Announcing Spice & Dice: A Dune D&D Podcast

Summary

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Gom Jabbar: Announcing Spice & Dice – A Dune D&D Podcast

Episode Overview

In this special announcement episode (released July 17, 2026), hosts Abu and Leo of Gom Jabbar reveal their much-anticipated new project: Spice & Dice, an actual play Dungeons & Dragons podcast set in the Dune universe. Drawing from listener demand and the positive reception of their 2025 mini-campaign, Abu and Leo team up once again under the guidance of returning Dungeon Master, Noah Perrito. They outline the vision for Spice & Dice—making a D&D show that’s accessible to both role-playing veterans and complete newcomers, with shorter, more digestible campaigns and rich Dune lore. The episode also features a 10-minute sneak peek of the campaign’s tense, atmospheric opening.

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Key Announcements & Discussion Points

Why Spice & Dice? (00:00–02:49)

• Listener Demand & The Team: After the 2025 mini-campaign, fans wanted more Dune-flavored D&D. Abu and Leo return with Dungeon Master Noah Perrito.
• Accessible for Everyone: Many actual play podcasts can be daunting for newcomers due to long campaigns and complicated lore. Abu and Leo aim for concise episodes and self-contained story arcs so anyone can jump in easily.
• Format:
  • Shorter episodes than most D&D shows.
  • Contained campaigns—none will be 50+ episodes.
  • Each adventure will provide an easy entry point for new listeners.
• First Campaign: "Voices of the Jihad" features characters facing the consequences of Paul Muad’Dib’s galaxy-shaking war, attempting to assassinate the emperor himself.
• Future Plans: Hints at upcoming campaigns, such as "Annihilation, but on Planet Ecas," plus narrative inspiration from deep cuts in the Dune Encyclopedia.
• Release Timeline: Q4 2026, to coincide with the release of Dune Part Three.
• Quote – Abu:
  "We're hoping to make this podcast not only exciting for longtime Dungeons and Dragons fans, but also for people who don't know anything about D and D." (00:47)
• Memorable Moment – Leo:
  (Referring to D&D campaign length): "Campaigns can go on for dozens and dozens of episodes, and while there's value in that, it can make it really hard for a newcomer to jump in and enjoy the show." (01:33)

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Voices of the Jihad: Campaign Preview

Setting the Scene (02:49–04:15)

• Location: Arrakeen Palace, year 10207 A.G.
• Description: Noah paints the vastness and grandeur of Paul’s fortress—the largest structure in human history.
• Tension: Abu and Leo’s characters have stealthily navigated this daunting space to reach Paul’s bedchambers for their assassination attempt.

Quote – Noah, Dungeon Master:

"Paul's keep is the single most colossal structure built in all of human history. Large enough to fit a dozen ancient cities within..." (02:51)

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Character Introductions (04:16–06:27)

Brujan (Abu)

• Profile: 43, Human, 5'9" (with jokes about height), former Fremen intelligence, now a fisherman.
• Backstory: Life upended when Fremen Jihad reaches his homeworld Maris.
• Character Banter:
  • Height jokes morph across Hinge profiles:
    • Leo: "I saw his dating profile on Hinge. It said 6ft tall." (04:41)
  • Abu (on occupation): "Classic pipeline." (04:59)
• Motivation: Loss at the hands of the Jihad has driven Brujan to extreme action.

Voluntosk (Leo)

• Profile: Also from Maris, "rebellious five-seven," impromptu hero.
• Backstory: Unplanned assassin—drawn by the sense of responsibility after witnessing atrocities.
• Voice & Humor:
  • "My life as Volon is... I've never assassinated an emperor before. But if you look out at the fucking lives lost, it's obvious that he needs to be stopped." (06:16)

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Plot Kicks Off: Fortune and Failure (06:28–09:32)

The Prescient Psychic, "The Reader"

• Tri Maniaco: Cloaked, masked, tarot-reading guide for the assassins.
• Role: Uses "Dune Tarot" to help the crew navigate dangers and possibly block Paul's prescience.
• Mystery: Are the cards genuinely prescient or is Tri just cunning?
• Tarot Drama:
  • Noah: "Oh, the 10 of Chris knives." (07:53)
  • Leo: "What does that mean?" (07:56)
  • Noah: "It's… rock bottom. That now we will find 10 Chris knives that we can use to stab the Emperor with. So either way it's a sign that there's no way to go but up." (08:01)

