Break & Enter (sage ability)

Break & Enter is an amateur-status sage ability within the study of Burglary, providing the character with the technical knowledge and delicate touch necessary to force entry into doors, windows and structural barriers while minimising noise and attention. This skill is not about brute force but rather precision, patience and an understanding of materials and construction techniques.

A skilled burglar can use specialised tools to cut glass, remove door bolts, loosen iron rivets, extract wooden frames and even excavate bits of plaster or masonry to create an entry point without alerting those nearby. The primary limitation is not the likelihood of success but the time required to complete the task, as careful disassembly takes significantly longer than simply breaking through by force.

To determine how silently the process is performed, a stealth roll is required, with a base of 2d4 in full darkness. The difficulty increases in certain conditions, such as in an urban exterior environment, where buildings and echoing sounds make it easier for noise to carry. This applies a -2 penalty to the roll. Other adjustments depend on lighting conditions, the proximity of potential observers and the character's individual skill level. If anyone moves within the sound radius of the work being done, they will hear the character unless the stealth roll succeeds. A skilled burglar must be acutely aware of their surroundings, ensuring that movements remain slow and deliberate. The challenge of breaking and entering is not only in the technique but also in knowing when the risk of detection is too high.

Windows and Doors

Removing a small window can be accomplished within 5 to 8 rounds, assuming it is on the ground floor and large enough to squeeze through. Historically, many ground-level windows were intentionally small — often no larger than 8 inches square — to deter forced entry. Any window larger than 4 square feet presents a risk, even with care. The structural tension in the glass may cause it to crack and collapse once its integrity is compromised. In such cases, the burglar must make an dexterity check to avoid a sudden break that could alert nearby listeners. The proper tools for handling glass include a small hammer, a diamond "saw" for precise cuts and a square foot of muslin or damask to catch falling shards and muffle sound.

Removing the bolts of a standard wooden door can be done in 5 to 20 rounds, with the exact time determined by how securely the fastenings have become lodged due to age, rust or wear. Stronger, reinforced doors with iron bands and rivets take much longer to breach, requiring anywhere from 60 to 90 rounds (10d4+50). The time-consuming process involves loosening rivets and bands before extracting the bolts themselves. For heavy dungeon doors, typically six inches thick with cemented-in bolts, a burglar must first pry apart one of the wooden boards that make up the door, then dismantle it piece by piece. This process requires 10d12+150 rounds, as the rivets must be gradually worked loose before any meaningful progress can be made. The standard toolset for door removal includes two sizes of chisel, three wedges, a small hammer and a pair of iron tongs.

Peeling

In some cases, removing the surrounding frame, masonry or plaster is the best alternative to tampering directly with a door or window. However, this method, called "peeling," depends on the age and maintenance of the building. The structure must be at least ten years old and owned by someone without military, engineering, mining or architecture expertise — otherwise, the structure is too well-maintained for this method to be effective. If feasible, prying out the surrounding material takes roughly half the time required to remove a reinforced door and is often more discreet. The tools for this method are identical to those used for door removal, with tongs playing a more significant role in extracting loosened materials.

See also,
Lookout (sage ability)
Theft (sage field)