Hirelings

During the course of your adventures it is possible to acquire hirelings, people who will accompany you or fulfill a task for you for a price. This can range from various camp followers such as cooks, tinkers, guards, minstrels and porters to hired specialists such as sages or assassins. Some do a job for you once and have it over with, and some remain in your employ for as long as you want them (and can pay them and provide for them.)

Hirelings have a default morale, and are very unwilling to do dangerous things beyond their basic job. A torchbearer will follow you down a dark corridor, but like hell will he lead the way, let alone fight!

The average hireling has a basic morale stat, and dangerous situations roll against that to determine whether or not your hired man bugs out and takes for the hills. These situations need not necessarily be combat- being in dangerous places, witnessing horrible things, or a journey just becoming too miserable to be worth it can turn your hire into a deserter.

However! If you treat your hirelings well, they're a lot less likely to cut and run! Paying a hireling twice or more their asking price grants a hidden bonus to morale. Treating them very well also adds bonuses. Likewise, treating them poorly will subtract from morale. Use common sense.