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The Assassination Attempt Goes Awry

• Stealth Roll Shenanigans:
  • Abu rolls a 19—stealthy.
    • Noah: "Well, I rolled a 19." (09:01)
  • Leo rolls a natural 1, minus 1 modifier:
    • Leo: "I rolled a one with a minus one modifier. Takes me down to a delightful zero." (09:04) • Noah: "You rolled a natural one. Oh my God." (09:13)
• Comic Relief:
  • Abu (sarcastically): "We're starting off with an absolute critical failure." (09:22)
• Result: Despite careful approach, Leo’s Voluntosk clatters into the room, cards fly, chaos ensues, and the atmosphere is tense but filled with dark humor.
• **Noah guides the players, maintaining tension but embracing their missteps.

Room Description (09:33–11:22)

• Paul's Bedchambers: Not flashy—unexpectedly spartan despite imperial opulence elsewhere.

  • "Despite everything that this emperor has and has stood for, this bedroom is relatively plain. I mean, it's grand, but it's definitely like not flashy by any means." (10:39)

• The Target: Two figures in the bed—Paul and (presumably) Chani—unmoving under the sheets.

• Physical comedy as the crew stumbles in, bickering and shushing each other:

  • "Oh, God. Like, walks in and then trips over you, and the cards go flying everywhere. Oh, sorry. Sorry." (11:22)
  • "Collect yourselves. Collect yourselves. Both of you." (11:38, Abu)

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Set for a Tense Confrontation (11:43–12:14)

• Brujan Prepares for Action:
  • Abu: "I pull out my Kinjal and quietly tiptoe into the room, trying to shush both of these two fools…"
• Noah (narrating the climax):
  • "You feel your heart pounding in your chest, but you... steady it. You've been in situations similar to this before. You know what needs to be done, and you prepare your blade for the kill." (12:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Our episodes are going to be shorter than your typical actual play podcast, and our campaigns are going to be more contained and focused." — Abu (01:34)
• "We have triumphy with the deck of cards, so we should be blind to prescience. I don't think we blow our advantage." — Abu/Brujan (08:43)
• "I rolled a one with a minus one modifier. Takes me down to a delightful zero." — Leo (09:04)
• "We're starting off with an absolute critical failure." — Abu (09:22)
• "Despite everything that this emperor has and has stood for, this bedroom is relatively plain." — Noah (10:39)

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Timestamps (Important Segments)

• 00:00–02:49 – Podcast and campaign announcement, format philosophy, and release plans
• 02:49–04:15 – Setting the opening scene on Arrakis
• 04:16–06:27 – Character introductions and comic banter
• 06:28–09:32 – Entering the palace, tarot scene, stealth check disaster
• 09:33–11:22 – Description of Paul Atreides’ bedroom, chaos as players enter
• 11:43–12:14 – Campaign preview concludes on cliffhanger: the assassination attempt begins

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Summary

"Spice & Dice" aims to make Dune roleplay inviting, thrilling, and filled with both high-stakes drama and irreverent humor. Both Dune diehards and D&D rookies are welcome as Abu, Leo, and Noah blend high-concept world-building with grounded, character-driven storytelling. This episode not only introduces the premise but sets the tone for intelligent, accessible, and entertaining adventures in the Dune universe.

Next steps: Stay tuned for the Q4 2026 release and more insights into the Dune universe—one roll at a time!

Transcript

[A]

