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Dune - December session
Dec. 9th, 2018 01:37 pmEvery month in the TU Eindhoven, the local roleplay group organises their very own Dune roleplay. At the court of Arrakeen tensions run high!
Falco asked for me specifically to play an NPC role. His character Griffin Harkonnen was about to marry and he wanted his very own dear Bene Gesserit mother to perform the ceremony. That would be me: Proctor Sabine Harkonnen, the leading Bene Gesserit of Giedi Prime.
It was a dubious honour, to be sure. Griffin had recently murdered his brother, my other son, and was now marrying the widow in order to gain the title of Jonkheer. I decided to play-act being a little more elderly and infirm, but shining with power while speeching during the wedding. Although Griffin had killed Vavlac, he was still my son and we need babies to keep House Harkonnen strong. As this is set pre-Kwisatz Haderach, the Bene Gesserit are working on the breeding program and who knew -- perhaps this union would produce a possible KH.
(Picture thanks to Sigunne)
On my side would be Charon, trusty servant of house Wallach and the Bene Gesserit, who was the only other NPC that night. He guided me down the steps of the lecture hall that was our court of Arrakeen, until I saw Griffin. I switched over to the arm of Griffin who guided me the rest of the way down, but completely ignored him as I saw Proctor Ophelia, the local Bene Gesserit (played by Sigunne). Technically she holds the same rank as me, but she leads the Bene Gesserit at Arrakis, so I bowed low and awarded her the courtesy she was due.
Then we continued to meet Freya, a calculating woman of house Thorvald that would do well in House Harkonnen. She was already dressed in the colours of our house and showed me the preparations.
After the songs and dance of court, I married the couple and spoke to all assembled. Bob had writted a speech, using mostly phrases Herbert wrote himself, and my voice rang clear in the hall.
After the ceremony, people handed gifts to the happy couple. Carlotta of house Tagliari gave the bride a walking cane, something she might need in the future. Carlotta herself had once been married to a Harkonnen, and he had abused her so badly she now walked with a cane. The sarcasm was not lost on those assembled. (Ah! Court with all its intrigue!)
It was great to gossip with fellow Bene Gesserit, and the four of us all standing side by side with our fabled headdresses made a pretty picture. Proctor Ophelia honoured the bride by inviting their first female child to be trained as Bene Gesserit. I had expected more of a struggle, but Freya agreed readily. I would not be able to influence Griffin in any way, but playing it through his wife would make it more easy to get our hands on the child.
Little did I know why Freya was so apt to agree.
The final presentation of the evening was a ritual battle between the bride and groom. After a few blows Griffin staggered, and Freya mocked him. "I fight in the true Harkonnen way." she spat; "This is for Vavlac!"
I was nailed to my chair, thinking only of poisoned blades.
When Griffin fell to the ground, Carlotta spat at him. "Let him die like the Harkonnen dog he is!"
Nobody moved, and finally someone came to ask my permission to heal Griffin. I deferred the decision to Ophelia, as it was her domain, and she graciously waved her permission.
As the healers fussed over my son a performer from house Tagliari asked if I wanted to be here, or if she could escort me to my rooms. I stumbled on the steps...
We asked the GMs whether the wanted more from us, as the evening was drawing to a close. They suggested I confront Carlotta for her outburst, but Charon and I decided to involve another player: the Ordos Regentess, who did not step in and allowed such behaviour in her court. "She calls for murder, and you stand idly by!" I spat at her. "My son, my only remaining son!"
Courtiers milled around, and the representative of the Landsraad raised an eyebrow. But the regentess was not swayed, and I left, a broken mother.
-----
I was honoured and pleased Falco would invite me to NPC especially for him! Sigunne had invited me to Dune a number of times, but I never did go. I wouldn't know what to play, and seeing the court up close helped to get a feel for the thing.
The subtle currents at court are fun to see, and of course the poems being recited with stings, pins and needles only added to the atmosphere. The Bene Gesserit, floating in their long skirts and halo'ed headdresses, trying to pull strings from the background. And then the final dramatic fight between Griffin and Freya -- I was right, she'd make an excellent Harkonnen -- was the cherry on top of the cake.
OT I heard that House Ordos had finished off Griffin, killed him in his bed or some such. The Regentess of Arrakeen had been a lover to Vavlac, and this was her personal revenge. It will no doubt spark a war between the Harkonnen and the Ordos!
