#the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe

[seraphitus]

Dune: Part Two (2024) Japanese posters, character portraits.

[lya-dustin]

Queen of Light, King of Darkness

Aka the space!Nurbanu x Feyd Rautha fic

Cw: murder, allusions to sex, manipulation, mentions of cannibalism

Feyd Rautha x oc/reader

Taglist: @beebeechaos @avidreader73 @dunefandomhub

Much like your mother before you, you did not lack boldness.

Your mother had captivated the Padishah Emperor even before his wife had died and cemented her place as favorite with the promise of a son ---and her wit and beauty heightened by her abilities, of course.

She would have succeeded if the Bene Gessrit had not meddled and made an example out of her. They claimed they had made her Shaddam Corrino’s concubine in the first place as a replacement for Anirul ---who was only of a middling rank as her daughters were--- and killed her so the emperor knew what would happen if he put a wrench into their centuries long breeding scheme.

Irulan was meant for Paul Atreidis and would birth the Messiah’s children who would inherit the throne, and you, Nurbanu, were meant for whoever the Sisterhood told your father to marry you off to.

But you have other plans.

You wanted the throne. You wanted revenge for your mother, and you knew there was only one way to acquire it.

Through him.

The Harkonnen heir who delights in cruelty and pain.

Feyd Rautha would be yours and the known universe as well.

You know you have caught his eye when he forgets who he is trying to impress and focuses on you and only you.

To the untrained eye, you wear gray and silver as you are hosted by the Baron in all his grotesque glory. You wore pink, an almost insulting color here where the black sun paints everything in stark shades of black and white.

They favored cool dark tones, black as the sun and white as marble are the most seen here. Some may be bold and wear blood red or a deep blue, but colors like those you wear are not welcome.

Not that they can say anything about it, you are the emperor’s daughter.

You purposely avoid him during the festivities, hurting his ego because for the first time, a woman isn’t falling over herself for his attention.

It’s a good game, him as the predator and you as his prey.

But he has never met a woman quite like you, and his usual strategy doesn’t work. He can not make you jealous, he cannot impress you with his cruelty nor his position, nor can he manage to get you close enough to seduce you.

And yet, when he gives up, he finds you in his bed drinking his hard liquor and his concubines asleep on the floor. They have their own quarters as a proper harem would, but this is intentional. This was done to show your superiority over any woman he’s been with or ever could be.

“Was Lady Margot as good as the Box?” You ask mockingly. You are laid back on his pillows, as if you owned it as if he was the one who needed permission to even be there.

“Do you mock me?” He will find a better use for your mouth.

“Merely teasing you, you did have me here waiting all night. I was about to wake your harpies to make my night worthwhile.” You were Bene Gessrit just as Lady Margot Fenring was. He had rather enjoyed his night, but she had only awoken his appetites.

He knows nothing would feel as good as fucking a princess on his own birthday. To paint your pale skin with his seed as dark as your hair, to breed a son into you and claim the golden lion throne through you.

Vladimir is a fine name for an emperor. Vladimir Feyd, Padishah Emperor of the Universe.

“You haven’t even touched me, and already you named our firstborn.” You continue to tease him, light brown eyes dark with lust as you sense all the things he wants to do to you tonight.

There are so many ways he could take you, so many ways he could make you pay for your impertinence. He strips himself as he approaches you like a hunter with his quarry.

“Are you always this insolent, your highness?” Feyd climbs in slowly, like a great feline ready to pounce, but he never does. The Na-Baron only positions himself atop you ready to fuck you into submission.

Fenring had been the one in control. This time, it would be him who’s in control.

“Only when a man has my interest.” He can taste your arrogance in your lips and tongue. A heady feel like fucking under the influence of the spice, something he can bet you know about.

And if you don’t, he will gladly show you.

“A husband could fix that.” Who better than he to be that man. Your own name already matches his own.

Queen of Light. King of Darkness.

"Prince Consort Feyd Rautha has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Even the Bene Gessrit couldn’t have ever stopped this from happening, he thinks as he begins to unravel you underneath him.

It's no surprise to anyone that you return to your father as the Na-Baroness Nurbanu and pregnant with his only grandson to ensure neither he nor the Bene Gessrit get any ideas of separating the two of you.

“The Bene Gessrit expect you to die and leave the path clear for their creation. They always intended to have their messiah rule the universe through my boring elder sister.” You suggest as the two of you rid yourselves of his dear uncle and elder brother.

The black blood on your pale skin does things to him. He had expected you to be all talk and have him do all the work.

You had used your teachings to have both men kill each other and make him the undisputed Baron Harkonnen. Neither man could stop as your Voice commanded them to fight to the death, and Rabban took his own life once your manipulation of his body loosened.

He loved his uncle, even cared a little for his useless brother, but he loved power more. One day, he may even love you and you him.

“What does my baronness suggest I do?” He never had a morning like this and enjoyed the violent spectacle as you fed him with your loving hands. He wants to fuck you here, on the ruined dining room where his darling pets will feast on fine Harkonnen meat.