Roll an excitement check folks, because we have quite the announcement to share Today. We are thrilled to officially unveil Spice and Dice, a Dungeons and Dragons actual play podcast set in the far corners of the Dune universe. This has been a much requested series after we did a mini campaign back in 2025, and folks who enjoyed those episodes will be happy to hear that we are partnering up once again with with Noah Perrito as our amazing Dungeon Master to launch this brand new show. We're hoping to make this podcast not only exciting for long time Dungeons and Dragons fans, but also for people who don't know anything about D and D. Honestly, Leo and I don't have a ton of experience playing D and D, so Noah is truly going to be our guide. Not only through the adventures that they'll be taking us on, but also through the actual playing of the game. There are so many excellent D and D podcasts out there that we're looking to for inspiration, but something that's always bothered us about them is just how much homework is required to get into the story. Campaigns can go on for dozens and dozens of episodes, and while there's value in that, it can make it really hard for a newcomer to jump in and enjoy the show. So our approach on Spice and Dice is going to be a little bit different. Our episodes are going to be shorter than your typical actual play podcast, and our campaigns are are going to be more contained and focused. We're not going to release a campaign, for example, that runs for 50 plus episodes, so there's always going to be an easy point for a new listener to jump in and catch up with an adventure by just listening to a few episodes. The show is going to launch with our very first campaign, which we're calling Voices of the Jihad. In this story, Leo and I will be playing characters who have seen the darkest side of Paul Muadib's jihad and are setting out to try and assassinate the emperor. We already have so many ideas for future campaigns beyond that, and we can't wait to dive into those. One of them, for example, Noah pitched to us as simply Annihilation, but on Planet Ecas. Oh, I can't wait for that one. We're also diving deep into the encyclopedia to pull inspiration and build stories around some of the more niche entries. So if you're a big Dune fan, and even if you're not a big D and D fan, we're hoping this show will still be your cup of spice tea. We are hard at work on this first campaign and we're aiming for a Q4 2026 release of the show just ahead of the third film. What you're going to hear today is a 10 minute preview from that first campaign. Voices of the Jihad. We've been having a ton of fun making this show and we're so excited for you all to hear it. Thanks as always for listening and joining us on this golden path. All right, here's the preview.

[B]

Year 10207 AG Arrakis. The palace of Arrakeen. Paul's keep is the single most colossal structure built in all of human history. Large enough to fit a dozen ancient cities within it is constructed in mutual mere years by a workforce taken from worlds across the Imperium. Traveling through this megastructure has taken days as you have been forced to move quietly and carefully to avoid Fedaken guards. As you've crept past terraces the size of mesas, squares and parks of cultured wilderness as large as cities, crossing footbridges constructed of crystal stabilized gold and platinum. Even passing by the Emperor's immense throne room, his Hagar emerald throne, but a glint of green far in the distance, you have avoided the temptations of treasures and hordes of spice. Until finally, after all this time and all this planning, you have made it to the sietch above the sand, Paul's private bedchambers. The residence of the man responsible for the Fremen Jihad and the misery it has spread across the galaxy. When will he face those he has taken so much from? Right now. Abu and Leo. Would you care to introduce your characters and perhaps give us a description of them?

[C]

Oh my God. You go first. I don't want to breathe. I don't want to make too much noise because we're gonna get fucking discovered. Stressful. Stressful.

[A]

Still stressful. So I am playing Brujan.

[B]

Murky.

[A]

Bruhan is a 43 year old human, height 5 9. Not that that matters. Maybe he rounds up to 6 on hinge.

[C]

I was gonna say. I saw his dating profile on hinge. It said 6ft tall. What are you talking about?

[B]

He looks 6ft. At a distance.

[A]

From a distance. Right. His current profession is fisherman, but he is a retired former intelligence specialist in the Fremen ranks.

[C]

Classic pipeline.

[A]

Everything changed when the one thing he never thought would happen happened. The Gizarrete and the Fremen troops showed up on his homeworld of Maris. And the Jihad had finally come for his home.

[C]

So I'm hearing. Spoiled five seven. Rebellious five seven. What a catch. What a catch.

[B]

You reduced him by two inches.

[C]

Was he five nine.

[A]

He was five nine.

[C]

I heard he was five five. It's six foot if you're looking at

[A]

him from the right angle.

[C]

Well I'm very excited to be trying to kill the Emperor with this kind of company. My God. Hell yeah. He's 4 3. He's so tall. Yeah, the name's Voluntosk. I am also, as it turns out from Maris, we got a couple of Marin boys just out here on a sandy planet far from home. The Marin boys growing up in in Yako, it was not plan A. I was not like I'm going to go and try to kill the Emperor. But what I will say about my life as as Volon is I am the kind of guy who like when I see that something needs to be done, needs doing, I will try my hand at it. I've never assassinated an emperor before. But if you look out at the fucking lives lost, it's obvious that he needs to be stopped. So here I am.

[B]

You two take up your positions ready to take down the emperor of the known universe. When you hear the scrambling of footsteps from behind you.

[C]

Wait, wait.

