Everything about Ix Dune totally explained
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Ix (pronounced "iks") is a
fictional planet featured in the
Dune universe created by
Frank Herbert. The name comes from the
Roman numeral IX, because it's the ninth planet of the star
Alkalurops. Ix specializes in the production of complex machinery which often flouts the proscriptions of the
Butlerian Jihad.
In
Brian Herbert and
Kevin J. Anderson's
Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, the name of the planet is originally Rodale IX.
Classic Dune series
By the time of
Dune, Ix is the leader in providing technology to the Imperium. Ixian devices are ever-present in the novels, but the society itself is unseen until later in the series.
Dune Messiah refers to the Ixian Confederacy, indicating that no noble House rules the planet at that time (or, alternately, that it has a degree of autonomous control over several other worlds). How this came about has yet to be explained.
In
God Emperor of Dune,
Leto Atreides II 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 ultimately failed. They later created
Hwi Noree, a female designed specifically to attract, seduce and hold influence over Leto. He sees this intent but can't dismiss his attraction for Hwi. 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.
The Ixians had managed to keep Hwi's development a secret through the use of their new invention, the
no-chamber, which contains machines that hide the people within from
prescience (as
Guild Navigators 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 resulted in the
no-ship, a
starship that could remain unseen and didn't require a Navigator to
fold space.
By the time of
Heretics of Dune the power of the Ixians seems at its apex with their alliance with the
Fish Speakers; but
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. When the
Honored Matres conquer the Old Empire, the Ixians are reduced to a barely tolerated technological combine.
Legends of Dune
As explained in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's, the family of the
Titan Xerxes had originally ruled Ix. When
Tlaloc conquered the
Old Empire, Xerxes took control and changed the name of the planet from
Rodale IX to just
Ix. After the fall of the Titans, Ix became one of the
Synchronized Worlds. It is finally liberated by the Army of the Jihad in 175 B.G.
Prelude to Dune
In the
Prelude to Dune 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 called
ajidamal, or
amal. The old Emperor wants to remove the spice monopoly by making sure that he's the only access to it, 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 doesn't work properly. The test-
sandtrouts explode, and Fenring's test of its use on two
Guild Navigators 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 the Project Amal are destroyed.
Ix in the Dune games
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. They are also required for the construction of each House's Palace.
In Emperor, Ix is one of the major subfactions. Within the game, Ix is described as a fascist, technocratic House, in which the scientist elite rules. Its peoples slave in factories to produce Ixian technology which provides the elite with profit.
In the War of Assassins, the Ixians now play a more direct role in combat, interacting with the three Houses as trading partners. An alliance with House Ix can be forged by aiding them in various missions, providing that the player doesn't ally with the Tleilaxu first, as the two are bitter enemies.
Once allied, the Ixians will provide the player with units built from the House of Ix. These include the Infiltrator (a stealthed mobile kamikaze unit that reveals cloaked enemy units when it detonates), and the Projector Tank (fast hover tank with light mounted cannon, which when deployed, is able to project holographic images of the player's troops that provides realistic damage, yet disintegrates harmlessly on impact).
The Ixians have also been known to be victims of the
Bene Tleilax forces on Arrakis, having dead Ixians harvested for use in their Flesh Vats. There's also a mission involving a Suboid (lower class) revolt on an Ixian research facility that parallels the revolution in Vernii, Ix mentioned in, with the Tleilaxu being the instigators of the Suboid revolt. The Suboids were later killed by the Tleilaxu after their takeover despite the latter being their "friends".
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