Heralds of Azhar
The Heralds are an order of the Bene Gesserit who serve as custodians to the Book of Azhar. We have been at work for millennia as envoys to the Sayyadina, to prune and preserve the secrets of Arrakis from the Fremen. While developing strong relationships with Dune Awakenings many guilds, we will look for opportunities to build an intelligence network on Arrakis. Our Missionaria Protectiva is to help balance the control of Spice between player factions, and seed power in Minor Houses in preparation for the prescient foretelling of The Scattering.
Our primary goals are:
Diplomacy: Build our diplomatic standing with DA's guilds and support a balanced distribution of power on Arrakis.
Information Broker: Focus on scouting and surveying after Coriolis Storms to provide the best intel on Arrakis' Deep Desert.
Research (PvE): Committed to the research of abandoned Sietches and Eco Labs to capitalize on forgotten technologies and relics.
Waystations (PvP): Provide the DA community with waypoints for rest and recuperation in the Deep Desert, serving as sites of religious worship and research.
 | |
| Guild Summary | |
|---|---|
| Established | 04 . March . 2024 . (formally) |
| Members | 50+ |
| Focus | Politics, Information Broker |
| Membership | |
| Recruitment | Invite Only |
| Platform | PC, Xbox, Playstation |
| Language | English |
| Timezones | Global |
| Play Style | |
| PVE | Yes |
| PVP | Yes |
| RP | Yes |
| Major House | Neutral |
| Links | |
| Discord | https://discord.gg/ra8uSc6DQC |
| Website | https://duneawakening.com |
Organization / Progression
Ranks
Herald
A custodian of the Book of Azhar, a Herald is trusted with the shared Other Memory of their forebears upon overcoming their spice agony.
Acolyte
Acolytes are Bene Gesserit operatives, actively gathering and disseminating information and working at the behest of the order.
Initiate
One not yet officially initiated into the Bene Gesserit order, they act as informants or confidants but may have allegiances to other guilds, groups, or themselves.
Divisions
Valkyrie
Focusing on PVP / PVE combat, the Valkryie serve as armed guards. They are entrusted with protection and escorting Handlers and Truthsayers on harvesting and recon missions.
Truthsayer
Focusing on intelligence gathering, Truthsayers contribute to intelligence capabilities, either through diplomacy or through the scouting and surveying of Arrakis.
Handler
Focusing on trade and securing Spice, Handlers have intimate knowledge of Arrakis and are entrusted with growing the resources needed to support operations on Arrakis.
Leadership
- Herald - Conkin, Arthel, Llivia, ClockworkSiren
Guild Lore
Heralds of Azhar - “Humility is the foundation of our virtue.”
As a sect of the Bene Gesserit, the Heralds serve as custodians to the Book of Azhar. They safeguard the orders' spiritual, psychological, and genetic practices, and ensure they are fit for use throughout the ages.
The origin of their sect hails back to the Orthodox Sisterhood, and a path set in motion by Reverend Mother Avila - the sole survivor of the Orthodox cull by Reverend Mother Valya. For decades she obediently served Valya’s direction. Until one day she seized upon turmoil and suspicion within the Sisterhood’s ranks, and revealed the bloody betrayal of Valya’s hand - and so gained sway among the orders' Acolytes.
Avila did not plot Valya’s fall - simply to preserve the practices that the Orthodox Sisterhood held dear. The exact particulars were lost to history, but an accord was seemingly made. Valya to lay the path of the Kwisatz Haderach, and Avila, whose sect had coveted the Orange Catholic Bible, to tend a Book of Azhar and guide the Bene Gesserit in their practices.
At this juncture, Avila and her host of Acolyte’s departed from Wallaxh IX and established themselves upon Arrakis. Of whose design this remains unclear. For Valya it would serve as a hurdle against any further interference, while for Avila, Arrakis would serve as a place of anonymity and protection.
Over millennia Avila’s sect came to be colloquially referred to as Heralds - and within the obscurity of Arrakis developed practices uncommon to the rest of the order. Pivotal to their role, they pass on shared Other Memory during the Spice Agony - though this originated as a method of passing on the truth of the Orthodox culling, it has developed as a means to serve as a vast databank of information to serve the order.
