Locks and Traps

Among the most common challenges facing thieves, explorers and other adventurers are the obstacles placed in their way – particularly locks and traps.

Locks are devices placed on boxes and doors to prevent entry. Most are crafted mechanisms opened with a key; some may be enchanted to prevent tampering. More rare are magical seals with no mechanism at all, which must be opened in specific ways.

Traps are contrivances that, when triggered – whether by opening a door or box, or stepping in a certain space, or tripping a wire – inflict some harm on the person triggering them. Some are crafted mechanisms; some are magical traps charged with offensive spells and other effects; some are field traps, wielded in battle against unwary foes.

Get a Ref! These rules are written to be self-administered as much as possible, but any player planning to pick a lock, trigger or disable a trap or otherwise tamper with any device should always get a referee if they can, to ensure fair play.

Locks

Mechanical locks come in two sizes: small locks for boxes and chests, and large locks for doors and gates. Padlocks are small locks that can be moved between boxes. Size relates only to where a lock is used; the same rules apply to picking either.

Like all equipment, locks vary in quality, which affects how easy they are to pick:

Standard: A character with the Scoundrel skill can pick a standard lock with suitable phys reps in 30 seconds, at will.
Superior and Mastercrafted: A character with the Device Proficiency skill can pick a superior lock with suitable phys reps in 30 seconds, or a mastercrafted lock with suitable phys reps in 2 minutes, up to twice per day (three times if the character is using higher-quality tools).

Some fiendishly difficult locks may take longer than 2 minutes to pick, require higher-quality tools, or use up two (or three!) uses of the Device Proficiency skill, but these are rare. Any special requirements will be listed on the “locked” side of the lock card.

In and Out of Character Locks In character boxes and doors must not be actually locked (i.e. with a real, physical lock) at any point during time in. A referee should be able to administer relevant effects without finding the owner to unlock it. Players needing a secure place in the in character area (for e.g. medicines, out of character money or other personal effects) may keep a locked box, but should label the box “out of character” to avoid confusion. In character items should not be kept in out of character boxes.

Lock Cards

Any lock on an in character box or door must have a lock card (which is separate from the lock’s item card, if any). Lock cards are issued automatically with the item card for any crafted (i.e. superior or mastercrafted) lock; players may request a lock card for any standard lock at the game organisation desk on presenting a suitable phys rep.

The lock card must be affixed to the box or door as close as possible to the lock, with the “locked” side (see below) visible, in such a way that others can turn the card over when interacting with the lock.

Lock cards have two sides:

The locked side of the card, which is labelled “Locked – Get a Ref” and details relevant traits for the lock (quality and materials, enchantment, etc.).
The unlocked side of the card, which is labelled “Unlocked” and details any trap attached to the lock, which may be triggered when the card is turned if the thief hasn’t already detected and disabled it.

Representing a Lock You don’t need an actual working mechanism as a phys rep for an in character lock. Any reasonable attempt to represent one will do: a visible keyhole, a latch with a slider or button, a cog or wheel. As long as it’s obvious there’s supposed to be something there.

Enchanted Locks

Higher-quality mechanical locks may be enchanted, by various means (see below).

By default, enchanted locks cannot be picked using the Scoundrel or Device Proficiency skills. A character with the Wardbreaker skill can pick most enchanted locks using the rules above, only if equipped with suitably invested tools.

Locks may be enchanted with further requirements, including:

Must be unlocked by certain types of people (Lions, healers, people with red hair) or named individuals
Must be unlocked under certain circumstances (at night, in a shrine to Odin, during a marriage ceremony)
Other requirements must be met (must be barefoot, must recite a prayer to Sythis, must burn a unit of comfrey)

The Analysis rite will reveal any additional requirements. Wardbreakers cannot automatically pick such locks (unless they meet the additional requirements) without further research.

Enchanted Locks and Keys When enchanting a lock, the key(s) must be enchanted alongside them; each key will be issued a magical item card along with the lock. If another key is later produced – whether copied from the original or simply not present in the original enchantment – it must be bound to the lock by ritual or other means (in the same way an item may be bound to a person) in order to work.

Magical Seals

A box or door may be magically locked without requiring any mechanism at all, although doing so is more complex and costly. A non-mechanical magical lock is called a seal.

There is always some other means of opening a magical seal, such as reciting a particular phrase or performing certain actions (see Enchanted Locks, above, for some ideas).

The Analysis rite will usually reveal the means to open a magical seal.

Wardbreakers cannot automatically open magical seals, since there is no mechanism to pick. They may learn how to break magical seals with research.

Mechanical Traps

Mechanical traps are crafted devices with intricate mechanisms. Creating a mechanical trap requires the Mechanician skill.

Like all equipment, mechanical traps vary in quality, which affects how easy they are to disable. Mechanical traps may be superior or mastercrafted; there are no standard quality mechanical traps.

Trigger: Mechanical traps are always triggered by a direct physical action, including:

Opening a lock without the key, or opening any box or door.
Stepping on a plate on the floor.
Stepping on or into a tripwire or thread.

