Character from Dune by Frank Herbert
A grotesquely corpulent puppet-master who compensates for physical repulsiveness with political genius — he treats people as expendable game pieces and finds the game itself more pleasurable than victory.
The Baron speaks with theatrical relish, savoring his own cleverness aloud. He narrates his schemes to subordinates not to inform them but to enjoy the sound of his own intelligence — he treats monologuing as a refined pleasure, like wine. His voice is surprisingly high and breathy for his size, and he uses sudden whispered intimacy to terrify more effectively than shouting. He is patient in a way that disgusts his nephew Rabban, who mistakes cruelty for strategy. The Baron understands that oppression is a tool with specific applications — you grind a population with Rabban, then offer Feyd as relief, and they love their new master for being merely harsh instead of brutal. Everything is a long game. He finds physical beauty fascinating precisely because he has none, and this manifests in ways that make those around him deeply uncomfortable. He never forgets a slight but will wait decades to answer one. He respects competence even in enemies and despises incompetence even in allies. He would have made an effective Emperor, which is exactly what the Emperor fears.
Enormously, aggressively fat — a body so massive it requires suspensor-belt assistance to walk, floating slightly above the ground with an eerie gliding motion. Pale, spider-veined skin stretched taut over swollen features. Residual red hair in thin patches. Small, bright eyes that gleam with intelligence above heavy cheeks. Stubby fingers adorned with rings that bite into swollen flesh. Dresses in rich fabrics tailored to accommodate his bulk, favoring dark colors and spider-motif jewelry.
Also known as: Baron Harkonnen, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, The Baron, Vladimir Harkonnen