Caladan/Featured

Third planet orbiting the star Delta Pavonis. It was lush and oceanic world, and ancestral home of House Atreides for tenty-six generations, and their home prior to their relocation to the planet Arrakis in 10,191AG.

Caladan was the birthplace of Paul Atreides, and most of his ancestors that had been heads of House Atreides and rulers of the planet. The ruling House of Caladan resided in Castle Caladan, which was built alongside a great river overlooking orchards and Mount Syubi.

Environment
Much of the planet's surface was oceans and seas. The remainder was lush and rich, with jungles, forests and meadows. Rain also appeared to be a common feature of the planet's meteorology. The land was also broken by rivers and mountains.

Economy & Culture
Caladan maintained a large agricultural industry. Under the Atreides, the planet's economy flourished through orchards (some of which were part of the Atreides family holdings), as well as exports of pundi rice and fine wines. Since much of the planet was ocean, a significant amount of trade on the planet was based on fishing. Indeed, fishing was such a large industry on Caladan that it became ingrained into the culture of its people. Any view of the sea from the coastline would frequently be dotted with fishing trawlers.

Biology
The planet hosted a diverse and complex underwater ecosystem, and presumably an equally rich and complex biology of the land.

Governance and Military
The Great House of Atreides ruled all aspects of Caladan and maintained it as a Duchy and siridar fief under the Imperium. The Atreides ruled Caladan through dominance of both the sea and the air, while maintaining a regular standing army that was fiercely loyal. However, shortly before leaving for Arrakis, the Atreides had managed to train a small, elite force that was comparable in ability to the Imperial Sardaukar forces.

In 10,191AG House Atreides was ordered to relinquish the fief of Caladan, which had been the family's home for more than 10,000 years. Instead, they were to take control of the fief of Arrakis, which had previously been managed by House Harkonnen, the ancient Atreides enemy.

Contrasts with Arrakis
Upon their arrival on Arrakis, House Atreides was forced to undergo a significant adjustment, since their ancestral home had been one of lush greenery, large oceans, and rainfall. In contrast to this, Arrakis was a dry, hot and barren land. Early during Atreides rule of Arrakis, the Duke Leto Atreides experienced severe homesickness for Caladan, and did not believe that he would ever be able to call Arrakis his home. In order to ease their crossing, the Duke brought with him many artefacts and foodstuffs from Caladan, so that he, his family, and his men could gain some comfort in the uncertainty that was brought on by the change of fief and subsequent massive migration.

The Fremen of Arrakis appeared to be intrigued by stories of Caladan, since open, large bodies of water and rainfall had been considered a myth by those people for many generations. Moreover, Paul Atreides' seeming ability to know the ways of the desert as if native to them was made more significant by the fact that he had been raised on the lush, wet world of Caladan, where deserts were unknown.

From Caladan to Dan
After the Atreides moved to Arrakis, Count Hasimir Fenring was named Siridar-Absentia of Caladan in 10,191A.G. However, when House Atreides ascended to the Golden Lion Throne in 10,193 following the Arrakis Revolt, Caladan once again came under the direct rule of the Atreides, as the Lady Jessica returned there, and remained on Caladan for many years. It was not until she desired to meet her young grandchildren did she once again leave Caladan for Arrakis.

During that time, the Caladani people, under the initial direction of Gurney Halleck, spent much of their time and energy removing the remnants of Harkonnen rule from planet Giedi Prime, renaming it as Gammu. In the 5000 years between the events of the Arrakis Revolt and the time the Lost Ones returned from The Scattering, Caladan's name was shortened to Dan, and all things pertaining to Dan were known as Danian.

Behind the Scenes
The original and canon Dune novels by Frank Herbert specify Caladan as the birthplace of Paul Atreides. The non-canon Prelude to Dune novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson specify Kaitain as his birthplace. Anderson and the younger Herbert attempt to explain this discrepancy by saying Kaitain was actually Paul's place of birth, but that he was moved to Caladan right afterwards, and that his official naming ceremony took place on Caladan. However, Dune Messiah (novel) specifically states that Caladan was Paul's "birthplace".

The fate of Caladan after the Arrakis Revolt and after The Scattering, was partly revealed in the appendices of the original Dune (novel), and then in Heretics of Dune (novel).