Leadership

Typically used with: Charm.

In short: take command. Characters with ranks in Leadership have an unshakable aura of confidence and authority about them. All great generals, kings, and ringleaders make use of this Skill. You can use it to motivate others into action or calm them in a pinch.

You may use Leadership against any creature of an elemental, humanoid, or legendary Nature. You may also use Leadership against any fabricated, plantlike, or undead creature with an Intellect higher than 1.

Motivating

Your unwavering morale is a comfort to others in the face of adversity. You can use this Skill to galvanize those nearby to resist the effects of a failed Guts, Sanity, Mind Control, or Virtue check. Make a Leadership check and a rousing call: "snap out of it!", "pull yourselves together!", or "don't listen to them!". If the result of your Leadership check exceeds the DL the ally needed to surpass, any consequences of their failed check are avoided. You can calm one creature for each rank of Leadership (e.g. 3 ranks; 3 comrades). Motivating allies doesn't take any AP, since it happens in response to some other combatant's action. You can perform this action as many times per encounter as you wish, but each additional try adds a −1 penalty to your roll.

Taking Charge

When danger rears its ugly head, folks tend to look your way to assume control. Whether the wisdom to make the right choice comes from your own ability to Discern or from a trusted advisor, your eminence convinces others that your commands must be the right course of action. Make a Leadership check opposed by their Mind Control check. If your check is higher, the creature respects your authority and executes any of your instructions. Unlike other Skill checks which coax others into following suggestions, you can use Leadership to issue commands that endanger those you're commanding. So long as the situation is dire and the loss of life and limb is a certainty, those who submit to your command will endanger themselves for the greater good. Each attempt generally takes a few minutes. Once you part ways, they'll carry out any final orders to the best of their ability.

Your own allies don't need to be commanded — anyone whose Disposition is friendly or better will follow you to death and glory. Creatures whose Disposition is benign or neutral might need the extra coaxing, though. Anyone whose Disposition is malign or worse automatically passes their Mind Control check ("You're not the boss of me!") unless your orders will directly benefit their own interests. If you have ties to an organization and hold a formal position of power, you don't need to make a Leadership check to issue commands to your subordinates unless your requests are grossly outside the organization's motives.

In combat, you can command your opponent to surrender, hold their fire, or let you go. This action takes 4 AP. See the "Diplomacy" entry in the Socializing section of Chapter 10: Combat.

Recruiting

You can use this Skill to recruit any creature with a Disposition of neutral or better into your retinue (see the "Retinue" entry in the Fame and Fortune section of Chapter 12: Adventures). As long as your proposition doesn't contradict the creature's Motivation, Alignment, or personal obligations and responsibilities, make opposed Leadership checks to hash out the details. If your result is higher, they join the club. If their result meets or exceeds yours, they turn you down. You can attempt this once per day per creature. Each attempt generally takes a few minutes.

Enlisting a character into your retinue grants you a direct report that follows your orders as long as they're pleased with the arrangement and you compensate them fairly — that means you need things like loose cash, food, housing, supplies, mentorship, or a share of the profits. From the moment you enlist their services, they serve you however you deem fit: tagging along, guarding the base, or cleaning your apartment. If you successfully recruit a character with their own retinue, you gain all of the forces who wish to remain and pledge their loyalty.

Concealing Strategy

Once you and your strategists have devised combat plans, you can make sure the orders are carried out in such a way that your opponents cannot successfully analyze the actions of your military. Make a Leadership check. Any opponents can make a Discern check to interpret your plans based on the behavior of your units. If their result is higher, they figure out one aspect of your plans. Some of the possible information one could Discern from battles include: a place, object, or person a combatant is guarding; the next plan of attack; a likely escape or fall-back point.