Vern is an old savant-turned-pilgrim-turned-preacher. He was born and raised on Archaos – the so-called World of Philosophers in the Drusus Marches. There he spent several lifetimes immersed in academia, until one day he realized that his life was without meaning – he had never done anything worthwhile save learn the wisdom of others. Resigning his post at one of the planets countless academies he became a pilgrim, traveling the width and breadth of Calixis and beyond in search of true experience, true wisdom. He experienced many things, but still he found something was lacking in his life – until the day when the ship he was aboard was lost in the Immaterium en route to Malfi...

Xerza came upon Vern's vessel as it drifted through the warp, Gellar fields leaking and close to collapse. Several crewmembers and pilgrims were found alive, but except for Vern they were all either completely insane or hopelessly corrupted. Sensing that Vern's unflinching faith was what had preserved him Xerza felt compelled to take him in. Vern has the special 'honor' of being the only non-psyker (other than Silon that is) recruited on this trip.

Vern is quite old, three and a half centuries to be exact, but the advanced medical treatment available on Archaos has preserved his body well. He appears to be a distinguished gentleman of late middle age, with graying hair and a nicely trimmed goatee. After his experiences in the Warp he has become infused with vigor and faith, and is positively radiating confidence and health. Xerza keeps an eye on him, suspecting that his newfound energy might not be entirely natural. But she cannot deny that he's been marked by the God-Emperor, and she knows that faith can do – quite literally – do miracles, so for now she's content to keep watching him.

Vern is not really a fighter, although the many years spent traveling across Calixis and beyond has taught him a thing or two about self-defense. He's got a superb quality monoblade hidden in his walking cane and a compact stub-pistol loaded with high-explosive armor-piercing mass-reactive ammunition (much like that employed in bolt guns). Beyond his combat skills he's both a walking encyclopedia, part-time preacher, and skilled at multiple professions (he's a trained surgeon for one).