Could be...
It's like the fellowship of the 'tools! (boop me)
Though I would think it would work like Wanda's hypothetical spell: encourage him to act in ways he already would, but in the arkenhammer's own interest.
You know, a lot of the characters kind of make sense from a DnD class perspective (thinking of Warlord as a prestige class). Ansom would be an aristocrat/paladin/warlord, Jillian an aristocrat/barbarian/warlord, Vinny a vampire/warlord, etc.
anyway, the point I'm making is that Stanley would be a fighter/warlord, and therefore have a lower will save than Ansom, and thus easier for the 'tool to influence.
Similarly, i think that Jillian has more aristocrat levels than Wanda expected, giving her a higher will save than a barbarian normally would.