Oratory

Oratory is the power to stir a crowd to a chosen emotion through invective, studied gestures and colorful language. The speaker must pick the reaction wanted before starting, and a failed roll produces exactly the opposite effect. The chance of success is 45%, plus 5% per level.

Sympathy makes the audience warm to the orator's cause, with a 50% chance they will actually help if asked; otherwise they only feel sorry. Antipathy turns the crowd against a named target, with a 50% chance of a riot or violence against it, and otherwise just shouting and milling about. Fascination holds the audience's full attention and is useful for a distraction, a diversion or stalling for time; it needs a costume, make-up such as a mime's whiteface, or a prop like cards or juggling pins, plus plenty of patter, and interest fades after 5 minutes, calling for another roll.

Boredom lulls listeners into apathy about a chosen subject. It lasts at most 5 minutes before the crowd grows restless and drifts away, which may be the point. A failed attempt at boredom wins the wrong kind of attention: the crowd jeers and heckles, and each further minute of speaking adds a cumulative 10% chance that they turn hostile, pelt the speaker with fruit, rubbish or stones, and run them roughly out of town. The skill costs 1,000 XP, with tutoring for non-Harlequins.