“Throw the fight, ally yourself with him, and let me give you your heart’s desire without even lifting a finger.” His radiant queen answers caressing his lips you do not seem to tire of.

And because you have not led him wrong, he does as she suggested and kills the Emperor instead.

Feyd Rautha welcomes a son, the future Emperor Feyd Murad, while the Atreidis line ends with the so-called Kwisatz Haderach.

Blond and dark eyed, and completely out of the Bene Gessrit’s control.

Part 2: the last wolf of Lankiveil

[janrockart]

Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe (The House Corrino)

[letsduneit]

I would like to present to you my take on the ring kissing scene from the ending of Dune Part 2 (drawn from my Dune fic) because I think it's some of my best writing yet:

With one final step, Paul stood before the man who had called himself Emperor, the man who had called Leto his son in one breath and who had ordered him to die in the dark in the next. For all the Harkonnens had done, even they had not disturbed the balance of the Imperium as the man standing before him had. Even they had not betrayed Leto the way the man standing before him had.

Paul Atreides stood before Shaddam Corrino, Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe. His eyes burned with a fury strong enough to birth a thousand suns and then a thousand more. It was the fury of a child robbed of their innocence, of a man betrayed by the man he would have called a father, and of a son orphaned by a small man’s greed. It was the fury of a naïve little boy named Paul who had been killed to make way for Muad’Dib. It had always been inside of him, but the Bene Gesserit had awoken it and the man before him had fanned it from a spark into a funeral pyre and so Paul had come before him to burn him upon it until not even ashes remained.

He extended his left hand into the space between them, fingers splayed. The ducal ring of Leto Atreides gleamed on his first finger.

Shaddam’s eyes had been fixed in horror upon him; now they trailed down towards his hand, and the ring upon it. Hesitation flashed across his face.

The child that was once Paul Atreides stomped his foot the way he did when denied dessert after dinner; the being that was Muad’Dib filled the gesture with enough power that the sound reverberated through the room like the shockwave from an atomic, like the divine rebuke of an Old God. Shaddam flinched backwards, and before Paul’s eyes he transformed from a haughty Emperor to a frightened old man.

Silk-clad knees struck the floor even as Paul's lips curled in a sneer of disgust.

Dry, wrinkled lips pressed against the Atreides sigil, and Shaddam Corrino deposited the Imperium into Paul’s waiting hands.

[sardawcariad]

Sketch of Muad'Dib's Jihad

so here's my idea of how it goes down.

so as we know from the book the first thing that happens after the book ends is that Shaddam & his confidantes meet to negotiate with Jessica & some of the more urbane Fremen thanes to negotiate the actual terms of the settlement. now it's been a while and Shaddam's had time to calm down & think things through with Hasimir, and he's realized that honestly his position isn't so bad. he can even admit that he sinned in betraying his old boy Leto, and that having to hand over the sceptre to the next generation is far from the worst way things could have gone. Paul is an imperial kinsman and clearly a gallant leader who will make a good son-in-law. plus he always hated the Bene Gesserit plan that denied him a son and kept Irulan unwed. and of course this'll just be a minor detail in the history of Corrino succession—it'll still be his blood on the throne, still his grandchild who reigns after Paul & Irulan.

right?

while this is going on Muad'Dib is with his Fremen, dividing up the territories & spoils of Arrakis

soon after, Paul receives a visit from some nobles from the Orange Catholic League (OCL). these are the leading party in the Landsraad in opposition to the Emperor & Imperial House. the Great Houses in the League typically claim to be "Galach" nobility- tracing their domains & ancestries to the nobility of the Old Empire, before the Butlerian Jihad & Sardaukar Conquest. earlier they had been friends of House Atreides, and had been hinting at the idea of suggesting to float the idea of proposing Leto as an alternate candidate for the emperorship than Irulan. when that didn't work out, more recently they were funding the Harkonnen war against the Fremen on Arrakis, since they'd much rather Arrakis remain in the hands of a Galach Great House like the Harkonnens than the Emperor have an excuse to intervene, occupy with the Sardaukar, and annex Arrakis to the crown lands. they assure Paul that they have the highest respect for him and that the funding of the Harkonnens was nothing personal, just politics (ultimately aimed against a shared enemy, after all!) nevertheless, both realize that now that Paul's essentially taken over both Arrakis and House Corrino he has inherited their fear.

