House Atreides is considered one of the honorable houses of the Landsraad. Duke Leto Atreides, the Red Duke, is respected and admired by the Landsraad. It is said the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV feared him for this. Princess Irulan believed that the Emperor, secretly wished Leto was his son. The Emperor had told his daughter, Princess Irulan, he'd wished that she'd been older when the Duke was the age to accept a bride. House Atreides is a distant cousin to the Emperor's bloodline of House Corrino. Atreides are known to keep their word. They are also known for their strong leadership abilities and fierce, courageous fighting. Leto Atreides II said that Atreides descend the House of Atreus and can be traced to Greece.
Duke
Leto Atreides (10,140-10,191): A distaff cousin of the Corrinos, he is
frequently referred to as the Red Duke. House Atreides ruled Caladan as a
siridar-fief for twenty generations until pressured into the move to Arrakis. He
is known chiefly as the father of Duke Paul-Muad'Dib, the Umma Regent. The
remains of Duke Leto occupy the "Skull Tomb" on Arrakis. His death is
attributed to the treachery of a Suk doctor, and is an act laid to the Siridar-Baron,
Vladimir Harkonnen.
Paul
Muad'Dib (10,176-???): Born Paul Atreides, Paul later choose the name
Maud'Dib to be known by the Fremen. Paul had chosen to keep his birth name and
was known as Paul Maud'Dib. The Fremen of Paul's sietch, Tabr, called him by his
secret name, Usul. Usul means the base of the pillar. Paul was fathered by Duke
Leto Atreides and mothered by Leto's concubine, Lady Jessica. The Bene Gesserit
ordered Lady Jessica to birth only females to Duke Leto. Lady Jessica went
against her orders and gave birth to Paul, partly due to the Duke's wishes and
her wish to produce the Kwisatz Haderach. She also gave Paul the training of the
Bene Gesserit, teaching the Voice, amongst many other Bene Gesserit trainings.
This, along with the trainings of the Thufir Hawat, Duncan Idaho, Gurney Halleck,
Dr. Wellington Yueh, and other Atreides faithfuls, helped Paul survive. Paul
began to have prescient dreams at an early age. The arrival at Arrakis, and the
intake of Melange filled foods, increased Paul's awareness. Shortly after the
Harkonnens' took back Arrakis, Paul and Jessica fled into the Desert, there Paul
began to realize his Super-Mentat awareness. He also began to see the
"timelines" into the future. When the two meet with the Fremen, a
Fremen named Jamis called Paul out to a battle to the death. Paul defeated Jamis,
the first man for Paul to kill by the knife, and made his way into Fremen as a
member of the sietch Tabr, Usul.
Lady
Jessica (Hon. Atreides) (10,154-10,256): A natural daughter (Bene Gesserit
reference) of the Siridar-Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Mother of Duke Paul Maud'Dib.
She graduated from the Wallach IX B.G. School.
Lady
Alia Atreides(St. Alia-of-the-Knife): The daughter to Leto and
Jessica, Alia was Paul Muad'dib's younger sibling. When Jessica took the Water
of Life, to take Reverend Mother Ramallo's place as a Fremen Reverend Mother,
Alia was in the womb. The infant was stricken with the wealth of knowledge and
previous lives being passed between to two women. Born unto the world as someone
who has lived countless lifetimes, she was branded as an abomination by some.
She became a religious icon when Paul Muad'dib came to power over the Imperium.
Leto Atreides II: Not to be confused with Paul's firstborn killed by Sardaukar during a raid of Sietch Tabr, Leto II was born twin to Ghanima Atreides. Leto would take his father's place as ruler of the Imperium.
Ghanima Atreides: Twin sister to Leto II, Ghanima was a critical companion and advisor for Leto II.
The Bashar Miles Teg: Probably the best mentat to come out
of the Atreides. Miles Teg was the Bashar for the Bene Gesserit father of Odrade,
one of the great many numbers of Mother Superiors. Miles went through a
horrendous process by a probe not unlike that of Ix which can bring memory back
from the dead. The probe gave him the ability to become super fast and also a
secondary sense of danger. The process was not unlike the horrible spice agony,
which give many Bene Gesserit there other memories. Miles was killed so that the
young Duncan Idaho ghola and the Bene Gesserit could escape Rakkis with the last
surviving worm. The Bashar was later turned into a ghola himself.
Thufir
Hawat (Master of Assassins-Mentat) (???-10,193): Enlisted into
the Atreides as their Mentat, Hawat was considered one of the Imperium's
greatest Mentat. He was an instructor to Paul Muad'dib and helped clear Arrakis
of Harkonnen threats during the Atreides arrival. Hawat was unable to predict
the Harkonnen/Sardaukar threat facing them on Arrakis. When he believed all the
Atreides dead and Jessica the traitor, he joined forces with Harkonnen.
Following the fall of the Emperor, he gave his loyalty to the Atreides again,
foiling an Imperial plan to assassinate Paul.
Thufir Hawat (Master of Assassins-Mentat) (???-10,193): The greatest mentat of his age. Thufir was a tough, vigorous old man whose Atreides roots stood always firm. Young and strong in his young age he was not only sharp with his wit but also with the sword. Time took its toll though and training three generations tested him. A great thinker and dreamer, Thufir was always loyal to the Duke. He went so far as to kill himself for Paul his student and rightful ruler to the house. Truly This man was a noble one. Worthy to be called Atreides. --This synopsis provided by Titus Mandahl
Gurney
Halleck: Gurney Halleck was a great swordsman and instructor to
Paul Muad'dib. Without his guidance, Paul most likely would have died at the
hands of Jamus in a dark sietch and the series of events that took place never
would have began. Gurney would later join the Lady Jessica on Caladan while Paul
reigned over the Imperium on his seat on Arrakis. The Lady Jessica entrusted
Gurney with the test of abomination that he administered to Leto Atreides II.
Gurney Halleck: Gurney in his early days led a peaceful life on Beta Shalish. His parents controlled the minor house of Chusuk. His family had a long line of making beautiful instruments. Gurney himself was an amazing musician. When he grew up he wished to be a bard. Traveling all over the universe playing music to the masses.
This was all crushed though by Glossu Rabbin. He was a young man at this time and was eager for battle. Beta Shalish was a small backwater planet just perfect for invasion and not only would this test the beast rabbins skills but it would also send millions to the slave camps of geidi prime which would give the harkonnen a hefty profit. On the attack many of the people of Chusuk were killed. Most of Gurney's family did. All but his sister. She was made as a sex toy for high status elites for her beauty while Gurney was made a slave in the mines of geidi prime. Foolishly the harkonnen continued to attack Severn peoples. This led the Atreides to assault their home planet. While attacking most of the slaves were taken from the harkonnen to Caladan. Gurney built quite a name among the Atreides. As did his loyalty to the great house. Gurney eventually became the war master of house atreides. He fought with great vigor and strength. eventually another great name would become his apprentice. Duncan Idaho.
Gurney was a perfect Atreides patriot. He never questioned anything that the great house did. For saving his life and building his dignity from how the harkonnen and from his past. --This synopsis provided by Titus Mandahl
Duncan
Idaho (Weapons Master) (???-10,191); A loyal Atreides, Duncan
Idaho was in charge of the Atreides' military. Set with the difficult task of
preparing the Atreides' arrival on Arrakis, he first saw the potential of the
Fremen. During the Sardaukar attack on Arrakeen he died saving his young Duke.