The Courier

Lore & Background

In the war-torn lands of the Empire, communication is a lifeline. When the Skaven and their Chaos allies tighten their grip, a single message can mean the difference between victory and annihilation. The Courier campaign thrusts the Ubersreik Five into this high-stakes role, as they are tasked with carrying a critical dispatch from a fallen outpost to a distant fortress. The route is treacherous, winding through blighted forests, crumbling ruins, and Skaven-held tunnels, where every shadow hides a blade and every step could be their last.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell in sheets, turning the muddy road into a quagmire. Kruber wiped his brow, the sealed scroll heavy in his pack. 'Just a message,' he muttered. 'Should be simple.' Kerillian's ears twitched. 'Nothing is simple when the ratmen are about.' From the treeline, a chittering rose, and the first wave of Skaven burst forth—clawed feet slapping mud, rusty blades glinting. The Five fought back-to-back, axes cleaving, hammers crushing, bows singing, cutting a path through the filth. Each step was a gamble; each breath, a prayer. They knew: if the message didn't reach the fortress, the next attack would drown the Empire in blood.

Reader's Guide

The campaign begins with the Five receiving the courier mission from a wounded messenger, his breath ragged, his hand trembling as he presses the scroll into Kruber's palm. The first level, 'The Road to Grissenwald,' has them fighting through Skaven ambushes in a rain-lashed forest, culminating in a desperate defense of a bridge where planks splinter under claw and boot. Spoiler: A Chaos Sorcerer appears, his staff crackling with sickly green light, revealing that the Skaven are not the only threat. The second level, 'The Ruined Tower,' takes them through an ancient watchtower overrun by Clanrats and Stormvermin; here, they must retrieve a rusted iron key from a chieftain's corpse to open a locked gate, all while torches flicker and shadows seethe. The third level, 'The Courier's Last Stand,' is a finale in a fortified town, where they must hold off waves of Skaven and Chaos Warriors—shields locked, blades ringing—while a signal fire is lit to alert the fortress. The story diverges from broader Warhammer Fantasy by focusing on a small-scale, personal mission rather than grand battles, emphasizing the survival of the Five against impossible odds.

Did You Know?

• The campaign's title 'The Courier' references the classic role of messengers in medieval warfare, who often faced deadly odds.
• The levels were designed to showcase the Skaven's ambush tactics, a hallmark of Vermintide's gameplay.
• The Chaos Sorcerer encountered here is a unique enemy type that later appears in other campaigns.
• The campaign was added as free content to expand the game's narrative post-launch.