The Final Word is well named for its presence on the battlefield is in a way final - for its opponents. It is a void predator of old, from a time when all was larger and more grand, when the Gothic in a ship was new and filled with light and hope for Mankind and the Empire of Terra. It is an ancient ship, originally intended for the Word Bearers' 101st Chapter (never mustered). Construction began towards the end of the Horus Heresy, but due to the demands of the civil war and all that was lost as a result, the ship was never finished. Also given the ship's intended recipient there was some concern regarding corruption (the WB liaisons on board were all purged). No corruption was found, so instead of dismantling this tribute to the Machine God, it was put into mothball.

Near the end of the 41st Millennium the tech-priests of Mars believed they had uncovered the lore and gathered the materials to finish it. It was to be the home of a ship-based Astartes Chapter, the newly mustered Guardians of the Word. The chapter was planed to be space assault specialists. During final trials the ship was lost in the Warp and presumed destroyed. In reality heresy had taken root within the minds of the Guardians - and there had been an uprising. Corruption had taken root in the ship back in the day. It had lingered for all those long years, hiding, waiting. When crew came aboard once more it started to sow its seeds. The most delicate phase was that of subverting the Astartes. But it turned out well, for the newly made marines were weak and uncertain. Only a few recruits - and the officers, veterans of other chapters - had to be purged. The 888 marines (800 line troops and 88 assault marines) who came with the ship are all that's left after killing their officers (they where from other chapters) and the few scouts they had (had not been fully indoctrinated by the corrupt teaching machines aboard the Verbum Finalis). Leaderless they had planed as far as they could. Now they consulted the omens (the Warp) and concluded that all that remained for them was to run to the 10th host. Fortunately they had a number of loyal serfs - and four navigators willing to work for them - which enabled them to slowly make their way to the outer rim.

The Verbum is one of the few Terra-class superdreadnoughts left in the galaxy - few were built and even fever survive. It is three times the size of an ordinary battleship of the 2nd rate and much larger than even the 1st rate ships like the Emperor-class battle carriers of the Imperial Navy. In terms of fire-power it is truly unique: It holds 1.5 times the number of small craft of an Emperor-class BB. Its mighty broadsides and heavy lances make it like a fleet onto itself. The crowning glory is a super powerful nova cannon that runs the length of the ship's main hull (deep beneath the arboretum). To add insult to injury this fearsome weapon is ringed with torpedo launchers. These were added as an afterthought, late in the design process. Truth be told they fare poorly when the nova cannon is fired and must be rigorously re-aligned before they can launch ordnance.

In place of the main spinal access-way found in most Imperial warship the main spine of the "Verbum Finalis" has instead a 8k long arboretum chamber. Back in the day of the ship's youth atmosphere was made here, water purified, and many plants and other foodstuffs grown. Now after untold years in a Mechanicus mothball yard, the green house of old has become a large, warm, and moist mangrove jungle, misty and semi dark. In the middle of the jungle there is a dark pool of water that was once an amphitheatre where the officers of the ship could take time off for entertainment (the ship was built during the Great Crusade, a much more civilized time). Behind the pool there is a raised platform with a statue of playwright; but now the book of plays has changed into the book of Lorgar and the statue has lost all vines growing on it, and has become golden in colour. The True Word Lodge for the adepts, chaplains and the apostle will meet and have readings of the word and hear sermons on the new chapters of Lorgar's book at the feet of the statue at the dark pool.

The ship is also much more than the flagship. It is home. Home to the 10th and home to all that serve them. In one day in the bazzar you can see a Harpy (a Daughter of the Word fighter pilot), her sisters in the Cult of Samus (always next to you and yet so apart), you can see an Astartes master of the Word Bearers legion, a sorcerer of Tzeentch arguing with a Khornate chanmpion, daemon-possessed Daughters looking for suitable candidates, the dread Doctored doing the same, meet one of the few xenos that are allowed (and dare) make a living on the ship, and much, much more. All in a single day - and live to tell the tale.  It is a glorious, living place, a wonder among the stars.