Ix (Dune)
Encyclopedia
Ix (ˈɪks) is a fictional planet featured in the Dune series
of science fiction
novels written by Frank Herbert
, and derivative works. In Dune
(1965) it is noted that Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In Dune Messiah
(1969) Herbert explains that the planet's name (a spelling pronunciation of the Roman numeral IX) is derived from the fact that it is the ninth planet of its sun. Ixian devices are commonplace and considered essential throughout the rest of the series, though they sometimes test the limits of the anti-technology proscriptions of the Butlerian Jihad
, mankind's crusade against computer
s, thinking machines
, and conscious robots
.
In Brian Herbert
and Kevin J. Anderson
's Legends of Dune
prequel
trilogy
(2002–2004), the name of the planet is originally Rodale IX at the time of the Butlerian Jihad.
, Ix is the leader in providing technology to the Imperium. Ixian devices are ever-present, but the society itself is unseen until later in the series. The sequel
to Dune, Dune Messiah
(1969), refers to the "Ixian Confederacy
," hinting at society governed by a group of empowered political bodies or worlds rather than by a single ruling House, as is typical in the rest of the universe. Dune Messiah begins with "Excerpts from the Death Cell Interview with Bronso of Ix," a historian imprisoned and condemned to death for his critical analyses of Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides
and his histories, as presented by Paul's followers. This "interview" — and a subsequent excerpt from Bronso's Analysis of History: Muad'dib — serve to summarize the plot of Dune and establish the political and religious conflicts in play as the novel begins.
In 1981's God Emperor of Dune
, Leto Atreides II
can see through his prescience that his Golden Path has prevented the Ixians from being the cause of mankind's destruction in the future. He talks about his relationship with the former Ixian ambassador Malky, who had been specially raised and trained by the Ixians to be a "tempter" — the "Devil to Leto's God." The Ixians had intended for Malky to manipulate Leto into doubting his own purpose; the plan had ultimately failed. They had later created Hwi Noree, a female designed specifically to attract, seduce, and hold influence over Leto. In the novel, Leto meets Hwi and sees this intent, but cannot dismiss his attraction to her. The Ixians have an embassy on Arrakis
which is infiltrated by Tleilaxu
Face Dancers, who kill and replace everyone there — except for Hwi — as part of an assassination attempt on Leto. The attempt fails, but Leto later allows himself to be killed by Siona Atreides, as part of his own plan for the universe; Hwi dies with him.
The Ixians had managed to keep Hwi's development a secret through the use of their new invention, the no-room (later called a no-chamber), which contains machines that hide the people within from prescience (as Guild Navigator
s can do). They had also created the Navigation Device which would eventually take the place of Guild Navigators and help fuel the Scattering. Combining these two technologies later results in the no-ship, a starship
that can remain unseen and does not require a Navigator to fold space
.
By the time of the events described in Heretics of Dune
(1984), the power of the Ixians seems at its apex with their alliance with the Fish Speakers; however, Bene Gesserit
analysts see them as a failing power, because Ixian society had become a bureaucracy and no great inventions had come out of the workshops of Ix for centuries. As the Honored Matres
conquer the Old Empire
, the Ixians are reduced to a barely tolerated technological combine. In Chapterhouse: Dune (1985), the latest Duncan Idaho
ghola suggests that Leto had never "suppressed" Ix because "He was fascinated by the idea of human and machine inextricably bound to each other, each testing the limits of the other."
(2003), the family of the Titan Xerxes had originally ruled Ix. When Tlaloc had conquered the Old Empire
, Xerxes had taken control and changed the name of the planet from Rodale IX to just Ix. After the fall of the Titans at the hands of the thinking machines
, Ix had become one of the Synchronized Worlds. In the novel, Ix is finally liberated by the Army of the Jihad
in 175 B.G.
(1999–2001) prequel novels, Ix is a beautiful planet with no development on the surface, and practically no one goes above ground. The developed part of Ix is subterranean, mainly consisting of labs and factories. The Ixians are the leader in technological production and have the monopoly
on producing the starships known as heighliners. Ix's prime competitor is Richese, but Ix always maintains a healthy lead in technology. House Vernius
rules the planet, but the Padishah Emperor
Elrood Corrino IX holds a grudge against Earl Dominic Vernius for two reasons: Dominic had married Elrood's former concubine
, Shando Balut, and Ix's new, larger heighliners negatively impact Imperial tax revenue on cargo.
