Rhombur Vernius

Expanded Dune

This article or section refers to elements from Expanded Dune.

Rhombur Vernius in Dune Wars

Rhombur Vernius (? - 10188 AG), born in planet Ix. First son of Earl Dominic Vernius, and Lady Shando Balut. Brother of Kailea Vernius.

Husband of the Bene Gesserit, Tessia. Adopted father of Bronso Vernius of Ix.

He ranked 87th in line to the Golden Lion Throne. Best friend of Duke Leto Atreides I.

History

Early life

As member of the Great House Vernius, Rhombur lived with his family in the underground of the planet Ix.

Years later, the family welcomed the young Duke Leto Atreides, the only firstborn son of the Duke Paulus Atreides to their home planet Ix to study politics with their son, Prince Rhombur. They also hoped for a perfect match between him and their daughter, Princess Kailea.

Shortly after, the planet was overthrown by the Imperial Sardaukar and Bene Tleilax. Rhombur, along with his sister Kailea and Leto, narrowly escaped to the planet Caladan, living as refugees.

When he and Duke Leto Atreides I arrived on Wallach IX to choose a mate, Rhombur choose as concubine a Bene Gesserit acolyte and sister named Tessia. Tessia won Rhombur's heart from their first encounter together.

Re-Taking Ix

Years later, as consequence of the failed assassination attempt against Leto by Kailea, Rhombur was maimed nearly to death. Through the efforts of the Suk Doctor Wellington Yueh, he was saved by the extensive use of cybernetics, but leaving him unable to have children.

Regarding the occupation of his home planet by the Bene Tleilax, Rhombur overcame his initial complacency as a result of his brush with death and at the urging of Tessia. He planned the counterattack along with Leto and Duncan Idaho; supported by the House Atreides and C'tair Pilru on Ix, Rhombur was able to retake the planet.

War of Assassins of 10,187 AG

The House Vernius (Rhombur, Tessia and their son Bronso) came to planet Caladan, attending the upcoming nuptials of Leto and who would have been his first wife, Ilesa Ecaz. Sadly, Hundro Moritani decided to seek his revenge against House Ecaz on that day.

During the night in Castle Caladan, Bronso's good friend Paul Atreides and himself were readied to be attacked by disguised House Harkonnen/House Moritani assassins during the middle of the night as they slept. Paul and Bronso awoke as the assassins approached Paul's bedroom, and the duo surprised and attacked the assassins first,  disabling the attempted murderers before they struck. The assassins committed suicide before they could be questioned. However, both Ilesa and her father's Swordmaster bodyguard perished.

Few days later House Vernius returned to Ix, as Paul and Duncan Idaho fled to the sparsely populated Eastern Continent of Caladan.

Tessia Struck

In 10,188 AG, Jessica and Paul visited Ix so that Paul could spend time as an exchange student in Vernii City, just as his father had done decades earlier. To Jessica's dismay, while there, the Bene Gesserit guilt-caster Stokia and three other Sisters visited Tessia Vernius. They demanded her to produce more children for the Gesserit breeding program, which Tessia refused.

Unbeknownst to Jessica, Stokia used her psychic powers to put Tessia into a comatose trance, which rendered Tessia helpless. Neither Rhombur nor Dr. Yueh could do anything to help her, and she began to waste away. The Sisterhood demanded that Tessia be taken with them to Wallach IX, where they would nurse her and take care of her. In grief, Rhombur let them took his wife away.

Bronso Story

Later that day, Rhombur decided to tell his son, Bronso Vernius, that he was the artificially conceived son of Tyros Reffa. The 11-year old Bronso reacted badly and encouraged Paul to run away with him off-world. Paul, under the oath to Duke Leto "to protect Bronso", accompanied him.

Death

A few days later, House Atreides received information that both arrived first to Chusuk, and now could be found on Balut with a Jongleur performing group. When Jessica and the rest of the searchers from House Atreides and House Vernius arrived on Balut, they found both Bronso and Paul well treated by the performing group. The Jongleur group was to give a performance in honor of the Governor of Balut's upcoming marriage in the planet's famed Theater of Shards.

Paul was able to figure that an assassination attempt was planned against the planetary Governor Alra Kio; while Paul saved Kio's life, Rhombur pushed Balut's leader out of the way, but a intense sound blast hit him and ravaged his body. All present recoiled in horror as Rhombur died; Bronso cradled his dying father, who just before died, whispered as last words to his son: "Is Paul safe?"

Deeply hurt by this attitude, Bronso cast Jessica and the rest of House Atreides out of his life for the next 12 years; the Atreides returned to Caladan.

Behind the Scenes

Despite Rhombur supposedly being best friend of Leto I, or the closeness relation between the Great Houses Atreides and Vernius, there is no mention of either Rhombur or House Vernius, or their control of Ix or otherwise, in any of Frank Herbert's original novels.

Appearances

• Dune: House Atreides
• Dune: House Harkonnen
• Dune: House Corrino
• Paul of Dune
• The Winds of Dune