Other Bene Gesserit myths and traditions that guard the order hold less sway here. Obscured by the anonymity of Arrakis, Acolytes are permitted to prolong their life, as the challenges of Arrakis can demand decades worth of research to uncover even the slightest of secrets.
They forgo the strict doctrine of female initiates on Wallaxh IX, and intersex genetic conditioning, using prana-bindu, has opened new avenues of exploration. Particularly they have taken considerable strides in overcoming the male and female limitations of Other Memory, and there are instances of male born Acolytes enduring the Spice Agony.
Ultimately, although some of their practices may differ from the bulk of the order, they retain the same mission to preserve and advance humanity. While contributing to the order through the Book of Azhar, they prepare failsafes for the Kwisatz Haderach, lest the scheme divert or come to naught.
Having operated from Arrakis for millennia, their exposure to Spice combined with shared Other Memory has unlocked a singular prescient vision - what is known as the Scattering. In pursuit of this foretelling, the Heralds have began seeding minor houses operating on Arrakis with prophecy and power that would have them seek glory in the darkness of the Unknown Universe.
While the Heralds are regarded somewhat as zealots, and many wayward sister is discarded from Wallach IX or some other notable station to join the Heralds ranks, millennia have ultimately dulled any divide within the Bene Gesserit.
Due to the necessity of operating on Arrakis with limited resources, the Heralds rely on all manner of collaborators to survive and operate efficiently. The Valkyrie, a defensive unit that has come to guard the Herald’s movements on Arrakis, has significant influence from military turncoats and deserters. While the orders Handlers often work with minor houses, independent organizations and even the odd Spice baron to secure the necessary resources.
Q&A
Is this guild a matriarchy?
In essence - we’re a queer and femme-rooted community, with an open door for open-minded folks.
Are male Bene Gesserit permitted?
The Bene Gesserit are a traditionally female, matriarchal order - which we honour. However in Dune Awakening males can be trained as BG, so we are open to members of any gender identity. Our approach is to be inclusive of queer, trans, non-binary+ identities.
How can Heralds tap into both male and female Other Memory?
As a high order of the Bene Gesserit based on Arrakis for millennia, charged with tending the vast knowledge required for the Book of Azhar, they have developed practices that are unbeknownst to most of the order. The idea behind this practice is rooted in our identity as a queer guild, which has a deeper understanding of the nuances of biological sex and gender, than perhaps the cis-male author of Dune. This is about exploring how queer experience and non-binary identity could manifest in the Dune Universe.
Can anyone access this understanding of Other Memory?
While Acolytes are primed with the spiritual knowledge and biological priming of a non-binary nature, the access to male and female Other Memory is achieved through the Spice Agony that one undergoes to reach the rank of Herald.
How does shared memory come into this?
Bene Gesserit with acccess to Other Memory can share their consciousness. Usually this is rarely done, however it is an integral part of the ritual when a Herald ascends. In their role as custodians to the Book of Azhar, this provides the Heralds with continuity and accumulated wisdom, to serve as a data bank of information.
They sound like Kwisatz Haderach - do that have advanced prescience?
The focus is on shared other memory - as the order serves as a data bank of information, to inform the Book of Azhar. Naturally, some prescience is present, but it is limited and focused on the Scattering.
Which servers do we plan to play on?
We will choose a world in East US and EU. Each member of that world will then take an individual Sietch, so that we can connect with as many players and guilds across our chosen worlds as possible.
Will we still play together?
Yes - you can freely visit other Sietches within the chosen world, the only limitation being claiming land. Those who are willing to create characters on both EU and US servers are encouraged to do so.
Which faction do we plan to join?
As a guild we will abstain from siding with the Atreides or Harkonnen, however we will likely side with the third unannounced faction.
Are we open to alliances?
The Heralds exists as a neutral entity - the aim is to act as a neutral faction in the common interest of Dune Awakening’s many guilds. We may support the growth and endevours of certain guilds from time to time, for a limited period.
Will we be partaking in PvP as well?
Yes - we will periodically align with other guilds and support them in their PvP endeavours, as well as maintain our own activity in the PvP area.
How do we envision roleplay in the game?
You are free to RP to the extent with which you are comfortable, whether that be in voice or text. We will plan RP events and meetings and encourage players to approach the world in a way that fits their character.