Vacancies occur in the game from time to time, either through player inactivity or departures, or when new factions (primarily Houses) are added. All vacant positions are listed on the Vacancies page - a link to the online Application Form will be available from here.

Dune Knowledge: You do not need any special knowledge of Frank Herbert's Dune to play, although that will give you a better inkling of how things work and may mean the game is less confusing. Existing players, and the GM, are there to help and offer advice if you do find anything which needs explaining. Please note that we use the original Frank Herbert books, and the Dune Encyclopedia, as canonical source material: players are free to draw inspiration from the Prequels but that material is not considered canon (e.g. there is no such thing as a House Vernius).

Knowledge of the game and your faction: The chances are that you will be taking on the role of a faction with an historical reputation and role in existing plot lines. You will have the freedom of choosing the direction your faction takes once you begin taking part but you must also acknowledge past activity: the game follows a continuity and joining the game does not provide a blank slate or a 'reset' of previous mistakes (or achievements). You can research your faction by reading the most recent forum posts, Imperial Reports which detail game activity, and by looking at the game background.

A copy of Microsoft Excel or Excel Viewer: Faction Sheets, which detail the strength of each faction through ratings in several 'Categories of Power', are provided and updated in Excel format. If you do not have a copy of MS Excel then you might wish to use the freely available Excel Viewer 2003 which is available from the Microsoft website.

The most recent version of your web browser: This site, and its content, is not designed for outmoded or outdated version of web browsers. If you are using Internet Explorer then you should be using Version 7 or later. If you are using Mozilla Firefox then you should be using Version 3 or later. If you are unable to view content, including but not limited to images, then the responsibility is on you to update your own software.

Once you have read up on the game history then please use the Application Form to join the game. Please also make sure you have read, and understood, the Terms and Conditions of the game before registering since doing so, and continuing to participate, is considered acknowledgement of the conditions laid out within them.

You will be contacted by the GM, once you have submitted an application to join Dune PBeM, and if the position you have requested is still vacant you will be sent information on how to get involved. We have three parts to our website:

• The forum (where all the roleplaying takes place)
• The main website - which you are currently visiting (where the rulebook and backstory are located for registered players only)
• The economy section (an old forum where we manage Solarii, income, commodities and other financial/game mechanic systems for registered players only)

The information you will be given will include:

• Account details for the forum
• Account details for our economics system
• Account details for accessing the rulebook and backstory
• An invitation to join our Yahoogroup mailing list
• Details of current, active, and ongoing stories affecting your faction
• A Faction Sheet attached in MS Excel format which details the strength of your faction

If you have applied for a position as a Great House or Great School then must provide a sample of your writing as an attachment to your application.