Books:Greg Keyes Novels/Prince Attrebus Mede

Prince Attrebus Mede (also known as Treb to his friends), a twenty-two-year-old Colovian man with blond hair, green eyes, and a slight bend in his nose, was the son of Emperor Titus Mede, and the heir to Cyrodiil four decades after the Oblivion Crisis. He sparred with a Redguard, Radhasa, to determine whether to allow her to join his personal guard. He decided to enlist her.  Later, when Attrebus was speaking with Gulan his assistant, Gulan questioned the wisdom of allowing her to share his bed. He then told Attrebus that rumors in the court suggested he should marry and produce an heir. Attrebus scoffed at the idea.

After Gulan left, on his balcony, Attrebus found Coo, Annaïg Hoïnart's magical metal bird. Through the bird, Annaïg explained to him that she was on Umbriel, the floating city that was currently over Black Marsh and headed toward Vvardenfell. She told him of the horrors she witnessed, the forces of Umbriel battling with the people on the ground below it and then the dead rising, and of how she was being held captive to cook for the strange inhabitants of Umbriel. Attrebus went to his father and told him of the things Annaïg told him. The Emperor explained that since Umbriel was over Black Marsh, and heading toward Vvardenfell, it did not concern Cyrodiil. Attrebus decided to gather his forces without his father's approval. He and his men met at Ione, where he gave a grand speech, but he was uneasy about the way his men and women whispered among themselves afterward.

At noon, when they stopped for water, his entire troop was decimated and Radhasa knocked him out. When he came to, Radhasa explained to him that she was supposed to have killed him, but she decided to sell him in Elsweyr instead. When they stopped and she told him to bathe, he attempted to overtake her, and was bested repeatedly. She told him that he'd been living a lie, that everyone he'd ever fought had been ordered to lose, that all his battles had been pre-won; and, worst of all, that his men laughed at him behind his back. At this moment a Dunmer arrived, killing all his captors besides the ones that went ahead to swap horses for different mounts. Sul introduced himself and explained that he also sought the "island that flies", and that he would "destroy it or send it back to Oblivion." When Attrebus told him that it was called Umbriel, and that it was heading toward Vvardenfell, Sul mentioned the name Vuhon and seemed to understand something more than Attrebus did. Attrebus spoke with Annaïg through Coo that night and reassured her that he was coming. Sul remarked that the bird was interesting, that it reminded him of Dwemer toys. They discussed the subject Radhasa was speaking of before Sul arrived, and he told Attrebus it was the truth.

Attrebus and Sul came upon a pack of Khajiit, four in front and two behind, and each mounted on monstrous Khajiit as tall as large horses. They introduce themselves as Lesspa, M'kai, Taaj, Sha'jal, S'enjara, Ahapa, J'lasha, and M'qar of the F'aashe clan. Attrebus and Sul struck a deal with the Khajiit, that they'd buy and bring back to them moon sugar in return for protection. Once they left the Khajiit camp, Sul explained that he intended to take their money and never return. Attrebus accused Sul of not caring if Umbriel killed everyone, and Sul confirmed that accusation. When Attrebus then questioned why Sul was bothering with the quest, he explained that someone he loved was killed and his home was destroyed, and the person responsible was on Umbriel. When Sul refused to continue the conversation, Attrebus steered it back toward himself, and asked if the things Radhasa said were true. Sul confirmed that they were, but challenged Attrebus to become his reputation, to become the type of person described in books about him. He said that he'd need the allies of a Prince, but Attrebus challenged that a Prince wouldn't take the Khajiit's money and betray them, he'd fulfill his part of the bargain. Sul agreed, and they returned with the moon sugar to find a party of guards waiting for them at the Khajiit camp. The guards, headed by Captain Evernal, told Attrebus and Sul to leave without the moon sugar, and Attrebus noticed a badge of the eighteenth legion under the captain's cloak. He challenged the captain's motives, and revealed his identity to him. He convinced the captain that he wouldn't want it to be said he delayed the Prince, and the captain's men leave Attrebus and Sul with the Khajiit, who join him in thanks.

