Intimidation

With this skill, you can threaten, berate, or insult another person to induce fear or obtain information. A duelist can try to frighten an opponent into surrendering or making an error. An orc chieftain might not be as powerful as he looks, but if he makes the right threats, his rivals might not stand up to him at all. Use Intimidation to interrogate someone when Fast-Talk proves too mild a form of persuasion.

The application Torture differs from Threats because it involves the use of actual physical violence. In the experience of many Aventurian jailors, torture is a very unreliable form of questioning because, to stop the pain, victims will say or do anything (such as confessing to crimes they haven’t committed, or agreeing to falsely accuse others who are innocent). Corrupt judiciaries in certain realms beyond the influence of the Twelvegods use these so-called confessions and accusations as evidence or proof of guilt, thus perpetuating their corruption.

Check: COU/INT/CHA
Applications: Interrogation, Threats, Torture
Encumbrance: No
Quality: the victim remains intimidated longer or reveals more than expected.
Failed Check: the target ignores all insults and attempts at intimidation.
Critical Success: the target is utterly intimidated and won’t act against the character for the foreseeable future.
Botch: instead of being intimidated or insulted, the reverse happens, and the target grows angry, calm, or even amused. Alternatively, the would-be intimidator appears foolish.
Improvement Cost: B

• Intimidate a child with a barbarian ax +5 Torture someone who is Sensitive to Pain +3
• Insult a vain dandy +1
• Threaten a burgher using weapons +/-0
• Force a thief to reveal his hideout using threats -1
• Intimidate a patrol of the city guard -3
• Chase away a fanatic -5