Harden Commoner (sage ability)

Harden Commoner is an amateur-status sage ability, in the study of Instruction, empowering the character to adeptly elucidate and inspire ordinary persons, helping them come to terms with the brutal realities of combat. It recognizes that many such individuals may have never encountered such a dire threat in their lives and seeks to prepare them mentally and emotionally for the challenges they may face.

In the societal hierarchy of the game world, it's rare for commoners to have the chance to acquire these skills, except when a realm becomes desperate militarily. When the opportunity is given, the likelihood of commoners stepping forward to participate ranges from 80% to 95%. This probability is determined by rolling a four-sided die (1d4), multiplying the result by 5, and then adding 75%.

The training necessitates a substantial transformation in mindset, physical preparedness and skill development. Commoners, accustomed to labor-intensive occupations, possess a fundamental level of physical fitness, but activities like running, marching, and combat drills represent a distinct challenge. As students, commoners must embark on a journey to enhance their endurance, stamina and muscle strength to adapt to these new demands effectively.

Training Process

Only a small amount of training is required per student, about 6 hours per week. In giving this training, one instructor is limited to managing up to 80 students per week (requiring 60 hours). Each group managed numbers eight persons who are trained in 2 to 3 hour time periods, who are then dismissed for a new group to be trained.

Once a week's training has occurred, the student makes a constitution check. If successful, the commoner improves as a combatant; if the check fails, however, no improvement occurs — and there is a 1 in 4 chance of the commoner refusing to continue the training. Those who continue may receive further training the next week.

Once the commoner has succeeded six times, he or she becomes a "comrade," or hardened commoner. In the interim, however, even some training is a benefit should the commoner be required to fight. As a reminder, commoners typically have one die for hit points (d6 or d8), zero experience, a morale of 10, a -6 non-proficiency penalty with anything except a familiar work tool (causing 1-4 damage), and an inability to use armour.

Benefits from Training

Each success produces a specific received benefit. In order, these are:

• 1st success: morale improves to 9; character learns how to hold and use a shield in combat.

• 2nd success: increase constitution ability stat by 1 point; reduce non-proficiency penalty to -5; they can wear a helmet in combat without being distracted by it.

• 3rd success: add 1 h.p. to character's natural total; become proficient with a club, causing 1-6 damage.

• 4th success: learn how to wear and fight in padded armour.

• 5th success: train in the use of the region's hereditary weapon (instructor's choice), so that the character is now -3 to hit with it.

• 6th success: add another h.p. to character's natural total; improve use of the hereditary weapon, so the character is -1 to hit; increase strength ability by 1 point.

In addition, once a character has made four successful rolls, "comrades" no longer need to make a morale check before entering combat. Stats cannot be increased above 18.

Further instruction can be had by training to be a soldier-at-arms.

See Level Training (sage ability)