The Knot of the Lady
In Realm of the Crown, only one thing is spoken of today: a daring theft, carried out almost before the court's eyes. The Chancellery has set every other file aside: until what was taken returns, no one sleeps easy. On the Chancellery's list stand Teofil the Chronicler, Luca the Squire, Father Nicodim, Sir Bogdan de Fag and Filip the Steward; one of these names covers a lie. The places named in the testimonies — the tourney field, the guild forge, the cathedral crypt, the castle cellar and the Golden Boar inn — 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 writes the kingdom's history as he is ordered. The unwelcome drafts, however, he keeps every one.
1.69 m
left-handed
brown eyes
greying 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 hears the confessions of the whole court. Forgetting, he says, is a gift from the Lord - one he sells dearly.
1.72 m
right-handed
blue eyes
greying 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 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
Locations
the tourney field
Empty stands outside festival days. An excellent place for meetings that never happened.
the guild forge
Anvils, tongs, and a fire that never goes out. Many small metal things vanish here.
the cathedral crypt
The old kings sleep beneath crested slabs. Now and then, someone disturbs their rest.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the Golden Boar inn
Wine watered down and rumours diluted with nothing. The rooms upstairs ask no questions.
Objects
the locked chest
Three padlocks, two rows of straps. Fresh scratches around the hinges, not the locks.
the silver candelabrum
Heavy as a small anvil. It can light a room or end a conversation.
the stained parchment
A half-burned document with a stain that might be wine. Or not.
the bronze key
Heavy, old, its teeth worn smooth. No one knows what door it opens anymore - or so they say.
the purse of gold coins
New coins, unworn, from a minting not yet in circulation. Interesting.
Motives
fear of exposure
Groaza de a fi dat în vileag, care împinge la orice.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
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: Filip the Steward was in the place where the fire never goes out.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if Sir Bogdan de Fag was driven by fear of exposure, then Father Nicodim was at the cathedral crypt.
- The chronicler notes drily: the silver candelabrum and revenge go together, whatever the court may say.
- At the Chancellery, Luca the Squire maintains: "I was driven by blackmail".
- At the Chancellery, Filip the Steward maintains: "I handled the silver candelabrum".
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the tourney field and fear of exposure go together.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the tourney field and the purse of gold coins go together.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if the tallest suspect was in the place with stands empty outside festival days, then Father Nicodim handled the silver candelabrum.
- The gate guard swears: the stained parchment and blackmail go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: the Golden Boar inn and the bronze key go together, whatever the court may say.
- Whatever the market gossips: the locked chest and jealousy do not go together.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the tallest suspect was at the tourney field.