[B]

We must consult the cards. And you turn to see a small cloaked human, their face obscured by a dark veil. The self proclaimed prescient psychic, Tri Maniaco, AKA the reader. The keystone of this assassination rushes up to you. Their ability to utilize the dune tarot to predict the path has helped you navigate this palace up to this point. You do have doubts whether the cards are revealing hidden clues and interfering with Paul's prescience or if Tri just happens to have an insight into the guards watches. And either way, without them it would have been very challenging to get this far. This individual saw potential in you, saw in the cards that you were fated to do this task. We think it's kind of unclear if the dune tarot works either way. You are here, you are right in front of this door, this small figure just sitting down literally between you and your goal, cross legged, pulling out a card in placing, releasing it before you all. Oh, the 10 of Chris knives.

[C]

What does that mean?

[B]

Well it is how you say, rock bottom that now we will find 10 Chris knives that we can use to stab the Emperor with. So either way it's a sign that there's no way to go but up.

[C]

I guess that's kind of a Chris knife half perspective.

[A]

Yeah, this is great, but is now the time to be doing this? We are outside of the Emperor's door.

[C]

Brujan, I hear you but like I feel like this is also exactly the time. Because we don't know what's on the other side of this.

[B]

Also true.

[A]

Our target. I mean, let's finish the job.

[C]

Brujan. I feel like if we don't have to wake him up with a big, like, announcing our arrival, you know, kicking in the door, all that. If we don't have to do that, maybe we try to like, really ease the door open silently.

[A]

I agree. Absolutely. Yeah. We have every advantage right now. We have triumphy with the deck of cards, so we should be blind to prescience. I don't think we blow our advantage.

[C]

Yeah, let's do it.

[B]

Okay. Why don't you both give me stealth checks as you proceed towards the emperor.

[A]

Well, I rolled a 19.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And I believe, Leo, you rolled a one. I rolled. I rolled a one with a minus one modifier. Takes me down to a delightful zero.

[B]

You rolled a natural one. Oh my God.

[C]

I'm like, let's be quiet.

[A]

We're starting off with an absolute critical failure.

[B]

Credible way to start an assassination. Brujan, you have military training.

[A]

I do.

[B]

So you put your hand on the door and with a bit of effort, you are able to slowly push it open and peer inside. And as the doors open, they reveal the private bedchambers of Emperor Paul Atreides. A large room accented with the deep orange hangings of a traditional desert still tent. Yellow glow globes and shelves holding various desert treasures and mementos. Thick curtains of green and black, the color of the house Atreides, flow from the ceiling, trimmed with gold and occasionally highlighted by red hawks, the sigil of this ancient house. The bedroom itself is spartan in decoration. Like what I've described is all it has. There's not like, there's no portraits. There's no, like, grand like displays of wealth. Despite everything that this emperor has and has stood for, this bedroom is relatively plain. I mean, it's grand, but it's definitely like not flashy by any means. Which does surprise you, I think.

[C]

Huh?

[A]

Right.

[B]

Your attention is pulled from this luxurious space by the main feature of the chamber. This large king sized, or should I say emperor sized bed. A pool of woven silken sheets with a few cushions near the top. The threads glittering in the dark, dim light of these glow globes. Two person siiz lumps in the center, unmoving, the blanket pulled over them. You see all of this and then van, you go like, what are we looking at? And peer over and then the two of you just like stumble into the room, like very loudly and just like oh, God. Like, walks in and then trips over you, and the cards go flying everywhere. Oh, sorry. Sorry.

[C]

How.

[B]

I mean.

[C]

Oh, sorry. Oh,

[A]

both of you.

[C]

Sorry.

[A]

Both of you.

[B]

Shh.

[A]

Jesus Christ.

[B]

I'm so sorry. Sorry. I normally. Way quieter.

[A]

Collect yourselves. Collect yourselves. Both of you.

[C]

I was unlucky, all right? I was unlucky.

[A]

I stole my lay's gun. Because this clearly doesn't look like a long range situation. There aren't any guards in here that I need to immediately shoot. And instead, I pull out my Kinjal and quietly tiptoe into the room, trying to shush both of these two fools who are still collecting themselves. I'm ignoring the red flags that clearly Volun, perhaps is picking up on. I have Kinjal in hand, and I am tiptoeing toward that bed. This is ending tonight in mere moments.

[B]

You feel your heart pounding in your chest, but you. You steady it. You've been in situations similar to this before. You know what needs to be done, and you prepare your blade for the kill.