UESP Forums

Ever since I started playing Morrowind I'm getting a rather strong Dune vibe from some things which I suspect might not be incidental. However when I tried to look up any info on that there seems to be very little recorded discussion on the relation between the two works.

I will not dwell much on the main plot revolving around an outsider who gets to fulfil an ancient prophecy that is popular among the semi savage but noble people that lives in very harsh conditions, as this is indeed not a concept which is unique to Dune alone, although the similarities are rather obvious, except here we have charred ashlands instead of the unforgiving desert.

There are other details that caught my attention, for example:

The Great Houses of Morrowind seem to have more than just a superficial similarity to the Great Houses in the Dune universe. Specifically, it is easy to draw parallels between House Hlaalu and House Harkonnen on the one hand, and House Redoran and House Atreides on the other. Hlaalu are closely allied to the Empire, and so are the Harkonnens, and both these factions value wealth above honour and ancient tradition, and will not shy away from questionable means of achieving their goals. The Harkonnens mined Arrakis for immense profit and at the expense of the local population, House Hlaalu appears to have a similar mercantile interest in Vvardenfell. Both factions make extensive use of slavery.

House Redoran is the opposite of Hlaalu and preserves traditional virtues of honour and loyalty, just like the Atreides who trace their ancestry back to Ancient Greece. There is a rivalry/conflict between the two Houses. Redorant territory generally has much harsher conditions compared to the "civilised" Hlaalu. The Atreides, upon arrival on Arrakis, occupied Arrakeen as their capital and not the Harkonnen capital Carthag, which was larger and newer while Arrakeen was closer to a native settlement. Redoran architectural style may be compared to how windtraps are depicted in many Dune games. During the storms in Redoran settlements I sure get this Arrakeen vibe.

One interesting detail that I noted is that Redoran members in the game wear red and at least some Hlaalu seem to wear blue or blue-and-gold - even though the Great Houses of Morrowind states that Hlaalu faction colour is yellow. In the original Dune, it is mentioned that Harkonnen troops wore blue liveries, whereas the Duke Leto Atreides was called the 'Red Duke' (but green and black are also mentioned to be the Atreides colours); this was inverted in Westwood's Dune II and subsequent games where Atreides use the "good guy" blue colour and the Harkonnens the "bad guy" red.

House Telvanni looks like it could be compared to the Tleilaxu/Bene Tleilax in the Dune universe, but since I haven't had any extensive contact with Telvanni I cannot tell for certain.

Wow, those are some interesting observations. I usually side with House Hlaalu; it just seems to make sense, since you're right there in Balmora to look up Caius Cosades, and you're basically working as an agent for the Emperor. In fact, I've never sided with House Redoran or House Telvanni, although I keep telling myself that I want to experience their questlines and see what their player houses are like. I think you've just given me a good reason to side with House Redoran in my next playthough!

Apologies for the belated reply.


I think it is quite intentional that the Houses, from the game mechanic and character class point of view, correspond to the three archetypes: Redoran for Warrior, Telvanni for Mage and Hlaalu for Thief. This is even elaborated upon in the House recruiting pamphlets that you can find across Vvardenfell, where they explain both each House's philosophy and list the "favourite" skills.

But of course every House is built so that you can be of any class and still join them. Morally-wise, Hlaalu are clearly unscrupulous as their first quest involves the player posing as a deceased Redoran retainer, with it being heavily implied that they had played a part in his demise. (I joined them early on in my current playthrough, just check what the quests would be; but then re-loaded a saved game as if this never happened, as I already had made my mind to join Redoran.)

As for Telvanni ~ Tleilaxu, recently I got through the corprus cure arc, and the Telvanni wizard Fyr who basically created female clones of himself as an offshoot of his corprus research has a certain Tleilaxu vibe to him (at least, if one is inclined to look for it), as in later Dune books the Tleilaxu are revealed to be not only eugenistic artisans as is implied in earlier instalments, but geneticists who are also religious fanatics, with the ruling caste of Masters being essentially immortal individuals thanks to cloning.

but then telvani isn't known for their strong religios beliefs, if you get what i mean... like there is even quite abandoned temple at telvani canton in vivek city... like atleast some of telvany lords have seen alvisi/tribunal before they had anything divine about them

I just mentioned that religious fanatics part of the Tleilaxu lore as something revealed in later books; I did not imply that it was also true for House Telvanni, nor do I believe that a complete correspondence of features would be necessary to draw a parallel. But thanks for pointing this out anyway!