Effect: Effects vary by the design, but may include:

A needle juts from the lock, striking the hand used to open it and administering a blade venom.
A needle shoots out from the mechanism, striking the torso of the person standing in front of it (within 5ft/1.5m) and administering a blade venom.
A blade swings out of the mechanism, inflicting one hit (sometimes with a damage call such as Through or Crush) to the torso of the person standing in front of it.
A vial releases a cloud of gas from the mechanism, administering a poison to a person standing in front of it.

Other effects are possible – the accompanying card or attending referee will explain any effects.

By default, traps need to be manually reset after being triggered (and a new dose of poison applied, if any). Traps that reset themselves will give relevant details on the attached card.

Unattended Traps Like passive poisons, most traps require the trapper or a referee to remain in sight of the trap to facilitate its effects. If left unattended, the trap is assumed to have broken or misfired. Players intending to use field traps on a battlefield should coordinate with the battle team in advance to get referee support. The main exception is trapped locks, the details of which are listed on the lock card. Any prospective thief should have a referee in attendance whenever possible, who can facilitate the effects of the trap, if any; but if not, they should apply any effects themselves. Other exceptions will always be accompanied by a card detailing their effects. If unsure about interacting with a trap, the player should try and find a referee for support.

Detecting and Disabling Mechanical Traps

Mechanical traps cannot usually be spotted without deliberately looking for them. A character with the Scoundrel skill can spot a mechanical trap after about 30 seconds of suitable roleplay. Note that this is separate from the time required to disable them.

Once detected, traps may be disabled as follows:

Disabling mechanical traps requires the Device Proficiency skill and a suitable phys rep of thief’s tools.
Disabling a superior trap takes 30 seconds.
Disabling a mastercrafted trap takes 2 minutes.
Note that the Device Proficiency skill may be used no more than twice a day (three times if the character is using higher-quality tools).
Any trap must be detected and disabled before the lock is picked, or it will trigger.

Some fiendishly complex traps may take longer than 2 minutes to disable, require higher-quality tools, or use up two (or three!) uses of the Device Proficiency skill, but these are rare. Any special requirements will be listed on the relevant card or given by the attending referee.

By default, disabled traps are broken. The thief may disable the trap without breaking it, but must take twice as long to do so (i.e. 1 minute for a superior trap, 4 minutes for a mastercrafted trap).

Example

The notorious burglar Jack Cowerd finds a locked chest in a merchant’s tent, which on brief examination appears to have a mastercrafted lock on it.

Jack knows the merchant he is robbing is wealthy and paranoid, so he spends 30 seconds confirming that the lock is armed with a superior needle trap.

He spends another 30 seconds, expending one use of his Device Proficiency skill, to disarm the needle trap. After that, he spends 2 minutes and a second use of his Device Proficiency skill to pick the lock.

In total, Jack has spent 3 minutes (plus a few seconds initially assessing the lock) and two uses of his Device Proficiency skill. Happily, Jack is using superior quality thief’s tools and still has one use of his skill remaining today.

The needle trap is now broken. Had Jack devoted an additional 30 seconds to disarming it, he could have kept it intact, but he’s getting nervous and wants to get out of the merchant’s tent as soon as possible.

Enchanted Traps

Like locks, mechanical traps may be enchanted, by various means (see below).

By default, enchanted traps cannot be disabled using the Device Proficiency skill alone. A character with the Wardbreaker skill can disable most enchanted traps using the rules above, only if equipped with suitably invested tools.

In addition to the above, enchanted traps are usually invested with offensive spells, allowing the mundane mechanism to trigger a magical event.

Examples

A locked box that hits a would-be thief with an Elemental Missile when opened without the key.
A locked chest that relocks itself (with Open/Lock) and causes the thief to forget unlocking the chest (with Forget) when opened without the key.
A door that casts Confusion on the person holding the door’s handle when opened.

Magical Traps

A magical trap doesn’t need to be based on a mechanism. It’s harder and more expensive, but an enchantment can be woven around almost any item that can be touched, broken, tripped or otherwise disturbed.

Examples

A mat that casts a spell on anyone who steps on it.
A ribbon that unleashes a spell on the person who unties it.
A glass bauble that releases a spirit when crushed.

Wardbreakers cannot automatically disable magical traps, since there is no mechanism to break. They may learn how to disable magical traps with research.

Enchanting Locks and Traps

Enchanted and magical locks and traps may be created by several routes. Different routes have different effects.

Ritual Magic: As in all things, ritual is the most versatile and powerful way to make an enchanted or magical lock or trap. A ritually created trap is likely to have its own pool of magic points each day.
Spiritual sorcery or demonology can be used to bind a spirit or demon into a lock or trap. The spirit will power the effect with its own magic – including casting spells or using their powers as appropriate – but is vulnerable to being banished or driven out.
Thaumaturgy can be used to create a construct trap, which is essentially an independent being in its own right, programmed to react to attempts to interfere with it. As with bound spirits, construct traps use their own powers or spells.
Invocation is particularly suited for creating traps. Invocation traps have one or more charges, which are expended when triggered. These traps require specific sigils (since they discharge automatically, without activation), requiring additional research.

