3.15 Locks and their mechanisms.

Securing the valuable possesions of a city, guild, group or individual is of paramound importance in the land. Commodity stores, army barracks, shop stockrooms, private residences - these and more should, in addition to the array of specialised defences (like runestaves, targetted traps, etc) should consider robust doors as their primary means of protection. The door is an instant barrier against unwanted intrusion. It creates potential sanctuary, treasuries for plunder or stockrooms for merchant wares. The door, therefore, and its unique lock mechanism is an essential. Keys entrusted to the privileged few. Locks worked to individualised, potent complexity and mechanisms strengthened to resist intrusion and weather the wear-and-tear of everyday attention.

Doors are initially simple barriers, fashioned from a range of commodities, and transported via carts to their destinations ready for fitting by those with appropriate skills (high level forgers or labourers). They are then given a lock mechanism, also made initially by high level labourers or locksmiths - the initial mechanism duly fitted to the doorway. Before the lock mechanism is fitted most create a master key - a task far more difficult once the mechanism is hidden within the door, etc. With these in place you are ready to transform the simple door into a formidable barrier, the extent of the strengthening determining the power of the door to resist unwanted invasion. Two facets of the door must be attended to: the state-of-repair of the lock mechanism and the complexity/potency of the lock itself. The former can be reviewed by anybody using the DOORS command, the latter quickly becomes the domain of the specialist.

State-of-repair is affected by numerous circumstances, from regular usage of the lock to weathering aggressive attacks (such as blastdoor charms or shoulder-barging). The state-of-repair must be maintained to a respectable level else it will reduce the capability of the lock to perform its function. STRENGTHEN and UPGRADE are the two central commands used to improve the state-of-repair of a lock mechanism and these are most usually handled by those with Forging or locksmith specialists.

Lock complexity is how fundamentally intricate, resilient and individualised it is. It determines overall resistence to burglars. A lock worked on by a world-renowned specialist will thwart most would-be thieves and delay ALL those without a key. It is not easy, and often expensive, to persuade the great burglar specialists to use their talents to work on one of your locks, to make it as intricate and individualised as possible; and also a leap of faith: the locksmith will, by default, be familiar with its secrets. And one can never be sure with whom the locksmith has shared the secrets of his/her trade...

The specific abilities employed in the improvement (or deconstruction) of a lock mechanism's complexity/uniqueness are not to be discussed here since they form one of the centrepieces of certain professional skillsets. Suffice it to say there are ways and means of guaranteeing the security of a lock mechanism once it has been taken to the highest levels of intricacy... but the price is often heavy, the risk great and many opt instead for more mediocre locks bolstered by enchanted defences. This choice is a difficult dilemma for all those involved in building up secure locations and some say only experience can teach the subtleties of the mysterious "tumblers deep inside" - the frontline guardian of all one's most precious goods, vulnerable associates and secret stores.

Non-specialist commands relating to locks:
Syntax: UNLOCK/LOCK <item> or UNLOCK/LOCK DOOR <direction>.
Many items and most doors/gates are fitted with lock mechanism and, if they are guarding anything of value will tend to be locked shut. Use this command to unlock the mechanism (you will need a key, most likely) or to lock it shut again. If you have nothing suitable to lock/unlock you will automatically try other means (e.g. ordering city locksmiths in, using lockpicking). Lockpicking is an art, a skill practised by many but mastered by few.

If you decide to being picking a lot you will seldom find it an instant process. The number of 'pick attempts' (i.e. the amount of time) it will require depends on your skill, your lockpicking kit's potency relative to the specific lock mechanism, the state of repair of the target, the complexity of the lock mechanism being assailed and - significantly - your familiarity with the lock before you. Consider - as an example - attempting to pick a lock you were responsible for creating and improving to a high level of complexity. Your familiarity would make the task a simple one, whereas someone with a similar level of skill (in a general sense) as you without that familiarity would find the lock far more challenging, thus picking it would take far longer.

Syntax: UNFIT LOCK <direction> or UNFIT LOCK <item>.
Use this command to unfit lock mechanisms from items or doors/gates. The lock mechanism must be completely exposed (that is to say, the item in which it has been fited must be opened). You require a lockpicking kit for this endeavour and although given enough time anyone can break a lock out of most doors or items, the pac e of the operation is much faster in the hands of an experienced thief.

For certain specialists or in a city locksmith:
Syntax: LOCKSMITH <master key> <slave key>.
Adds the distictiveness, and thus all the locks opened by the slave key, to the master key; assuming the master has sufficient room and the slave isn't too complicated for the task.

Lock-related abilities for government and/or specialists:
"Fashioning a door" is performed by city labourers. "Fashioning a lock" is the domain of the forger or the specialist locksmith. "Fitting a lock to an item or a door" can be done by those with Forging and individuals of the thief profession. "Unfitting locks from doors or items" is solely the province of the burglar specialist. "Making a key for a newly created lock" requires the dextrous craftmanship of the lock specialist or an advanced runesmith.

"Duplicating a key from a masterkey" is also an ability partly mastered by the runesmith but only perfected by the burglar/thief specialist. "Strengthening door/item lock mechanisms" requires either very-advanced Forging or modest Thievery skill development. "Improving lock mechanism complexity" can be attempted by excellent runesmiths but is taken to its higher eschelons by the thief and mastered by the burglar. "Deteriorating lock mechanism complexity" is the domain of the thief and the burglar alone.

"Fashioning 'basic' lockpicking kits" is taken in hand by city labourers. "Improving 'basic' lockpicking kits to 'intricate' lockpicking kits" can be achieved by suitably advanced forgers but is mastered by the thief/burglar. "Making 'master' lockpicking kits" can only be attempted by the burglar specialist. "Caring for lockpicking kits, locks and doors" requires a modicum of thievery guild specialism or fairly advance itemlore skill level.