Ah, court intrigue!
Falco asked for me specifically to play an NPC role. His character Griffin Harkonnen was about to marry and he wanted his very own dear Bene Gesserit mother to perform the ceremony. That would be me: Proctor Sabine Harkonnen, the leading Bene Gesserit of Giedi Prime.
It was a dubious honour, to be sure. Griffin had recently murdered his brother, my other son, and was now marrying the widow in order to gain the title of Jonkheer. I decided to play-act being a little more elderly and infirm, but shining with power while speeching during the wedding. Although Griffin had killed Vavlac, he was still my son and we need babies to keep House Harkonnen strong. As this is set pre-Kwisatz Haderach, the Bene Gesserit are working on the breeding program and who knew -- perhaps this union would produce a possible KH.
(Picture thanks to Sigunne)
On my side would be Charon, trusty servant of house Wallach and the Bene Gesserit, who was the only other NPC that night. He guided me down the steps of the lecture hall that was our court of Arrakeen, until I saw Griffin. I switched over to the arm of Griffin who guided me the rest of the way down, but completely ignored him as I saw Proctor Ophelia, the local Bene Gesserit (played by Sigunne). Technically she holds the same rank as me, but she leads the Bene Gesserit at Arrakis, so I bowed low and awarded her the courtesy she was due.
Then we continued to meet Freya, a calculating woman of house Thorvald that would do well in House Harkonnen. She was already dressed in the colours of our house and showed me the preparations.
After the songs and dance of court, I married the couple and spoke to all assembled. Bob had writted a speech, using mostly phrases Herbert wrote himself, and my voice rang clear in the hall.
After the ceremony, people handed gifts to the happy couple. Carlotta of house Tagliari gave the bride a walking cane, something she might need in the future. Carlotta herself had once been married to a Harkonnen, and he had abused her so badly she now walked with a cane. The sarcasm was not lost on those assembled. (Ah! Court with all its intrigue!)
It was great to gossip with fellow Bene Gesserit, and the four of us all standing side by side with our fabled headdresses made a pretty picture. Proctor Ophelia honoured the bride by inviting their first female child to be trained as Bene Gesserit. I had expected more of a struggle, but Freya agreed readily. I would not be able to influence Griffin in any way, but playing it through his wife would make it more easy to get our hands on the child.
Little did I know why Freya was so apt to agree.
The final presentation of the evening was a ritual battle between the bride and groom. After a few blows Griffin staggered, and Freya mocked him. "I fight in the true Harkonnen way." she spat; "This is for Vavlac!"
I was nailed to my chair, thinking only of poisoned blades.
When Griffin fell to the ground, Carlotta spat at him. "Let him die like the Harkonnen dog he is!"
Nobody moved, and finally someone came to ask my permission to heal Griffin. I deferred the decision to Ophelia, as it was her domain, and she graciously waved her permission.
As the healers fussed over my son a performer from house Tagliari asked if I wanted to be here, or if she could escort me to my rooms. I stumbled on the steps...
We asked the GMs whether the wanted more from us, as the evening was drawing to a close. They suggested I confront Carlotta for her outburst, but Charon and I decided to involve another player: the Ordos Regentess, who did not step in and allowed such behaviour in her court. "She calls for murder, and you stand idly by!" I spat at her. "My son, my only remaining son!"
Courtiers milled around, and the representative of the Landsraad raised an eyebrow. But the regentess was not swayed, and I left, a broken mother.
-----
I was honoured and pleased Falco would invite me to NPC especially for him! Sigunne had invited me to Dune a number of times, but I never did go. I wouldn't know what to play, and seeing the court up close helped to get a feel for the thing.
The subtle currents at court are fun to see, and of course the poems being recited with stings, pins and needles only added to the atmosphere. The Bene Gesserit, floating in their long skirts and halo'ed headdresses, trying to pull strings from the background. And then the final dramatic fight between Griffin and Freya -- I was right, she'd make an excellent Harkonnen -- was the cherry on top of the cake.
OT I heard that House Ordos had finished off Griffin, killed him in his bed or some such. The Regentess of Arrakeen had been a lover to Vavlac, and this was her personal revenge. It will no doubt spark a war between the Harkonnen and the Ordos!
Ah, court intrigue!