(one of the leaders of the OCL is a Duke Alexander Samjeong, who is notable also for his quaint, strictly theoretical interest in the functioning of Thinking Machines, to the point of putting together vast Chinese Room type experiments to simulate their workings with human minds.)

meanwhile the news of Paul's spectacular survival & coup has spread over the known universe, where it reaches in particular countless nonconformist religions & subjugated ethnicities who realize that Paul happens to meet the criteria for their prophecied messiah as well (remember to thank your Reverend Mother today). they promptly begin to revolt against their local rulers in his name. word gets around quicker than fact that Paul plans to reverse the Butlerian Jihad (he certainly does not) or abolish the Faufreluches (he... is not exactly against doing this). [I'm remembering an anecdote of a time in the 18th century when a Hapsburg Emperor absolved his subjects of allegiance to a certain disobedient noblemen, and the peasantry apparently mutated this into saying that the Emperor had suspended the Ten Commandments.]

anyway in my vision Padishah Emperor is a dual office- Padishah of the Sardaukar, and Emperor of the Galachs, usually combined in a single holder (like Archduke of Austria & Holy Roman Emperor). the Padishah is chosen according to Sardaukar law, which requires that the king of kings be born to a Sardaukar mother (this is incidentally the reason why Shaddam originally wanted Leto dead, whose mother was a maternal aunt of his, but could want Paul & Jessica spared, and also the reason that the Bene Gesserit took so long to infiltrate the Imperial House). as such, technically Irulan will be the Padishah, and the Sardaukar (still the most powerful military in the known universe) will follow Paul as her husband in her name.

as for Emperor of the Galachs, Shaddam can designate Paul his successor, but by ancient law this still must be confirmed by an election by the Landsraad. so Paul goes to planet Ixvillium, and is according elected Emperor in a session with near-record low attendance, many Great Houses not wanting to implicate themselves in however this will turn out, especially while they're facing Leveller Vaishnava Pentecostal terrorism in Muad'Dib's name at home.

Muad'Dib has little choice to dispatch some of his most loyal men- still almost all infatuated Zensunni revolutionaries themselves of course, he has no one else he can trust at this point- to the rebels and try to restore order- or is it to place these irregular troops under his command?

and then the Sardaukar religious system breaks.

their entire faith has been designed around absolute loyalty to their Padishah. theirs not to reason why, only to do & die. if a Padishah abdicates, they're supposed to immediately transfer their obedience to his designated successor. but Shaddam was forced out of power. moreover Irulan is the Padishah now, not Paul. but it's increasingly Irulan is being held captive, is being held in contempt by an alien who won't even consummate his marriage in her, that's how bent he is on replacing the Sardaukar dynasty with his filthy paynim spawn. how can they obey Irulan's words if her words are put in her mouth at swordpoint by her captor? not to mention that the Sardaukar have a blood feud going with the Fremen, want a rematch, and aren't willing to yield their racial dominance.

so first one, then three, then a dozen, then a hundred legions declare their rejection of Shaddam's abdication and/or Irulan's orders, and swear to restore the Corrinos even at the cost of their souls. these (dis)loyal legions obtain the picturesque title of the Satanic Armies, by analogy to the Sufis' Iblis, who endures damnation for being so devoted to God that he refused God's command to bow to Adam.

it isn't long before dozens of the Great Houses- already fighting Muad'Dib's basilicidal fanatics- are joining their oath, with the Orange Catholic League at their head, aiming to free the Corrinos & restore them to their throne. naturally branches of the Spacing Guild are coopted as well.

(and of course, Paul can't rid himself of the Corrinos lest he lose the loyalty of all the rest of the Sardaukar who don't revolt.)

one can see how things progress from here.

I imagine that the Sardaukar essentially tear themselves to shreds fighting against each other; bashars are backstabbed by their lieutenants who declare the legion to the opposite allegiance on a daily basis. eventually both sides drift away from relying on Corrino legitimacy & the dying Sardaukar, and focus on their own House Conscripts & other sources of righteousness. for Muad'Dib, naturally, this is his role as messiah.

for the Orange Catholic League, this is their ancient Galach heritage & liberties. once they see that the Corrinos are useless to them, and that this is a total war against the fanatic annihilation of their entire class hegemony & traditions, they launch a radical shift in those traditions. they will, at long last, throw aside the Sardaukar yoke along with the Zensunni slaughter, rejecting all fanatic jihads. the surviving leaders gather together, and elect themselves their own Galactic Emperor, Alexander Samjeong, and enthrone him according to the rite of the Old Empire, of before the Sardaukar Conquest & the Butlerian Jihad. and Alexander considers the situation to be such an existential threat that it is licit to reactivate the last resort their ancestors left them in the case of such a threat against mankind as Muad'Dib's jihad is. namely, the remnants of the United Ameri-Soviet Nations Intelligent Interstellar Hyper-Atomic Defense Network...

[barbariankingdom]

Elrood Corrino IX, Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe with his son and heir Shaddam and his bound Concubine Lady Anirul Corrino, a Bene Gesserit of hidden rank.

[sandwormrp]

Opening Day: May 10th

We're an Atreides stan in this house. Maybe you'd be more interested in bringing the strong-willed Carrinos or the brutalist Harkonnens! You can even create your own Minor house to add to the play and build them up to a Major house! Canons and original characters alike will be welcomed and loved! This is an upcoming 18+ JCINK roleplay board designed for writers that want to share a love for writing and Dune. Whether it be through the movies or by the books.

