Vladimir Harkonnen
An obese man whose physical form deteriorated over time.
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen conducts his scheming from his study on Giedi Prime, and the plot against House Atreides is his design at every stage. He has manipulated the Padishah Emperor into forcing Duke Leto Atreides to accept Arrakis, and he has arranged for Dr. Yueh to betray the Duke from within.
He explains the whole conspiracy to Piter de Vries and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, laying out how the Emperor was moved and how Yueh was secured. The Duke's relocation from Caladan to the Residency at Arrakeen is not a prize but a trap, and the Baron intends to spring it.
He is ruthless in the working of the plan, yet he permits himself a measure of pity for the Duke, whose doom he regards as certain. The pity changes nothing; the plot goes forward as designed.
How far into Dune have you read?
Set your place and this page rewrites itself to exactly that point. Nothing ahead of you will show.