Morale

Morale describes the confidence, enthusiasm and discipline of a person or group at a particular time, depending on recent events that occur in combat. Morale does not affect player characters, but it does influence both allies and enemies, determining their willingness to stand their ground or retreat in fear. The effects of battle on morale depend upon the level of training, the combatants' experience and their resolve to fight despite challenging odds. Certain factors, such as leadership, belief and the consequences of abandoning a position, can bolster morale, making units more likely to remain in the fight.

Morale is measured on a scale between 2 and 12, with "2" representing fanaticism — a refusal to break, even in the face of certain death — and "12" representing absolute cowardice, where a combatant is certain to flee. To succeed against a morale check, the combatant must roll 2d6 and meet or exceed their morale number. If the roll is lower, morale fails, and the combatant must either give ground or flee entirely.

A morale check is triggered whenever an NPC, typically a hireling or follower, experiences a distressing event that might cause them to withdraw in fear or uncertainty. These events are classified as Day-to-Day Checks, covering moments of doubt or crisis outside of direct battle. More immediate and dangerous situations, such as a life-threatening engagement in combat, require a Combat Check, forcing an NPC to determine whether they will hold the line or flee to save themselves.

Standard Morale

When engaging in combat, most Non-levelled non-player characters (NPCs) are considered to have a standard morale of 9. This applies to both hirelings and followers at the start of their association with the players, regardless of whether they have received combat training. If these NPCs are levelled persons, their base morale is slightly better, at 8, reflecting their greater confidence and experience. Children younger than 14 have a standard morale of 10, making them more prone to panic and flight when faced with danger.

Among fighting clans, standard morale is 7, owing to their continued association and familiarity with one another in battle. Common leaders typically have a morale of 6, while sub-chiefs will range between 3 and 5, and chieftains hold a morale between 2 and 5, depending on their personal resolve and experience. These morale ratings reflect the strength of leadership, battlefield cohesion and long-term conditioning, demonstrating that morale is not a static attribute but one influenced by training, confidence and situational factors.

Day-to-Day Checks

When an NPC associated with the player characters witnesses, or hears from a credible witness, that the party has engaged in actions that compromise the NPC's values, their continued association with the party is put in jeopardy. Examples of such actions include flagrant deception, reckless disregard for safety, abandoning allies, failure to uphold duties, neglecting to pay wages, callousness toward suffering, gratuitous theft and the commission of capital crimes. If an NPC has reason to believe that the party is capable of such behaviour, they must make an immediate morale check to determine whether they will remain or leave.

The outcome of a failed morale check varies depending on the NPC's role, power and circumstances. A weak NPC with no official duties will likely attempt to slip away unseen, while an official may confront the party and threaten sanctions based on their authority. A friend or companion may demand an explanation, and if unsatisfied, may sever ties with the party. Those strong enough to stand their ground may demand restitution or reparations for the wrongdoing. Should enough NPCs become aware of the party's actions, rumors may spread, making it difficult to hire help or gain trust in the region. In such cases, a morale check must be made before any new NPC agrees to work with or for the party.

A successful morale check does not mean the NPC approves of the party's actions. Instead, the DM must decide how the NPC reacts. Some will tolerate the party's behaviour, choosing to ignore it until things get worse — in which case, no further morale check is needed unless the party's actions deteriorate further. Others may adopt a "wait and see" attitude, requiring a new morale check the next time the party crosses another ethical threshold. In these cases, a -1 penalty is applied to the morale roll, reflecting the growing unease of the NPC.

For example, Jarrod, a party follower with a morale of 9, sees Kendra and Leopold threatening and physically abusing a shopkeeper for information. He rolls 2d6 and gets a 9, which meets his morale and allows him to remain with the party. Because he is only a muleskinner, he decides to say nothing, perhaps reasoning that the circumstances justified the act. However, the DM rules that a seed of doubt has been planted in his mind. Three days later, the party breaks into a private home to have a place to stay. Jarod rolls again, but this time, he receives a 9, and with the -1 penalty applied, it counts as an 8. This is below his morale, meaning he fails the check. That night, Jarod packs his belongings and leaves quietly, wanting nothing more to do with the party.

Combat Checks

There are four kinds of morale checks made in association with combat: bravery checks, boldness checks, panic checks and rallying checks. All four are resolved in the same manner as a standard morale check, requiring the combatant to roll 2d6 and meet or exceed their morale score to succeed. However, each type of check applies to specific battlefield circumstances, determining whether a combatant will hold their ground, charge forward, succumb to fear or recover their resolve in the midst of battle.

Bravery Checks

While combatants hardened through combat training are prepared to fight when necessary, most commoners lack the nerve to do so. To overcome their fear and enter combat, these ordinary non-belligerents must roll a bravery check against their morale. A successful roll on 2d6 allows them to engage in melee combat like any other belligerent, but failure indicates that fear has overtaken them, preventing them from entering direct hand-to-hand combat.

Under dire circumstances, such as defending their homes and families or protecting goods while traveling, those who fail their bravery check may still engage in combat at a distance. They may fire or hurl weapons, but they must remain at least four combat hexes away from any combatant engaged in melee, whether friend or foe. If forced closer than this, they will prioritise retreating until they regain the required distance. Should an enemy rush them directly, they will break and flee, continuing their retreat until they escape pursuit and find a practical hiding place. If cornered with no means of escape, they will fall to their knees and plead for mercy, fully surrendering to their attackers.