Our taglist for opening day is already over 20 people! How crazy is that? I'm so touched so many are interested in checking us out!

If you want to be tagged on opening day, leave a like/comment/emoji

Here's a list of playable characters you may see or hear about around our Dune Universe. Characters will come in all shapes and sizes!

Remember! No character accounts are needed, everything will be done from one account. You can play any number of these as canon or as OC as you like.

Bene Gesserit - A secretive sisterhood with extraordinary mental and physical abilities, the Bene Gesserit manipulate bloodlines and political events to fulfill their long-term goals of shaping humanity's future.

Bene Tleilax - A mysterious and enigmatic society specializing in genetic engineering and the creation of biological constructs known as "gholas." The Bene Tleilax are skilled manipulators and often play key roles in political intrigue.

Civilians - Ordinary inhabitants of the Imperium who are not affiliated with noble houses or specialized factions. Civilians comprise a diverse population living on various planets and moons, engaging in a wide range of occupations and lifestyles.

Fremen - Native inhabitants of the desert planet Arrakis, the Fremen are hardened warriors adapted to harsh desert conditions. They possess deep knowledge of the planet's ecology and play a significant role in the unfolding political landscape.

Houses Major - Major noble families that hold considerable power and influence within the Imperium. They often control entire planets or systems and play crucial roles in interstellar politics and governance. Also known as the Great Houses of the Landsraad.To earn a spot as an OC Great House, candidate houses must demonstrate:

• a minimum level of reputation (1 year member on the board) • an understanding of political processes and power and a desire to participate in the governance of the empire (begin as an OC house minor and gain some members/alliances) • historical growth of their houses as evidenced by grants of land or titles (purchased a custom forum for their planet/territory once previous requirements are met) • candidate houses required sponsorship by at least three other Great Houses (staff approval)

Known Titles: Baron/ess, Viscount/ess, Count/ess, Duke/Duchess, Archduke/Archduchess, Regent, Crown Prince/Princess, Prince/Princess Royal, God-Emperor, Goddess-Empress, Padishah Emperor/Empress

Houses Minor - Lesser noble families that lack the resources and territories of Great Houses but still hold status and influence within the feudal hierarchy of the Imperium. They may serve larger Houses or operate independently. They pay fealty to be protected by one of the Great Houses (as long as it doesn't conflict with the empire's interests or other alliances).

Known Titles: Knight, Professor, Patron, Lord/Lady, Noble-Cousine, Governor, Baron/ess, Viscount/ess, Count/ess

Imperial Sardaukar - Elite soldiers serving the Padishah Emperor, trained in ruthless combat techniques and renowned for their loyalty and discipline. They are often deployed to enforce the Emperor's will and suppress rebellions.

Ixian Navigators - Specially trained Guild Navigators from the planet Ix who possess the ability to see safer paths through the spacefold, allowing starships to travel vast distances instantaneously using a limited highly-dosed prescience. Ixian creations often push the boundaries of what is morally acceptable in the universe.

Mentats - Human computers trained to perform complex calculations and strategic analysis. They serve as advisors and strategists to powerful individuals and factions. Highly prized and sought after among royalty.

Renegades - Individuals or groups that have rebelled against or broken away from established authority, often operating outside the law and pursuing their own agendas. Renegades can range from outlaws to freedom fighters.

Smugglers - Individuals or organizations engaged in illegal trade and transportation of goods, often circumventing legal restrictions and authorities to profit from the black market. Smugglers play a significant role in the distribution of contraband, including spice.

Suk Doctors - Highly trained medical practitioners descended from a forbidden genetic lineage known as the Suk School. They possess exceptional healing abilities and are in high demand among the nobility for their medical expertise.

Swordmasters of Ginaz - Highly skilled warriors trained in the art of swordsmanship, particularly adept at wielding the crysknife and other bladed weapons. They are renowned across the galaxy for their mastery of combat techniques.

[balanceoflightanddark]

Spoilers for the Dune novel and Dune Part 2.

I first read Dune by Frank Herbert shortly after I watched the first movie directed by Denis Villeneuve. I HAVE heard of Dune before since...well, it's one of the great forerunners for science fiction as we know it today. The thing was, I thought I wouldn't be able to get into it since the lore around it was pretty dense and hard to explain to an outsider.

What I felt the first film in the two-parter did so well was that it did a pretty good job of explaining things in an organic way. Something that I felt the book also excelled at as well in terms of introducing topics and themes. Once you get a good hang on it, it's easy to understand what's going on.

Mainly how Dune is essentially one of the biggest deconstructions of the messianic archetype and hero's journeys in media. On paper, it does sound like one: Paul Atreides, heir to the popular House Atreides, is one of the few survivors along with his mother and the warrior Gurney Halleck of a brutal attack by their rivals House Harkonnen and the Emperor of the Padishah Imperium. Fleeing into the desert of Arrakis, Paul learns the ways of the native Fremen people to lead a war in order to overthrow their oppressors that have exploited Arrakis for the Spice, and become the new Emperor of the Known Universe. He's even regarded as the Kwisatz Haderach, or Lisan al-Gaib to the Fremen, a sort of messianic figure that can see into the future and essentially become this omnipotent demigod.

