DUNEREALMS.COM / WORLD WIKI
A desert of our own
This wiki explains the difference between the source works that inspired earlier project material and the names and rules used on this website. It is a comparison, not a reproduction of the books or a claim of an official adaptation.
Why the game differs from the books
We deliberately use original public names and an original supporting storyline to reduce reliance on protected fictional expression and reduce confusion about licensing or endorsement. We keep the broad desert science-fiction atmosphere: scarce water, rival houses, dangerous travel and resource trading. The gameplay story does not aim to retell the novels. Separate commemorative banknote artwork includes named Dune characters as unofficial fan interpretations.
Copyright and trademark concerns are part of that editorial decision. They are not a claim that every individual name is copyrighted, or that changing names alone resolves every rights issue. Artwork, detailed fictional expression and branding require separate consideration. Gameplay also differs because it must work with Minecraft, multiplayer balance and the released plugins.
Why our names have a Dutch influence
We chose Dutch-inspired names as a nod to the linguistic texture of Dune. The books use Landsraad, a name with a familiar Dutch form: land and raad, meaning council. A linguistic study of science-fiction word-building discusses that Dutch raad connection. Related forms also occur in other Germanic languages, including Scandinavian languages; we are not claiming that the term, or the books as a whole, originated exclusively in Dutch.
That connection inspired our own approach: names that suggest desert trade, water stewardship, travel and imperial institutions through Dutch sounds and word-building. This is an aesthetic choice for our fan setting, not a claim that our invented houses, planets or organisations are translations of the novels or officially approved replacements.
We draw on Dutch language and word-building to give our desert worlds an original identity: ideas of travel, circles of cooperation, water stewardship and trade inform names such as Vaerkring, Welvaarders and Koopkring. House Aerdrecht, House Harkveen, House Korenholt, House Oordwijk and the Vrijduin continue that direction. Arrakduin combines the Arrak- root with duin; Kaladam keeps the Kala- sound and adds dam; Giedermark keeps Gied- with mark; Kaiterhof retains Kait- with hof; and Sigmadraken IV preserves Sigma and the numbered-world form while echoing Dutch draken. These are invented setting names, not claims of historical Dutch institutions or book-accurate translations.
A broad linguistic influence can inspire new work. Our aim is to create our own names and expression rather than reproduce the source works. Changing a name does not, by itself, clear copyright, trademark or other rights in artwork, stories, characters, branding or adaptations. Neither this explanation nor the unofficial-project disclaimer represents a licence or rights-holder approval. We retain Landsraad as the requested label for the imperial spice and water appointments; it is not presented as an original coinage.
Source terminology and our game labels
The left column identifies terminology in earlier project materials for comparison only. These are not claims that all the listed words are separately protected, or that every term comes from the books.
| Source / earlier terminology | Our public label | How to read it in game |
|---|---|---|
| Arrakis | Arrakduin | Our desert gameplay world; its generated terrain and survival rules are game design, not a reconstruction of the novel. |
| Caladan | Kaladam | Our water-and-forest world profile. |
| Giedi Prime | Giedermark | Our dark-stone world profile. |
| Kaitain | Kaiterhof | Our plains world profile. |
| Sigma Draconis IV | Sigmadraken IV | Our snowy world profile. Earlier project terminology also drew on Dune games; not every old label originated in the novels. |
| House Atreides | House Aerdrecht | The blue faction retains its existing movement and equipment rules. |
| House Harkonnen | House Harkveen | The red faction retains its existing combat rules. |
| House Corrino | House Korenholt | The purple faction retains its existing protection rules. |
| House Ordos | House Oordwijk | The green faction retains its existing concealment rules. An additional gameplay faction; this table does not claim every source label originated in the novels. |
| Fremen | Vrijduin | Our desert faction; a player role rather than a portrayal of the books’ people. |
| Spacing Guild / Navigators | Vaerkring / Routekeepers | Travel services and NPC roles in our game. |
| CHOAM | Koopkring | Our trade and contract interface. |
| Solaris | dunemarks | The displayed currency label; existing balances and accounting remain unchanged. |
| Shai-Hulud | Dune Maw | Our desert-creature label; the creature uses Minecraft entities and its own gameplay rules. |
| Stillsuit / sietch | Reclaimer suit / rockhaven | Original labels for equipment and shelter. |
| Spice / melange | Spice | Spice is retained as our resource name. Its in-game effects are defined by the field manual, not by the novels. |
Our own supporting story
Tavren Sile is a freight surveyor, Mira Vesk coordinates water deliveries, and Archivist Elian Voss preserves cargo records. Their dispute concerns a missing allocation and contradictory receipts. They are unrelated adults whose choices and evidence drive the story. This is an original supporting outline, not a claim that a playable questline has already shipped.
Website names and existing server commands
The public website labels have changed. Existing plugin filenames, world IDs, command arguments and saved data can still use older technical identifiers. Use commands exactly as shown in the field manual. A website rename does not rename a saved Minecraft world or change faction abilities. Older PDF downloads and plugin releases may also use earlier terminology.
Commemorative note artwork
The Vaerkring Reserve notes feature Minecraft-style fan interpretations of Stilgar, Aliah, Ghanima and Leto, alongside original character Mira Vesk. The 5,000-Dunemark victory scene is imagined game artwork, not a book-accurate event. These character editions reintroduce source-work references; Dutch-inspired names, an original imperial seal and a disclaimer do not provide a licence for those characters or adaptations. The artwork is decorative game-currency art with no cash value and is not offered here as licensed merchandise.
Sources and rights
The official Dune book overview describes the novel’s desert setting and spice premise. For the legal distinction between names and protected expression, see the U.S. Copyright Office guide to material not protected by copyright and its guide to derivative works. Names may separately raise trademark confusion concerns. These U.S. summaries are background, not a worldwide legal clearance.
This project remains unofficial. Original labels do not imply permission from any rights holder. Contact the operators about support or rights concerns at .