The Pact of the Vermintide

Lore & Background

The Pact of the Vermintide was born not from strategy but from sheer, choking survival. When the Skaven horde erupted from the sewers to slaughter Ubersreik's defenders, five strangers collided by chance or grim fate: Kruber, a mercenary haunted by the battles he'd survived; Saltzpyre, a Witch Hunter whose faith burned hotter than any pyre; Sienna, a Bright Wizard whose gift was a curse she could barely leash; Kerillian, a Waywatcher of Athel Loren who smelled the taint of Chaos beneath the rat-stench; and Bardin, a Dwarf Ranger whose quest for lost Karak Zorn had led him to the wrong city at the worst hour. Their first stand together—a desperate, blood-soaked fight in the Red Moon Inn—sealed their bond not with oaths, but with the raw truth that only as one could they hope to see dawn.

In Their Own Story

The air stank of warpstone and blood as the five stumbled into the inn's cellar, the last refuge in a burning city. Kruber slammed the door shut, his breath ragged. 'That's it, then. We're dead.' Saltzpyre's pistol was already reloaded. 'Not while I draw breath, mercenary. We fight together, or we die alone.' Sienna's staff crackled with firelight, casting long shadows. Kerillian notched an arrow, her eyes cold. 'The trees whisper of more than rats. Something darker stirs.' Bardin hefted his axe, a grim smile on his bearded face. 'Then let's give them a proper Dawi welcome, lads.' In that moment, the pact was sealed—not with words, but with the shared knowledge that their only hope was each other.

Reader's Guide

The Pact of the Vermintide is the fan term for the heroes' alliance, never explicitly named in-game but referenced through dialogue and shared history. Players see its formation in the first game's prologue, where the five meet during the Skaven attack on Ubersreik. Key locations tied to the pact include the Red Moon Inn (their initial base), the Magnus Tower (a strategic stronghold), and the Horn of Magnus (a signal device). The pact evolves across the series: in Vermintide 2, it faces strain from the Chaos corruption and internal conflicts, such as Kerillian's secret allegiance to the Dark Elves and Sienna's struggle with her magic. The game's retelling of the End Times simplifies the broader Warhammer lore, focusing on the heroes' personal journey rather than the global apocalypse. Terms like 'the Pact' appear in item descriptions and fan discussions, emphasizing the bond that transcends their differences.

Did You Know?

• The term 'Pact of the Vermintide' is a fan-coined name, never used in official game dialogue or lore.
• Each hero's backstory—such as Kruber's service in the Ostland army or Bardin's quest for Karak Zorn—ties directly to the pact's formation.
• The pact's first major test was the defense of the Magnus Tower, a key mission in the original Vermintide campaign.
• In Warhammer Fantasy lore, the End Times saw the destruction of the world, but Vermintide's narrative diverges by focusing on the heroes' survival.