possible, Ella’s usual contacts are refusing to help. knows about the ecological experiments in
This is something the player characters can discover if the deep south. So, it is possible the Fremen
they use any contacts in the smuggler community. player character doesn’t know any more than
the other player characters.
If the player characters appear honorable or have a
connection to the Fremen (such as a player character However, if they do know more (or it is
Fremen) the Fremen try and make contact, to see if they their tribe that is involved) they are given a
can enlist the player characters’ aid. A group of Fremen counter-mission by their Naib. It will be up to
comes to visit the player characters and insists the paint- them to mislead the other player characters
ing should be given to them, as well as the remaining and obfuscate what’s really going on. They
thief, if the player characters can find them. If the player won’t be asked to work against their House’s
characters aren’t interested, the Fremen promise deadly interests, just to keep them in the dark about
retribution. They make it clear that they aren’t asking for the significance of the painting. If so, they
the painting: they are demanding it. might be the one to deliver the Fremens’
ultimatum when they reveal themselves.
Only their leader identifies himself, giving his name as
Wafiq. If necessary, all the group are relatively young Having said that, the player character
Fremen Warriors (Dune Core Rulebook, page 280). If Fremen’s reaction should depend on how
they are captured or meet significant resistance, more much they trust the other player characters
Fremen arrive within a day or two to support them, led and the House they all serve. Ideally, the
by a much deadlier Fremen Elder named Akil (Dune gamemaster should avoid pitting any of the
Core Rulebook, page 279). player characters directly against each other
to a degree that might come to bloodshed
If the player characters seem honorable enough to
or broken alliances, unless they want a very
them, the Fremen make contact when the player charac-
messy end to this adventure.
ters manage to contact Ella. They take the same tack as
above, warning the player characters not to cross them.

While the Fremen are exceptionally dangerous, the

more complex the situation gets, the more their hands Un r av e l i n g Th e S t r a n d s
are tied. They had hoped that the theft of the painting
By this point the player characters have a lot of deci-
would just be seen as simple art theft. A few people
sions to make. There are no really good options here, so
might have seen it, but no one would notice what
their choices depend on who they are willing to upset
was special about it. But the more they must do, the
and who they want to make allies of.
more attention the whole affair draws, more and more
people will get interested in what the painting actu- If they help Ella get off-planet, she tells them where the
ally looks like. So, while some Fremen are tempted by painting is hidden. It is in a small warehouse in Arra-
a killing spree, this inevitably ensures more people will keen, hidden among many similar boxes. The painting
investigate even more fervently. For this reason, Talia is is well-packed and in perfect condition. While she will
reasonably safe, as the Fremen recognize that she does hand over the painting as promised, if the player char-
not know the true nature of her subject matter. But the acters have little honor, she also reveals this information
possibility remains that Talia may try to recreate the under interrogation/torture. If the player characters
work if it is lost. Therefore, the Fremen focus on trying hand her over to the Fremen (or give them her

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 13
 hand her over to the Fremen (or give them her Fortunately, the secret should be safe. No one at court
location) the desert folk ensure she reveals the location is likely to recognize the color of the flowers as being
of the painting before killing her and ensuring her body special. If someone does, Kynes the Imperial planetolo-
is never found. gist can make the trip to the Imperial Court to quietly
quash the rumor and claim it is just artistic style not a
If the Fremen get the painting, they are extremely
real plant. As the leading expert on Arrakeen flora their
grateful to the player characters; although not so
word will be considered the final one. However, Kynes
grateful that they explain why it was important. Such
will not relish a trip to the Imperial court and any such
trust is a long way away, but a possibility one day in the
visit will be an act of desperation to protect the Fremen.
future. If the player characters have figured it out (and
are foolish enough to tell the Fremen) the Fremen will There is one way the player characters can please eve-
warn them to keep the secret, or they will be killed. ryone, but they must be clever, have the right contacts,
The gamemaster should emphasize that the only reason and be very convincing. If they can get hold of the
the Fremen don’t try to kill them now is that they have painting and repaint the color of the flowers to some-
proved themselves friends (for now at least) and more thing less noteworthy, the Fremen will be appeased,
bodies will raise more questions. and Narell can have her painting back. Unfortunately,
Narell may take some convincing to make any adjust-
Unfortunately, if the Fremen get the painting, it won’t
ment herself. As far as she is concerned, the painting is
be returned to the collection. The player characters will
done, and any critical feedback is unfounded. Any death
have failed their mission and be blamed for its loss.
threats from the Fremen lose their sting once she leaves
This earns them a black mark with not only Talia Narell
the planet. So, it must be made clear to her (politely)
but also the Imperial Court. It isn’t enough of a loss to
that this is the only way she gets the painting back.
cause a huge problem, but the House gains the trait
‘Imperial Disfavor’ for as long as the gamemaster feels If there is no way the player characters can convince
is reasonable. Narell (or don’t think it worth trying) they might try
engaging a forger to make the changes. Finding one
However, if the player characters return the painting
depends on their contacts. Should one of the player
to Narell, they earn the ire of the Fremen. The Fremen
characters want to make the adjustments it takes a
make one last attempt to destroy the painting (or the
Dire (D4) Discipline test, and the gamemaster may
whole collection, if need be). But once the collection
insist the character has an artistic trait of some form to
is aboard a frigate and on the way to a heighliner, their
even attempt the test. No one can assist, only a single
cause is lost. While they may be tempted to kill the
attempt can be made, and failure ruins the painting.
player characters in revenge, they think better of it.
More bodies will just underline how important the However, if the player characters can pull off that com-
painting was to them. All they can do now is hope no promise, they can please both parties well enough to
one notices. maintain their House’s reputation and make allies of the
Fremen. Returning the painting (in any way) earns their
House the trait ‘Imperial Favor’ for a little while, and the
thanks of Talia Narell, who is a useful contact at court.

14
 Continuing
Th e A dv e n t u r e
There are a few loose ends that the player characters @ The Emperor is so pleased with Talia Narell’s
might want to follow up in further adventures: exhibition he decides there should be another one.
The player characters’ House is ordered to put
@ If Talia Narell isn’t sure how her work will be received,
together an exhibition of native Arrakeen art and
especially with a missing painting, she might insist
crafts to bring to Kaitain. They need to search high
the player characters come with her to Kaitain.
and low to find even a few items that can impress the
There, they must back her up and try to cover
Imperial Court, unless they have an especially clever
up any problems in front of the Emperor and the
idea about how to present it. Either way, they’ve
Imperial Court! While the Emperor is usually more
barely got any time, as the Emperor doesn’t like to
interested in looking like a patron of the arts than
be kept waiting.
actually looking at the paintings, his court is full of art
aficionados who may be eager to cause problems for @ The question of why the Fremen were so keen to
the player characters’ House. keep a secret may also interest the player characters.
However, the great ecology project they are carrying
@ If she survived, Ella is looking to get a new team
out in the deep desert is one of their most well-kept
together to carry on the only career she knows. If the
secrets. But it mainly stays secret as no one goes
player characters are willing to help her, she might
that far south. Player characters following up on this
make sure a few heists are against their enemies.
should be reminded directly or indirectly that the
A theft of a valuable item from an enemy House
Fremen are prepared to kill to keep their secrets.
can make Ella wealthy and embarrass an enemy of
the player characters. She might also want to do
something for the Fremen to undo her wrong and
wants the player characters to broker a deal to use
her skills on their behalf. If the player characters
made an enemy of her and left her alive, Ella might
become a thorn in the player character House’s side.

D U N E : D E S E RT F L OW E R 15