Elrood secretly grants the Tleilaxu
the right to occupy Ix by force (with the help of his Sardaukar
army) and remake it into a laboratory station for Project Amal. This secret project seeks to produce a synthetic version of melange the Tleilaxu Master Ajidica calls ajidamal, or amal. The old Emperor wants to take over the spice monopoly by making sure that he has the only access to spice, thus controlling the Spacing Guild
. The Tleilaxu rename Ix "Xuttuh" after their founder. In the year 10,156 A.G., Elrood IX is assassinated by Count Hasimir Fenring
. Crown Prince Shaddam
, now under the name of Shaddam IV, gives Fenring the title of Imperial Spice Minister and orders him to supervise the project. Although Ajidica manages to create an artificial melange that seems to have the original's properties, it does not work properly. The test-sandtrout explode, and Fenring's test of its use on two Guild Navigator
s ends in catastrophe. When Duke Leto Atreides
invades Xuttuh in 10,175 A.G. and reestablishes Prince Rhombur of House Vernius as the ruler of Ix, all the records of Project Amal are destroyed.
, the Ixians are responsible for providing the technologies for the three Houses to build Missile Tanks and their House-specific vehicles. This is done by building the Ixian Research Facility at the player's base. Once this is done, the player will be able to build either the Atreides
Sonic Tank and Ornithopter, the Harkonnen
Devastator, or the Ordos
Deviator. The Ixians are also required for the construction of each House's Palace.
Ix is also one of the major subfactions in Emperor: Battle for Dune
(2001).
Dune (franchise)
Dune is a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Considered by many to be the greatest science fiction novel of all time, Dune is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history...
of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels written by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert
Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
, and derivative works. In Dune
Dune (novel)
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the Hugo Award in 1966, and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
(1965) it is noted that Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969) Herbert explains that the planet's name (a spelling pronunciation of the Roman numeral IX) is derived from the fact that it is the ninth planet of its sun. Ixian devices are commonplace and considered essential throughout the rest of the series, though they sometimes test the limits of the anti-technology proscriptions of the Butlerian Jihad
Butlerian Jihad
The Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
, mankind's crusade against computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s, thinking machines
Thinking machines (Dune)
Thinking machines is a collective term for artificial intelligence in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Butlerian Jihad a human crusade against thinking machines is an epic turning point in the back-story of the Dune universe...
, and conscious robots
Cognitive robotics
a robot is a robot device that is built from inanimate matter. Its behavior in response to the environment is deterministic, based on how the robot was designed. Cognition is the process of acquiring and using knowledge about the world for goal-oriented purposes, such as survival...
.
In Brian Herbert
Brian Herbert
Brian Patrick Herbert is an American author who lives in Washington state. He is the elder son of science fiction author Frank Herbert....
and Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...
's Legends of Dune
Legends of Dune
Legends of Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe.* Dune: The Butlerian Jihad * Dune: The Machine Crusade * Dune: The Battle of Corrin...
prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
(2002–2004), the name of the planet is originally Rodale IX at the time of the Butlerian Jihad.
The original series
By the time of the events described in the 1965 novel DuneDune (novel)
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the Hugo Award in 1966, and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
, Ix is the leader in providing technology to the Imperium. Ixian devices are ever-present, but the society itself is unseen until later in the series. The sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Dune, Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969), refers to the "Ixian Confederacy
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
," hinting at society governed by a group of empowered political bodies or worlds rather than by a single ruling House, as is typical in the rest of the universe. Dune Messiah begins with "Excerpts from the Death Cell Interview with Bronso of Ix," a historian imprisoned and condemned to death for his critical analyses of Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides
Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Paul is a prominent character in the first two novels in the series, Dune and Dune Messiah , and returns in Children of Dune . The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
and his histories, as presented by Paul's followers. This "interview" — and a subsequent excerpt from Bronso's Analysis of History: Muad'dib — serve to summarize the plot of Dune and establish the political and religious conflicts in play as the novel begins.
In 1981's God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series. It was ranked as the #11 hardcover fiction best seller of 1981 by Publishers Weekly.-Plot introduction:...