There's just one problem: the position of Kwisatz Haderach and its legend is a tool in-universe to assert control. It's literally in the DNA of the title. The Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood that dominates the religious sphere of the Imperium, have been trying to produce the Kwisatz Haderach for generations. See, among the abilities of the Bene Gesserit is the ability to see quite clearly into the past. Where one's memories might fade with age, those trained in the "Weirding Way" can retain information for far longer. Reverend Mothers are even more powerful, being able to draw on the wisdom of their genetic ancestors for guidance, and essentially lead their order to have unprecedented political power.

The Kwisatz Haderach is their male counterpart, the one who can see into the future rather than the past on top of their other abilities (almost complete control of their body [to the point they could manipulate the gender of their child], the Voice which can force others to do their will, and a martial arts style that goes unrivaled even pitted against other noted fighters in the Imperium). For 9 generations, they've carefully bred and intermixed the house bloodlines to produce the perfect candidate for them to essentially be their pawn. Effectively, Paul's fate was written before he was even born.

And this is on top of his position as heir to House Atreides which makes him a huge target. Similar to the Bene Gesserit, one of the main goals of the Great Houses of the Landsraad was to continue their bloodline by any means necessary. This means that house heirs or offspring of house leaders are assassination targets. We see this with the Hunter Seeker that tries to kill Paul when he first arrives on Arrakis with his family. Being the heir AND being the Kwisatz Haderach essentially forced Paul to learn fast or die in the attempt.

Which in this case, is using the legend of the Kwisatz Haderach to integrate himself with the Fremen. He, along with his mother Lady Jessica, use the Fremen's reverence of Lisan al-Gaib to wage that campaign of revenge against the Harkonnens and the Emperor once he shows up. The thing about that is, once the war on Arrakis starts, Paul basically kickstarts a Jihad across the Imperium that will result in the deaths of billions since...well, that's what being the Kwisatz Haderach is. When you whip people up into religious fervor and basically say revenge is okay, those people are going to go out and rampage against those who basically oppressed them for so long. Even if Paul wanted so badly to avoid that jihad, you can't exactly do that when you're using their holy figure in order to exact revenge and do what the Harkonnens did to House Atreides.

Now to make it perfectly clear, House Harkonnen are not the good guys here. They're basically the result of everything that's horrible about the Imperium and need to go down if Arrakis and the Fremen were to have some semblance of peace. The Emperor had to have been dealt with if they wanted to get Arrakis to be habitable like the Fremen wanted. It's the way that Paul goes about it: using Lisan al-Gaib to turn the Fremen into his personal weapon in order to exact revenge. He went about it in the way that the Bene Gesserit envisioned that the Kwisatz Haderach would operate by controlling the masses. His methods ultimately were a culmination and continuation of the House warfare that had generated those like the Harkonnens. In a sense, he hasn't really broken the cycle no matter how hard he may have tried.

The tragedy here is, it didn't have to be this way. While it is true that the Fremen obviously pushed Paul towards becoming Lisan al-Gaib, they weren't mindless religious fanatics either. Stilgar, quite possibly the most fervent supporter of Paul once he adopts the mantle of the Fremen's messiah, was introduced as being reasonable and open to a possible alliance with House Atriedes. Even before Paul starts establishing himself as Lisan al-Gaib, Stilgar was willing to introduce him to his Sietch since he was young and could be taught while Jessica would help teach his soldiers the Weirding Way. And again, the need to get the Harkonnens off of Arrakis is treated as being tantamount to everyone's survival, so there's a bedrock for a solid alliance outside of the Kwizatz Haderach prophecy.

Paul's father, Duke Leto, is also proof that Paul didn't have to go the route he did. Leto was unique amongst the House leaders for being honest, noble, and honorable. It was through that character that he managed to garner a solid network of allies within his house while his rival, the Baron Harkonnen, had to worry about his own family sticking a knife in his back. While ultimately Leto was doomed to die on Arrakis, he also laid the groundwork for Paul being taken in by the Fremen to begin with. So clearly, avoiding the Jihad was possible in the Dune universe. If Paul was able to take what he learned from the less rigid society of the Fremen along with the even-handed and noble teachings of his father, it just might've been possible to avoid the bloodshed of the Holy War.

Instead, that didn't happen. The same brutal, underhanded, and cold-blooded warfare between the Great Houses that took his father (whom even he was forced to compromise his morality in regard to rooting out spies and assassins) pushed him into adopting those same methods when he became leader of the Fremen. And the path of the Kwizatz Haderach as a method of control was ultimately adopted by him as well. Ironically, it was his constant desire to avoid the Jihad by becoming Lisan al-Gaib and the Emperor of the Imperium that doomed him to that fate. Cause in the end, how can one turn against a destiny that roles such as these practically send you sprinting towards?

