Commoner (non-player character)

Commoners are members of the lowest social class in society and represent the bulk of humanoid persons within the game world – regardless, for the most part, of race. They're primarily engaged in agricultural work, the collection of food or as labourers within urban settings. They typically possess a single sage ability (often in farming, fishing, herding, foraging and the like), equalling an amateur until the age of 35 to 45, when they normally count as authorities in their negligible crafts.

The life of a commoner is characterised by its simplicity and closeness to nature, as their livelihood is directly tied to the land. Their diet primarily consists of staple foods and durables.

As Hirelings

Because their negligible skills are yet valued, players will eventually hire commoners as servants, stablehands, porters and cooks. If protected, commoners may become loyal and dutiful companions, and may eventually gain sufficient morale to sacrifice themselves in a fight.

As Combatants

Being non-levelled, commoners only have as many hit points as their body mass provides — typically 1d8 for human males and 1d6 for human females. A commoner's negative hit points are much reduced from that of levelled persons, such that they will die if damage reduces them to below -3 hit points.

As combatants they are very poor. Their standard morale begins at 10, a roll they must achieve with 2d6 before having the nerve to enter combat. Failing this roll, they will flee or beg for mercy, depending on the circumstance.

They possess no proficiencies and must fight with tools they use every day — suffering a -1 penalty "to hit" even with those. Such tools function as a club that causes 1-4 damage. With any other weapon, they suffer a -6 proficiency penalty. They cannot afford armour and are too clumsy to fight in it.

Ability Stats

A commoner's stats are generally less than those of better educated artisans, scribes, educators, artists and so on, largely because the individual's dreadfully hard life has wrought damage on his or her health over many years. When rolling the ability stats for a commoner, use 2d6+1d4. See experience, below.

Experience

Commoners can gain experience (they receive one-eighth share of the x.p. bonus after combat). If they accumulate as many as 200 points, they may be considered "hardened" comrades, regardless of combat training.

Any commoner with sufficiently high stats, the financial means, a tutor and sufficient time may become a character class. This is rare for an adult, and requires many years; it's far more likely for a commoner to propose one of their children for the privilege (who, still in the flower of youth, roll 3d6 for their ability stats).

See also,
Combat
The Adventure