The Spice Must Flow: Dune
“He who controls the spice controls the universe.”
In the far future, all interstellar travel is dependent on a precious chemical known as melange, or spice, which can only be found on the desert planet Arrakis. The galactic Padishah-Emperor, Shaddam IV Corrino, has given the responsibility for ruling this valuable planet and harvesting the spice to the noble Duke Leto of House Atreides, something that will certainly displease their treacherous rivals in House Harkonnen, the previous rulers of Arrakis. As much as this seems like a victory, many whisper that Shaddam fears the rising power of the Atreides, and has set a trap alongside the Harkonnens to wipe out the Atreides permanently. This committee, composed of the advisors of House Atreides, their local Fremen allies, and representatives from other imperial factions, must carefully navigate both the deadly Arrakis environment and treacherous political scene of the imperial Landsraad in order to overcome their common threat.
Topic A - Spice Production and Atreides-Fremen relations
“Arrakis is Arrakis and the desert takes the weak. This is my desert. My Arrakis. My Dune.”
Spice is only found in the deep desert of Arrakis, the harshest parts of the planet-wide barren wilderness. Thus, in order to maintain their profits, and by extension their rule over the planet, the Atreides must identify solutions to quickly travel across the desert and extract spice without being devoured by the planet’s harsh conditions or massive sandworms. Additionally, the Atreides must negotiate with the planet’s native inhabitants, the Fremen. These people are among the best warriors in the Imperium, and using advanced technology, thrive in the deep desert and sietch-settlements. However, they are fiercely independent, and fought a decades-long war against the brutal Harkonnen occupation; any miscommunication or insult between the two sides can easily throw them into war. Duke Leto’s advisors must determine how the Atreides and Fremen can coexist on the planet, working together to maximize spice profits while upholding the authority and rights of both groups.
Topic B - The Harkonnen Threat
“For eighty years Arrakis belonged to House Harkonnen. Eighty years of owning the spice fields. Can you imagine the wealth?.. You never met Harkonnens before. I have. They are not human. They're brutal!”
House Harkonnen, led by the tyrannical Baron Vladimir, were the previous rulers of Arrakis, and are enraged at losing this invaluable prize to their Atreides rivals. The two houses have competed for centuries, a conflict that can only grow worse as the Harkonnens attempt to reclaim their crown jewel. Meanwhile, the emperor appears unwilling to intervene: many rumors claim that the growing power and status of the Atreides have scared him into an alliance with the Harkonnens, and that the two plan to wipe out the Atreides once and for all. Therefore, the Atreides and Fremen need all the help they can get from the other Great Houses, imperial factions, and warriors of Arrakis to devise strategies to fight off their opponents and secure power. Ensuring safety from both the enemies on their borders and traitors within will be paramount to ensuring the Atreides can thrive on Arrakis.