[enddaysengine]

Janni (Paths Beyond)

When I was a teenager, cracking open the 3.0 Monster Manual for the first time, the Janni didn't excite me. Two decades on, however, they get my vote for the best genies in the d20 games. Why? One of the reasons I appreciate the Janni is they are much closer to the typical benevolent jinn with nary a wish in sight. While jinni in folklore have magical powers, they don't grant wishes; they use other magic to complete their tasks. 

The genies from ʻAlāʼ ad-Dīn's ring and lamp are by far the most famous wish-granters. There is, however, an entire thing about whether the Aladdin stories are genuine or Antoine Galland's inventions because we have no textual evidence for their existence before Les mille et une nuits. There is a wish-granter in the oldest extant version of ʾAlf Laylah wa-Laylah, but the ifrit in The Fisherman and the Jinni is extremely old and desperate. It certainly isn't magically compelled to grant wishes to anyone. 

The Janni are great because they avoid that old orientalist trope entirely and match up well with more modern tales of the jinn too. These genies live alongside mortals on the Material Plane but are often invisible, using their magic to hide from prying eyes. While the elemental planes don't exist in Arabic folklore, there is a belief that other worlds exist and that the jinn have their own kingdoms on those worlds — so janni possessing the plane shift power makes sense. 

Speaking of that plane shift, janni are an easy way to get low-level adventurers onto the planes and back again without portals. They are limited in where they can travel, but they aren't restricted to the Elemental Planes either; remember that the Astral is a valid target for janni. The stat block backs this up; janni are trained in the Arcana skill. This tells us a bit about how they look at the world. They take the approach of philosophy, metaphysics, and intense study — which conveniently loops back around to folklore. Jinn are best known as shapeshifters and tricksters, so get ready to crack out your jann wizards specializing in illusion and transmutation!

Adak the Thunderbolt is one of the premier wizards in the astral city of Yulgamot. While the janni is no slouch with evocation, in reality she is an illusionist — her epithet comes from her bold and decisive mannerism, not out of any affinity for lightning. From Yulgamot, Adak studies the relationship between the Inner Planes and the Astral, hoping to unlock the arcane secrets of matter and mind. She regularly hires adventurers as bodyguards for her expeditions across the planes and she is willing to mentor those who impress her.

The qareen are a Janni lineage who plane shift not to the Astral Plane but to the Ethereal and the Dreamlands. Every qareen has a spiritual double, a mortal on Golarian born at the same moment as the genie. Traditionally, the qareen serve as invisible guardians to their doubles, but many are mischievous pranksters or even sadistic torturers who infiltrate their twin's dreamscape to wreak havoc. When a qareen outlive their mortal counterpart, they join wandering military bands on the ethereal plane, ensuring the dream world and the mortal realm remain separate. 

Janni can only persist on the Elemental Planes for about two days, forcing them to keep on the move. The Opine Vault is one of the few places they can take up permanent residence on the Inner Planes. Upon her ascension to the Peerless Empire's throne, Sultana Ashadieeyah bint Khalid received a flawless moonstone from the reigning Kelish Padishah Emperor. She enchanted this gem to create the Settled Jewel, making the Vault a safe haven for Janni on the Plane of Earth. Janni now serve as administrators and bureaucrats throughout the city, but the Fossilized King Ayrzul plans on stealing the stone and using it for his own purposes. 

Further Reading

El-Zein, Amira. Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn. Syracuse University Press, 2017.

Irwin, Robert. The Arabian Nights: A Companion. London: Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2010.

Lebling, Robert W. Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. London: Tauris Parke, 2014.

[salusa-suckondis]

Dune: House Atreides

Chapter 4

page 30: elrood ix, noted fossil of a man: who even carressss or even remembersssss dominic vernius' military careeeeeer???????

31: yeah, that's what my grand-nephew calls me too. also, inherited power and wealth is okay if you, like, do charity about it sometimes.

also page 31: dominic voice: yeah, bitches (the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe) hate me for my generally smug and knowing air

33: why do i get the terrible feeling that the sentences 'But Dominic ignored him and continued' and 'But it was too late' are going to become regular fixtures in Dominic Vernius chapters??

Dominic,,, bestie,,, what are you doing. bestie you put down civil wars and revolts for ol Roody decades ago, you know how willing he is to steamroll Houses Major and Minor, come on.

36: and yet u antagonise him anyway. curious.

hmm, i actually quite like dominic as a character bc it's always fun to read a guy who doesn't care about the consequences of his words but also,,, it is incredibly stressful to read about a guy who doesn't care about the consequences of his words

ix is getting bombed out of orbit, i can see it

[abuddyforeveryseason]

This is the Buddy for April 23rd.

