Atrus

Overview

Born in 1756 (earth years) Atrus was the son of Gehn and Keta and was, in turn, a kin of the D'ni civilization. Because of the death of his mother, Gehn left him to be raised by his grandmother Anna. He grew up under her care, living in The Cleft, and learning the D'ni language and culture. Around the age of thirteen, his father returned with the intent to teach him the art of writing ages. Gehn brought him down to the ruins of D'ni where Atrus would study under him for some years.

Under his father's teachings, Atrus eventually mastered the art, even becoming superior to his father (who wasn't that good anyway). As more time passed, he became skeptical of his father's beliefs and concept of the ages, eventually considering him insane. After attempting to return to The Cleft, Gehn trapped him under K'veer with the only escape being a book to Riven. After linking, he fell in love with Catherine, a native of the age and a student of Gehn's. Together they enacted a plan to trap Gehn, destroying all linking books within the age, and jumping into the Star Fissure while linking to Myst, an age Catherine had written.

Over the next years Atrus wrote several ages, exploring and meeting the inhabitants within. He bore two sons, Sirrus and Achenar, with his wife Catherine. Raised on Myst and introduced to their father's ages, they grew mad with the power they had over the natives of the worlds. In their greed, they tricked their mother in linking back to Riven, and their father to K'veer, trapping them both. But in plundering their father's ages, they trapped themselves into two prison books Atrus had written for possible trespassers of his library.

He is eventually rescued by The Stranger, in the acts of Myst (the game), who Atrus then sends to Riven to trap Gehn into a prison book and rescue Catherine. Upon completion Atrus and Catherine decided, instead of living on Myst, to start over in Tomahna bearing a daughter, Yeesha, who they teach the art of writing. He also took up the act of restoring the D'ni civilization and instead of rebuilding their current city, wrote a new age for them called Releeshahn.

After the events of Myst IV and the death of Catherine, he lives out the rest of his life in Releeshahn with his people.

• Atrus has physically appeared in every game of the series except Uru, in which his voice can still be heard during the introduction. He is portrayed by the series co-creater, Rand Miller, who originally only took on the role because of a low budget. However, Miller continues to act and voice the part in knowing the disappointment a change would bring upon the fan community.