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    Lockplate Key
    Lockplate Key
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    brass-and-steel access key with rotating pins and numbered dial, macro product shot, shallow depth of field, warm lantern light, realistic painterly
    type:
    Mechanical access tool; keyed plate interface
    rarity:
    uncommon
    material:
    brass shank; steel pins; enamel index dial
    weight:
    110–140 g
    dimensions:
    8.5 × 2.2 × 0.8 cm
    origin:
    interfaces:
    seal lockplates; archive drawers; rack latches
    legality:
    Licensed under guild charter; restricted outside bonded sites
    Lockplate Key is a coded mechanical tool used to open seal-locked drawers, cabinets, and rack latches maintained by the Silver Ledger and the Counting House. It reads and sets plate tumblers to the current validation cycle, often in tandem with a Cipher Deck and a Ledger Signet. Field variants are carried on patrols to sites like the Slickstone Arches for claim boxes and temporary racks.

    Description

    • Construction: Short brass shank with a slotted nose housing adjustable steel pins; body carries a numbered enamel dial and a springed side toggle.
    • Index Dial: Rotates to select the cycle group; a mica window shows alignment markers that match counter slips from the Counting House.
    • Tumbler Face: Flat oval head with two recesses for wax-read and press actions when used alongside a Cipher Deck.
    • Tell-tales: Heat-reactive stripe along the spine glows faintly when aligned; mis-set pins show a blackened edge on test wax.
    • Carry: Felted sheath or chain loop favored by wardens in Vesper Quay; some operatives pair it with a Glasswire Dagger in a flat kit.

    Type / Category

    • Category: Access key; mechanical interface for seal lockplates.
    • Users: Guild clerks, Harbor Wardens under Ilex Marr, and bonded brokers such as Scillia Doge.
    • Environments: Guild counters, archive stacks, quay intake racks, and field lockups near the Slickstone Arches.

    Stats / Effects

    • Access Tier: Grants physical open on plates keyed to the holder’s registry tier; higher tiers require matching Cipher Deck code.
    • Verification Bonus: When paired with a correct Ledger Signet, advantage on counter checks to review bonded manifests.
    • Misalignment Risk: On rushed use, 10% chance to mis-set a pin; plate rejects with a warning click and heat-stripe dims.
    • Tamper Flag: Forcible torque blackens the enamel dial; flagged keys are logged at the Counting House and may be confiscated by a Hall Guard.
    • Environmental Seal: Salt-resistant grease reduces grit jam on docks and at the Slickstone Arches.

    Usage / Crafting / Requirements

    • Operation: Set dial to the posted cycle; insert nose to seat pins; read with the Cipher Deck if required; press and toggle to open; seal with a Ledger Signet when closing.
    • Issuance: Assigned to bonded members of the Silver Ledger; serials recorded at the Counting House.
    • Maintenance: Brush pins; oil sparingly; replace enamel dial if cracked to avoid misreads under lantern light.
    • Restrictions: Carry outside guild sites draws fines in Vesper Quay; repeat violations escalate under Harbor Wardens.
    • Field Kits: Patrol versions include wax sticks, grit brush, and a registry slip case for tide operations at the Slickstone Arches.

    Lore / Background

    • Standardization: Adopted after the Lantern Truce to unify quay-side plates with archive drawers at the Counting House.
    • Counterfeits: The Gutter Syndic circulates look-alikes; most fail the heat-stripe and wax-edge tests.
    • Incidents: Early salvage frenzies at the Slickstone Arches prompted issuance of field keys to curb pry-bar damage on claim racks.
    • Practice: Brokers like Scillia Doge keep a travel key tuned for night filings, while wardens under Ilex Marr rotate cycles before dawn sweeps.

    Image Gallery

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    A lockplate being opened at the Ledger counters in Vesper Quay
    A lockplate being opened at the Ledger counters in Vesper Quay
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    Field use on a claim rack at the Slickstone Arches
    Field use on a claim rack at the Slickstone Arches
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    A male Hall Guard logging a confiscated counterfeit after an inspection
    A male Hall Guard logging a confiscated counterfeit after an inspection
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    A female broker matching the cycle dial before sealing a drawer
    A female broker matching the cycle dial before sealing a drawer

    Related Characters / Mobs / Scenes

    Variants

    • Archive Key: Fine-pinned version restricted to deep stacks at the Counting House.
    • Field Key: Ruggedized body with wider tolerances for grit; issued for patrol work at the Slickstone Arches.
    • Master Key: Senior-warden issue with dual toggles and higher-tier cycle groups; requires concurrent Cipher Deck verification.