The Hour of the Chancellery
A bold theft has shaken the calm of the court, and calm will not return until the truth comes out. The culprit worked cleanly, but not without witnesses — and the witnesses, at last, have begun to talk. The testimonies keep returning to the same names: Filip the Steward, Luca the Squire, Castellan Ursu, Sir Bogdan de Fag and Pantelimon the Gardener. The testimonies cling to certain hours: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon", "at dusk" and "at vespers". A sharp eye is not enough here — it takes an archivist's patience: fit everything together, then pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
He counts the crown's silver every evening. On some evenings the count comes out different - and he says nothing.
1.79 m
right-handed
grey eyes
chestnut hair
He polishes the knight's armour and dreams of a sword of his own. For a coat of arms he would do almost anything.
1.72 m
right-handed
green 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
He pawned his armour to pay his tavern debts. Honour, he says, does not rust.
1.85 m
right-handed
blue eyes
brown hair
He tends the queen's roses and no one's beds of belladonna. The second garden is the more sought-after.
1.73 m
right-handed
green eyes
greying hair
Locations
the merchant's house
Carpets brought from overseas and a desk with more secret drawers than drawers.
the customs cellar
Sealed crates, thick ledgers, and air that smells of undeclared goods.
the queen's garden
Roses trimmed to a line and paths you may walk only by invitation. At night, the hedge has ears.
the hunting lodge
The royal cabin in the heart of the forest. Far from the eyes of the court - which is exactly what suits some.
the mill by the river
The wheel turns day and night. Its noise drowns out any conversation - which is why some are held here.
Objects
the amber necklace
Beads of golden resin strung on a silk thread. The thread is broken and hastily reknotted.
the stained parchment
A half-burned document with a stain that might be wine. Or not.
the ruby dagger
A short blade, its hilt set with a stone red as a frozen drop. It was sharpened recently.
the bronze key
Heavy, old, its teeth worn smooth. No one knows what door it opens anymore - or so they say.
the silver-clad icon
The silver casing is old craftsmanship; the nails that hold it were driven this week.
Motives
the inheritance
O avere așteptată, pe care numai o moarte o desparte de mână.
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
fear of exposure
Groaza de a fi dat în vileag, care împinge la orice.
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
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.
| SUSPECTS | LOCATIONS | OBJECTS | MOTIVES | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| MOMENTS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| MOTIVES | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| OBJECTS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| LOCATIONS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit was at the merchant's house.
- The chancellor deduced it coldly: if the suspect with greying hair handled the ruby dagger, then Filip the Steward was driven by greed.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the mill by the river matches that hour: at dawn.
- An unsigned note, slipped under the door: "the culprit was driven by blackmail".
- An unsigned note, slipped under the door: "the culprit handled the bronze key".
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the stained parchment does not match that hour: after matins.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the tallest suspect was driven by jealousy.
- The chronicler notes drily: the queen's garden and the inheritance go together, whatever the court may say.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the suspect with greying hair was there after matins.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the hunting lodge matches that hour: after matins.
- The bell-ringer remembers well: Luca the Squire came earlier than Sir Bogdan de Fag.
- The Chancellery checked twice: greed does not match that hour: at dusk.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the amber necklace and jealousy go together.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the customs cellar matches that hour: at dusk.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the silver-clad icon matches that hour: at noon.