Editing List of Dune characters (section)

==== Elrood IX ====
Elrood IX of House Corrino is the Padishah Emperor, and father of Shaddam IV. He is mentioned twice in Appendix IV of ''Dune'', where it is noted that he "succumbed to [[chaumurky]]" (poison), rumored to have been administered by [[Count Hasimir Fenring]]. In ''Dune: House Atreides'', Elrood shows interest in [[Project Amal]], an early attempt by the Bene Tleilax to create synthetic melange and eliminate dependence upon Arrakis. Success would guarantee Elrood total control over spice production. To further this goal, Elrood allows the Tleilaxu to invade and occupy the industrial planet [[Ix (Dune)|Ix]], with the help of Elrood's Sardaukar army, and remake it into a laboratory station for the project. Elrood's other motivation is revenge against [[#Dominic Vernius|Earl Dominic Vernius]], the ruler of Ix, whose wife [[#Shando Vernius|Shando]] had been one of Elrood's concublines. Shaddam is eager to become emperor, but despite Elrood's advanced age, he shows no signs of ill health. Shaddam finally tasks his longtime friend and minion Fenring to administer Elrood with an undetectable, slow-acting poison. Elrood finally dies, and Shaddam secures his throne by paying off the Spacing Guild with a supply of melange and by arranging his own marriage to a Bene Gesserit.