A commoner who fails a bravery check does not have an opportunity to roll again until a full day has passed. However, if they manage to land an attack capable of inflicting damage, they will receive a hireling's experience share, representing the courage gained from direct combat experience.

Boldness Checks

Bold combatants are those who can endure damage and remain in the fight. For commoners, this applies to any damage taken, whereas for those with combat training, damage must be severe enough to stun lock the combatant before a boldness check is required. A successful roll in either case allows the combatant to shake off the blow and continue fighting. Additionally, success in a boldness check permanently improves morale by one point, reflecting the combatant's increasing resilience under pressure.

For example, combat-trained Fayln has 12 hit points and a standard morale of 9. She enters combat and takes 2 points of damage. If she were not combat-trained, she would have to roll a boldness check, but since the damage is not enough to stun her, she continues fighting unshaken. On the next round, she is hit again, this time for 3 damage, which is enough to stun her. Now she must roll a boldness check. She succeeds with a 10 on 2d6, meaning she remains in the fight and, as a result, her morale permanently drops to 8, making future morale checks — including future boldness checks — easier for her to pass.

Each time a combatant takes damage sufficient to stun them (or any damage at all for commoners), they must roll another boldness check to determine if they remain in the fight.

If the boldness check misses by 1 point, the combatant does not flee, but they will fall back one combat hex per round, while continuing to defend themselves if necessary. If they have enough action points to both attack and step back, they may do so. However, if they lack the required action points, they must forgo attacking and prioritise retreating until they are no longer engaged in melee. A combatant in this state may attempt to rally themselves afterward.

If the boldness check misses by 2 or more points, the combatant is considered routed and must abandon the fight immediately. They will run for five full rounds, even if they are wounded and risk bleeding to death. Overwhelmed by fear, they are incapable of stopping until they have distanced themselves from combat. Once rally requirements are fulfilled, they may attempt to rally each round thereafter.

Panic Checks

If any friendly NPC combatant is within two combat hexes of a combatant who has routed or been killed, they must immediately make a panic check, even if they themselves are unharmed. This check is made with a +2 bonus to the 2d6 roll. A successful roll means they overcome their fear and no further checks are required. However, if a panic check fails, that combatant will also rout, triggering a chain reaction — all friendly NPCs within two combat hexes of the panicked combatant must also roll a panic check on the following round. No combatant is required to make more than one panic check per round.

For example, Gareth fails a boldness check and routs. Hassan, Isabeau and Jacoby, his allies, are all within 2 hexes of him and must now make panic checks. Thanks to the +2 bonus, Hassan and Jacoby succeed, but Isabeau fails, meaning she will flee the next round after Gareth breaks. When she runs, Hassan, Jacoby and now Kendra, who is 2 hexes from Isabeau, must all roll a panic check. If any of them fail, the pattern repeats — whoever fails will flee the next round, potentially spreading panic further.

This form of cascading panic can quickly sweep through an entire army, causing combatants to abandon a winnable battle out of sheer fear. In large-scale engagements, even a single soldier with low morale can unravel an entire force's ability to fight, making morale just as important a factor as numbers, skill or equipment in determining the outcome of a battle.

Rally Checks

NPCs that have failed their boldness or panic checks must attempt to rally themselves before they can rejoin an ongoing combat.

A combatant who has fallen back twice while retreating from combat, or who has fallen back once and then successfully retreated and held their ground for one round, may attempt a rally check each round thereafter. In both cases, the total time before attempting a rally is two rounds. There is no adjustment to this roll, meaning the combatant must rely entirely on their base morale to recover their composure.

A combatant who has been routed may, after fleeing for five rounds, attempt to return to combat. Before doing so, they must first attend to their wounds. If possible, they must use a spell, magic item, sage ability or a healing salve to heal themselves. However, if no means of healing is available, this step may be ignored. Once these conditions are met, the combatant may attempt a rally check each round thereafter to regain their courage and rejoin the fight.

If the combatant is within 12 hexes (close shouting distance) of a cleric or paladin of the same religion, an employer, an officer or a liege of noble or royal descent, they receive a +1 modifier to their rally check, benefiting from the leadership and reassurance of an authority figure.

Breaking Checks

This describes a situation where individuals who are charging or being charged may suddenly experience panic, causing them to break in fear, either failing to complete their charge or failing to hold their ground against an oncoming attack. In such cases, a morale check is required to determine whether the combatant maintains their resolve or breaks and retreats.

For detailed rules on resolving these situations, refer to rules under charging, which outline the circumstances under which attackers and defenders must make morale checks and how their failure or success influences the outcome of a charge.

Adjustments

Because morale is automatically adjusted whenever an NPC succeeds in a morale check while under combat pressure, there are no adjustments based solely on the length of time an NPC has served under or for a superior. Loyalty through tenure does not inherently translate to greater battlefield resolve, as the experience of combat itself is what shapes an NPC's ability to maintain composure under duress.

However, morale can be influenced by several external factors. Adjustments may result from the character background generator, reflecting experiences and traits established before the NPC enters play. Wisdom may also play a role, as characters with greater foresight and mental fortitude may demonstrate steadier nerves. Additionally, an NPC's progenitor — their lineage and upbringing — may instill cultural or personal expectations regarding bravery or submission in battle. These factors are not limited to any specific character class and may be applied across a range of NPCs.

Furthermore, as previously mentioned, morale strengthening offers another means of improving morale, allowing for leadership, training and inspiration to bolster a combatant's ability to hold the line in the face of adversity.

See also,
Chant
Follower
Hireling
Prayer
Retainer
Standard Bearer
The Adventure