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Poritrin was the third planet in the star system Epsilon Ophiuchi, and an established but largely quiet agricultural world within the Known Universe.
History[]
During the Time of Titans and beyond, Poritrin was a member of the League of Nobles. It was ruled by a dynasty of Lords who were members of the Bludd family.
Following a bucolic derivative of Navachristianity, the people of Poritrin outlawed computerized harvesting apparatus and restored society to humbler roots. Lord Sajak Bludd became the first Poritrin Lord and first League nobleman to introduce actual slavery, as a means of making large-scale agriculture viable. He justified his act by choosing only those who 'owed a debt to humanity' - the Buddislamics.[1]
In the years that followed Poritrin became a staunch supporter of slavery. It's powerful agricultural and light industrial sectors became highly dependent on its large number of Zensunni and Zenshiite slaves.
During the unrest of the Butlerian Jihad, the planet was famous as the cradle of scientific celebrity Tio Holtzman, the inventor of the Scrambler web and the Holtzman Effect. Technologies derived from the Holtzman Effect include the Holtzman Drive, Holtzman Shields, Suspensors and Glowglobes.
Norma Cenva worked on Poritrin as assistant to Holtzman. Cenva would invent the portable Scrambler Grenade based off of the Scrambler Web technology invented by Tio Holtzman. Cenva then used the Holtzman Effect to invent the Suspensor field. Coupled with the common glow strips of the time, this evolved into the Glowglobe, which became the staple light source used throughout the Known Universe. Cenva gifted the discovery of the Glowglobe to her future husband Aurelius Venport, CEO of VenKee Enterprises. With the help of Cenva, VenKee Enterprises would later become the Spacing Guild.
During the Butlerian Jihad the planet experienced an uprising instigated by Bel Moulay, a Zenshiite slave sage. However the uprising was violently suppressed by government forces led by Niko Bludd, then ruler of Poritrin. Moulay was ceremonially tortured and executed in public in place of the uprisers.
About 20 years later, Poritrin was used as a 'bait' by the Jihadi intelligence, which lured a machine attack against the planet. According to the plan however, the planet was 'defended' by a large number of decoy ships that confused the machines and were driven off by real fighters. The mastermind of the plan was Vorian Atreides, while the construction was overseen by Holtzman.
The second uprising culminated in a massive explosion that devastated Poritrin City, and greatly reduced the world's influence in galactic politics. Unlike his predecessor, Porce Bludd was a philanthropist and participated in building New Starda.
Poritrin remained a source of resources for the Corrino Empire, and continued to be home to 'slave pits' in which casualties were high.[2] The Fremen remembered Poritrin as their planet of origin in their songs.
Geography[]
The planet was a river world featuring vast plains of fertile land and a healthy hydrological cycle. Though it was dotted with many settlements, by far the largest was Poritrin City, which at its height was a hub of culture and luxury for free humans during the Butlerian Jihad.
Poritrin's capital was Starda built around the delta of the Isana River.
Poritrin had one small moon.
- ↑ Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, page 126
- ↑ Dune: House Harkonnen