Several action cards in the game have this phrasing for a successful roll: "you influence the target". What does this mean, exactly, in game terms ? I looked through the rules, but couldn't find an answer...

Essentially, it means what the GM wants it to mean. In many cases, the GM is using a tracker to track something related to the NPC or the NPCs behavior, and therefore this result will move the tracking token in the PC's favor.

In my game it means... well... "You influence the target.". That means If I want to scare a NPC into letting go the man he though was a cultist and use Staring Contest and succeed the check, he's scared and he lets go the man. Easy as that.

Someone had the excellent suggestion of having an influence tracker equal to the person's willpower score.

For example: Hadred Handelich the Thug is trying to indimidate Eldred Backer the commoner into giving him his lunch money. Eldred has a a willpower of 4.

Hadred has to "influence the target" 4 times in order to convince him to give him his lunch money. If he fails, Eldred runs off

jh

That kind of makes sense in effect, you're attacking them and dealing damage to their "mental HP", as opposed to their physical wounds :-)