The Enigma of the Dawn
The whispers began in Realm of the Crown like thin smoke; now the smoke smells of conspiracy. Those caught in it swear they knew nothing; one of them swears falsely. On the Chancellery's list stand Manole the Jeweller, Zaharia the Spice Merchant, Abbot Corvus, Mother Evghenia and Brother Anselm; one of these names covers a lie. The places named in the testimonies — the old chapel, the old dungeon, the great stable, the guild forge and the watchtower — each await their turn under scrutiny. A sharp eye is not enough here — it takes an archivist's patience: fit everything together, then pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
He tells gold from gilt at a glance. With people, he admits, it takes him two.
1.69 m
right-handed
brown eyes
brown 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
He raises ravens in the abbey tower. His birds arrive faster than any messenger - and cannot be held to account.
1.78 m
right-handed
dark eyes
bald
She runs the abbey with an iron hand and a golden pen. The register of donations has pages she shows no one.
1.60 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
He has copied manuscripts for forty years. He knows what every one of them says - including the forbidden ones.
1.75 m
right-handed
brown eyes
greying hair
Locations
the old chapel
Candles, incense, and a silence in which every footstep echoes like a confession.
the old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
the great stable
It smells of hay and hurried departures. Horses give no testimony.
the guild forge
Anvils, tongs, and a fire that never goes out. Many small metal things vanish here.
the watchtower
The highest point of the fortress. From here you see everything - and from below, everyone sees who climbs up.
Objects
the rusted sword
An old weapon, forgotten on the rack. The rust on the blade is newer than it looks.
the vial of belladonna
A small flask, a wax stopper, a label written with care. Three-quarters empty.
the ciphered letter
Orderly rows of meaningless signs. The ink is costly, the paper costlier, the sender - unknown.
the signet ring
The crest has been filed away almost completely. Almost.
the purse of gold coins
New coins, unworn, from a minting not yet in circulation. Interesting.
Motives
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
fear of exposure
Groaza de a fi dat în vileag, care împinge la orice.
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
ambition
Setea de a urca, chiar peste trupuri, spre o treaptă mai înaltă.
the inheritance
O avere așteptată, pe care numai o moarte o desparte de mână.
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.
| SUSPECTS | LOCATIONS | OBJECTS | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| MOTIVES | |
|||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
| OBJECTS | |
|||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
| LOCATIONS | |
|||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- At the Chancellery, Abbot Corvus maintains: "I was driven by jealousy".
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the old chapel and the rusted sword go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: Mother Evghenia was driven by the inheritance, whatever the court may say.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the vial of belladonna and fear of exposure go together.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the suspect with greying hair handled the rusted sword.
- The gate guard swears: the old dungeon and the purse of gold coins go together.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: the watchtower and jealousy do not go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: the guild forge and the vial of belladonna go together, whatever the court may say.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if Zaharia the Spice Merchant was at the guild forge, then Brother Anselm was driven by blackmail.
- Mother Evghenia raises their right hand and says: "I was in the place where the cells only seem abandoned".
- Brother Anselm raises their right hand and says: "I handled the rusted sword".
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the suspect with brown hair handled the signet ring.
- Manole the Jeweller declares under oath: "I was in the place from which you see everything".
- The gate guard swears: Mother Evghenia was in the place where the cells only seem abandoned.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: Zaharia the Spice Merchant never set foot in the place that smells of hay.