As you can see, he's wearing the stillsuit of the wandering Fremen. As a true Fedaykin, he's using his maker-hooks to ride a mighty Shai-Hulud from his Sietch to the palace of Arrakeen, now controlled by the Padishah Emperor-backed House Harkonnen. The Harkonnen Ha-Baron had a long-standing Kanly against house Leto.

Armed with little more than a Crysknife, he's following Mua'Dib, the Lisan al-Gaib (at least according to the prophecy planted by the Missionaria Protectiva arm of the Bene Gesserit, Truthsayers adept in the Weirding Way), who's waging the mightiest Jihad in the known universe since the Great Revolt against the thinking machines led by the Butlerians.

If victorious against the Sardaukar, Paul Mua'Dib will take control of Arrakis itself, and of the trade of the Spice Melange. Thus, he will have not only the Spice-dependant Guild Navigators, but also the Landsraad, meaning he'll have CHOAM itself under his thrall. To do so would make it clear to the Bene Gesserit that he's none other than the Kwisatz Haderach, whom the freemen have awaited since the age of Zensunni.

I'm not a fan of the Dune books. We could benefit from a Butlerian Jihad right now, though.

[impercre]

"try not to abuse your power ." (Irulan to Feyd)

↪ 𝑫𝑶𝑵'𝑻 𝑺𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝑨𝑻 𝑴𝑬 . | accepting

Feyd had been quiet a long time. The Battle of Arrakeen had played out like a wild fever dream. The Baron was dead, as his chosen heir Feyd now had that title, and the gratitude of the Padishah Emperor. He was almost guaranteed the Golden Lion throne.

But his brother, Glossu's head was mounted on a spike along the walls of Arrakeen. He didn't dare remove it, he knew what his brother had been to these people. His Uncle had dressed him as The Beast but Glossu had chosen to excel in the role.

Yet he had still been his brother. How many times had Glossu protected him from their Uncle? He had been the one to pluck Feyd from his dead mother's arms after the so-called Feast of Poisons, warned him and guided him when he could.

My brother had been human once, with a soul, he thought. Even if he was a beast, the Mudir Nahya from whom they were now free.

He looked up abruptly from where he sat watching the Fremen take the body of their Muad'Dib to reclaim his water. There were rites here, customs he didn't fully understand but would need to learn. These Fremen had flecked their muscle and the known universe had trembled.

He stood and bowed at the waist the way one was expected to do before royalty. He was not the Padishah-Emperor yet not without-

"You," He said clumsily offering his hands to her as he straightened his back. "I-I think I'll need you here." He thought of Thufir Hawat out there now amongst all the dead and felt an immense sadness. Why had he chosen to die like that?

"I thought of you when I fought. I couldn't stand the thought of you with that Atreides." He wasn't making sense and the immensity of what had transpired began to wash over him in waves.

"Stay," He repeated. "Just stay. I need you."

[lya-dustin]

Idk what to title this lol just gonna call it this for now

Nurbanu

Feyd Rautha x oc(technically also a reader insert since it's in second pov)

Much like your mother before you, you did not lack for boldness.

Your mother had captivated the Padishah Emperor even before his wife had died and cemented her place as favorite with the promise of a son ---and her wit and beauty heightened by her abilities of course.

She would have succeeded if the Bene Gessrit had not meddled and made an example out of her. They claimed they had made her Shaddam Corrino’s concubine in the first place as a replacement for Anirul who was only of a middling rank as her daughters were and killed her so the emperor knew what would happen if he put a wrench into their centuries long breeding scheme.

Irulan was meant for Paul Atreidis and would birth the Messiah’s children who would inherit the throne and you, Nurbanu, were meant for whoever the Sisterhood told your father to marry you off to.

But you have other plans.

You knew wanted the Throne, you wanted revenge for your mother, and you knew there was only one way to acquire it.

Through him.

The Harkonnen heir who delights in cruelty and pain.

Feyd-Rautha would be yours and the known universe as well.

[dunechroniclesrp]

TAKEN CHARACTER

Name: Gurney Halleck

House: House Atreides / Fremen

FC: Josh Brolin

Bio:

The tale of Gurney Halleck is one of loss and vengeance. A man who survived losing everything he knew and loved twice. He pulled himself from beneath the bodies of friends and family, slick with their blood, and went on. Driven by the promise he made to himself, that he would endure any hardship, suffer any indignity, kill whoever he must, to deliver justice unto his enemies. And miraculously, he has lived to see it done. But a man is not made of stone, even one as stoic as he. Beneath the scars his heart remains that of a poet – a last remanent of his lineage. So even as he plans the liberation of Caladan and the invasion of Geidi Prime, in the quiet hours he plucks the strings of his baliset, and muses on what he has lost.. and what he has become.