When Attrebus and Sul discussed again Sul's goal of reaching Vivec City before Umbriel, Attrebus convinced him to explain why. He explained that when Vivec was no longer available to hold the Ministry of Truth's velocity in check, Vuhon created the ingenium to hold it in place, though it required souls to function. The ingenium exploded, however, and the Ministry of Truth crashed into Vivec City, causing Red Mountain to explode and hurling Vuhon into Oblivion. Sul was in the ministry when it happened, and was also thrown into Oblivion; Clavicus Vile's realm, specifically. When he arrived, he and Vuhon met Umbra, a man who claimed to have once been held captive by Clavicus Vile inside a sword, and had been waiting for this moment to hurl the sword out of Oblivion to keep it out of Clavicus Vile's hands. Umbra and Vuhon struck a deal; if Umbra would spare him, he'd build another ingenium, which Umbra could use to escape the Daedric Prince. During this time, Vuhon kept Sul in a torture chamber, where he eventually forgot about him and Sul escaped. As the new details sank in, Attrebus remarked that they still wouldn't reach Vivec City in time, and Sul responded that they'd take a shortcut through Oblivion and then left him alone.

At Water's Edge, at the Imperial Garrison, Attrebus met an old friend, Captain Florius Larsus. He recruited him to his cause, and went to wait for him at The Gaping Frog, a tavern in the town. While waiting, Attrebus was attacked by the same people that wanted Radhasa to kill him. Lesspa and the other Khajiit fight them off and when Attrebus removes a mask, he finds that one of Florius' men. Worried  for his friend, he returns to find him killed by a blade in the base of the skull.

At sundown the party arrived at the ruins of an Oblivion gate. Sul opened a portal to Oblivion and he, Treb, and the Khajiit entered. They stepped through the planes of Oblivion, noticing the differences through the pain of the transitions. His path through the planes was interrupted in Hircine's plane, and he guided the party through Oblivion as Hircine and his drivers hunted them. One of the Khajiit was killed during the chase, and those remaining stayed behind at the end of the course to delay Hircine from reaching Attrebus and Sul.

Attrebus and Sul exited Oblivion directly into the ruined Vivec City. There, Sul explained that Azura told him he'd find Umbra here, and that it must be what Vuhon is after. As Sul wandered the ruined city, Attrebus kept an eye out for Umbriel and opened Coo, finding Annaïg looking back at him. She told him that she couldn't wait for him, that she and Glim would use her flying potions and leave Umbriel. When she closed her locket, a few moments later Attrebus saw the bottom of Umbriel poking out from the bottom of the clouds, heading toward them and very close.

They attempted to move back to their entry position, but were transported to Umbriel. They were suspended in a type of spiderweb-like net in front of Vuhon. As they spoke, Sul accused Vuhon of murdering his love, Ilzheven, and destroying Vvardenfell; Vuhon contested that it was actually Sul that did that. It is revealed that Ilzheven had a very special type of soul, and Vuhon was using her to power the ingenium, to hold the Ministry of Truth aloft over Vivec City. When Sul freed her, it sent the Ministry of Truth crashing into Vivec City, killing Ilzheven and throwing Sul and Vuhon into Oblivion. Vuhon also revealed that he has an ally inside the Imperial Palace, the person that was trying to have Attrebus killed. He said he'd need the Imperial City, specifically White-Gold Tower, and offered Attrebus the chance to convince his father to back down. While he kept Vuhon talking, Sul was able to summon a monstrous daedra and shatter their prison. While Vuhon was distracted by the daedra, Treb attempted to attack him from behind. He was discovered, however, and imprisoned by Vuhon once again. However, Sul managed to get a hold of Treb and said "not now," before transporting them both out of Umbriel.  

