Locked Homes & Lockpicking¶

"The lock says the same thing to every hand that reaches for it: not invited. Whether you listen is a different question."

Every home in Ghelmyon has a door - and many of them lock. The lock isn't decoration: it's a real object with real rules about who it opens for, what it takes to open it without a key, and what happens if you're found inside a place you were never meant to enter.

At a glance¶


Your home	Opens for you freely - no key, no roll
Your key	Opens the matching door instantly
No key	Lockpicking - a Locksmithing check
Check result	d100 roll over the threshold to succeed
Failing the pick	Jammed lock - harder to retry
Breaking in	Picking a lock that isn't yours is recorded as a crime
List your keys	`/keys`

Your own home is always free¶

If you have a rented room or a home you own, the front door opens for you without any tool or roll. The engine treats it as yours and skips the lock. You don't need a key in your inventory for your own place.

This also means: if you live somewhere and an NPC is locking you out, that's a different situation - not a standard lock.

Keys¶

Keys live in your inventory like any other item. Most are named for the door they fit: a key to the Cordwainer Street room, a copper vault key. Carry the right key and the locked door opens on contact - no skill check, no noise.

Seeing what keys you have¶

/keys

Lists every key in your inventory, matched to its door where known. Useful when you've accumulated several and can't remember which is which.

Lockpicking - when you don't have a key¶

The Locksmithing skill is the direct path through a locked door when you have no key.

The check: a d100 roll over a threshold. Your Locksmithing rank lowers the threshold - higher rank means easier entry.
Success: the lock yields. The door opens.
Failure: the pick slips. The lock may jam - harder to try again.
Fumble: the pick snaps. You'll need a fresh one.

Quality picks matter: a good set of thieves' tools increases your effective Locksmithing for the attempt. Cheap pins break; a proper Rogue's kit holds.

The Rogue's home ground¶

Lockpicking is a Rogue core skill, but any class can invest in Locksmithing if they want the capability. Trainers for it can be found through the Thieves Guild (see factions).

The crime of it¶

Picking a lock that doesn't belong to you is recorded against you as a crime - the act itself is what the engine tracks, the moment the lock gives way.

A locked private home stays shut until you have a way in: your own home, the right key, the resident's friendship, or a successful pick. Without one of those the door simply won't open for you.
Invited guests enter freely. If an NPC has invited you in - or you own or rent the place - there's no lock to beat and nothing recorded.
Deeper consequences are coming. A later update adds the guard reaction to being found inside a home you broke into; for now the recorded crime is the break-in itself.

The guard presence in residential districts varies by neighbourhood. The patrician villas off the market squares are patrolled more attentively than the warren lanes at the back of the docks. Plan accordingly.

Quick reference¶

Situation	What to do
Opening your own door	Just walk in
You have the right key	Walk to the door - it opens
No key, have Locksmithing	`pick lock` (at the door)
No key, no picks	You're not getting in quietly
Want to see your keys	`/keys`
Locked chest, not a home door	Same pick verb, lower stakes