Present time

Gurney now finds himself Warmaster to the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe. His former student and lady are now not merely royal but religious figures. Ones who have supped from the Water of Life, empowered with strange abilities he can barely comprehend. Despite all their power, Gurney still sees himself as their primary bodyguard in this new world. While he has deep respect for the fremen, his loyalty is Paul and Jessica of House Atreides – not Muad'Dib and the Reverend Mother. As they continue to become increasingly isolated by their status as figures of worship, Gurney remains one of the few people in the Galaxy they can genuinely call friend.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Dune: Part Two

I believe that something astronomical is happening before our eyes. Something that is currently defining this generation of cinematic glory and storytelling. There are many other franchises that have fallen to current political views and a lack of vision or respect for the source material. Now I haven't read the source material myself, but from some of my most trusted friends, this new adaptation Frank Herbert's classic novel of the same name, was taken into the hands of a brilliant storyteller and he did not disappoint. There wasn't a moment that I wasn't fully enthralled with the world's that were presented and in all of their dark and sometimes haunting beauty. What I truly loved was the inner workings of the multiple ideals, threats and contingencies at work and how they all are weighed upon a single decision of a character's ascendancy. It may seem like a massive can of worms, but once you see the threads that have been woven, those that are plucking them and those that tried to cut them, its a beautiful dance of politics and freedom that ultimately leads to war. All of this is brought to life by the returning and introduction of new outstanding cast members.

Timothée Chalamet was outstanding this time as the now more experienced and weary Paul Atreides. His portrayal of the classic reluctant hero and destined messiah known as "Muad'Dib", was truly fun to watch. You see him weigh the religious power he could possess against the power of his love for another. Its a fine line to walk and Chalamet delivers. Zendaya was fantastic and had alot more to do as his love interest Chani. Her opposing views of the zealotry of the Fremen really nails home the fact that she wishes to remain free of conflict and made up prophecies. The chemistry between her and Paul has never been stronger and I loved their bond and especially the great challenge their relationship goes through. Rebecca Ferguson was outstanding once again as Lady Jessica and the trials and evolution she goes through was shocking. I loved her openness to absorbing the knowledge of the Fremen and their customs. She truly begins her journey early in the film and it is truly spiritual, painful and cerebral all at once. Josh Brolin returns as the always badass and loyal member of the Atreides Guard, Gurney Halleck. He was one of the main reminders to Paul of the duty to his house and to his royal birthright. His friendship with Paul has never been more emboldend and I couldn't wait to see Gurney dish out his deserved vengeance.

Stellan Skarsgård returns as the head of House Harkonnen, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and he is as evil and cunning as he was in the first film. He doesn't waste time in putting into motion his multi-tier plans to take Arrakis. The great Dave Bautista returns as his impatient and rage fueled nephew Glossu Rabban Harkonnen. You can see the shock and fear in his eyes once he realizes a real challenge has presented itself. Austin Butler was outstanding as the other nephew, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. From his gorgeous gladiatorial introduction to his sinister and animalistic approach to battle, he was a force to be reckoned with and I loved every second of it. I also loved his voice and how it was very similar to Vladimir's. Add's to that familiar tone and somewhat worship. Charlotte Rampling was truly on fire as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam. Through her, you see all the threads being woven and especially how devious and quickly each action is implemented. Christopher Walken was a great choice as Shaddam IV, the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe. For the time he was on screen, he brought the gravitas world weariness needed. I liked Florence Pugh as his daughter, Princess Irulan. She gets to witness first hand the plots, lies and betrayals and I liked that she wasn't really for it all.

The magnificent Hans Zimmer returns as the composer and I couldn't imagine these films or the rest of the future films without his earth shattering score. The Harkonnen Arena, Worm Ride and Gurney Battle are just a few of my favorite tracks. The use of silence and no score is brilliantly placed in so many epic moments of the film whether its during an intimate conversation between characters or the climactic knife fight. This film is visually on par with the Part One, but somehow looks even more impressive. I can go on and on about the intricacies of the film and how it made me feel complete, but I'd rather let you experience the magic. This is an absolute MUST SEE IN IMAX to get the full scope and soundscape of the worlds presented. This is definitely one of the best sci fi films of the year and the level of quality that other franchises influenced by it need to step up to. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

Did the person not consider that giving them a livable wage would probably motivate them or have them worry about their livelihood better focusing and planning when writing? Or the fact that everyone deserves a livable wage no matter how you feel about their work?

The year is 20X6 of the Astral Era. The forces of the God-Emperor of Mankind can barely hold against the Chaos hordes; same with the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe and even the Necrolord Prime. On Earth, Elon Musk XIII continues his family's iron-fisted reign over Holy Terra, and Avengers Wars 69: Avenge Harder has just smashed box-office records with an audience consisting entirely of ChatGPT indexing crawlers. Using the word "union" in any context gets you shot by surveillance cannons; wedding vows, war reenactments, and sacramental theology textbooks must use circumlocutions like "unapart" and "opposite day divorce." But for one brief shining moment in the all-but-forgotten past, the people who wrote a season of television that was slightly but noticeably less phenomenal than the previous season of the same show were well and truly owned in a labor dispute.