, Leto Atreides II
Leto Atreides II
Leto Atreides II is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Born at the end of Dune Messiah , Leto is a central character in Children of Dune and is the title character of God Emperor of Dune . The character is brought back as a ghola in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
can see through his prescience that his Golden Path has prevented the Ixians from being the cause of mankind's destruction in the future. He talks about his relationship with the former Ixian ambassador Malky, who had been specially raised and trained by the Ixians to be a "tempter" — the "Devil to Leto's God." The Ixians had intended for Malky to manipulate Leto into doubting his own purpose; the plan had ultimately failed. They had later created Hwi Noree, a female designed specifically to attract, seduce, and hold influence over Leto. In the novel, Leto meets Hwi and sees this intent, but cannot dismiss his attraction to her. The Ixians have an embassy on Arrakis
Arrakis
Arrakis — informally known as Dune and later called Rakis — is a fictional desert planet featured in the Dune series of novels by Frank Herbert. Herbert's first novel in the series, 1965's Dune, is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and it is...
which is infiltrated by Tleilaxu
Bene Tleilax
The Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "twisted" Mentats, the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium...
Face Dancers, who kill and replace everyone there — except for Hwi — as part of an assassination attempt on Leto. The attempt fails, but Leto later allows himself to be killed by Siona Atreides, as part of his own plan for the universe; Hwi dies with him.
The Ixians had managed to keep Hwi's development a secret through the use of their new invention, the no-room (later called a no-chamber), which contains machines that hide the people within from prescience (as Guild Navigator
Guild Navigator
A Guild Navigator is a fictional humanoid in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Humans mutated through the consumption of and exposure to massive amounts of the spice melange, they are able to use a limited form of prescience to safely navigate interstellar space in a starship called a...
s can do). They had also created the Navigation Device which would eventually take the place of Guild Navigators and help fuel the Scattering. Combining these two technologies later results in the no-ship, a starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
that can remain unseen and does not require a Navigator to fold space
Holtzman effect
The Holtzman effect is a fictional scientific phenomenon in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, beginning with the 1965 novel Dune...
.
By the time of the events described in Heretics of Dune
Heretics of Dune
Heretics of Dune is a 1984 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, fifth in a series of six novels. It was ranked as the #13 hardcover fiction best seller of 1984 by The New York Times.-Plot introduction:...
(1984), the power of the Ixians seems at its apex with their alliance with the Fish Speakers; however, Bene Gesserit
Bene Gesserit
The Bene Gesserit are a key social, religious, and political force in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. The group is described as an exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman powers and...
analysts see them as a failing power, because Ixian society had become a bureaucracy and no great inventions had come out of the workshops of Ix for centuries. As the Honored Matres
Honored Matres
The Honored Matres are a fictional matriarchal organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. They are described as an aggressive cult obsessed with power, violence and sexual domination...
conquer the Old Empire
Old Empire (Dune)
The Old Empire is a fictional galactic empire in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The term has been applied to two distinct eras in the fictional history of the Dune series.-The Padishah Empire:...
, the Ixians are reduced to a barely tolerated technological combine. In Chapterhouse: Dune (1985), the latest Duncan Idaho
Duncan Idaho
Duncan Idaho is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Introduced in the first novel of the series, 1965's Dune, the character became a breakout character as the readers liked him and was revived by Herbert in 1969's Dune Messiah...
ghola suggests that Leto had never "suppressed" Ix because "He was fascinated by the idea of human and machine inextricably bound to each other, each testing the limits of the other."
Legends of Dune
As explained in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's Dune: The Machine CrusadeDune: The Machine Crusade
Dune: The Machine Crusade is a 2003 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the second book in the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's...
(2003), the family of the Titan Xerxes had originally ruled Ix. When Tlaloc had conquered the Old Empire
Old Empire (Dune)
The Old Empire is a fictional galactic empire in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The term has been applied to two distinct eras in the fictional history of the Dune series.-The Padishah Empire:...
, Xerxes had taken control and changed the name of the planet from Rodale IX to just Ix. After the fall of the Titans at the hands of the thinking machines
Thinking machines (Dune)
Thinking machines is a collective term for artificial intelligence in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Butlerian Jihad a human crusade against thinking machines is an epic turning point in the back-story of the Dune universe...