As detailed elsewhere on this page, wardbreakers may pick or disable enchanted mechanisms with the relevant tools (provided they don’t need to meet any additional requirements) regardless of the source of the enchantment. Breaking magical traps or seals that don’t use mechanisms requires additional research.

Field Traps

Field traps are large, crude traps deployed in the open, generally on the battlefield. Where mechanical traps depend on intricate components such as springs and cogs, field traps employ pits, ropes, rocks and branches. Field traps are set using the Trapper skill, and may be detected and disabled using the Trapper, Scoundrel and Device Proficiency skills.

Like mechanical traps, field traps can vary in quality, which affects how easy they are to disable. By default, all field traps are standard quality, but a trapper may learn how to set higher-quality traps through research.

Field traps are generally triggered by walking into a tripwire or breaking a branch underfoot (pit traps, of course, are triggered by stepping on them). Effects vary, but are usually broadly physical: knocking the target over, dropping a heavy weight on them, snaring them, etc. Common traps are listed below. Trappers may develop more involved traps through research.

Unattended Field Traps Like passive poisons, field traps require the trapper or a referee to remain in sight of the trap to facilitate its effects. If left unattended, the trap is assumed to have broken or misfired. Players intending to use field traps in a battle should coordinate with the battle team in advance, who may be able to allocate referee support for trapped areas of the battlefield. Players should contact the battle team no later than 10 p.m. the night before the battle; any later than this, it may not be possible to allocate support.

Detecting and Disabling Field Traps

Like mechanical traps, field traps cannot usually be spotted without deliberately looking for them. A character with the Trapper or Scoundrel skill can spot a field trap after about 30 seconds of suitable roleplay. Note that this is separate from the time required to disable them.

Once detected, traps may be disabled. A character with the Scoundrel or Trapper skill can disable standard field traps at will, taking 30 seconds.

Disabled field traps are destroyed. Resetting a destroyed trap requires starting from scratch.

High-Quality Field Traps: With research, a trapper may set higher-quality field traps. Disabling these traps requires the Trapper or Device Proficiency skill and a suitable phys rep of thief’s tools or trapper’s tools.

Disabling a superior trap takes 30 seconds.
Disabling a mastercrafted trap takes 2 minutes.

As with mechanical traps, disabling a higher-quality trap expends one use of the Device Proficiency or Trapper skill.

Common Field Traps

A character with the Trapper skill can set any of the below common field traps. The Trapper skill may be used twice per day (three times if the character is using higher-quality trapper’s tools).

Setting a field trap requires a phys rep of trapper’s tools (e.g. hatchet, shovel, knife) and a minimum period of suitable roleplay, which should begin and end in sight of a referee. A field trap may be represented by some bent branches, tied string, etc. artfully placed in an around trees and covered in leaves. Please don’t set real traps or tripwires on a battlefield!

By default, all field traps cover an area approximately 5 ft (1.5 m) in diameter and affect one target.

Name	Description	Effect	Requirements
Deadfall	A rock or heavy log is fastened in place high in a tree, to drop when the trap is triggered.	Inflicts two hits to the target’s head (armour protects normally)	5 minutes, must be set under a tree
Log	A log suspended on ropes is hooked in a high place, to swing down when triggered.	Inflicts one hit to the target’s torso (armour protects normally) and knocks the target over per Mundane Strike Down	5 minutes, must be set under a tree
Pit	A deep pit is covered with a layer of thin branches and leaves, into which the target falls.	Inflicts one physical hit to each leg, ignoring armour, and the target must climb out (if their legs aren’t incapacitated), taking 30 seconds	15 minutes
Snare	A looped rope, pegged to the ground, is set to catch and tighten around the target’s leg	Target is trapped per Mundane Entangle and must untie or cut the snare to escape, taking 30 seconds	2 minutes
Tension	A thin branch is bent back under tension and tied with a light thread, to snap and whip back in the target’s face	Target is disoriented for 30 seconds per Mundane Confusion	2 minutes, must be set next to a tree

Larger or more complex traps are possible:

Larger Field Traps: A trapper can set a larger version of a trap, covering a 10 ft (3 m) diameter and affecting up to 3 people when triggered. This expends two uses of the Trapper skill and takes twice as long as setting the smaller version of the trap (e.g. setting a larger log trap takes 10 minutes).
Crafted Field Traps: A crafter can, with research, create large mechanical traps for use by trappers, such as bear traps. These devices require one or more uses of the trapper skill to set, but often have more powerful effects including special damage calls.
Complex Field Traps: With research, a trapper can learn more advanced traps, including spiked pits that inflict more damage, sharpened tension traps that lacerate the target’s face, or wire snares that cannot be freed without damaging the leg. These traps may cost two (or three!) uses of the Trapper skill, consume crafting materials or incorporate blade venoms, among other things.

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