Attrebus and Sul were thrown through various realms of Oblivion, and Attrebus was badly wounded when going through Namira's realm.  He ended up in a gray void filled with ash, and, dying, saw various visions including one of a doll of himself being stitched up, at which point he started breathing again.  He awakened to find himself in a gray box with his wound healed. He was approached by an avatar of Malacath, who questioned him to find out his intentions, and then the Daedric Prince revealed himself. Attrebus and Sul spoke to the Prince, who agreed to let them try again to destroy Umbriel, and transported them to Solstheim, where the sword Umbra was supposed to be.

Upon returning to Nirn, Attrebus and Sul found themselves in the wilderness of Solstheim. They discussed Solstheim for a bit - how Skyrim gave Solstheim to the refugees of Morrowind after the Red Year, and Sul assumed that most of his people have settled in the south of the island. Annaïg contacted Attrebus through Coo, and he told her of his and Sul's experiences and what they had learned of Umbriel. 

Two days after Sul and Attrebus' return to Nirn, they came upon the small village of Sathil near the coast. They stayed in the local inn overnight and went up to the castle above the town - owned by Hleryn Sathil - the next day, claiming to be naturalists hoping to stay there while they worked nearby. Sathil's daughter greeted them and had rooms and supper arranged for them. Sul decided they'd wait and see what happened over the next few days before outright asking about the sword Umbra. 

Attrebus, having climbed out of bed that night, realized that someone else was in his room: Irinja, a serving maid he had seen in the kitchen of the manor. She recognized him from the pictures of him in his stories and asked if she could help, and he told her his tale, all about Umbriel and Annaïg and the fact that he was searching for Umbra. She warned him to not mention the sword, and left. Sul questioned whether telling her was a wise decision.

Attrebus and Sul were later guided through the Solstheim wilderness by a Nord named Fruth, who told them about the wildlife found in the region. A sudden avalanche separated Attrebus and Fruth from Sul. After the avalanche ended, Attrebus warmed up in the manor, and he and Sul talked about what had happened with Lord Sathil. Irinja joined Attrebus after Sul leaves and she told him that Lord Sathil's son, Elhul, was in possession of the sword - and possessed by it, locked away and hidden. The two, influenced by drink, made love. 

Irinja led Attrebus and Sul down to where she claimed Elhul was being kept. Nirai Sathil followed them and locked the entrance to the prison behind them, and revealed that she had sent Irinja to seduce Attrebus after Irinja had told her what the young prince wanted. She said that all she wanted was for all their troubles with the sword to be over, for the sword to no longer be in her brother's possession. Attrebus and Sul fought Elhul, and Sul finally defeated him with a spell that caused him to dissolve into acid. They wrapped the sword up, but Nirai refused to let them go unless they left it there. They argued with her about it for a bit and she decided that even if they did claim they'd leave the sword, they'd probably trick her, so she kept them locked up and left.  They knew that they could not escape the prison, so Attrebus suggested that Sul use magic to bring them to Clavicus Vile, and Sul did so.

Attrebus and Sul arrived in Vile's realm, and a talking dog who they later learned was named Barbas led them to the Daedric Prince.  Vile explained that Umbriel was once part of its city (and he refused to use its new name), and that stabbing the being that called itself Umbriel with the sword Umbra would allow Vile to bring the city back to his realm. Clavicus Vile tried to get them to give up one of their souls in exchange for sending them to the Imperial City, but Attrebus pointed out that if Umbriel reached the White-Gold Tower it seemed Vile wouldn't be able to get it back, so that he didn't have a choice, he had to take their offer. Clavicus relented and dumped them at his shrine in Cyrodiil. Sul was knocked unconscious in the fall, and Attrebus dragged him to a boat at the shores of Lake Rumare and began rowing for the Waterfront District. Partway across, he contacted Annaïg and she told him of everything that had happened to her recently. When he finally arrived at the Waterfront, dead creatures pinned him down, and a man who recognized Attrebus intervened, telling him that he and his companions are going to bring Attrebus to the palace. Attrebus woke up in Hierem's office, and Hierem informed Attrebus that he intended to kill him after Attrebus outlived his usefulness. Vuhon, apparently, wanted both Attrebus and Sul, which interested Hierem. Hierem claimed he had a lot to do and left Attrebus as his prisoner.