, Ix had become one of the Synchronized Worlds. In the novel, Ix is finally liberated by the Army of the Jihad
Butlerian Jihad
The Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
in 175 B.G.
Prelude to Dune
In the Prelude to DunePrelude to Dune
Prelude to Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe....
(1999–2001) prequel novels, Ix is a beautiful planet with no development on the surface, and practically no one goes above ground. The developed part of Ix is subterranean, mainly consisting of labs and factories. The Ixians are the leader in technological production and have the monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
on producing the starships known as heighliners. Ix's prime competitor is Richese, but Ix always maintains a healthy lead in technology. House Vernius
House Vernius
House Vernius is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. They are featured in the prequel series Prelude to Dune and Heroes of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
rules the planet, but the Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor is the title given to the hereditary rulers of the Old Empire in the science fiction Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.-Original series:...
Elrood Corrino IX holds a grudge against Earl Dominic Vernius for two reasons: Dominic had married Elrood's former concubine
Concubinage
Concubinage is the state of a woman or man in an ongoing, usually matrimonially oriented, relationship with somebody to whom they cannot be married, often because of a difference in social status or economic condition.-Concubinage:...
, Shando Balut, and Ix's new, larger heighliners negatively impact Imperial tax revenue on cargo.
Elrood secretly grants the Tleilaxu
Bene Tleilax
The Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "twisted" Mentats, the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium...
the right to occupy Ix by force (with the help of his Sardaukar
Sardaukar
The Sardaukar are a fictional fanatical army from Frank Herbert's Dune universe, primarily featured in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune, as well as Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
army) and remake it into a laboratory station for Project Amal. This secret project seeks to produce a synthetic version of melange the Tleilaxu Master Ajidica calls ajidamal, or amal. The old Emperor wants to take over the spice monopoly by making sure that he has the only access to spice, thus controlling the Spacing Guild
Spacing Guild
The Spacing Guild is an organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. With its monopoly on interstellar travel and banking, the Guild is a balance of power against the Padishah Emperor and the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad...
. The Tleilaxu rename Ix "Xuttuh" after their founder. In the year 10,156 A.G., Elrood IX is assassinated by Count Hasimir Fenring
Hasimir Fenring
Count Hasimir Fenring is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is featured in the science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert, and is also a key character in the Prelude to Dune trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
. Crown Prince Shaddam
Shaddam Corrino IV
Shaddam Corrino IV is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is Padishah Emperor of the known universe in Herbert's 1965 novel Dune. Shaddam's accession to the throne is chronicled in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.Born...
, now under the name of Shaddam IV, gives Fenring the title of Imperial Spice Minister and orders him to supervise the project. Although Ajidica manages to create an artificial melange that seems to have the original's properties, it does not work properly. The test-sandtrout explode, and Fenring's test of its use on two Guild Navigator
Guild Navigator
A Guild Navigator is a fictional humanoid in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Humans mutated through the consumption of and exposure to massive amounts of the spice melange, they are able to use a limited form of prescience to safely navigate interstellar space in a starship called a...
s ends in catastrophe. When Duke Leto Atreides
Leto Atreides I
Duke Leto Atreides I is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He features in the novel Dune by Frank Herbert and in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson....
invades Xuttuh in 10,175 A.G. and reestablishes Prince Rhombur of House Vernius as the ruler of Ix, all the records of Project Amal are destroyed.
Dune games
In Dune 2000Dune 2000
Dune 2000 is a real-time strategy video game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, and later ported to the PlayStation. It is a partial remake of Dune II, which is also based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in...
, the Ixians are responsible for providing the technologies for the three Houses to build Missile Tanks and their House-specific vehicles. This is done by building the Ixian Research Facility at the player's base. Once this is done, the player will be able to build either the Atreides
House Atreides
House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line...
Sonic Tank and Ornithopter, the Harkonnen
House Harkonnen
House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
Devastator, or the Ordos
House Ordos
House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E...
Deviator. The Ixians are also required for the construction of each House's Palace.
Ix is also one of the major subfactions in Emperor: Battle for Dune
Emperor: Battle for Dune
Emperor: Battle for Dune is a Dune video game, released by Westwood Studios on June 12, 2001. It is based in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe....
(2001).