The Enigma of the Citadel
A parchment full of orders no one ever gave is circulating through Realm of the Crown, and the harm has only begun. The forgery is skilled: only an eye trained on the archives found its flaw. On the Chancellery's list stand Chamberlain Iorgu, Castellan Ursu, Zaharia the Spice Merchant, Onufrie the Executioner and Ilinca the Baker; one of these names covers a lie. The hours in question: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon", "at dusk" and "at vespers". The threads were tangled on purpose: investigate, weigh every word, and pronounce your verdict only when the grid leaves no room for doubt.
Suspects
He arranges the king's audiences and, for a small courtesy, the order in which petitions are read.
1.77 m
right-handed
grey eyes
brown hair
He keeps the fortress dungeon and the tally of those who leave other than they entered.
1.90 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
His ships bring pepper, saffron, and news no one asked for. All of it at the same price: steep.
1.74 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
A quiet man with a loud trade. He keeps a notebook of the last words of every condemned soul.
1.92 m
right-handed
dark eyes
bald
She weighs flour to the gram and people at a glance. No one stays in her debt twice.
1.62 m
right-handed
brown eyes
chestnut hair
Locations
the watchtower
The highest point of the fortress. From here you see everything - and from below, everyone sees who climbs up.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the abbey library
Thousands of leather-bound tomes. Some of the chains on the shelves were cut recently.
the old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
the Golden Boar inn
Wine watered down and rumours diluted with nothing. The rooms upstairs ask no questions.
Objects
the ledger of accounts
Neat columns of figures, with one page torn out exactly at mid-month.
the bishop's chalice
Gold set with blue stones. Blessed three times, stolen twice.
the silver-clad icon
The silver casing is old craftsmanship; the nails that hold it were driven this week.
the map of the realm
The kingdom's borders, drawn with a fresh correction where there should be none.
the amber necklace
Beads of golden resin strung on a silk thread. The thread is broken and hastily reknotted.
Motives
the inheritance
O avere așteptată, pe care numai o moarte o desparte de mână.
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
Moments
at dawn
When the citadel is barely waking and the guards still doze.
after matins
The hour after the morning service, when the abbey empties.
at noon
Midday, with bustle in the markets and silence in the alcoves.
at dusk
When the shadows lengthen and the lanterns are not yet lit.
at vespers
At the evening service, when the bells drown out any footstep.
Open the Grid (below) to solve the case, with the testimonies at hand.
Touch a cell: blank → ✗ (excluded) → ✓ (certain) → blank. Each pair of categories meets exactly once.
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Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the castle cellar and the ledger of accounts go together.
- In the gate ledger, Onufrie the Executioner stands higher, the suspect with grey eyes lower.
- Ilinca the Baker declares under oath: "I was driven by greed".
- The gate guard swears: the silver-clad icon matches that hour: at dawn.
- The Chancellery checked twice: the Golden Boar inn and blackmail do not go together.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: revenge matches that hour: after matins.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the silver-clad icon and blackmail go together.
- The gate guard swears: Ilinca the Baker was in the place where the cells only seem abandoned.
- The chronicler notes drily: the abbey library matches that hour: at dusk, whatever the court may say.
- By the order of the hours, first comes Castellan Ursu, then the suspect with brown eyes.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the bishop's chalice matches that hour: at vespers.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: a debt of honour matches that hour: at vespers.
- The gate guard swears: the suspect with brown eyes handled the amber necklace.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: Zaharia the Spice Merchant handled the silver-clad icon.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit was driven by a debt of honour.