Attrebus woke in his cell and witnessed Hierem traveling through some sort of portal to Umbriel. Afterward Hierem woke up Sul and proceeded to question the two, using some sort of magic that would cause pleasure for telling him an answer he liked and pain for telling him a wrong answer. Sul eventually told Hierem that Vuhon feared the sword, so that Hierem's continued questioning of Attrebus would not break the young prince's mind. Sul suspected they might still have a chance: if things didn't go Hierem's way with Vuhon, he might give them the sword and send them to Umbriel. 

Two people, who introduced themselves as Colin Vineben and Letine Arese, released Attrebus and Sul from their cages and they discussed what to do next. Attrebus told the others that he noticed a rat disappearing when Hierem returned, so he thought that if they stand on the sigil that Hierem had used to teleport, they'd be transported to Umbriel when he returned. Sul and Attrebus stood on the sigil, Sul replaced his usual sword with Umbra, intending to kill Vuhon with it. Attrebus contacted Annaïg via Coo and told her of his and Sul's plan to use the sword Umbra against Vuhon.  

Hours later, his plan succeeded: he and Sul were transported to Umbriel. Sul immediately stabbed Vuhon with the blade, although it didn't kill him, and they began to fight. They fell onto what Sul and Attrebus called the "glass forest", a webbing made of a glasslike material that Vuhon could control, and continued the fight there. Attrebus was pinned and didn't quite see what happened, but suddenly everything shattered around them and they fell into water.

Attrebus awakened in one of the skraw caves. Sul had saved him instead of going after Vuhon - and since the sword wasn't working, Sul thought something else had caused Vuhon's weakness, and figured it was probably Annaïg's poison. Attrebus contacted Annaïg and told her what happened with Vuhon.

Glim returned to Annaïg with Attrebus and Sul to find her fighting with Vuhon. Annaïg revealed to Glim that she'd realized that Vuhon's soul was in the ingenium at the bottom of the sump. Sul summoned a winged twilight to fight Vuhon, and Sul, Attrebus, and Glim headed down to the sump. Attrebus realized that were out of time and reminded Glim that he'd claimed to know how to take Umbriel out of Tamriel using the trees. Glim tried, but could not command them, so they continued their journey downward. Glim pulled the others through the water, and as they descended, Sul went unconscious, so Attrebus took the sword from him and held it ready. They landed in a small room, and Vuhon, who was following, attacked. Attrebus stabbed the ingenium, which stopped Vuhon.  Vile suddenly possessed Attrebus and pointed out that Sul and Attrebus knew the price all along. Sul argued that it wasn't supposed to be Attrebus, and Vile stabbed Sul with Umbra. Sul pulled himself farther onto the sword and punched Attrebus, and Vile let the prince go. Sul fell onto the ingenium and vanished. A weak Vuhon told Attrebus and Glim that Vile would probably either let Umbriel fall onto the Imperial City or try to interfere with Tamriel while he was connected to it, and that their only chance to save it was to use the trees to bring Umbriel out of Tamriel: he'd blocked Glim's previous attempt. Glim knew that he was telling the truth and agreed to it.

Glim and Attrebus made their way back up to Annaïg. Glim told Annaïg that she'd now be able to leave Umbriel without dissolving into smoke, and that he was staying with Umbriel himself, that he'd found his place. She was upset but realized that she needed to put his desires before hers, and they say goodbye. Annaïg gave Attrebus a flying potion and asked him to take her hand. 

Attrebus met with his father after Umbriel's disappearance. Titus Mede proclaimed Attrebus a hero, and Attrebus didn't feel like he was, but Titus pointed out that he'd saved all of Tamriel despite being afraid the whole time. He said he'd make sure that everyone knew exactly how Attrebus had stopped it, but Attrebus said that he'd been given enough credit for things he didn't do, and that the Synod and College of Whispers could take credit. Later, Attrebus and Annaïg rode together and talked about their feelings for each other, and decided they wanted to spend the rest of their years together.